At the Charles Lummis Home
I've still got a few more things to do to get Camelot & Vine published in all formats, but most of the work is done.
It feels odd to be finished with something I've been working on for so long. With John teaching at the Script Kitchen and working on a couple of film projects, neither of us has had much free time in longer than we care to admit.
So when we take a day off, we don't know what to do with ourselves. Art Museum? (Not in the mood.) Hike? (We always hike, let's do something unusual.) Shopping? (As soon as the book makes enough money!)
There are a million things to do around here, but when the occasion arises, it's hard to think of the right one. So when one of us has an idea ("You'd like the Lummis Home," or "That exhibit at the Huntington sounds interesting"), we write it on a little piece of paper and put it in a bowl. The bowl, made of green glass, sits atop the built-in shelf in the living room.
The bowl is filling up. Soon there will be a day when we're both free. If we can't think of what to do, we'll pull a piece of paper from the bowl.
I don't know if this is going to work, but it's worth a try.
24 comments:
I love this idea! We have a tiny leather book. But it's usually on the husband's person, so I think we will institute an idea bowl. Can't hurt to have two sets of ideas.
I like this idea too. With the kids Mike and I are either focused on them or too tired to focus on ourselves. Hard to carve out time for just the two of us. An "idea bowl" might give us a little hope!
Did you add "make a peace pole" to it?
Love the idea!
Here's an idea: check out the Jessica Rath exhibit at PMCA.
It looks like those trees are growing right out of the pots! Intended?
Can't help but have two sets of ideas, right Adele?
Michelle, my hope is that when we pull something out of the bowl we'll both say, "yeah!" instead of "mmm, not in the mood."
Book Dragon, we did not add the peace pole. However, you give me ideas. "Make something fun," and "get dirty in the garden," are good.
Here's Betty's idea: http://www.pmcaonline.org/exhibits/75/index.html
No, not intended. Just an amateur photo.
Wow!!! How do you do it??? You keep posting about places I've never heard about in my own neck of the woods for most of my life!!!! And I love your idea bowl idea!!!
If you decide to visit the Lummis House, you might like to read some Autry Museum blog entries on the famous people who signed his guestbook over the years. My friend volunteers at the Autry and had a great time researching the movers and shakers who spent time at El Alisal with Lummis: http://libraries.theautry.org/author/dharbach/
Chieftess, it helps to know Bellis the Intrepid, who is infinitely curious and explores absolutely everything. She took me to the Lummis House and now I get to take John.
Diana: Autry Museum! In the bowl!
What a fabulous idea!
I've got a nice glass salad bowl I never use; I'm going to get it out, polish it and pop in a piece of paper with "Read Camelot and Vine" written on it. What better way to start an ideas bowl?
Dive, it's where you write down all those things you've been wanting and meaning to do, but haven't gotten to yet. So...
Are the ideas in the bowl in black and white like the photo? It's a wonderful image that makes the Lummis House look truly historic and aged.
When we set out in the car for a Sunday afternoon hike, we rush out without discussing where we're going, so when we hit the freeway onramp we have to make a flash decision so we don't go in the wrong direction. No chance to debate and argue over the merits of one place over another. It usually works out really well.
Lummis was a fascinating character. He even wrote a cookbook, extolling the virtues of seasoning food with chili peppers to combat the summer heat. He walked from Ohio (I think) to California, and spent some years as editor of the LA Times.
I love that idea. You guys are so clever.
Nah, Margaret. I heard something like it on a podcast. They would throw ideas in a hat when they couldn't decide what to do. I thought, we have ideas, just not at the time we need them. So we throw them in the hat a little earlier.
Beautiful photo; B&W makes it amazingly timeless. I hope there's no "bowl-rigging" going on like I've read about with couples who share a netflix account!
I also agree it's a great idea. We have tended to use the sticky note method; however they seem to become lost in the daily shuffle.
Interesting photo with trees "growing" out of an ancient wheelbarrow. Maybe it's a "charmed" wheelbarrow.
Great idea. Still not been to either Lummis or the Autry. Missed a happy hour at one and salsa at the other--
Bowl rigging? I hope not, Katie. But if the Petersen Auto Museum comes up more than ten times I'll wonder.
Ms. M, this photo looked "old west" to me, and the place really is. See Karin's description of Lummis. He was special. He made his home by hand and it's special, too.
I haven't been to the Autry in years, Des. Maybe a girls' day.
What a fun idea.
Sort of like how I sometimes take too much time mulling over what picture to blog about. A few times I just closed by eyes and clicked on the files, and whatever photo came up, that became the post of the day.
I hope you will put "Visit Jerusalem" in your idea bowl.
Love the bowl idea and your bw image is quite the thing. Gives a sense of timelessness to the home.
The Museums of The Arroyo is a good time to visit, if you don't mind crowds.
Love the fact that they have a yarrow meadow. James and I have talking about taking out our little bit of lawn in the backyard and planting yarrow.
I like that idea, Roberta! So much nicer than grass. There are benches in yarrow meadow at the Lummis house, very pleasant places to sit and read.
The Lummis Home sounds like it'd be fascinating to visit. If I'm over that way, I'll definitely have to check it out.
If you're over this way, Ms M, I hope you'll notify all your Dena friends so we can go with you.
What a fabulous idea. I think I'll try that for when my family visits in a few weeks. I've already written down 6 ideas from this post. Okay, they're on my computer, not in a bowl, but they'll still come in handy.
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