The Sound and the Fury

Next book up: The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. I had no idea before I started to read the book one night having retired early to bed to read what it was about. After a couple of pages I am like "what the what?" I was having a hard time following the story so I started rubbing my eyes - as if that would clear my mind. No way. Still didn't quite get it but I kept reading hoping it would change up or something. The next morning I tried again and got to a second day I mean chapter. The chapters are made up of dates the first being April 7, 1928. The first chapter was told from a mentally retarded individual and jumped around in years. The second chapter was narrated by a guy who you could tell was going to commit suicide. It was easier to follow but that didn't necessarily make me feel better because you knew this chapter was not going to turn out well.  These two individuals are from the same sad family. Do not read this book if you are the least bit depressed.  Finally I googled this book and got a little insight into what was going on. Apparently Faulkner was one of the guys experimenting with writing in something called "steam of consciousness" or whatever. That is why the story jumped around so much. I wasn't reading a story I was listening to someone "think." Since I didn't have to read this for English class and write a report or pass a test on this book I quit reading it around page 91.

This book was hard to follow and depressing. And I really did not like any of the characters. I just didn't have any interest or empathy for them. And I am a southerner. I thought that Faulkner must of been doing drugs when he wrote this, and after I looked up some information about him I don't think I was too far off. Seems like he had a drinking problem and it also seems like he does not have a high opinion of women. At least in this book.

Enough of this. Recommendation: do not read if you are looking for something interesting or uplifting or makes sense.

A New Year and A New Post

2014. A new year. A new post. Looks like I average about one every two years. Oh well.

I have been reading books since I could read. I love to read and that love began when I learned how to. I would come home from school and read to my younger brothers and sisters. My mother often took us to the library when we were young and I continued that practice all my life. There is something magical for me to be able to go to a place that has tons of books and know I can check out any one of them for free! I do buy books on occasion but mostly enjoy the freedom of free at the local public library. I told a friend the other day when were discussing books how in high school I would quickly eat my sandwich and Little Debbie snack and go to the library for lunch and sit and read. I realized I was a nerd even then when I revealed that information.

I am an indiscriminate reader. I read fiction and non-fiction. I read biographies and look at coffee table books with beautiful pictures. I read recipe books and magazines. I read reviews about new books coming out. Since I had been having a hard time finding books to read that weren't murder mysteries or full of sex mislabled as romance, or were just plain lame plot lines and characters I decided I should go back and read the "classics" I missed during my education or I just can't remember reading. I went on line and looked at several lists that contained books that I should read "before I die." Wow, kinda dramatic. I decided I would read some of the books recommended, and looks like I am staying with American authors of the so called classics.

First up was The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. I did not remember reading this book but unfortunately I did remember seeing the movie by the same name with Andy Rooney playing Tom Sawyer. I hated that I couldn't see Tom but Andy Rooney who was miscast if you ask my opinion.

I did enjoy the book. I had a time of it getting the dialect down at first but since it was consistent throughout the story I was able to get use to it. And it made sense to write the story that way. It occurred to me that the novel read like a episodic television series. I kinda of hate I thought of it that way. Too much telly for me. I liked Tom and could see a little maturity in him by the end of the book which portrayed maybe one year in Tom's life. The title tells it all because Tom and his bosom friends have more adventures in the span of this book than most of us in the span of a life time. 

Tom and his pals had an extensive imagination that was fueled by what they read or heard. They could play Robin Hood, or become pirates for hours in their free time away from school and chores. They even held court for a dead cat with a judge and everything. They could entertain themselves.  And they had enough life abilities to be able to fend for themselves on an island alone for several days. They caught and cooked fish and various "stolen" meats, played in the river, and survived a terrific storm to live and tell all about at their funeral in town after being given up for drowned by their loved one!  Do I think my boys at that age could do that? No. I believe Samuel Clemens grew up exactly like he wrote about in Tom Sawyer. I can't help but compare Tom's life to my childhood and even to that of my children. It wasn't like Tom's childhood was all good and nothing bad - it wasn't idealized but it seemed real and true to me.  Evidently Tom and his siblings were orphaned and had the good fortune to have an aunt to take them in and love and care for them. Contrast that to Huckleberry who was motherless and whose own father was a drunk and had to fend for himself at the same age as Tom. Tom comes across as one who likes his life and the adventures that happened to him. Even Huck Finn likes his life with the hardships that happened to him. There is an optimistic quality that comes out in this book and just makes you smile while you are adventuring with Tom and friends. Though horrible things happen to Tom and Huck and Joe (witnessing a murder, being assumed drowned to name a few) this book is rather upbeat. That sentence made me laugh but it is true. I wanted to know what happened to Tom as an adult. Did he settle down with Becky and stay in town, did he go down the river as a riverboat pilot, or did death catch up to the young hero having already escaped it a few times (being lost in a cave with his love Becky, being watched by Injun Joe because he witnessed a murder)? We get to know more about Huckleberry because Mark Twain wrote another classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. You can bet that is on my list to read.

