Building a List

Yesterday was officially my last day of school.  I say officially because in reality I have a week off before returning for our month long summer program.  While I will look forward to it ending I have little reason to complain.  It is only three days a week, unstructured, and actually, I will be in San Francisco during one of the weeks.  It is really more of a camp than school; I will have the luxury to do some of the things I had to place on the shelf during the busy month of May.

one of the latest portraits of me

I have visions...

 ...of spending hours digging in the dirt and putting the finishing touches to my lavishly planted gardens.   You can rest assured when I am finished the colors, the textures and movement will be "Home and Garden" perfect.

When the heat has overtaken me I shall return inside to cut out and stitch up a tablecloth (maybe two)  to replace the quilt I've thrown over the table in the sunroom.  If there is time I will most certainly be sewing the curtain panels I have been needing to soften the angles in the bedroom.  And, there are new pillows and chair covers needed as well.

When my fingers are bleeding and sufficiently pricked, and I can no longer push a needle through the fabric (we know I will be sewing totally by hand)  I will retreat to my very long "to-read" list.  A list I have built by reading too many book reviews and book blogs and talking to too many people.   A list that does actually include War and Peace (I'm not kidding) thanks to Mr. Conroy.  

I will put my book down each afternoon only long enough to retreat to the kitchen to prepare a gourmet dinner to be served with a perfectly paired bottle of wine. George, (you do remember George?)  will obviously do all the shopping and cleaning for I will be far too busy.

Have I entertained you?

  Actually, Memorial Day weekend is when I do my final push to complete all my planting in my extremely modest and eclectic garden which is already leggy, 

dehydrating and struggling.    I am afraid gardening publications will not be seeking me out anytime soon.  

I was told the temperatures will be nearing 100 degrees this next week.  If this is true I will be retreating indoors rather early each day.  The sewing projects actually are on my project list (although I am really not partial to drapes), however, I believe I will forget them on the shelf for a few extra weeks.  And be assured none of the above mentioned projects will be sewn by hand.  

I will however be reading.  My list is extensive for all the above mentioned reasons.  And, yes War and Peace is on the list.  I should mention it has enjoyed a permanent spot on "the list" for years.  I wish I could finish a stack of books in just a week, or even the one,  Mr. Tolstoy's masterpiece; I am not an exceptionally fast reader.  I enjoy spending time with a good book, marking pages and returning to favorite passages to taste and digest once again.  My point being I may finish one or two books during my week of idleness.  And, I am sure my list will continue to grow faster than I can possibly remove the titles.  

Oh, I must give credit where credit is due,  the dish in my fantasy was created by my wonderful husband while I was hidden under photographs,  construction paper and glue.   During the summer months I prefer to make simple dishes.

chicken ginger noodle bowl

...on the subject of building my book list

A few weeks ago while sitting in the St. Louis airport waiting for my flight home, a delightful woman sat next to me and began chatting.  We discovered we had several things in common...the love of art, music, architecture.  I was returning home after celebrating my son (in-law)'s law school graduation.  She was traveling to celebrate her son's medical school graduation.   We were both proud Mothers. 

 I was sitting with the latest copy of "The New Yorker" in my lap prompting the conversation toward reading and books.  She began telling me about how excited she was to have just joined a book group at the Art Museum in St. Louis.   She told be about the book they had  just finished, giving me a brief synopsis.  She had enjoyed it very much.   I quickly pulled out my iPhone and added the title to the ever growing list.

While almost everyone I know is currently involved with the "Shades of Grey" series.  (At a luncheon yesterday the series was the talk at my end of the table.   Alas, no one was interested in my newest acquisition.)   I will be reading "The Paper Garden".   Yes, I think I've pretty much sealed my place in the "not-so-in" group.

I would love to know how you build your reading list?   Do you select from the top or within your list, or do you choose from to the bottom?

If you are celebrating Memorial Day...Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend wherever you find yourself.  

And please, read whatever makes you happy!

(all  images, the good, the bad and the ugly, are mine)