For the Birds - Day 11

The third Wednesday of every month is Book Club Night. A regular core group of ladies, and on occasion one man, come together at the Purple Moon coffee house in Dunedin and discuss the book they read (or didn’t read, or didn’t finish). Started in October of 2006, the club has rotated leaders and attendees along with a variety of books. Last night’s offering was Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Only four people attended, but it is light during the summer since some of the participants are from up north and others are out traveling.
The Purple Moon is a quaint little coffee, book, sandwich shop with a bevy of spiritual items, inspirational pieces, jewelry, music and on certain nights, a psychic or reader. Dunedin, a hip and cool artists’ haven, is where I grew up, though it was nothing like it is now.

I usually have time to kill when I get to town and yesterday I spent it at Dunedin Cemetery. With a certain southern draw, the cemetery rests between two subdivisions and is shadowed by large Spanish moss-covered oaks that sprawl along the “old” section. I have wandered through this place for over 20 years, doing photo shoots, making up stories and exploring the origins of the people laid to rest.
What wasn’t at rest were the peacocks. Screeching like cats in heat, these colorful creatures stalk among the tombstones looking for hand outs from the mourning. A proud male chased me a bit and it was unclear as to whether this was an attack or just a fowl form of panhandling. In the back was an open pen with a group of lady peacocks scratching the ground for something good to eat. At their feet were their broods, all brown, the size of chicklets and following the lead of their mothers. A tricky situation ensued as I got out of the car to capture this moment. The hens wanted nothing of me coming any closer to their babes and let me know with squawks that brought their ravenous male counterparts. Snapping off a few shots, I hopped into the car before I was attacked by this particularly beautiful feathered creature. It wouldn’t have been the first time I had a male dressed in finery and feathers give me hard time, but that’s another story.

If you haven’t been to the Purple Moon, I suggest you go for lunch or a light dinner. Their wraps are fantastic, my favorite being the Mediterranean Wrap with hummus, olives, feta, veggies and turkey it is a treat filled with flavor without being too heavy. Their raspberry tea is perfect as a beverage, but they also serve sangria, domestic and imported beers and a few fine wines.
There desserts range from cookies that are like homemade, but without the cleanup and the leftovers and pies to make you melt --- the perfect accompaniment to a good book, good friends and great conversation.

Water for Elephants is a great read and I suggest it to anyone. It flows easily, draws you in immediately and grabs your empathy from chapter to chapter. I like books that make me feel. We have had a variety in this group, which is one of the reasons I love it so much.

Some I recall off the top of my head are:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Middlesex
Freakonomics
Pillars of the Earth (Which I still have to finish)
The Kite Runner
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Lady Sings the Blues
Eat, Pray, Love (My very Favorite)
Eating Heaven

Our next book is The Next Thing on My List. If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know so I can give them to the group. If you want to join let me know as well.