Jane Austen's bicentennial of a most beloved novel

photo via pinterest

If it is the general thought that a person who has a disposition that is apt to day dreams, and long periods of musings and spends countless lifetimes over papers and keyboards, opening a vein and letting there life seep into afore mentioned paper. With the sole intention of carving out a name for him/her self into the metaphorical history books where people who do great things are put and remembered for. Then there isn't a person who has done this more than Miss Jane Austen.
Now I'm not saying every writer writes for the sole purpose of getting recognised, and of course I would not say that every time someone jots down a story and gets published they will be remembered for it. But as I said at the start of this long winded sentence that if it is the general thought, than there would be no one more remarkable to anyone achieving these high expectations than Jane Austen.
In the remarkable case of miss Austen I must say that I really have no idea how plausible it is to dream of attaining here level of success. The sad part of it is that most of her success she was never to realise. But if she could read this from her writers heaven than I would really love to show her just how much people love her work. (Picture the Doctor Who episode, Vincent and the Doctor, where the doctor takes Van Gogh to see    just how much he is loved and appreciated after all that time.)
Sniffles that episode always does it to me. There is none such compliment that can be payed to an artist than that of the appreciation compliment. And miss Austen is a top recipient.
Why all this rambling ? Well in case you hadn't heard, today is the two hundredth anniversary of one of the most timeless love stories ever written. Timeless ? Isn't that a bit dramatic, what really is there to the story called Pride and Prejudice that makes it so timeless. There are many assumptions we can make about why, especially when the story isn't very complex, I mean that respectively in every way.
The characters are not unusual, and really unremarkable. So what is it that had gotten deep into the psyche of every person who loves some incarnation of the story or another.
I will place my theory here, to you in as plain as I can place it. Jane Austen always wrote from the heart. And yes that can be done even if one knows nothing of what one is writing.
The love stories evoke the longing of the heart to be truly cherished. Even for miss Austen that much is clear. And I could write nearly twenty pages on this being from out truest human nature longing for only the purest love that only one person can give and only one person gave.
But that's not the subject of this post. What ever it is that made this story to last all this time, and still be enjoyed by audiences after two hundred years is nothing short of Devine providence.
Pride and Prejudice is a tale that pulls at ones hears strings, because its a tale of the heart and nothing else, and that's why it's still so popular. So let me take this time with you all dearest readers to celebrate the long lasting letters that were so fatefully written in a young maidens flowery scrawl.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" 
            ~ Pride and Prejudice
Happy birthday to the story that still makes people everywhere smile and sigh in a happy way.
I can only hope that you and I endeavouring writers will meet with as much success as that book.
And Miss Austen our hats are off to you on this momentous occasion. If it were the eighteen hundreds we would no doubt hold a ball.
And I must say I would take the time to thank you for teaching me to be a fearless, and witty and heartfelt writer with as much sentament as I bodily posess, to be poured out on the pages. Even of only for my own satisfaction.


  '' I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too      long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun" 

            ~ Pride and prejudice 

         

photo via tumblr

Fireside Knitting

  Winter is a wonderful time for peaceful evenings by the hearth, I love to sit by mine and day dream, as the flames glow there Bright orange hue, by its side I muse all sorts of things personal and non, also I have  whilst enjoying its warmth been knitting. This hearth is of corse imaginary, how I wish My family had a hearth, we do have a lovely stove that throw's delicious heat on a cold winters eve. But thats not why I started writing this.  I have though been musing over lots of things and I have really been knitting, my first hat, I have formerly been a crocheter alone the only other article knitted by my hand was a scarf which was never finished due to a shortage of yarn, but that too, isn't why I started to write this post. Any way, I have found that whilst knitting there is a wonderful time to muse over all sorts of things, and day dream, these are two of my most loved pastimes, while clicking my needles rhythmically and fingers working tirelessly, this thought floated into my head, life is a lot like a work of knitting, How do i mean ? Only that as we tirelessly weave this masterpiece, We fall short we lose heart we "drop stitches", we grow weary and feel that nothing will ever come of our effort, but I feel this is because "WE" feel we must be the ones to knit our life story and we aren't the ones to. I believe if we let the Master knit and weave our life he makes our tapestry more colorful, more original, more pure to who we are as individuals than even we know, more beautiful and full of interest than we could have imagined. We don't have to work tirelessly to make our lives beautiful, it is His presence that will, let us invite Him to hold the knitting needles and knit us a story the world has never seen before, a breathtaking story surprising to even us living it. How beautiful will it be when we put our life in those hands, I promise you he will make it special.

