Green, Gold, and Coral

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kittehs Declare Victory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Pasture

Coe 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a Wineglass...

I got the idea for this over at Merisi's Vienna for Beginners.

  Such fun, capturing the landscape in a glass.  

 

This was a spur of the moment thing and I'm going to try again ...

I hope some of you will do the same .  I'd love to see what you capture.

 

Falling...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guests on Earth

A new Lee Smith book is a must-have for me. And this one, most of which is set in Asheville, was a particular treat. It's the story of 13 year old Evalina Toussaint, a resident of Highland Hospital, a very special and advanced  institution in Asheville for mental patients of all sorts.

Evalina is fictional but Highland Hospital is a real place. Scott Fitzgerald's troubled wife Zelda was a patient there, on and off, for many years. 

Evalina is intrigued by the enigmatic Zelda and their paths intersect often. Smith has done a wonderful job of blending the known facts about Zelda into her fictional account of Evalina -- who is a fascinating character in her own right.  

The book presents a close look at Asheville in  the Forties and at the mental health care of the time .Zelda perished in a fire at Highland Hospital. The cause of the fire was never determined but Smith weaves into her plot a plausible culprit. 

But, as always, it's Lee Smith's characters we fall in love with. Evalina speaks with a voice as clear and true as that of Ivy Rowe -- the beloved protagonist of Smith's Fair and Tender Ladies.  (And if you haven't read that one, you have a real treat ahead.)

Go to Lee's website for a lot more about the book and how she came to write it -- a compelling story in itself. There's also a video interview with the author -- who is a delight to listen to!

 

In Asheville, Waiting for the Light to Change