YEAR IN REVIEW
2022 READING STATS
Number of Books Read: 32
Number of Re-Reads: 9
Genre You Read The Most From: Classics / Mystery
YEAR IN REVIEW
2022 READING STATS
Number of Books Read: 32
Number of Re-Reads: 9
Genre You Read The Most From: Classics / Mystery
I was reading Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and composing my review while thinking about times in history that featured non-violent protests. I read Gandhi’s autobiography, My Story of My Experiments with Truth, and along with King’s letter, one of the main things that stood out for me was their concern for their fellow man. While King is attempting to bring attention to racial injustice, the two main themes that ran throughout his letter were LOVE and BROTHERHOOD. And both men, while fighting peacefully for what they believed, actively tried to cultivate within themselves traits that would make them better human beings, traits that would foster unity, empathy, patience and love towards others. With all the turmoil, division and angst all over the world, it was a joy to read a narrative that, in spite of addressing negative issues, was positive in its make-up. Internally, I was lamenting the dearth of such leadership and sentiments today. And nothing similar would never happen in Canada, a country full of very compliant, quiet, obedient citizens. Until ….
“In these divine pleasures permitted to me of walks in the June night under moon and stars, I can put my life as a fact before me and stand aloof from its honor and shame.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals
I’m quite enjoying finding these quotes for my monthly updates and then matching my titles to them. And I love Emerson’s quotes …. they’re always so deep and expansive …
Ah, Pleasant May! For those of you not familiar with Christian Rosetti’s poetry (like me; I had to look it up), the title is from her poem, “May,” and what better way to herald this spring month than with poetry!
Is it July already? How the days fly by! And yes, the world smells of roses. How long has it been since someone has given you a rose? Too long? Many of the hybrid roses of today no longer have any scent but I was introduced to a rose lately that was not only beautiful but smelled wonderful ….. lush and fragrant and absolutely divine! Not only the scent but the memories linger with me. So gorgeous. But enough about roses and fragrance and on to news ……
For those of you poetically handicapped, like me, “hail bounteous May” is from John Milton’s poem Song on May Morning, which you can read here. And, yipes, it also reminds me that I really need to read more poetry, which in turn reminds me that I need to hop back on my Deal Me In Challenge which has been sadly neglected recently because of other interesting pursuits. Ah, such is life!
Yes, it’s chilly winter weather. We haven’t received any snow yet but only because it’s been sunny. A few days ago, I woke to -6ºC weather and brrrrr!!! …. it certainly wakes you up in the morning!
source Jerology (Giphy) |
Autumn! Autumn! How I love Autumn! And we had a great one in the Pacific Northwest. Sunny skies every day and warm temperatures. I had lots of fun being outside, going for walks and simply enjoying the changes of the season. Even though the rains came in November, October was absolutely gorgeous!!
© Cleo @ Classical Carousel |
The summer has officially gone and the rain has begun, however as yet, not much of it …… thankfully. In some ways I’m glad to see its passing and in others, it leaves me slightly melancholic.
Because of the amount that I was working, my garden this year was rather pitiful with only some garlic (which is small because I didn’t cut off the scapes in time), kale, herbs and some volunteer potatoes, although my fig tree had a fabulous crop of about 60 King Kadota figs and my quince tree, instead of its usual 6-8 quince has about 20-25. If you’ve never tried quince it’s a much undervalued fruit because you need to cook it to eat it, but it has a wonderful flavour. Click on this link for a recipe for Apple Quince Crisp if you want to give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.