“Three Things”
1.) So… remember that Umbrella plant that I bought a year ago from Walmart that was huge and gorgeous. Well, it’s been dropping perfectly healthy leaves and stems regularly forever. Some say too much water, some say not enough water. I’ve re-potted it in fresh new soil and a bigger pot in case it was root bound. It was… but that was months ago, and here we are. Still dropping healthy leaves. No new baby leaves coming up either. These are supposed to be an easy plant that does well indoors, but forget it. I just put it outside. Let’s see if extra sun fixes it. Grrrrr!!
2.) I made roasted acorn squash yesterday. It’s delicious!! I’ve never had any kind of squash growing up, and have just discovered these veggies in the last few years, and while they all taste very similar, they are SO YUMMY!!!! Though not really Keto so I have to go easy on them.
3.) I’m still trying to finish Home Before Dark. *sigh* It kind of turned into a murder mystery (and I’m not into those as much). I was really wanting something with that Amityville -HORROR feel. And while the house does mostly seem “haunted” with a few creepy scenes here and there (record player starting by itself at night – and a chandelier that turns on by itself – and the dark history of the house), it’s just not scaring me, because the focus of the book really is… elsewhere. So here I am at 70% and stalled.
LOOK WHAT JUST WENT LIVE 
!!!
- EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST!! ➔➔➔ TWO MONTHS FREE KINDLE UNLIMITED DEAL!!! <— If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s your chance. 😲❤️ WE ARE LOVING IT!
and…
- Doc T (Macha MC Book 1) by Skye McNeil
- Primal Hunger (Primal Howlers MC Book 4) by Piper Davenport
- Hate Thy Neighbor: An Enemies-to-Lovers Standalone Romance by S.M. Soto
- Wed to the Mob: An Obsessed Alpha Male Romance (Rossi Brothers Book 3) by Autumn Reign
Breaking News (Prime Time Series Book 2) by Ella Frank <— Ella Frank M/M ROMANCE ALERT!! HIS BEST FRIEND’S OLDER BROTHER… “...Gruff and charming, charismatic in his own way, I’ve found myself looking past my preconceptions and discovered a whole new side to Detective Dick—a side I could fall in love with. But life isn’t always easy—it can change course in the blink of an eye. Sometimes for the good and sometimes for the bad. I know this because last night I experienced both sides...”
- The Thomas Flair: A M/M Summer Games Romance by E.J. Russell <— M/M ROMANCE!!
- Back to Ruby’s (Ruby’s Bar Book 2) by KC Luck
- Dr. Mitchell: Billionaires’ Club Book 1 by Raylin Marks
Smitten: A Standalone Friends to Lovers Romance by Lauren Rowe <— GOOD BOY ROCK STAR WITH NO GAME… “...I made it my mission to impress her. Give her the kiss of a lifetime that night. But since I’ve always been the dude with zero game, nothing went according to plan. I’m not giving up, though. I’m going to win this girl over. I’m done sitting on the sidelines, watching the bad boy getting the girl. This time, the nice guy will finish first. Even if it’s the last thing he’ll do...”
- Devilish Game (Shadow Guild: The Rebel Book 4) by Linsey Hall
- Followed By The Mountain Man (The Mountain Men of Linesworth Book 8) by Frankie Love
- Cross Her Heart: Sweet & Clean Western Romance (Cowboys and Angels Beginnings Book 1) by Jo Noelle
- High Heat (Hotshots Book 2) by Annabeth Albert
Kiss My Putt (Summersweet Island Book 1) Tara Sivec <— TARA SIVEC ALERT!!! FAMOUS GOLFER & THE BEST FRIEND HE BLOCKED & CALLED A STALKER… “...I’m sure Birdie Bennett, my best friend since I was 15 and the clubhouse manager of my favorite golf course, has had plenty of time to forgive me for that tiny little misunderstanding where I blocked her on social media and blocked her in my phone. Oh, and I guess I kind of, sort of accused her of being a stalker. It’s fine! Once my sexy, spunky, former best friend gets over the shock of seeing me again and stops trying to drive a 9-iron into my skull, I can finally let her know I’ve also kind of, sort of always been in love with her…”
- Deliver us from Evil: A Reverse Harem Dark Romance Series (The Sinners of Saint Amos Book 3) by Logan Fox
PREORDERS (going live soon!!! 😀 )
Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover – July 28th 2020- The Rising by Kristen Ashley – July 28th 2020
- Begin Again: A Stay Novella by Jennifer Probst – July 28th 2020
