Thursday, July 17, 2025

A Gathering of Poetry: July 2025

It's the third Thursday of the month so I'd like to welcome you to A Gathering of Poetry. I had glimmers of this poem in my memory, but what I mainly recalled was tables and chairs abandoned by a pond. It took me a while to find it, but I knew it as soon as I read it, and was glad to see that chairs, tables, and a lake were actually mentioned. 

 

The Chairs That No One Sits In
by Billy Collins 
 
You see them on porches and on lawns
down by the lakeside,
usually arranged in pairs implying a couple

who might sit there and look out
at the water or the big shade trees.
The trouble is you never see anyone

sitting in these forlorn chairs
though at one time it must have seemed   
a good place to stop and do nothing for a while.

Sometimes there is a little table
between the chairs where no one   
is resting a glass or placing a book facedown.

It might be none of my business,
but it might be a good idea one day
for everyone who placed those vacant chairs

on a veranda or a dock to sit down in them
for the sake of remembering
whatever it was they thought deserved

to be viewed from two chairs   
side by side with a table in between.
The clouds are high and massive that day.

The woman looks up from her book.
The man takes a sip of his drink.
Then there is nothing but the sound of their looking,

the lapping of lake water, and a call of one bird
then another, cries of joy or warning—
it passes the time to wonder which. 

====

Collins, Billy. "The Chairs That No One Sits In". Poetry, November 2008. 

You can read more about Billy Collins here.  

====

Thank you for reading and joining us for our monthly Gathering of Poetry. You are
more than welcome to add your link below if you would like to share one of your
favorite poems. The more the merrier!

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Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Unraveled Wednesday: 7/16/25

I'm joining Kat and the Unravelers with some very slow progress on the second rainbow sock. Behold, three quarters of a heel flap! 

I did find the watermelon yarn I talked about last week and it's sitting here by my knitting spot as incentive. 

It was a not-terrific week in reading but that's to be expected once in a while. The first two are ARCs and the last book is one that was definitely not for me. 

I requested Next of Kin from NetGalley solely because I thought I might enjoy a memoir written by a chef, but I knew nothing about Gabrielle Hamilton. I should have started with her first memoir, Blood, Bones & Butter as that one was more becoming a chef and opening her restaurant. The best way I can describe this book is that it is sharp, unsentimental, but not very cohesive. It is more meandering and introspective, at times to the point of feeling closed off. I might know a little bit more about Hamilton after reading Next of Kin but not much.

The themes—family (chosen and otherwise), aging, duty, and estrangement—are compelling, and there are moving moments, particularly when Hamilton explores the unspoken bonds and emotional labor that come with caring for someone out of obligation rather than affection. Still, I found the pacing slow, and at times the narrative felt stuck in its own head, circling the same emotional territory without offering new insight. I admired the honesty, but I also felt like I was being kept at arm’s length.

One moment that especially stayed with me involved the death of one of Hamilton’s siblings by suicide. Their father’s reaction—"Well, if you have to lose one, at least it's the one you liked least"—was staggering. Hamilton’s response, “I had known, of course I had, that we were ranked,” is chilling in its quiet acceptance. I can’t begin to understand what it would be like to grow up in a family like that. My own experience with family offers no frame of reference for that kind of hierarchy or cruelty, and I found myself wondering what kind of people her parents really were.

That said, Hamilton’s prose is often incisive, and readers who enjoy character-driven, reflective nonfiction might find more to appreciate here than I did. A worthwhile but uneven read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on October 14, 2025. Three stars from me. 

Like Family by Erin O. White is a thoughtful, emotionally layered debut that explores the complexities of chosen family, parenthood, and the invisible threads that bind people together. Set in the picturesque town of Radclyffe, New York—a place so idyllic it almost feels like a lifestyle catalog—the novel offers a warm and often touching portrait of three interconnected families trying to live out their values in real life while holding onto long-held secrets.

The heart of the story lies in Ruth and Caroline’s deep, decades-long friendship, and White does a lovely job capturing the quiet intimacies and unspoken loyalties that define such relationships. The novel thoughtfully examines how love—romantic, platonic, parental—can be both sustaining and messy, especially when secrets and unresolved tensions are involved.

