Artful Journey

 Ok, so it’s Tuesday, but it’s a rainy Tuesday and I have been doing some artsy things while listening to the audiobook  So clever and funny! I think I will characterize it as Miss Marple meets The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel meets Waiting for God tv series. Thoroughly enjoying it. Stephen Spielberg has optioned it; it will make fabulous viewing. Making some envelopes to match Ellsworth Kelly USPS stamps And a little abstract watercolor  More outgoing mail With watercolor flowers  And with rain comes Rainbows…make mine a double We watched the movie Grownups for a little light entertainment. They mentioned Voss water which I had never heard of, but there it was on the shelf at CVS. A rainbow of Voss for  T day

I was excited to read  West with Giraffes  by Lynda Rutledge as I am a big fan of zoos. The book chronicles the journey of giraffes being transported from New York to the San Diego zoo after surviving a hurricane outside New York aboard the ship carrying them from Kenya. Belle Benchley, the first woman zoo director who transformed the San Francisco Zoo into a world class zoo, was the impetus behind the acquisition and transport. There’s a great review on  Zoo Histories  including photos of the giraffes. The book also covered the history of 1938 including the dust bowl, racism and women’s rights.  Procreate practice  This next book was an incredible biography of Virginia Hall. Her heroism and bravery in the face of adversity was remarkable. This book was fast paced and read like fiction. With resourcefulness and her ability to develop trustworthy relationships, she accomplished extraordinary feats despite her disability and the lack of support and confidence...

Our first taste of fall included a beautiful day and the crisp smell of apples.   Apple picking at Honeypot Hill. Climbing to pick the best apples Our tradition continues  They told us this was a great year for the apple harvest. We have plans for another visit, once we are baked through our haul. Apple pie is up first! We also enjoyed one of our favorite treats…apple cider donuts. Yum! Still warm and delicious. A good night with a harvest moon

Tyrone won the All Ireland football final on Saturday in front of 41,150 Mayo and Tyrone supporters.  This is half capacity of Croke Park due to Covid restrictions. GAA football is not a professional league and Tyrone counts among it’s players teachers, sales representatives, plasterers, accountants and carpenters. They aren’t paid for playing, but their commitment, passion and excellence is second to no professional team. Beyond the players themselves is a back room team committed to their success. They hail from all parts of the county and have deep community ties to their local clubs. Playing for the county is an honor for the player and the local club. The work rate, fitness and athleticism are an inspiration for all the fans.   I loved this article about the heartwarming moment fan  Patrick Trainor  was lifted from the stands to raise the Sam Maguire.There is a short clip in the article that shows Patrick’s joy in being included in this fantastic moment.  I...

For the long road… … at Home in Ireland I keep thinking we will get back to Ireland this year. August has turned into September, October is coming soon and our best hope looks like November. In the meantime, some Irish reads  A favorite of 2021 I read   Apeirogon by McCann and knew I loved his writing style. There are many similarities between the conflict in the Middle East and Northern Ireland. McCann does a masterful job in both of these novels Another Transatlantic  This was a 2020 read, but I include it because of the similar title. It was a fun read by one of writers of Ballykissangel, a favorite Irish television show.  I love the Finfarran series, which are perfect for a light, upbeat read. A top nonfiction 0f 2021 This was the Library book club read for March. I wasn’t familiar with Patrick Radden Keefe before reading this nonfiction book about the disappearance and murder of Jean McConville . Amazing research and excellent writing about a complicated, violen...

On a visit to Tower Hill, I picked up this book which has provided inspiration for some day trips. Blithewold  Mansion, Rhode Island Sweeping view from the patio  Narragansett Bay A lovely table setting Before the arrival of  tea and scones How did I forget to take a picture? It was delicious! Here’s a glimpse of the inside of the house. Detailed woodwork and skilled craftsmanship in every room And beautiful gardens outside too. This was a really fun day, just a car ride away. Set on 33 acres, with a beautiful 45 room mansion, large flower gardens, specimen trees, with seating throughout, it’s a great place to visit often.  

 Feeling good in my garden and keeping my heart in the place I love Front entrance Dahlias doing their thing  Secret smells ‘scentsational’ Roses are thriving And fortunately their petals were spared from Ida’s heavy rains. Feeding my heart with my two latest reads. This one is thanks to Karen, who always seems to find the best books. I haven’t read any of John Green’s other books but they are now on my “ to be read” list. Loved, loved, loved this book of essays and it’s definitely on my 21 of 21 list.  5 stars ⭐️ Fred Rogers is a hero of mine and I loved this biography by Maxwell King. The author David McCollough is a huge fan of Mr. Rogers and regards him as the preeminent educator of our time.  Both Pittsburg natives, McCollough highly recommended this biography. I listened to the audio version read by Levar Burton. In a word - excellent! “There are three ways to ultimate success in life. The first way is to be kind. The seconds way is to be kind. The third was is...