Of noble ladies and magnolia blossoms

My dear one, 

Books are my constant companions these days. Without the pressures of school-year obligations save for a bit of summer-school teaching, I have extra time at home for domestic activities such as cooking and cleaning, charitable endeavors through my church - and also for the intellectual pleasure of reading. The more I pore over books old and new, the more I come to love the writers of generations past. Like a palate becomes schooled to appreciate fine cuisine over fast food, I would much rather digest the works of Augustine, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis than nibble on the writings of Max Lucado, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and Amish vampire novels. That's not to say that there are no modern authors I enjoy, but rather that I tend to have a mindset of "What more can be said that hasn't been said already?" I love books that make me think, books whose phrases are finely crafted and carefully thought through, books that make me want to underline whole pages...

Speaking of Tolkien, I am finally digging into the Lord of the Rings books (currently half-way through The Two Towers) after many years of resolving to do so. I love the vividness of Tolkien's characters - especially his noble ladies and the descriptions of how the men held them in such high esteem (right now I'm thinking of Galadriel and Éowyn). Is that perhaps how you might think of me one day? I pray to be worthy of that esteem, of your esteem.

I confess that I did "watch" the DVD version of The Lord of the Rings back in 2005 or 2006, but was rather bored and actually fast-forwarded through some of it (*gasp*). But now, to actually read Tolkien's words... wow. There is such weight and beauty and poetry to the writing, and I am becoming fascinated with Tolkien's mythopoeic constructs. Little wonder that Tolkien scholars can spend entire careers immersed in this...

I sip my evening cup of tea which is accompanied by a crumpet topped with lemon curd. While listening to the soft strains of Ralph Vaughan Williams. Embracing my English roots, to be sure! But so as not to forget my current southern habitation, I share this glimpse of the magnolia beauties that have returned for the summer. I captured this view from my living room window, the sliding glass doors before which I sit and think of you often, my dear one.