California Dreamin': Celebrating Milestones

Eddie turned 17, 

Samantha graduated high school,

Elliot graduated high school,

and

Oma turned 90!

Congratulations!

Book Review: Unaccustomed Earth

Jhumpa Lahiri is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.  This is the second book of short stories I’ve read by her and I am equally moved by them.  Unlike Interpreter of Maladies, the stories in this book describe a smaller range of experiences focusing almost entirely on Indian-Americans living in New England.  

At first I was a little disappointed by the everyday, commonplace nature of the stories but I soon realized that together the stories paint a picture.  She describes a series of people living their lives, the impact of their third culture experience only one factor influencing the way they interact with their surroundings.  

There is something about the way she is able to capture the story of each of her characters that gives me an intense, emotional connection to them.  I feel as though she is describing me in so many ways.  The impulses I have felt to fit in and to disconnect simultaneously.  The way I long to live a normal life just like everyone else, realizing that not one lives this life.  

The title of her book comes from this quote printed at the beginning.  

Human nature will not flourish, any more than a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a series of generations, in the same worn-out soil.  My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes my be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth.  

Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Custom-House"  

Jhumpa Lahiri seems to be a quiet woman with an ability to observe the world around her and capture it in words.  She makes me feel both inspired to write and too intimidated to try. 

For some of the few TV interviews she has done, see Charlie Rose. 

A Weekend with Caretaker(s)

(Photos courtesy of Rachel)

Dear Rachel and Katie, 

Thank you both so much for the wonderful trip to Caretaker Farm.  The name of the farm is truly fitting, for that is exactly how I left feeling.  

Rachel, the drive up and back was so refreshing.  Having time together for intense conversations and comfortable silences and yes, singing at the top of our lungs, was so refreshing.   I can’t help but be reminded of our final trip to Mombassa the week before my family left Kenya.  The way it felt knowing that we would soon be apart but choosing to ignore it and live fully.  At the same time, now that we are adults and have experienced the separation, knowing that our friendship survived and will continue to, the impending change is a just a little let frightening.

Katie, visiting you at the farm let me see you in your element.  You seem so right at home living outdoors, nurturing plants and animals, absorbing all there is to learn about feeding others.  I am so thankful to have visited you there.  

So much of the trip filled my soul with joy, getting to experience so many things I have only ever dreamed about, picking ramps, doing yoga outdoors, cooking in a farmhouse kitchen, buying maple syrup from the maker’s kitchen.  And, it reminded me to do more of some things I’ve forgotten how to do: rest and wander.  

I returned back from the trip to two whirlwind weeks at work, self imposed crafty deadlines, and other demands I set on myself.  All of this makes me  appreciate the trip so much more now than I did when I got back.  Thank you both so much for such a great weekend, but even more for both of your friendships.

Katie Look!

We have worms!  

We started the worm box a week ago with bedding (paper, cardboard, and dry leaves), vegetable trimmings and egg shells in a Rubbermaid bin.  This is how the worm box looked before I added the worms.

The worms came in the mail on Wednesday.  That may be the strangest thing I have ever received in the mail.

As soon as I got home I opened the box and introduced them to their new home.

So far, so good.  I can't say I ever thought that having worms would be a good thing. 

Seedlings...as promised

Here they are. Planted on April 12, here they are on April 19.

April 23.

Check it out, it's rhubarb! I'm so ready for some pie and jam and... mmmm.....

Isn't it amazing how different, yet the same each one looks?

Any advice for when these should be transplanted?

G is for Garden

We finally did it, or at least we got started. I've been wanting to have a little garden for awhile and have been collecting seed catalogues from Bountiful Gardens for a couple of years now, waiting for the day I could finally order some seeds. The seeds are now sprouting nicely on the kitchen table and we have a beautiful double-dug plot out in back.

Thanks to Rachel, who worked harder than any of us, we have also documented the process.

Before.

Back from Lowes.

Staking the plot.

The bed has been dug. 1 foot deep, grass removed.

Add 1.5 bags of sand. (Our soil was extremely clayee.) And 4 bags of manure/humus.

Building the frame.

Looking on.

Digging a little bit more so the frame sinks in a little.

After.

Time for some well deserved gin and tonics.

In a couple of weeks the seedlings will go in and soon we'll be enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of our labor.

Thank you Rachel!

First music post on Malgados5

It only has taken 18 months to figure out how to post music on blogger...well, not actively trying.  Well, for everybody's delight, I posted "shine", a song that sounds dated and naturally so since it was written in 1996 and recorded several years later with a vintage sound reminiscent of Collective Soul, for those who remember that band that almost made it.

To compliment this audio posting, I am posting the pics of my latest non-church gig in Rockville, MD.  

Enjoy and let me know if I should keep my day job!