Jessie, looking forward to a spring weekend spent in the garden!
I am not really one for jigsaw puzzles, at least not the ones that come in a box. So, I was entirely surprised to discover how much I enjoy the digital variety! I first encountered them through the National Archives newsletter and have done dozens since. There is something about them that seems like a perfect tiny break between activities. I like to do one after finishing up a day of writing, but before I start in on administration tasks.
I decided one way to enjoy the fun of Malice without being in attendance was to create a digital jigsaw from one of my favorite photos of the Wickeds at Malice. I hope you will find it as amusing as I did! I am offering an Advance Readers Copies of my next Beryl and Edwina mystery, Murder Through the English Post to 2 randomly chosen commenters!
Readers, what is something you have been surprised to find you enjoy?
I enjoy coloring! I bought a Johanna Basford coloring book and some color pencils and really enjoy it
I think a lot of adults would agree with you! Adult coloring books are amazingly popular!
Word puzzles.
A classic!
Creating videos surprised me. With Canva Pro, it was a snap. Now I’m using ScreenFlow to create screen-casting videos for Udemy courses. Practical, fun, and challenging. So satisfying!
That does sound like fun!
Audiobooks. Before, I thought I’d miss the juicy turn of phrase, and focus too much on the plot. But I was wrong. Thanks to Hoopla and my public library, I’m a major fan.
Audiobooks have really taken the market by storm!
How fun, Jessie! That was ten years ago, I think (that is, when I fit into that pretty shirt…). We miss you here!
I hope you have fun at Malice, Edith!
I’ve always thought I was a bit puzzling. Very cute.
I’m glad you like it!
Word search puzzles. I enjoy doing a couple puzzles right before bed to relax.
Thanks for the chance!
I can see how that would make for a good settling in activity!
I, too, enjoyed the Wickeds at Malice photo puzzle. My score was 849 seconds. Not super fast, but was fun.
Think the thing that surprised me the most (and hubby too) was learning to do manual adjusted photography. I’d always been a point and shoot person. Very content with taking photos that way. I’d fought any suggestions about trying something new. I’m the world’s worse for accepting change. Then after getting frustrated about not being able to capture in photos what my eye had seen and seeing how crisp and clear others photos were, I decided to give it a shot. Thanks to the patience of hubby and his knowing to go slow as not to overwhelm me, I learned how to shoot in manual mode. It meant being able to adjust speed, light and other functions on the camera to enhance the photos to their best possible result. To do this, I found I also had to study my subjects (critters mostly) to learn their habits and reactions to help in those great shots. I learned I was excited about learning both about the camera and the critters. I’m still learning and probably always will. There’s always that one great shot you are aiming to get. 🙂
Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a copy of “Murder Through the English Post”. I LOVE you Beryl and Edwina mystery books!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
I love hearing about your growth as a photographer! It is such a lovely art!
Trivia quizzes
Ebooks. I loved a physical book for the feel and smell, and never understood the appeal for ebooks. But then my library became to big for me to handle and switch over. I now love being able to take my entire library with me everywhere.
I know just what you mean! There is unlimited room for all literary indulgences in an e-reader!
Thank you, Jessie! Great picture with a picture in picture!!!:-) I am an avid reader and jigsaw puzzle solver…we always have a puzzle up in our dining room table…we now call it The Puzzle Room, since we had no visitors for 2+ years. That changed this Easter, when our family descended on my joyful wife and I, so the room reversed to “The Dining Room”. Oe thing I was pleasantly surprised to discover during the pandemic is that I love narrating/acting our cozy mysteries aloud to my wife. I love changing the characters’ voices and get involved more deeply than just reading silently. I would have ‘detected’ that earlier in my life, since I often act in community theater…my favorite role is Da (drunk) Judge in A WEDDING TO DIE FOR…a comedy/mystery play. I really want to find out what Beryl and Edwina are up to in your latest mystery! Thank you to all you wonderful writers who keep my wife and I laughing and sleuthing for hours and hours! luis at ole dot travel
What a fun thing to have discovered about yourself! And thanks for your kind words about the next Beryl and Edwina!
HI. Jessie! Waving from Malice. I found digital jigsaw puzzles last year and really enjoy them. Especially the cleanup, LOL.
The cleanup certainly makes them an easy yes! I hope you are enjoying yourself immensely at Malice!
I love this! Thanks for sharing, Jessie. I’m going to dive in during some Malice down time. Oh, who am I kidding. I’ll work on it next week!
Malice does tend to use up ll available energy, doesn’t it? Have fun!
Computer paint by numbers. I always thought it would be stupid, but it’s really addictive.
Those sound like fun too!
