Done a fair bit of writing lately but not here. It’s been a rainy week with grey skies and often, big breezes making leaves scuttle and swirl.
I get why many chose to die in November, winter coming and all that (both my father and maternal grandmother died in November), but I love the gloom. I hope it’s not just because it so often matches my interior landscape. There’s something so New England about it.
We get to sit by the fire and slow cook delicious dinners. Below is last night’s braised lamb shanks with cheesy grits and bok choy.
It’s a sad indication of where we’re at that the Bannon indictment lit me up with relief and joy and something I don’t quite recognize — could it be hope?
Miss y’all. Yes, northerners get to say this!
To close, enjoy this meme. Don’t know who made it.
Love the leaf-play, layered and stuck, both words can apply to much more than leaves…to life at times. On my drive home, as soon as I get close to the mountains, the weather changes a bit. It gets very windy, blustery WOOSH! There is something very exciting in that. It makes it feel like something is coming, especially since we have so much weather sameness. Nothing ever really comes after those bursts of wind, but I like it still. I really like the ‘moons in a row’ cloth with that band of red and the dark little November House. Wish we could have, needed a fireplace. I remember really liking that.
Wind does being a sense of excitement doesn’t it? It comes from so far away and keeps on going. Sorry you don’t have a fireplace although would you use it much in California? Our switch to gas was such a good decision. We use it ALL the time now instead of infrequently.
Yeah, nope it wouldn’t get used much here…wish it was needed though! Always hot gets a bit old at times. But I am so used to it nowadays, what would I do with cold? My folks and my married house had gas fireplaces…it does make it very user friendly. Enjoy!
I really admire that you keep creating a good life no matter what else may be getting under your skin. Lemonade from Lemons doesn’t even do it justice. Gourmet meals of your own creation, streams of exquisite fabric art, photography and writing!
As long as Bannon is not in prison – like really soon, as in this Monday, I worry. As long as the leader and co-leaders the pack of traitors who follow them do not fear prison sentences as a consequence of their actions, I worry. They have been betraying us for so long now, so blatantly, time is of the essence. The judge gave such pathetic wrist slap? And plea bargaining is allowed? really? Did I misunderstand that? Anyway, I am not hopeful, I’m sorry to say. If the House doesn’t use it’s powers to lock them up, then this is just going to go on forever. Am I wrong? Please, tell me that I’m wrong 🙂
I share your worries. Mostly I worry that if we lose the house in 2022, the 1/6 committee will be disbanded, the wack-job extremists empowered, and our descent into fascism accelerated. (In case you thought I was in a rosy mood). Seems to me that Bannon is a flight risk but hey? What do I know. Worse, I read an analysis saying he’d love to go to jail and whip up these crazy supporters as a martyr. He’s awful awful in part because he doesn’t believe in ANYTHING. Just wants to destroy America.
The violence oozing through the cracks of the right is so alarming. Where does THAT end? “The end of civility in American society” doesn’t begin to capture it.
But food is good. That meal was based on a recipe in a slow cooking cookbook put out by Williams Sonoma.
that meme–LOL!!…but seriously, melancholy Autumn ALWAYS makes me think; “New England” –there’s such a MOOD about it <3
I can imagine missing it, living in the south. Deb Lacativa, too.
this is the first house we have ever owned without a fireplace (although in truth, the last house had only a faux fireplace for show) … I missed having one during the week-long freeze last February … there’s an investigative article in today’s Austin American Statesman about how under-reported the deaths were during the loss of power and water during that freeze … and no promise that it couldn’t happen again (because really, it’s much more important to go after “pornography” in school libraries and disenfranchise voters than it is to regulate power companies in Texas)
sigh … your leaves had me missing an Atlantic coast autumn … scuffling through parti-colors underfoot … the shower of leaves announcing every breeze … the scraping of rakes and the scent of smoke … simpler times before the advent of leaf blowers and anti-pollution regulations (irony there)
I could practically taste your dinner through the ether …
I’m not surprised that they think the deaths in TX were underreported. I sure hope this year doesn’t see a repeat. Besides being a real human crisis, it was embarrassingly Third world.
There are always trade offs. From here it looks like this last move of yours was smart in so many ways.
I’ve always been a fan of November gloom… but this year, it seems too much. Adding to general gloom about the state of – everything – I guess. I need some uplift! Luckily it is there to be had, sunshine today. And still some autumn colors although much has gone by. Your hanging piece really makes me want to stitch random scraps together instead of being so orderly with my squares.
Hi Catherine. Just read your recent blog post for more insight on your November gloom. It’s absolutely the case that one needn’t look far for reasons. Climate crisis and fascism topping the list. But maybe we can support one another in resuming a morning writing practice? I’ll do five this week and you commit to some number for the week, too. Check in next Sunday. If you want.
Great idea, Dee. I’ve done two morning sessions so far and it does feel strengthening. I’ll try for five and check in next week.
Thank you!! I’ve done two this week as well. Maybe three. I’m gonna go for getting at least three days in a row.