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Murder with Earl Grey Tea–tea, goodies, and danger
Murder with Earl Grey Tea
by Karen Rose Smith
Lots is going on at Daisy’s Tea Garden in Willow Creek, Pennsylvania. The tea flavor of the month is Earl Grey—one of my favorites. Daisy and her Aunt Iris, who jointly own the tearoom, are serving up regular tea time favorites like scones with the help of their efficient and friendly staff. They also have seasonal finger foods along with soups and salads.
On the personal front, Daisy and her boyfriend Jonas, formerly a detective, are making wedding plans. Daisy’s older daughter Vi and her husband and son are moving out of Daisy’s small garage apartment into a larger home. Daisy’s youngest, Jazzi, is close to high school graduation with plans to go to college. Daisy’s life is already undergoing lots of changes when she discovers the body of a friend who was murdered, leaving behind a husband, a preschooler, and a restaurant/event center, The Farm Barn.
There are lots of suspects, but everyone in town loved and respected the victim. What happened is quite a puzzle and there are no witnesses. Friends and family ask Daisy to investigate and having been the one to find the body, Daisy feels a responsibility to unravel the mystery. Along the way, Daisy discovers secrets that several people had hidden even from those close to themselves. Her efforts put her in danger and require the rescue of one of her staff members. I didn’t guess the murderer, and the plot included an interesting twist.
All of the characters contribute to the plot development. The two detectives on the case are extremely reluctant to share information, but welcome the clues Daisy gathers, often from overhearing conversations at the Tea Garden and in talking to locals. The reader will like Jonas as he is very supportive of Daisy and her family. Aunt Iris has two suitors actively trying to pursue a relationship. Daisy and Jonas’ dog Felix is present in many scenes and they have two cats as well. Needless to say, there are always plenty of delicious treats enjoyed both at the tearoom and at home.
I always enjoy a visit to Daisy’s Tea Garden and this book is no exception. I especially liked the Alice in Wonderland themed tea event that focused on children.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #9 in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery Series. Although the author does a good job of refreshing the reader’s memories of characters and events in previous books in the series, I recommend starting with an earlier book.
2. It includes 4 recipes.
Publication: May 23, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
“I told them snow was predicted tonight. They shouldn’t have gone on a date.” “They’re teenagers,” Jonas reminded her with a sigh, as if that covered the subject completely.
Buggies were an integral part of the Amish community and signaled a slower paced life. They reminded fellow travelers not to be in a rush. They took the Amish off the grid, so to speak, to a time that was more peaceful, wholesome, and less complicated.
Daisy knew that children and pets were often the best healing medicine.
The Path to the Last House Before the Sea–sad secrets
The Path to the Last House Before the Sea
by Liz Eeles
Alyssa has come to Heaven’s Cove to start life over, changing her name and her profession while harboring a big secret. She lives in a small wooden caravan on Magda’s property. Magda owns an ice cream parlor and returned a number of years ago to be close to her best friend Penny and husband Stan. Magda has her own secret that is eating away at her despite the happy face she presents to the world. Jack is taking a hiatus from his work to help out his dad Stan in the town’s only grocery store, a tiny place that the community depends upon. Their lives become intertwined as an unlikely romance develops between visionary Alyssa and nerdy Jack.
A major thread is Alyssa’s search for clues and information about a 300 year old tale of a missing couple and a smuggling ring. Her search for the truth puts Alyssa and Jack’s lives in danger. Meanwhile Jack is dealing with his soon-to-be ex-wife, her boyfriend, and his beloved adopted son.
Author Liz Eeles weaves all of these threads into a background of a wedding in Heaven’s Cove that the whole community is involved in. The setting is beautiful and the town’s residents are both kind and gossipy at the same time. If you like an interesting plot and characters in a clean novel, The Path to the Last House Before the Sea would be a great choice.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: #5 in the Heaven’s Cove Series, but can be read as a standalone. There are characters from previous books who make cameo appearances, but each book in the series has new characters who are the focus of the current book.
