Look closely. The above is a photo of a butterfly landing on salvia. I took it, while standing on our stone path by the side of the house, last August.
Seeing the butterfly then made me happy because I’m working on turning one quadrant of our garden, by the stone path, into a butterfly habitat. So far, this is a project in its infancy having attracted only a few butterflies.
But I have dreams. Big Butterfly Habitat Dreams.
And now, not to put too fine a point on it, I have a cheerful photo, perfect for sharing here today, whilst we’re in the midst of the Polar Vortex.
People, it is cold outside.
Yesterday it was 7ºF in the early morning and I thought that was cold. I had to go to the doc’s office for routine blood work so I bundled up and navigated the plowed, but still slippery, streets to get there.
It was an interesting drive.
Today, at the same time in the morning, it’s -3ºF outside and I’m going nowhere. Nowhere I say. Yep, I’m staying at home inside, being the reasonably prudent slacker that I am at heart.
Why? Because I can [the obvious flippant answer that we all know and love].
And because you, my gentle readers, are out there in the world wide web, waiting, I hope, to comment on this post so that I have something meaningful to do with my time today.
AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW… this part of the USA, the midwest, is experiencing arctic temperatures. Records are being broken. Schools are being closed. Furnaces are being taxed. Prayers are being said. Et cetera, et cetera.
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BECAUSE I’VE DECIDED TO STAY AT HOME DURING THIS WEATHER EVENT… I am now in charge of:
running water through all sink/shower/tub faucets so that the pipes don’t freeze;
opening and closing blinds/curtains to allow sunshine + warmth, when available, to come into the house; and
monitoring the thermostat, so that I can fret over the furnace’s every clink and whoosh and thunk as it continues to heat the house.
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NOW THAT I HAVE A BIT OF UNEXPECTED TIME ON MY HANDS… I’ve started reading three books:
The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance, by Edmund de Waal. After inheriting from an uncle a collection of Japanese netsuke, the author researches his ancestors and their involvement with these objects. Fascinating.
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd, by Jim Fergus. Using a few pieces of real history, the author creates a novel about a white pioneer woman who, courtesy of the U. S. government, goes to live among the Cheyenne, with the express purpose of helping the Cheyenne assimilate into white culture. Compelling.
OF COURSE LIFE ISN’T JUST SERIOUS PURSUITS… which means that I’m playing Candy Crush Saga as often as the game will let me play. By using this cheat, I reigned victorious over a particularly difficult level 77 in Easter Bunny Hills, but now I’m unable to progress past level 80, waiting to complete my 3 quests so that I can move across the lake to level 81 and the next episode. Stuck in the game, stuck in the house. 😉
As part of my attempt to live a more balanced life in 2013, I have given myself the assignment to watch 2 movies and to read 2 books each month. Here is my May report.
2 Movies
Small, Beautifully Moving Parts – Clever + truthful. A pregnant, techie-oriented woman, who lives in NYC, goes to LA so that her sister may give her a proper baby shower. Once on the west coast, the mother-to-be decides to visit her divorced parents. Her father’s reaction to seeing her is delight, but her off-the-grid mother’s reaction is alternately hilarious or sad. Recommended if you like honest characters + quiet triumphs.
Jesus Henry Christ – Tedious + confused. I wanted to like this movie produced by Julia Roberts, but I didn’t. The premise is that a brilliant 10-year-old boy, whose mother had in vitro fertilization, decides to find out who his biological father really is– and he does. But the plot dragged on and the characters were of the over-the-top-but-supposed-to-be-endearing variety so that nothing in the story seemed interesting or plausible or worth caring about. Not recommended.
2 Books
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – Extraordinary + compelling. Rebecca Skloot tells the true story of how one woman’s cells, taken from her without her permission, came to be first “immortal” human cells grown in a medical lab at Johns Hopkins University. Plus, Skloot tells the story of Henrietta’s life, her children’s lives and all the subsequent injustices done to all of them. Recommended if you like medical history + family stories that span generations.
Too Much Happiness – Well-written, but forgettable. I know that Alice Munro is a writer with an enthusiastic following so I decided to read one of her books. This book of 10 short stories was, perhaps, not her best effort– or maybe I don’t get her. I found the stories to be depressing &/or mundane; so much so that even her smooth writing couldn’t overcome it. Recommended if you like glimpses into the darker side of human nature + need something to read that’s easy to put down and pick up as need be.
1 Complete Blank
In this spot I like to share something clever or funny that I saw/read/heard during the month, but I’m coming up with a blank here. Oh well, whatever. If anyone has something inspiring or cheerful that could be in this spot, just let me know & in it goes. If not, I suggest that we all be like Quakers at a Sunday meeting and sit here silently reflecting upon the Divine. The choice is yours, gentle readers.
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[As promised above, I’ve added your ideas to inspire or cheer thus filling in my Complete Blank.]
1) From Polly at caughtwriting, an Emily Dickinson quote:
“Forever– is composed of nows.”
2) From Zazzy at zazamataz.com, an e.e. cummings quote:
“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.”
Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the geraniums, ‘ya know?
Lately, I’ve been feeling that I’m missing the simple things in my life. That I’m focusing only on complex issues and confused people. That I am way too much in my head and not enough in my heart.
And this behavior is bringing me down.
So, as an antidote to the complexities inherent in my modern life, I’ve decided that once per season I will do my version of a Things I Love Thursday post. Here is my first edition.
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• geraniums • faded denim • truthfulness • the sweet scent of the ash trees in bloom • tralfaz • home decor catalogues • income tax refunds • herbed chèvre • unexpected friendly emails from old friends • laughing • sauvignon blanc • gumption • randomness on my car radio • tetris • walking • the united states of tara • rhubarb • festina lente • no gloves, except gardening ones • gratitude • paper calendars with pretty images • sunshine •
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 