Yesterday was personal archiving day. Did you celebrate by dusting your books or organizing old photographs or family papers? Me neither. Still, if you are interested in how to take care of your stuff, the Association for Library Collection & Technical Services has put together a collection of helpful information. The Library of Congress also has a page on preserving personal digital records. Remember that page on personal digital archiving I was going to put together last year? No? Neither do I. But if I were going to remember it, yesterday would have been a good day to publish it.
I was hoping to get outside today, May Day, and do some work in the garden, but it didn’t make it up to 40F (4.4C) and there was even the occasional flurry! Bookman and I did finalize our plant sale shopping list, however. Because we are buying a tree in addition to the usual garden plants it got to be a little more than what we usually spend at the sale, but we’ve been good so we deserve it. I did some research regarding the Honeycrisp apple tree we plan to buy to find out if it was self-pollinating and it is not. No self-respecting variety of apple is. But, I discovered that I don’t have to plant a second apple tree and be overwhelmed by apples because apple trees can cross-pollinate with crabapples! Who knew? The University of Minnesota recommended one of two different crabapple varieties and we decided on Snowdrift which we can get inexpensively from the Arbor Day Foundation. The tree will fruit so hopefully it will distract the birds and squirrels from the real attraction! I suppose if I were really ambitious I could make crabapple jelly or something but I don’t think that will happen.
There has been school this weekend, of course. I had a “treasure hunt” assignment to complete with “reference” questions for which I had to use resources for religion and the visual arts. I haven’t had any resources to share because much of what were are using are licensed databases and reference e-books.
I’ve managed some reading this weekend. I read a bit in What Ever Happened to Modernism by Gabriel Josipovici. I’m enjoying following his argument though I am not sure yet where it is going. But he is such a good writer that even if I end up disagreeing with him, the book is still good reading. I also began a new book, The Moral Lives of Animals by Dale Peterson. I haven’t got far yet, Peterson is still setting things up getting ready to launch into his argument, but it is so far interesting.
I’m also reading a book of poetry from New Directions by a new-to-me poet. Things on Which I’ve Stumbled by Peter Cole is so far quite wonderful. Saying “so far” makes it seem like I expect it not to remain wonderful and this is not so. I expect it will end as good as it has begun.
And now I must depart. Bookman is calling me to dinner. We’re having vegan chili to warm our insides. Unfortunately it is not homemade, but the cornbread we are having with it is.
Seems like we’re enjoying a better May 1 than you
Just checked 13C (55F). But no yard work though. That tree is what we have in our backyard… beautiful bloom in the summer, but we never use any of the apples though. They’re small and I assume, very sour. Anyway, your dinner sounds delicious. Happy May reading.
40 degrees! Snow! Agh, you’re killing me! It’s 80 here and I’m sort of wilting from the sudden heat.
We have a crabapple tree. It’s huge and pretty. I probably won’t do anything with the crabapples either (except sweep them up ALL THE TIME from the patio) but it’s very pretty in the spring and fall. Have fun at the plant sale!
I guess I could say I got a jump on archiving day last week by removing some framed family pictures from the almost top shelves of my bookcases to make room for books. And I’m sure I did some incidental book dusting as I moved them around. And if organizing photos means taking them out of frames and putting them in a box, I did that too.
Stefanie–I always look forward to your posts–you crack me up and I need some serious humor in my life!
Sorry the weather has been so cool–we’ve had a couple of really nice days, so maybe it will make it’s way north towards you! I’m always happy to share good weather!
Was it officially personal achieving day or did you designate the weekend yourself? Whichever, I think it’s a great idea. I didn’t do too badly myself, finishing a book for this afternoon’s discussion group and writing a rather difficult article, but I’m sure I would have done much more (getting those hanging baskets planted, for example) if I’d had the incentive of a personal achieving day. I’m going to instigate one a month, I think, and see if I can’t get this place sorted out.
Your comments on personal archiving day just cracked me up!
We fell dangerously in love with espaliered apple trees at the garden centre just the other weekend, but when Mister Litlove saw the price he made us walk away. Doesn’t mean we won’t be back – I’m working on him! And must pick up that Josipovici – I’m really looking forward to reading this in a group situation.
