Today is the birthday of John Batterson Stetson (May 5, 1830 – February 18, 1906), the inventor of the cowboy hat.
As you know, all the best cowboys have worn Stetsons.
So here’s some Lyle Lovett* to celebrate.
Have a great Thursday!
“For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.”
―Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
I have a pile of new and vintage books to read.
What is better than that? A window with a nice view. Maybe someone bringing you a cup of tea or making dinner for you?
I guess I am getting old, but that sounds very good to me.
…Till the beloved Master come…”
How was your weekend? Mine was quiet and restorative, but also a little sad, since I was thinking always of the weekend before when so many people were visiting. C’est la vie.
I finished E.L. Doctorow’s The March, which, again I say, is so good and wise and well-written.
I did a little yard work, but it was pretty wet and rainy. It is certainly looking lush in flyover land.
I watched a few movies: Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), which I finally got my hands on…
(This film recreates the famous raising of the flag on Iwo Jima scene, taken on Feb. 23, 1945, by photographer Joe Rosenthal. The three surviving flag raisers make a cameo appearance during this scene . Rene A. Gagnon, Ira H. Hayes and John H. Bradley are seen with John Wayne as he instructs them to hoist the flag (Wayne gives the folded flag to Gagnon). The flag used to recreate the incident is the actual flag that was raised on Mount Suribachi.)
and Learning to Drive (2014), a little film starring Ben Kingsley as a Sikh taxi driver/driving instructor and Patricia Clarkson as a book critic whose marriage is falling apart.
Both supplied an entertaining diversion, but were not super great, if you know what I mean. Sands of Iwo Jima features John Wayne saying “Saddle Up!” continuously, so it wins as far as I’m concerned.
I went to church and was a reader–my passage was from Revelation 21 by John, the Revelator, so that was fun. The first lesson was from the book of Acts where Paul goes to Philippi in Macedonia and goes down to the river to pray and meets Lydia. All this made me want to watch O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) which I did.
It was a good choice. (And the last good movie George Clooney made.)
(This is how my mind works.)
*Gerald Near, Christ Has a Garden Walled Around
I can’t believe a whole week has gone by since my epic trip to St. Louis to celebrate my dual personality’s milestone birthday! We certainly did party hardy (as they say), and I need to put a few special pictures out there to remind everyone of these glory days.
On Saturday morning, I visited my BFF, Laura, and her family in their new house, which also happens to be where she grew up and where the two of us had so many great times and big adventures (remember the easy-bake oven incident?). I had such a wonderful time that (naturally) none of my pictures are in focus. This is the one that came out best.
Laura is wondering what the cat is typing on her computer…
Later, back at party central, the birthday girl, siblings, and guests got up to many high-jinks. We began maturely enough…
No, I am not wearing white tights — those are my post-winter legs.
And after the party girl dealt with the cake,
we enjoyed catching up with old friends.
Then the party really got started. Girls just want to have fun…
We survived the experience remarkably well considering some of us are old people, and next morning we were chipper enough to take more pictures.
before saying adieu and heading our separate ways.
Thanks to my wonderful nieces (including my niece-in-law) for pulling it all together, and to my nephew for being awesome!
That’s it for my ‘party of the decade’ recap. Stay tuned for next week’s post in which we celebrate my DH’s 25 years in academia with a charming group photo in the local paper, a nifty certificate, and a flimsy, plastic gift. In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful spring weather and ‘Shake it up!’ like it’s 1981.
Today is the birthday of author Rafael Sabatini (April 29, 1875 – February 13, 1950). He was born in Italy, the son of an English mother and an Italian father–both opera singers, which explains a lot.
Sabatini wrote in English, and all in all, he produced 31 novels, eight short story collections, six non-fiction books, numerous uncollected short stories, and a play. I think I read Scaramouche way back when, but he is best known these days because of two great movies and a bunch of other not-so-great movies, which were inspired by his novels. I’m thinking, of course, of Captain Blood (1935)
and The Sea Hawk (1940)
both starring Errol Flynn and directed by Michael Curtiz.
But we mustn’t forget Scaramouche (1952) which starred Stewart Granger
and The Black Swan (1942) with Tyrone Power–
both not as good despite being filmed in flaming technicolor. (There are also quite a few old silent movies based on his adventure novels.)
Anyway, I suggest we all watch movies this weekend inspired by the stories of Rafael Sabatini. We could do a lot worse. I vote for Captain Blood which is full of action and good dialogue:
Arabella Bishop: Oh, forgive me for not recognizing you, Dr. Blood. You’re so changed… and for the better.
Dr. Peter Blood: The Governor tells me I have you to thank for that.
Arabella Bishop: You don’t sound very grateful, Dr. Blood.
Dr. Peter Blood: Do you suppose I’d be grateful for an easy life, when my friends are treated like animals? Faith, it’s they deserve your favors, not I. They’re all honest rebels. I was snoring in my bed while they were trying to free England from an unclean tyrant [King James].
Arabella Bishop: I believe you’re talking treason.
Dr. Peter Blood: I hope I’m not obscure.
Have a great weekend!
*Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini
Boy, am I glad the birthday festivities were last week…because we have had some very interesting weather this week!
However, we flyover types do love our spring weather–as evidenced by the large number of “viewer pics” sent in to the KTVI website (see above).
Well, you know what they say about April showers…
*A.A. Milne
Phew! What a whirlwind of activity last weekend! We had four extra people in our house and several get togethers involving copious amounts of food and drink.
My darling daughters planned everything.
and pulled it all off with aplomb.
Darling daughter #3 made the spectacular 3-layer cake (cheesecake, cake, mousse).
My brother and sister came from distant lands as did some very old friends.
And my in-town friends put on their party pants and joined in the fun.
We even managed a visit to the Missouri Botanical Gardens at the height of the azalea bloom.
Of course, there was frozen custard.
It was delovely to say the least.
*Cole Porter, “It’s Delovely”
A couple of days ago on the Man Repeller blog they asked the important question: What’s your movie dress?
Good question, but their answers weren’t that exciting. I mean how can you make a list like that and not include something worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s?
I could not find a good picture of the dress/hat ensemble Holly wears to visit Sally Tomato…but really, has any woman ever looked better than Audrey in this scene?
In fact, they never mentioned ol’ Audrey at all. How is that possible?
Audrey was mentioned in the comments section and there were other good suggestions, including Glinda in the 1939 Wizard of Oz. Here are a few more…
As a child I was struck by the dress Jane Fonda wears in the scene in Cat Ballou (1965) when she is about to be executed for murder.
I loved that dress and it is the one I was thinking of when we chose the pattern for my “May Day” dress in 1974.
Clearly my friend Harriet was thinking the same thing.
Who can deny that there were many great dresses in the movie White Christmas (1954)–such as this classic number worn by Rosemary Clooney at the Carousel Club.
Great accessories too! Those gloves! The bottom of the dress was great too–it belled out to great effect…
Here’s another great dress worn by Rosemary in the Minstrel Show number–love those red bangles!
This more conservative green velvet cocktail dress is pretty great too. And I am loving that couch as well.
And who wouldn’t want to pull this dress out of the closet for a night on the town?
I know I have always wished I could. As you can see, the older I get, the more I relate to Rosemary rather than Vera-Ellen!
So…what’s your movie dress?
*Yves Saint-Laurent
GIF found here.
The Queen in 2007
Today we wish Elizabeth a happy 90th birthday. She was born four months after our mother and to me, at least, they always bore an uncanny resemblance to one another.
Anyway, I hope she lives forever.
