In Progress

 

A Road Not Taken

                                                                 

                                        

When I was a junior in high school, my mother began to despair of ever getting me off her hands. My grades were A's and B's--not good enough to make Honor Society, maybe, in my mother's opinion, not good enough for college. I had dated a bit but wasn't one of the "popular" girls. I was okay looking but never enough to suit my mother, who was something of a beauty. I was happy--but she wasn't.

So, at the time my friends and I were beginning to think about college choices, my mother sent off for a catalog for Katharine Gibbs--a famous school in New York known to turn out girls headed for careers as executive secretaries or, perhaps, secretaries who married wealthy bosses.

Katie Gibbs required their students to dress properly. In the Fifties this meant dresses, stockings and heels, hats, and white gloves. Along with typing, shorthand, and office management, Gibbs girls were coached in deportment and taught "proper" styling-- hair, dress, makeup.  and they were housed at The Barbizon Hotel for Women where, along with a curfew and a no men beyond the lobby rule, they could enjoy a number of amenities.

My mother, who loved New York and was bored with her own life, thought it would be wonderful for me. Maybe her ugly duckling would become a swan. I balked at the white gloves. Besides, I didn't want to be a secretary. Maybe an archaeologist? Or a veterinarian? But no white gloves.

The Katherine Gibbs application never got filled out. And in my senior year, I surprised everyone, including myself by being one of four National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists in our class of around 900. (The other three were straight A students.) Now college seemed to be where I should go.

That year too I fell in love with John, who I'd known since we were in kindergarten and who is now my husband of 62 years. And my life has been far removed from New York and white gloves. Though over the course of seven novels, I got pretty good at typing.

All this came back to me when I read The Barbizon-The Hotel That Set Women Free. It tells the story of The Barbizon and the women who lived there--some Katie Gibbs students; some Guest Editors at Mademoiselle magazine (Joan Didion, Sylvia Plath, Gael Greene, to name a few;) and an assortment of would-be actors and artists, hoping for a break (Grace Kelly, Ali McGraw. Betsey Johnson.)

It's a fascinating study of women's quest for freedom and self-fulfillment that covers about seventy years. The Barbizon finally ceased its women-only policy when it came apparent that women no longer wanted the curfews and sorority house ambiance.

It's a fascinating look at times past from the female point of view. 

HERE is an excellent review.

A Perfect Balance

    

Spring Equinox-- and the day and night are of equal lengths.`We don't have a stone circle to note the sun's progress, but there is a notch in the jagged silhouette of the Blue Ridge Mountains that serves as a marker.

Though the cold blast on Monday and Tuesday crisped the forsythia and star magnolia blooms, some hardy daffodils and a lone tulip are saluting spring. 

                                       

                                      As am I.

                                       

Morning Light

                                                                   

 

A Nice Discovery

 In the course of the ongoing task of purging my shelves of books I can bear to let go of (donating to the library book sale,) I came across Ellen Gilchrist's Victory Over Japan. I couldn't remember where it came from but I was pretty sure I'd not read it.

But now I have. And I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite having almost nothing in common with the characters-- beyond being "Southern" (whatever that means.)

In this collection of 14 short stories, some following the same characters, Gilchrist "depicts a group of Southern women, enchanted and enchanting, who cavort through life, in and out of bars, marriages, and divorces,through the world of art and culture, drug busts, their lovers' arms, and even earthquakes in an attempt to find, if not happiness, at least some satisfaction." (from the book jacket, but I couldn't put it better.)

I thought it was an excellent piece of work--and that was even before I discovered it had won the National Book Award for Fiction, kind of a big deal. 

Dear Sirs

                                     

When your president and his head of the FCC threaten journalists who dare to report facts about his ill-considered war on Iran, rather than the inflated and often bogus claims of the administration, they are ignoring the First Amendment.

Freedom of the press is essential to a democracy. Your president is moving toward state control of the media, reducing it to a propaganda outlet for the regime--not unlike all other totalitarian governments.

I call on you to oppose this unconstitutional power grab and stand up for freedom of the press. Do your job and rein in this madman before he destroys our country.

Random

Moving Toward the Equinox

Another week and the sun will rise dead center of our eastern horizon. We cheered when it stopped rising behind the trees on the right. Now it's moving inexorably towards the trees on the left.

The recent low temps left the blooms unharmed--but even lower are predicted for next week. So we're enjoying it while it lasts.

Corycat is taking advantage of the mild temperatures to do a little exploring.

Jenny explores every morning, regardless of temperatures. This is the path she's worn from our house down to the branch (creek) and beyond.

 

Blue Bench, Red Bud, Green Grass, Yellow Explosion

 

Where Do Nails Come From? a re-post

I had a lot of fun writing this years ago, in response to a picture prompt.

