Teaser Tuesday Book -- The Painted Veil

I've chosen a classic for this week's Teaser Tuesday book selection. I read it just recently and wish I'd known about it years ago. Before I read the book I saw the film based on the story. Sometimes seeing the story in film, especially for a classic, helps me appreciate the book so much more.

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly book swap hosted by Miz B over at Should be Reading that is open to all booklovers. Miz B's rule of play are simple:

--Open your current read to a random page (I sometimes cheat on this.);
--share two teaser sentences from that page, being careful not to be a spoiler;
--post your link in the comments on Miz B's webpage and, best of all, check out other players' selections and leave a nice comment for them.


The Painted Veil
by W. Somerset Maugham

Kitty Fane: "I'm coming with you to that place."
Walter Fane: "Oh, good."
KF: "When do you want me to be ready?"
WF: "Tomorrow night."
KF: "I suppose I needn't take more than a few summer things and a shroud, need I?"

p. 85

Synopsis: The Painted Veil is a modern day retelling of one of the stories from Dante's Inferno of an Italian gentlewoman whose husband suspected her of adultry and punished her by banishment and, when he dared, death. Somerset Maugham set his story in England and China in 1925. Kitty Fane, a pretty and shallow young woman, impulsively marries Dr. Walter Fane, a socially awkward civil servant posted in Hong Kong as a bacteriologist. Kitty marries a man that she does not even like to escape her mother's demands that she find a husband to support her. Walter fell in love with Kitty the first time he saw her and asked her to go with him to Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong Kitty soon tires of Walter and has a short-lived affair with Charlie Townsend, an assistant colonial secretary. Walter finds out about the affair and gives Kitty two choices. She must accompany him to a cholera-infested village in inland China where he has been assigned to help treat the villagers and find a way to stem the epidemic. If she refuses, he will divorce her and expose her as an adulterer. Bitterly she accepts her fate and they travel to the village as combatants under one roof. But gradually the horrible conditions help them to lift ". . .the painted veil which those who live call life" and find a way to change and forgive each other.

The motion picture for The Painted Veil was released in 2006, starring Edward Norton as Dr. Walter Fane and Naomi Watts as Kitty Fane. Here's a brief trailer for the film so you can see how right they were to play the Fanes. I also found the cinematography of inland China just breathtaking.

Fun Monday - Pastimes

The Fun Monday topic for May 10 is "Pastimes". Our host for this week is Joangee and she wants to know what we enjoy doing for entertainment, diversion, or just plain fun. Joangee also is looking for photos of our pastimes.

Everyone needs a bit of fun and games these days, but I'll admit that being retired, which I am, makes it a lot easier to seriously pursue these pastimes. For those of you who read this blog you know that this painting represents two of my main passions--dogs and books. Last week I told you about Willie and every Tuesday I write about a current favorite read. And if there's a film based on the book, I'll share it too. Seeing a good drama, on television or the big screen, is a great pleasure also.

One pastime that I haven't written about is painting and sketching. It's not an ongoing thing like caring for dogs or reading, but I'm always interested. I read art magazines regularly, check out galleries and exhibitions on my travels, and have a drafting table and plenty of art supplies set up in my office, always ready when the mood strikes.

I've taken watercolor classes, workshops, and tours with three different teachers over the last ten years. Here's a little sampling of my work. Don't laugh now, remember it's just for fun. This painting is an example of wet on wet. The paper is really wet and then I just dropped the color onto the wet canvas, letting the paints run into each other and "bloom". Before the watercolors dried I took the end of a brush and made some cuts in the paper to represent a rather abstract landscape.

This was an early effort at watercolor landscapes--not that the later ones got any better!

Here's a still life of some apples and a wine bottle that I did as a class painting. Thought I did a pretty good job with the apples, but the wine bottle. . .

Here are two examples of pen and ink with watercolor washes. In the village scene I did the drawing first and then applied just the barest wash of color at different spots on the painting. In the sunflower painting I laid down the color first and then squiggled in the flower shape with pen and ink.