However, the book sometimes feels a bit too serene, even when major emotional revelations or crises occur. The stakes don’t always land with the weight they should, and some of the characters—especially the men—come off more like supporting cast than fully realized people. There are moments when the prose veers into overly reflective territory, slowing the pace and dampening the tension that the story hints at but never quite fully delivers on. I often found myself confused by the number of characters, particularly the adults and their many children, who sometimes blended together. Many of the characters had similar voices or traits, making it hard to keep track of who was who or feel fully invested in each of their stories. While the writing is warm and reflective, the pacing occasionally drags, and some emotional revelations felt muted by the calm, almost too-peaceful tone.

Still, Like Family is a compassionate and earnest exploration of modern family life and the blurry lines between friends and kin. It's not a book that will shake you, but it may leave you quietly moved—and grateful for the complicated people who make up your own chosen family.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on November 4, 2025. This was another three star book for me. 

I'll admit that I placed These Summer Storms by Sarah Maclean on hold at the library because I liked the cover and it had a Kirkus starred review. It's my fault for not realizing that the author usually writes historical romance novels and this is her first foray into contemporary fiction. I am not her target audience but I was curious enough to find out how the premise played out. Sadly, I found cardboard characters, contrived conflict, and dialogue so over‑explained it felt like a never‑ending game of “tell, don’t show.”

The premise has promise but it is never realized. A dead billionaire patriarch forces his heirs to stay on the family’s private Rhode Island island for a week and complete a series of “tasks” if they want their inheritance. Each assignment is supposed to expose hidden desires and deep wounds; instead, they’re little more than petty errands that telegraph their moral lessons from a mile away. The family's last name is Storm, so there are far too many storm, ocean, sand, and saltwater similes and metaphors.

The one-dimensional characters include Greta, the eldest daughter desperate for approval; Alice, the “black‑sheep” sibling is defined almost entirely by how often she reminds us she left the family fortune behind and how badly she wants to leave again. Brother Sam, the presumptive heir mansplains, while youngest sister Emily provides crystals and whimsy and Mom weaponizes grief. Jack Dean, the rugged executor of Dad’s will, exists to smolder and provide romance for Alice. That’s it for depth.

The pacing alternates between glacial and frantic. We crawl through heaps of internal monologue (often the same revelation repeated in slightly different words) before racing through a final act pile‑up of twists that feel tacked on for shock value. I was not shocked, just let down by the final "twist".

I admire Sarah MacLean for leaving her historical comfort zone and she seems fairly successful there, but These Summer Storms reads like an early draft. At best I was entertained by dialogue like this: "The moment Jack's big hands slid into the back pockets of her shorts, activating a number of as yet undiscovered neural pathways, clear-mindedness was lost at sea." And this: "Jack made it feel like fantasy, slanting his kiss over hers, like the pirate that dived into the sea leaving his ship behind to follow her to shore." I've also learned to question what Kirkus Reviews considers exceptional merit and high quality.
 One puny little star and a lesson learned. 

What are you making and reading this week?

 

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Read With Us: The Friend

Our summer Read With Us book is The Friend by Sigrid Nunez, winner of the 2018 National Book Award for Fiction. A quiet yet powerful meditation on grief, love, writing, and the unbreakable bond between humans and animals, this novel is sure to spark deep conversation and reflection.

What’s It About?

After the sudden death of her closest friend and mentor, an unnamed writer inherits his Great Dane—an enormous, grieving dog she’s not entirely sure she can care for. As she adjusts to this unexpected companionship, the narrator finds herself contemplating not only the nature of friendship and loss, but the meaning of writing, solitude, and emotional survival.

The Friend is spare, elegant, and emotionally resonant. It’s not your typical dog book—though fans of animal stories will appreciate it—but a literary exploration of the way we tether ourselves to others, and what happens when those ties are severed.

