July 2023 in Pictures

“Ev'ry heart beats true for the Red, White and Blue…” — George M. Cohen

Currently • July 2023

“Give thanks for the heavy perfume of wild roses in early July and the song of crickets on summer humid nights and the rivers that run and the stars that rise and the rain that falls and all the good things that a good God gives.” - Ann Voskamp

READING:

• Books:

  • The Château by Jaclyn Goldis — “A dream girls trip to a luxurious French chateau devolves into a deadly nightmare of secrets and murder in this stylish, twisty thriller… Welcome to picturesque Provence, where the Lady of the Chateau, Séraphine Demargelasse, has opened its elegant doors to her granddaughter Darcy and three friends. Twenty years earlier, the four girlfriends studied abroad together in France and visited the old woman on the weekends, creating the group’s deep bond. But why this sudden invitation?” (Goodread).

  • Vacationland by Meg Mitchell Moore — “Louisa is hoping that the crisp breeze off Penobscot Bay will blow away the irritation she is feeling with her life choices and replace it with enthusiasm for both her family and her work. But all isn't well in Maine. Louisa's father, a retired judge and pillar of the community, is suffering from Alzheimer's. Louisa's mother is alternately pretending everything is fine and not pretending at all. And one of Louisa's children happens upon a very confusing and heartfelt letter referring to something Louisa doesn't think her father could possibly have done. Louisa's not the only one searching for something in Maine this summer. Kristie took the Greyhound bus from Pennsylvania with one small suitcase, $761, and a lot of baggage. She's got a past she's trying to outrun, a secret she's trying to unpack, and a new boyfriend who's so impossibly kind she can't figure out what she did to deserve him. But she can't keep her various lives from colliding forever. As June turns to July turns to August, secrets will be unearthed, betrayals will come to light, and both Louisa and Kristie will ask themselves what they are owed and what they owe others” (Goodreads).

• Links:

  • 30 Best Things to Do in Paris, According to Locals (Travel + Leisure) — I’ve only done 13/30, proving my point that there’s always a reason to go back to Paris and that I can always find something new to see or do everyday.

  • 12 Interesting Facts and Secrets About the Eiffel Tower (Travel + Leisure)

  • The Best Airbnbs in Paris for a Stylish Sojourn in the City of Light (Vogue) — I stayed in the loft near the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement in Fall 2019 and loved it for two couples. That being said, I will still always recommend Paris Perfect apartments.

  • The 80/20 Principle: Achieving More With Less (Intelligent Change) — This concept fits well with my 2023 word/intention: lagom.

  • In honor of Hemingways’ birthday this month, The 10 Best Ernest Hemingway Books Everyone Should Read (Biography) — #3 will always be my favorite.

  • 36 Hours in Newport, RI (New York TImes) — We love Newport and had a great trip planned to return in 2020, but well, you know. I hope we can go back soon.

  • Audrey Hepburn and Her Legacy of Love (Vogue) — A revealing exhibition about the actress and humanitarian’s life created by her son Sean Hepburn Ferrer

  • Yes, Shaun Cassidy Is Still Dreamy: A fan finds herself in a backstage hug, decades after she kissed her poster of the onetime teen idol (New York Times) — Shaun posted this article on Twitter and “liked” my response ❤: “Great article. I had many of the same feelings as a young girl and again when seeing @shaunpcassidy last summer in Chicago — unapologetically nostalgic and joyful…even without the hug.”

WATCHING:

• TV:

  • Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) — All three seasons back-to-back. Some shows just need to be watched multiple times. I missed so much the first time through.

• Movies:

  • Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny — As always, “Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history” (IMDb) and it was so fun to watch.

  • Barbie — “Barbie suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence” (IMDb) — so serious, so fun. A guilty pleasure for sure, but with a great message for women.

LISTENING TO:

• Weekly episodes of my current favorite podcasts:

  • The Earful Tower — This season is Paris A to Z. I love this idea. I’ll share my Paris A to Z soon.

