Hojoki

 I’ve been looking for medieval texts from cultures other than Western Europe. I found a solid text with Kamo-no-Chomei’s book Hojoki. He lived through disaster after disaster and his insights on those experiences are beautiful and profound. He was so discouraged by it all that he moved into the mountains and lived in a tiny hut. Gradually he found peace and fell in love with his little hut which he describes in great detail. He also ruefully admits his attachment to the house was not appropriate for a Buddhist hermit.  It is simply a charming text about life’s worst moments and recovering from them. Do give it a look.

Want Me

 

Turn me on

Turn me off

But turn to me

It’s me turn

Sara Malka: Mother, Doctor, Orthodox Jew

I love to learn about other cultures. Good human behavior comes in so many flavors, but always a similar spine of morality, creativity, and lots of love. The truly great communities reach out beyond the boundaries with excessive love. Sara Malka is blessing her audience with the treasures of Orthodox Judaism. Every episode has helped me understand this community and I find myself appreciating some things I didn’t think I would. The Mikvah seemed so rigid, but if it is truly treasured by both the husband and wife I can see the value. The bug hunting was enlightening, but I must admit I couldn’t give up broccoli florets because of it. I have lots more episodes to watch. My hope is to be able to meet Orthodox Jews without offending them. My enthusiasm for meeting someone new can lead to unintentional mistakes.

https://www.youtube.com/@frumitup

Just Keeps Hanging On

We have been sick for weeks. In my case I’ve been out of it for a week and a half. It is rare for something to make all of us sick, particularly seriously sick. I am one of the last victims, and I jumped on the Mucinex bandwagon. The pills are huge and taste nasty, but they work. They don’t do anything for the fever or other symptoms, but being able to breathe is a serious leg up.

I recommend Mucinex. It makes a difference.

 

Playing in the Backyard

 

After being “The Walking Dictionary” my elementary claim to fame was making up games to play on the playground. I was steeped in a project so most of the time my games were scary, but I made sure the good guys won in the end. Movies and books can supply ready-made games where kids can just plug whoever is around in and go. War of the Worlds: The Attack is one of those movies. Everything about it is good for kid play, the pacing, the characters, the lack of sexual tension, the looseness and to some extent the improbability of the plot, even the clever use of walkie talkies which kids can really get their hands on, if they put down their phone. It feels like a throw back to the fifties, but with modernized ideals.

Put this on your list of movies to rent this summer. I can see kids huddled in a tent, or improvised shelter watching the film on an iPad and waking up the next day to adventures all over the neighborhood. The film is about as scary as a typical Doctor Who episode. The science is just window-dressing, and that leaves more scope for the imagination. If they can’t find anyone to be Dr. Stint volunteer. It will be fun, she said.

Soul Traveling

 I fall in love with Ibn Jubayr every time I read his book. A Medieval Muslim from Spain, he had the misfortune of working for a really crappy boss. When his boss discovered that he had never drunken alcohol he filled seven goblets and forced Ibn Jubayr to drink them all or be dismissed. When he saw how drinking the wine affected Ibn Jubayr’s conscience he became conscience stricken himself. He filled the goblets with gold and gave it all to Ibn Jubayr. This gift enabled Ibn Jubayr to go on Hajj, something he hadn’t hoped to do.

Ibn Jubayr kept a beautiful journal about his journey to Makkah/Mecca. He recorded the cities he visited, people he observed, and the benefits and struggles of all the ways to get there and back. His devout faith, compassion for others and gift for metaphor transforms what would otherwise be an interesting travelog into a man in amber. 

Growing up in the era of the Gulf Wars and 911, my image of Muslim men wasn’t positive. It was also hazy and suspicious. The only reason I picked the book up was the opportunity for my Crowhook readers to read about transportation experiences in the medieval period. From the very first chapter Ibn Jubayr made it so much more. He does get cranky with Christians at the end, but I put that down to general crankiness due to Ramadan and being close to home but not there yet. If you need a more authentic view of men of the Muslim faith read The Travels of Ibn Jubayr. He is not perfect, but he is kind, sweet, and devoted to God.

