tuesday

All roads lead to Jack Gilbert.

"Trying to Have Something Left Over"

There was a great tenderness to the sadness

when I would go there. She knew how much

I loved my wife and that we had no future.

We were like casualties helping each other

as we waited for the end. Now I wonder

if we understood how happy those Danish

afternoons were. Most of the time we did not talk.

Often I took care of the baby while she did

housework. Changing him and making him laugh.

I would say Pittsburgh softly each time before

throwing him up. Whisper Pittsburgh with

my mouth against the tiny ear and throw

him higher. Pittsburgh and happiness high up.

The only way to leave even the smallest trace.

So that all of his life her son would feel gladness

unaccountably when anyone spoke of the ruined

city of steel in America. Each time almost

remembering something maybe important that got lost.

thursday

I owe many many thanks to Maude Hart Lovelace. My favorite books as a kid were of the Betsy-Tacy/Noel Streatfeild variety: books that were quietly dreamy, championed friendship (I think I yap on about kindred spirits even more than Ann Shirley!), and placed in my favorite time periods. I'm not sure how to even properly describe these sorts of books, other than magical realism (though not quite as magical as one of my other favorite books, The Phantom Tollbooth). I suppose they held great appeal to a shy sensitive little bookworm such as myself when I was a wee tot (you know, the ones that decide to dress up as Louisa May Alcott for Halloween!).
 Here are a few illustrations and book covers from the Betsy-Tacy series and Miss Lovelace's other endeavors. Of course, I can't mention these books without mentioning Lois Lenski, the lovely children's author who also illustrated many-a-book, including the aforementioned! Even though I was only seven years old when I first read all about Betsy's adventures, these little drawings of Betsy, Tacy, and Tib walking with books (in their wee boots) and sitting in trees are still stuck in my little heart. I'm a bit too sleepy to garnish these books with my own praise, so I'll have to let these dreamy book covers suffice! The first edition Betsy-Tacy cover is so perfect I could die! Now I'm off to hunt down all of the first editions A.S.A.P. (after nearly a year of trying)! This is perhaps the only time I regret having gone to the public library!


And finally here is Maud in all of her glory. I hope to someday perfect this look: the layered smile, the soft waves, and that illusive simplicity.

sunday

During my freshman year of college, my dear roommate and I would shove our beds together and spend many an evening watching our favorite pre-code films projected on our wall with a few friends tucked into our makeshift fort of blankets, quilts, and stuffed animals. I have the fondest memories of the particles of light from the projector raining on my hair, chatting about old Hollywood gossip, and falling asleep to the glow of the Chrysler building in our window. Sadly, I was always "borrowing" my friend's dusty projector that he never used, and the days of watching Guiletta Masina's shadow dance across the wall faded as I poured all of the money I was spending on buying films into buying movie tickets and books.

Easy Living (1937) is without a shadow of a doubt, one of my favorite films, and one I would love to project just about anywhere. Being home for a short while makes my toes itch in anticipation for all of the New York retrospectives, but it also has me thinking about starting my own little picture house of sorts. I am dying to curate my own "Dirty Thirties in the Park" or something of that variety, but more on that later! Anyhow, I was lucky enough to see Easy Living this winter at Film Forum during their Breadlines and Champagne series (I think I saw about twenty-five of them, gee whiz!) and immediately after I walked out into the slushy streets, I was wishing I could just watch it all over again! I think I went straight to Kim's Video and nabbed the sole copy for my collection. Any and every Preston Sturges script is good and I dare-say necessary for the soul! Jean Arthur sails magnificently through the picture with every soft tender line and every physical gag that was never really written for her in Capra's pictures (albeit some of the nearest and dearest films to my heart)! Throw in loads of misunderstandings, the somehow lovable Edward Arnold (he and Charles Coburn always manage to sneak into my favorite films), and one heck of a charming leading man (the adorable Ray Milland, with his hair flopping just-so in his face!), and you're in for loads of magic and plenty of laughs! That was certainly one of my favorite days in the series: sneaking in my complimentary cup of Blue Ribbon's apple cider and chuckling my way through the entire film with one of the best audiences I've ever been in! I cannot recommend this film enough. It brings me such joy and happiness, it truly deserves to be shared and cherished by more than just little ol' me!

wednesday

This man here is a sheer delight! Aaron Keim appears to be from strong sturdy roots. I found him one fateful hour while searching for clawhammering ukulele tips. Naturally, he works at a folk music store in Colorado and spends his hours building banjos, ukuleles, banjoleles, and other wonderful instruments from salvaged early twentieth century materials. God bless every banjo-playing-bearded southern boy (the only type worth swoonin' over) and all of their American-bred spirit and undeniable talent! I also think that he appears to be a very good egg, as the darlin' Rebecca of Septembear has coined!

tuesday

  

Oh Elizabeth Cotten. This woman is good for the soul. As long as I live, I will always always remember snowy winter nights spent drinking pots and pots of T.'s  grandmother's tea in her apartment, climbing into plaid flannel pajamas, turning all the lights off while every patron saint candle glows, listening to old radio shows, and dreaming about banjos and forest cabins and gypsy bands and wishin' we could've been Nicholas Ray's teaching assistant like Mister Jarmusch. Ms. Cotten always reminds me that friends are just as good for the soul as she is.

thursday

All is quiet on the Western Front. Of course, that is if you don't count me fiddling around on my uke, playing "Tonight You Belong To Me" from The Jerk nearly every waking hour. The only thing better than Steve Martin is a young banjo-playing Steve Martin (or in this case, ukulele). Anyhow, here's the song in question from the film and from the lovely little Lennon Sisters. I'm off to try Smitten Kitchen's watermelon lemonade recipe! 

sunday

Two of my favorite things about warm weather: iced tea and flowers! These illustrations tickle me with delight! Red-lipped, long-lashed lady tea leaves? And rosy-cheeked, clog-wearing gardeners? I'm in!