BLUEBERRY PICKING AT MT. OLYMPUS

Happy Summer ! Here we are officially, and it is glorious.  As usual, we made plans to go strawberry picking with our friends Laura and Robert and all our kids, but when we got to Mt. Olympus Berry Farm, we realized we missed the strawberries. Gargoyle says, "Strawberries all gone!". It was disappointing but we were cheered up by the prospect of blueberry picking instead, and got to work. 

It was a beautiful day and blueberries were plentiful and easy to pick. We lingered over the trees, took our annual photos, and brought the berries home for lunch and blueberry cake.  Summer, we love you.

WHAT I'M READING V. 51

1. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I read this one for book club, and I delighted in the discovery of its pages - the writing and story. I'm halfway through the year, and I've declared it as my favorite fiction read of the year. It encompasses the nuances of being African but not African-American in the U.S., as well as what it is to make a home in a new country while you carry around your home country around in your heart, and then going back after many years. It felt so fresh and relevant, all the while being part of an age-old story of home and identity. 

2. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I loved Americanah so much, that I ran to find another book by Adichie.  This one was the next one available on audiobook, and I gobbled it up.  It took a little bit for me to get immersed into the world of Nigeria during the Civil War in the 1960s and 70s, but once I did, I was so deeply appreciate of the vivid world she revealed to us through these complex characters. Her writing is so immediate and lush throughout this, describing both the country and characters. 

3. Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose by Flannery O'Connor

I was introduced to O'Connor in high school English classes and over the years, each time I encountered one of her stories, I found my appreciation for them growing.  That arc culminated in this collection of essays which I absolutely loved, and floored me for its wit and wisdom about writing. I underline all over this book and it's a one I will revisit. 

4. Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor

I did not realize O'Connor had written novels until I read her collection of essays, and I quickly went to go find one of them. This one was available and similar to her short stories, it was haunting and cinematic. The characters in this book struggle with belief, freedom, isolation and it all hints or hopes at redemption.  Like her short stories, it leaves one with a tangle of knots that you must work out, a kind of mirror into your own soul and moral makeup, as well as the way you regard people in light of your beliefs.

CAMPING AT JAMES RIVER STATE PARK

I absolutely love looking back at these photos from camping a few weeks ago. James River State Park was new to me, recommended by Mignon, and it was magical discovering this place for ourselves. 

By some miracle, we got a bunch of close friends (43 in total, 24 of them kids!) all available to go camping on the same weekend and we were all equally excited about it. Maybe except for the two days leading up to it when I was non-stop packing and the air conditioner had broken in our house and it also happened to be 98 and 99 degrees those two days.  Once I survived that part, everything else was pretty seamless, and I think we all came away restored by being together in the beauty of nature. 

We rented nine camping spots along the James River and one by one, we arrived on Friday afternoon and started setting up camp.



When we got to the park, we stopped by a bathroom near one of the campsites and discovered it was a horse campground! Horse owners could bring their horse to go camping and take their horse on any of the numerous trails they had available.   We met a woman named Amy and her horse, Storm, and both of them were kind enough to let the girls pet Storm and ask Amy a bunch of questions. 





It really was incredible that our campsite was right next to the river. That meant we ate our meals next to it, woke up to it, watched the water change as the sun rose and set, waded in it, played next to it, and drank hot coffee while watching the mist run across the water.



Logan was very helpful setting up our camp, and afterward she said her favorite part was sleeping in her sleeping bag. 



Look at those amazing tree roots!



A few yards away from our campsite was this footbridge that we crossed to get to a canoe/kayak/tube send-off spot. 

The first night there, after it had drizzled a bit, we walked over to that spot when the clouds broke, saw two rainbows and then beheld this incredible sunset.  It was breathtaking, the air felt different, the mist took on a fairy-like prance, and it was as if we had entered another world for those moments.

That evening we had Mignon's delicious hamburgers for dinner, made all the more delicious because of where we were.  After we put the kids to bed, we sat around the campfire, sipping on drinks and catching up over the flickering flames.

The next day after a breakfast of eggs and bacon, along with pickled things and fruit, we had a quick group powow.

Some of the best parts of this weekend were all the in-between moments - when we were setting up camp, slowly waking up, making a meal, getting ready for the next thing, the kids felt free (and we the grownups did too) to roam around, frolic and play, have adventures and explore with each other.  It felt like how things should be.

This girl turned eight over the weekend! and we were all excited about the birthday celebration we would have for her later that evening. 

Fanny packs for the win, especially if they are insulated.  This one has our chicken salad in it that I was bringing for our picnic lunch! 

Half the group (the older kids and most of the adults) rented kayaks, canoes or tubes to float down the river to a beach spot.  The younger kids and the rest of us took a trail that was a little over a mile long along the river to meet them there.  I was also especially proud of Logan who did such a good job on the walk there and back, for a total of almost 3 miles! 

