August 2023 in Pictures

“Less than a month ago all of August still stretched before us - long and golden and reassuring…” — Lauren Oliver

Currently • August 2023

“Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August.” — Denise Levertov

READING:

• Books:

  • The Hepburn Estate by Brenda Janowitz — “When Emma Jansen discovers that the grand Long Island estate where she grew up is set to be demolished, she can't help but return for one last visit. After all, it was a place filled with firsts: learning to ride a bike, sneaking a glass of champagne, falling in love. But once Emma arrives at the storied mansion, she can't ignore the more complicated memories. Because that's not exactly where Emma grew up. Her mother and father worked for the family that owned the estate, and they lived over the garage like Audrey Hepburn's character in the film Sabrina. Emma never felt fully accepted, except by the family's grandson, Henry—a former love—and by the driver’s son, Leo—her best friend.”(Goodreads). This was a quick read and immediately familiar. I wanted to like it more, but it was sort of cobbled together with characters, scenes, historic events, and even dialogue from Audrey Heburn’s life and movies. These “Easter eggs” quickly became a substitute for good writing and strong plot development.

  • The Manhattan Girls: A Novel of Dorothy Parker and Her Friends by Gill Paul — “It's a 1920s version of Sex and the City, as Dorothy Parker--one of the wittiest women who ever wielded a pen--and her three friends navigate life, love, and careers in New York City” (Goodreads).

• Links:

  • Travel Photography: How to Make the Most of Your Cell Phone’s Camera (NYT) — I always appreciate tips.

  • 16 Movies and TV Shows to Make You Feel Like You’re Vacationing in France — I have seen 12/16. I enjoy frequent visits to Paris.

  • The Little-Known History of Champagne (BBC) — Because "Champagne is one of the elegant extras in life." – Charles Dickens

WATCHING:

• The Lincoln Lawyer - Season 2 (Netflix) — “An iconoclastic idealist runs his law practice out of the back of his Lincoln Town Car in this series based on Michael Connelly's bestselling novels” (IMDb).

• Only Murders in the Building - Season 3 (Hulu) — “Three strangers - who live in the same New York City apartment building and share an obsession with true crime - suddenly find themselves embroiled in a murder” (IMDb). This season features Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep.

• Find Me in Paris (Hulu) — “A young ballet dancer from 1905 is transported into the 21st century with the power of a magical necklace. While her boyfriend looks for a way to bring her back, she must find a way to fit in and dodge the sinister time agents” (IMDb). It’s clearly a teen show, but I love Paris and the ballet and it’s a good primping show (IYKYK).

• Green Bay Packers pre-season games — This year is a fresh start and I’m hopeful.

LISTENING TO:

• Shaun Cassidy on the Naked Lunch Podcast — “In every way imaginable, this ‘Naked Lunch’ is a moving feast -- and a hilarious one, too. Teen sensation turned successful TV writer/producer Shaun Cassidy gets caught in traffic, and so thus this fun and freewheeling conversation begins with Shaun on the road. Phil Rosenthal, David Wild, and Shaun retrace Cassidy's remarkable life and career thus far, from growing up a Hollywood "nepo baby," the son of Oscar-winning legend Shirley Jones and actor Jack Cassidy, as well as the half-brother of David Cassidy, to becoming a stadium-packing "Teen Dream" with big pop hits like "Da Doo Ron Ron," "That's Rock 'n' Roll" and "Hey Deanie," to creating TV shows like "American Gothic," "Roar" and writing in recent years on the popular medical drama, "New Amsterdam." All this, plus Shaun tells a hugely funny story about Andy Warhol and how Oprah Winfrey and his wife Tracey helped set the stage for Shaun to return to the road after three decades for his acclaimed touring show The Magic of the Midnight Sky."

• August Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:

  • Sunflower (Neil Diamond)

  • It’s a Lovely Day Today (Ella Fitzgerald)

  • Walking on Sunshine (Katrina and the Waves)

  • I Want You to Have It All (Jason Mraz)

  • august (Taylor Swift)

  • Happy Little Things (Holly Kluge)

  • Living in the Country (George Winston)

  • Wildflowers (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)

ENJOYING: The final month of “summer vacation”

• Summer in My Garden

• Scenes from Summer 2023 — Beagle, Books, and Boats

Summer Scenes 2023

"To see the summer sky is poetry, though never in a book it lie — true poems flee." – Emily Dickinson

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Sunshine, blossoms, and bumblebees — Click here for summer in my garden.

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Sailing and socializing at NLYC — Click here for more sailing pictures.

A visit with dear friends in the Northwoods (Presque Isle, Wisconsin)

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Up in Michigan: Waterfalls, driftwood, suspension bridges and crystal-clear water.

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Searching for agates and heart-shaped rock on the shores of Lake Superior.

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I spy Snoopy. #cloudgazing

“Up Home” in Sturgeon Bay • Summer in Door County

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My Summer in 3 Words: Beagle, Books, Boats — Click here to see what I’ve been reading.

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And so the sun sets on the summer of 2023 — at least for this educator. And before you share the popular “Summer isn’t over until September 22, so sit your pumpkin spiced ass down! I’m not finished with my margarita yet!” meme with me, know that #1 — I am aware of the calendar. It just feel different for students and educators. Summer continues, but the vibe is different; #2 — I hate pumpkin spice; and #3 — This Jimmy Buffett fan enjoys margaritas all year long. Cheers!

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Summer in My Garden

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Audrey Hepburn

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Lime Light and Annabelle hydrangeas, daisies, sea foam roses, catmint, white bleeding hearts, butterflies, the occasional toadstool, phlox, acorns, vinca, chickadees, Chardonnay pearls, Siberian iris, tree frogs, and anemone — a lovely bouquet of green and white.

