Posts Tagged ‘musings’
28.01.2010
I was surprised to read that J.D. Salinger died today. He was 91 years old, so he certainly lived a long time. I think that the main reason I was surprised was because he is never in the press… he gave his last interview in 1980 (three years before I was even born) and was almost as famous for being reclusive as he was for writing The Catcher in the Rye. I said almost.
My seventeen year old self, like many other adolescents, was able to identify deeply with Salinger’s characters; their humanity, their yearning for a more authentic way of being in the world, the passions and recklessness of being very young. I haven’t re-read Salinger’s work in years, and look forward to revisiting it as an adult. I loved Holden Caulfield’s voice, but identified even more profoundly with Franny Glass of Franny and Zooey. The fact that Salinger’s characters inspired such devotion in fans was a source of pain for him, he who most wanted to be left alone, but it has also insured that the genius of his singular talent will continue to live on. That’s the beauty of the written word.
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Tags: Books, herbs, musings, Vietnamese, winter
Posted in Books, Treats, musings | 2 Comments »
11.01.2010
yes, that is a bicycle in the bedroom.
Our Christmas cactus is in bloom. It was really nice to wake up to sunlight and vibrant pink blooms by the bed this weekend. We inherited this cactus from some friends just a year ago, so this is the first time it has bloomed at our place. There are two flowers on it now, but there are seven more buds on it that will open soon.
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Tags: musings, Seasons, winter
Posted in Seasons, Tea | 2 Comments »
01.01.2010
With love, from Meaghan & the edible library.
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Tags: musings, travel, winter
Posted in Seasons, musings | 2 Comments »
21.12.2009
That’s right, today is the shortest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere, as well as the first day of winter. I think that’s great news, because now we’ll be getting more and more daylight-time as the weeks go by, instead of less. The cold weather will still be here for awhile longer, of course, but for me the darkness of winter is more challenging than the cold, and every extra moment of daylight helps.
I read a bit about the winter solstice here on National Geographic.
Now for a mystery:
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Tags: musings, mysteries, Tea, winter
Posted in Tea, musings | 2 Comments »
10.12.2009
“It is the privilege of loneliness; in privacy one may do as one chooses.”
–Virginia Woolf, from Mrs. Dalloway, as quoted in the above book.
I recently borrowed this book, Alone in the Kitchen With an Eggplant, edited by Jenni Ferrari-Adler from the library. Once I began reading, I found myself enthralled and barely took a break until I finished it. There’s something so irresistible about discovering what other people do when they are alone.
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Tags: Books, musings
Posted in Books, musings, noodles | 6 Comments »
31.10.2009
the jack-o-lantern looks like it is crying!
Well, it is an appropriately gloomy/spooky day here in Montreal. It has been grey, windy and raining all day, and I can see flurries of leaves streak by the window every so often. Perfect Hallowe’en weather.
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Tags: autumn, musings
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13.10.2009
Yesterday was Thanksgiving here in Canada. It was cold in Montreal, especially because I refuse to turn the heat on in the apartment so early in October–it actually seems warmer outside than in sometimes. C and I hemmed and hawed about whether or not we should bike to the Botanical Gardens (bikes are great, but are not a particularly warm way to get around, once the temperatures drop) and finally decided that it was a good idea. We were bundled up well, and I was really glad we went. I managed to gather some fresh ginkgo nuts that had dropped from the tree, and look forward to roasting them later. The Chinese garden has a really wonderful lantern display that runs from September 11th until November 1st this year, so there were beautiful multi-coloured lanterns everywhere in that part of the gardens. The lanterns are really nice this year–they are actually pretty as opposed to last year’s kind of pretty but kind of tacky display.
lotus pods and seeds in the Chinese garden
Tags: autumn, botanical gardens, musings, Seasons
Posted in Seasons, musings | No Comments »
11.09.2009
These are a few photos from one of my (almost weekly) trips to Montreal’s Botanical Gardens. It is one of my favorite places to read and drink thermos-tea in this city, especially during summer and fall. (more…)
Tags: Breakfast, fun, musings, summer
Posted in Breakfast, musings | 1 Comment »
14.08.2009
ice-cold boricha, ahhh...
It’s really hot here in Montreal today.
No big deal, it is summer, right?
I mean really hot. The sort of hot where everything looks hazy. And where I (who normally walk fairly quickly) am forced to walk as slowly as possible (especially while carrying groceries… I hate carrying things) just to keep from sweating through my clothes…ewww. (more…)
Tags: Japanese, Korean, musings, Seasons, summer, Tea
Posted in Seasons, Tea, musings | No Comments »
19.05.2009
Hmmm… the possibilities of a blank page.
It is oh-so-quiet in here. I like it.
I think I’ll grab a cup of tea and stay awhile.
Welcome to my world– where libraries are edible, and food can be read.
If I were one to write a thesis, I would mention that I hope to use this space to give myself a place to write, and share that writing with others. I will focus my writing here on food and reading, two of my dearest loves.
Welcome, indeed.
Meaghan
Tags: musings, Tea
Posted in musings | No Comments »