I am going to have to try the digital puzzles, they sound fun.
I’m glad you are interested!
I am going to have to try that. It sounds like fun. I like to paint rocks to leave places to put a smile on the finders face.
I love that you do that! I just spotted an entire garden of them a couple of weekends ago and they did make me smile!
I’ve enjoyed digital puzzles as well, but I’m lousy with real puzzles. Not that I have the space for real puzzles in my condo. And I find that 200 is about the max I enjoy for pieces, preferably less.
(And I’ve requested my ARC from Kensington, no need to enter me in the drawing.)
Isn’t the difference funny, Mark? I am not much for physical jigsaws either, but the digital ones really amuse me.
Love digital jigsaw puzzles. But then, I have cats which means that’s the only way I can do them–unless the cats figure out a way to sit on my screen!
I am betting on the cats eventually figuring that out!
Public speaking — I’ve been attending Toastmasters meetings since 1998. Never thought it could be this much fun
My husband participated with Toastmasters in the past and loved it!
To be honest A Cruise. I do not swim. I do not like water. However, we went on a week cruise and I actually enjoyed it. We had a nice suite which help and the food was great.
It sounds like a great time!
I love watching painting videos on YouTube; especially paint pouring ones that produce the most unique results. They are very relaxing to watch with soothing music or nature sounds playing.
Lesha, you’ve inspired me to go take a look at some myself! Thanks!
I agree about cruising . . . I love being pampered while exploring new places. I was surprised to find I enjoy Sudoku and Free Cell Solitaire and other games on my iPad. This jigsaw was harder than I expected it to be, people looke so different in puzzle pieces (hmm, ghastly image) . . .but 93 seconds isn’t that terrible a time for solving. Y’all have fun. <3
Correction . . . that should have said 930 seconds. 😉
** Correction 930 seconds . . . (93 I WISH)
That would have been blazingly fast!
We did look different as puzzle pieces! I noticed that too as I gave the puzzle a test run!
That does look Fun! Believe it or not, Fantasy Football was my surprise. I joined in with my cousins and love the connections we are making.
One of my sons was surprised to find he liked that too!
Several of my friends got interested in jigsaw puzzles during quarantine, but I didn’t, so I was surprised to find out how much fun digital puzzles are! I enjoyed solving the Wickeds puzzle and seeing the faces appear!
I’m glad you liked it!
What is something I find that surprised me I enjoy? One year my Dad bought me a snow shovel for my birthday in December. I am really surprised I enjoy using and being outside mostly because I can just get outside and enjoy myself shoveling snow.
That is a surprise! And a wonderfully useful one!
Football, especially Texas Longhorn college football, is something I never used to watch and then in 2006, I started watching it and now I am obsessed with it. I only went to one in person when I was at UT, but we played USA and I got to see John Wayne in person when he came over to our sidelines and we were very close. SO cool, but disappointing because I did not know he wore a toupee (I was young) and he did not have it on. Now I watch all football including NFL and AFL. Love it. Feel empty when I don’t get to see it. I also now Iike onions and pickles on my cheeseburgers. So, go figure. I do love 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles and do one by myself every 4 days. I have worked 15 so far this year along with all of my reading, and I do love a real book but like Audio books while traveling in the car and e-books when traveling.
One every four days is astonishing!
Playing games like Candy Crush And Homescape. I never realized how addicting they can be! LOL But I definitely have enjoyed them more than I ever thought I would.
I think you must not be alone in your love of those sorts of games!
Playing . On Mah Jong on my tablet. It’s addicting.
Mah jong is a game I have enjoyed too!
crossword puzzles
A classic, especially for readers!
I’ve had the itch to start a puzzle but have my 2yo granddaughter here 2 days a week so fear it won’t work well. I would love a suggestion or two for a good digital puzzle app.
And I am not entering to win the arc as I won it recently.
Thanks!
Jigsawexplorer.com is my favorite!
Thank you!
I am a very uncomfortable in crowds. We went to a book signing at a bookstore a week or so ago. I found that I really like being with like minded book fans. God bless you.
Isn’t that sort of magical, Debbie? There is just something so lovely about being with other readers, even in a crowd!
I just discovered that I like doing Wordle on my laptop!
Someone was just mentioning their Wordle love at the general store in my village this morning! It is everywhere!
Ebooks were a surprise for me. I actually find I really enjoy them when I am on the go. I can include my Kindle in my purse so it is convenient. Great for traveling too.
I totally agree! I always have an assortment of books in my phone or on my tablet to read when traveling!
I do a lot of word puzzles. Try to do them every day to keep my mind sharp. Looking forward to Beryl and Edwina’s new adventure.