A Ray of Sunshine

 From the first moments that I watched Martha Stewart on television, I knew that this was someone who inspired confidence. No matter what domestic adventure you had your heart set on, she’d been there before and knew the path and was happy to help you along.

The Sports Illustrated pics take this into another realm, challenging us to be confident as we age, to remember who we really are. I am not usually a fan of The Swimsuit Edition, but this year is special. Women are valuable at all times of life. Martha has beautifully made that point.

Hidden Treasure

 

After joining Planet Fitness, it became obvious that my old gym bag for Curves was not as secure as I wanted for the locker room. I hunted through Amazon comparing features and prices for several days. I take bag shopping very seriously. :) I found a cute bag, that seemed to have what I needed. When it came I realized I had fallen into the classic Amazon mistake—it was smaller than I had thought. It didn’t matter at all except for one feature. The back of the main compartment has two pockets for organizing, but neither would fit my wallet. I thought about getting a wallet that would fit, but I’m sentimental about my current wallet. It is in pretty good shape overall. Several trips to the gym proved I didn’t need to worry about that. Throwing it into the main compartment worked just fine. 

In the struggle, I cleaned out my wallet, and discovered eight or nine gift cards. I thought they must be the three dollars left after a major purchase and some were, but there were some fat cards in there. I am enjoying using them up. While I’m careful with money, even gift card money, I’m more flexible and aspirational with gift money. So far I’ve been to a movie, bought a cross-stitch book, and a few other books from Barnes and Noble. I still have a few adventures left. What a happy surprise right before summer.

Laura LaBoutillier: Garden Answer

 

Gardening seems so easy. Choose plant. Dig hole. Plant plant. Water. Voila! Except it isn’t. Botany is one of the messiest of the sciences and experience will vary from garden to garden. Hence the necessity of Garden Answer. Each show deals with a specific project and gives you the inside tips needed to be successful. Beyond that it welcomes you into a world where plants and people are all there is to worry about, and the needs of each are met with love and hard work.

Their garden is beautiful and they travel tour other gardens of equal beauty. It is as if someone shook Victory Garden up and made it fresh. Laura is the face of the operation, but it is definitely a family affair right down to the cat.

I am currently overwhelmed by the extensive landscaping we inherited with the house. I am hiding from my garden, but I still like imagining it better. Even if you don’t like gardening at all this show has such charisma it draws you in. If you do like gardening you may never get out. In any case, give it a try. You are likely to be glad you did.

https://www.youtube.com/@gardenanswer

Ending Gun

 

Backwards you trammel round the track 

Liberated forward I run

You pursue our differences

I chase our absolute value

We pass each other face to face

But only meet at the end

Comp Titles

 I have a finished manuscript. It’s a middle-grade literary adventure about evil. As I have been researching the querying process the importance of comp titles erupted. I thought they were looking for books like mine, and they are, but recent new books not old established books. This is going to be a bit of a pain across all my writing projects because I don’t read a lot of contemporary fiction. My reading time has been very precious until recently, so I wanted to invest in the “sure winners”of the classics. I also binge read three Christian romance novels in the early nineties, and swore I would never waste so much time again. 

But here I am looking for comparative books for my work. My efforts have been haphazard, but I’m warming up. I’m watching YouTube “Book Tube” videos for advice. I’m following Levar Burton’s bookclub. I check the tables at Barnes and Noble and consider the suggestions of Goodreads. I would still prefer spending my time reading classics, but I have to say Lesson in Chemistry was a good time. It isn’t a comp title for anything I’m writing, but it is a good time.