I’m eager to hear what you think of The Moral Lives of Animals. I haven’t read it yet, but it’s on my list. We agreed about Eating Animals. I gave a copy of that to all my immediate family members, but I’ve been disappointed to find that either they haven’t read it or it didn’t change their lives, as I’d hoped. I’m finding it more and more difficult to love people who embrace cruelty and violence. But I’m trying.
And I was just sitting here trying to think of something to make for dinner when I read the last lines of your post: I think I’ll make vegan chili tonight, too. I believe I have cornmeal and, if I’m energetic enough, I might make cornbread as well.
Arti, your weather is what was originally forecast for us! I like crabapple trees. The city has bunches of them planted along a creek here and when they are all blooming it is so gorgeous. My neighbor has one but it died back to a stick a couple of years ago. It’s trying to make a comeback but I can’t trust it to pollinate my apple tree. I’m looking forward to all those pretty white flowers!
Daphne, eek! don’t tell me that! I fear we won’t see 80 until July at this rate. I have herds of voracious squirrels, rabbits and birds so I am hoping they will take care of the fallen crabapples. The tree will be pretty smal when we get it so they will have a few years to gather their forces
Teresa, it sounds as though you did celebrate without even knowing it!
Danielle, glad to provide a laugh
If the forecast turns out to not be the tease it has become, we might be in the 60s by the end of the week. Of course rain is also in the forecast for those days. Just can’t seem to win.
Annie, it was officially personal archving day on Saturday. It capped off archive awareness week or something like that. It is a good idea, I agree. I think archives need to do more outreach to the average person since our papers and photos might one day be their preservation problem.
Litlove, always glad to provide a laugh. As someone who thinks personal archiving is very important I kind of suck at it. Oh, an espaliered apple tree! Pretty! That’s more work and skill than I am prepared for. We’re just going to stick ours in the ground and hope it grows. I’m a survival of the fittest sort of gardener who doesn’t like to fuss with things
Joan, so far it is quite interesting as Peterson sets up the different ways in which humans have viewed animals and what it means. It is hard when you wish those who are close to you will change but they don’t. They have to want to change first. Compassion, understanding and patience go a long way I find. You never know what might happen tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed your chili and cornbread. Ours was quite tasty
Oh, I’m glad you’re enjoying the Josipovici! I’m a little sad that I doubt I’ll be able to participate in the discussion this time around (but, you know, not THAT sad since I’ll having an awesome trip to Paris). Still, I bet it will be a great discussion.
This weekend was GORGEOUS in the NW. We live in a tiny condo with no yard so no gardening for us, but we did do a 10-mile hike—you could say we’re just letting Nature do our work for us. And there were about 10 waterfalls, which is probably more dramatic than we could landscape even if we had a yard.
We’ve been having unseasonably cold weather in this part of the country, too, and it’s driving my mom crazy as she keeps biting at the bit to get her plants planted and her garden in the full spring gear! We have a cherry tree that doesn’t actually produce fruit that she’s especially fond of, and I think it’s the most beautiful (if slightly out of place in our garden) plant she tends to. Glad to hear that you had a productive May Day in spite of the weather, and heres to good spring weather right around the corner!
Personal archiving day? Man, I missed it. I guess my files will have to wait until next year to get sorted
Hope you enjoyed the chili. Could use some of that today. Got totally cool today (60s) after being in the 90s all weekend.
There really is such a thing as personal archiving day? Boy, there’s a day for everything these days!
Emily, oh I was so looking forward to hearing what you thought about the book. I forgot about your trip. You’ll have to read the book sometime anyway. Your hike sounds marvelous and I am supremely jealous.
Chelsea, cherry blossoms are so pretty. I’d love to have one but my yard is pretty small and the apple trees are going to take up a good amount of space. Let’s hope that spring weather appears soon for both our sakes!
Iliana, heh, yeah those papers will have to wait until next year
The chili was yummy. It’s been in the 90s there? Yikes! i have to laugh though because your cool is my idea of warm 
softdrink, yup, there really is such a thing are personal archiving day. I think it is a recent occurence sponsored by Library of Congress and a few archival organizations. Heh, there is a day for everything. We should come up with something crazy like wash your windows day or eat your broccoli day and get the Prez to sign a declaration for it
I’m curious to see what you will think of the Josipovici — and I should be getting lots of opinions with all the people reading it. That will be fun. I hope things have warmed up a bit this week!