A little of this.....and that......

on the media:

Brooke Gladstone, i am not.  but i might be the last person in the western world to see the movie, Australia.

i watched it yesterday settled into a comfy chair with cups of tea and knitting.

did you like this film?

i was mesmerized by the chemistry between the lead players, nicole kidman and hugh jackman.

i loved that charming little boy Brandon Walters who played Nullah.

the cattle rustling and wars between cattlemen reminded me of old-timey westerns.

the magic of the aboriginal grandfather, the mystical King George, played with awesome power by the Aboriginal dancer and musician David Gulpilil, was enticing.

but, on the whole, it was not the most memorable film or the greatest cinematic display, i suppose but a sweet treat for a lazy day after chores and a windy walk on the beach.

the day of feasting:
my youngest sister family joined us again this holiday .... Shelly, my sister, her partner, Katherine, and their children Esther (8+) and Ari and Noah (the twins, 3+) drove up from western Massachusetts . . .  it was wonderful to have children in the house  . . . 

after the feast:
but i am really not a traditional cook and prefer more exotic menus and recipes ...... ethnic specialties.  on this day, however, one feels compelled to stay with the traditional meal of roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn pudding and squash.  although the fruits of my labor was appreciated and received compliments, i was underwhelmed by it all.

maybe next year:
i'd really like to do something other than the obvious  . . . . .maybe
 

something a little lighter, please
in counter-point to the heaviness of turkey and its accroutrements, last evening i created a wonderful mediterranean fish stew cooked in a savory lobster broth with onions, garlic and tomatoes.  (the broth from locally caught lobster; the tomatoes grown just down the road, lightly cooked and frozen for later use)  and served with a nice little south african white wine, a gift from my sister, fresh salad and focaccia, it was a little feast.

i was not underwhelmed by this one . . .

recently read:

recently, i devoured a book called, Annie's Ghost and highly recommend this family memoir by Steve Luxenberg published in May, 2009.

the author's mother always said she was an only child.  even into late adulthood it seemed to be a point of pride which she interjected in nearly every conversational opportunity. but shortly before she died, she discloses to her physician that she actually did have a sister  -- a secret sibling kept hidden for decades.

Annie's Ghost is the author's quest to uncover this family secret but along the way he discovers there were other secrets so tightly held by this immigrant family.

the book is at once, a memoir, a mystery, a family saga, and a social history -- of immigration and institutionalization. 

the story illustrates the Ukrainian immigrant experience in early 20th century US; and brings the reader from Michigan to California to Germany; from the rise of the Nazis and their wave of terror and war; to the rise of institutions through de-institutionalization in the US.  




holiday gift-giving:
tales of black friday.
shopping malls swamped by people looking for bargains. 
i was not among them and will not be in days and weeks to come.
i prefer hand-made gifts
a slow holiday
am knitting
felting
sewing gifts
this year as in years past.  

will post pics as they are completed