Hi everyone!
Thanks to Andrea for planning such a lovely walk out in Gunbarrel at Twin Lakes. Jan, Laila, Christie, Mary and I joined her there and we had the special treat of seeing lots of hot air balloons. Chris joined us for coffee at Page Two Cafe.
Some Labyrinth news - I'm so excited to tell you that Jack and I stopped over at the Grillo Center Labyrinth yesterday afternoon. What a delight to discover that a wedding ceremony had just been celebrated on the labyrinth. We missed the actual ceremony but were able to take some photos and speak to some of the guests. See phot above.
Book Report:
I re-read a book that I read many years ago and was reminded of recently. I found a copy at the Longmont library and read it in one day! The Resort by Sol Stein is a novel that is frightening and hard to put down.
From the Back In Print Book Store
The resort
by Sol Stein
About this title: Cliffhaven--Magnificent new resort near Big Sur. Surrounded by redwoods. Guarded by Oceanside cliffs. Protected from prying eyes. By reservation only. Cliffhaven--Founded by a man with very special interests, catering to a very special clientele. Margaret and Henry Brown, vacationing New Yorkers innocently driving down the sea-washed coast of California, are just the right sort of people. Cliffhaven--It has a spectacular entrance, a three-star restaurant, lavish accommodations--and no exit! "This novel should do for California vacation retreats what jaws did for swimming in the Atlantic."--"Los Angeles Times" Book Review "A thrilling nightmare...A Dante's "Inferno..".more than fulfills the remark "I read it all in one nail-biting session."--Eli Wallach "Not only a thriller...a parable and a warning to all who say 'It can't happen here.'"--"Jewish Post and Opinion"
Andrea is reading Ann Patchett's Magician's Assistant. I have that on my shelf of "to reads". Patchett's novel, Bel Canto was one of my favorites reads.
Amazon.com
The Magician's Assistant sustains author Ann Patchett's proven penchant for crafting colorful characters and marrying the ordinary with the fantastic. When Parsifal, Sabine's husband of more than 20 years and the magician of the title, suddenly dies, she begins to discover how she's glimpsed him only through smoke and mirrors. He has managed to keep hidden the existence of a family in Nebraska--his mother, two sisters, and two nephews. Sabine approaches them hungrily, as if they are a bridge to her beloved husband and a key to the mysteries he left behind
Chris is reading The Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka. It sounds like this book provides an opportunity to examine how your living spaces reflect the way you live and to consider how you can scale-down and simplify your life.
From Library Journal
Architect Susanka believes that the large homes being built today place too much emphasis on square footage rather than on current lifestyles. Here she shows how homes can be designed to feature "adaptable spaces open to one another, designed for everyday use." She describes how to examine occupants' lifestyles, how to incorporate the kitchen as the focal point of the home, how to give the illusion of space, and how, with storage, lighting, and furniture arrangement, a smaller home can be comfortably livable. Photographs of contemporary homes as well as those by Frank Lloyd Wright and other modern architects illustrate Susanka's ideas and show the timelessness of the style she advocates. This thought-provoking book will be a good addition to architectural and interior design collections.
Laila recommends Doc Susie by Virginia Cornell.
Diane Donovan, The Bookwatch
Doctor Susan Anderson was a rare women, indeed: a female frontier doctor who searched for health, success and romance in the wild western lands of the Colorado Rockies. Her true experiences are recounted by Cornell, who met the elderly Doc Susie when Cornell was a young girl. Three years of research have contributed to a biography which reads like an adventure novel.
Jan is listening to the audio of The Lay of the Land by Richard Ford. She's loving listening to it but doesn't think it would be a great read.
After more than a decade, Richard Ford revives Frank Bascombe, the beloved protagonist from The Sportswriter and Independence Day. Fans will be scrambling for The Lay of the Land, a novel that finds Bascombe contending with health, marital, and familial issues wake of the 2000 presidential election.
Website of the Week: http://www.laptoplunches.com/ - cool site for those of you wanting to be more environmentally conscious when sending kids back to school or packing your own lunches to take to work.
Podcast of the Week: http://www.newyorker.com/online/2007/06/11/070611on_audio_danticat
Quote of the Week: contributed by Mandy -
"No one gossips about other people's secret virtues."
- Bertrand Russell
Vocabulary Word of the Week - contributed by Barb -
She "stumbled on this one re-reading a portion of Loren Eisley's, "The Immense Journey.":
"Once..on a memorable autumn afternoon I discovered a sunning blacksnake brooding amomg the leaves like the very simulacrum of old night."
simulacrum \sim-yuh-LAY-kruhm; -LAK-ruhm\, noun;
plural simulacra \sim-yuh-LAY-kruh; -LAK-ruh\:
1. An image; a representation.
2. An insubstantial, superficial, or vague likeness or semblance.
Cooking and Food Report:
Saturday night's dinner was Brisket a la Carbonnade - I found the recipe in a wonderful cookbook called The 150 Best American Recipes - It is originally from Ruth Reichl's Gourmet Cookbook and appears online at http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2004-09-30-gourmet-recipe_x.htm - it was absolutely delicious. I was a bit disappointed that a bit too much of the yummy liquid evaporated - I would recommend covering the pot with aluminum foil before covering with the lid to make it tighter seal.
Sunday night's dinner was Amazing 5 hour Roast Duck - another recipe from The 150 Best American Recipes - It is originally from Eli Zabar's Vinegar Factory newsletter and appears online at http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/2006/150best/roast-duck.html. It is a unique method for roasting duck and produces a very crispy skin and tender meat. Jack loved it but next time we'll try it with a glaze and sauce.
I served an interesting salad with the duck. Jack didn't love it but I thought it was very good. Roasted Greens Panzanella Salad from Giada de Laurentiis featuring red chard, kale, sun-dried tomatoes, and ciabatta bread cubes with a simple oil and balsamic vinegar dressing - http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_37317,00.html
That's it for now - have a lovely week!
Love,
Susan
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