Why Read with Us?
This is a perfect book for discussion. It blends narrative with philosophical musings, literary references, and dark humor. Whether you’ve experienced loss, wrestled with loneliness, or simply love a story that digs below the surface, there’s something here for you.

Together, we’ll explore questions like:

  • How do we grieve in silence, and how do we make meaning from absence?

  • What role do animals play in helping us heal?

  • Can a relationship endure even after one person is gone?

The hardcover, Kindle, and audio versions of the book are all available from my library without much of a wait. Hopefully, we'll all have plenty of time to place a hold, get the book, and read it. The Kindle and paperback versions are priced reasonably from Amazon and the audio version is narrated beautifully by Louisa Harland. I'm sure your local bookseller could order a copy for you if you're lucky enough to have a local bookseller.

KymCarole, and I will be talking about the book, giving additional information, and doing promotional posts through July. Discussion day for The Friend is scheduled for Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 7:00 pm Eastern time, so mark your calendars. We'll ask questions on our blogs that day and then host the always fun, educational, and entertaining Zoom discussion.

We can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this unforgettable novel.

Grab a copy, find a quiet corner, and Read With Us!


Monday, July 14, 2025

Sometimes Monday ...

 ... is a good day to quit Duolingo. 

I actually stopped effective Friday after I had completed 365 days. I began this one year ago to try to "exercise" my brain in hopes that my cognition wouldn't slip too much as I age, but it's no longer fun. In fact, it's kind of stressful and I'm not sure I'm learning much of anything.  

The darn owl has been persistent in badgering me despite turning off all the reminders. Maybe someday he'll finally understand that I've broken up with him and leave me alone. Maybe someday I'll give Duolingo another try with a different language, but for now I'm enjoying Wordle more and that is certainly testing my brain.
 
 
I'm breathing a big sigh of relief and feeling quite free this morning; I hope you are also having a good Monday! 

Friday, July 11, 2025

What to Write About?

I seem to have run out of things to blog about, so today I am reduced to writing about that. Summer doldrums have hit before, usually in August when it's desperately hot and dry. This is just the beginning of July, but I think I have arrived in the doldrums. 

NOAA's picture of the doldrums. I thought it was kind of pretty  
 

  • I only know one definition of doldrums- a period of inactivity or stagnation, but did you know that the "doldrums" is also a nautical term? It refers to the belt around the Earth near the equator where sailing ships sometimes get stuck in windless waters. NOAA has a page about it if you're interested. It says sailing ships can be becalmed for several weeks, but I hope my period of doldrums is shorter. I am fairly sure that I will feel more like doing something when the heat and humidity abate (so maybe in September).
  • Be careful how much you earn if you are receiving Social Security. John knew there was a limit as to how much he could earn as a consultant without a penalty, but someone's math was off and he made $144 too much last year. We just paid back Social Security over $6000 in overpayments, and this was an expense I hadn't budgeted for. I'd like to assure Elon that we are not responsible for any waste or fraud. 
  • I've told you about two slightly negative things, so it's time for something more positive. John and Justin went to Alaska on a fishing trip and brought back 50 lbs. of salmon and halibut. I rarely make fish, but I have been enjoying it a lot. It's easy to do a few filets in the air fryer after seasoning them with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika, and I'll probably like them even better once I get motivated enough to go to the grocery store and get some lemons. Fish and lots of garden vegetables make a dinner that I can prepare even if I'm stuck in the doldrums.  
  • I am becoming impatient with Patience, a British show on PBS Masterpiece. I really enjoy the show, but only one episode is released each week. There are two more episodes to go, and I'm sure I'll be sad after I've watched them and there aren't any more. But I have also enjoyed Magpie Murders, Moonflower Murders, and Maryland while I wait for more episodes. What I'd really like is another season of Unforgotten, but maybe I'll just have to rewatch the first five seasons while I wait for the sixth season. I'd be glad for any suggestions you might have, and they can be about other things besides murder!
  • It's amazing how quickly I can knit in my mind! I haven't yet reached the heel on the second rainbow sock and after I finish that pair I still have to knit the second sock of the blue and green striped pair. And yet, I've found myself wondering what other self-striping yarn I have in my stash. I just checked Ravelry and it looks like there are two skeins of watermelon yarn in my stash. All I have to do is leave the doldrums and go upstairs to my yarn closet and find them. It's certainly a relief to know that I'll be able to continue my sock knitting kick. 
  • Here is a great summer salad recipe that I made for the first time this week. I made it pretty much according to the recipe, but I didn't have any hoisin sauce for dressing and I only added chicken to John's portion (because he has to have meat to call it dinner!) but I thought it was delicious. I like how the ramen noodles soak up the dressing and the mandarin oranges taste like a treat when all you want is a nice cold salad. 