July 2023 in Pictures

“Ev'ry heart beats true for the Red, White and Blue…” — George M. Cohen

Currently • July 2023

“Give thanks for the heavy perfume of wild roses in early July and the song of crickets on summer humid nights and the rivers that run and the stars that rise and the rain that falls and all the good things that a good God gives.” - Ann Voskamp

READING:

• Books:

  • The Château by Jaclyn Goldis — “A dream girls trip to a luxurious French chateau devolves into a deadly nightmare of secrets and murder in this stylish, twisty thriller… Welcome to picturesque Provence, where the Lady of the Chateau, Séraphine Demargelasse, has opened its elegant doors to her granddaughter Darcy and three friends. Twenty years earlier, the four girlfriends studied abroad together in France and visited the old woman on the weekends, creating the group’s deep bond. But why this sudden invitation?” (Goodread).

  • Vacationland by Meg Mitchell Moore — “Louisa is hoping that the crisp breeze off Penobscot Bay will blow away the irritation she is feeling with her life choices and replace it with enthusiasm for both her family and her work. But all isn't well in Maine. Louisa's father, a retired judge and pillar of the community, is suffering from Alzheimer's. Louisa's mother is alternately pretending everything is fine and not pretending at all. And one of Louisa's children happens upon a very confusing and heartfelt letter referring to something Louisa doesn't think her father could possibly have done. Louisa's not the only one searching for something in Maine this summer. Kristie took the Greyhound bus from Pennsylvania with one small suitcase, $761, and a lot of baggage. She's got a past she's trying to outrun, a secret she's trying to unpack, and a new boyfriend who's so impossibly kind she can't figure out what she did to deserve him. But she can't keep her various lives from colliding forever. As June turns to July turns to August, secrets will be unearthed, betrayals will come to light, and both Louisa and Kristie will ask themselves what they are owed and what they owe others” (Goodreads).

• Links:

  • 30 Best Things to Do in Paris, According to Locals (Travel + Leisure) — I’ve only done 13/30, proving my point that there’s always a reason to go back to Paris and that I can always find something new to see or do everyday.

  • 12 Interesting Facts and Secrets About the Eiffel Tower (Travel + Leisure)

  • The Best Airbnbs in Paris for a Stylish Sojourn in the City of Light (Vogue) — I stayed in the loft near the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement in Fall 2019 and loved it for two couples. That being said, I will still always recommend Paris Perfect apartments.

  • The 80/20 Principle: Achieving More With Less (Intelligent Change) — This concept fits well with my 2023 word/intention: lagom.

  • In honor of Hemingways’ birthday this month, The 10 Best Ernest Hemingway Books Everyone Should Read (Biography) — #3 will always be my favorite.

  • 36 Hours in Newport, RI (New York TImes) — We love Newport and had a great trip planned to return in 2020, but well, you know. I hope we can go back soon.

  • Audrey Hepburn and Her Legacy of Love (Vogue) — A revealing exhibition about the actress and humanitarian’s life created by her son Sean Hepburn Ferrer

  • Yes, Shaun Cassidy Is Still Dreamy: A fan finds herself in a backstage hug, decades after she kissed her poster of the onetime teen idol (New York Times) — Shaun posted this article on Twitter and “liked” my response ❤: “Great article. I had many of the same feelings as a young girl and again when seeing @shaunpcassidy last summer in Chicago — unapologetically nostalgic and joyful…even without the hug.”

WATCHING:

• TV:

  • Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) — All three seasons back-to-back. Some shows just need to be watched multiple times. I missed so much the first time through.

• Movies:

  • Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny — As always, “Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history” (IMDb) and it was so fun to watch.

  • Barbie — “Barbie suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence” (IMDb) — so serious, so fun. A guilty pleasure for sure, but with a great message for women.

LISTENING TO:

• Weekly episodes of my current favorite podcasts:

  • The Earful Tower — This season is Paris A to Z. I love this idea. I’ll share my Paris A to Z soon.

  • A Beautiful Mess

  • One True Podcast

  • Every Outfit

  • The Pop Culture Preservation Society

  • Desert Island Discs — Here are my choices.

  • History Chicks

• My July Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:

  • Sailing (Christopher Cross)

  • Orinoco Flow (Enya)

  • Home (Jack Johnson)

  • Boum (Charles Trenet)

  • American Music (Violent Femmes)

  • These Are Days (10,000 Maniacs)

  • Chicken Fried (Zac Brown Band)

  • Mr. Blue Sky (ELO)

PLANNING:

• Summer professional development — so much to do in July and August.

• A mini-vacation “up north” — Next week, we taking a road trip to visit friends in Presque Isle before heading to Door County for a few days.

ENJOYING: Our continued backyard updates — We have a great umbrella for the deck that enables me to sit in the shade on warm afternoons with a book and a snoozy beagle. The roses, catmint, and hydrangeas (Annabelle and Limelight) are blooming in my garden and we finally have nice new grass growing. Morning and evening watering sessions are actually quite meditative. It’s lovely to hear the chickadees and cardinals tweeting; to feel the sun on my face and the cooling water on my arms; to smell the fragrance of the flowers and the earth; to see the prisms created as the sun shines through the streams of water that leaves the delicate droplets on the green leaves and white petals, the bright green of new blades of grass, and the pastel hues in the morning and evening skies that are everchanging due to time, weather, and unfortunately, Canadian wildfires — skies that are only now visible after clearing those big, old trees. And of course, a morning cup of coffee or an evening glass of wine rounds out the entire sensory experience.