darling duckie

My Life in France: A Book In Review

"Good results require that one take time and care."

There are a couple of people that stand out in my memories of watching television while growing up: Bob Ross so effortlessly painting tree and birds and creating landscapes from nothing but a canvas and paint and Julia Child, with her distinct voice and her excitement for good food.

After reading Julia Child's memoir I have felt so inspired by her passion and determination to really learn. She was not always a cook. Her food did not always taste wonderful. But she loved food and her husband and worked oh so hard. And how inspiring was her relationship with Paul. They strengthen each other, supported each other, and were best friends. I love the picture above, where they sit side by side, working side by side. It is so romantic and (can I say it again??) INSPIRING!

Julia's memories and thoughts on her experiences really made me ask a few questions of myself:

Am I supporting my husband in the things he loves?

Do I really put effort in learning and growing?

What is it that motivates me, pushes me?

I really loved reading My Life In France. It was so different that I thought it would be and has changed me. (Plus every time I go to the DI I search out a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which I have yet to find, though I did score Volume II for a couple of bucks.) A friend let me borrow Mastering the Art... so I could make a recipe of Julia's for book club. Though I don't know if it turned out how it was supposed to be, it was yummy and I learned so much about cooking just through that one recipe and perusing the book.

Now I want to wander market places and cook something delicious...

indulge me

...because these pictures where just too cute not to share.

Jane Eyre: A Book in Review

“The incident had occurred and was for me: it was an incident of no moment, no romance, no interest in a sense: yet it marked with change one single hour of a monotonous life.”

“No wonder you have rather the look of another world. I marveled where you had got that sort of face. When you came on me in Hay Lane last night, I thought unaccountably of fairy tales, and had half a mind to demand whether you had bewitched my horse: I am not sure yet.”

I used to believe to be able to truly call myself a reader I had to be a fast reader. Read multiple books every month. Remember all the details. So when it took me over a year to finish Jane Eyre, Iwas a little bit ashamed. But truth be told, I am a slow reader. Well, I am medium. Not slow. Just slower than some. And that is alright, isn't it? I can still call myself a reader, right?

And I don't want you to think any of it is Ms. Eyre's fault. She kept me company through pregnancy doctor visits and entertained me with witty commentary through long drives and late nights. She even sat with me through those hard months after Millie was born.

That Ms. Eyre, she is a loyal friend.

And I loved her. I love her for standing up to what she believes in and doing it even when it meant giving her chance at love up. It is so much more than a love story but such a unique love story too.

One of my favorite parts?

“Who in the world cares for you? Or who will be injured by what you do?

“I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God. … Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour … If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth? They have a worth—so I have always believed. … Preconceived opinions, foregone determinations, are all I have at this hour to stand by: there I plant my foot.”

Sometimes characters in books are referred to as heroines or heros but they lack the qualities that entitle one to such a name. But Jane really is a heroine. She has courage and self respect.

This is a great book, well worth the time and effort I put towards reading it. (It probably won't take you as long, I promise. Read it. Really.)

Plus, sometimes I wish we could speak how they spoke, eh?

“ere long I found you full of strange contrasts.”

“there was a pleasurable illumination in your eye occasionally”

“for with him I was at perfect ease, because I knew I suited him”

“in his presence I thoroughly lived; and he lived in mine.”

Wonderful.

If you are frightened of classics and whether or not you will be able to read them, start with Jane Eyre.  With an exciting storyline and gothic style, it will surely become a favorite of yours.

If you love Jane Eyre and are looking for another book to satisfy that particular craving, I would highly recommend reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Even if you don't like Jane Eyre or you have never read it, The Thriteenth Tale is a great book. 

never just a mom

 

 

Just Moms by Ash Leishman

I have a friend who makes documentaries. (Doesn't that sound cool? I believe that just by knowing her my coolness factor increases several notches.) She has traveled the world working on them.

A few months ago she came over and spent the day with the child and me. She followed us around on our walk and watched us read together all the while she asked me questions about being a mom. It was still so new and raw that my thoughts kept going back to how hard it is. But every time I watch this movie I remember how much I love being Millie's mum. It doesn't mean it's not hard anymore but I am more in love with that little girl now and am so happy that she is mine. And you know what? It is easy to see how much Millie has grown and changed physically since this was shot. But what really stands out to me is how much I have changed. For the better. And it is all thanks to Millie.

So thank you, Ashley, for letting me be a part of your project and giving me tangible evidence that I really have grown and that I truly love being a mom.

