For the first time in more than two years, I'm not enrolled in any coursework this summer. The respite is welcome and I hope it will be restorative. I have completed the first-third of seminary, clinical pastoral education and three semesters of fieldwork. During the summer, I want to read some theology unrelated to any particular course, but for May, I really am on a hiatus and enjoying reading far less provocative books.
To meet my fiber cravings, I read Jennifer Chiaverini's A Quilter's Holiday only to discover I've missed a few books in the series since Greek and Hebrew replaced novels on my bookshelves. I also read Maggie Sefton's Dropped Dead Stitch.
Avoiding tuning out academics entirely, I read Paganini's Ghost by Paul Adam. Like Iain Pears' treatment of art history in his mysteries, Adam threads classical music references through this novel.
The plan for the rest of the month includes reading more of both Chiaverini and Sefton as I continue to knit up a prayer shawl, finishing Dan Brown's Lost Symbol, reading Adam's Unholy Trinity and Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall.
Delightfully, the other reading I'm indulging in is measures of tab as I recover some long-neglected old-time picking skills on my Morgan Monroe banjo.
For now, happiness is a dog-eared book and the twang of bluegrass.
