Catherine Stine's IDEA CITY

Welcome Visitors

Thursday, August 18, 2011

A Collection of Thirst-Quenching Thoughts



I’m still in summer mode so my inspiration is firing at random, and mostly in between summer activities such as croquet, fishing for trout, and general lazing about
(I even tried shooting at clay pigeons with my sons! My favorite part was getting to drive the electric golf cart). Otherwise, I'm either on my city deck or my country porch. I’d wager a bet that others are in this mode as well. That’s why I’m posting a shortlist of musings.

First off, I want to thank Julia Hones for granting me a Liebster Blog Award. Julia is a very insightful writer and it’s well worth a hop over to her blog, My Writing Life. In her latest post she discusses three powerful short stories.

Next, I’ve been compiling books and essays and novels about writers, artists, filmmakers and other people involved in the creative process, for a freshmen college lit course. If anyone wants to recommend a book or essay that deals in this realm, I would welcome it! To pass muster with my department head, it has to be written by a well known and well-regarded author. For instance, I’m reading Kurt Vonnegut’s Bluebeard, an unflinching satire of the art world in the sixties and seventies. It is absolutely spot-on, and I’m sure my freshmen art students will get some real belly chuckles out of it (plus helpful insight into the corruption and posturing that goes on).

Have you read a book this summer that has blown your mind, or changed your perspective on the world, yourself or an aspect of something you think about a lot?

Lastly, here’s a cheapo drink that rivals Fizzy Lizzy or Snapple or any summery tall sippa chill. Mix cranberry juice and seltzer, and top it off with a liberal tablespoon of Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice. Add crushed ice. Yum. If you like iced tea but hate all the sugar in mixes, make your own. I add a mix of teabags to a quart of boiling water: usually chai with black tea, again, with a spritz of Rose’s. Or cut up a few slices of an orange and let that steep in the mix. You can drink glass after glass with no calorie worries. Twinings has put out cold-brewed ice-tea bags. Not bad, but never quite as strong as tea that’s been boiled and chilled. Good while on the run, though. You can stash a teabag or two in your pocketbook for travels. What are your favorite summery mixes?


24 comments:

  1. I haven't read as many books this summer as I thought I would, but that's because I'm working on a new WIP and it's taken over my life. (In a good way.) I'm going to revise it right now and these drinks are making me want something icy cold to sip on while I work!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I applaud you, Kelly, for all of your inspired rapid-fire writing this summer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pema Chodron's When Things Fall Apart has been saving my sanity. She enables me to slow down and see what I'm actually doing when I'm driven and stressed (yeah, I know it's summer, but still).

    That and wine spritzers. And timeless talks late at night on the porch. The gauze of summer.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Catherine, I gave you an award on my blog today. http://www.kellyhashway.com/apps/blog/show/8146011-appreciated-follower-award

    ReplyDelete
  5. Helen
    That's almost the title of Chinua Achebe's novel (Things Fall Apart). I believe it's taken from a Yeat's poem. At any rate, Pema is pretty amazing, and it makes me want to read that book. I also love Thich Nhat Hanh's mindful wisdom.
    Kelly, how cool is that?! Thanks! I'm hopping over to your blog now.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bluebeard appears to have blue BREASTS, from the thumbnail picture. Not sure I could get past that, lol!

    Here via Kelly H & your own note/follow on Writing in Flow to visit and follow you back.

    For a summery beverage, I like ?Dole's? ?Welch's? Watermelon juice over ice, with a splash of pineapple juice, or Rose's Lime, or pomegranate. With rum or vodka, if I'm in the mood for a kick.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes, Beverly, the Bluebeard cover looked like a pair at first. Weird. It's a Vonnegut drawing, so I guess we should allow him some leeway! Watermelon juice over ice, huh? I'll have to give that one a try.

    ReplyDelete
  8. stopping by on the Blogger Ball! Just wanted to say hello! ; )

    ReplyDelete
  9. I read several good books this summer but one of my favorites is If I Stay, Gayle Forman.

    My favorite summer drink is plain old tea with a slice of lemon.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mmm... I could live on chicken salad and iced peach tea all summer. Lots of cool and refreshing light meals!
    The memoir The Glass Castle had a huge effect on me. I'm pretty sure you saw that post already tho. Wow. It was so powerful!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm into The Tiger's Wife at the moment and really loving it. Totally loved The Madonnas of Lenningrad and Cutting for Stone. Then there are two as of yet unpublished books (an MG and one YA) that I think are going to knock some socks off.

    That cranberry concoction is a definite try. I have at least another month of deck weather, so thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Peach ice tea, yay. And the Modonnas of Leningrad sounds intriguing. Definitely thumbs up for The Glass Ceiling. Thanks for the book leads.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Bluebeard sounds like a good read - I'm re-reading Dune and loving it. My next big read? I've just ordered a fantastic choose your own adventure called A Girl's Best Friend ;-j
    Think my 10 yr old will love that (we like doggy tales).
    Wagging Tales - Blog for Writers

    ReplyDelete
  14. Charmaine, you totally cracked me up! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great post. The book I have read this summer that I keep thinking about is Room by Emma Donoghe - highly recommended.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My favorite read this summer was "Salt". The history of salt is fascinating, and touches all times and cultures. Great for background reference.

    Last book I read: "The Man In The Ice" by Konrad Spindler, about "Otzi", the still controversial 5000yr old man found in the Italian Alps. An unprecedented glimpse into how Neolithic people lived.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Driving golf carts and shooting clay pigeons sounds like a blast! Those fresh drink pics look almost too pretty to drain the glass.

    Happy rest of the summer to you. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hey Catherine. Looks like I'm the second person to give you the Appreciated Follower Award :) Thank you for being so awesome. Now you have two badges!

    http://courtneykoschel.blogspot.com/2011/08/monday-blog-recommendations-and.html

    ReplyDelete
  19. As a soldier in the writing campaign, I salute you. Those were refreshing thoughts, and colorful.

    The last book I read was more of a bitter, purgative draft. The Monstrumologist is basically a HP Lovecraft story in novel form, complete with Gothic scientists.

    Best wishes on your writing.

    ReplyDelete
  20. AE, nice to "meet" you. Looking forward to the campaign and all it entails. The Lovecraft tale sounds great.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow, Courtney, the 3rd. And the irony is that I was going to award one to you!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Another campaigner here, good to meet you. This is my first time on the campaign and I'm already enjoying seeing everyone's blogs and seeing how others 'do it'. Looking forward to reading more of your posts and seeing where this campaign takes me.

    ReplyDelete