Publication: May 18, 2023—Bookouture
Memorable Lines:
A hot wash of shame flooded through him. When had he become so…? He turned into the lane that led past the village green, unable to settle on the right word for his behaviour. Arrogant, maybe? Ignorant? Boorish?
“Three point one four one five nine…” he began to mutter under his breath. Reciting the mathematical constant pi from memory, as far as he could go, always calmed him down. The number was beautiful. It was fixed and unchanging—unlike his life right now.
Alyssa crossed her fingers, just in case, and watched seagulls—tiny white dots—swooping over cottage roofs, and a child’s lost red balloon floating into the sky. The village looked like a spider’s web from up here, with paths going in all directions and the church in the centre.
Counter Attack–chess game of revenge
Counter Attack
by Patricia Bradley
Alexis (a.k.a. Alex) has a multi-step plan to achieve her goal of becoming a Police Commissioner. She works hard as a detective, keeps her head down, and is known to be skilled and reliable. Just as she is about to reach her intermediate goal of homicide detective, she is injured on the job and her grandfather who raised her has a heart attack. As county sheriff he appoints her to be Chief Deputy Sheriff during his recuperation. Her first week on the job she has to deal with officers who resent her appointment, a serial killer who has followed her from Chattanooga to her new job in a neighboring county, and a bomb threat. She has to keep on her toes to try to find the murderer who seems to delight in taunting her using mysterious messages as if they were in a chess game. Alexis has the cooperation of the Pearl Springs Chief of Police who was her high school flame. He not only “has her six,” but to her dismay she is still attracted to him.
Both Alexis and the reader will be running at top speed to keep up with all of the events, injuries, deaths, and possible motivations. The serial killer aspect is especially troubling as this murderer could be one of many people (even someone in the police department), has lots of 21st century tech skills, and puts Alexis’ life in danger as he or she enjoys employing near misses to keep her off balance. As if that isn’t enough to keep Alexis up late, the killer uses the dark web and it is creepy.
I grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, so I particularly enjoyed the setting. Although it has grown in size since I lived there, I could easily picture both the city and the rural areas near the Chattanooga. Watching Alexis handle the deputies and detectives working under her, especially when they challenge her, is inspiring. She grows a lot too as she comes to realize what is truly important to her. Although the book is not in any way preachy, it does have the theme of trust in God and His plan woven through. This is a clean book with a flow of attraction between Alexis and Nathan, but the mystery is always the central focus. The challenge for Alexis, Nathan, and the reader is to discover and stop the serial killer before death comes to Alexis’ doorstep.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Cold Sassy Tree–Southern novel
Cold Sassy Tree
by Olive Ann Burns
Cold Sassy, Georgia, is the setting for Cold Sassy Tree, a novel very successfully written by a woman with the point of view of a fourteen year old boy, Will Tweedy. The year is 1906. The town is small and populated with unforgettable characters. Many of the anecdotes are drawn from tales Burns heard as a child. The dialect rings through loud and clear. There is no doubt you are in turn of the century South where the Confederacy is still honored and people are starting to turn to indoor bathrooms, electricity, and telephones.
The patriarch of the central family, Grandpa Blakeslee, is the dominant force in the town. What he says, goes. He owns the store where everyone does business and finds out the latest news. His two son-in-laws work for him in what has become a family business. Will Tweedy has a close relationship with his grandpa and thus is often privy to his decisions before others. When his beloved wife of many years, Granny Blakeslee, passes away, Grandpa surprises everyone by remarrying in three weeks at a time when one year is considered the appropriate mourning period. One of his daughters is worried about what others will think and say, and both daughters are concerned about their inheritance. His new bride and the resulting family conflicts play a major role in the story.
Another theme is the coming of age of Will Tweedy, a young man who is given a lot of responsibility, but still struggles through his early teens getting into a lot of mischief. He engages in some dangerous escapades, has his first kiss, and does a lot of eavesdropping.
A serious thread throughout the book is religion. The town has Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists. Each church has strict rules, and a lot of hypocrisy comes to light as the members can be very judgmental. Grandpa doesn’t fit well into any of these groups, and he has his own ideas about God. Grandpa and Will Tweedy sort through the big theology questions together.