I also enjoy working with colored pencils, especially the soft Prismacolors or graphite tints, as for these fall pumpkins and bittersweet vines:
Sometimes I like creating small thumbnail sketches in pen and ink, drawing for 10 minutes every day for several weeks. When you display them together you can see what consistent practice can do:

Often a book that I enjoy will contain sketches or simple botanical illustrations. I try to copy them. In The Places in Between, this is a copy of the drawing Rory Stewart made of the great warrior dog Babur who accompanied him on his walk across Afghanistan.

So, there you have some examples of a pastime that I don't spend time on consistently, but when I do get out the watercolors, pens, pencils and brushes I enjoy that little spurt of creativity. Be sure and go over to Joangees's place to see what kind of fun all the other Fun Monday participants are getting into.

(Image credit: Rory Stewart and Babur from The Places in Between)

Book Teaser Tuesday - Eli the Good

My book selection for this week's Teaser Tuesday is set in familiar territory, eastern Kentucky where I grew up. I recognize the language, the people, and what they value as Silas House describes in Eli the Good. House himself still lives in that region and set his other award winning novels Clay's Quilt, A Parchment of Leaves, and The Coal Tattoo in the mountains of eastern Kentucky.

Mis B over at Should be Reading is host for this weekly book meme which attracts over a 100 readers each week. Playing is simple and open to all:

--Open your current read to a random page (I cheat a bit on this);
--share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on the page, watching out for spoilers;
--give the book title, author, and perhaps a brief synopsis, so other players can decide if they want to add your selection to their TBR lists;
--post your link in the comments on Miz B's webpage and check out other players' links.



Eli the Good
by Silas House

"We were not a family who went to church much--both my parents believed that God could best be served by being the best people they could and treating everyone right and being thankful for all they had--so my guilt was not the kind that is created or fostered. I was simply made that way: a boy who cared too deeply for everything and therefore felt that any wrong in the world was partly my fault." pp. 81-2


Synopsis from the book jacket: "Girls line up on lawn chairs in pursuit of the perfect tan. Bob Seger growls from a transistor radio. And bicentennial fireworks blaze across the sky. Yet for nature-loving Eli Book, the summer that should have been the best of times is filled with terrible secrets. His beautiful, but distant, mother is caught between his father, a traumatized war veteran, and his aunt, a former war protester who has come to live with them. His beloved but wild older sister is struggling with her own painful discoveries.. And his best friend Edie, the only person with whom he can still be himself, turns inward when her parents split up. Surrounded by those he loves, watching from the sidelines while they begin to tear themselves and one another apart, Eli becomes swept up in the current of conflict and takes his first steps toward truth-telling and adulthood."

Now if this look inside Eli the Good has made you curious about either the book or the author, here's a video of House reading from the book and explaining some of the story background. The reading is accompanied by House's friend and fellow musician, Ben Sollee. House's voice takes me back to my childhood.

Fun Monday - Willie CloseUps

Our host for this week's Fun Monday, Sayre over at Sayre Smiles ,has given us a simple and totally enjoyable assignment. She wants us to share closeups of our pet(s).

Meet Willie Ray, my almost 14 year old buddy and goodwill ambassador for pit bulls. Willie has had a pretty exciting couple of weeks. He got his spring bath. Then he got introduced on Facebook. He also went to the vet for his annual exam. The vet said he was in fine form for a senior citizen--blood clear, all systems operational, only the beginnings of a cataract in one eye, waist trim and tucked from his daily walks. The only problem is that he has this pesky lump on his hip that may cause trouble. But at his age we're not going to dwell on the eventualities, just enjoy his senior years doing what he likes: hanging out, eating, sleeping, and walking.

