I see on quite a few blogs, this kind of post which is called something like 'Monthly Update' or 'Monthly Favourites'. It seems to me like a good way of looking back on the month just passed, what you did, what you achieved, what you liked especially, the high and low points...So, although it is not a new idea and has already been thoroughly tried and tested, it is new for me and I thought I would join in on this party and see if it suits me! Here is my round-up of July.
Meaningful Moments...
One of the most important and poignant moments of this month, as I mentioned in my blog post 'Things', was when I said a final goodbye to my family home in England. As both of my parents are moving, or have moved, to different parts of the world, taking our beloved dog, Sasha, with them, the house in gorgeous East Sussex has now been sold. I spent one final week there, clearing out all of my childhood memories, drinking the local 'Harveys' beer for the last time, and going on our favourite dog walks. I am full of nostalgia for this place, but am not sad. I just have the feeling that now I am really supposed to be an adult and have my own home!
Sasha playing in the garden!
Gorgeous walk along the river, with the South Downs in the background
Sasha stuck in the kissing gate
Local Pub 'The Dorset'
Last sunset over England
A Note on My Music
This month I played in quite a unique concert in the small German town of Korbach. I played as part of the 'TreppenHaus Orchester' - a really cool and diverse band of musicians based in Germany, and we performed a piece written for kids, called 'Die Affen Oper', or 'The Monkey Opera'. It was an open-air performance - quite a popular type of gig in the summer time - and the whole experience was pretty fun! The band was great, I met some really interesting musicians and got to see a part of Germany I hadn't been to.
Otherwise, I am about to go away on a 10-day concert tour around Ireland, and so have been doing a lot of preparation for that. I will be playing a lot of solo rep, such as Ysaye, Szymanowski and Nenad First, and will also be performing Bach Double Violin Concerto with orchestra there.
View from the stage of the open-air auditorium in Korbach
Events/Activities
This month has been quite laid back for me in terms of going to structured events, as probably the month of July should be. I have been to a lot of flea markets and craft beer festivals in Hannover, I have spent a lot of time socialising with my friends, and, of course, I have been playing Pokemon Go - which perhaps has had the biggest impact on my life recently! A couple of really nice things to mention, is the gorgeous new cafe that has opened up right next to our apartment building - lots of lovely hours spent drinking and reading there - and a day at the nearby lake - the perfect summer activity.
Beautiful evening walks, inspired by Pokemon Go, incorporated into our daily lives...
Great new cafe
Books/On Screen
This month I have been dipping into quite a few different books. I have continued to read 'Hitch 22' - a memoir by Christopher Hitchens. This seems to be a book that I pick up and put down quite a lot, not so much a continuous read, but it is very enjoyable when I am in the mood for it. I have also read a few of George Orwell's short essays and articles, and particularly enjoyed his one on 'In Defense of English Cooking'. It was funny, amusing, wonderfully written and even made me crave some home food! Another book I picked up again was a collection of short stories by Bukowski. Very dark and satirical - these stories are typical of Bukowski, and really draw you into them. They are absolutely fantastic to read, every line is juicy! But you definitely do have to be in the right mood for them. At the moment, the book I tend to reach for most is a new one by André Alexis, called 'Fifteen Dogs'. I absolutely love it and will probably dedicate a whole blog post to a review once I am finished.
My interest in comic books has not dampened either. I have decided to read the complete 'Jessica Jones' series, as I loved the TV production so much. I love the art in these comics - it is very unique, and I was quite interested by the fact that so many details in the comics are different to how things happen in the show. I have only read a couple volumes so far - they take just about 10 minutes to read each, so are perfect to fit into your day here and there!
Another thing to mention is that this month I finally got to the end of listening to the complete 'Harry Potter' series on audio book, read by the insanely talented Stephen Fry. I started listening to these audio books again for the first time since I was a kid, just for fun and for something to do on long train rides. But actually, I am so happy to have finished the series just in time for the arrival of the new book, 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' which is just about to be released!
Otherwise, I have been keeping up with 'Mad Men', my current favourite TV show, and just watched 'Django Unchained' for the first time the other night. The movie has absolutely stayed with me, I thought it was so well done, and can't understand how Leonardo di Caprio did NOT get an Oscar for it?! This weekend I will also be going to see 'Pets' in the cinema, which I am really looking forward to!
I Loved...
My blog! Always a source of inspiration and joy to me, and I feel like I am progressing as a blogger, improving my style and learning from others.
Reading blogs. I absolutely loved checking out loads of new blogs this month. There is so much creativity going on out there!
Stationary. I have recently got really into stationary of all kinds; notebooks, folders, planners, organisation books and pads... I LOVE them all.
Body lotions. I always love body lotions in summer, as I spend a lot of time outside and my skin tends to get very dry. I love to apply body lotion - it makes me feel great.
Queen Naga. This is a spicy chutney/hot sauce that I picked up while I was at home in England. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted - this stuff is HOT and absolutely delicious. My food is simply boring without it!
Twitter chats. A new discovery for me - I have just started to tap into the world of twitter chats. It seems like a fantastic place to share ideas and meet other bloggers, with some really interesting questions and answers.
Labels: Life, Thoughts