I like Cold Sassy Tree and recommend it. Although it takes place in a former time period, its themes resonate through the ages. They include greed, racial and social divides, jealousy, family, faith, and trust. All of the characters have traits and actions that make them admirable though flawed. The last quarter of the book is darker than the rest, but it ends on notes of hope.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Historical Fiction
Notes: Sassy Tree refers to a Sassafras Tree.
Publication: 1984—Ticknor & Fields
Memorable Lines:
“Don’t she care at all if folks talk? Hadn’t she done enough already, without acceptin’ an expensive gift like that from a man with a reputation so bad it rides ahead of him?”
“Now, Lightfoot, with yore pa dead ’n’ all, I cain’t keep you no more less’n you go in the mill full time an’ pay yore part. Fast as you learn things, you’ll be a-workin’ both sides of the aisle in no time.” “Will, I begged her and begged her, ‘Please’m, let me git one more year a-schoolin’.’ But she said her chi’ren got two year apiece in school, and it ain’t holped them a bit in the mill. Said if they’d a-been borned with books for brains, they’d be makin’ bottom wages just the same.”
“Two elephants tied out yonder wouldn’t draw customers to the store as good as them artermobiles.” That was the Lord’s truth. Cold Sassy never had been a whirlpool of excitement. If the preacher’s wife’s petticoat showed, the ladies could make that last a week as something to talk about. …It’s easy to see why not even the scarlet of the Cold Sassy tree in autumn could equal our big shiny automobiles as something to rave about, especially with the open invite to come sit in them and take a ride.
Helpless–one step ahead
Helpless
by Annette Dashofy
Are you up for a solid mystery with lots of action? It’s not quite a police procedural, but close. Zoe, a former paramedic and current county coroner, is married to Pete Adams, police chief in Vance Township. As you read, you will meet a lot of characters and have no trouble keeping track of them. Most of them are people who will put their own lives on the line to insure the safety of others. Some do it as part of their official duties, others because they are good people and good neighbors.
The plot centers around a wife murdered, a husband left for dead under gruesome circumstances, and a child kidnaped. The setting which plays heavily into the plot is Hurricane Iona. Sleuthing and life saving work by the EMS is drastically hampered by pelting rains, destructive winds, flooding and road blockages. Car accidents impede roadways and increase the load on emergency personnel; electrical and cell phone outages cause panics.
As bodies accumulate in the morgue, Zoe is caught between her official duties as coroner and her inner need to support the husband as a former EMS worker and as a friend. She is also called to the death scenes to process the bodies and desperately wants to help her husband find the missing child.
This is a well written book and series. The plot is devised in such a way that the reader wants to keep the story going to hopefully arrive at a happily ever after for the characters. This is not a Hallmark book, however, so don’t expect that level of predictability. I was a little teary eyed at the end, but I admired the author’s fine touch with the conclusion.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery, General Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. #12 in the Zoe Chambers Mystery Series but can be read as a standalone
2. Contains some swearing, but is otherwise clean.
Publication: May 9, 2023—Level Best Books
Memorable Lines:
“What if he asks?” “He won’t. I think he suspects the worse. But as long as no one confirms it, he can go on hoping. My medical training and decades of practice tell me it comes down to that. Hope.
Zoe couldn’t bear merely sitting in her car, staring out the rain-blurred windows. The scene outside looked like an impressionistic painting. The thoughts inside her brain were equally smeared and unclear.
Blueberry Blunder–Harvest celebrates with a Blueberry Bash
Blueberry Blunder
by Amanda Flower
If you need an escape from real life or from a challenging nonfiction book, I highly recommend Blueberry Blunder. Amanda Flower has once more written a cozy mystery that confounds the reader and includes a lot of humor and a tad of romance.
