Words and weaving, Milton Avery, Miss Marple and cardboard carving

Late out of the blocks today, mainly because I thought I'd done my post. I hadn't. I'd only thought about it. Oh. 

I found a great word for Joanne and other weavers, from favorite etymologist Haggard Hawks

You don't have to be a weaver to recognize this situation, but it's more  vivid if you are.

Today was about laundry, changing the bed, even washing the blanket, a sign of spring right there.  

About spring -- the juncoes haven't left yet, meaning they're not convinced it's spring yet. They're even overlapping with the arriving redwing blackbirds and summer robins. 

I noticed quite a crowd of them in the trees with blackbirds and mourning doves, when I was out walking this afternoon. Sunshine and 60s, rain back again tomorrow.

I got back to the cardboard carving this afternoon, and here's where we are up to now

I have to see what should happen in the upper part, the mountains and clouds, to balance the foliage in the trees and buds on the foreground plants. 

I also need to do more foliage after I've thought about it a bit more.This is really fun to work on, figuring out which ideas to pursue and which not.

And, on to a true master, Milton Avery, the painter's painter. This is a fairly early work, i think, but the vertiginous raking viewpoint is there

And his color choices, much more subtle than at first glance.

I was also thinking  more about actors in roles already well known from books and found that a whole lot of actors have played Miss Marple

Some of the names surprised me, but of the ones I've seen, in movies or TV, I  think Joan Hickson is the definitive one. She was also favored by Christie to play her. 

Next comes June Whitfield on radio and audiobooks, very astute portrayal. 

Next Geraldine McEwan, after I got used to her and dialled back the expectation of keen intelligence Hickson had brought, 

Then, far behind, Julia Mackenzie, who didn't seem to grasp the role at all, playing it like a little know-it-all wiseguy.  But to be fair, she played Ariadne Oliver in radio productions and was very good.

And sadly last,  Margaret Rutherford, really miscast, the movie set up like a slapstick horsey comedy idea. She tried gallantly to save it, but I think it was doomed.

Those are my completely unhumble opinions on this vital, gripping,  topic.

In other contexts, too, some actors simply own the part. Like Harriet Walter playing Sayers' Harriet Vane, and Edward Petherbridge playing Peter Wimsey. 

Or the Sherlock Holmeses Sandra mentioned. And Hugh Fraser playing Captain Hastings, back in Christie. And performing her audiobooks. Or Jonathan Cecil performing P.G. Wodehouse audiobooks, pitch perfect.

Which brings us to suppertime, and this morning I'd microwaved a couple of sweet potatoes I'd had for a few days and didn't want them to shrivel before I got to them. 

They were all mashed and spiced in the fridge, for whenever I decided what to do about them.  So supper was an easy salad of hardboiled egg, cilantro, parsley and sweet potato in a pita bread.  I do like a meal I can pick up and eat while I read my current Barbara Pym.

Happy day, well for a few of us, evening, everyone.  Enjoy unexpected combos where you find them.