Can't you just hear the thinking?

The Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, France, from Diane Asséo Griliche's book, Library: The Drama Within

Jump, Jump

I don't think I ever played hopscotch as a kid. I'm not even sure what a hopscotch game is supposed to look like, but Olivia loves to jump and we needed something to entertain while we did some yard work this afternoon. So I drew this on the sidewalk in front of our house and proceeded to pull the weeds. After awhile we abandoned the yard and the game to go in for a break.
We live just a few blocks from downtown, and our sidewalk sees a lot of pedestrian traffic through the course of a day. And to my unexpected delight, more than not, most passersby felt inclined to take advantage of our hopscotch diagram-mostly teens, but a number of seniors as well. In fact, I only saw one lone woman resist the temptation to jump.
Enough for now, I must get back to my post by the window.

Good things to come from Marilynne Robinson

I'm pulling this quote directly from Alan Jacobs blog. This is the first I've heard of a new book from Marilynne Robinson, and I'm still handing out suggestions for folks to read her last one, Gilead. Apparently, this new one is its companion and will be out next month. Here's a taste of why it's sure to be worth our time to pick it up:

"There is a saying that to understand is to forgive, but that is an error, so Papa used to say. You must forgive in order to understand. Until you forgive, you defend yourself against the possibility of understanding. Her father had said this more than once, in sermons, with appropriate texts, but the real text was Jack, and those to whom he spoke were himself and the row of Boughtons in the front pew, which usually did not include Jack, and then, of course, the congregation. If you forgive, he would say, you may indeed still not understand, but you will be ready to understand, and that is the posture of grace."

—Marilynne Robinson, from Home (to be published next month)