Bailey, a former New York chocolatier, is currently expanding Swissmen Sweets, an Amish candy shop she owns with her grandmother in Harvest, Ohio. The candy factory under construction experiences a huge setback when Bailey has to fire her general contractor and then later finds him dead in the unfinished factory. His murder is, of course, the prime focus of the mystery, but there are many other threads. Cousin Charlotte who is estranged from her Amish family because she decided not to join the church is preparing for her wedding to Deputy Little. There are lots of interactions of Amish and Englisch in this cozy, and it is a great opportunity to see that there are many differences among the various Amish districts. Aiden, Bailey’s boyfriend, resigns from Ohio’s Bureau of Investigation, and returns to Harvest to begin a business as a Private Investigator. His mother Juliet is thrilled and is anxious for him to propose to Bailey. Meanwhile, Juliet is convinced that Jethro, her polka-dotted pot bellied pig needs to frequently accompany Bailey as she goes through her day making candy and investigating crimes. Bailey is also being shadowed by an intrusive film crew of two from Gourmet Network which produces Bailey’s candy show.
There is plenty of fun to go around and lots of characters with probable motivation for murder. I very much enjoyed my return visit to Swissmen Sweets and Harvest, Ohio.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #8 in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series, but can definitely be read as a standalone because the author does an outstanding job of filling in background without boring readers of previous books in the series.
Publication: May 23, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
“Sit.” She pointed at the empty chair at the table. I fell into the chair as if I had been shot from the sky. Graceful to a fault, that was me, I thought sarcastically.
It was a clear to me that he had some of the same anger issues as his father. He might not like how his dad treated him, but I could see him going down the same bitter road himself.
I could think of about a million things that I would rather do than spend the day with the elder Littles, such as swim with sharks and get a root canal.
Dearly Beloved Departed–danger for Christmas Eve grooms
Dearly Beloved Departed
by Nancy Lynn Jarvis
Pat, a former law librarian, is beginning work as an independent Private Investigator. She is engaged to marry Tim, a Sargent in the Sheriff’s office. She is hired to do background checks on the fiancé of a lawyer’s daughter. He had gang affiliations and certainly seems to be trouble. Before Pat can finish her investigation, the young man is shot and killed. There are a number of people with motivations to kill him. More shootings follow, all injuring grooms with Christmas Eve wedding plans. What an odd assemblage for serial killings except the only victim who actually died was the first one. Finding a motivation that would include all the victims is difficult. When you add opportunity to the sorting process, the puzzle is even more contorted.
This is an interesting cozy mystery and would make a good casual read. Two of my favorite characters are Dot, Pat’s Dalmatian, and Whimsey, her cat with an attraction to Christmas trees. On several occasions, Pat tricks suspects to determine their innocence or guilt. Her shenanigans with her best friend Syda who is always ready for a creative adventure keep the reader engaged as do her methodical and logical efforts to sort out the facts and ferret out the murderer.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #4 in the PIP Inc. Mystery Series, but it worked quite well for me as a standalone.
Publication: March 2023—Good Reader Publishers
Memorable Lines:
“Syda, how would you feel about doing an undercover operation with me?” “Will we be pretending we’re old ladies, or jewel smugglers, or ooh, ooh hookers? I have fishnet stockings I’ve never worn, a padded pushup bra…and black leather hot pants.” Syda gushed.
Ashley used a remote on the table to turn on the television and the twins quieted down as the first stanza of the Sesame Street theme music began. Ashley took a deep breath and sighed, “Ahh. I love Big Bird almost as much as I love my husband.”
“I’m so frustrated. There’s something that I almost know right there on the edge of my consciousness, but I can’t reach it.”
Swamp Story–humor in the Everglades
Swamp Story
by Dave Barry
I have long enjoyed Dave Barry’s humor in the columns which brought him fame. I have four of his books on my bookshelf which in general are thematic collections of his writings on subjects like travel and aging. Swamp Story is my first reading of a novel by Barry. His humor permeates this book from tongue in cheek jabs at politicians to outrageous slapstick.
