Mystery Lovers Unite

Anyone interested in the book I mentioned? I forgot to tell you the author's name: Alan Bradley.

This one is the second in the series.

I will perhaps wet your appetite a little more with the last few lines of the book. (Don't worry, it doesn't give anything away). The narrator is 11 year old Flavia de Luce. She writes: "I paused at the door...and turned. 'If anyone wants me,' I said 'I shall be upstairs, weeping at the bottom of my closet.'"

Now normally I can't stand precocious kids- but Flavia is different. She is neglected (in a large country estate in 1950's England) enough to not have the annoying puffed up sense of self most brilliant kids have. She also has a good sense of humor. I think you will like her too.

Through Time and Space (Again)

Armchair traveling through time and space again. These are from the italian gardens of Isola Bella. I am currently meandering through books from the library: Edith Wharton's Italian Villas and Gardens, the Edwardian House Style Book, the Lost Garden of Gertrude Jekyll, and Maxfield Parrish Paintings. It's a feast for the eyes. I'm also trying to work some things out in my painting and drawing style. What to leave in and what to leave out? Where is detail important and where is simplicity important? How whimsical do I want to be? 

I have a tendency to labor over drawings, and I want to learn to be quicker with confidence. We will see how it goes. With time in short supply- I can't linger over drawings. 

Also I am traveling through time and space in my fiction reading. I have come across these great mysteries. If you have a penchant for well written mysteries like I do... I love this "Flavia de Luce" mystery series. It takes place in a small town in 1950's England. The main character is 11 year old Flavia de Luce with her brilliant knowledge of chemistry and interest in poisons. Check it out.

The Grand Tour

Do expressions like: "Edwardian Era, Grand Tour, Italian Villas, Parterres, Grottos..." curl your toes the way they do mine?


Well I have started some armchair traveling lately through time and space. My first excursion involves following Edith Wharton's grand tour of Italian villas in the early 1900's. She started by traveling through Switzerland into the Lombardy Region of Italy via the Simpton Pass. Consider this description:


"One by one the travelers alighted from their carriages and fell under the spell cast by the purity of transalpine light playing on the splendor of the scenery. It was a landscape that stretched from the highest highs of its perpetually snowy white peaks to the bottomless depths of its brooding, deep blue lakes."

Doesn't a Grand Tour of the Italian villas and gardens of the Lombardy Region sound like a great place to start our journey? Let's armchair travel together and see where we end up.

An afternoon at the movies

So, I was able to escape for a little while Saturday afternoon and I went to see this movie. (picture above).  It is a documentary about the life of New York Times style page journalist- Bill Cunningham. If this sounds vaguely like your cup of tea, I highly recommend putting it on your netflix queue. More than his work- I was (am) fascinated by this man. Integrity and passion for his work says it all. (But actually there is so much more...)


Now as all things relate back to me, I found this movie to be particularly good timing. I have recently gotten a bit of renewed energy for some drawing ideas. But at the age of 41, I am also a little weary when these waves of enthusiasm come over me, because I have a way of inexplicably ruining my fun. Somehow the result becomes more important than the fun of looking and creating. That is where Bill Cunningham comes in. My guru. Seemingly, no ego gets in the way of his good time. 


Go see the movie- or put it on your queue and we can talk.
In the meantime- I will work on my ideas and share. Wish me luck in not spoiling my fun.
Have a good Monday everyone.

Object of Beauty

A new development has taken place since our 10 day trip to the mid west. My three year old daughter has taken to sleeping with mommy and or daddy. So nap time has been a challenge. (And nap time is sacred to me- much needed quiet time for mommy). So lately, instead of disrupting the nap- I've taken to bringing up ample reading supplies and spending an hour and half or so in the little twin bed while L sleeps. To be honest- I've taken to loving this time too. I glance over at my heavy- breathing, hot little sleeping girl and feel pure love (so often complicated when she is awake and pouring noodles into her lemonade at dinner time, for example).