A Growing Interest

 

I’ve always liked herbs. I used to go into the cupboard where Mother stored her herbs and spices and inhale deeply enjoying all the complicated scents. I started growing them as soon as I reached adulthood and have made herb gardens of varying types and successfulness off and on ever since.

I can tell when an interest of mine is growing by how much of my book budget I’m willing to spend on it, and the resulting chunk of bookshelf the collection takes up. I have a growing interest in herbology. I say “herbology” rather than herbalism because there is a lot of fantasy in my herb books. I haven’t bought much about the plants in the dirt or the tinctures of this and that. I am even including The Complete Language of Flowers which has no information of that kind at all, only folklore and ancient imputed essences. 

I’m watching some YouTube on it. I think I like strongly scented plants. I’m not as interested in food plants or flowers. I’m ok with “ugly” plants if they smell good. I like the idea of being able to make little nosegays based on a friend’s need or situation. I might get into salves and such. I doubt I’ll ever be a true believer, but who knows what will happen between me and the dust.

Mia Moss: Pottery to the People

I have a crush on ceramics. It seems to be playing around with dirt which my mother will tell you has long been a favorite pastime. I do not discriminate between wheel projects or hand-building. It all looks like fun to me.

It’s especially fun when Mia is at the wheel. A person of lively energy and great imagination her projects feel fresh and doable. My favorite episodes are when she tackles projects from The Great Pottery Throwdown. Giving herself similar constraints she makes her own versions. I like the way she falls into and climbs out of the pitfalls built into the projects.

Some things I watch for content. Others I watch for the person creating the content. This channel is one of the later. You don’t have to love ceramics to enjoy it.

 https://www.youtube.com/c/PotterytothePeople

Opening

 

The door splashed open flooding light.

The wetness of white broke over me,

a rainbow.

It shut just as quickly as it had opened.

I puddle by the window.

Surprisingly Simple

 Whenever I teach a text I like to have an activity to go along with it. For St. Hildegard’s Physica I realized that there was great fun to be had making the actual medicines. Some would require artistic license, but still lots of fun. St. Hildegard often uses very simple preparations like combining herbs and butter, heating them together, straining out the herb and using the resultant flavored ghee as a salve. I plan to demonstrate how to make a slightly more sophisticated unguent, and then give them the week to explore Physica and invent recipes. Many of the recipes could be quite edible.

In any case, making a salve is surprisingly easy. Make an infused oil. I might use tarragon, Hildegard doesn’t mention it, but it is one of my favorites. You can let the herbs and oil sit around for six weeks or you can gently heat the herbs and oil. Strain out the herbs. Add one ounce of beeswax to one cup of the oil. Heat until the wax is completely melted. Immediately pour the mixture into a container. That’s it.

I might have to splurge on some modern herbalism books. It looks like good fun.

Unguent

 St. Hildegard was a mystic, naturalist and a healer among other things. She is one of the four women designated as “Doctors of the Church.” I bumped into her when I was looking for medieval manuscripts that students could read that were authentically medieval. Hildegard was essentially a physician of her time and her ideas were sought after and retained. The major work is titled Physica. It is filled with fascinating information about the natural world as Hildegard understood it. Dragons and unicorns mix in with lavender and oak trees, all rated and explained for medicinal use—or not. Somethings were poisonous or useless.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this read. She sounds just like a modern doctor only badly misinformed. She stepped up to Willow bark and declared it useless. She did suffer from unbearable migraines that willow bark/aspirin wouldn’t have touched. Some of her patients must have been wealthy because she suggests making a daily cake with gold dust to keep up one’s health or to restore it. Her compassion bubbles over in the motherly way she gives her advice. “Keep up with my unguent and your skin will be beautiful!” she promises. She also leaves lots of room for God in her work. If God would not allow her medicine to work there was nothing she could do.

I am still amazed at the vast resources of the internet. When I was young I’d have been lucky to find a encyclopedia article about Hildegard, and now I can read her work. The internet has not only connected the living. It is connecting us with all time.