The school holidays and tax returns have snuck up on me to yet again its a time of barely keeping my head above water and sadly still contemplating my lack of a compost bin (while the wood to build it languishes in the tardis garage).
My attempt to lighten things by reading fiction went totally awry, although I am enjoying “The Witch of Portobello” to some degree. The library requested Waimarino County back for their Montana Book award display so I couldn’t slowly go over that again and I don’t have the heart to more than briefly open two poetry books** that unexpectedly arrived, after hearing the author’s comments on his poetry. I will have to force myself though as they are due back soon. Libraries are fantastic but sometimes owning a book is required so I keep putting my gold coins in the piggy bank and forgo coffee for a while – I’ve actually started drinking tea!. I have also been offered the Dean Buchanan book “Wild Beast” at a knock-down price so am mulling over that as my next prospective purchase.
Things do improve as the days lengthen and I was pleased to see the extensive web resources related to the Rita Angus exhibition at Te Papa. Its all good for shut-ins like me and I think Te Papa has really picked up their game on the internet front, although I suspect they have a backlog of work to get through. And a tip – you can download the audio resources for the exhibition and take them on your own ipod (or the like) and save yourself $5.
Art writing is taking some interesting turns and I am curious as to why Tom Cardy has been doing the visual arts writing for the DomPost in the last few weeks (interesting look at Fiona Halls “Force Field” today), Jill Trevelyan writes about Picasso’s collection in the Listener and on a more literary note anyone interested in the Bloomsbury group (that would be me) would do well to read Diana Witchel’s excellent article on her tour. On this subject though, I can’t go past the movie Carrington with Emma Thompson in the title role and Jonathon Pryce doing a wonderful Lytton Strachey.
(Giles) Lytton Strachey (1880-1932), by Dora Carrington, 1916.
*common English for Hotch-Potch, a mixture; mutton soup thick with pieces of meat and all sorts of vegetables, also Hot-Pot
**”Houses, days, skies” and “Streets of Music” by Martin Edmond
Tags: Angus, Buchanan, Carrington, Edmond, Hall, Picasso, Strachey
July 10, 2008 at 1:26 pm |
I have temporarily disappeared, snowed under, like you, with school holidays and taxes. I have another quote for you, though that I’ll add in an email, from A S Byatt’s ‘Still Life’ and also I will urge you to read ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’, which you may have already read. In case not I’ll attach a copy also in my email.
I do not often send comments, but I follow your fortunes with enthusiasm. I admire your perseverance in the face of life as a ’shut-in’.
Cheers
Lis
July 11, 2008 at 10:05 am |
Hello!
I also loved this book! Do you know Paulo is launching this experiment where he is inviting his readers to adapt the book to the screen?
Check it out : http://paulocoelhoblog.com/experimental-witch/
Have a great day
Aart
July 12, 2008 at 9:09 am |
I enjoyed Diana’s article too and the carrington movie way back when. I must down load the audio before I go to Rita, thanks for the tip :).
We are in Motueka at the moment, very bumpy flight down!
July 13, 2008 at 9:04 pm |
The Carrington movie is one of my all time favourites, and ‘Dora’ was on my name list if I had a girl.
x Helen