Star Worship - Part Two

After untold discussions with Julia about how I didn’t think it was necessary for her to be so totally obsessed with Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana, I'm not getting anywhere. So I have tried to stop. I know this phase will pass too. Soon she will be on to the next great thing. I myself remember being crazy about The Brady Bunch, Bobby Sherman, David Cassidy and The Partridge Family and I turned out alright. And as one commenter said, HM (the show) is pretty funny itself. She said it reminds her of "LaVerne and Shirley." I am thinking of the slapstick in "I Love Lucy." For me, it is the Disney machine that I object to mostly - pushing all the Disney stars down every little kid's throat and crushing all the independent artists and kid caring thinkers.

Having these discussions with Julia made me think about “hero worship” and how - depending on who you are, where you live, what your hobbies are - everyone has their own "stars" in their life. We all look up to personalities that we'll never meet. And that's okay. After all, there has got to be someone to look to for ideas - people who are more skilled than you are in favorite areas of your life. I do worry about the role the media plays in all of this - knowing that there are lots of talented people out there who don't have a voice because they aren't famous.

This has made me think about the different people I have idolized over the years and also who I myself “star worship” in my current life. So here goes – Here’s who I currently look up to. They are in no particular order.

•Julia Child – for her no nonsense attitude about food and diet. I love how Julia didn't begin real cooking until she was 40. Look how far she got and how long she lived. What a great example she is to so many women and men.
•Jon Katz – for his wonderful photos and stories about his life on the farm he records on his blog. He makes me think somedays with his insightful posts. I wish I could write like that. Oh well. And his books are great too if you are a dog lover.
•Patricia Wells – for her fabulous cookbooks full of wonderful meals. If you go to France, you must take her "Food Lovers Guide to France."
•E B White – for his wonderful way with words. Right now I am reading "One Man's Meat" from the 1940's and it's amazing how well it has stood up. I read his biography a while back - fascinating.
•Charleston House in Sussex, England - home of the artists Duncan Grant, Vanessa, Clive, and Quentin Bell. I visited there a few years ago with my good friend Sally and it was so great to see and feel the creativity in the walls of that beautiful home. Kaffe Fassett's latest book was photographed there - what a visual feast - his sweaters, their home.
•Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse and many of the other Fauve artists
•Tricia Guild and her Designer’s Guild team for their inspirational books. It's amazing how they keep creating fabulous collections of home decor and are able to run a successful business. Oftentimes, the two don't work.
•Maira Kalman - the fabulous illustrator who has a blog at the NYTimes.
•My Mom - the fact that five girls turned out relatively okay is amazing.
•My sister Laurie - her dedication and the care she gives her handicapped daughter Elloise is astounding, not to mention Olivia and her husband Bruce.

I asked The Farmer to make a list of his stars…. Here's his short list. I've got to get him thinking more about this. He's been too busy with all those lambs to have much time to think.

Wendell Berry – The farmer, author and poet
Garry Trudeau
Gene Logson - the Author of "All Flesh is Grass" and he has a blog.

I’d love to hear who you “star worship.” Leave a note in the comments if you have time and the energy.

And not to have a day without a lamb picture, here you go.....

The Farmer Behind the Flock

Julia Communing with the Heat Lamp and the Lambs

Another Mouth to Feed

Note that new Carhart insulated jumpsuit. He's one happy guy now. The other one was shredded and tattered.