- The Bad Sister (Family Secrets) by Kevin O’Brien – July 28th 2020
- The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell – July 28th 2020
- Man Down (A Rookie Rebels Novel) by Kate Meader – July 28th 2020
- The Lions of Fifth Avenue: A Novel by Fiona Davis – July 28th 2020
- Hasty (Do-Over Book 4) by Julia Kent – July 28th 2020
- Then There Was You: An Opposites Attract Small Town Romance (Haven Bay Book 1) by Alexa Rivers – July 29th 2020
When the Time Is Right: A Standalone Brother’s Best Friend Romance by Aly Martinez & M. Mabie – July 30th 2020
- Hood River Zero (Hood River Hoodlums Book 4) by K Webster – July 30th 2020
- Darling, Dance with Me by Aisling Magic – July 30th 2020
- Away with the Faeries by Sam Hall – July 31st 2020
- Wild Highway (Runaway Book 2) by Devney Perry – July 31st 2020
- Savage Beginnings: A Dark Mafia Romance (The Moretti Crime Family) by J.L. Beck & C. Hallman – July 31st 2020
- Wylde (Arizona Vengeance Book 7) by Sawyer Bennett – August 4th 2020
Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer – August 4th 2020
- The Fallout (The Therapist #3) by WS Greer – August 4th 2020
- Want You to Want Me (The Want You Series Book 2) by Lorelei James – August 4th 2020
- The Night Swim: A Novel by Megan Goldin – August 4th 2020
- Sucker Punch (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Book 27) by Laurell K. Hamilton – August 4th 2020
- SICKO by Amo Jones – August 4th 2020
- Peripheral by Leslie Fear – August 4th 2020
The Jackal (Black Dagger Brotherhood: Prison Camp Book 1) by J.R. Ward – August 4th 2020
- Awakened by Him (Zinklaus Trilogy Book 1) by Eyta Jade – August 6th 2020
- Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power – August 7th 2020
➔➔➔ Get Maryse’s Book Blog updates delivered by email (you’ll get one daily email that will have each post from that day consolidated on it).
1. Spent a relaxing day floating in my pool and reading yesterday. It was a much needed break after moving another kiddo out of their college apartment and “home” again….all three will be back under the roof as of Tuesday….I love it and don’t love it at the same time…in equal measures 🙂
2. My oldest got her first big girl job….she finishes an accelerated nursing program at Mizzou this week and will start work for one of our local children’s hospitals in September in their pediatric emergency department. It’s exactly what she was wanting to do – I couldn’t be happier for her. She’s worked really hard to get here.
3. I read an ARC of Flock by Kate Stewart over the weekend! It’s a seriously addictive read…I’m totally hooked and can’t wait for book 2 (Exodus). I’m not kidding y’all…run…don’t walk…and snag Flock when it releases this week. It does end in a cliffy….and I’m seriously flipping out while waiting for Exodus…but it’s so worth it. Major book hangover…*sigh*
What an awesome job she got!! That is incredible!!!
I can’t wait for Kate Stewart’s latest. I JUST LOVE her!!!
How exciting for your girl! And for you, having everyone together again. ☺️ Flock sounds interesting. I can’t quite grasp what it’s about from the blurb. Which can be a good thing. I like vagueness. Lol I’m glad it gave you all those feels, I miss those!
Maryse, I haven’t got a green thumb at all. I can barely keep the potted flowers around my pool alive during the summer. I’m only good with short-term plant relationships… 🙂
LOL!!! I’m starting to think it’s my case too. As of right now, I only have the Peace Lily in my house, and it’s doing pretty great (has a few of its own issues) but I’ve had her for 2 years and she’s huge. But I wanted a house FULL of plants.
I’ll be stuck with Pothos, I think. *sigh*
Maybe I’ll get a second Peace Lily.
Maryse, I gave my umbrella plant to my MIL. It was dropping leaves like crazy here and had more than enough sun. I watered like I was supposed to. Once a week if the soil was dry an inch or so down. It only made things worse I think. I swear I spotted microscopic bugs on it, but they didn’t move. 🤔 So I lazily sprayed it w/an alcohol/water mixture and it seemed to help. And I stopped watering as much. Like every 2 weeks. I worried about my animals eating it cuz it’s super poisonous so it was quarantined. It’s better off without me. Looks great at her house. 😂 My Mom got 1 too and hers was really poorly. She did the water/alcohol mix for a bit and threw it outside. It’s growing now, looks great!
