Me, Sherry and Robin at the Salvation Army boutique
A rainy day in Christmas-week Santa Monica, with a few gleams of sunshine and a double rainbow. Sherry from the Dove Grey Books online group flew in from snowy Maine last night, so today we got together with her sister Robin for our "Dovefest." The Dove group was originally formed for the celebration and discussion of Persephone Books, those lovely grey-covered new editions of old but rediscovered English women's fiction. Persephone Books are based in London, but our list probably has as many American members as British (and some from Other Places). We've been friends for several years now, and it's a lovely, bookish, gentle list, with lots of book bloggers as well as civilians.
Persephone Books in London
On the way back to Robin's house we saw a double rainbow - here it is, disappearing.
I walked the block from my house to the ocean park, where the sunset could be glimpsed beneath the wet clouds.
And then home for a comfortable pre-Christmas coze with family and cats, perchance to read and write.
We had food and Dove chat at Tudor House, which is shaping up to be our annual meeting place. Sherry and Robin seemed to have been eating since Sherry arrived, so they merely took to themselves tea and hot buttered crumpets, but I admit to a full English high tea (sausage rolls, small turkey-and-cranberry sandwiches, salad, scones, cream, and jam, with a mince pie to take home). And we talked, as Doves do:
about "traveling and staying at home" (a la Elizabeth Bennet), the atrocious weather on the East Coast and Europe (not that the rain in Santa Monica was anything for Sherry to write home about), families and work, and then such pressing subjects as the Duchess of Devonshire, Patrick Leigh Fermor, Eva Ibbotsen, the much-coveted Lost Gardens of England book, cats, Christmas cards, low carb diets, and our various modes of celebrating Christmas! All great fun. Then we stopped at the Salvation Army for a quick browse.
Robin and Sherry in Robin's lovely garden
Sisters
Me and Sherry, neither of whom had slept particularly well the night before
The garden
On my way back home, the setting sun pinkened the sky, despite the clouds. So I took a few pictures. This is my street, Montana Avenue, with the Pacific Ocean at the western end of it.
View from the park at the top of the bluffs
Looking down
Wet park
And then home for a comfortable pre-Christmas coze with family and cats, perchance to read and write.
Peter and friends
The two "brownies," Martial (Marshy) and Catullus (Tully)
Pindar
4 comments:
Dear Diana,
Thank you for the lovely post and pictures. I almost enjoy reading about and seeing pictures of 'Dovemeets' as much as I do participating in them. Wonderful that they happen in far flung places like California and Oregon as well as London! So, did anybody buy anything at the Sally Army shop? You all look eager to get to the racks and shelves rather than have your picture taken! Merry Christmas to all!
Barbara
P.S. The pedantic in me wants to ask Was Sherry's flight diverted?? ;-) B
It's a far distance for Sherry to have come, but clearly you had one of these cherished pleasant days. As Barbara says, lovely to read and look at. Ellen
Lovely post Diana. I'm glad the rain didn't stop you, Sherry & Robin getting out & about. The cats also look gorgeous & happy.
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