reading — Page 12

Lilac Buds and What are you Reading?

April 22, 2023 at 9:25 am by Claudia

We’re getting close! There are lots of flowers on the lilac bush this year. That seems to vary from year to year, depending on what happened weather-wise during the winter. I look forward to them opening and inhaling that glorious scent.

I snuck in a little bit more work outside, but not much. Trimmed some old hydrangea blossoms, trimmed a bit of one of the ‘pricker bushes’ – darn, I always prick myself. “Pricker bush” is what we called them when I was a kid and it’s stuck after all these years. We have two of them. I also trimmed a few of the wild roses. And I cleaned the bathroom.

It was a bit too warm yesterday, but as of Monday, the temps will be back in the sixties. We may mow the lawn today. I also have to get Don to do a few things today that he won’t be able to do after his surgery. Wish me luck! He’s been noodling away on his ukulele, since he can play that by strumming with one of his fingers – that will serve him well during the post-surgery healing process.

Mabel insisted on trying on the new hat. I also chose to post this so you can see the GREEN in the background! Huzzah!

I’m reading Colson Whitehead’s mystery, Harlem Shuffle. That man writes beautifully (I guess we already knew that as he’s won two Pulitzer Prizes.) Don has read two of his books and loved them. He bought Harlem Shuffle and then never got around to it, so I grabbed it. I’m really enjoying it.

And War and Peace – ongoing. I think we’re about a third of the way through it. Tolstoy was a genius. Don and I are continually astounded by the beauty of his writing; his knowledge of human frailties, the descriptions that are almost cinematic – brilliant. It is a true pleasure indulging in this slow read. I don’t think I would have done it otherwise.

So here’s a question I haven’t asked for quite a while: What are you reading?

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Signs of Spring and Reading

April 14, 2023 at 8:56 am by Claudia

The forsythia is gorgeous this year. At times during the day, it is such a vivid yellow.

It’s ridiculously hot here. Yesterday it hit 89, today it will hit 90 degrees. As I walked around the property, taking photos, moving some chairs off the porch and into the Secret Garden and Funky Patio, and picking up branches that fell during the winter, I didn’t think that this unseasonably warm weather would wreak havoc with my allergies. Well, actually, I did, but I didn’t think I was out there long enough for it to impact me. I was wrong. I started coughing late yesterday afternoon and into the evening and my night’s sleep was ruined by yet more coughing. It’s so frustrating! My cough was all but gone. Don felt crappy, too, and he went outside to clean out the culvert. Idiots throw their beer cans and trash into it as they drive by.

Anyway, today we are staying inside, especially because there is an air quality advisory having to do with ozone levels.

It was nice to be outside, though, and I felt twinges of excitement at the thought of cleaning out the garden beds, planting some pots – all the things I do in the early spring. Usually, I’ve planted pansies by now. But everything has been thrown off by being sick and working on the show.

Tomorrow, the temperature drops and we’ll have rain for the next few days.

The beginnings of the lilacs.

Except for War and Peace (and we just passed our 100th day of this read-along) I’m reading nonfiction at the moment, which is not like me. I can’t seem to find any fiction in my voluminous To Be Read pile that excites me at the moment (don’t worry, that will change.) So, I take it as a sign that I’m meant to be reading nonfiction. I’m close to finishing Underland by Robert MacFarlane. It’s simply extraordinary. I’m also reading a bio of Rodgers and Hammerstein called Something Wonderful by Todd Purdom. I’ve read several bios about them in the past, but this one is newer and it’s very well written and researched. Decades ago, I sang the song ‘Something Wonderful’ when I was in a production of the The King and I.

I also have a book called London Fog that I’m anxious to start.

This morning, I started reading as soon as I sat down and didn’t turn on my phone until I had to retrieve these photos for the post. I used to do that every day in the days before iPads and phones and laptops. I would make a cup of coffee and read for hours. I need to do that more. Actually, I didn’t want to stop, but it was my turn to make our second cup of coffee and I had to write this post.

But today will be a reading day. Don is actually reading a book by James Michener as well as War and Peace. He usually reads nonfiction. What the??? We’re topsy-turvy.

Adrian got out of bed yesterday and sat in a chair for a short period of time. Such welcome news!

And for the first time ever, two huge crows stopped at the birdbath for a drink of water.

Note: Sometimes when I send comment replies, I get a message back from the email provider of the addressee saying that they can’t authenticate my email, or that it’s suspicious, or bulk. This has to do with your email providers. Today I got one for Chris K, but it happens with others, as well. Nothing you can do about it, I suppose. I’m just letting you know that 98% of the time, I respond to comments, so if you don’t get an email saying I’ve replied, check back here anyway. xo

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Some Light for my Monstera and Reading

February 12, 2023 at 8:35 am by Claudia

As requested, a photo of the new set-up in the living room. It’s very simple, really. We moved the table over to the somewhat dark corner, and the monstera, which had previously been in that same dark corner, is now directly under the window. A couple of the leaves are ready to be removed, but I never like to remove them before it’s time. If I think they’re still living, they stay. I’ve also found a way to hike up the leaves that are nearly touching the coffee table. So, it looks better than this photo indicates. I know the light will make a huge difference. The monstera stopped producing split leaves because it wasn’t getting enough light. I also trimmed the aerial roots, which were longer than I knew. They had even found their way to the cracks between floor boards! Since the plant was back in the corner next to Don’s chair, I never saw the roots going crazy. The rubber plant is getting about the same amount of light that it did when the table was under the window, so it will do just fine.

I’m getting close to finishing the latest Louise Penny, which is excellent. I expect nothing less. The plot is fascinating and Penny writes with a combination of compassion and an unflinching awareness of the brutality in the world. It is precisely this blend that makes every one of her novels so powerful.

What next? I’m not sure. I have lots of TBR books upstairs (and downstairs, for that matter) that I’ve been thinking of. I also want to reread one of my favorite authors: Canadian author,Robertson Davies. I read all of his books, especially his trilogies, well over 30 years ago and I’ve been craving the chance to read them again at my ‘advanced’ age. If I keep thinking of some book, it’s definitely a sign that I need to read it. Also want to read Underland by Robert Macfarlane. It’s a work of non-fiction about our planet and I’ve had it on my pile upstairs since last year. Time to read it. I’m in the queue at the library for the new Deborah Crombie, but I expect I won’t be seeing a copy of the book for a few weeks.

Don just made pancakes, which I love, but usually immediately regret eating because I get sleepy afterwards.

Still – I ate them.

He also made an apple pie yesterday which we will partake of this afternoon.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Lilac Buds and What are you Reading?

Signs of Spring and Reading

Some Light for my Monstera and Reading

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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