There are several major characters whose lives cross dramatically and surprisingly. Jesse and her baby Willa live with the baby’s worthless father Slater and his equally worthless buddy Kark. Jesse has made a series of mistakes and wants to get her baby out of their disgusting circumstances in the swamps of Florida. Stu, a marketing executive, and Phil, an alcoholic journalist, are middle aged, unemployed men. Ken and Brad are the Bortle brothers, trying (not very hard) to make a living in the bait shop left to them by their father. Ken’s main income sources are illegal.
Emerging from Dave Barry’s pen, these characters find themselves in some serious situations that Barry transforms into humor. Drug use leaves most of the men stoned most of the time, deciding that they have brilliant ideas. Phil and Stu are last minute hires as Elsa and her sidekick at a four year old’s birthday party. What happens there is caught on video and goes viral. That intersects with Ken’s idea to bring in customers with a branding of the Melon Monster. Kark gets involved as a videographer, and Slater sees this as an opportunity to show off his flawless body. Thanks to the wonders of TikTok and social media, the branding plan works! In a separate plot line, there are a number of characters involved in a search for lost gold which legend says is somewhere in the Everglades. As the story plays out, we see that the love of money is indeed the root of all evil. The tale includes a number of tense moments and a little romance. Not to be forgotten characters include the Secretary of the Interior who hates the outdoor; Skeeter Toobs, the longtime Python Champion winner and his emotional support boar Buddy; Zelda the python; and a fast-moving, hungry alligator.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Humor
Notes: 1. There is LOTS of salty dialogue in this book along with drug use.
2. Dave Barry is a talented writer. I thought the book was funny and inventive, but because of the language (which was appropriate to the characters) I would not reread it.
Publication: May 2,2023—Simon & Schuster
Memorable Lines:
The Bongo Mongo business model was built on the assumption that by the time the customers were handed the check, they would be too wasted to read it.
To say that Erik had a gambling problem was like saying that Hitler had an empathy problem.
Chastain handled the Cornwall interrogation with the smooth professionalism of the experienced, principle-free politician, emitting a dense, billowing cloud of words suggesting, without explicitly saying it, that he either was or was not deeply concerned about climate change, and as such was taking all necessary steps.
The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge–a gem from 1922
The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge
by Lilian Garis
My sister-in-law, in downsizing, came across this book with my name written in the front. I was delighted when she offered to mail it to me. I remember buying it in sixth grade when the teachers opened up the book room and held a sale. From the markings, it appears that the local library had donated books to the school. This book with a copyright date of 1922 seems to have been formally checked out many times, but then informally checked out at the school in the 1948-1952 time period. I was born in 1952, so this book was sitting on a shelf, unread, for about 12 years before it landed in my hands and then literally a lifetime before it made it back to me.
The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge is a delightful read. It is the tale of pretty little Nora, pampered with the best and most delicate of clothes. She has a vivid imagination that confounds most adults. She is sent for a month’s vacation with Jerry and Ted (Theodora). Jerry is a surveyor and Ted specializes in wildlife. They spend their days exploring the terrain around the house where they live. There are a group of Girl Scouts camping in their area, with khaki uniforms, rules, and lots of freedom. The Chickadee Patrol adopts Nora, and she discovers that there are many benefits to their way of passing the summer.
I would love to spend time with Jerry and Ted who are fun loving and accepting. The Girl Scouts are quite individualistic and indulge in friendly teasing. A mystery arises when Nora in her wanderings discovers Lucia, a frightened little girl and resolves to help her, leaving food for her until one day she disappears. Another mystery revolves around Vita, the Italian cook in the household. She engages in odd conversations with Nora about the attic as if she is trying to scare Nora.
I enjoyed the older but not stilted style of writing. The characters and narrator have a broader vocabulary than we are used to in children’s books, but it is quite understandable even to the modern ear. The first chapter is confusing because Nora wants to rename her hosts. They take it in good stride and then the story is in full swing. Cap (Captain) is a canine character who can be relied on to judge people well and to take care of Nora as she explores the woods.
