The end of the school year feels so close yet so far away. The weather has been warm and I’ve been itching to get into the garden, but the schedule has not allowed it much yet. But I’m cutting lots of daffodils, forsythia, and hyacinths to bring indoors. It is amazing what the sun and flowers can do for the spirit! Here’s my round up of what I was into last month. I hope you can find something to inspire or interest you.
Watching:
When I was on Facebook raving about my love for the novel, The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir my friend Amanda said she also loved it and recommended Home Fires as being of a similar theme. I remember when it came out and thought the trailer didn’t look that interesting. When will I learn? I thought the same of Poldark and I was clearly wrong there! So, I’ve given it a try and I just love it. It’s all about the lives of women in a small English town as the men leave to enlist as W. W. II looms large. It is wonderful if you like historical drama and stories of female friendship.
Listening:
I have been listening to Becoming Mrs. Lewis on audiobook and am really interested in the life of Joy Davidman. She is famous for marrying C. S. Lewis, and I had a vague notion of her being a writer herself and that she died of cancer. Little did I know of her tumultuous first marriage, that she had at one point a blooming literary career, and of her conversion to Christianity. She didn’t fit the Christian “mold” during her time, nor even in our time, probably. She was a divorced single mother raising two boys while fighting to reignite her writing career and make ends meet. She and Lewis struck up an unlikely relationship where she fell in love with him first. It is a unique story that has me riveted.
Reading:
I just finished Placemaker: Cultivating Places of Comfort, Beauty, and Peace by Christie Purifoy. It is a treasure of a book. Unique and hard to pin down, it’s a beautiful mix of personal memoir, spiritual reflection, gardening journal, and thoughts on what it means to make a home and invite community.
Eating:
I made this amazingly flavorful Orecchiette with Bacon, Mushroom, + Kale pasta and we LOVED it. Definitely going to make it again. Also, I made our favorite no-bake cookies and I was reminded just how delicious they are. Not to mention easy and generally a healthier alternative to your regular cookie. It’s also a great option for those who may have gluten issues—there are only rolled oats in them:.
Recently, I’ve been going through a podcast called Hit Parade – https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade. Because of the way my days are broken up between work and home, I find podcasts are easier to manage. I can start and stop more easily. This one really feeds into the music interest, as well as the human interest story behind the content.
Thanks, will check it out!
We just finished season 4 of Poldark…cannot wait until the next one! We’re now on the hunt for a new show to watch together. Apparently we like British shows; Steve pointed out last night that almost every single show we’ve watched together in the last several years has been British (started with Downton Abbey–then The Crown, Broadchurch, Poldark).
I have such a backlog of podcasts. So many I have saved, but then I don’t have many opportunities to listen, or when I do, I’m either not in the mood for what I saved or can’t find/forget about ones I saved.
I really enjoyed Placemaker–I’ve GOT to get a review posted! I recently loved Rebecca Reynolds’s Courage, Dear Heart…right now I’m reading a nonfiction book called Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right, which has been fascinating. And the boys and I just started the sequel of the Vanderbeekers.
Haven’t been doing a lot of cooking or baking–but have you seen Salt Fat Acid Heat? We loved that, and the buttermilk roast chicken recipe is really delicious. The leftovers also made my chicken salad (Smitten Kitchen recipe) even better than normal.
Yes, we are an abashedly lovers of British drama! A few you might want to try on Netflix: Hinterland and Shetland. Hinterland is Welsh and dark and fabulous. Shetland is wonderful with a police detective who really loves his team and is trying to be a single parent to his daughter. If you liked Broadchurch both of those may be an option.
Vanderbeekers is on our list. So many books I want to experience with the kids and it feels like I’m running out of time! I mean, not really, but only two more years of middle school! I have seen Salt Fat Acid Heat around but not really looked at it. I’ll check it out.