Yesterday consisted of lots of work outdoors, emptying pots and transporting them to the shed. (There are a few I have left there because, incredibly, they’re still blooming.) Don came out to help. We moved things around in the shed, Don swept it out, we reorganized a few things, the Adirondack chairs moved to the shed. Don moved the heavy vintage pots from the Secret Garden to the porch. Then I rearranged things on the porch, bringing all the outdoor furniture that sits on the Funky Patio and in the Secret Garden to the porch for the winter. Today, I’ll wipe off the cushions and store them under the staircase. Don will take that opportunity to swap out a guitar (we keep some of his guitars stored there.)
Because my back and our knees are a bit sore, we’ll get our tree tomorrow. But it felt good to finally tackle that job. Oh, I think I’ll hang our outdoor Christmas lights today, as well.
And start a puzzle.
Harper is modeling a dress from Miss Milupka, a mother/daughter team that sells the most magical dresses. The daughter lives in NYC, her mom is in Poland. This package came directly from her mom in Poland. I love, love it. I hadn’t decided which girl was going to model it, but then it hit me – it had to be Harper.
I’ll show you the cubbies and ‘wallpaper’ on Friday.
I have to take a moment to say how much I loved this novel. And I mean LOVED. I finished it yesterday and cannot get the characters out of my head. I want to keep them there, even to the point of not starting another novel. This is my first Patchett – for some reason, I haven’t read her work before – and I’m delighted by her beautiful writing style. It flows effortlessly. She’s what I call a ‘plot weaver extraordinaire.’ That is no easy task. There were some surprises; at least for this reader. Get it. Buy it. Check it out from your library like I did. I had to wait a long time for my place in the queue to come up and it was worth the wait. Thank you, Ann Patchett, for one of the best reads of 2023.
Stay safe.
Happy Wednesday.
Bel Canto. Still my favorite Patchett.
Ah yes, that’s the one I’ve heard of. I’ll check it out from the library.
Thanks so much, Margaret.
glad you have that big task done. hope you and don both feel better by now.
given how much you read, that’s quite a compliment about “tom lake”. :) i will check it out. i know that i love the cover art (daisies are my favorite flower).
what a beautiful dress harper is wearing! i appreciate the talent it must take to create things so small, in part because i don’t know that i’d have enough patience to do that.
needing an easy day here. hope that’s what we have. hope that’s what you all have, too.
and stay safe in every way, too.
kathy
I hope you have an easy day, Kathy.
Stay safe.
You’re ready for winter… that’s a good feeling to have it done! Harper looks perfect in that dreamy dress… almost like the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz. Considering the scale and the delicateness of the fabric, it’s amazing! You’ve really encouraged me to read an Ann Patchett book!
These dresses are so magical!
Thanks, Barrie.
Stay safe.
I loved “Bel Canto,” also. I am number 11 on the list for “Tom Lake.” I have been on the list for a week.
I adore Harper’s dress! It beings to mind magical Christmas parties where children are filled with wonder and anticipation , wearing their new Christmas dresses.
I look forward to seeing your Christmas lights and tree.
Take Care,
Kaye
Thank you so much, Kaye.
Stay safe.
Harper looks beautiful! The dress is gorgeous, what talent. I was just at the library yesterday. I will write down Ann Patchett’s name on my list of authors to read. Thank you for the suggestion.
You’re very welcome, Carol.
Stay safe.
Happy to have your endorsement of Ann Patchett.I love her essays and have read a few of her novels. This newest is on my TBR.The girls are looking so cute these days,and,as I have said many times,I want their wardrobe!xo
Me too, Annette, me too!
Stay safe.
So many pesky chores done! Yay you! I love the dress and Harper is the perfect model. I put that book on hold in my library since you gave it such high praise. I think I’ve turned a tiny corner in my grief. Still there and will be forever and will catch me at unexpected times but I feel calmer and more at peace now. Hugs to you and Don.
linda, i was glad to read your last couple of sentences … glad for you to have some peace and calm.
i agree with you that grief doesn’t go away here on earth (only until we are reunited in Heaven), but we can have peace because our loved ones have peace.
i hope you keep doing things you enjoy and which bring rest and relaxation (i try to do the same). we all need and deserve it and our mothers and other loved ones want that for us.
:)
sending hugs (if okay) and keeping you and your family in my prayers.
kathy
You’ve been worrying about your mom for a long while, taking care of her, running back and forth between your sides of the duplex – there is a relief – and we have to be honest about this – that comes with knowing the struggle is over. I felt this with both of my parents. It doesn’t take the grief away, you will always feel that. But the peace that comes to you, Linda, after all your devoted caregiving, is very real and very deserved.
xoxo
Claudia
well said, claudia. i agree with you.
kathy
xo
Claudia this means more to me than you will ever know. Thank you.
Love you, Linda.
Loved Tom Lake too. Ann Patchett is one of my favorite authors and Tom Lake is the best “covid novel” I’ve read so far.
Absolutely!
Stay safe, Betsy.
Harper looks lovely in that dress. She’s all dressed up…is she going any place special?
Preparing for winter can be exhausting. But hopefully in a few short months, it’ll be time to set it up all over again. Did you put out your porch lights?
I was curious about the latest Louise Penny. Guess it won’t be out til next year. Guess we’ll have to wait a little longer.
Enjoy your day off! ;)
Just to the den where the girls live!
Porch lights are on but our boxwoods grew so much that they’re covering them! Darn it. I should have pruned them and didn’t.
Penny is in the editing phase. She decided not to stick to a fall deadline like in earlier years. I imagine it will be out in the winter sometime.
Stay safe.
Can you still prune them? Your weather has been milder than ours. ;)
It’s in the twenties at night. I don’t think I can.
Harper looks like a litte fairy godmother in her gorgeous dress. So pretty in pink. You and Don got a lot of winter prep done. Time to relax. We bought our tree this afternoon. It’s beautiful and so it should be as it cost over $100. Yikes! The cheapest ones were $55 and were not really very well shaped or filled out. I guess you get what you pay for. Curious to know the price range of trees in your area, Claudia. Hugs, Elaine
Trees are so darned expensive now! It’s insane. We have paid at least $85 – 90 dollars the last few years.
Stay safe, Elaine.
That sounds like a busy, timely work. Well done! And that dress is absolutely adorable. She looks ready for the Nutcracker!
I’m so glad you loved Tom Lake. I was enchanted by every page. She’s such a wonderful writer and yes — some surprises. Plus, knowing as we do, the plays and the region makes it even more special. I love Patchett — I often write about her work. I recently reviewed one of her essay collections and another (These Precious Days) was one of my best books of the year. And Bel Canto is also one of my all time favorites. But this one — for all the personal reasons — must have bumped that to number two!
I began reading Parchett’s ‘These Precious Days’ from the library, but I returned it and purchased the book because it is so wonderful, I had to own it. I haven’t yet read Tom Lake.
A simply wonderful novel!
Stay safe, Jeanie.
I listened to Tom Lake, read by Meryl Streep. Great job! We went to artificial trees because of our allergies. Hubby was at allergist this week and doc said, have no carpet and no real Christmas tree. We love the look but the headaches were almost immediate. Enjoy your days.
I know several people who have allergies to fir trees. Thankfully, even though I have tons of allergies, I am not allergic to firs.
Stay safe, Gayle.