Summer is Here

Friday was the first day of summer. It didn't start as summer. Somehow someone figured out a precise time that summer began. If I recall correctly, it was 11:34 AM.

Spring did not leave quietly. It continued it's fourth straight day of rain showers. Summer prevailed; it was a beautiful, sunny late afternoon and evening. We had a surprisingly small DPF: five people and three dogs.

Yesterday Jeff and I followed a walk on the NRVT with a late lunch at Red Rooster Pub in Wilton. We enjoyed the jalapeno margaritas on the patio so much last week that we returned. I had a hibiscus pomegranate margarita and quesadilla. Jeff had an Ommegang Hennepin and the Northern Exposure elk burger. We shared shishito peppers. Lola got bites from both of us.

I need to start working on my summer fun list. We had a good start with a string of DPF's, visiting the Stamford Beer Garden, and going to the Craft Beer Festival. Next week is the Norwalk Art Festival at Mathews Park--a nice walk for us.

I want to eat lobster rolls on the water, go to outdoor concerts, and make a mojito salad. I'm also going to sign up for a writing class and join a poetry group. 

Summer is here; I want to make the most of it.

Book 11: On Writing A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

I'm embarrassed  to admit it--in writing, no less--but I once said that Stephen King was a good story teller but not that great a writer. I remember being bothered by a line: "She shot him a gaze." I would have been fine with "She shot him a glare." Shot and glare work together. Shot and gaze are contradictory. I think the sentence is from The Dark Half, but I'm not positive that's the exact wording. It's what I remember.

I've read 15 of King's books. Obviously I enjoyed them because I kept reading them. It's pretty harsh of me to condemn King's writing because of one line. I apologize.

On Writing combines autobiography, writing advice, and thoughts on the mysteries of creativity. I highlighted a few ideas:

"Description begins in the writer's imagination, but should finish in the reader's.

Also: 

"For me, good description usually consists of a few 

well-chosen details that will stand for everything else."

A few pages later:

"The key to good description begins with clear seeing and ends with clear 

writing, the kind of writing that employs fresh images and simple vocabulary."

I have an unfinished story based on a retreat Darlene and I visited a few years ago. I rewrote it as part of an assignment for my last writing class. I was contrasting how the retreat was advertised with how it really looked. I didn't finish this version of the story either.

I spent a lot of time reading flowery descriptions of towns and B&B's and then working on the description of the retreat house. I wrote almost 1200 words and didn't get to the main action of the story.  I used my memories of the place Darlene and I visited and added some imagined details. 

I remember struggling with the description of the living room. Did I really need to describe all four walls? The main thing I wanted to include was the wall of bookcases  devoted to a collection of Hummel figurines. I have the main character wrinkling or crinkling her nose at the dusty smell. I made up the Hummel collection and the out of tune piano. Maybe I can ditch the mention of distinct seating areas. Remember, well-chosen details.

King also captured the need and compulsion to write. It raised the question of am I really a writer if I don't write enough? And what is enough anyway? I've been grappling with these questions for years. I expect that will continue. Writing classes help. My instructor Kim often mentions the importance of specific details. 

In other reading news, I've made it through the backlog of magazines over the past month. I didn't read all cover to cover, but I read parts of all the magazines. New magazines keep coming, but I hope to avoid another pile up. 

Revolutionary Connecticut Beer & Cider Tasting

Thursday night we went to a beer/cider tasting fundraiser for the Norwalk Historical Society. We tasted seven beers and two ciders from Connecticut. Gregg Glaser was a great host offering stories about breweries in Norwalk and the legal backdrop of Prohibition. I even took a few notes.

This was our third beer event in a month--this is the season for it as many of these events are outdoors. Two of the three we attended were fundraisers--an extra incentive to enjoy some brews.  

A Soggy Tuesday and Miscellaneous Catch-Up

We started three or four days of off-and-on rain. I had hoped to get Lola out before it started pouring. We went to Oyster Shell Park and got soaked. We took a slow loop around the park; apparently the scents were quite enticing. I'll get her out again later when we get a window of dry weather.

***

Thursday night I went to a workshop at the Rowayton Arts Center: Collage and Cocktails. It was okay. I wish we had more raw materials. RAC supplied poster board and some painted papers and a few magazines. I brought some of my things (stickers, sayings, etc.) but no one else did. It was my first artist date in a long time. 

***

Saturday afternoon Jeff, Lola, and I went for a walk on the west side of the Wilton loop of the Norwalk River Valley Trail. We parked in a shopping center, walked around a soccer field through Merwin Meadows Park along the river. We decided to stop for a drink afterward at a relatively new restaurant, Red Rooster Pub, which allowed dogs in its patio area. We ordered jalapeno margaritas. 

It's a nice spot; the only downside is that we were seated next to a large window of the hair salon next door and could see people getting color and cuts. Next time we'll avoid the two tables next to the window.

We weren't hungry, but checked out the menu anyway. I liked that it offered a duck bacon BLT and cooked Brussels sprouts with duck bacon. I also liked the make your own salad option. We'll go back for lunch sometime.

The picture doesn't quite capture how it felt to sit there among the green. Strangely enough it reminded me of a lunch we had on our honeymoon in St. Thomas. It was just a sense of familiarity. 

Pride in the Park

I was supposed to proctor on Saturday, but the test was canceled. Because I didn't get 24 hours notice, I got paid anyway. Works for me.

Jeff, Lola, and I walked to Mathews Park for the Pride celebration. We checked out exhibits but weren't happy with the food truck selection. We walked over to Sedona Tap House for sliders, fries, and stuffed jalapenos. Back to Mathews. We sat on the grass, had beers, listened to music, and met Prince.

On the way home we walked an extra block down the NRVT. Then we walked to Wall Street, thinking about Bar Sugo. Banc House was the only open restaurant with outdoor seating. There was even a band. Unfortunately Banc House isn't dog friendly. 

Lola needed a rest before heading back home. A hill is the last step. She conked out when we returned home.

Another good Saturday walking. 

On My Mind

This post has been over a week in the making. That is I wanted to write a general post for about a week. Just didn't get to it for whatever reason. The longer I waited to post, the more things I thought about. Here goes.

Dog Park Friday 

After a slow start when it seemed to rain every Friday, we've enjoyed four consecutive DPF's with great weather.  Our first DPF of the season started small: three people, two dogs, one bottle of wine. Doesn't Lola look lonely?

The last few weeks were much better with about a dozen people and six or seven dogs (and more wine.)

Beer

Last Saturday, Jeff and I went to the Craft Beer Festival at Oyster Shell Park. It was a perfect day, unlike last year when it was so hot. We liked walking there and back so we could take advantage of trying all the beers. We also had some liquor from local distilleries and non-alcoholic beers to sample.

Jeff's dad's birthday was Friday; he would have been 93. His nickname is Zot. Several years ago, Jeff and I came across this beer:

We gave it to Jeff's dad for birthday, father's day or something. Obviously, he never drank it and Jeff inherited it after his death. We toasted Zot Friday night.

Walking

Nice weather with a light schedule the last month has made it easy to take longer walks with Lola. I'd say we average an hour walk each day. We spend a lot of time on the NRVT and at Taylor Farm. There's also Winslow Park, Schenck's Island, Bradley Park, and Cranbury Park.

I read somewhere that just 20 minutes outside can have a beneficial effect. It's vague because I'm too lazy to research this now. I'm enjoying being with Lola (until she rolls in poop) and having a (mostly) peaceful time and place to think. Just wish the pollen count would plunge.

Reading and Writing

I'm saving this for another post.