It all began that night at the Workbench -- yeah, I know, the regulars are a bunch of tools but, hey, it's handy, man.

Me and some of the other fellas were drinking Rusty Nails -- it'd been that kind of a week and I was ready to get hammered.

Nine-Inch Nails was playing and the pounding beat was really getting to me when all of a sudden Brad says, 'Hey, hey, hey, look at that hot-dipped, galvanized little number. How'd you like to nail that one?"

And I see her over there, all shiny-slim and sharp-looking.  She's with a couple of tacky losers, you know, the kind they always say has a terrific personality, but this one, well, she can ride in my nail belt any time!

Me, I'm a big galoot, tough as nails, and I stand out in this crowd of common nails. I can see she's looking me over, but playing it cool, you know what I'm sayin'?

 So I sort of meander on over to where she is and offer her a coffin-nail. We stand there smoking for a while, just kind of getting to know one another. I ask does she come here for the music and she says yeah, I hit the nail on the head -- it sure wasn't for the company.

Turns out her name's Penny and she's got a boyfriend named Spike but I know this Spike --thinks he's a big stud when he's nothing but a common framing nail --I could chew him up and spit out carpet tacks.

One thing leads to another and I ask can I drive her home. She wants to know am I hitting on her but than she says yeah and ditches the girlfriends and once we're at her place, it doesn't take long for us to get to the point, if you know what I mean. 

++++++++++

I didn't see her again - months went by  and one night I'm on the computer, checking out exotic fasteners and then watching a video called 'Nailin' Palin.' when I get a call.

It's the hot number from the bar. She has to remind me and then-- well, not to put too fine a point on it, she tells me I'm a daddy --  says there's all these little nails and they're crowding her out of the house and she wants me to do something.

I think I'll go get hammered.

Doomed?

Yesterday the temperature was in the low eighties. Tomorrow is predicted to be much cooler and there is a likelihood of a freeze in the coming days.

All these lovelies (except the hellebores) may be toast.

March is tricky that way.

There are even a few butterflies out. Fingers crossed that the weatherman is wrong.

Dear Sirs

 

It is time and past time to impeach the incompetent madman who has dragged our country into a costly war of his own provocation, killing soldiers and little girls, sending prices rising and further lowering worldwide trust in and respect for the USA.

His money-mad corruption and self- aggrandizement have befouled the once respected office of the president. His choice of Cabinet and other officials based on loyalty rather than qualifications has weakened our government. His willful ignorance endangers us all. And his constant, costly golf trips as Americans die in his war are a slap in the face of true patriots.

History will remember those who put country above party--and those who didn't.

Forsythia Time!

 

Fresh Paint

The warm weather has inspired John to repaint our dog-scratched and faded front door. The color was originally called Mountain Purple (though it was blue) and it's no longer available. But with a paint chip from an unfaded sample of the original, the store's computer did a pretty good job of matching our color--we call it Wool Branch Blue.

The severely faded door to the greenhouse got a new coat, and the little table on the front porch, whose varnish was cracking, was treated to some Wool Branch Blue.

Lovely warm weather--but snow is predicted for next week. So the plants stay inside.

 

Toad in the Hole

The Brits have some intriguing names for food, which is part of the reason I made Toad in the Hole. It's basically sausage, surrounded by batter (as for popovers or Yorkshire pudding) and served with an excellent onion gravy. I strayed from orthodoxy a bit by using sausage with jalapeno and cheddar and it was delicious.

The recipe I followed is HERE.

What next? Bangers and Mash with Mushy Peas and Spotted Dick for afters? Could be.

 

Yesterday

It was shirtsleeves, porch-sitting weather. The front door stayed open, much to the delight of the five dogs. (Cannoli and Otter were here for lunch.)

The Star Magnolia is in full bloom and the Weeping Willow is misted with green. I'm having to restrain myself from moving plants out of the green house as I know, from bitter experience, that we could, and likely will, have a cold snap.

But for now, it's glorious.

 

Two Mindsets

It seems to me that there are two prevailing mindsets at work in our country today. One is suspicious of anyone who is different--religion, race, sexual orientation, to name some of the biggies, though it can come down to something as ridiculous as which brand of mayo, or whether you like grits. 

This mindset can feel threatened by any lifestyle different than their own. For example, the folks who feel that gay marriage threatens the sanctity of straight marriage (already rather threatened by divorce and infidelity.) Or all the fuss over transgender folks in restrooms. The most dangerous though, in my opinion, are the "Christian" white nationalists who fear being "replaced" by people of color or of different religions.

The other mindset is more open to differences, happy to welcome various ethnicities (and their food!) and religions and even gender diversity. This mindset may not understand or wish to emulate the others--but it's willing at least to live and let live and and, at best, to see an opportunity to learn more about our magnificent, varied humankind.

 

Orchids: An Appreciation