Today’s Friday links are brought to us from Do Good Better reader Phyllis Hunsucker. I have enjoyed getting to know Phyllis through Do Good Better and this post is a wonderful, welcoming look into her life and perspective. Lots of goodness here. As a person who grew up with autumn and doesn’t get to see it very often, I love these photos of leaves.
You can read about Phyllis in the bio at the end and I totally agree that you should check out my publisher’s quarterly magazine, it is lovely. And so is Phyllis, enjoy her good finds this week!
Looking:
I grew up in a place without the four traditional seasons, so now that I live where there are seasons, I greet the changes like a child every time. And now it's AUTUMN here. I think we're down to the last few bright days, before rain and frost take over. I've savoured as much as I can. I'm loving the colours. Fall has seemed later and longer this year. Also, for the first time this year we've noticed cranes migrating. I almost thought the honking and squeaking I heard one night recently was a child playing with a squeaky toy on the balcony of an apartment high above me, but the next night my son actually saw crane, and we found this video with the same sounds.
Listening:
I was thinking that I don't listen to much; I'm not much of a podcast person. But I actually just finished listening to a podcast series, a little behind its schedule. One of my favourite books earlier this year was Piranesi, by Susannah Clarke. When I heard that there was a podcast discussing it, I slowly listened my way through it. I highly recommend both the book and Joy Clarkson's accompanying commentary.
Reading:
I've been reading and thinking about Paul David Tripp's Lost in the Middle. I have felt like I needed some books to guide me into and through midlife, and this one would be my main textbook in that. What others would you add to a list of what to read in midlife?
Another book that I just finished reading is Invitations from God by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun. I also really enjoyed this older blog post, an interview with the author. I would love to read comments with your answers to the question, what invitation is God extending to you now?
To add some sparkle here, so that it's not all serious: I just started reading The Globe, by Terry Pratchett (et al). I didn't think it would be as good as real Discworld since it's a side series, with other contributors, but I'm already laughing out loud and loving the connections to actual science and philosophy that I'm reading with my highschoolers here in our “Roundworld.”
I am a reader, and I could keep going with the books, but I'll stop and share this little essay about “being a real reader” to close this little list.
Geeking out:
Rachel's publisher has a quarterly magazine. I've never gotten it, but I might have to soon. I just read in their email newsletter that they're going to have an article from Evgeniy Vodolazkin?!?
What are you good things that YOU are enjoying lately?
Who is Phyllis?
I live in southern Ukraine and love it. My husband and I are “stubborn. Or maybe foolish,” like Rachel said earlier, and we have been in this part of the world for 20 years. Cancer and then the pandemic have given me an unofficial and somewhat unwanted sabbatical of sorts, so it's hard to say much about myself right now. But I'm here, living and loving, and that is definitely enough. (The photo above is our street.)
Good News Friday November 12, 2021
Thank you for sharing your loving reflections, photos, and links!