Many years ago I read a book by Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker’s Creek. It made a huge impression on me, and from time to time I’ll pick it up and read random passages. As I was walking through the library this morning, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it, on tape! I imagined how much fun it would be to have one of my all time favorite books read to me and checked it out. My only working tape player is in my car. It took ten minutes, that’s all, to turn it off. The voice reading it was sharp and hard, not the voice of the book, nor the voice in my imagination. I tried to listen. I felt sick. It’ll be returned tomorrow. I wonder how I would have sounded reading it aloud… it’s a book that needs a whisper. It was lost in translation.. If you are an observer of nature, check out the book.
I’m looking forward to the next week. I haven’t taken the time to read or spin much lately. There has been a lot of work. When I get time in the evening, I’ve been knitting. During the day I’ve fit in dyeing and the early spring yard clean up. But, we’re heading north. I’m figuring there will be plenty of outdoor work to do, there’s always lots of that kind of work this time of year on our farm. If the snow is out, and it may not be, ( last snow is usually the second week of May) there will be gardens to uncover, till and top dress in preparation for planting. The hostas we grow to sell must be uncovered and set out to warm and the balsams have to be topped. I haven’t pruned the apple trees yet, and it’s not too late to get that out of the way. There will be lots to do, but with only dial up my computer time will be measured, not on all the time, and may give way to spinning and I hope, reading. Then again, it could snow…
One more reminder. You folks in the midwest, the hummingbirds are everywhere. They are arriving. Reports show them to Lakes Superior and Erie. In the Northeast, there is a report of a showing on Cape Cod, Connecticut, and Mass. I have yet to see one. By this time next week, perhaps.
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3 responses to “forward..”
Interesting thoughts. I know exactly what you mean about the voice of the book, but I never put the two together to explain why I couldn’t listen to a particular book on tape.
Hope you get some time in to spin and read.
Also one of my favorite books. She also wrote a very different book….The Living….about the development of the US Pacific Northwest. But she does have wonderful lyrical writing.
You won’t lose me because of dyeing pictures. I LOVE the last 2 purples you have done – the Lilac is wonderful. How much yardage do you have of that?
oH, gOsh Judy! Annie Dillard… I hadn’t thought of her work in years. I sure can understand the haste to lose a jagged voice reading it though, yuck. Hmmm…. perhaps it’s time to hunt her up again. su