Whatever Wednesday - More to the Garden POPS!

Glory to the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens with their very fun POPS - a Lego exhibit created by artist Sean Kenney.  Over 40 creations.  Over 800,000  Legos used in the installations. 

Ray and I enjoyed our stroll!

So creative.  This is in the entrance courtyard area. 

Isn't this fun!

I love the color. 

Keep your eyes out as you stroll the grounds.

And the Botanic Garden itself is gorgeous.  So full of eye-popping  fun. 

Stay tuned - there's  way more.   Enjoy. 
 

Monday Moments - Manners and More

 Is it just me, or are manners out the window?   Ray and I are constantly appalled at people's behavior in public. Just rudeness. I do believe it's become more noticeable and is definitely spurred by social media. 

(Also, someone should lead by example - cough, cough)

No respect for property, people, public behavior.   Sigh!

Let's start our Monday with some common courtesies.  ( of course, my blog friends are already well behaved)

I love mankind - it's people I can't stand - Charles Shultz

Mankind is more prone to evil than to good - Machiavelli

We are a journey that has forgotten its destination - Anonymous

We're all guinea pigs in the laboratory of God. Humanity is just a work in progress - Tennessee Williams, Camino Real 1953

Be kind. 

Finally Friday - Frivolity

Finally Friday and a family trip for Kevin and his crew out west.  Here he is with Skylar on his shoulders and Dakota by his side to view the Grand Canyon. I hope the girls appreciate the grandeur and absorb the awe. 
 

Plus they had fun at White Sands, New Mexico.   A fleeting Faries mark

Every week lately has seemed like, "Wow, what the heck is going on?"  

Deep yoga breath.  I hope you have a good weekend.  If nothing else, step outside and really look at what's around you. 

Nature has her own mode of doing each thing, and she has somewhere told it plainly, if we will keep our eyes and ears open - Ralph Waldo Emerson  1860

Whatever Wednesday - Power Ballad

 I needed a short escape on a dreary, rainy Friday and treated myself to a movie - Power Ballad. This is a small film with a big heart.  It's a bit less than two hours - hooray.  It stars Paul  Rudd and Nick Jonas - two pleasant cuties.  It has some music, laughs, and is just entertaining. 

Paul Rudd (Rick Power) was a former star in a decent band. After he married an Irish woman, had a kid, and took off a year, he lost that gig. Since then, he's the lead singer in an Irish wedding band. It's a living - a human jukebox. 

The latest gig is at a very fancy Irish castle and turns out a groom's best friend is Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas) - a former boy band superstar who's not found his next groove.  After the show, Rick and Danny  end up talking music, playing some tunes, and noodling on a song. No big deal.  "It's been fun"

Six months later, Rick hears his song "How to Write a Song (Without  You)", only  it's a massive hit by Danny Wilson. Say what?

Here's where some hijinks ensue. Rick just wants some credit and some payment for his song. Danny's manager gives Rick the "buzz-off" and "do you have any proof"?  I won't tell more except Rick and one of  his Irish bandmates head to the U.S. to find and confront Danny. 

Power Ballad is about music, art, integrity, and family. Rick wants his wife and teen daughter to be proud of him. Deep in his soul,  he knows he's a good songwriter.  He wants the acknowledgment.  And then there's Danny who can really interpret a song - put  the soul into the tune.

I  predict this film will not  stay in  theaters long. It's a "little film". Look for it on  streaming and thank me for  a pleasant two hours.

Monday Moments - Rangers Baseball, Lou Gehrig, and more

A quick Monday post.  Yesterday, Ray and I enjoyed a Texas Rangers baseball win over the Cleveland Guardians. 10 to 0  Rah.   The Ranger mascot, Maverick, is rather silly looking.  We enjoyed the game energy. 
 

Between innings, there was a little film of Lou Gehrig - the very famous Yankee who had to retire early due to ALS.  June 7th was Lou Gehrig Day, sending the message of the need/ search for a cure.

And alas, Bonnie Pemberton, a writer friend of mind, passed in December from this horrible disease. It was sad to see a vibrant amazing woman slowly lose her words and ability to communicate. She was a presence!

Anyway - it's good of the MLB to have special salute days, emphasize awareness, and to contribute funds for research. And it evoked memories for me - Bonnie had a great hearty laugh. 