  • A Beautiful Mess

  • One True Podcast

  • Every Outfit

  • The Pop Culture Preservation Society

  • Desert Island Discs — Here are my choices.

  • History Chicks

• My July Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:

  • Sailing (Christopher Cross)

  • Orinoco Flow (Enya)

  • Home (Jack Johnson)

  • Boum (Charles Trenet)

  • American Music (Violent Femmes)

  • These Are Days (10,000 Maniacs)

  • Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band)

  • Mr. Blue Sky (ELO)

PLANNING:

• Summer professional development — so much to do in July and August.

• A mini-vacation “up north” — Next week, we taking a road trip to visit friends in Presque Isle before heading to Door County for a few days.

ENJOYING: Our continued backyard updates — We have a great umbrella for the deck that enables me to sit in the shade on warm afternoons with a book and a snoozy beagle. The roses, catmint, and hydrangeas (Annabelle and Limelight) are blooming in my garden and we finally have nice new grass growing. Morning and evening watering sessions are actually quite meditative. It’s lovely to hear the chickadees and cardinals tweeting; to feel the sun on my face and the cooling water on my arms; to smell the fragrance of the flowers and the earth; to see the prisms created as the sun shines through the streams of water that leaves the delicate droplets on the green leaves and white petals, the bright green of new blades of grass, and the pastel hues in the morning and evening skies that are everchanging due to time, weather, and unfortunately, Canadian wildfires — skies that are only now visible after clearing those big, old trees. And of course, a morning cup of coffee or an evening glass of wine rounds out the entire sensory experience.

June 2023 in Pictures

"God paints in many colors; but he never paints so gorgeously, I had almost said so gaudily, as when he paints in white." — G. K. Chesterton

Currently • June 2023

“Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June.” — Al Bernstein

READING:

• Books:

  • Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy by Carl Sferrazza Anthony — “An illuminating new biography of the young Jackie Bouvier Kennedy that covers her formative adventures abroad in Paris; her life as a writer and photographer at a Washington, DC, newspaper; and her romance with a dashing, charismatic Massachusetts congressman who shared her intellectual passion…Set primarily during the years of 1949 to 1953, when Jackie was in her early twenties, the book recounts in heretofore unrevealed detail the story of her late college years and her early adulthood as a working woman” (Goodreads).

• Links:

  • Inside '70s Teen Idol Shaun Cassidy's Return to Performing: 'Something I Never Thought I'd Do Again' (People Exclusive) — I was so excited to see Shaun last summer and would go again in a heartbeat.

  • A Foodie’s Guide to Door County via Milwaukee Magazine — So many of my favorite restaurants and several that I haven’t tried

  • 10 Facts About Le Petit Prince — I love this book.

  • A Barman Who Served Kate Moss and ‘All the James Bonds’ Leaves the Ritz — Colin Field was an integral part of the Bar Hemingway experience. He will be missed.

  • George Winston, the Quiet Giant of Solo Piano Music, Dead at 73 — George Winston’s piano music has been such an important addition of the soundtrack of my life. I first discovered it as a student at Marquette. I played Autumn and December over and over while studying or relaxing. How fitting that my old friend, George, told me of George Winston’s passing. Even, now almost thirty years later, I listen to all of the seasonal albums (Autumn, December, Winter into Spring) and of course, Linus and Lucy. I also included two of George Winston’s pieces in my Desert Island Discs.

WATCHING:

• Shrinking on Apple TV — “A grieving therapist starts to tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge changes to people's lives - including his own” (IMDb). Starring Harrison Ford and created by Brett Goldstein (aka Roy Kent), this show lives up to its pedigree.

• And Just Like That Season 2 on Max — Meh.

