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Sharing Joy

This video of a TED talk is resonating with me this morning:

I found it at Chookooloonks (great blog, by the way), and I already feel lighter this morning. This pulls up a wonderful memory for me.

My dad is a minister, and he's a bit of a kooky minister. He loves to put a smile on the face of each and every member of the congregation when he preaches. I am rarely embarrassed by the person I'm with, and I can likely attribute that to all the supremely embarrassing (but joyful and funny) things my father did while I was growing up. You can't hide when you're the minister's daughter.

One of the loveliest Sundays in our church in Nebraska, when I was a young child, was Pentecost Sunday. My earliest memories have us releasing balloons in flame colors. Each balloon contained a tag asking whomever found the balloon to please write us. Some people even did! Watching those metaphorical lights go out into the world was lovely. But it was also dangerous: potentially harmful to animals, long-persistent in the environment, and possibly litter that would bother someone's day instead of bringing joy. At some point, my father switched to a more benign but still lovely tradition. We blew bubbles.

We didn't just blow small bubbles with the typical wands one can buy in the summer aisle of the store. We had huge wands, cloth strips, and wire circles. We created giant bubbles! And what can be more fun than an adult reconnecting with a childhood love of bubbles? Thanks to my dad, I am still mesmerized by bubbles. Blowing bubbles in the freezing Minnesota winter is quite the experience (try it sometime!). And creating giant bubbles to lift into the sky, to lift the spirit and the eyes heavenward, brings us that joy we all so desperately need.

Election years are pretty bereft of joy. How can you spread joy amidst all the tension and conflict that surrounds us?

Garden bounty

Just like in many parts of the nation, it has been a hot summer. This has made growing tomatoes difficult; it is so hard to water them enough. Consequently, we're suffering from blossom end rot because the stressed plants aren't uptaking enough calcium.  The tomatoes are fine until they get close to ripening, and then the bottom part just, well, rots.

We're watering more now, and we've also decided to make lemonade from these lemons. The result? Yummy fried green tomatoes! We had these for the first time on our 2011 trip to the Carolinas. They are just as wonderful at home.

Below, you can see the before and after pics. We have also been enjoying some juicy burgers from Omaha Steaks. We tried out the "sandwich thins" for buns, and they work great if toasted (when not toasted, it is harder to keep toppings on the burgers). It was a great meal tonight, and I'm glad we've been cooking more this summer. I can't wait to show you more of our bounty.

The Age of Desire (and Giveaway!)

Fair disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of The Age of Desire from Penguin in exchange for my review. All opinions below are completely my own. Spoiler alert: I loved the book!

My most recent summer read has been The Age of Desire, by Jennie Fields. The book is a fictional account of Edith Wharton's years right after the turn of the century, and the book follows both Edith's close friendship and her affair. It also tracks Edith's life between Paris and New England and the geographical tension place can bring. And, let me tell you, it is steamier and more fascinating than I expected. And, best of all, it is a historical fiction account of real events, which always makes the book seem more tangible.

I am fairly sure The Age of Desire is supposed to be written in Wharton's style, but I'm not sure, as I have only read Ethan Frome. I was drawn to this novel because I enjoyed Ethan Frome in high school, and I have always meant to read more works by Wharton. Perhaps this is the nudge I need to hit the library and enjoy another novel or two before jumping into the new school year.

Like many books I read, I was less interested in the romance part. Far more fascinating was the waxing and waning of Edith's friendship with Anna, her governess and then secretary and life-long companion. The relationship is complicated yet also enduring despite many hardships. According to the author, this was actually a secondary part added to the book to deepen the story. I am so glad she added this part, as the friendship of Anna and Edith made the book rich. Better still is that this relationship is fairly historically accurate. While the exact events may never be known, there are actual letters from Edith to Anna (and to others where Edith mentions Anna) that allude to or parallel the novel.

About that romance part, Wharton had an affair with a journalist named Morton Fullerton. After a marriage sans physical affection, Edith feels that she comes alive in the presence of Fullerton. Theirs starts as a friendship and percolates throughout the novel. In fact, percolating is exactly the word to explain how this romance occurs. I'll leave it to you to find out how. The novel covers this affair in whole, including authentic letters the two exchanged. Despite Wharton's request, Fullerton did not destroy her letters, so they are a published book. In fact, most of the letters in the book are authentic, as Edith's letters to Anna have also been published.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. I just finished it today, mostly because I have been savoring the read and just dipping in a little each day. The book accompanied me to the lake cabin and on camping trips, and it was a welcome diversion without being too bookish. If you're a Wharton fan, you should definitely check out the book. Heck, even if you've never read much or any Wharton, it is worth reading for the intriguing twists and turns Edith's relationships take as the book progresses.

Now, for the best part! I do have one copy of the book to give away. To enter, leave a comment below. I will make my husband randomly pick a comment to receive this book. My apologies, but your address must be a street address in the USA. Comments must be made by August 8th, 2012.

Also, several other ladies gave this book a read. It is impossible for me to cover everything, so check out their reviews to see what they mentioned (like the interesting historical look at mental illness -- also a part of the novel!). Check out their posts for a different angle and another chance to win the novel. Happy reading!

This Confetti Life, and thanks for organizing, Janet!
Definitely RA, my new favorite book blog pal -- we both love Madeline L'Engle and Roald Dahl!
Big Mario Life, who accompanies most posts with gorgeous photographs
Jen from the Block, who tackled the racier side of Edith Wharton