Sunday Salon, April 11

Weather: Lovely. It is supposed to get nicer and nicer all week culminating with temperatures in the 70s. I know that isn't a good thing in the scheme of things but it will be nice for the short term.

Captivated by blossoms: The photo collage above is of blossoming trees in our greater neighborhood. This year, maybe because the skies aren't so cloudy, the trees seem extra beautiful. 

Sick: A week ago Friday I got my second COVID-19 vaccine. I have been sick ever since but I actually think it is just a coincidence. What I have has all the signs of a seasonal cold and I've been pretty miserable. It dawned on me as I snuffling around the house not wanting to get too far away from the Kleenex box, that I haven't been sick one day during the whole past year of lock downs and face masks...until now.

Books: Lots of poetry this week.

• Completed:
• The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country by Amanda Gorman. I listened to her recite this wonderful poem during the inauguration but thoroughly enjoyed reading it for myself again. 
• Light for the World to See: A Thousand Words on Race and Hope by Kwame Alexander. A clever insightful book which is a poem about racial tensions.
• Long Life: Essays and Other Writings by Mary Oliver. I appreciate the help she gives me through her writings at viewing nature and my world.
• DMZ Colony by Don Mee Choi. The National Book Award for Poetry in 2020. The poems were hard to understand but I found myself to be very emotionally affected as I read them.
• Dearly: New Poems by Margaret Atwood. At first I was prepared to give a negative review of these poems by a favorite author, then the second half of the book changed my mind and I think the collection is quite profound and very touching. Look for my review soon.
• A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green. The second book in the Carls series. Carly and I listened to the audiobook together which delayed our progress. This week we finally made time and excuses to listen and we finished listening to it while we made an unnecessary trip to a neighboring town for a milkshake. It was an excuse to listen to the audiobook in the car. Watch for my review.
  

• Currently reading (books I made progress on): 
• Whale Day and Other Poems by Billy Collins. This poet his very funny and so are his poems. The first poem in the collection is about how poetry saves the author from a completely boring life. If you want to try reading poetry but don't know where to start, I recommend picking up one of Collins' books. Print book checked out from the library, 25%.
• Dune by Frank Herbert. I have crossed the 50% mark on this lon...g.g..g... audiobook. Not bad. The story is pretty confusing and seems to lack some transitions which would allow for time for back story but overall I am enjoying the experience and looking forward to crossing it off my list of books to read. Audiobook purchased on Audible. 51%.
• The Atlas of Happiness by Helen Russell. I seem to have slowed down off my pace of reading one or two sections of country-words for happiness. Print book that was given to me as a gift. 60%.
• The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare. This is a book club selection for an upcoming month. I have only just started it and think I might look for the audiobook instead. E-book from the library. 4%.
  

Puzzle Cats: What are Fred and George up to this week since we don't even have a puzzle out at all? Well, they have discovered the bag of empty, plastic Easter eggs that I haven't put away yet. They climb up on a chair, get an egg out out of the bag, then bat it around the house until it goes under a couch or another piece of furniture. Then they go back to the bag and start the whole process again. I bet we have over 20 eggs under the furniture right now. Pictured (above) is Fred chilling on a chair. Note the weird way that he is draped over the arms of the chair. George is in the background, hoping someone will open the back door and let him out. (We won't. He must stay in.)

A Visitor: Several years ago we had an almost nightly visit by a racoon momma and one of her babies. They were so brazen as to actually bang on the glass of the sliding glass door in hopes we would give them food. Since that time we haven't noticed any visits from our masked marauders. Until last night. We woke up to notice the water bowl we leave on the back porch for the dog was full of muddy, dirty water and muddy paw prints on the deck left no doubt who visited during the night.

A Spring Break Trip: My daughter, a middle school teacher, is on Spring Break this week. She and her family are taking a trip to see my mom who turned 92 last month. None of us have seen Mom since last August when we took a socially distanced vacation together. She is meeting her great-grandson Jamie for the first time. Can't wait to see the photos of their first encounter. Above is a cute photo of Rita and her family taken last week at Easter. And below is a shot of Ian, three, on an egg hunt.

Challenge: This week I challenge you to find a funny poem, or some funny lines inside a poem. I'll start. The quote below is from the poem "Zombie" by Margaret Atwood.

-Anne