Summerland

Last night I got to do something that I have not been able to do for over four months:  see a new release on the big screen!  My local Megaplex has been screening classic movies for about a month (I have seen Singin' in the Rain, Now You See Me, Jurassic Park, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, The Greatest Showman, The Force Awakens, Downton Abbey, The Empire Strikes Back, The Phantom of the Opera, Bohemian Rhapsody, Braveheart, Beauty and the Beast, The Karate Kid, and The Fugitive) and that has been a lot of fun but I have really missed the anticipation of seeing something new.  I was thrilled to be able to see Summerland last night and I absolutely loved it!  During World War II Alice Lamb (Gemma Arterton), a misanthropic writer living alone in a small village in Kent, has a young evacuee from London sent to live with her against her will.  At first she hardly interacts with Frank (Lucas Bond) but he is so endearing that she eventually opens up to him about an ill-fated romance with a woman named Vera (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) during her university days.  Ultimately, she must face her past so she can help him deal with his own loss.  The happy ending (something I think we all need right now) is a bit predictable but there are a few twists and turns along the way which make it more compelling than you might be expecting.  It is a lovely movie about the power of friendship with luminous performances from Arterton and Mbatha-Raw.  Bond is adorable and I also loved the supporting performances of Tom Courtenay and Sian Phillips as disapproving villagers, Amanda Root as a child welfare officer, and Penelope Wilton as an older Alice.  Every frame in this movie is simply stunning with sweeping views of the sea and the white cliffs of Dover (I might be mistaken but I am pretty sure that Alice's cottage is the same one used in the movie Atonement).  This reminded me of the character-driven independent films that I used to enjoy seeing at the Broadway on a Sunday afternoon.  It made me feel a bit more normal in this uncertain time and, for that, I highly recommend this movie if you have the chance to see it!

Florence Adler Swims Forever

The Barnes & Noble Book Club selection for this month was Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland. It is actually based, in part, on a true story about the author's family and that really piqued my interest in wanting to read this novel. Every summer the Adler family rents out their house in Atlantic City to tourists and moves to the apartment above their bakery. The summer of 1934 begins tragically when Florence Adler drowns while training to swim the English Channel. Her devastated mother, Esther, makes the decision to keep this information from her other daughter Fannie because she is nearing the end of a high-risk pregnancy after losing a baby a year ago and the entire family, as well as other people in the community, is complicit in this deception. This dramatically impacts her husband Joseph, Florence's swimming coach Stuart, Fannie's husband Isaac, Fannie's seven year old daughter Gussie, and Anna, a Jewish refugee brought to the U.S. by Joseph. The narrative alternates between the perspectives of all of these characters and their secrets and motivations are eventually revealed. I was particularly struck by Fannie's POV because she is so upset by the fact that Florence has not visited her in the hospital that her blood pressure becomes dangerously high, thus causing this elaborate plan to almost backfire. I also really enjoyed the character of Gussie because she is a bit of a pill (with a crush on Stuart) and she is so confused by the fact that all of the adults in her life are lying. After reading the description of the story I was really surprised that Florence's death happens within the first few pages but, in retrospect, the novel isn't really about Florence.  Her death sets off a chain of events that take the characters on a journey of discovery and this technique works really well. The period details are absolutely brilliant, particularly the descriptions of the opulent hotels along the boardwalk, and I was drawn into Anna's plight as a Jew trying to escape from Nazi Germany. It is a sensitive exploration of the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love but I was a bit disappointed in the abrupt ending. A scene that I was anticipating throughout the entire novel didn't even take place! This omission was the subject of the virtual discussion with the author last night and, to some extent, I understand Beanland's reasoning. She asserts that the reader already knows how that scene will play out and she wanted to end the book with a more hopeful resolution between Esther and Anna. The discussion last night was fantastic and I really enjoyed hearing a perspective about Joseph that I had not considered before. I really miss the members of my local book club but I have to admit that interacting with the authors during the virtual discussions has been quite enlightening and enjoyable! This compelling novel is a great summer read and I highly recommend it.

Note: The next selection in the Barnes & Noble Book Club is The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue.  This book was announced much earlier than usual and I have already started reading it!  There will be another virtual discussion with the author on Facebook and YouTube on September 8 (go here for more information).

