spring

Seattle's been sunny for five days in a row now, and today we'll hit 51 degrees. Outside the air smells like dirt and honeysuckle, and wild crocuses are blooming in our front yard. Meanwhile, New York gets hit with a winter storm and Little Rock suffers freezing rain.

Don't believe what they tell you about the rain in Seattle. It's a myth, a natural defense mechanism to protect the city from too many intruders. Seattle is blue sky, tall rows of evergreens, mist rising off a lake, and snow-topped mountains in the not-too-distant distance.

Miss Nancy's new book is out, and I'm going to be using it with some girls at school starting this Friday. If you work with teenage girls, or if you are a teenage girl, you should check it out. I don't usually like these kinds of books. I like this one.

I'm thinking about resolving to only wear second hand or handmade clothes for the rest of my life (underwear excluded). Better for the environment, and cheaper, and more fun. I've recently revamped three articles of used clothing using my own little sowing machine. Another way to make all things new.

And all things are being made new. I have a new job, one that doesn't require me to sell my soul. Jack's going back to grad school; and he has a new song up, "Phylactery Blues". Katie is engaged. The writers are off their strike and we are about to have new tv shows. Obama will be our next president (he's no Ron Paul, true, but he's no GWB either).


Books:
The Omnivore's Dilemma - Michael Pollen
You may think that what you're eating is food, but it's not. It's mostly genetically modified corn.

Julie and Julia - Julie Powell
Julie places her faith in Julia Child and finds her life changed. By her cooking and her blog. Don't worry, I'm not holding out any hope here for life-change through my blog.

The Maytrees - Annie Dillard
Jack always wants to call this book "The Matrices", as in, plural of Matrix. It's lovely and spare, but I'm having a hard time caring for the characters.

Next on dock: The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett and Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vendela Veda.

Movies:
Please, please, let this be the year for an upset. Let Juno win Best Picture. And let "falling slowly" win best song.

Last week I fell asleep in the theatre during Persepolis. Read the book or see the movie. Don't try both.

Decalogue.

Forgive me, but I liked "The Jane Austen Book Club" and I didn't really like "Becoming Jane".

Music:

We're trying emusic.com. Their selection is not as wide as it could be, but so far it's working out ok. This month's albums, for us, are the Innocence Mission's "We Walked in Song" and the Mountain Goat's "Heretic Pride".

Baking:
Double Chocolate Layer Cake
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares
Buttermilk Cinnamon Bread

I had the week off. Can you tell?

Jack and Joy wrote a song last night about Casey the Rabbit.