Books I Read in January

Only six books read this first month of the new year. That was probably because I decided to read one that was 983 pages of small print.

I'll Be Seeing You: A Memoir by Elizabeth Berg about her parents relates her journey of caring for them in their final years.

Monogamy is Sue Miller's latest novel. As I told the librarian, "I don't have to know what the book is about, I'll read anything she writes. I found much to relate to in this telling of second marriages, children, stepchildren, wives-in-law (as I call them) and complex relationships - all told with insight and beautiful prose.

People Of The Canyons by Kathleen O'Neal and W. Michael Gear is their latest offering in the North America's Forgotten Past series. I've read and enjoyed their books for many years, though this is the first one I've read since 2015, so it does look like a have a few to catch up on. I always learn something about my country's Native American peoples and their past.

Jackdaws is one of Ken Follett's books about WWII. After reading one of his books last month, I knew I wanted to read more by him and WWII is one of my favorite time periods to explore. I'll be reading my way through all the Follett novels now.

The Pillars Of The Earth is Ken Follett's best selling novel according to a Jeopardy clue last week. I've had this copy forever, purchasing it at the Half Price Bookstore in West Des Moines years ago. It was always one of those books I was going to read someday. After reading its prequel last month, I knew I had to dig it out and read now. Luckily it was in the first box of books I pulled off the shelves in the garage.

Oh, my goodness, I understand its popularity now. Even though I finished it days ago, it still lingers in my mind. I find I'm still caught up in its pages of history.

Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver is another of her books from my own shelves. After reading Lacuna and rereading The Bean Trees last month, I knew it was time to also reread Animal Dreams published in 1990. 

On the inside cover, in a young person's hand, is written: "To Mom, August 2, 1994, Love, Kris." I found that significant because it is my son's birthday and the handwriting is similar to what his was when he was young. 

Below that inscription I wrote: "Purchased at a garage sale in Reinbeck, IA, 1996." Reinbeck is near Waterloo. I've been trying to remember which trip to NE Iowa we would have been on then. And I have no memory of stopping at a garage sale along the way. 

Kingsolver's novels entwine our planet's huge ecological problems with the personal life stories of  people working to solve them. Her books are written in facts and gorgeous prose, like this example:

"The flowers were beaten down, their bent-over heads bejeweled with diamond droplets like earrings on sad, rich widows."

My library closed after it was learned that someone who had been there tested positive for Covid-19. Curbside service is scheduled to resume on the 2nd of February. I might take advantage of that but more likely will read a few more of the books I pulled out of that box in the garage. A couple of those were by one of my favorite authors from the last quarter of the previous century. Time to see if she still holds up to my memories of her work.

Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England

At the end of the noon news yesterday on Channel 13 was a review of some movies suggested for weekend watching. The one that got my attention was "The Dig".

All I gathered from the brief description was that it was set in 1939 England and was about an archaeological dig on the farm of a widow.

I love period pieces. I told Bud I would like to watch it sometime.

Sometime was this afternoon.

This is a new, 2021 movie (released yesterday) based on the 2007 John Preston novel of the same name. We watched it on Netflix.

This is a photo I found online of the burial mounds at Sutton Hoo. And these are a couple of the artifacts from the dig. 

A gold belt buckle.

And a very fancy whetstone/scepter.

The recovered artifacts were donated to the British Museum.

The treasure trove is considered the greatest ever discovered in the U.K.

This movie is what I refer to as "a quiet little film, exquisitely wrought." Just perfect for a rainy winter afternoon. I adored it and recommend watching it if it crosses your path. 

Full Wolf Moon of 2021

 

I should have taken a photo of the full moon when I was outside Wednesday evening. It would have been perfect. Instead I noted the time and decided to wait until last evening. 

Mistake. It was cloudy last evening so I took this one early this morning. 

January's full moon was called the wolf moon because wolves were more often heard howling at this time. 

When I think of howling at the moon, I think of my eldest child.

I don't remember how old Douglas was when he first began his howling habit, but it was at a young age and went on from there - whenever and wherever he felt like it - not just at the full moon.

 

(Four generations: Doug with his Grandpa Louis and Great-grandma Bessie; me in back.)

He may not howl as often as he used to, but I'd bet he still does once in awhile. I can see Doug trying to get his grandchildren to howl along with him.

I don't know why he developed this trait; I'm not sure I ever asked him. It's just something he did, something uniquely Douglas.

(One of my favorite photos of my son, taken on his 56th birthday.) 

Ruth of the Marceled Waves

I don't believe this photo of Mom has been shown before. I found it a few days ago. Today seemed a good day to share it - her birthdate, 102 years ago today. 

I don't know the age she was in this photo, I would guess around 20, but we do know the picture was taken on July 4th in Corning.

At first I wondered why she posed as she did, then I wondered if it was to show off her Marceled hair.

Marcelling became popular in the 1920's when women began bobbing their hair. The technique was named for Marcel Grateau (aka Francois Marcel) who invented the curling iron used to make the curly waves.

Mother called it finger waving when she did her hair this way because she used her fingers, not a curling iron. It was a style that lasted into the 30's before losing popularity though Mom continued finger waving  her hair most of her life. I remember a few times when she used a comb and her fingers to press some waves in my hair when it was short. She also tied rags in my hair to make it curly, but that's a subject for another day.

Happy Birthday, Mom. 

