Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Hello.

tea, 2012

How are you?  Good, I hope.

Reading anything interesting and/or entertaining?  I just finished Jack Gilbert's Collected Poems and liked it very much.  I extended my borrowing time on Grace Paley's Fidelity so I could continue slowly.  As I near the end of The Man Within My Head I realize I preferred the beginning third over the rest and have seen my interest wane since that early section.  I've just opened The Stranger and have high hopes.

How about food?  Any especially delicious meals, snacks, or beverages you've enjoyed lately?  We've really been loving simple salads made with our homegrown lettuces, cucumbers, and herbs.  There is a deli nearby that makes great salsa.  We eat the salsa with tortilla chips.  Garden of Eatin' makes some delicious blue corn chips.  Sun tea has been our favorite beverage over the past couple of weeks.  I like watching it brew.  Luisa's most recent post has put me in the mood for meatballs and I know I'll be making some, her way, within the week.

Movies?  Alamar was excellent.  I'm still thinking about Blanquita.  You'll meet her when you watch the film.  I don't know how we took so long to find it.  Highly recommended.

Okay, that's it for now.  Take care.  Enjoy the rest of your week. 

xx,
Denise

Collected Poems by Jack Gilbert
Fidelity by Grace Paley
Blue Corn Tortilla Chips by Garden of Eatin'
Luisa's Meatballs
Alamar

26 comments:

  1. Hello to you Denise. Been working way too hard lately (not much writing unfortunately)... reading william carlos williams. eating lots of fresh fruit, especially stone fruit. Looking forward to resuming the winter routine (there is peace and comfort in daily repetition) but reveling in the last days of summer, the wild air and the unstructured moments. also, been wondering if I can simplify my posts. I like how you write down your stream of consciousness (and feel like i want to adopt this weightless, elegant, simple approach).

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    1. Hi, Amelia. I say give the simplification a try. See if it feels good. If not, you can do something else, right? I know you enjoy writing and hope you find a little time for it in the near future.

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  2. Thank you for these titles Denise.
    I haven't read much poetry in the last couple of years, but, I have discovered that I love listening to poetry. I have finally come to believe that poetry should be recited for full comprehension and pleasure.
    And I am eating all fruits from the melon family.Such a delight on hot days!

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    1. I haven't had a melon this summer. I'm not sure how I've forgotten about this tasty fruit. Perhaps today.

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  3. I've been reading a classic for the first time - zen in the art of archery. it's absolutely lovely!!!

    As for food - I laughed when I read your post because I realized we have 4 different lentil dishes in the fridge right now... I guess I wasn't feeling very creative this week :)

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  4. Hello, hello. We have finally bought a container of Tahini and our lives are now complete.

    Kale salad with tahini dressing, noodles with tahani sauce, roasted eggplant with tahani.

    I rest my case.

    I just finished "A Stairway To Paradise' by Madeline St. John. Bought it at a used bookstore in Charlottesville, Va called "Read It Again, Sam".

    I love university towns.

    xo jane

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    1. Mmm--all of that tahini goodness. Sweet bookstore name. I like university towns too.

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  5. Hi,I'm rediscovering the pleasure of drinking water, now that I've infused it with mint, basil, slices of lemon.

    As for reading, I'm savoring Swann's Way with many cups of tea.

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    1. I haven't looked back at Swann's Way in a long while. I'm intrigued by basil in drinking water. I think I'll try it. Thanks, cha sen.

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  6. Hello, Denise.I am reading "Paris Paris" by David Downie,a charming collection of essays that transports one to Paris. Then on to Anna Quindlen's "Every Last One". We have been eating local fruits and vegetables and a lot of fish. We just watched the first season of PBS's Sherlock--very entertaining summer fun.

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    1. Charming is good. Feeling transported to Paris is good. I'll have a look. I've seen evidence of your good eating.

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  7. Hello to you too! I like the sound of your days at present - simple and nourishing. Salad wise I have just pinned Heidi's celery parmesan salad (looks and sounds lovely) which I shall make later this week. And yesterday I received The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge - I'm hopeful that it will be a kind, gentle, but rewarding read. I like the look of Alamar, thank you for the recommendation. Have a wonderful week, Annie x

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    1. I saw Heidi's salad too. It looks good. Alamar is wonderful. I hope you like it.

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  8. Hello. The books near my hand reveal my current preoccupations: Sanny Dreyer's Chi Running (useful if you like that sort of thing), Simplicity Parenting (ditto), The Complete Camping Cookbook (to avoid bean overload) and Nicole Krauss's Great House (finally). Food-wise we seem to be alternating between frittata with slow cooked onions, peppers and potato - and pan fried fish with fresh salsa or salsa verde. Some whole bbq'd mackerel topped with olive tapenade and feta went down very well with some dry sherry we were given. Love your sun tea. Just the thought of it cheers me. And your home grown veg giving you the triple pleasure of the grow, the pick and the eat.

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    1. The Complete Camping Cookbook looks like a fun title and a nice departure from what I've been reading lately. I too like my onions sweet and slow cooked. Pan fried fish with fresh salsa seems like a very good idea today. You've been eating well, Kate. I also like the way you've my viewed my gardening as a triple pleasure. Well said. Thanks.

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  9. I've just started reading "The Gastronomy of Marriage" which is making me think I need to improve on my engagement cooking! and I'm getting deja vu from your mention of "The Man Within My Head" - I must have come across that recently too. Food-wise I've been whipping out on blueberry muffins baked at a local cafe and at home I've been making zucchini quesadillas and tuna patties. Your mention of salsa and blue corn chips is right up my alley too! Alamar looks wondrous - I hope it comes out here in Australia. That sun tea is beautiful too. Have a lovely week/end:)

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    1. Hi Georgia, Interesting book title. I'll have to take a look. Also wanted to let you know Alamar is a 2009 film. I watched it on Netflix.

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  10. I'm listening to The Grapes of Wrath when I exercise - I'd forgotten how intense it is. I just finished Songs of the Humpback Whale and liked it.

    We're eating our body weight in donut peaches this week - by next week, they'll probably be gone. I, too, love sun tea.

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    1. I've read and watched The Grapes of Wrath, but haven't listened. I'll look for Songs of the Humpback Whale. Enjoy your summer fruit, Lecia!

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  11. I have been re-reading old Marion Zimmer Bradley science fiction...takes me back to high school days!

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    1. Hi Raina, I've done some re-reading this summer too. I so seldom read science fiction. Perhaps I'll dip my toe back into that water.

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  12. Just finished reading "Canada" by Richard Ford. Saw the most fantastically good film "Beasts of the Southern Wild". Eating lots of arugula, spinach, homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers....not many cooked meals.

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    1. I saw a preview for "Beasts of the Southern Wild" not too long ago and it looked good. Now that I've seen your enthusiasm I'm looking even more forward to seeing it. Enjoy those cool summer vegetables, Teresa.

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  13. Hi Denise--
    I just finished "Cutting for Stone" with mixed feelings. Ponderous at times, perhaps would have benefited from editing. Now I'm going light--"The Sweet Life in Paris" by David Lebovitz. An engaging voice. At times, laugh out loud funny.

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    1. I liked your thought of going light and picked up a copy of Mr. Lebovitz's book at the library yesterday. Thanks, Nancy.

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