‘The Center Will Not Hold’ and a New Rosemary for Winter

Just watched Griffin Dunne’s new film, ‘The Center Will Not Hold’, on the life of writer Joan Didion. Didion became my one of my favorite writers after her book-length essay, ‘Salvador’, was assigned to the college freshman class of journalism students of which I was a part.

I’d never heard of Didion before, and the civil war in El Salvador just wasn't on my radar, so I had no burning interest in it. Never mind the story, though: it was Didion’s writing that grabbed me. It propelled me toward work in journalism. ‘The Center Will Not Hold’ is a must-see even if you’re not a writer, journalist, or lover of language. Great film.

A good documentary will spark or renew the viewer’s interest in a subject, and this film did it for me. So, I ordered a copy of ‘The Year of Magical Thinking’ – one of Didion’s books I haven’t yet read – from an online used books source. I should have it in about a week.

Last night, I potted up the rosemary sprig that I plucked from the herb garden last month. It unexpectedly rooted beautifully in a glass of tap water. I have a feeling it might do well indoors this winter in our kitchen. If so, it will be the first rosemary plant that’s successfully overwintered in our home. We’ll see.

I also potted up four fat paperwhite bulbs. My first thought was to keep it for myself, and bloom it in the kitchen, but when I thought about giving it away to a friend, the positive vibes came rolling in. Spread the joy.

Barbie xo