LISTENING TO:

• Pop Culture Preservation Society Podcast — “A podcast dedicated to preserving and elevating the unsung pop culture nuggets of the classic Gen X childhood.” So many of my favorites: Happy Days, Schoolhouse Rock, Pretty in Pink, John Denver, Olivia Newton-John, and of course, Shaun Cassidy.

• June Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:

  • Le temps est bon (Bon Entendeur vs. Isabelle Pierre)

  • Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour (Méli mômes)

  • Theme from A Summer Place (Percy Faith)

  • Fly Away (John Denver with Olivia Newton-John)

  • Good Day Sunshine (The Beatles)

  • Morning Has Broken (Cat Stevens)

  • La Mer (Charles Trenet)

  • Dancing Queen (ABBA)

ENJOYING: A slower pace — School’s out, and although I do have to go in throughout the summer, especially toward the end of July and August, it has been nice to disconnect these past couple of weeks. It’s so pleasant to linger over coffee in the morning, to have a perpetually clean house since I have time to keep it that way, and to spend time reading, listening to podcasts and music, taking pictures, and of course, snuggling with Piper.

PLANNING: Backyard clean-up and renovation — On the last day of school, we had two huge trees taken down, one of which was split and hanging over our house and deck. For the past two weeks, Eric has been cutting and moving the wood. The stumps have been ground and I have been soliciting quotes to have the backyard regraded and reseeded. We do have more sunlight near the house now so we might actually be able to grow a lawn. We still have a lot of trees and shade near the back of the yard, but the brightness near the house is nice. We might even get to see stars some night when the skies clear after the Canadian wildfires. We have noticed that without the tree canopy, it gets too hot on the deck midday, so I also bought a big cantilevered umbrella. I’ll post pictures when we are done.

May 2023 in Pictures

"I think it annoys God if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it." — Alice Walker, The Color Purple

Currently • May 2023

“All things seem possible in May.” — Edwin Way Teale

READING:

• Books:

  • Paris Letters: A Travel Memoir about Art, Writing, and Finding Love in Paris by Janice MacLeod — “‘How much money does it take to change your life?’ Unfulfilled at her job and unsuccessful in the dating department, Janice MacLeod doodled this question at her desk. Then she decided to make it a challenge. Over the next few months, with a little math and a lot of determination, she saved up enough to buy two years of freedom in Europe. But she had only been in Paris for a few days when she met a handsome butcher (with a striking resemblance to Daniel Craig)—and never went home again. A love story in the vein of Almost French and Lunch in Paris, Paris Letters is a joyful romp through the City of Light, and an inspiring look at what can happen when we dare to create the life we want. Realizing that her Parisian love affair would be forever, MacLeod began her own business on Etsy, creating beautifully-illustrated letters from Paris inspired by artists like Percy Kelly and Beatrix Potter. She now paints and writes full-time, bringing beautiful things to subscribers around the world and reviving the lost art of letter-writing” (Goodreads). This is a re-read for me. I wanted to revisit Janice’s beautiful illustrations and be inspired to create my own content.

  • The Room on Rue Amélie by Kristin Harmel — “When fate brings them together, Ruby, Charlotte, and Thomas must summon the courage to defy the Nazis—and to open their own broken hearts—as they fight to survive. Rich with historical drama and emotional depth, this is an unforgettable story that will stay with you long after the final page is turned” (Goodreads). I thought I was done with Resistance novels, but I had reserved this one over a year ago, so what’s one more? One too many.

  • A Death in Door County by Annelise Ryan — “Morgan Carter, owner of the Odds and Ends bookstore in Door County, Wisconsin, has a hobby. When she's not tending the store, she's hunting cryptids--creatures whose existence is rumored, but never proven to be real. It's a hobby that cost her parents their lives, but one she'll never give up on. So when a number of bodies turn up on the shores of Lake Michigan with injuries that look like bites from a giant unknown animal, police chief Jon Flanders turns to Morgan for help. A skeptic at heart, Morgan can't turn down the opportunity to find proof of an entity whose existence she can't definitively rule out. She and her beloved rescue dog, Newt, journey to the Death's Door strait to hunt for a homicidal monster in the lake--but if they're not careful, they just might be its next victims” (Goodreads). I read the book to Eric in the car on the way to Door County, but nope, too many inaccuracies.

