The Scent Of Pine

“A compelling tale of cultural displacement and yearning” (The Boston Globe), from award-winning author Lara Vapnyar: a “sly and seductive” (The New York Times Book Review) new novel about sexual awakening and the relentless search for love. Though only thirty-eight, Lena finds herself in the grips of a midlife crisis. She feels lost in her adoptive country, her career is at a dead end, and her marriage has spiraled into apathy and distrust—it seems impossible she will ever find happiness again. But then she strikes up a precarious friendship with Ben, a failed artist turned reluctant academic, who is just as lost as she is. They soon surprise themselves by embarking on an impulsive weekend adventure, uncharacteristically leaving their responsibilities behind. On the way to Ben’s remote cabin in Maine, Lena begins to talk, for the first time in her life, about the tumultuous summer she spent as a counselor in a Soviet children’s camp twenty years earlier, when she was just discovering romance and her own sexuality. As Lena opens up to Ben about secrets she has long kept hidden, they begin to discover together not only the striking truths buried in her puzzling past, but also more immediate, passionate ones about the urgency of this short, stolen time they have together. “Enchanting…vivid and rich” (The New York Times), filled with Lara Vapnyar’s characteristic empathy, deadpan humor, and striking honesty, The Scent of Pine weaves themes of ambition, loneliness, longing, and the fickle nature of desire into a “book of elegant writing and propulsive storytelling” (Chicago Tribune).

"A community college professor whose career has stagnated, and a wife and mother whose marriage has tumbled into a spiral of apathy and distrust, Lena is frustrated at the seeming "impossibility of happiness." As Lena makes her way to present a paper at a remote New England conference, a chance encounter with an old schoolmate a once average-seeming teenager who has since achieved international fame as a human rights advocate-catapults Lena into memories of their life changing summer together, as counselors at a summer camp in the backwoods of rural Russia during the massive cultural changes of perestroika in the 1980s"--

Ashton Cross was stupid enough to fall out a window while trying to catch a criminal. Now he’s on sick leave and has been for weeks, and has nothing to do but watch his neighbors go about their day. It’s driving him insane. When he gets a Christmas card not meant for him, he doesn’t think much of it, but then there is another and another, all with the same motif. For two years, Rafael Vidal has been hiding from his ex. He almost believed he’d gotten away when his neighbor knocks on his door to hand over a stack of Christmas cards. One look at the writing, and Rafael suspects he has been found. When Ashton understands the situation, he’s set on catching Rafael’s ex. He might not be ready to get back to active duty at the police station, but finally, he has something to do, and he doesn’t mind keeping Rafael close. Rafael is trying to distract himself by helping Ashton put up Christmas decorations, but will they be able to enjoy Christmas with his stalker ex lurking around the corner?

A complete illustrated survey of fragrant flowers and plants, from a celebrated gardening expert and an award–winning botanical photographer. Popular garden writer Ken Druse offers a complete survey of fragrance in the garden, in a major work filled with new knowledge. He arranges both familiar and unusual garden plants, shrubs, and trees into twelve categories, giving gardeners a vastly expanded palate of scents to explore and enjoy, and he also provides examples of garden designs that offer harmonious scentual delights. Ellen Hoverkamp contributes her artful botanical images of flowers and plants discussed in the text. These are accompanied by Druse’s award-winning garden photographs, to create a book that is as beautiful to look at as it is informative and evocative to read.

This facsimile of the Sears, Roebuck and Co.'s 1945 Christmas catalog offers a nostalgic look back at consumer goods of the era, from dolls and toy trains to housewares, clothing, furniture, candy, and much more. Also reproduced here is an insightful poem, "Christmas Peace," included in the original mailing to commemorate the end of the war.

Find your Inner Crunchy without becoming that person with this helpful guide from social media star Really Very Crunchy. Are you tired of being bombarded by toxins at every turn? Do you want a more natural, "crunchy" approach to the world (with or without the beige aesthetic)? Well, grab your kombucha and join Emily Morrow on a journey to a more wholesome existence with Really Very Crunchy: A Beginner's Guide to Removing Toxins from Your Life without Adding Them to Your Personality. Emily Morrow, creator of the viral "Really Very Crunchy" social media accounts, guides you through the ins and outs of starting and maintaining a crunchy lifestyle. With her signature humor and a delightfully sincere approach, she will show you how crunchy is a spectrum and how every little choice you make is one small step away from crunch-ifying your own life. From the basics of crunchy to the more advanced choices (beets instead of blush, anyone?), you will quickly say goodbye to toxic chemicals and hello to a healthier, happier way of living. Funny, accessible, and encouraging--never judgmental or fear-based--Emily will help you: Learn how to make simple, mindful steps toward natural living Implement healthy, life-giving activities into your family's routine Navigate the challenges of adopting the crunchy way of life with sensible, easy-to-implement ideas Develop a new mindset when it comes to shopping for clothes, food, and cleaning products Discover natural remedies for just about everything So what are you waiting for? Embrace your inner crunchy (or silky, if that's where you're starting) and dip your toes into a healthier, more sustainable life. Who knows? You may find out you're Really Very Crunchy after all.

As you read through the Bible, you will notice that God is telling the stories of how He dealt with people through the ages. One common theme runs through all of history. That theme includes three events that seem to happen to everyone who chooses to follow Him. First, they are sinners. Without God's help, they cannot obey Him and receive His blessing. Second, they all seem to go through some form of trial, persecution, or suffering. Third, they turn to God, put their lives in His hands, and God blesses them. You see that in the life of Joseph from the of book of Genesis. You see it in the life of David. You see it in the life of Job. You see it in the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. You see it in the life of Peter. You see it in the life of Paul. Most importantly, you see it in the life of Jesus. I believe that the reason God wrote the Bible in the way He did is to show us how He wants to work in the lives of every person, even today. This book tells the story of one person who has and still is experiencing these things in his life today. The purpose of this book is to encourage you no matter where you are in your relationship with God. God loves you and is working in your life just as He did in the lives of the people whose stories are told in the Bible. You may not be a Christian yet, you may be a new Christian, you may have been walking with Jesus for years. Whatever point you are at in your relationship with God, I pray that this book will strengthen you to continue to seek after God as He has been seeking after you all your life.