Home away from home, early morning peace and weekend reading

- This image of the river behind my sister's mountain vacation home is my desktop image on my computer at work.  When I am feeling stressed (which is all too often when I'm working), I look at this and can summon up the sound of the river and feel more peaceful.  I'll be looking at this scene by the end of the day today.  Car is packed - as soon as I leave work, I'm on my way. 

- Feeling a sense of nurture as I water my (now straggly) outdoor plants in the early morning hour.  I love this time when it's still dark out, no other sounds except the birds singing and the paper delivery lady making her rounds.

- Reading material for the weekend (other than a pile of magazines), Cop Town by Karin Slaughter (she is a friend) and Flannery O'Connor's prayer journal (she was a neighbor when I was a child growing up in Milledgeville, Georgia.)  Two southern writers who, I'm certain, would have liked each other.

I hope you have a weekend full of peace and good reading.  Have a great one!

Back porch time, currently reading and pure bliss

- Saturday morning.  There had been toast and poached egg on the plate.  And of course, good coffee.  A light breeze carrying the lyrical voices of my Asian neighbors to the back, who were working their garden.  You can just see the roof of their house beyond my mosquito repellent device there.

- Last June, August book club was thrown out as, "read the Ernest Hemingway book of your choice" + "The Paris Wife" by Paula McClain.  The second book is a fictionalized account of Hemingway's early writing life in Paris, told by his first wife Hadley.  But the presented dialogue is the only conjured up fiction - the author pulled accounts of their lives from a number of sources.  Reading that one after "The Sun Also Rises" makes for fascinating reading.  I am loving this book.

- And on Sunday morning the temperature on the back porch was 62 degrees with 0 humidity.  Pure bliss.

Beautiful and delicate, reading and it's all good

- Spotting a recipe for this Tomato-Cheddar Strata with Broccoli in the February 2012 issue of Country Living (left behind at the hospital* last weekend by my sister.)  I made it yesterday (halving it since it was for one.)  After describing it to friend Kim on an email, she said that it sounded "beautiful and delicate" and that fits perfectly.

- Standing in the coffee shop waiting and spotting a man reading a book at a cafe table on the other side of the window.  I am always interested in what other people are reading, and move a little closer to see.  "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck.  Good choice.

- Calling the department of motor vehicles in my county to inquire about my annual tag fee going up instead of down, as it usually does.  She explains.  I sigh and proclaim my sadness with a little drama.  She chuckles and is appropriately sympathetic.  Neither of us ruins the other's day.  It's all good. 

I hope you have nothing but good things happen to you this weekend, my friends!  Happy Friday!

* My mom is doing much better and was moved to a rehabilitation hospital yesterday.  Thank you for all your prayers.

Wishing and hoping, sleeping and reading

- Getting a kick out of being bossed around by Sophie, who likes to hang out in the kitchen, eternally wishing and hoping for more food.

- But sleeping in the sunshine is not a bad way to spend a weekend morning.

- Unless it's reading on the back porch.

Welcome to the world, manifesto and sofa time

- The arrival of a new third cousin - beautiful baby Andrew.

- Finishing "In Defense of Food - An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan and liking his suggestion on how we should eat: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

- Not feeling well and realizing that I can really just stay put this morning.