My goal is simple - share a love of reading, nature and animals. I read and talk about a wide variety of genres both fiction and non fiction, rarely new releases. Horror, Sci-fi, Paranormal, Self-Help and every now and again a romance.
Looking for something specific? My titles tell you what the video is about, I also have playlists for books, nature and my silly kids. Love to read, make connections and chat about books - be sure to subscribe and let me know what you think about the books/topics I discuss.
Are you able to help and support my book habit? Amazon links for books and supplies I use to keep up my bookish content. A big thank you to supporters as it all helps with projects and plans which keep the channel going.
Be safe, be well and big hugs
Elaine
Cobaltdragon
Hello and welcome
The live stream will be starting at 9 am today week 7 - Recovering a Sense of Connection.
This weekend enjoyed a lovely visit and conversation about nature and books. Spent some time outside getting a few things done. Unfortunately still cold with rain so didn't get as much done as I hoped. Weather should be improving this week so fingers crossed most of the time will be outdoors.
The front is filling in nicely with euonymous, tansy, goldenrod, tea roses, periwinkle, chives and creeping thyme. Lots of food for the bees, ladybugs and other visitors.
Chin was pretending to be stealth in front of the purple irises which have just started blooming along with the chives which also have lovely purple flowers.
Groundhogs have popped out front again and now I can get better pics and videos of them. Love the privacy looking out my front window.
Be safe, be well and big hugs
Elaine
2 days ago | [YT] | 23
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Cobaltdragon
Good morning/afternoon/evening
Hope this finds everyone doing well. Has been a bit of a week here. The other day we had a big storm with tornado warnings and shelter in the basement. Turns out that not far from us massive trees were uprooted and power outages - yikes, I don't even live near tornado alley but here we are. Thankfully we were lucky and no damage here.
Still no surgery date, but at least some good news so will take that as a win. Big thank you and hugs to folks who have reached out, checked in and sent lovely pictures and distractions, appreciated more than I can say.
Weather has been cold since the storm and definitely not good for digging up and moving plants. So instead I have been reading - The Secret Revealed - ugh frustrating read so I started, Blood Canticle by Anne Rice - first time read and again wow about how focused it is on religion rather than vampires - this one has a tie in with the Mayfair Witches and Rowan, Michael and Mona are main characters along with Quinn from Blackwood Farms. Interesting how although the Talamasca are mentioned thus far zip about Aaron or David. Plus the dialogue truly makes me wonder who wrote this as it is definitely not like the earlier books, need to revisit Blackwood Farms as I jumped ahead so need to do a reread.
Live stream with Leslie @booksgurrsandpurrs to chat about vampires has been rescheduled and I will let you know when that is happening.
At the moment several new shorts up with the baby groundhogs as they are out and about exploring and getting into adventures. Sadly not sure about the 2 that I had seen out front and were a bit bigger, since I moved the stand, lol figures haven't seen them for better videos.
Energy levels are still not great, the search for an answer continues. Few changes underway so hopefully that helps and eventually I will get back to recording and posting longer videos again in June or before the end of May.
Monday - The Artist Way - week 7 live stream
Be safe, be well and big hugs
Elaine
5 days ago | [YT] | 16
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Cobaltdragon
Woo hoo Restream is connected, the webcam and mic are working. Did a little test run and seems to be all good. So I can start doing productivity sprints on a regular basis and not worry about hours. I can now also have up to 10 guests on a live stream and a number of other perks.
Have a great one
Elaien
1 week ago | [YT] | 15
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Cobaltdragon
Happy Holiday Monday 🍁
Funny how we still have a holiday for Queen Victoria-but it is nice to have a 3 day weekend and woo hoo lovely weather Sunday and today.
Saturday was weird skies as we did our errands. Yes I went book shopping and found a number of Christopher Moore books, but just brought one home. I have heard Kat @gingerbibliophile mention this one several times so decided to give it a try and well vampires so ties in with other plans. Lots of rain and a light show from nature, bonus as it made the work on Sunday much easier.