It seems that I found a few things to write about even if none of it was of any real consequence. I wish you a lovely weekend and I'll leave you with a quote that I like:

There is no panacea, or utopia, there is just love and kindness and trying, amid the chaos, to make things better where we can. And to keep our minds wide, wide open in a world that often wants to close them.

 ~ Matt Haig, from Notes on a Nervous Planet ~

 

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Unraveled Wednesday: 7/9/25

I'm joining Kat and the Unravelers with SiPs yet again. Kat is having some tests done and I'm sending her all the good juju, so while there isn't an official Unraveled linkup, Wednesday is the highlight of my blogging week, so I'm here with a sock and a start on the second. 


I took the photo about five minutes before a thunderous downpour started so the colors look a little off, but it's a rainbow so you get the idea.  

I only finished one book this week, but it was a good one. Finding Grace is a book with a really unique premise, told in an equally unique way. There’s a reason the publisher’s synopsis is a bit vague — and I’d recommend going in without reading detailed reviews or searching for spoilers. I began reading not knowing much, and I’d suggest the same to others. You’ll likely know by the end of the first chapter whether this one is for you.

This is a deeply felt character study that dives into grief, loss, obsession, and the weight of regret — especially how a bit of honesty at the right time could have prevented so much pain. The characters are what make the story shine. I loved how they surprised me — sometimes with their wisdom, sometimes with their staggering stupidity, but always in ways that felt fully human.

Finding Grace is an impressive debut. Though I didn’t like the ending much at all and subtracted a whole star because of it, I loved the rest of the book. I’ll definitely be watching for whatever Loretta Rothschild writes next.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. It was published on July 8, 2025. 

What are you making and reading this week?

Friday, July 4, 2025

Peas, Peas, Peas, & Beans

John left yesterday morning to get his truck fixed so I took the opportunity to get started on blanching all the peas and beans that we have picked this week. I have a system that works for me, and not surprisingly, it works much better without any extra "help" in the kitchen. 

First, fill the blancher with water and get the water boiling. Get your peas and beans out of the refrigerator and line them up next to the stove. This photo was taken after I had already done one bag of peas. 

Boil the peas for five minutes. Be sure to use any spare moments while waiting to read the book that you are really anxious to finish. In my case, it was Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild, but any book can be substituted. 


After five minutes, drain the peas and cool them down in an ice bath to stop the process. This takes a lot of ice because you are dumping boiling hot vegetables into your ice bath, so I just make ice in five or six plastic bowls when I know I'm going to be blanching.

Keep the process going while you fish the cooled peas out of the ice bath and put them in a colander to drain. 
 
 
Keep blanching, cooling, and draining and place the drained peas in labeled freezer bags.
 
 
Place all the bags of peas and beans to the freezer and lay them out in a single layer so they freeze better. Pro tip: Be sure to seal all the bags completely. It's surprising how quickly damp peas will freeze directly to the cold freezer surface if they are accidentally spilled out of an unsealed bag. A long-handled metal spoon works well to scrape them off. 
 
Dump out the remaining boiling water as soon as possible, wash all the pots and utensils used, put all the dish towels and pot holders in the laundry, and don't forget to pat yourself on the back for a job well done. 
 
I don't like blanching and freezing vegetables much, but future me loves to go to the basement and get out a pack of frozen vegetables to serve with dinner. Here's hoping you have something good for dinner tonight (we're having burgers on the grill and lots of fresh string beans) and a wonderful weekend.