My other plants, remember I was obsessed once? I’ve neglected and only a few survive. I’m taking a plant break. But my pothos was simple, my purple clover, my cyndrilical snake plant, donkey tail succulent and jade plant, all 👌🏻 survivors of the brown thumb.
Ugh my umbrella plant. And it has all this sticky residue on the leaves all the time, and I looked THAT up and sure enough… just like you said. MITES!!!!
I need to spray it down with neem oil or your mixture to kill them off. I bet you THEY are the culprit. And you’re right, they don’t move and look like dust particles, but there were teeny tiny web strands here and there. THOSE JERKS. 🤨
YES, exactly that. Like dust, but I spied legs. Super tricky to see though. I asked in a plant group what to do. So you do that daily for a week or so (I didn’t, lazy I tell you.) and then protect with Neem. Which I bought and sprayed real good once and gave it away. My MIL hasn’t had any issues so it must have worked. My Mom had the same as you, with the webs. I think mine wasn’t that advanced bc I stupidly misted it with water cuz that’s what I read for care. I quit doing that when I realized it was hurting the leaves. Bc they didn’t dry quick enough, I assume.
Also, at the time, quarantine was here or something and every store was out of tp, Clorox wipes, and isopropyl alcohol, so I could only do as little as I had on hand.
Whenever you buy a plant at a store always take a piece of notebook paper with you. Hold it under one of the leafs and tap on the leaf gently with a pencil or pen. If there are mites you will see little black specs that have fallen on your paper. If that plant has them most likely most of the plants do because they are shipped together.
That’s a GREAT trick JulieO!!! Thank you. I mean… makes sense now they were selling this 3′ full and thick Umbrella plant for only $10? $11. Now I suspect they knew they had mites and were just selling them to get rid of them.
Bummer. I’ll give it an outside treatment this weekend and hope for the best.
I ❤️ acorn squash. My daughter is obsessed and requested it for her bday dinner this year. Her fave recipe (cuz it’s the only 1 I’ve ever made) is https://whatsinthepan.com/stuffed-squash-sausage-apples-spinach/.
I’m sad Home Before Dark isn’t doing it for you! I loved it, but I do love mysteries and I’m somewhat easily spooked.
1. The new T Swift album is growing on me. It wasn’t one that I loved right off the bat, except for a couple. The more I listen, the more I really, really love.
2. Kissing Booth 3 is coming next year, eeep! Anyone else watched #2 yet?
3. Busy, busy sewing week. Gearing up for a “garage” sale this weekend and catching up on some orders as well. Can you believe it’s August in just a few days?! Fall is coming!
Thank you for that Tasha!! I’m going to make it. 😀 Looks delicious and I still have two more acorn squashes so perfect to stuff!
Maryse
You shouldn’t take a houseplant that’s has been inside and just set it outside in the sun. Think about what that would do to you? Plants can get too much sun and get burned. If you want it outside place it in a very shady area to begin with and see how it does. Umbrellas are tropical so that doesn’t necessarily mean they want full sun. I would say you were probably watering too much. Fig trees and other plants like that also don’t like to be moved around very much. If you put them in a spot in your house and they do well don’t move them they are happy there.
Yeah… I’ll be bringing it back in after I treat it.
Now… do how do I plant fig cuttings that I’ve been able to root, and are growing tons of leaves right now? The branches are horizontal and the leaves are coming up from them.
I wonder if I should repot them, or stick them straight into the ground? Decisions… decisions.
You want to plant fig trees outside? If you have a bad winter and temps get too low you will lose them. You have to have a good stem with roots on it to start a plant in soil. If there are leaves on the root part of your plant you need to remove before you plant.
I used to always set my figs out on my shady patio for the summer and they loved it. Watered a lot bc it was hot and sprayed them with water too for a bath. But be sure when you bring them in to find a place and leave them in that space. Also when you bring figs in they will drop some leaves because of different environment. Mine used to look gorgeous after being out all summer. My cocker spaniel thought that she could hide under the lower branches and nobody would see her. The tree would shake bc she was wagging her tail so hard.
We have a fig tree but it’s been here my whole life. It’s massive and practically one with the oak that grew up beside it. But I never get figs because the second they’re ripe, something eats them! I’m hoping birds because otherwise it would have to be really tall! 😬