Have a good week my friends. And take a moment to remember/ salute a special person who's gone from your life. 

Finally Friday

This is a pull it out of my butt post at 9:20 pm Thursday night.  I have a pile of book reviews to do. Just been too lazy to write them up for you.  Some good reading. 

I've also changed up my YMCA exercise routine, and it's wearing me out.  Whew!   Water aerobics on Monday/ Thursday.  Yoga on Tuesday.  Pilates on Wednesday. And Terry's Silver Sneakers Weights Class Friday.  (Terry is a beast).  Finally Gentle Yoga to finish out the week on Saturday.  Are  you tired just reading that?  

Plus, frankly the state of America is exhausting right now.  Just reading the daily newspaper makes me sad (often). 

Be the chief, but never the lord.   Lao-Tzu  6th century BC

One must steer, not  talk - Seneca the Younger   5 B.C   (I'll add - not text at midnight and beyond. Holy crap)

Random - Netflix shows I've enjoyed.   RAFA - a documentary about Rafa Nadal - the great Spanish tennis player.  It's an eye opener. I had no idea how much pain he endured as he won so many matches. What a competitor.  He's now retired.  Just turned 40. Has a very cute young son and lovely wife.

Four Seasons - stars Tina Fey and more.  She's awesome and this is just a funny little series - thirty minute episodes. Good for my attention  span

Pop  Culture Jeopardy with Colin Jost as the host.  Totally mindless.  The competitors are excellent.  Amazing  how much crap people know (and I've surprised myself- ha)

 I love this picture.  It sorta equates to my brain  currently.  Up and down the staircase

I hope you folks are well and have a good weekend.  We, in the DFW area, are having wacky weather.  Sultry build-up.  3 inches of rain in an hour.  Then, sunny and bright.  Let's go sweep  that mulch back into  the new landscaping again.   Rinse and repeat. 

Our weatherman keeps promising that the "gates of hell" heat will hit soon.   Oh boy!

Happy June!  Enjoy your weekend. 

Whatever Wednesday - Shut Up and Read

 Shut Up and Read by Jeannine A. Cook is a revelation of a memoir.  Harriet's Bookshop in  Philly opened right before the pandemic. Holy Cow. 

This book talks about the author's literary art salons in Princeton, Paris, New York, and Nairobi

She held book events for Michelle Obama! and so many other fabulous literary celebrities. 

She delivered books on horseback. 

This woman is freaking amazing.  cover blurb - This is a behind the scenes look at one bookseller's quest for creative freedom - part confessional, part call to action, part love letter.  Between book bans, AI, big box competitors, and real life, Cook writes her story. 

I loved this book. This woman is a tour de force.  She is amazing and inspirational. 

And she just loves books.  Truly - just shut up and read!!!!

You're welcome. 

Monday Moments - Seasons of Love

I treated myself to a matinee ticket at the Circle Theater in Fort Worth TX.  What a delight.  The show was RENT - book, music, and lyrics by Jonathan Larson (RIP).  I saw this show many years ago in Dallas and loved it. When it first won the Tony Awards in 1996, I bought the CD and wore it out. Loved the songs, loved the words, loved the message.  

Fast forward to now. 
 

The Circle Theater is very intimate. I had a great seat and here's the stage. The actors sang their hearts out with gorgeous voices. Great acting and production.   One Song Glory, Light My Candle, I'll Cover You just brought my chills. 

When the second act opens with Seasons of Love - oh my. I'm a-goner. 

Huge thumbs up.  Support local theater.  You are in for a lovely afternoon.  Definitely go see RENT!

Finally Friday - The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware

 You can count on  Ruth Ware's writing to you keep your attention, keep you surprised, and keep those pages turning. The Woman in Suite 11 is  a follow-up to The Woman in Cabin 10 and it's a doozy.

cover blurb - Lo Blacklock returns to attend the opening of a luxury hotel, only to find herself in a white-knuckled race across Europe. She's ready to reestablish her journalism career, but she's been out of the game for ten years. It's a different landscape. 

The luxury Swiss hotel is owned by billionaire, Marcus Leidmann. She hopes to land an interview. A late night call from his  room leads to her being greeted by an alleged mistress in  life or death jeopardy. 

cover  How much is Lo willing to sacrifice to save this woman...and can she actually trust her?

