Summer Film Fest 2021

 I seem to be working through Jane Austen in my local Tiny Book Group, currently Sense and Sensibility is next in line when I can fit it in.

So I thought it's time for a Film Fest. Last year it was Alec Guinness comedies. This year I'm watching movie adaptations and plot adjacent productions of Jane Austen.

Here, in the rest of the library haul, are the first two. Sense and Sensibility is the brilliant Emma Thompson who not only wrote the screenplay, getting one of her multiple Oscars for it, but acted one of the best renditions ever of Elinor. This will be a rewatch.

And Clueless is a first watch, based on Emma, spare me from the misery of rewatching that Paltrow rendition of Emma, despite the supporting cast. Are there better versions you can recommend?

I'm  familiar with the Ehle, and whatsisname Firth  Pride and Prejudice. I'll watch that again, despite the miscast Jane, because the other actors are so good. There have been several versions of it. Also there's a Northanger Abbey, and probably a Mansfield park.

If you have recommendations, please make them. This is a summer long project, so I'm up for more than one version of them all.

Meanwhile downstairs among the books I'm reading for the first time, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 

For various reasons, history, birth order, economics, a son who could not be read to, different story, I have a sparse acquaintance with picture books and have finally paid attention to them for a couple of years now, to catch up. But I'm still far behind. 

Since Eric Carle, the writer and illustrator of VHC just died, in his nineties, these guys are tough, it's time to pay my respects and read it.

Then Chris's recommended Giraffe book ( I did try the bee one, Chris, but the whole concept was a personal stressor, so I had to abandon it, but not without trying!) 

And Sylvia Ashton Warner, library doesn't have much, so this is what's up. A writer friend recommended a novel, but her essays will have to stand in.

And Tim Kreider, new to me but what I've seen I thought I'd follow up on.

First I need to finish Austen Years, a wonderful examination of Austen and her impact at different times on Rachel Cohen, the writer's, life. 

I may have to return A Woman of no Importance for now, because there's a line waiting, and I'll reborrow later. It's a slow read because I keep having to rest from the endless pain and setbacks she endured. The writing's great though.

Meanwhile in the world of plants, here's my prayer plant, leaves wide open to collect sun in the morning. 

As it gets dusk,the leaves stand up vertically, like praying hands, I suppose, in their native rain forest, to conserve moisture overnight.

And The Great Scapes are booming along, soon ready to pick. Just a couple of days. 

To be clear, I'm growing scapes here, not head garlic. This is like getting more leaves from the base of the lettuce head.

Some of the lavender is now across the street waiting for my cook/artist/contractor friend to see about lavender ice cream. We'll see.

All sorts of cultivation happening today.