November Gratitude Mosaics - F for Films

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November 6

Today for the November gratitude alphabet, F is for Films - good movies entertain, inspire, challenge, and teach through their characters and events.  They can take you to places in the world you may never see for real and visually amaze.  Every year I try to see the important films when they are released in the theaters.  And I enjoy "helping" choose the winners for important awards like the Academy and Golden Globes.  This year hasn't been a great year for movie going for many reasons, but the ones above I've seen and loved for different reasons.  Well, except for Anna Karenina, which totally irritated me because it was almost like a comic opera.

Second--or maybe first--way I watch films that I've missed on the big screen is to rent from Netflix and watch on computer in the hidey hole/den.  This is my favorite place in the house, especially with the owner of those little black--or white speckled now--legs to keep me company:

Here's a sampling of Netflix viewing this year:

 

In films my taste runs to history and politics in troubled parts of the world--Of Gods and Men, A Woman in Berlin, Salmon Fishing in Yemen.  I watched In the Land of Blood and Honey because it's about the Bosnian-Serb war in the late 1990s and I hope to visit Bosnia in 2014.  If you love photography, highly recommend Everlasting Moments, the story of a Swedish woman who escapes a brutal and impoverished marriage by learning to take pictures.  Just as with books, like British police procedurals--Vera, Foyle's War, Rebus, Endeavour Morse, DCI Banks.  And just for the heck of it, throw in Jane Campion's Top of the World set in New Zealand. Annika Bingtzon gave me a little Swedish crime.  And In Treatment gave me Gabriel Brynne as a troubled therapist--yumo! And finally, do I even need to mention BBC Masterpiece Theater period dramas like Downton Abbey and The Paradise.  Of course, loved them. 

 

It's a good thing that this project is falling in November.  I'm one of those year in review people, taking stock of the past year and figuring out what's ahead for 2014.  By the time I finish this gratitude alphabet won't have anything to do for December and January!

 

Linking to November Blog a Day at Myanderings .

November Gratitude Mosaics - C for Coffee

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November 3

Continuing with the alphabet of gratitude for November - today it's coffee made my own way.  For many years I've used this odd coffee making contraption, the Toddy Coffee Maker, to ensure that I can have a fresh cup of my favorite brew any time of the day without resorting to instant (yuk!) or brewing a pot and then wasting if I'm only in the mood for one cup.

Here's how it works (starting kind of at the bottom left) 1. insert the rubber cork in the bottom of the white "jug" and then place that round "buff" pad in the little well inside the jug.  2. next add about a pound of your favorite coffee and then fill the jug with cold water and cover.  3. let steep about 24 hours, either out on the counter or, when it's really hot, in the fridge.  4. After the steep time, pull the plug and allow the "coffee extract" to drain into the glass container.  As the extract drains through the "buff pad" all the bitter oils are captured so you have incredibly mellow coffee.  5.  Store the coffee extract in the fridge for over a week.  6.  When you're ready for a cup of coffee deliciousness like the one in the big photo, just mix equal parts coffee extract, water, and milk.  Microwave for about 3 minutes.  Of course, if you don't use milk or cream, just tinker with the ratio of extract and water to get the right strength.  And there you have it--a perfect cup of coffee any time, no fuss, no waste!

You may not be surprised that a coffee lover would also have a thing for the perfect coffee mug or cup.  Mugs are my souvenirs of choice when I travel or go to arts and craft fairs.  The lower right I bought at the Saint James Art Fair, and the brown at the Te Papa, the national Maori museum in Wellington, New Zealand.

Linking to the November Daily Blog at Myanderings .

November Gratitude Mosaics - B for Books

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November 2

 

Today I'm grateful for books --stacks and stacks of them all over the house mean hours of reading pleasure.  I read from many different genres from historical fiction to police procedurals.  Especially fond of Scandinavian crime fiction from Sweden's Stieg Larsson (Girl with Dragon Tattoo series) to Iceland's Arnaldur Indridason (Inspector Erlendur series). Click on mosaic middle row to see some of the Nordic Noir that I read last year and favorite authors.  Also, when I discover new--for me--authors I like to read everything they have written.  Right now I'm working on Daniel Silva's novels about Gabriel Allon, Israeli spymaster and art restorer.  To date, I've read about 100 books in 2013.

 

Until a few months ago I ordered books from Amazon.  The UPS guys made regular stops at Summit Court with those Amazon boxes.  Then I discovered our excellent public library.  Now I keep a running lists of books on order.  About the only message that I like getting on the answering machine is "This is the Louisville Free Public Library.  You have four items on hold.  Please pick up as soon as possible."  On my way!

 

Finally, you can tell just how much we love books around here.  Instead of a man cave, Chet has a book cave!  He loves to snooze under this bookstack.

 

Linking to the November Daily Blog at Myanderings .

November Gratitude Mosaics - A for Autumn

My blog and Facebook friend Sandy over at Myanderings, Myanderings is challenging her blogger friends to post every day in November.  I thought I'd give it a go.

November is the traditional month for gratitude--remembering the many reasons we have to be thankful, both great and small.  I'm going to try to do a daily alphabet mosaic of the things,  for which I'm grateful.

To begin, here's A for Autumn -- most favorite season for it's blazing colors, coziness, and peace:

 

click on mosaic to enlarge

If this sounds like an interesting blog project, join in today and for the rest of November.  And check out Sandy's link to see what she's doing with her own challenge.  Now, if you'll excuse me, must start figuring out an "X" for which I'm grateful!