Sunday - I got the soil roto tilled under the bird feeders and one log in for a natural border, 2 of the composters are now in place, just one more to move over. Milkweed is starting to grow in front of one and hoping to find more in the back soon. I also got the tea roses moved from the back to the front, so will have a lovely splash of pink along with the yellow from the tansy and goldenrod. Also got to enjoy the lilacs and the amazing fragrance as weather finally warmer.
Today - I have postponed week 7 of the Artist way until next Monday. I did my reading and some of the week 6 exercises. But as Bob home and lovely day, I decided to take advantage of the break and get some other projects done today.
Adventures this week - figuring out my new webcam, editing my yardwork video from Sat and checking out Restream to see if it plays nicer than Streamlabs for productivity sprints. I may get some videos recorded and scheduled. Or if the warm weather continues I just may play outside and catch up on yard work.
Of course Tiki and Panther being their usually silly selves. Tiki is all about relaxing and just letting it all hang out, while Panther is Mr serious and regal.
Hope everyone is doing well. Finding time to relax, have some fun each day and enjoying some great reads.
Be well, be safe and big hugs
Elaine
1 week ago | [YT] | 8
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Cobaltdragon
Good morning/afternoon/evening
Well it is another cold, cloudy and breezy day here, so definitely indoors other than my lunch time break outdoors. Panther and Tiki as usual plenty comfy and pic 2 is Tiki keeping an eye out the front window. So happy that the trees are filling in nicely and with the stand now moved she has a much better view of things.
Yesterday she decided to snuggle as I read Sunrise and made notes. Today I may start a relisten of Hunger Games audio as my hold came in and definite overlap with Sunrise. The more I get into Sunrise, the less interest I have in Snow and how he got so twisted - much like the Orange Menace - how we got here isn't as important as how do we get past the atrocities they have condoned, encouraged and are responsible for.
Lunch time - Chin and Hope were all stealth kitties, while of course Lily was all about the attention and photo opp. Happy to see that my lilies have returned. Sadly missing the lovely smell of lilacs as currently too cold to work outside.
Coming up to the long weekend and had thought about going to the garden centre as usually the last weekend for frost warnings and time to start planting but.....as the furnace is currently on, I think will be better to wait a week or more and hope the weather gets itself figured out. Don't want plants sitting around for weeks waiting to get planted and still too cold to be digging things up and replanting.
Not sure what I am up to today, but lol I will definitely be bundled up and staying warm.
Be safe, be well and big hugs
Elaine
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 18
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Cobaltdragon
Good morning/afternoon/evening
Woo hoo - hello and welcome as I just passed 600 subs. May actually do a video just for something different. But with the Youtube numbers bouncing all over the place think I will wait for 620 first and that way doesn't look silly if I dip below 600 again.
Tiki and Panther were keeping me company the other day as I was reading. LOL she was also keeping his paws warm, such a little helper.
Over the weekend got some stuff done outside. The new frame is ready for the grapes, which will also make it easier for the birds to enjoy them. The ornamental grass I have is, as you can see very tall. I will be cutting the old stalks down for plant supports. Love free supplies from nature. Also noticed this cutie at the feeder yesterday. Awesome how many different species stop by over the year.
Reading - I decided to start, Sunrise on the Reaping as I am curious about Haymitch, could honestly care less about Snow, but turns out my library has that one as audio and it also deals with District 12 so will give that a listen as it will answer some things that have already come up in Sunrise. Also seems audio books are more popular through my library as first 2 Hunger Games - both available as ebooks, but have to wait for audio. Does make me curious if Suzanne Collins read, The Lottery and just decided to turn it into a full series with more details?????
Temperatures here still cold, but at least mix of sun and cloud. So indoor day other than lunch time visit with my gal Lily.
What are you reading?
Be safe, be well and big hugs
Elaine
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 17
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Cobaltdragon
Good morning/afternoon/evening
Well still chilly and mostly cloudy here so not much yard work changes. The pictures are from a few days ago and I will be updating soon as I did make a change with the euonymous in the front and got some of the grass cleared around the thyme - aways fun working there with the lovely scent of lemon thyme and creeping thyme. Also got a nice whiff of lilac from the trees front and back - yeah. I also moved some of my 10 foot ornamental grass to the front which will help cut out some of the light pollution for several months - makes star gazing and moon pictures much better.