💕💞

Forever In Blue Jeans

 "Money talks, but it can't sing and dance and it can't walk. And as long as I can have you here with me, I'd much rather be, forever in blue jeans."

I'm doing laundry this morning. As I was hanging up my jeans, Neil Diamond's song came to mind.I really liked him back in the 60's and 70's - still do. 

I also thought that whoever is tasked with clearing out my closet when I'm gone is going to think that jeans are all I ever wore - which is pretty close to the truth. There are pairs in all shades of blue, brown, taupe, gray, black, and, in two different sizes. 😄

Once Mom decided it was okay for me wear jeans to school (without wearing a dress over them), they have been my my favorite, and most practical, article of clothing. In my opinion nothing looks better than a pair of blue jeans with a white shirt. It's also what I feel most natural wearing. 

I also thought of Mom in blue jeans. She always wore dresses, even to chore, until slacks became widely acceptable for women. But she was in her late 70's before she ever had a pair of Levis. They weren't new. Either someone gave them to her or she bought them at the Neighborhood Center, but she looked so darn cute in them. I just wish I had taken a picture of her wearing them.

"And if you'd pardon me, I'd like to say we'd do okay forever in blue jeans."

The Ephemerality of Nature

 

Two days ago we were enjoying unseasonably warm weather; today we're in a blizzard. Anyone who observes sunrises, sunsets, the movement of clouds, the actions of animals, etc., knows how quickly a scene can change.

The sunset photo at the end of my last post was taken at 5:08.

This one, four minutes later. It was nice to be away from home where I had a less obstructive view for some different sky photos.

I've labeled this one Sentinel. And find myself wondering how Grant Wood might have painted the scene.

Field of dreams?

It is getting increasingly difficult to find a pastoral scene sans wind turbines. 

But it is possible to crop them out. I took this final Tuesday sunset photo at 5:28. Only twenty minutes from my first shot to the last. 

At this point, coming back from our swan adventure, we were about a half hour from home. It was that time of evening. I had no sooner said to Bud, "We're going to have to watch out for deer", than the first of four instances of one or more deer crossing the road ahead of us occurred. Fortunately we didn't collide with any of them.

Almost safely home and we could see all the red blinking lights of the new turbines that have gone up west and north of us this year. I couldn't help but think of the red gleam of demons' eyes. They are an arresting sight, but I will always favor the glow of a sunset.

Ten Days Later -- Swans!

In my 'Cabin Fever' post of January 2nd, I mentioned I had been wanting to see the swans near Atlantic since November, but they hadn't shown up yet. The December 31st post by Cass County Conservation set the date for their annual 'Soirée With The Swans' as January 16 - cancelled if the swans hadn't shown up by then.

I kept checking their Facebook page, as well as KJAN Radio website, for updates. Then last week I noticed they had changed the date for the soirée from the 16th to the 9th. The swans were back! No way would we go on the 9th when so many other people might be there. Monday Bud talked to a woman at the Conservation office to find out the best time(s) for viewing. She advised early morning or late afternoon and said she had counted 102 swans on the pond that morning. We looked at the weather forecast and decided to go today. But yesterday afternoon Bud said, "We're not doing anything, why don't we just go now?" 

After checking out the other three ponds, which are technically old rock quarries, we found a spot to park at lake #4 and did some reconnoitering of the area. There were many, many Canada geese in the water and on the ice, but no swans. Then the geese began leaving. The ones that stayed left the water and stood around on the ice. I asked Bud what time it was - "4:18". "They'll surely be showing up soon." At 4:28 I heard some trumpeting bugle calls. They were flying right over the car - too fast to get out and take a photo.

But there they are - seven swans a swimming - the first to land.

I remember when seeing a few Canada geese in SW Iowa was a big deal. Now they are almost a nuisance. 

I have become very blasé about them - except for the resident pair and their babies on our pond, of course.

The sun was right in my face so I walked around trying to get it more to my right. That's when I saw this big surprise.

I've never seen evidence of beaver working on a tree this large. What were they going to do with it if they did get it gnawed off? Build a lodge in the quarry?

The East Nishnabotna River does flow not far beyond those mounds in the background, but???

Interestingly, there was a trail camera strapped to the tree.

A close up of their hard work.

Those mares' tails clouds foretell more than swans coming in.

Every few minutes, another group of swans would land.

The fewest I counted, two; the most, thirteen.

Splashdown!

Regardless of the direction they came from, they always moved around so they landed into the sun.

Much ado about something? 

The swans seem as territorial as the geese on our little home pond.

I thought it was interesting that while the Canada geese seemed to know they had to vacate the area, the ducks did not have to.

They swam right along with the swans.

Nine more coming in from the west.

And circling to land.

 A baker's dozen - the largest number I saw in one group.

So graceful, so beautiful in the sun's rays.

4:50 p.m. and the last photo I took of any formation.

Which reminded me of when my children were young and I would take them to the "blue lights" parking area at the end of one of the runways at the Des Moines Airport to watch the planes land.

I think they would also have loved watching the swans land.

Even though we had to wait longer than expected, I am so glad we got to go and see the swans. It was a nice afternoon for a little road trip. I had mentioned while there that it looked like there was going to be a good chance for some beautiful sunset photos and Bud asked if I wanted to stay. But I said "no". It would be dark before we got home anyway. I didn't want to wait any later to leave. Besides, I could still take sunset pictures on the way home.

And I did. (With more to come.....)