Catching Up

Well, hello there October! My, but I'm glad to see you. It looks like I inadvertently took a blogging break for most of the month of September. Quite by accident, of course, but somehow the entire month just got away from me. So, September......it was long, it was almost as hot as August (up until the end), and all in all it was something of a rough month for us. I determined at the outset that this blog was not going to be a place to focus on the negative, but suffice it to say, September threw enough minor annoyances and frustrations at us (having to put in a new well, just for an example) that I'm not sorry to see the month end. And even though the first day of autumn technically falls in September, I think October clearly has the strongest claim to the best parts of fall. And so, I heartily welcome the clean slate this new season and new month begin.

Still, September wasn't all bad, and I thought I'd share a few things that I've enjoyed and found inspiration in over the past few weeks when my thoughts and attention were elsewhere.

Reading.....Louisa May Alcott Biography

This new biography of Louisa May Alcott is absolutely fascinating! Like so many girls, Little Women was one of the most important books of my childhood, read over and over again (and I won't even go into how many times I watched the film version with June Allyson as Jo March.....my all time favorite!) I vaguely knew that Alcott also achieved commercial success with her scandalous pulp fiction, but this book really portrays a portrait of Alcott as a vibrant, dynamic, undeniably ambitious writer. One who mastered not only the artistic side of the craft, but taught herself the skills necessary to cross markets and support herself financially with her pen, no small feat then or now. I also didn't realize the degree to which Alcott was so connected to the hub of New England Transcendentalists: Emerson and Thoreau were both intimate acquaintances of her father, Bronson Alcott, who is quite a character study in his own right. This biography was written in conjunction with a PBS Documentary which I am itching to watch, but can't seem to locate. Strangely, Netflix doesn't have it yet (and they usually have everything!)

Watching......Fitzwilly

Have I already told you how much I love Dick Van Dyke? Well, I had never seen this movie before, but Mark spotted it on the Netflix instant play a few weeks ago, so we watched it together and oh my goodness, it's absolutely adorable. What is it about cheesy 60s romantic comedies that makes me so happy? Anyway, the film centers around the character of Fitzwilly, a butler to an eccentric, elderly widow who is actually broke but has no idea because Fitzwilly and the rest of the household staff also form an elaborate con ring, using various clever schemes to steal money to support her lavish lifestyle (and large, unpredictable charitable donations). It's another one of those films that is set during the holidays, but is not really a Christmas movie. In any case, I loved it.

Listening To.......The Wailin' Jennys

I picked this album up randomly at the library, and it has quickly become a new favorite. I think Kate actually may like it even more than I do, as her first request after being buckled into her car seat is to "turn the Wailin' Jennys on!" I love the tight female harmonies and the rootsy blend of earthy instrumentation with those ethereal vocals is exquisite. And, well, the band name alone just rocks.

Browsing....

And a few websites tickling my fancy of late:

101 Cookbooks: Heidi's blog is certainly not new to many of you, and while I've been a casual follower for awhile, I've recently become sort of obsessed with it. I love the photography, and the focus on recipes that use whole, natural ingredients is so incredibly inspiring.

Simple Kids: Just came across this site recently too, and really enjoy the focus on simple living with kids. I especially like the homeschool section. We're still a few years away, but the plan has always been to homeschool, and I'm already trying to get my head in the game so to speak, and there are excellent ideas and suggestions here.