Mostly reading 06-05-21

Instead of doing the things I need to do, should do, must do, I have just been reading.  Escapism, I guess.   The Book Group selection for this month is "Miss Benson's Beetle" by Rachel Joyce.  A very good book, funny, sad, scary, well written.  I enjoyed it a lot and it reminds me to read her earlier book "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" which has been on my "To Read" list for a long time. 

I usually finish a book once I start, but sometimes I find one that is just too much for me.  This time it was "The Woman in the Window" by A.J. Finn.  About a woman who has a trauma in her life and becomes agoraphobic and, of course, paranoid.  Too heavy for me at this point in my life.  The writing is very good, but I can't take the story. 

Then I read "Still Me" a memoir by Christopher Reeve (Superman).  He wrote it in 1998, three years after the riding accident that paralyzed him.  There is a lot of detail about what happens when one is confined to a wheelchair and on a ventilator, more medical info that I can comprehend.  But he talks about his whole life, family, stage and films.  The title comes from his wife Dana who told him when he offered to release her from their marriage that "You are still you and I still love you".  He died in 2004 from a heart attack.   I'm glad I read it. 

A friend gave me a few books that she had read.  One is "The Keepsake Sisters" by Lori Wilde who is the author of 91 books of romantic fiction.  Not something I usually read, but it was there on my table and the subject of twins separated at birth who are reunited at age 35 sounded interesting.  This was REALLY escapism for me, interesting plot, but a little too goody-two-shoes.  (I think my friend's adult bunny tasted the cover of this book!)

From that to a real "downer", but I didn't find it so bad.  All during the pandemic when I drive on streets with no other moving cars I think of Nevil Shute's "On the Beach", a book about the end of human life on Earth due to nuclear war.  I had seen the movie sometime in the early 60's, but never read the book.  Now I would like to see the movie again.  As always, the movie changes things around, but the story remains pretty much the same.  Very well written.  Gripping, even if one knows the ending. 

My current read is "Samurai's Garden" by Gail Tsukiyama.  I've read most of her books, starting with "Women of the Silk", but somehow I missed this one from 1994.  She writes well and her research seems sound - I am enjoying it and will finish tonight.  

And then I think I need to get responsible and do the things that I keep avoiding.

Joan Hutter made a comment on yesterday's post that Sycamore trees are protected and can't be cut down.  But that applies to the California Sycamore (Plantanus racemosa) native to the area.  The trees in my neighborhood are Plantanus occidentalis, planted about 60 years ago too close to the sidewalk, which is badly lifted.  I hope they are not cut down, but I can understand the problems.  Thanks for your comment Joan. 

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Flowers 06-04-21

 

We have half a dozen new neighbors in the past eighteen months.  Unfortunately they all seem to have their own ideas about landscaping and the first thing they do is cut down trees.  My most hated noise is a chainsaw!  Where two streets divide there is a large sort of pie shaped lot with a large house with 60 year old sycamore and eucalyptus trees and landscaping gone wild.  After a year of thinking about it the new owners are working on the yard.  Cutting trees and pulling bushes and chopping up perennials.   Along the sidewalk they took out about ten feet of a morning glory hedge and it looks like they are going to put a wall up right against the sidewalk.  Sad.  So, here are my last morning glory pictures.  

As the sun comes up the morning glory flowers open a lovely deep blue with a pinkish center. 

The lobed leaves are thick and interesting. 

As the day goes on the blossoms fade to pink and wither during the night.   Fresh flowers appear in the morning again. 

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Wordless Wednesday 06-02-21

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Flowers 06-01-21

Daisies are part of one of the largest plant families with 24,000 or maybe 32,000 known species, depending on which reference you are reading!  The family Asteraceae, or Compositae, includes daisies, sunflowers, asters, chrysanthemum, calendula, dandelions, and on and on!  

This is African Daisy (Osteospermum) belonging to the Calenduleae group.  They come in many colors.  They do well in Southern California because they like heat and lots of sunshine.  There are growing across the street so I can enjoy them when looking out our front window. 

They are growing in a raised planter that abuts the sidewalk, so an easy jump for KoKo to have a sniff.  Although they don't have a sweet fragrance at all. 

 

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A Quilt from TCQC 05-30-21

I'm trying to get back to posting a quilt from TCQC every Sunday.  Pamela Allen includes birds in many of her creations and this is my favorite. 

"Terns"  Pamela Allen (Ontario, Canada)  2016  27"LX36"W

Commercial cottons (some recycled), cotton lace.  Hand applique, machine quilted

The clouds are blue fabric overlaid with cotton lace.  All hand stitched. 

In addition to the label on the back Pamela has added this funny cartoon copied on fabric.   She is witty and whimsical and very tongue in cheek.  

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