  • My Own Magic: A Reappearing Act by Anna Kloots — “Despite what appeared to be a glamorous existence full of globetrotting adventures, behind the scenes, Anna Kloots felt invisible in her own life. Consumed by a marriage that left no space for her own desires, she chose to reframe the failure of her marriage as an opportunity to begin again. Now, for every woman searching for her voice, Anna shares her story of starting over by trusting the magic that was always within” (Goodreads).

• Links:

  • Google Flights Will Now Guarantee the Lowest Fare on Select Flights—or Refund You the Difference (via CN Traveler)

  • ‘Maisel’ Creators Set Next Amazon Show: Ballet Drama (via Hollywood Reporter)

  • Chanel’s Grasse Fields Offer a Glimpse Behind the Perfume-Making Scenes (via Wallpaper)

  • In Honor of Audrey Hepburn’s Birthday, See 23 Rare Photographs From the Condé Nast Archives (via Vogue)

  • A Look at the SS Edmund Fitzgerald Through the Years From Launch to Its Sinking (via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

  • The New Tiffany, Unboxed (via NYT) — I am eager to revisit Tiffany’s the next time I’m in NYC, but I’m sad that LVMH seems to have destroyed the nostalgic midcentury feeling of the classic Tiffany’s flagship store.

  • The Making of Jackie Kennedy (via The New Yorker)

  • 39 of the Most Breathtaking Chanel Sets Ever (via Vogue)

  • The Fashion Editor’s Guide to Saint-Germain-des-Prés (via Marie Claire)

WATCHING:

• Documentaries:

  • Welcome to Wrexham (Hulu) — “Docuseries chronicling the purchase and stewardship of Wrexham AFC, one of professional football's oldest clubs, by two Hollywood actors, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney” (Hulu).

  • Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+) — “The film, which incorporates documentary, archival, and scripted elements, recounts Fox’s extraordinary story in his own words — the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Fox’s public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, unspools alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinson’s disease. Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, the film chronicles Fox’s personal and professional triumphs and travails, and explores what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease. With a mix of adventure and romance, comedy and drama, watching the film feels like … well, like a Michael J. Fox movie.”

  • Call Me Kate (Netflix) — “Through newly uncovered audio and video footage, the inner life of intensely private screen legend Katharine Hepburn.”

• A Man Called Otto (Netflix) — “Otto is a grump who's given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a friendship that will turn his world around” (IMDb). The movie was good, but Fredrik Backman’s book, A Man Called Ove, was better.

• The Diplomat (Netflix) — Amid an international crisis, a career diplomat juggles her new high-profile job as ambassador to the UK and her turbulent marriage to a political star” (Netflix). I can only describe this show as akin to a train wreck; I just can’t seem to divert my eyes. Keri Russell’s character is so off-putting. She is always unkempt and her language is deplorable. However, the little cliffhanger at the end of each episode compelled us to keep watching and the final minutes of Season 1 ensured that we will be tuning in for the second season.

LISTENING TO:

• May Mini-Playlist:

  • Lilacs - Op. 21 No. 5 (Rachmaninoff)

  • Tea for Two (Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie Orchestra)

  • Zou Bisou Bisou (Jessica Paré)

  • Seul ce soir, (Swing 41, Midnight in Paris Soundtrack)

  • The Lusty Month of May (Julie Andrew, Camelot)

  • What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

  • Chantons sous la pluie (Yvette Horner)

  • Honey, Honey (ABBA)

ENJOYING:

• A spring weekend in Door County — cherry blossoms, trillium, lady slippers, forget-me-nots, and more.

• Fresh mulch and emerging flowers in our garden.