1. I have probably mentioned that the book The Mosquito is a study of the mosquito as a major contributor to world history in the human realm. The world history Ronald C. Winegard consistently focuses on is the ambitions of countries, city-states, and other entities to expand their empires and colonize undeveloped regions around the world.
These ambitions rely on military aggression, in armed conflict.
The book unveils the vital role the mosquito and the way they spread fatal diseases has played in these wars, battles, and skirmishes.
It's all fascinating and serves as a vivid reminder of role biology and ecology have played and continue to play in the history of the world.
It's all fascinating, sobering, and unnerving and today I needed a break from it all gave my reading of this book a rest.
2. Carol and Paul planned and hosted a superb family dinner today. We met at chez Roberts at 5:00. We started with an appetizer I made called Mediterranean Cauliflower. I marinated the florets of a single head of cauliflower in mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a variety of dry herbs. I then roasted the florets and combined them in a bowl with chopped tomatoes, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives.
Carol and Paul prepared the main course: grilled Chicken Tzaziki and Feta Fries accompanied by Dad's Greek Salad. Carol also prepared a small bowl of Tahini and Garlic sauce and another of Tzatziki.
Christy baked Kourabiedes for dessert, a tray of Greek butter cookies popular in Greece at Christmas.
3. Debbie had mentioned at some point in time that she'd like each of us to bring a quotation/passage from a book we are reading or have read to dinner, read it aloud, and let discussion among us arise out these readings.
Carol went with this idea tonight and it was a smashing success. We talked about kindness, biology, the vastness of the universe, storytelling, compassion and empathy, generosity toward one another, churches, Biblical questions, and more. Here's a list of the books that sparked our inquiries, stories, explorations, and listening:
I read from The Mosquito by Timothy C. Winegard.
Debbie read from The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles.
Christy read from My Friends by Fredrik Backman.
Carol read from Braving the Truth by Rachel Held Evans.
Paul read passages from two books: The Many Worlds of Logic by Paul Herrick and sentences from Joseph Frank's introduction to Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Every passage stimulated thoughtful discussion, raising many more questions among ourselves about life and living authentically and mindfully than we answered.
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