“april is a reminder that life is a beautiful, ever-renewing cycle.” — e.e. cummings
READING:
Books:
Girls They Write Songs About by Carlene Bauer — “New York, 1997. As the city's gritty edges are being smoothed into something safer and shinier, two girls meet at a music magazine. Rose--brash and self-possessed--is a staff writer. Charlotte--hesitant, bookish-- is an editor. First wary, then slowly admiring, they recognize in each other an insatiable and previously unmatched ambition. Soon they're inseparable, falling into the kind of friendship that makes you better, makes every day an adventure, and makes you believe that you will be extraordinary” (Goodreads).
The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl — “When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual a one-way plane ticket and a note reading ‘Go to Paris.’ But Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a childhood trauma has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone…A feast for the senses, this novel is a testament to living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home.” (Goodreads). A Dior dress, lunch at Les Deux Magots, Shakespeare and Company, a Manet painting — these are details that make Paris magical for Stella…and for me.
Link:
9 Rules for Eating and Drinking Like the French (Food & Wine)
5 Charming Villages in the South of France (Afar) - Having visted them all, I completely agree.
WATCHING:
Top Chef Wisconsin - It’s fun to watch contestants create dishes with Wisconsin ingredients (cheese, hops, cranberries, cherries, etc.), inspired by Wisconsin culture (brewing, Frank Lloyd Wright, supper clubs, fish boils, farmers’ markets, etc.) in Wisconsin towns (Milwaukee, Spring Green, Madison, Oconomowoc, Door County). Everything is wonderfully familiar.
Clips from Keep the Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett — Nostaglic, kind of naughty, definitely fun, I hope they will release the show on video and/or music streaming.
LISTENING TO:
April Mini-Playlist:
The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Dominic Lewis)
Spring Flower (Hey Joon)
Cherry Blossoms (Narpy)
French Café (Mark Le Vang)
April Come She Will (Simon & Garfunkel)
Tulips in Spring (Janina Kowalski)
Cerf volant (Bruno Coulais)
L’autre valse d’Amélie (Yann Tiersen)
Good Day Sunshine (The Beatles)
ENJOYING:
Editing photos taken in Europe last month and sharing my Spring Break 2024 story on the blog.
Spring clean-up — We have been working hard re-edging garden beds, pruning shrubs and perennials, raking, mulching, power-washing, touching up paint, and moving out deck funiture. This week, we’ll mulch and I’ll start looking for flowers to plant in pots on the porch and the deck. I’m eager to sit on the deck and savor coffee in the morning, a good book, music, a glass of wine in the evening.
PLANNING: A weekend in Door County in May with cherry blossoms, trillium, forget-me-nots, and lady slippers.