I can't write more. I don't want to give away secrets.  Money, power, and intrigue. Who will survive?

Whew!

Whatever Wednesday - Epic Saga

 The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai is a tour de force of a saga. It is 670 pages - a dense heavy book that takes you to  NYC, Delhi and Goa India, and Mexico.  cover blurb - it is a sweeping tale of two young people navigating the many forces that shape their lives: country, class, race, history, and the complicated bonds that link one generation to the next. A love story, a family saga, and a rich novel of ideas, it was worthy of being shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize. 

Grandparents in India try to matchmake Sonia (in Vermont) and Sunny (in NYC). The clumsy meddling only launches a grand adventure as we watch each of them diverge and converge in their lives. The chapters switch tales, countries, and time periods. The various boyfriends, girl friends, parents, and grandparents, along with servants, and friends are richly drawn and add quite the backdrop to Sonia and Sunny's story. 

The writing is impeccable. 

p. 244   Travel stories made a person competitive, even about the places he had already seen, let alone the ones he hadn't.  "Greece? Dour lot. No fun in them since B.C. The only time they become jolly is when they get drunk and throw the plates about. There's nothing to  see but a heap of stone."   It was little blips like this that made me laugh out loud. 

p. 253 Sonia returned to India from America "because it's lonely."   She said, "It's the premise of being American. You are an individual, therefore you are alone. Therefore you must be able to do everything by yourself. Rent a car at an airport, drive yourself cross country to a job in a place you've never heard of, defeat your enemies, trap a rat, make money to pay bills to look after yourself even when you are dying - "       ( IMO - Observations like this are brilliant. )

p. 294  And when was it that Sunny had learned the US was only about one thing? In the morning when he turned on public radio it began: race, race, race.........the conversation came down in a hammer blow - Race!

p. 660  The universe tries everything it can to prevent love. If one thing doesn't work to keep two people apart, then it tries another. Darkness follows darkness, across geographies, across centuries. It has its own life, unspooling.

It has been awhile since I've read a novel like The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. This is a WOW!  It's not easy, but it's compelling, impressive, intriguing, and so rich in language and story telling. 

Standing ovation.  

Finally Friday - Memorial Weekend

 

The real and lasting victories are those of peace and not of war - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Unfortunately, wars occur and valiant soldiers do their duty, serve their country and lose their lives for the cause. This Memorial Weekend, amidst the pool openings, picnics, cookouts, and beers, let's remember the  fallen and salute their efforts. 

As John Lennon  sang, "All we are saying, give peace  a chance."   Make  Love, Not War

Peace, Please

Whatever Wednesday - All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett

 All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett is a fun read exploring class, privilege, and staying true to yourself. 

Anna grew up reading Jane Austen novels, dreaming of balls versus her own reality as a kid on food stamps. After college, Anna gets to London but it's hard work living paycheck to paycheck. As a tutor for a teenage daughter, she meets the Wilders. Suddenly, she's in Saint Tropez on  a work holiday. Parties, excess, handsome rich young men. It's a whirlwind. One fellow wants to whisk her into his world, another sees her trying to "fake it to make it".  How will she reconcile her reality and her dreams?

This is not a new tale, but Everett imbues Anna's story with humor, grace, and plenty of humble pie. It's easy to like Anna and  also be inwardly shouting,"noooooo",as she  makes mistakes. The book is a page turner with some interesting twists and turns and a satisfying conclusion. 

I give it five stars for fun and descriptions of great scenery. 

Monday Moments - The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan

 book blurb - On the Run from One Enemy.  At the Mercy of Another.  

Whew!

The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan follows Emil and  Adeline Martel. It's late March 1944. Stalin's pushed into Ukraine.  Do they wait for this intrusion and the chance of being sent to Siberia. Or  do  they follow the wolves - murderous Nazi officers who have pledged to protect "pure blood Germans?

This book is well researched and keeps the pages turning. It's a tough, brutal, complex tale. How to survive?  How to keep hopes of immigrating west alive?  It's hard work to find freedom. 

This story starts in 1944.  I found it very sad in one regard - are we going backward from  progress made after WWII?   Lots to think about. 

