3/30/08

Reading and Watching

The weather looks tempting this time of year with the sun higher in the sky, but the frigid reality blasts you back inside soon enough! It's perfect weather for lazy afternoons reading and cozy nights huddled under a blanket in front of a good movie.

I've finished six Miss Read books now and am presently on Miss Clare Remembers. I am consciously slowing down my reading pace, hoping to keep the characters of Fairacre, Caxley, and Beech Green with me a good long time. I am always saddened at the end of a series. I truly miss the presence of the characters in my daily life.

Did you know that Enya wrote a song called Miss Clare Remembers? It is on her Watermark album.

I also recently read You Staying Young by doctors Oz and Roizen. It was a quick read with valuable info strewn throughout if you can stomach the silly writing style. I did learn that drinking Kefir is very good for osteopenia, which I have. That was a plus since I do like Kefir but haven't bought it for a while.

Another calcium rich food I've recently discovered is Greek yogurt. It is made by straining the whey out of regular yogurt. Such thick, creamy goodness!

Julia is actually finding time to read for pleasure this week. She is on break from her college classes. On her list is David Eddings book Enchanters' End Game from The Belgariad Volume II and The Secret Life of Lobsters.

Shawn has been reading Art and the Bible. Next up will be a Christian history book The Church of Our Fathers by Bainton, an out of print book which a dear friend gave to us a few years ago, and The Elements of Style. He just finished Perelandra. We will be studying it in depth with a Progeny Press study guide before he writes a lit paper for the book.

Now as for viewing, we've of course been watching the Sunday evening showings of the Jane Austen movies on PBS. Up tonight is part one of Sense and Sensibility. Earle, Shawn, and I have been watching them together. I must say, it is rather odd viewing company for Austen flicks! I'm so glad the menfolk are loving them as much as I am.

We also just came into possession of one of our all time favorite movies. We haven't re-watched it yet, but we are now the proud owners of Waking Ned Devine. If you haven't seen it before, you're in for a good laugh. If you have seen it before I have one short phrase for you: "naked old Irish guys riding bicycles"! I knew I could make you smile!!

Off to read. Miss Clare calls. I'll leave you with a short excerpt from the book.

"...They crossed a stile and made their way across a meadow high with summer grass. Some of the bobbing grasses stood as high as Dolly herself and she saw, for the first time, the tiny mauve seeds quivering at the grass tips. Ox-eyed daisies and red sorrel lit this sweet-smelling jungle that stretched as far as the small child could see. Above her arched a sky of breath-taking blue where two larks vied with each other in their outpourings.

In the distance the six bells of Caxley parish church chased each other's tails madly. A warm breeze, scented with the perfume from a field of beans in flower, lifted Dolly's hair, and she became aware, young as she was, of her own happiness in these surroundings. Sunlight, flowers, Mother, Father, Ada, and dear Emily were with her. Here was security, warmth, love, and life. Nothing ever completely dimmed that shining memory."


4 comments:

Ruskin said...
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Ruskin said...

You are inspiring me to read the 'Miss Read' books. They were on our bookshelves when I was growing up but I muts have thought them too grown up.
I shall have to see if they have some in the Copenhagen central library.
Yes, men seem to love Jane Austen as much as women. Perhaps they are doing research into the female intellect!

Lisa said...

I hope you enjoy Miss Read, Lorna!

You might be on to something there about the menfolk and their research. We are complex creatures after all who are not easily understood. ;-)

Daisy said...

I'm going to have to get some of these books. Thank you so much for sharing!!