Now, here are the results of several days stalking with the camera. Notice I didn't mention getting his photo taken as something he enjoyed. Here he is resting his head on the sofa arm, wondering when we're going for a walk:

Here's a totally functional nose that can still scout out a morsel of food at 20 paces:

These eyes are always on me. I like to think this is an affectionate stare, but have to admit that he's probably trying to hypnotize me, his servant:

Here Willie is on KP duty. He's in charge of cleaning all containers before they're pitched. He especially enjoys the yogurt ones:
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And, now for the end (ahemm-mm!) of his photo exhibition. Here he is at his KP station (the living room sofa) doing a bit of clearing. He finds that he works better on two legs for this job:

Hope you've enjoyed getting up close and personal with Willie. I'll be around to check your buddies out real soon. And visit Sayre for a list of players.

Floral Friday - KY Derby Roses, Oaks Lilies

The first Saturday in May is a great time to be a Kentuckian and live in Louisville. A week of celebrating builds to a great climax when late Saturday afternoon around 20 beautiful thoroughbred horses fly out of the starting gate at Churchill Downs for the fastest two miles in racing--the Kentucky Derby Run for the Roses.

The Kentucky Derby became known as the Run for the Roses because of this gorgeous blanket of red roses that adorns the winning horse. The blanket is made from 400 Freedom roses. The centerpiece of the blanket contains one perfect rose for each horse in the race.

Here you see Calvin Borel, one of the hardest-working and all around nice, modest jockeys to race in the Kentucky Derby. He's on Street Sense, winner in 2007. That win earned him a trip to the White House and a chance to meet Queen Elizabeth, a great horse fancier, who attended the Derby that year. Calvin also won last year on a surprise dark horse, Mine that Bird. Pretty good for an ole country boy from Louisiana, right? He's racing Saturday, so watch out!

The winner's blanket is designed at my neighborhood Kroger's
Supermarket floral shop. On Friday afternoon several florists set up in the store and work into the night designing the blanket. Shoppers can drift by at any time and watch them working. On Saturday morning the blanket is carefully transported to Churchill Downs and displayed with the Derby cup until it's time for winner's circle ceremony.

But, before the Derby with all it's out-of- towners, celebrities, and in-field madness there's another race on Friday that's considered the hometown event--the Kentucky Oaks. This time the girls take center stage since it's limited to three year old fillies.

The Kentucky Oaks has it's own winner's blanket--"Lilies for the Fillies" Garland . Since this is all about girls racing, you probably wouldn't be surprised that there's a lot of pink going on. In addition to the blanket, if you look over the grandstand crowd, it's a sea of pink--hats and fashion for both women and men. This year's race supports the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for breast cancer.

The Lilies for the Fillies Garland is also designed at the Kroger's Floral Shoppe on Thursday night before the Friday afternoon race. A 142 Star Fighter Lilies--white with deep magenta throats are nestled in white tulle in individual water vials. Silk magenta ribbons from Switzerland accent the crown of the garland.

Last year the wonderful filly Rachel Alexandra romped her way to a record breaking win and into our hearts. Ridden by--who else--Calvin Borel! She went on to beat the boys in the Preakness. Got herself a cover of Vogue Magazine and title of Horse of the Year as well. You go girl!

No floral post about horse racing would be complete without some mention of Derby and Oaks hats. They are flowery fantasies where more is always more. Derby costumes are planned around the hat, like this lovely which is probably going to be seen at the Oaks. Now, I won't be at the races, but I'll keep up with all the glamour and sport on TV. If you're betting, hope your horse wins!

Reading Brooklyn this Teaser Tuesday

This week the dog was getting shorter walks, bills not paid, the lawn turned to a hayfield and still I read on. From the opening sentence where young Eilis Lacey looks out the upstairs window on her world in a small Irish town to the end of this small novel where Eilis makes a life choice that leaves us questioning, Brooklyn, by Irish writer Colm Toibin, had my full attention. It's a book I hope others will read, so am featuring it for my April 27 Teaser Tuesday, on Miz B's book reading meme over at Should be Reading .