While I was reading this book I often wondered if it is really suitable for young people. Even while writing the book Samuel Clemens wondered who was his audience - young people or adults. Eventually he thought that it would be for young people but hopefully that wouldn't put off adults reading the book.  At what age do you want them to read about murder in an up close and personal way? Would the way it is written in the accent of the people at that time put them off because it is a little hard to follow? The book I read gave definitions to some of the words and phrases used that aren't in use now. How much of an issue of the usage of the "n" word should be made? To think that people during that time period didn't talk that way would be romanticizing the past but completely banning an otherwise engaging book because of the period language being used doesn't seem appropriate either. I do not know if my grown sons read this book when they were school age (I don't remember them having to read it for a class) or as an adult but I think I will find out and ask them what they think.

Recommendation: Definitely one book to read. And if you are fortunate one book to discuss with others.

Monday Rain

It is Monday and it is raining. Monday is the day I wash the bed linens and hang them out to dry. On Monday mornings before the sheets even lose the warmth from our bodies I pull them off the bed and toss them in the washer. It takes longer for the bedspread to dry so it goes in the washer first. But today it is raining. I almost want to call this post "Ode to Rain" because it seems like ages since we had the kind of gentle soaking rain that has been falling since this morning.

The birds don't seem to mind the rain, in fact it invites them to search the yard for worms. And the dogs have been alternating between digging small holes in the wet dirt and running up on the porch to roll on the rug to wipe the excess moisture off their fur before going back to turning up the soft soil.  Sadie and Shamus the cats have taken refuge under the leyland cyprus and the Dodge Ram respectively.

The overcast day and gentle patter of the rain have caused me to slow down and sit longer between chores of the day than I normally would.  I am contemplating a nap this afternoon on the bed with fresh sheets.

Potential: The anticipation of something that might be.

I took this picture yesterday. Every time I looked at this picture I kept thinking of the word potential. Webster defines this word as "existing in possibility, not actuality." Another way of saying this is "anything that may be possible." Some related words I liked were unmanifested, small hope.  Southerners like to say "might could." It has been pointed out to me that I actually use that phrase. I know, don't cringe.

What I see in this picture is a sitting area that needs to be raked, containers that need to be planted, and what is undefined and cluttered be made welcoming. I don't see work to be done I see possibilities with an end result in mind.  Potential seems to have a positive application. Potential is the anticipation of something that might be.

When my oldest son was in school I received several calls over the years from concerned teachers who spoke to me of his "potential" that he was not tapping into. His grades were not up to his potential (unmanifested). And that seemed to be a sad thing to his teachers (and to me). When we don't realize our potential it is like we are not all of who we could possibly be but just a part of our whole self.  By not reaching into our potential we are short changing ourselves. But our potential is always there.

My children recently lost their father to cancer. What a terrible loss they experienced. My youngest son never really had what I would call a full relationship with his father, but when his Dad was alive there was always that potential (small hope) of a better relationship. I think my son mourns not only the loss of the person but the loss of a potentially closer relationship.

I am looking forward to working on all the potential projects around my home, and tapping into my potential creativity and unrealized abilities to get them done. Potentially we all have potential, and I might could do something about that.

