The Byrne Diaspora

Postcards from Italy

Last November, Clare went to Bogliasco, Italy for a month on an artist fellowship. This is where much of her following work was conceived, born or raised: Rounds, To the Cross, and Letter to the Church. She sent me a few gorgeous photos to post, with attendant excerpts from her letters during her time there.

Letters from Benin

In May, Clare took off again, this time for Africa! Specifically, Benin - a lush West African country - to visit with her friend Sarah, who was there on a Fulbright. Here are some beautiful pictures of her time there (especially food photos to make my mouth water...), with stories from her letters, too.

Solstice

I was walking home yesterday and composed a little poem in my head:

Rose of Sharon
is summer's flower for me,
for me, for me,
for me.

It used to grow wild on our property at 515 East Main; and all over Annville, for that matter. Rose of Sharon reminds me of summer walks down the back alley.

Happy Solstice, everyone!

The Elephant Man cometh

Yesterday we had our first read-through of The Elephant Man, a short, vivid play based on the life of Joseph Merrick, a Victorian-era gentleman who also happened to be spectacularly deformed. We have an awesome ensemble - some UNC students here for the summer, some Chapel Hill natives home from college.

The play will go up in mid-July, right around my birthday! Shows will be July 11-15, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Mebbe Julie can come; mebbe Mary will be passing through...? :)

Firefly season

I spent my second night on Melleray last night! (The first night was way back in November; we'd stayed up late around the fire, hoping to catch some of the Leonid shower. When we woke up in our tent, there was frost on the ground.)

This time, instead of meteorites, there were fireflies - "popping like camera flashes in a stadium!," Dad said, from his bedroom window looking out into the forest. It was a very hot evening, and we ended the day on the porch of the guest cabin, looking south; Dad and Donny sung a Latin hymn to Mary, as the monks do. 

I slept beautifully. But waking up was even more lovely - in that white-painted house, with windows open, and birds of all kinds singing morning-songs. I hope you all get to spend time there soon.

I took lots of pictures - please look through them, starting here!

Caligula knows Best

Awesome news! My improv team, CALIGULA - Remi Treuer, John Reitz, and me - was asked to play Best Show Ever, the Saturday night headliner at our theater. The show is Saturday, June 16th at 9:30. May we break our collective legs!

Mary Anne

Mary writes: I went through my photos and found some nice ones that could go in Mom's and the family's photo albums. Indeed, they're beautiful! And thank you, Mary, because I'd had so few before! See Mom's new album here.