Reading - almost finished, Communion by Whitley Strieber - ugh lots of eye rolls and just wow people believe this as I have been reading - truly mind boggling. Will be a carefully worded video review because I know he isn't the only one who believes this stuff as reality.
Other plans in the works, just need to sit and get notes finalized and recording. Coming week will depend on the weather - either fun time playing outdoors, or getting it together indoor time - either way productive.
Monday Artist Way live stream and I may start earlier than 10 am, we shall see how the morning goes. Other than that nothing else ready for the week yet.
Hope everyone is finding some time this weekend to relax, enjoy fun activities and just be in the moment.
Be well, be safe and big hugs
Elaine
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 20
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Cobaltdragon
Good morning/afternoon/evening
The kids have a new morning routine, lol Panther sleeps while Tiki makes note of any activity out on the street. Once that is done she comes with me into The Dragon Cave and has her nap. Does make trying to get things moved around and organized a bit easier than her walking around the desk and checking out everything as it moves. Or her favourite - open container - must hop inside and check this out, get comfy and lay down.
Out front the iberius adds a lovely splash of white and will be done before the tall green of the goldenrod and tansy with their lovely yellow flowers.
Today - I have already done my moon oracle cards which had great suggestions for moving forward. Probably should get into goodreads and update as lol haven't done that since Dec 😮 If the temperature warms up may play outside and get some work done out front. I did see the groundhog doing some clearing for me out back as she took the old dry stalks for bedding. Big thank you for free help with the yard.
Be safe, be well and big hugs
Elaine
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 14
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Cobaltdragon
Good morning/afternoon/evening
Hope this finds everyone doing well. After an hour of practicing what I want to say in The Family of Vourdalak video, ugh I still can't get it to flow right. But I have also been rethinking a few things with the channel. So instead of trying to record something that will take over an hour to edit with all the cuts, I will be making a quickie update video instead.
Not sure what content will look like over the next few weeks, as well, life at the moment and other things I need to focus on. I am managing to read and get some yard work done - 2 of my coping strategies, but other stuff still waiting for my energy levels to improve and sadly still no answers on that front so the search for a solution continues. Panther is doing his part lol not usually this far up on my side of the bed, but guess he figures I won't move him so I will get some other stuff done.
I spent some time outside before the rain yesterday and got some of the euonymous up on a stand, love the splash of yellow. I also got some of the stumps moved to make a border as I will be moving 2 of my tea roses to the front - will be an amazing splash of pink and green as they bloom later in the spring. Just need to add some soil and warmer temperatures so I can dig them up and move them to their new home.
Sure the bag says cat food, but lol this is not a cat. Along with the raccoon, we also get birds, skunks, groundhogs and of course the feral cats all enjoying the kibbles.
Off to record, feed the critters and we shall see what else I can get to today.
Be safe, be well and big hugs
Elaine
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 16
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Cobaltdragon
Good morning/afternoon/evening
Yesterday I had my baby buns to celebrate, May the 4th(Force) be with you. During the live stream last night I did mention that yes it does seem, Jediism is an actual religion, mentioned in American Cosmic by DW Palsuka. Was a fun live stream and we chatted about a variety of great books and upcoming reads. Big thank you to Greg @anotherbibliophilereads and Allen @hardbooks770 for having me on.
Yesterday I also moved the plant stand, lol yes again, as it opens up under the front window and hopefully I can capture some better pics and videos of the groundhogs without it looking like a cage. I also took a pic of the corner of the front yard as in a few weeks it will look very different as the plants fill in.
This morning the kids are chilling and relaxing as temperatures have again changed after the storm last night and we are in for some colder days again. Sadly that means I still can't move some of the shrubs as too much of a shock to the roots, so will have to wait.
Reading - started, Dark Memory by Christine Feehan, another book in the Carpathian series. Interesting as this female is also a tarot card reader like the previous book I read. Interesting part of the story and some of the Carpathians are also from the previous book so nice to revisit some of them.
Going through some stuff in my other play room - found my small singing bowl, chakra set and some more crystals - along with various other items to help me get more organized and on track - woo hoo.
Be safe, be well and big hugs
Elaine
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 11
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