I really loved this trail and walk!  

These are the only photos I have of the river beach but there are more shots in the video here and we had such a good time watching the kids play, eating our lunch, and then jumping off a rock across the way! 

Dinner that night was DELICIOUS. 

Birthday girl Davy got a pinata! which was obviously a huge hit with all the kids. 

The sparklers were astounding to this little girl who had never experienced them before. 

The next morning, hot coffee was in order, as was french toast and bacon.  

The whole gang! (except the two napping babies) 

We will be back James River State Park! 

WHAT I'M READING V. 50

1. Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

It has everything I love - food reviews, recipes, stories about food and how to get food, dressing up in disguise, and being a working mom. She writes with humorous clarity, and her stories were a fascinating look into the offices of The New York Times and into the restaurant scene of NYC during that time.  After this one, I quickly put myself on the hold list for her new book, "Save Me the Plums".

2. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas 

I read Thomas' first book: "The Hate U Give" and was very impressed with the her voice and the specificity and nuance of an important story that must be told over and over again, all from the perspective of a teenage girl. It was one of those books that I was thankful existed in literature, and especially more so that it was a YA book that teenagers would readily read. This one was also a very fun and satisfying read, although I didn't like it as much as her first one, I loved how Thomas explored the complexities and difficulties of what it means for a teenage girl - and her multi-faceted identity of race, neighborhood and daughter - to have a voice. 

3. The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose 

I listened to this one on audio via Hoopla - I had never heard of this one before but Hoopla recommend it to me and when I saw that it was based around the Modern Museum of Art ("MOMA"), I was intrigued. It turns out this story is inspired by the performance artist, Marina Abraomvic's performance piece called "The Artist is Present" that occurred at MOMA several years ago.  Something about this felt like the purpose of this book was to give the author a chance to speculate on her curiosity about the artist, which is interesting in of itself, but as a novel, I didn't love this one and wouldn't recommend it unless! you are a fan of Abramovic yourself. There was something very poetic and intimate about this story though that kept me captivated and I don't regret the time I spent with this one at all.

4. The Giant's House by Elizabeth McKracken 

I heard a guest on a "What Should I Read Next" podcast episode recommend this one, saying that Elizabeth McCracken was one of her favorite authors and saying that this was a good book to start with. My interest is always piqued when anyone says so-and-so is their favorite author; it immediately gives the book recommendation a whole lot more credit because I assumed that the person is intimate with the author's body of work and has thought about it a good amount. I have to say, this is another one I wouldn't recommend to just anyone.  The premise is unusual - a librarian living in a small town in the 1950s falls in love with a boy who has giantism - and if you get too fixated on the logistics, you may miss the point altogether.  The loveliness of this book in the way the language brings you into the isolation of the narrator, and her connection to another person. There is a sadness to it that stays with you afterwards, which I attribute to the skill of the author. 

CAMPING TRIP!

We went camping this past weekend with a bunch of friends and families at James River State Park and it was a glorious weekend of being together surrounded by the lush and hum of the forest and river. We spread across nine campsites right next to the James River, cooked and ate our meals over the fire, slept in tents or hammocks, watched kids frolic and play over the fields and in the river, went on a hike, swam and canoed and kayaked on the river, jumped from a rock into the water, celebrated a birthday, and had rambling conversations over a campfire after the kids fell asleep. Sloane and Logan loved camping outdoors and we are so grateful for these people that feel like family.  Here is the video we put together with the clips we took during the weekend (him with the Dragon Touch and me on my iPhone)!

WHAT I'M READING V. 49

1. The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosario Butterfield

Several people mentioned this book to me, and it seems like many in my church were reading this book this past year. I don't agree with everything she says, and I ended up going down a wormhole of googling her in the middle of reading this to watch interviews and articles, but her writing is beautiful and her point that vulnerability is the key to true and lasting relationships, which is really the point of it all, is one that I do agree with. Her story and the way she is able to live it out is specific to her, so I don't think this can be taken prescriptively for all to apply to their own lives, but it is insight into how one person who believes wholeheartedly in the gospel message applies it to her own.

2. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

This is one that I am sure I read when I was younger, but going through it again (on audiobook) this time, it felt so fresh and wonderful!  I loved this book. The writing, the story, the characters - all of it. This is one I will definitely reread again and again in the future, and hopefully one day discuss with my girls, too.

3. Essentialism by Greg McKeown

I heard this one referred to often, especially on blogs and podcasts pertaining to minimalism and simplifying one's life. I tried to start it a couple of times, but then the library hold would expire and take it away, and then I would put it back on the waitlist. This last time, I stuck with it and it was marvelous. Such a thoughtful and important understanding of simplifying, not just for the sake of less, but for the sake of essentials.  It presses you to ask yourself questions, to look inward and determine what your own essentials are, and if you are scheduling and living your life accordingly.  This is another one to reread in the future.

4. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

This book was a fun and breezy read about a woman who decides to live out her dream of owning a bookshop in the form of a van full of books that she drives around recommending and selling. I can’t resist books about people who love books (similarly, I can’t resist any movie about dance, especially one where main character gets their longing to dance fulfilled and of course, dance-offs), so I would have read this regardless, plus it is set in beautiful Scottish countryside and has Mr. Darcy-esque romance, but it started to feel a little flat when I realized a happily-ever romance was going to be a big part of the finale. While overall it was a little fluffy (and I don’t mind occasional fluff!), it was a very enjoyable read, but my favorite part of the book was the author’s forward, “A Message to Readers” which provides descriptions about her favorite places to read.

MAKING PASTA

One of my most favorite pasta recipes of all time is Ottolenghi's Saffron Tagliatelle with Spiced Butter. My friend Elizabeth introduced me to it a few years ago, and I made it recently to my great joy and delight (but didn't document with a photo, alas). And while making that recipe, which calls for making fresh tagliatelle, I remembered how easy it is to make pasta from scratch and resolved to do more of it, to practice and get real comfortable with it, and maybe one day a pasta maker will even be a part of the picture.

I actually can't remember the recipe I used to make this version photographed here, but I do remember they said to try making the dough in a food processor, and I also used half regular flour and half semolina flour.  After mixing and kneading, I let it rest for about half an hour before rolling out and cutting, and then boiled it in water for 2-3 minutes.  I tossed it with pesto and we had it for lunch that day outside on our picnic bench.  It was good, not exactly what I was going for - I'm looking for a chewier dough (I think the trick may be to hang it to dry for a couple of hours after cutting?) but - but Logan loved it and had several bowls.  I'm going to try again, with this method and really simple recipe and have the girls do it with me too. I'll experiment but having one batch of dough rest for a while, and another one do the same thing but also hang the noodles to dry and see if I can tell a difference.  I'll likely report back!

WHAT I'M READING V. 48

1. I'm Still Here by Austin Channing Brown

This one caught my by surprise. I mistakenly thought the author was a man and also had a certain expectation about what this book would be about based on the title.  Brown is an honest and gracious voice, and she talks about the nuances of identity under the influence of race and faith (and both matters, she would argue) and the staggering and difficult to explain microaggressions (especially in the church).  I really appreciated the specificity and clarity of writing and think it is a book everyone should read.

2.  Gratitude by Oliver Sachs

This was a very short audiobook, just about an hour long, and it seems to be reflections by Oliver Sachs during the end of his life. I have been a fan of Oliver Sachs ever since I heard him on Radiolab, and have always appreciated his thoughtful observations and ability to communicate complex things in a accessible way.  In a way, it was like listening to a podcast length audio of journal entries, one that I was pleased to be privy to.


3. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Wow, that was a doozy of a book. I knew very little about the book except that it is where the phrase "catch-22" comes from, that it's long, and that it's considered a significant twentieth century novel. I soon learned that it's a work of satirical fiction - almost absurdist fiction - set during WWII, following the life of experiences of Yossarian, an air force bombadier.  It's very bizarre (sometimes confusingly so), really funny at parts, almost slapstick at other parts, and baffling during most parts. It could be argued that its stance is anti-war, but it's probably more accurate to say that Heller is more interested in things like distortion of logic and justice within the context of war, as well as a feeling of powerlessness within bureaucracy.  And then ultimately, he contrasts these themes with glimmers of personal integrity and the desire to live. 

4.  Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

I didn't realize until about halfway through this book that this is the same author that wrote the recent "Underground Railroad" (2016) that we read together in book club. "Sag Harbor" is completely different - it's a memoir-style, coming of age story where we are privy to the inner monologue of a teenager during the summer of 1985. The tone of this one is relaxed, playful, full of 1980s pop culture references, but also specific enough that it took time for me to get immersed in the rhythm of it. Once I did, it was extra interesting to me because you learn how Benji (the narrator) spends the summer in Sag Harbor, a section in the Hamptons, where his parents own a a summer home, along with many other black families who are doctors and lawyers in Manhattan. Many of the memoir-style novels about the black narrative have to do with the cycle of poverty, imprisonment, and outward struggle, but this one stands out in that, while fully aware of the black-self-as-perceived-as-others, it also isn't his entire identity. It's all a part of his identity - the fact his parents are wealthy and that he's black (he mentions how when he walks to school in his private school uniform in Manhattan, he gets asked if he's the son of a diplomat), knowledgeable about rap and hip-hop (to fit in with his black friends), but also a self-proclaimed dork that plays Dungeons and Dragons and loves the Smiths, etc. American stories need to recognize and include the distinctions since diverse voices is what makes up the fabric of America, but it also shouldn't focus on those labels as the sole identity without taking time to listen to their specific stories.