Finally Friday - Kimbell Art Museum Dazzles Again

The Kimbell Art Museum (Fort Worth,TX) once again brings a glorious exhibit of history and very shiny things.  The Holy Sepulcher - Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem is wonderful. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the  place where, according to tradition, Jesus Christ  was crucified, buried, and rose  from the dead. So much treasure has stayed intact, cared for since the 1300s by Franciscan friars.  It's been safeguarded in  Jerusalem and rediscovered in the 1980s. 

This is a preservation of liturgical treasures - given by kings. The finest goldsmiths and embroiders from France, Spain, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Italian states, used gold, silver, precious stones, and textiles to honor the holy.  
 (brochure blurb)

gold, precious stones - breathtaking

vestments embroidered in gold.  The detail is exquisite

This silver metal piece depicts Christ's rise from death.  In person, it's fabulous

gold with lapis lazuli inlay.  You have to say, "Holy......!!"

The Kimbell is a wonderful museum with lovely exhibition space. The spacing, the lighting, the magnificent art - awe inspiring history. 

Whatever Wednesday - The Devil Wears Prada 2

Heck yeah - I took myself to the movies on Friday May 8th.  I did my homework first and watched the original  Devil Wears Prada.  I had actually seen it several times with  my father during his last year. He knew the plot, could follow along, and he enjoyed Meryl.  So it was also imperative, a bit of a salute to him (gone two years as of 5/9), that I see The Devil Wears Prada 2 immediately.  

Of course there's some apprehension. Will it be silly? Will it be lousy? What story line and how have they handled aging characters? 

No worries. We launch back into the world of fashion, journalism, and the hustle bustle of NYC with aplomb. The story handles the onslaught of mergers, artificial intelligence, aging, and the money/power combo. I'm not going into the minutiae, just trust me it all works. 

Our stars, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, and Stanley Tucci,  plus a bonus appearance by Lucy Liu, are all fabulous. They look great, and are so good in their various roles - working together or scheming.  Special shout outs to Meryl and Stanley - it's a master class. Just a smirk, an eye role,  a pause. Their timing is impeccable. 

And another character itself is  New York City  - the  glam, the money side, the hustle bustle, and the  "little apartments" (HA!)  I love it and soak it in. 

So - big thumbs up from  me.  If you liked the original, you'll be very happy.

As Miranda (Meryl) says...."That's all."

"Go"

 

Monday Moments - at the Amon Carter - Black Photojournalism

Gordon  Parks - Emerging Man, Harlem NY 1952 
 

Kwame Brathwaite - Changing Times 1973

The above are just two examples of  the over 250 photographs featured at the Amon Carter Museum (Fort Worth, TX) in a special exhibition on Black Photojournalism.  This shines a light on the groundbreaking work of more that sixty photographers working in the USA from 1945 to the mid-1980s. The photojournalists documented pivotal historical events as well as the richness of everyday life. (exhibit brochure)

A friend and I enjoyed our time spent looking at all of  the photos and discussing some of the history involved. I grew up in PA, she grew up in Louisiana. Different perspectives of stories  told, stories remembered.  This is  a very worthwhile exhibit and very  well presented. Lots  to think  about from the black perspective/ human perspective and the importance of recording moments for posterity. 

Kudos to the Amon Carter for getting this exhibit as organized by the Carnegie Museum of Art. 

Finally Friday - The News From Dublin

 Finally Friday and you read The News from Dublin title of this  blog post. Did you think I was off traveling again? Fooled you. This is a book of short stories  by Colm Toibin. It is a lovely journey - nine short stories set in Ireland, Spain, and  America. His work covers the complexities of family, longing, and love. (cover blurb)

Toibin writes with ease - complex dynamics, haunting pull of the past, and the quiet revelations that define our lives. Whether navigating the aftermath of war, forbidden love, the longings of a Catalan girl in Argentina, or  the  quiet  struggles of mundane life, all are rendered with  illuminating empathy and insight. (cover blurb)

I enjoyed dipping in and out of this book and peering into others' lives. Very well written and rich tales told. 

