About Me

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I am a retired English teacher and department head, the mother of three grand mother of four, and have been married to the same man for 52 years. I subscribe to Dr. PM Forni's concept of Civility. I was born in South Philadelphia and grew up in the 'burbs. I love soft pretzels and cheesesteaks, the Phillies, the Eagles, and San Diego. I love being Mom, Aunt Kathy, Nona Kathy, and Teacher. I spend a lot of time in my gardens in the spring and summer, and in the winter I plan what I'm going to plant. I also am an avid reader and photographer.

Translator!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Meet Diascia...

I discovered this annual early this season.  It doesn't mind hot or inconsistent weather and it doesn't get leggy like everybody else does at this time of year. So far, I've found it in two varieties:  Flirtation and Coral Belle.  Suffice to say I'll be looking for it next spring.  The purple annual on the left is also a favorite:  scaevola (Blue Wonder or Fan Flower).




Next, the dinner party was so much fun.  The food and wine were good and just sitting around and re-connecting with a few neighbors (Ermina reads this blog!!!) felt so good!  The corn-pudding I picked up on Facebook of all places was excellent (with a few changes) and will be perfect for Thanksgiving.

Finally, a dear blogger friend, Sally, mentioned she too missed teaching "The Scarlet Ibis", by James Hearst.  Her comments made me want to share the rest of the opening paragraph with you.  Imagine it being read with a soft, Southern accent.

"It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born, that the ibis lit in the bleeding tree.  The flower garden was stained with rotting brown magnolia petals and ironweeds grew rank amid the purple phlox.  The five o'clocks by the chimney still marked time, but the oriole nest in the elm was untenanted and rocked back and forth like an empty cradle.  The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted across the cotton field and through every room of our house, speaking softly the names of our dead."


My book still bears the marks -- my notes, the progress of each class' discussion, notes on foreshadowing...students' eyes actually tearing up as they read the ending.  I've since learned that the story is being developed into an opera!

11 comments:

Forsythia said...

Now THAT'S writing. I loved the image of the abandoned nest as an empty cradle.

Cheryl said...

I saw so much of the fan flower in Stone Harbor. I love it but have never grown it. It's on my list for next year.

Sally Wessely said...

Really, an opera? Wow. Thanks for the mention. I loved reading these lines again. The first paragraph has such great foreshadowing. I don't have my notes or books. I will have to find a copy and read it again.

This post reminds me of how much I love to read short stories. I haven't read any for quite some time.

Also, I just read Richard Russo's memoir "Elsewhere" yet? I read it recently and really enjoyed it.

Mage said...

That's just so tender and careful. One pauses as one reads it and reads it again just for the taste of the words. Thank you not only for that but for the lovely note.

Mage said...

PS: Wonderful flowers. I wonder how they would do here.

George said...

I'm not familiar with Diascia, but it is certainly beautiful.

Kay said...

I've seen that purple flower before and wondered what it was. These are beautiful floral blooms.

Gilly said...

Those flowers are really pretty - I must investigate as I have a few blank spots in the garden! But I'm afraid I have never read the book but the writing brings such a clear picture to my mind - beautiful!

Haddock said...

What a variety of colours.

Mage said...

RYN: Delightful. I put the link up on Facebook too.

(GBS) NewsFromTheHill said...

You convinced me! When I finish my current book, I'll look for The Scarlet Ibis. That was marvelous!