Bonneville Salt Flats

I have always been fascinated by the Bonneville Salt Flats.  I have seen this area on the way to Wendover many times  but I've never stopped to explore it before.  I convinced Tashena to take a drive out there yesterday (she is a really good sport) and I thought it was so cool.  The Salt Flats were formed when Lake Bonneville, which covered much of western Utah and extended into Idaho and Nevada, slowly dried up.  As the water evaporated, salt deposits were left in many areas.  It now includes over 30,000 acres stretching between the Utah-Nevada border.  It was really interesting to walk on the salt because it was like an alien environment (it reminded me of the planet Crait from The Last Jedi) and it was so flat that you could see for miles and miles in any direction.

The best place to view the Salt Flats is at a rest stop about 10 miles from Wendover on 1-80 W (it is really easy to find because you are basically in the middle of nowhere).  There are restrooms and water is available (including a water spray station to wash the salt off your shoes).  From this viewpoint, you can walk out on the salt as far as you want but driving on it isn't recommended (we saw a car get stuck while we were there).  Visiting the Salt Flats is something that I have always wanted to do and, because most of my summer plans have been canceled, I decided to indulge my whim.  I don't really recommend driving all the way out there if it is your only destination (it was a two hour drive from my house in Bountiful) but it is definitely worth a stop if you are traveling west.

Weekend in Hanna

Last weekend I had the chance to go up to Hanna to stay with Trent, Kristine, Tashena, and Sean in their trailer.  I had such a great time!  I love being in the mountains and it felt so good to be out of the heat in the valley.  In the afternoon Tashena and I took the side by side on an adventure higher up in the mountains and it was so beautiful!

After four-wheeling on several trails, we had barbecued burgers, corn on the cob, and melon for dinner.  I think everything tastes so much better outside!  Then we sat for hours beside a giant bonfire (my favorite part of camping).  It was wonderful!

The trailer is so cozy and I stayed up far too late reading (I finished my book).  In the morning we had bacon, eggs, and pancakes!

It was another successful camping trip in Hanna!

Note:  My sister has a labrador retriever puppy named Ebony.  She is so adorable!

She provided endless entertainment!

Sunflower Festival at Cross E Ranch

I have always really loved sunflowers because they were grown on the farm I grew up on in southern Ontario.  I loved them because the stalks were always so much taller than me (they still are) and the flowers seemed so happy as they followed the sunlight.

When I found out about the Sunflower Festival at the Cross E Ranch I immediately booked a ticket and I went yesterday afternoon.  Leave it to me to pick a day that was rainy to see sunflowers (there wan't rain in the forecast when I booked the ticket).

The sunflowers are located on a 14-acre patch and there are over 20 different varieties to explore.  There are rows and rows of sunflowers and, even though there were lots of people there, I always felt completely isolated and hardly saw anyone else.

You must book a specific entry time online (go here) because the entries are staggered to help with social distancing.  You will be given a one hour window to enter and then you may stay as long as you want.  The Cross E Ranch is open Monday-Friday from 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm and Saturday from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm (it is closed in the afternoon) and 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm.

The price for tickets is $9.95 per person 3 years old and up (0-2 years old are free) Monday-Friday, $12.95 per person during the daytime on Saturday, and $14.95 per person after 7:00 pm on Saturday (for sunset viewing).  Professional photography is allowed as long as your photographer has purchased an admission.  This would be a great place for family photographs.

The price of admission includes a free bloom that you can cut yourself.  When you enter you are given a pair of cutters and a pail of water to keep your blooms in as you wander around.  It was a lot of fun trying to decide which bloom I wanted to cut.  When you exit they will trim the leaves and wrap it up for you.  You can purchase additional blooms (a single bloom for $2.00, a half dozen for $11.00, and a dozen for $20.00) and you can also purchase really cute galvanized containers for your blooms.

The address of Cross E Ranch is 3500 N. 2200 W. in SLC.  It took me about ten minutes to get there from my house in Bountiful.  There are lots of signs and you will be directed to drive on a dirt road to a large parking lot.  I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Sunflower Festival and I highly recommend it.  Go here for more information.