Christmas Season Fasting

Just noticing how all the blogs I follow tend to slow down dramatically over the Christmas season. Not exactly a huge surprise. Myself, included.

Ciao, kids!

Mmm...reading

On our trip last week to Disney World and Colorado (I know, they're not exactly on the way to each other...), I got to read two entire books!!! Which is super-exciting, if you're me.

Le Divorce, by Diane Johnson Yet another book-turned-movie, this novel was easy to read, although I cannot fathom how it would have made an enjoyable film. Maybe that's what I don't know anyone who's seen the movie. It is ultimately about the differences between French and American cultures about identity and family. This quote is about consumerism, which is why it caught my eye, and it is the kind of thing that just begs for conversation:

"I admire the French for their cheerful acquisitiveness, their respect for the creations of man's hand," said Ames Everett, who had come to tea.

"Yes, the French love things more for their beauty or their totemic significance than for their value," Roxie agreed.

"Whereas Americans affect disdain for material objects, as if it weren't quite nice to collect, or have," Ames Everett said. "Yet they are great consumers. The French are materialists without being consumers. I respect that."

Julia & Julia, by Julie Powell I have not seen this movie, but I can tell you that the book was easy to read and enjoyable. Certainly not life-changing, although the project that led to Julie Powell's blog and book was life-changing for her. There is one fabulous bit from the end that I wanted to share:

Julia taught me what it takes to find your way in the world. It's not what I thought it was. I thought it was about--I don't know, confidence or will or luck. Those are all some good things to have, no question. But there's something else, something that these things grow out of.

It's joy.

I am a person who easily finds inspiration in the written word, and I am also a person who is searching for a path. Not something so unreachable as a goal or purpose, the answer and solution to living life at its fullest. But something small that indicates I'm doing all the right things, and that I'm being receptive to what God has for me in the world. This excerpt from Julie & Julia inspires me in that way and reminds me that the biggest influences in a person's life are often directed from inside themselves - a place we often forget to look.

Silent Films & Shel Silverstein

Last night, Chris and I were invited to attend a concert by Tom Trenney, an organist from Lincoln, Nebraska. He is very accomplished at improvisation, and the highlight of the program was the showing of two silent movies, accompanied by organ improvisation! The acting and music were truly funny, and the whole audience laughed through both films.

The other special part of the evening was an improvisation of Shel Silverstein poems. He is one of my all-time favorite poets, and I was so sad to hear that he had died a few years ago. Tom Trenney read three poems: Magic Carpet, Forgotten Language, and Dancing Pants, and did a short improvisation on each. As he said at the performance, his goal was to convey them like Silverstein would have if he were a musician instead of a poet. His creativity was fun and exciting, and I hope that he will publish and record a whole set of miniatures based on Silverstein's work!

Overall the concert was completely enjoyable in every way (except for some rude concert-goers), and I was thrilled to be able to witness such a large amount of integration of art forms. When music, film, and poetry are combined, each art form enhances the beauty and creativity of the other, creating a truly unique and wholesome experience. This is how art should always be!

PS-I highly recommend watching the silent movie, One Week, starring Buster Keaton. It is the story of a couple during their first week of marriage - and yes, it was a LONG week!

Adults Don't Eat Veggies

This is an interesting article from The Tennessean (and USA Today) about some statistics of adults who don't eat enough veggies. Startling!

Article on Canning

Thank you, Wall Street Journal, for putting a spotlight on canning and preserving with this article from October 15th.

Indoor S'more Toasting

Chris and I house sit a lot. On one hand, this is an awesome, cushy job. We move in to huge house, cook in the fabulous kitchen with granite countertops, a gas range, stainless steel appliances, enjoy the big flat-screen TV with 100s (literally, several hundred) channels, play every gaming system known to man, log on to the wireless network, and run around with their two dogs. But don't be fooled, house sitting has it's unfortunate side, too. That is, you have to pack EVERYTHING you might need, even if your stay is only for a couple of days. That means not only your clothes, shoes, and toiletries galore—it also means dry food, cold food, milk, produce, sharp knives, and our dog and her many accessories (read: toys, food, food dish, treats and rawhides, leash, etc.). She has a ridiculous amount of accessories.After all of this, the car looks like one that is about to take a cross-country expedition for a whole month. And after packing and unpacking it all, we look like ruffians. At least they have comfortable chairs to fall into!

The highlight of the weekend was roasting marshmallows over an open fire pit - yum! Last night I recreated the magic in the comfort of our own living room (no joke). I spread out a huge towel with all the fixin's and lit 4 tea-lights! The outdoorsy smell was missing, but without a backyard, we had to improvise. At least we didn't smell like smoke afterward!

I can't say that Lucy enjoyed the indoor version as much as the real thing, but after a weekend with two other dogs in the house, she was exhausted! She slept through the afternoon and evening, and then all through the night!

Things I Love About Fall

Autumn is my favorite season, and in celebration of the arrival of cool, crisp days, I am gracing you with a list of things that bring me smiles on days like today.

Hot Chocolate

Candles

Fuzzy Sweatpants

Slippers

Leaves crunching under my feet

Cool air through open windows

Cider and grog

Snuggling

Falling leaves

The smell of cold air

Thanksgiving - My favorite holiday!

Pumpkins