Footnotes to a Conversation, January 16, 2023

“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” – William James

Plymouth

I spent the past couple of days in Plymouth en route to my first housesit. It’s a port city with a tremendous amount of history – from Francis Drake and Napoleon, to immigration to America and Australia, to destruction during WWII. I was pleased to be able to visit Jacka Bakery down by the harbour, which sells some lovely products. They have a very long history as local legend has it that a bakery on that site provided the Mayflower with biscuits.

The Kindness of Strangers

After crossing the Tamar River that separates Cornwall from the rest of the UK, I step off the train, on my way to my first housesit. It’s drizzling and there are no officials in sight as this is a very tiny rural train stop – the end of the line. The homeowner has assured me that I’ll have no problem getting a taxi to take me to the house which is just over a mile away – I call 3 taxi companies with absolutely no success. There are no buses. It’s not too far to walk, but I’ve never been there so am wary of finding my way while dragging a suitcase, laden down by a heavy backpack. Now what?

I spot an older couple dropping off their family for the outbound journey and hesitantly ask their assistance. Certainly, they say, and we make our way to the small cluster of houses where I’ll be housesitting, making sure I know the route so I can return on foot to the nearby grocery store. They stay until they’re sure I’ve found the key and opened the front door. Such tremendous kindness and a very positive start to my journey!

This is crazy. The use of plastic plants and flowers completely defeats the purpose of a living green wall!

For the Love of Books

This is such a heart-warming story about the power of books and independent bookstores. It’s good to know that two young men share my love of books and are prepared to open a bookstore, knowing that they face daunting odds of making a go of it. If you love books, read this article – it will make your day. [The Tyee]

I’ve just finished reading Marple: Twelve New Mysteries, a collection of stories by well-known mystery authors presenting their take on Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. Some of the authors do a truly excellent job of conveying the style of Christie’s books and Miss Marple’s personality. Others aren’t quite as effective, but they still tell a good yarn.

Women Artists

Picture roses circling a window or large-scale cross-stitch covering the walls of a store. Raquel Rodrigo, a Spanish artist, is bringing embroidery to a broader audience by decorating buildings with cross-stitch. “Over time I realised that this was a way of asserting a feminine art that has long been invisible,” she says. [The Guardian]

Cats represent beauty, grace, independence, but they are also used to convey witchcraft and craziness. This article is an interesting look at cats in art, artists and their cats, and women artists in particular. [The Guardian]

Footnotes to a Conversation is a weekly Monday feature covering an assortment of topics that I’ve come across in the preceding week – books, art, travel, food, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I also post occasional articles on other dates, including frequent book reviews and travel tales.

If you share my love of nature, check out EcoFriendly West, an online publication encouraging environmental initiatives in Western Canada, and Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces.