Mid-vacation takes (7 Quick Takes)
What I've been up to lately: places, people, books, podcasts, music, links & more for your weekend downtime.
(1) movie we watched
Dunkirk, directed by Christopher Nolan - 2 thumbs way up. (Once again, Josh Larsen describes best what we loved about this movie: Dunkirk and Our Deep Need to be Rescued)
(1) thing I published
On Being with Krista Tippett -- and Jesus? at Think Christian
(3) books I'm reading
No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II by Doris Kearns Goodwin (This selection was inspired by my friend Krista's recent visit to Eleanor's home in Hyde Park, NY)
Life in the Dark: the Film Issue of Image Journal, Issue 93 guest edited by Gareth Higgins and Scott Teems
A Ring of Endless Light: The Austin Family Chronicles, Book 4 by Madeleine L'Engle(My annual summer vacation re-read!)
(4) photos of our new home & neighborhood
Finding some beautiful spots among the chaos of unpacking.
We live in a renovated corset factory. Yes, you read that right. And I love telling people that! The building numbers are my favorite.
Sometimes I feel like we moved to my childhood imagination of Sesame Street.
Walking the dog in Seaside Park two blocks away from our new apartment.
(5) photos showing why I love NY in summer
Whenever I travel outside of New York state, and try to explain that upstate is not urban like the city, but pastoral, these are the scenes I have in mind. I took all of them during vacation in Canandaigua with my parents and siblings last week.
(6+) blog posts from this week in the archives
2015 - {pretty, happy, funny, real} contentment (A little slice of life from 2 summers ago, when we were on the verge of a whole lot of celebrating.)
2013 - Upon 2 Years in Austin (We first rolled in Austin on August 11, 2011 - 4 kids, 2 parents, 1 frazzled doggie.)
2012 - My Life As A Rabbit (The things we do to bring in income....)
2012 - Upon One Year in Austin
2011 - Murphys Take Austin, a family collaborated series
Saying good-bye hurts like hell OR How My Husband's Personal Trainer Taught Me About Love (by me)
Farewell Gifts (from our NY Tribe)
Murphys Take Austin: Day 1 (from the road, by me again)
Days 2 & 3 (a photo diary)
Murphys Take Austin: Saying good-bye (from Stump Pond, by Andrew)
Days 3 & 4 (from Endicott to Cincinnati, A trip diary in which I make the infamous observation: "our desire to feel like we're on a great adventure and our desire to curl up in a ball in our old bedrooms and watch Spongebob ran smack dab into each other.")
Day 5 (from Louisville, by Brian)
Day 6 (from Memphis, by Kendra)
Day 7 (from Arkansas to Austin, by Alex)
Settling In (a photo diary from our first week in Austin, by Natalie)
6 years ago
Our kids on a rooftop in Memphis, on our way to our new home in Austin. Craziest, most adventurous 6 years of my life. I'm so proud of us!
(7) Summer & Vacation-related links I love
Some links I've recently added to my Pinterest board about living and loving the communities where we live, worship, and work: Summer Holidays & Occasions
Dancing Fireflies at Dusk - "Filmed at dusk on in July, when thunderstorms cleared and a mist was rising against the mountains - some of the first fireflies of the season lit up the fields with their magic." | via YouTube
Sitting On the Porch. "Before air conditioning, television, and automobiles, and a number of other household-changing technologies, people were practically driven outside on a summer evening." | via Bacon From Acorns
Summer Music Festival with James Taylor and Lucinda Williams. Fun! Listen to 2 great American songwriter segments: "James Taylor will teach you guitar" and Lucinda Williams talking about God, Flannery O'Connor, and her journey through the music industry. | via The New Yorker Radio Hour
The Summer Day by Mary Oliver. One of my favorites, one of her best. "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" | via Library of Congress
The Cheapest Way to Travel With Your Kids: Children's Summer Reading List. Stories that connect kids' hearts to the world. | via IMB
In the Garden by Bobby Bostic. "Like the garden that dies in the winter and revives in the springtime, I got a new life. It is time to revive myself. " | via Plough
Robert Moses' Jones Beach. I have vague, but happy memories of playing on this beach when I was a little girl and our family visited family friends in Long Island. This article gives a brief description of the history of the architect's vision in all the complexity of its value to the area. | via Curbed
May your weekend include sunshine, beauty and a good laugh, friends. Peace...
p.s. This post contains affiliate links because I'm trying to be a good steward, and when you buy something through one of these links you don't pay more money, but in some magical twist of capitalism we get a little pocket change. Thanks!
