STUBBORN EFFORT

The zinnias, five feet high, were waving, shocking in the yard. That magenta against the golds of the trees and the grey sky were lovely. Not easily photographed, however, in this light.

I started re-reading Dorothy B. Hughes’ In a Lonely Place. I recall having quite liked the book, and, of course, the movie with Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame. The book is far more disturbing than I remembered, but I will carry on. One fun thing, though, is that I learned two new old words: beldame for housekeeper, cleaning woman, maid (although well-known in French as grandmother); and megrim …  depression or unhappiness, though it can also mean migraine. I think megrim is a word that will be back in my vocabulary.

A little later ...

trying to get out the door for a decent walk and some work. I have 22 items out of the Mid-Hudson Library System ... (plus 4 out of Brooklyn, and 2 out of Westchester ... a librarian's dream or nightmare?) ... so I am going to return a few things as I cannot possibly read these in a reasonable amount of time (many of them are YA books) ... but one I do want to read (sometime) is The Dream of Reason: A History of Philosophy from the Greeks to the Renaissance which I had started listening to and then realized I needed the hard copy, too.

Here is a random note:

The psychologist William James once described philosophy as 'a peculiarly stubborn effort to think clearly." This is a rather dry definition, but is more nearly right than any other I know. True, clarity is not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when most people think of philosophy. There is no denying that philosophers' attempts to think clearly have often rudely backfired. (Any subject that is responsible for producing Heidegger, for example, owes the world an apology.)

A bit later ...

Storm King.

Made it to the library after some meanderings. I had to drop by the Putnam Humane Society to give them some of Tupelo's medication and some cat food mine won't eat. I did manage to leave without another cat. And they were grateful for the donations. 

The wind is rippling the water across the lake and the sun is trying to shine through the grey clouds. There are rumors of rain for tomorrow. 

I had a great day yesterday. I expected a pleasant day, but not a great one. MSS came up from Manhattan and we took a long country drive over to Cold Spring and then up river road to Poughkeepsie to walk over the Hudson. 

Breakneck Ridge.

Breakneck Ridge.

We stopped along the way here and there. We did a short walk. 

We were going to see if we could just get a drink and look at the sunset at the Mohonk Mountain House but no luck. You have to be a registered guest to get anywhere near it.

MSS did take me by a very cool roadside attraction which really has to been seen to be believe. It is a little park of redwood tree stumps that this guy collects ... or used to. They won't let them out of California. It's kind of a natural Storm King Art Center. These snaps do not do the place justice but there just wasn't enough light to do much more. 

We drove down the mountain into New Paltz and had a terrific dinner (Main Course Catering). 

All in all, a very relaxing, amusing, and beautiful day, saved from focussing on my problems. I even got a good night's sleep and woke up at a reasonable hour (though, of course, it took me a long time to get out of the house). But I am ... well ... megrimmed, I suppose (although using that word makes me smile).

The ripples across the lake look like a sky filled with birds.