The Big South.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hard, Brown, Nutlike Word.

Dear Darlings,

I am all rabid with enthusiasm for this tale, Indian Uprising, by Donald Barthelme.  I think it might just say it all.  If you have had the pleasure of reading it, black marks on white paper, I rejoice with you.  If you are one of the ones with less patience, with less bookshelves, with whatever it is you have instead of time to read, please enjoy an auditory reading of it, here.  There is an introduction, which, if you have a shred of sense, you will skip, by starting at 4 minutes and 18 seconds.

There is much superfluous closing material, also, after the story ends- remarks between the interviewer and the reader, Chris Adrian.  Which, given your hurried day, your busy life, you should also skip.  On the other hand, you may itch for explication, and then, you will open that Pandora's box, and your own definitions, your own precious meanings, will fly off, never to be heard from again.  And so, you are forewarned. 

In accord, in solidarity, may we nonevaluate everything, always.

Hey! Did you see that?! Updated.

Dear All,

I hope you did see it, because I have never seen anything like it!  Update:  Not, alas, a Taurid, but a damn fool Navy Submarine fired rocket test. This kind of a thing is going to scare the meteors off!

Will the Taurids be torrid this year?

Dear Watchful Ones,

Of course, you are still reeling from the astounding conjunction, and you have been spying for Taurid meteors since mid-October, and now you are ready for the smoking hot South Taurid meteor shower!  Use this handy tool to find a good place to watch them, and listen to this wonderful song on Radio Dodo.






PS

Another star song.

What you can and what you caint.

Dear Roger,

Yes, you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd, but you can roller skate on a stand up paddleboard, on the sea.



Roller Skate SUP at Capitola: Santa Cruz Waves Show, Ep 1 from Santa Cruz Waves on Vimeo.

PS 

Here's another thing that reminds me of what you can and what you caint.  In English. 

Mojo Dust.

Dear Friends,

Do you remember when we wanted to be magicians?  To amaze with sleight of hand, to defy perception?  I put a spell on you, and I practiced, and I had a top-notch deck of trick cards, but I also had sloppy hands and poor showpersonship, and so I sleight, defy, and amaze by following another shamanistic path:  the way of the artist.  I have never regretted my decision to be a artist/magician, but watching these three clips gave me a little pang; a small yen to be a magician/artist.

Pastries I have known.

 

Dear Financier Fanciers,

My good fortune continues-  I received three sweet birthday treats last week from one of my oldest and dearest friends.  She had been out to the beautiful coast of Maine, on an island even, just like Time of Wonder, and she brought back two nice cakes in a pretty handmade bowl.  The cakes came from The Standard Baking Company.  One was a multi-armed star shaped pastry, which I astounded my friend by recognizing as a Financier.  And was it good! 

The whole episode got me to thinking about pastries I have known, and pastries I have yet to meet.
I have planned for years to make Financiers, and also Friands, which are a kind of Australian close relative.

I have made many Madeleines, but I have not yet made Canelés.  I have made Tarte Tatin, but not Île Flottante.  Pithiviers and Paris-Brest, but not Le Succès.  Reine de Saba, but not Charlotte Malakoff.  I have made Mont Blanc, but not Blancmange, and I have made Pain d'Epice, L'Opéra, and Langues de Chat, but not Savarin.

Oh!  I know, so many lovelies that I have yet to make; no time to chat!  Try this recipe, if you like, from Eric Kayser, whose Financiers are a favorite of David Lebovitz's.  They were very good, but not quite as good as the one from Standard Baking. 






PS
Yes, we love Robert McCloskey here at the Dodo, and if you are anywhere near Hamilton, high in the middle and round at both ends, stop by this museum.