Whatever Wednesday - Final Farewell

After the river cruise, we had lunch at an old hacienda.  After eating, we  had time to stroll the grounds. This big fella was hanging out in  the tree. Quite the iguana

Just some last looks at flora

Pretty colors

And Final sunset farewell to Costa Rica

I hope you've enjoyed my blog tour, and have the opportunity to visit the gorgeous friendly welcoming country of  Costa Rica

Adios, amigos
 

Monday Moments - Thriller

 Last day of April  was a dreary  blah day. I decided a movie could brighten the mood. Can't go wrong with  a Motown beat. Michael proved entertaining to me. This film covers the beginning of the Jackson 5 in Gary, Indiana. Little Michael is clearly the star - perfect pitch, soul, and a sadness/joy mix to his tiny demeanor. Coleman Domingo as Joseph Jackson, the  father, does a great job of showing the overbearing dad determined to use his sons for greater glory. He even uses the term "money machine" when referring to Michael. 

Sure enough, Berry Gordy, Motown founder hears and sees the magic in Michael and his brothers. They skyrocket.  The movie then pivots to Jaafar Jackson (yes, a relative of Michael) playing Michael as a teen, ready to move on from the J5. He has so much more to express. Jaafar does a very good job - the smile, the moves, the unique voice. The beat!  Off the Wall,  Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller, the meteoric rise...

the Moon Walk dance! 

The movie shows the Pepsi commercial incident, the final J5 tour, and then the Thriller phenomenon. The movie alludes to Michael's weird childhood, the Neverland connection, etc., but doesn't go to the dark side. 

There have been other, better musical biographies but for $7 I escaped for two hours into good music. 

Finally Friday - River Cruise in Costa Rica

Nearing the end of our Costa Rica adventure.  A little river cruise

a heron of some sort

this is a line of bats sleeping.  They make it look like a snake on the tree.   Creepy!

Tough to spot the howler monkeys

Um, glad we were on the boat.  Crocodile!

Hope your nature encounters this weekend have less teeth.  

Happy May Day!
 

Whatever Wednesday - Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand

 Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand is part of a series. I bought this book at a library sale and did not realize it. However, it was easy enough to get the gist of the characters and story line of the Quinn family. Mitzi's home. Patrick's getting released from prison. Kevin and Isabelle are getting married. Bart's a prisoner  in Afghanistan and they all await hopeful news. 

cover blurb - An historic blizzard bears down on Nantucket. Before the snow clears, the Quinns will have to survive enough holiday intrigue to send anyone running for the spiked eggnog. 

This is amusing fluff romance reading. I needed a no brainer and Hilderbrand is consistent in her writing. I was entertained. 

Monday Moments - Uptown Girl

 Listen...can you hear Billy Joel's song Uptown Girl?   Sure enough, he wrote it about Christie Brinkley and she starred in the music video. Catchy little tune. 

Well, here's the whole scoop by Christie Brinkley herself in her memoir Uptown Girl. 

She was "discovered" outside a Paris phone booth in 1974.  From there, she launched into a meteoric modeling career and became one of the first supermodels. Modeling, movies (National Lampoon Vacation), sitcoms, Broadway (Chicago).  Christie Brinkley has been in the public eye for over fifty years.  Now she tells her story and extols an unwavering belief in the magic and mystery of life. (cover blurb)

Four tumultuous marriages includes the heartbreaking Billy Joel divorce. They are still friends. 

A near death helicopter crash.  Wow - that's quite a chapter.

This is a fun, interesting, entertaining memoir.  It's a mixed charmed life and harrowing relationships. She comes across as smart, intrigued with life, always up for adventure, and eager to learn. She laughs at herself and does write about her insecurities.  And she agrees she fell  for some bad guys along the way. (not Billy. He had his issues and she had to divorce him. But they stayed good parents to Alexa Ray. I believe her sincerity in those chapters.). 

Plenty of pictures included - damn  gorgeous.  Good memoir. 

Finally Friday - Beach Life

looks lovely, but a red flag was whipping.  Wicked undertow lurked.

Costa Rica resort life  - very spoiled

just waiting for a mojito

sunset dinner view

We have been back from Costa Rica for a month now. But the loveliness lingers

Hard to believe it's now almost end of April. We've been backyard prepping for summer. Some new landscaping by worker bees  is awesome and our backs don't hurt. The pool is warming up.   And here in Texas,  it's been festival time. Lots of music shows, fairs, and frivolity. We have to get it in now to beat the heat.  Hope you are having a spring fling!   Enjoy.