Susan Henderson/ The Flicker of Old Dreams

The Flicker of Old Dreams by Susan  Henderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

About halfway through this gorgeous book my Corgi Baloo got on the dining room table and took it away. I came home to, curiously, a book without its cover, with a few chunks out of the pages, but unbelievably, still able to be read. It was a good excuse to give myself a few days to savor the story and decide whether to order a new copy. I ordered the new copy but resumed reading before it arrived.

This book has it all: exquisitely-drawn characters, mystery, wisdom, and sentences that are perfectly rendered. Henderson is a master of tone and each sentence reveals deep insights into her characters, making them real, leaving the reader with the sense that these people live somewhere in our own past.

It’s the story of a small town holding a grudge even as the town itself is dying. The protagonist, a female mortician, curates the death of the town even as she takes care of its dying people. Through her eyes we witness the beginning and the end.

This is a beautiful book. Highly recommended.



View all my reviews

Planet Wise garbage can liners - an alternative to plastic

For years we used leftover grocery bags for trash can liners, then switched to one plastic bag for kitchen and none in the recycling or bathroom cans. It was an ongoing chore to wash the cans, but in my opinion better than lining them with plastic. 

When Baloo Corgi came to live with us we experienced a new level of Corgi energy (after living with Corgis for 20 years!) and I bought gorgeous new trash cans from Simple Human that are all closed up and very user-friendly. They came with their own supply of plastic liners. The pure luxury of not having to clean trash cans was wonderful but each time I put in a new liner I felt increasingly guilty. If you’re never seen the documentary about the swirling trash dump in the Pacific Ocean go to Netflix and find it. It’s sobering.

There are so many things we use in today’s world that are disposable and will impact the planet for many years to come. I’m trying, again, to look at how I can reduce my footprint that way.

I googled widely and found a gorgeous alternative.

These cloth, waterproof liners are absolutely beautiful, well-made, and machine washable! They come in a large variety of colors and fun prints. I ordered a large one and a small one first to see if they fit our cans and seemed durable, and they are perfect. So I ordered two for each trash can. 

We take our own garbage to the trash/recycling center so we can empty directly into the compactor and into the recycling bins. This means no need for plastic bags at all! 

Who could resist narwhals and killer whales? Highly recommend. 

Joy in the morning

My housekeeper brought these from her garden. What a wonderful sight when I woke up and saw them.

November Hill farm journal, 53

We’re fully into green season here - the trees are absolutely gorgeous and offering near total privacy, which makes me happy.

It was warm enough last week that I decided to move all the indoor plants to the front porch. That night it dropped to 34 degrees! The plants are fine but that in a nutshell tells the story of this spring on November Hill.

Everything in the pollinator beds is growing and I watered for the first time in months to insure everything, especially the new plantings, got a good soaking this week. 

Monday was a very busy day: new entry door was installed, daughter presented her primate research on campus, and we celebrated her birthday with a nice dinner out. Tuesday was equally busy, with the garage being cleaned out (the main part only - the two storage rooms are for another day) and drywall repairs made. Next week it will be painted and we’ll continue with the storage room cleaning/clearing/organizing. Hopefully the garage doors are installed soon. Once it’s all pulled together I’ll share the “big picture” but for now, this is my new door:

It matches the clematis and the climbing roses on the left side of the big garage door, and it makes me really happy every time I drive up. 

After a dip to 34 degrees we’re now into a week with highs inching toward 90. The horses are in the barn during the days. Thankfully the humidity is low, we’ve had a steady breeze along with the climbing temps, and I’ve been able to carry on with chores without sweating. 

Baloo Corgi enjoyed his first big romp in Poplar Folly this week! He and Bear had a blast and I’m looking forward to more fun back there. 

This morning the doors are open, the trees are swaying gently in the breeze, birds are singing, and all the cats and Corgis are stretched out for morning naps. It’s a wonderful life. 

When your heart horse turns 29...

You remember the day you typed in the details of your perfect dream horse on dreamhorse.com and only one horse popped up.

And he was in your price range.

And he was in your state.

And he was in a nearby town.

And his trainer said come on over and meet him and ride him. His owner is only selling to the exact right person so there’s no pressure on you to purchase.

And you get there and meet him and he is a dream come true before you even help tack him up.

And the trainer shows him off for you and you say you can’t ride him - you aren’t advanced enough.

And she talks you into it.

And you look better on him than you ever have in your entire riding life.

And his x-rays are so good the vet takes them to his vet school mentor to make sure he isn’t missing anything.

And somehow, this amazing horse comes to live with you.

And 15 years later he is still amazing, still sound, and the best horse in the whole world.

Happy birthday, Keil Bay. You are THE KING. Thanks for putting up with me all these wonderful years!