"These are a few of my favorite things . . . "

It's a beautiful, gray fall day in The Flathead.  In a bit I'll be on the road to Virginia City, MT, to see one of the final productions of the Brewery Follies for this season.  I have been indoctrinated only recently into this bawdy onstage romp - very funny and I highly recommend that you plan to see it next summer if you're in the lovely Ruby Valley, or anywhere in southwest Montana!

Tomorrow night I'm going to Butte to see road show musical version of  "The Color Purple" with my friend Sam Maloney at The Mother Lode Theater.  I have never read the book (I know - shame on me, since I'm a librarian) and haven't seen the movie in years.   Looking forward to the experience.

Lastly, I am becoming interested in the work of Montana artist Russell Chatham.   I love his sensibility of landscape minimalism, boiling down a scene to spare elements.  A lot of his work reminds me of the California Impressionists.  Since he's originally from Marin, California, perhaps that did influence him.  More likely, the direct influence was from his grandfather, Gottardo Piazzoni, who worked in the California Impressionist style.  Regardless of his technique/style, I'm enamored of his work.  Don't know whether I can afford to buy his stuff, but my late partner Charles always said "buy what you love."  Words to live by!

Men on Films . . .

There's a light dusting of snow on Big Mountain, which I can see from my living room window.  Fall seems to have taken hold of the Flathead Valley, even though we're shy a week from the official start of the season.  A quick Google search has placed the Atumnal Equinox at "Sep 22 2010  11:09 PM EDT," which places it around nine in the evening here in Montana. 

Regardless, the weather definitely has made a turn toward autumnal.  By far it's my favorite season.  There is a sense of melancholy that I find familiar and oddly comforting. 

Last year at this time I was beginning the process of culling through Charles' things, an act which ultimately would culminate in getting our townhome ready to sell and me leaving San Diego for Montana.  It was a poignant, bittersweet time - the second fall that I was alone since Charles' death.  

So, as the days shorten and I prepare to settle in, I find that I'm surrounding myself with staples and "fuel" for the upcoming months - including the essentials of good books and movies gleaned from my local library.  I'm currently reading a book by Alexander McCall Smith called The Unbearable Lightness of Scones (from The 44 Scotland Street series)  This is the first of his books that I've read, even though I saw my library customers checking out his The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, I'd never been driven to read them.  However, while visiting my Whitefish branch, I discovered the Scones book on the display shelf, was taken with the title, and brought it home.  It's a fun read and McCall Smith definitely knows how to put words together. 

Ah, movies - Aside from reading, what better way to insulate oneself!  I already mentioned watching "Coco before Chanel."  I just brought home Letters to Juliet, (this one I actually rented from a vending box in my local market).   Okay, okay - I admit it, yet another so-called "chick flick!"  But, I love anything that has Vanessa Redgrave in it AND this film has the extra added bonus of seeing her paired with Franco Nero again - as some of you may remember, they were cast together in the 1967 film version of Camelot, she as Guinevere, he as Lancelot du Lac. 

Juliet was filmed in Italy in Verona and the outlying areas.  Beautiful cinematography and the storyline about fifty-year-old unrequited love satisfied my autumnal teariness quotient.  Definitely worth a watch, if you find yourself in your own version of fall reflection. 

Nuttin', Honey . . .

I've been doing a lot of late, but mainly it has to do with traveling within Montana to visit a guy I'm seeing.  Perhaps more about that as time goes on.

I just finished a great movie called "Coco Before Chanel" starring Audrey Tautou (of "Amélie" fame).    I've always been intrigued by Coco Chanel and I love anything that has Audrey Tautou in it.  Highly recommended!  Beside, Alessandro Nivola, who plays Coco's English love interest, Boy Capel, is a knockout!  Don't let the name fool you - he's an American.  An interesting aside is that he learned to speak French for this role.  Amazing!  Being a Franco/phile/phone, I am duly impressed.

Love, Labor, Lost . . .

"Les Feuilles Mortes"

Since I'm currently "between engagements," I am feeling a bit on the lost side this Labor Day.  For many years I've always been working or going to school when Labor Day came around on the calendar.  This year finds me in the peculiar predicament of being unemployed.

Yes, I chose to leave my library management gig in San Diego in favor of the less hectic and demanding climes of Montana.  For several months I've been content just to get myself situated up here and, truth be known, I've have been revelling in the freedom to sleep in.  That being said, I am coming to realize that I need some structure and routine to my life (other than getting up at 8 a.m., feeding my surly Siamese cats, and quaffing coffee).  To paraphrase Mr. Wizard to Tooter the Turtle, "Drizzle, drazzle, druzzle, drome, time for this one to find income!" (apologies for the asinine assonance)

I have been using my local branch of the Flathead County Library, which in ways has made me long for library work again.   I've just finished Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard.   Quite a delightful book, with some similarities to works by MFK Fisher, Julie Powell, or Julia Child.   I do find it odd that, being a rather ambivalent cook, I am drawn to these "foodie" confections.   I also love watching Ina Garten - she always approaches food with a sense of such fun and passion.   

I may as well enjoy my labor-less day and take a walk in the autumnal air.  The weather in northwest Montana really has turned toward fall, with some maple leaves already turning crimson.   Plus ça change . . .