Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Gone too soon, so pretty and jelly bird eggs

- One of my favorite authors of all time, Pat Conroy, passed away last Friday.  Three of his books are displayed here on my bookshelf that features authors from the south.  The first book I ever read, written by him, was The Water is Wide, a memoir of the time he spent teaching children on Yamacraw Island, South Carolina.  I've ordered a used copy to add to this shelf - I loved it so much.  How I will miss his presence in the world.

- When I was leaving for church on Sunday, I got out of my car to snap a photo of neighbor Rhonda's pansies.  They have weathered all manner of cold weather and ice and still look so pretty.

- My late mother loved black jelly beans and I used to pick up a bag for her when I'd spot them.  They had them at Publix this week, so I picked up a couple of bags.  I kept one bag for my desk at work and shared the other bag with the printing plant manager, who likes them, too.

16 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Lynn - Denise Covey from Australia mentioned Pat Conroy's passing - very sad.

Love the pansies ... and then the black jelly beans ... just what's needed occasionally .. cheers Hilary

Elephant's Child said...

Pansies and black jelly babies are always a treat.
Isn't it amazing the way the death of someone we never met can diminish our world?

Cloudia said...

I wish you the renewal and solace of Spring!

LL Cool Joe said...

My mum is a big Pat Conroy fan, and you've just reminded me that I bet she's not aware he died recently. Very sad. I wonder if she's read the book you mentioned.

Leonora said...

I will need to read your favorite author. I don't believe I ever have! It's rare to find folks who like black licorice. It's nice that you still pick up a bag or two in memory of your mom. My husband loves it and I'm always on the lookout for licorice "allsorts" candies for him.

Lynn said...

Hilary -

I'll miss the pansies - they don't do well in our very hot summer weather.

Elephant's Child -

Yes - I feel as if I knew him personally. The Prince of Tides is a revered book to me - I need to read it again. And I got very absorbed into Beach Music.

Cloudia -

And also to you, my friend!

Joe -

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, only a few weeks ago. It went very fast. So sad.

Lee -

Good to see you here - I've been thinking about you and hope you are doing OK.

Read The Prince of Tides and Beach Music, for sure. And The Water is Wide is awesome.

Lee said...

I love black jelly beans, too...although I've not had them for ages. I love licorice, too...but I can't say it's ages since I've had some. I always keep a jar of licorice on my kitchen bench...just for those frequent times I feel like some! :)

I've not read any Pat Conroy's books; but I have seen the movies made from his books - "The Great Santini" and "Prince of Tides". And loved them both...I've watched them a couple of times each and I have the DVD of the latter.

Crafty Green Poet said...

I've never read anything by Pat Conroy, always sad when a favourite author dies

Maude Lynn said...

Losing a favorite author feels like losing an old friend.

Riot Kitty said...

It's heartbreaking when a favorite author dies, isn't it? I admire your friend's green thumb, as well as the pansies' stubbornness.

Lynn said...

Lee -

I think the book Prince of Tides was better than the film. Such beautiful prose.

Crafty Green Poet -

It is - so sad.

Mama Zen -

Exactly.

Riot Kitty -

I should have titled the pansy bit as Stubbornness!

Granny Annie said...

I saw in our newspaper that Pat Conroy had died. I need to look for some of his books on audio.

My mom loved horehound candy. Yikes! I never really developed a taste for it and rarely see it for sale. Now I love black jellybeans!

Sparkling Red said...

I used to have a friend who didn't like black jelly beans, but she knew that I did, so she would save the black ones, put them in a baggie, and bring them to me! Isn't that thoughtful?

What a coincidence - my post this week is about jelly beans, but in many flavours and colours...

Snaggle Tooth said...

Lots of good folks passing on lately - At least they have the legacy. Pretty flowers! Easter candy soon!

Lynn said...

Granny Annie -

I would listen to Beach Music and Prince of Tides. Both are so lovely.

I had to look up horehound candy - not familiar with that. We must not have it in the south. :)

Sparkling Red -

I'll be over shortly. Yes - my mom used to pick out the black ones, too.

Snaggle -

I've already had a Cadbury's cream egg!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Agree completely with your comments on the late Pat Conroy. He was a wonderul writer and this past year, I read the Great Santini, which was difficult to get theough at some points, but very well written.