My current nap time read is Steve Martin's Object of Beauty. And while it is a good book, I am finding I am becoming more interested in Steve Martin than the protagonist. I am fascinated that a man who is celebrated for his acting and comedy- has such an extensive understanding of art and the art world. He has honed his writing craft and plays the banjo. I think I will read his autobiography next. I am interested in why and how someone so successful in one industry has the courage to immerse himself in other things. Maybe courage isn't the right word- but I get the feeling that he has real interests in art, music, writing and that these interests rather than advancing his career are the driving forces behind his activities. I like that.


I'll let you know what I find out.

How do I look?

My daughter has the best wardrobe (thanks mostly to my mom). I am covetous. So I did a little mock up of what I would look like in my daughters beautiful striped coat. She only wears a few of her many gorgeous things. I may have to "dress" myself in more of her clothes.


On another note, consider this quote:


"Mediocrity, I discovered, was the great camouflage; the great protective coloring. Those boys who didn't fail yet did not excel, were left alone, free of the demands of the master who might wish to groom them for glory and of the school bully who might make them his scapegoat. That simple fact was the first great discovery of my life."


What do you think? It goes against the american way- does it not? We are suppose to stand out. But to stand out you have to have an audience. What about the freedom to do as you please- unnoticed. Which is more important to you?

Five Year Gestation?

Warning: This post is going to sound corny and self serving!


Recently, I was thinking about how little time there is to do all the writing, reading, blogging, etc. that I love to do. L's napping in unpredictable, we are going to school less days (see previous posts) and summer is coming... I remembered how a friend told me (and she was told by her mom) that it takes until your youngest born is in kindergarten before you get your "you" life back- but then you do. Some days five years seems like an eternity. But what was my free time like before my daughter was born? I occasionally get a glimpse by looking back at my journals. There is a self importance, a lack of perspective and yes a neuroticism I don't wish to repeat. So maybe these 5 years will change me (no doubt I am still neurotic and self absorbed, but hopefully a little less). What do you moms think? Is this a time of rebirth? When you get a bit you your life back are you changed for the better? Or just more grey hairs and worry lines? I still have a year and a half to go. Time to be on hold: to play bubbles, laugh and cry with my daughter and look into her eyes for as long as she lets me. Maybe I can slow time down even more.

Lilies of the Valley

Happy Spring everyone. Today's post is about May Day (which would have been more appropriate to have written 10 days ago- but I am behind with most things). So in France May Day is celebrated with Lilies of the Valley. They are called "le muguet" there. In the 16th century wreaths of le muguet were hung on the doors of brides-to-be in May. May Day is the labor holiday in France and workers wear boutonniers of these lovely little flowers on this day. And lastly, the blooming of these spring flowers signifies the "official" return to happiness. 
So that's something to celebrate.

This and That

Good morning. Today is a hodgepodge of loose ends. First, I recommend again the book: "Happiness Project" and the blog by the same title. At the moment, I am resolving to not have resolutions- and the book is heavy with resolutions. I am finding that it is more important to have space in the day than a long list of things to do (even if those things are happiness related). But that said there was a lot to take from the book. The author quotes Robert Louis Stevenson, "there isn't a duty we so underrate as the duty of being happy". It is a service to other people- and not just a selfish pursuit. And it reminds me to appreciate those around me who do "light" and make it seem effortless. 


On Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project blog there was a link to another excellent blog posting. It was called "How to Steal Like an Artist" by Austin Kleon. Check it out if you get a chance. My favorite parts were: when asked where he gets his ideas, he says he steals them. Nothing is original: everything new is just a mash up or remix of previous ideas. And he says he says he sees the role of artist as collector. But the trick is to collect selectively. 
There are many more nuggets of wisdom in this post- I plan to go back and revisit after I digest these.


And lastly- an update on my vegan project (see earlier posts). This week for meals I am hitting some recipes that were particularly good: Spinach Noodle Kugel and Bean Burgers. I am finding most of the recipes to be quite good- and these two are pretty quick to make.
Give them a try.

 Can you read these. Let me know if I need to print bigger.

Queen E

Is it too late to post about the royal wedding? We all are probably over it. 
I did this drawing on the day of the wedding. I thought it would be fun to draw the queen's face and that hat!


Next, I may do a nod to Harry. He looked quite handsome. I liked all the medals, etc. on his costume. Who else thinks he is the spitting image of James Hewitt? DNA test anyone?