I did watch my Fried Green Tomatoes DVD yesterday evening, realizing that I’d never watched this extended version before. Then, before bed, I watched the extras including at least one filmed-but-unused scene (I loved it, and it was similar to a scene in the book which I’d found particularly moving), the director’s commentary, and interviews and thoughts of many of the actors. It triggered such a yearning for me to teach this novel along with the film, and all the ways I could encourage students to analyze and break down storytelling devices and choices. As a result of that yearning, I tormented Tom for at least an hour-long discussion of it after he finished work today (just one of who knows how many reasons our friends call him “poor Tom”).
There was also an interview with Fannie Flagg, and she spoke of the years a writer spends alone in a room with all those characters. You never actually feel alone; they are your people, your friends, always there with you, their level of enthusiasm at your same level. It’s why you feel protective of them when other people ignore, misjudge, and criticize them.
Then I went back to something I started last night and finished tonight. I thought of the kitchens in Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (novel and movie). I thought of the kitchens of so many women from my life… Mother, Aunt Lola, Aunt Drexel, Terri, Debby, Mary, Pollye, Granny H, Gran, Elnora, Lynne, Liz, Amanda, Lil, Audrey, Debbie, Juanita, Carreme, Helen B, Kathy, Helen L, Chris, Geraldine, Amy, Pat, Lindsey, Rhonda… There are, of course, also men like Daddy, Jerry, David, Timothy, Jim, Steve, Jeff, James, John, Craig, and Tom. I know I’m leaving out names (a couple even deliberately–they won’t know or wouldn’t care). These kitchens are where we cooked, baked, ate, shared stories, sat around the table, played games and cards, shared confidences, laughed–OH, the laughing–and even shared our tears and troubles now and then. I thought of the kitchens of my characters, who are carrying on that tradition, as I try to carry on the tradition of storytelling through them.
An homage to the kitchens that nourish our lives in far more ways than only the food they offer us.
As I colored, I imagined stories attached to items on that cabinet and realized I could write a novella using those.
This Rough Magic ranks in my top-favorite Stewart novels because it draws from Shakespeare’s The Tempest in its plot. Thanks to the play and Stewart’s novel, my interest was piqued by the 1982 film Tempest. Like Mary Stewart’s novel, the film borrows a lot from Shakespeare’s play. The film is unseen by most people I know–unless I’ve made them watch it with me. (Of course, I own the DVD–do you know me?) Tim and Jim still quote from it.
Back in the pre-pandemic days, when I still had a job and also went to lots of appointments or took Debby to hers, I spent a lot of time in my car or waiting rooms coloring. These small coloring books (about 5×7 inches) were often in the magazine stands in checkout lines at the grocery store, so I’d grab one to keep in the car. I haven’t used them in quite a while. The cover of the one with the ice cream cone had a glass of water spilled on it, which is why it’s missing.
Since Tom and I had finished watching the final season of “The Crown” (it was so, so sad), we decided to start the new season of “Bridgerton.” I was right back in that world immediately, so I got out the Bridgerton coloring book I bought back in 2021. I think I may have previously colored only one page from it, but this was a good week to do more. Coloring is my go-to when I need to zone out or feel better.