Lilian Garis (20 October 1873 – 19 April 1954) was a prolific American writer of juvenile fiction. She authored hundreds of books from 1915 to the early 1940’s. She was a newspaper reporter when she met her future husband Howard Garis, also a reporter. He was as prolific as his wife as he wrote the Uncle Wiggily Longears series. These stories first appeared daily in the newspaper, every day except Sunday, for almost 40 years—11,000 stories which were nationally syndicated and compiled into books. Both authors’ books have been reprinted over the years giving testament to their appeal and quality of writing.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children’s Fiction
Notes: Part of the Girl Scout Series, but is a standalone. The intended audience is probably ages 8-12, but it would be fun for girls of all ages
Publication: 1922—Cupples and Leon Company
Memorable Lines:
If one could look pretty after a ducking in a strange lake, Nora did. Her curls liked nothing better, and her cheeks pinked up prettily, while her eyes—they were as blue as the violets that listened in the underbrush.
The day brings wisdom, and when Nora again dressed in the borrowed khaki suit (she had suddenly taken a dislike to her own fancy dresses), the glorious sunshine of the bright summer morning mocked the terrors of the night.
Nora was disconsolate. For two days the dainties left for Lucia had remained untouched. The bread box which Vita had given her to play with, and into which the food was deposited for Lucia, stood upon the tree stump with the sliced lamb, the piece of cake, and the big orange which comprised the last installment offered by the sympathetic Nora, just as she had left it.
The Swiss Nurse–refugees from war
The Swiss Nurse
by Mario Escobar
I am so glad that I had read other books by Mario Escobar, because this work of historical fiction started off roughly for me. I feel sure the fault was my own. I am shamefully unfamiliar with the Spanish Civil War, and I started the book too late in the evening. I persevered the next day, however, and was quickly immersed in a tale of evil hearts and the strength of some good people who worked to help others in dire circumstances.
When Franco and his troops were successful in this war, they were determined to obliterate the Republicans fighting for their freedom and anyone associated with them. The result was a massive exodus of refugees into southern France which was not prepared for the influx and did not welcome them with open arms. The “camps” they provided were sandy beaches with no structures. There was little food and no potable water; the refugees were not allowed outside the camp.
This book is about the refugees in that war which was followed up by the events of World War II and the further torment of innocents by the French Vichy government which was a puppet government of the Nazis, and then by the Nazis themselves. Much of the story describes the horrible conditions of the refugee camps and the strength and boldness of Elisabeth Eidenbenz, a Swiss woman whose focus was orphans in Spain until she was forced relocate to southern France where she opened a hospital taking in pregnant women and giving them a safe place to deliver their babies. The other main character is Isabel, a Spanish lady who married Peter, an American who fought with the Spanish for their liberation. Their lives intersect when Isabel gives birth to her precious daughter Lisa at the Elne Maternity Hospital. With Peter held in various prisons and concentration camps and conscripted into the army for manual labor, Isabel stays to help in the maternity hospital.
The author pulls the reader into the horrible conditions and the faith and courage of characters who stand up for what is right. As a reader, you want everything to turn out great for the sympathetic characters. This is, however, a work of historical fiction, so not everyone has a happy ending. It is important to read works like this so that we are not duped yet again by politicians who promise good things and deliver nothing, creating untenable situations. History like this must not be allowed to repeat itself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Multicultural, Fiction
Notes: Additional material includes: References, Clarifications from History, Timeline, Discussion Questions, and Information about the Author and the Translator
Publication: April 14, 2023—Harper Muse
Memorable Lines:
Gazing off into the distance, their gaunt faces reflected the weary sadness of their souls. Their cheeks were sunken with hunger, and their skin was pallid from exhaustion and malnourishment.
An entire generation had been killed for naught: anonymous heroes on both sides, idealists attracted by the siren songs of their leaders who stayed safe in the rear guard. The only hope was to erase those painful years from their lives and try to start over from scratch.
Argelès-sur-Mer had been both refuge and jail. It had stamped out of us the hope of recovering our lives one day. We were now flea-infested riffraff with bones aching from damp nights spent on hard sand with thin blankets. The starry sky had been our prison roof.
“Sometimes we have to feel our way in the dark in order to find the path, but beyond the fog the sky is still blue, and the sun is still shining.”
education pathways 