Working without an income

Ah, first day of "retirement" - but not really retirement because I am not drawing any money - I'm just not working. Ah, first day of not "working" at a job - outside of the home because I "work" at home. Ah, first day of working without bringing in any income! Regardless, I am looking forward to actually catching up on outstanding projects, and starting projects that have been staring me in the face for the last few years. I definitely need to start making a list. I definitely need to be organized. And disciplined because I am already ready to plop on the couch and watch a movie on Netflix! And I definitely need to stay focused! Focus on disciplining myself to start organizing my projects and making a list - yes, that's the ticket.

Goal number one is to go room to room and start a working list of what needs to be done on the inside, and to go in the yard to start a list of what needs to be done on the outside. Goal number two is to organize that list. Goal number three is to start working the list.  Working the list being as frugal as possible because I am now working without bringing in any money!

Okay, I'm on my way to basic inspirational organizing list making fundamentals.  Check back to see my progress. Hopefully I will not be drawn to rewatching Downton Abbey on Netflix!

A New Start

No this is not an April fools joke - I am restarting my blogging.  Who will read this - I have no idea. But it seems like a good idea to start posting again after a hesitant start a couple years ago.  Rereading my few posts I will have to update the reader that my beloved Bella Rose died a little over a year ago. My ever thoughtful husband thought I needed a new love so he bought a new corgi into my life - Poppy Sunshine. She is now four months old. Isn't she lovely?

 

The adventures of Princess Poppy Sunshine will be one of the interests I will be writing about. Another love of mine is gardening. I intend to share what is happening in my yard as I start a new phase of my life I call "quasi- retirement." With Wednesday being the last day of my job where I actually get paid to garden I will be staying home and working/gardening on our quaint farm complete with dogs, cats, rabbits and chickens.  Here are a few pictures of what is happening in my front yard this April 1st.

As you can tell there is a fair amount of growth going on for April. South Carolina had an extremely mild winter this year and things are really taking off earlier than normal.  Many of our trees are leafing out even our pecan trees.

Living in a house that was built in the 1920's you can imagine we also have inside projects to start and/or complete. Things like building closets and remodeling or updating a bathroom and kitchen. I intend to blog about the inside as well as the outside projects.  This is fast becoming rather ambitious of me.  Time will tell if I am up to this task or if this first post really is an Aprils Fools day prank.

Seed Catalogs

We recently had snow in Leesville. Some snow as in a little snow. The correct term would be a dusting of snow. The "most snow we have had in three years and we will call it snowing" snow. And in true South Carolina fashion it was gone by noon. It was still cold in the afternoon so after snapping a few pictures I was back inside where it was warm. With my cup of hot tea, toasted raisin bread and newly delivered seed catalogs I settled down in my favorite chair (with Bella Rose sleeping on the floor). Using my imagination, I thought this is how a real northerner does it. You know, the ones who look wistfully through seed catalogs with real snow outside four feet deep, and dream of springtime. The ones who write about it in newspaper articles and books.

So sipping my hot Irish tea I made my first list of what I want to plant this spring. I usually end up making about three lists total - winnowing down my wish list to seeds I could actually have a chance germinating and plants that would actually survive summer in South Carolina. Usually by the second time through all the larkspur, poppies, and columbines have been scratched out.

Color was the theme for this year. After my first go round I realized I chose white and pink flowering plants - except for the Heavenly Blue morning glories which are a standard for me. Tall flowering tobacco, datura, and 'Alba' black-eyed susan vine, pink balcony petunias and wild bergamot. I am also leaning toward castor bean plants (Zanzibarensis) for my containers. Something I have always known about myself is that I am a visual person. I would prefer to see something explained instead of verbal or written instructions. That is why seed catalogs work so well. Because I am not the only one out there who likes to look at pretty pictures and say "I can grow that." Give me a picture book any day.

Actually, now is the time to order and start seeds. I have a small greenhouse which I heat with a heat lamp and a propane heater (when temps drops below freezing). Last year I had minimal success with germinating seeds without any heat at all in the greenhouse so I am fully expecting better germination this year with heat! My most intense work season is the spring and in Leesville that is sometimes a very small window of time. Summer can come with full heat and humidity by mid-May or it may sensibly wait until June. Either way when it does get here about the only thing I do outside is water in the morning and sit very still in the evening.

Since we have had our "snow" for the year I am ready for warmer temperatures! I am looking forward to watching my little seedling grow, visit nurseries to buy more plants, and complain about my water bill.