Admiring
Are you on Pinterest? I have an Art board that I love adding my favorite works to. The art above is by Clare Rojas (you can read an article about her below). She now works in a more abstract style which you can read about here.
Eating
Figs! I have been experimenting more this year with our fig tree. I made jam last week and plan on a new batch this week. I also made a fig salad with prosciutto, arugula, egg and olives and a fig banana shake. Both were so good! Figs taste like juicy candy, are rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamins A, E and K. I can't wait for persimmon season...
Listening
I just listened to the Mystery Show podcast for the first time yesterday and really liked it! Plus, what a great logo, huh? Starlee Kine solves mysteries in this original and fun podcast. I listened to two so far and it reminded me of how much I liked reading mysteries as a kid. Starlee meanders through each episode with a sort of wide-eyed wonder about the cases she needs to solve, while also being creative and not just searching for the answer on the internet.
Reading
I am now halfway through Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. It was so great to go camping this weekend and read a few pages at the site, but how I really made so much progress was by reading in the car out loud to Bryan. It's about his hike on the Appalachian Trail. He's super funny and he puts you right there with him.
I found an article on the Mission School artists Claire Rojas, Barry McGee and Margaret Killgalen in the New Yorker. It's an interesting read since I have admired these artists for many years, but didn't know the full story. I highly suggest you read this 'ghostly' love story.
Tidying
I mentioned ages ago that I have been using the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up to declutter my life. At first, I had a lot of momentum with going through all of my belongings. Then I took a break then I half returned to it and then abandoned it. I went crazy cleaning and tidying on Tuesday. I threw out, recycled and donated a bunch of stuff. Things are feeling so much better. I know I will have a few more days of this before the summer is over, but it will make the rest of the year so much better! Also, maybe I won't need to do any spring cleaning next year??
Watching
I watched the documentary Supermensch this week and I thought it was really fascinating. Shep Gordon has lead a life extraordinaire. He has managed many famous acts including Alice Cooper and Debbie Harry. I love that he just decided to become a manager. The decisiveness and self assuredness is pretty inspiring. The movie also covers his interest in cooking and Buddhism.