Everyone can play who loves sharing good books. Ms. B's rules are simple:

--Grab your current read,
--open to a random page,
--share a couple of "teaser" sentences from the page,
--watch out for spoiler lines,
--share the title and author--and a brief synopsis--so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can decide if they'd like to read your selection, and post your link in the comments on Miz B's webpage, and finally
--the fun part, check out everyone else's teasers!

Brooklyn, A Novel
by Colm Toibin

Enniscorthy, Ireland -- "As Eilis watched her, it struck her that she had never seen Rose look so beautiful. And then it occurred to her that she was already feeling that she would need to remember this room, her sister, this scene, as though from a distance. In the silence that lingered, she realized, it had somehow been tacitly arranged that Eilis would go to America." p. 25

Synopsis: In the hard years after World War II, young Eilis Lacey joined thousands of other Irish in emigrating to America, leaving her elderly mother and capable older sister Rose behind in their small Irish town. Eilis is just beginning to make her own way, getting a job in a local shop, studying bookkeeping and starting to date. Then Father Flood, an Irish priest from Brooklyn, shows up at their home and offers to sponsor Eilis in America by helping her find lodging and work. The decision is made quickly--mostly by Rose and their mother--that Eilis must go and make her own way in the world. Eilis complies and boards a boat for New York.

Brooklyn in the 1950s, as seen through Eilis' eyes, is a community where different people learn to live and work together, slowing moving past social, cultural, and racial divides. Can the Irish be friends with the Italians? Can "colored" women be served courteously in the local Italian women's department store? Can a bookkeeper date a plumber? Eilis learns to navigate all this turmoil--suffering homesickness, finding love and success in her work and studies. Then she is called back to Ireland and faces a situation that, if the wrong choice is made, will seriously damage her future.

The New Yorker had this to say about Tobin's writing: ". ..Purging the immigrant novel of all swagger and sentimentality, Toibin leaves us with a renewed understanding that to emigrate is to become a foreigner in two places at once." That was young Eilis' dilemma.

Fun Mondays, Coffee, and 200 Blog Posts

How timely. Gattina, our host for this week's Fun Monday over at Writer Cramps asks: What do we drink in the morning? Especially on the dreaded Monday mornings? And from what do we drink our beverage of choice? Well, most mornings you'll find me at the computer happily drinking a cup of hot, milky coffee and checking out blog and Facebook buddies. On Monday mornings I'm concentrating on my oldest blog friends, the Fun Monday group. And this post is special indeed--it's the 200th one I've written since starting Summit Musings in May 2007. If you knew me better, especially my track record for following through on projects, you'd realize what an achievement this is. Plain and simple, I'm really glad to be a part of a community of bloggers, sharing the ups and downs of everyday life with people from all over the U.S. and several other countries. Virtual friends rule!

Now Gattina, back to your assignment. My morning beverage of choice is always steaming hot coffee with a generous slurp of 1% milk. I use a cold water Coffee Toddy plastic container to make a syrupy rich coffee extract that I store in the fridge. To make a cup of coffee, just pour the extract in a mug, add milk and water (equal parts of the three) and nuke for about three minutes in the microwave. Perfect results every time.

I have several favorite mugs, many of them bought when traveling and carefully wrapped and tucked into my luggage to keep from breaking until I can get home. The mug in the above photo is from 2005 gardening tour of New Zealand. I bought the cup at Te Papa (Our Place) Museum in Wellington on the North Island. This amazing museum celebrates the Maori, New Zealand's native people. You can see the similarities in the mug etchings and the the carvings on the walls of this Maori meeting house that was set up in the museum.

Funny how drinking from this mug reminds me of that day in Wellington. Wellington is a harbor city and we were taking the inter-islander ferry across the Cook Strait from the North to South Islands. Luckily, I spent the day in Te Papa Museum learning about the Maoris and buying coffee mugs instead of touring gardens for there was fierce rain and winds--almost threatening our ferry ride the next day. Here's to many more blog posts and cups of coffee to bring back the good times!