Thursday, 28 November 2019
Here we are again, at the end of another month and with Christmas looming on the horizon. How has your November been? Mine has been rather ... I'm not sure how to describe it ... so perhaps you'd better read on.
Life lately
Political crisis
I spent most of November in a self-imposed form of hibernation: not writing, not really doing much, just curled up on the sofa and voraciously devouring books while trying to keep abreast of the political turmoil that our island has found itself in due to the corrupt few. Or the corrupt many. It's not quite clear yet how many people are involved and the story is too long and convoluted for me to go into here. But it all started around 3 years ago following revelations made by assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. It now appears that people at the highest level of our government were involved in her assassination - as many of us had suspected all along. If anybody is interested in the whole sordid affair, you may read the initial revelations that Daphne had made on her blog Running Commentary here and more recent updates on Manuel Delia's blog Truth be Told or on the portals of independent newspapers here and here. I had written briefly about the subject right after Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination in an open letter here. A book about the assassination Murder on the Malta Express: Who Killed Daphne Caruana Galizia was published on the second anniversary of her death. It was co-authored by Carlo Bonini, Manuel Delia and John Sweeney and was my book of choice for #NonfictionNovember.
As you all know, I usually try to stay clear of politics and other controversial subjects but, with everything that is going on around me, I couldn't go on without saying anything. So I am really glad that I got that off my chest.
Now on to more pleasant topics.
Thursday, 15 August 2019
We almost didn’t make it to Louisville. My husband, who plans all our trips to the US, suggested it as an easy day trip from Indianapolis where we would be staying with his cousin. I wanted to know what there was of interest in Louisville and he mentioned a cave somewhere on the outskirts of the city. I think I rolled my eyes and said that I didn’t want to see another cave. But then he told me that there were a lot of Victorian buildings in the downtown area. That was all I needed to give the green light.
In the end, we skipped the cave completely and, while my husband and son visited the Louisville Slugger Museum, I headed across the street to the Frazier History Museum. It was the perfect choice for me and I learnt quite a bit about Louisville, bourbon, the Kentucky Derby and mint julep.
Monday, 15 July 2019
As I predicted when I wrote about the books I read this winter, I’ve read much less in spring than I did during the previous season. Which is normal, since spring beckons me outdoors and I start spending time puttering around in our yard. I went through a total of 4 books during spring and I have to say that I really enjoyed reading all of them.
From the book blurb:
In this house there are many secrets . . .
It is 1965 and young Alexandra Crewe obediently marries the man her father has selected for her. But very soon both she and her husband Laurence realize that their marriage is a disaster. When real love finds Alexandra, plucking her out of her unhappy existence, she is powerless to resist. Her home becomes Fort Stirling, a beautiful Dorset castle, but Alexandra fears that there will be a price to pay for this wonderful new life. When tragedy strikes, it seems that her punishment has come, and there is only one way she can atone for her sins . . .
In the present day, Delilah Young is the second wife of John Stirling and the new chatelaine of Fort Stirling. The house seems to be a sad one and Delilah hopes to fill it with life and happiness. But when she attempts to heal the heartbreak in John's life, it seems that the forces of the past might be too strong for her. Why does John have such a hatred for the old folly on the hill, and what happened to his mother when she vanished from his life? As Delilah searches for the truth, she realizes that perhaps some secrets are better left buried . . .
Monday, 1 July 2019
It has been hot around here. Unseasonably hot – the breathless type of heat we usually get in August – minus the humidity. Everything was fine until the beginning of June: temperatures in the mid-20s with plenty of cool breezes. Then, one morning, we woke up and there was an eerie stillness compounded by a heat haze that turned the sky an unearthly shade of white. The sun worshippers are finally happy – me and my plants: not so much. so, I’m doing my best to stay thankful for the small things.
Life lately
Last month I shared some photos of my new hydrangea plant. Unfortunately, it’s not doing so well. The soil around it always seems to be moist but its leaves are drooping and some are dry and brown at the edges. The flowers wilted quickly and I had to cut them off. I hope I’ll be able to keep it alive during our long, hot summer. If anyone reading this knows what might be wrong, please leave a message in the comments. I know that some of you are avid gardeners. My other hydrangea is doing well, apart from a few dry edges on some leaves. Both plants are next to each other and, as recommended, in complete shade from early afternoon. I’ve taken a good peak at my new plant and I think I can detect some new growth. So maybe all is not lost.
Sunday, 19 May 2019
As I still have not yet taken a final decision about transferring by blog to Wordpress, I have tried my best to make it easier for my readers to comment. I have switched my blog to https which should make commenting more secure and I have also noted that there is a trick to by-pass the matchy-matchy photos that are driving some people crazy.
When you comment, do not tick the ‘I am not a robot’ box. If you don’t tick this box, you will be able to leave a comment without having to match the photos. It has worked for me on several blogs without any problems. I hope this is a work-around until I figure out what to do next.
If all else fails, contact me on Instagram here or drop me an email at stories(dot)scribbles(@)gmail(dot)com
Have a wonderful week. You’ll probably hear more from me in the coming days.
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