“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Audrey Hepburn
Lime Light and Annabelle hydrangeas, daisies, sea foam roses, catmint, white bleeding hearts, butterflies, the occasional toadstool, phlox, acorns, vinca, chickadees, Chardonnay pearls, Siberian iris, tree frogs, and anemone — a lovely bouquet of green and white.
“Ev'ry heart beats true for the Red, White and Blue…” — George M. Cohen
“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.
Desert Island Discs — Here are my choices.
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.
"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
“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.
"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
