This is one of those books that have been sitting on the shelf for years, waiting to be read. I knew I’d get to it eventually… and now I have.
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
My Rating: 4 / 5
Here is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. A spellbinding novel, an extraordinary literary achievement, THE MISTS OF AVALON will stay with you for a long time to come….
My computer monitor informs me that I have twenty one minutes till midnight… so time for a last-minute Friday Favorites!
This food:
That’s right… almonds. This one is a bit weird for me. I’ve never liked eating nuts. Never. But one of my coworkers at camp shared a bunch and, after giving them a shot, I discovered that they are, in fact, delicious. My dad will be so proud.
This book:
I ordered this book on Amazon AGES ago and have been longing for its release ever since. When I returned home from camp today, I was overjoyed to find my newly released copy sitting on my bed. I don’t even have words for how excited this book makes me. I mean, it’s two of my favorite things combined! Tolkien and Arthurian legend! How much more epic can you get? Yes, the poem itself is unfinished (can you blame the man for wanting to finish writing The Hobbit?). Yes, most of the book is made up of essays. But it’s Tolkien. And it’s Arthurian legend. And it’s going to be beautiful.
Graduation
This evening, I got to see my little brother graduate high school. He’s a great kid, and I’m excited to see where life brings him next! It was strange being in that building again–I haven’t stepped foot inside in around three years. After the ceremony, I got to see several friends that I haven’t seen or spoken to in several years (some since my own graduation, actually). I also saw a few former classmates that made me want to run and hide. Nevertheless, I’ve always been one for nostalgia, so when the opening bars of “Pomp and Circumstance” began, I momentarily forgot about how uncomfortable it was to be packed in the high school gym like sardines. Part of my heart stirred, longing for times gone by–of lockers, band class, and hanging out with friends between bells. And then some students behind me talked the entire ceremony, reminding me exactly why I was so happy to leave high school behind. After everything was over
This place:
This is the St. Croix River at the Osceola boat landing, about five minutes from my house. This photo was taken a few years ago, but my best friend and I have a tradition of coming here in the summer. After graduation, we went to Dairy Queen and brought our ice cream to the park on the island in the middle of the beautiful river. The sun had already set, and as we sat at the point watching the water flow away from us, we talked about life, school, God, and all sorts of best friend topics. It’s been a few months since we’ve seen each other, and due to the fact that I’m at camp and Erin is headed for Africa next week, our paths won’t cross much this summer. Talking to her was wonderful, and even though it was dark, the St. Croix was as beautiful as ever.
This song:
Just before the semester ended, Cloud Cult came to my university. Even though it was cold and a bit wet, I curled up under a blanket with one of my roommates eating day old movie theater popcorn as they played a two hour acoustic set on the mall in the center of campus. Ever since, I’ve been absolutely obsessed with their new acoustic album. I listened to this song at least three consequtive times on my drive from camp to home this afternoon.
Keep Your Feet 