slow winter

Almost everything slows, like precipitation taking its time getting to the ground in the form of snowflakes. Not the finches though - quickly scooping thistle seed into their gullets, flashing glances to see if they're being watched. But the photographer is slow and stealthy, the lens is long, and they are captured. I'm grateful all we have to collect out-of-doors these days are photographs and firewood from the corncrib - the lefthand building above. (Don collects eggs, they're sort of indoors in the coop. Thank you, ladies.) Thank you, farmers in a warm climate, and truck drivers who bring food to our stores.

In 1st grade Peter punched airy holes in the tree, below, and pasted colored tissue paper behind to glow through like ornaments. Don's 3rd graders reprised this decoration last week with wreaths, trees and snowflakes. Click on it to see the colors better.

Winter slowing satisfies a craving to sit long and look out a window (not that I need a certain season for that). It's also time for reading a dense book by Henry James (so many commas and clauses in each sentence!) that I would normally read the first few pages of and shelve on top of other unfinished books for another day, which would never come in spite of good intentions. (Sometimes you get what you need from a book in the first chapter, at least in non-fiction . . . ) But after hearing Ann Patchett (whose Bel Canto I also want to read), talk about James' The Ambassadors the other day, I was inspired to push through it, in spite of poor reading comprehension, something I struggled with as an English major: I have to read slowly and sometimes re-read passages again and again. I have to read slowly and sometimes re-read passages again and again. I have to read slowly and sometimes re-read passages again and again. (Oh no, that was a James-esque multi-clause multi-comma sentence.) It wasn't until Don told me a couple years ago what he teaches his 3rd graders, that my comprehension began to improve: Visualize it as a movie in your mind. (You good readers are probably thinking: Duh.) What Don taught me was like punching holes in a book and letting the light through, like Peter's tree.

Another reading comprehension trick - besides not falling asleep - is explained in this cute 2-minute video for parents and their kids: predicting what is going to happen in the story. Following these ideas, maybe one day before I die I'll read as speedily and voraciously as finches eat thistle seed!

If like me you haven't read Henry James before and want to give him a go, you might consider starting with his fairly short tale "Brooksmith" about an upstairs manservant who has the "misfortune of being intelligent." Love this quote from it: ". . . anything that is supremely good produces more acceptance than surprise." It took me 3 years to finish it, but it might only take you an hour, hehe, just kidding. "Brooksmith" comes more easily than The Ambassadors. (When you click on "Brooksmith" it will take you to the Introduction. Click on "enjoy your reading" at the bottom of that page to get to the wonderful tale.)

Painting of the woman in green reading is by Félix Augustin Milius (French, 1843-1894).