 

Ash Leishman is busy revamping her professional life so for now you can see more of here work here. And she did our family pictures here.

art and meaning

Girl in the Yellow Suit by Lisa Golightly

 

“…We see a haystack by Monet, an iris by Van Gogh, or an asparagus spear by Manet and marvel at their presence and spirit and think that these works were about haystacks, irises, and asparagus. Not at all! Monet, Van Gogh, Manet employed haystacks, irises, asparagus to speak of the symphonies of light, the glory of God’s creations, the life force residing in all forms. We care about those paintings more than we care about stacks of hay, flowers, and vegetables because we care more about light, God and life than we do about any of their particular manifestations. Meaning, not beauty, is what we are after. Big, deep, wide meaning.”

~Peter London, from the book No More Secondhand Art

We really like art here in at the Fish Residence. Sometimes I think I buy too much of it but then I remember that there is a lot of value in having art in your home. Billy and I like to meander through museums. Of all the museums in Utah that we love, the Springville Museum of Art tops it. It is a beautiful building full of art with variety and lovely, deep meaning. It may be a little bit of a drive but it is so worth it. (Plus it's free. Woohoo!) We have been waiting for their upcoming art exhibit, the 40th Annual Utah All-State High School Art Show. It should be a good one. (High quality high school and university exhibits are my favorite. So many different styles and techniques. They are searching for their voice and style and it makes for amazing shows)

Most of the art in our home comes from independent artists we find at fairs and on etsy, with the rest of the art coming from my Grandpa Graehl's basement, thrift stores, ikea, and all posters. We collect from anywhere, but I do have to pace myself. Even putting this collection together for you made me want to buy a few paintings while Billy slept (tehehe).

I know very little about technique but I don't think you have to in order to appreciate and feel something through art.

Here are some of my favorite artist. We own some of these prints while the rest are on my wish list.

Who are your favorite artists?

What are your favorite museums?

 

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt

 

Bridesmaids by Cassandra Barney

 

By Vivian Maier

 

Take Me for a Walk by Sarah Jane

 

Voyages Over Edinburgh by David Fleck

 

Justin Hackworth

 

Mother and Child by Cassandra Barney

Mountain View by Ryan Fowler

 

by Dorothea Lange

 

Almond Branches in Bloom by Vincent van Gogh

the day we took Millie to the winter x games

That's right... we took her to the Winter X Games 2012. She begged us to. "Mother dear and Father dear, please let me go where the air is clear and records are broken. I want to see the superpipe in person."

Let me guess... are you asking "What are the X Games?" We keep getting that response. The Winter X Games is an international competition with snowboarding, skiing, mono skiing, and snowmobiling that is held just outside of Aspen, CO. Pro athletes like Shawn White compete. 

We were there for some crazy stuff. Like this: (if you can't tell, this was a pretty big deal... first ever front flip on a snowmobile.)

 

Millie loved it. Except for the very cold air, the late nights, and the fact that she was not allowed to crawl through the crowd. But my, was she was a hit. Everywhere we turned we had people congratulating her on her first Winter X Games. Some people even wanted pictures of her. Not many babies get to experience such a thing as this.

We stayed about an hour outside of Apsen in Glenwood Springs at the Hotel Colorado: a very old, very interesting hotel that has housed such guests as Teddy Roosevelt, Al Capone, Buffalo Bill, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown. We had a huge room (there was actually three rooms, which was perfect for us with Millie) with radiators and big windows and squeeky floor. It was romantic and maybe a little bit haunted.

I spent the first two days of the trip trying to figure out how we could possible move there. Cute little town (very similar to Logan and you know how we love Logan) with very nice people and so much to do (hiking, swimming, skiing and snowboarding, etc.).

We had planned on leaving early so Millie would sleep but of course she just had to wait just before we leave to break out with chicken pox. We survived it though, by stopping along the way and jumping around with her.

a pox on both your houses

Were you aware that the chicken pox still roamed the earth?

Actually, I wasn't aware it was so rare and that there was a vaccine for it until only a couple of weeks ago.

I remember very little from getting chicken pox as a child other than the pink goo that we put on the spots. There was that time my dad tickled me, which pulled one of the scabs off that left a mark.

When Millicent had a couple of spots on her little body, I didn't even consider chicken pox. A rash, maybe. Allergic reation, I hoped not. But chicken pox? From where? From who?

I think I was more freaked out by the spots than she was. To me she looked like Madame Mim. You know, like this:

(source)

In reality she looked like this:

Or like this:

And once she looked like this:

But don't be fooled. She was not crying from pain or itchiness. She just wanted the remote. She could not have cared less that she had the chicken pox.

because it's been so long

maybe tomorrow I will have chance to write something.

until then, enjoy.