One Small Child

                         One small child in the land of a thousand
                      One small dream of a savior tonight
               One small hand reaching out to the star light
           One small savior of life.
                                                                One small child, song written by David Meece. 


That tiny life that came, willingly given by His Father to a lost and dying world.In human flesh he came that concealed his wondrous glory, A tiny child. He came into this world as any other child does, but came for a purpose no other could understand, he had a destiny no other has had, and fulfilled that destiny no matter the pain for you, and me.

The hands that would be pierced, tiny and soft held by his mother, did she know the importance of this
 life she was entrusted with ? The face she kissed, as she held her child close did she know the pain He would endure ?

His purpose ? To bring life, everlasting life to you and me, that is what we celebrate at christmas.
Its not just the birthday of a child, but the birth of grace, pure love in the flesh that looked across the echoes of time and all the world all that ever was or would ever be, and came to a humble people in a humble form to be our propitiation for all sins ever committed for all time.
 Unmitigated love, that is what we celebrate at christmas, the pure love of a Father and the pure love and willingness of a Son.
So as we celebrate christmas this year, as we get caught up in the fun this season brings, remember the true and only gift that has ever really has mattered, Jesus the love that came down at christmas and the gift he has given to you and me.

For unto us a child is born,
 unto us a son is given
and his name will be called 
Wonderful Councilor, 
Mighty God , 
Everlasting Father, 
Prince of Peace. 
ISAIAH 9:6 

Happy christmas to all my blogging friends, may this christmas be the most wondrous one for you and your families, as we remember the wonderful gift we gave been given through His coming, His death, and HIs rising to life again.

The Road to Christmas

Pictures via Pintrest 

Ah, I love this season, the Christmas season that is, well any season is really on my list of favorites but christmas is one of the best.  This time of year holds a special kind of magic, don't you think ? the fireside evenings and warm moments shared with family. All of these bring a special kind of awe inspiring memories that, I'm sure we all have. I have fond memories of very special traditions and you'd probably think them quirky and weird if I told you about them all, so I'll refrain. Suffice it to say I love this time of year, most of the time, at lest right now at this moment, forget the last two doubting sentences. I love this time of year, but I must say does it seem that it came upon us rather quickly ? perhaps its just me but I feel that autumn was just here and it disappeared much too quickly.
I mean how does one comfortably cram thanksgiving and christmas and all that entails into two short months ? it seems impossible. It doesn't really matter though for my family, but I wont get into that, remember the quirky traditions, still refraining. How does one cram all the wonderful things to be done this time of year into two meager months and still leave time for that start of the year, I hope with out stress, isn't it sad when one sees individuals trudging through the christmas season waiting with bated breath for it to be over, such a shame. How do you deal with the ever shortening time ?
I hope you my blogging friends are having a wonderful winter, christmas season with your family.

I would love to know what your favorite thing about christmas or winter is, who knows I might just write a post about my favorite thing later on, well see.
have a wonderful UNSTRESSED rest of the week.

October Storm photographs

Well dear readers I promised pictures from the snow storm we got hit with on saturday, here is just a few of them.
     

These were taken early on in the day, the snow was just a light dusting then, later it would gather up

       to about  twelve inches or more.     

  I have to say I love snow but I also love autumn and I was so unhappy that my autumn colors were ruined by snow. But then I unhappily went out side, after my mother forced me to go. Though I was fighting every second I was soon was caught up in the magic of the moment,
 SNOW softly falling like a million  FEATHERS 
             fluttering
                 FALLING                                                  
                          swirling                                                                                                     

  STICKING to every LEAFE every patch of uncovered GROUND,
       TICKLING My cheeks DANCING around me, ah I was caught up in the beauty, no longer  
   fighting the warm  DELIGHTED feelings that arose within me.      

 SNOW during autumn, you want to know something ? I completely didn't mind having my AUTUMN colors ruined for a time by that lovely SNOW.  I realized I was doubly Blessed to have Autumn and Winter together in an exquisite display BLENDED perfectly together  by NATURE.
I would not trade that experience for anything My eyes captured everything my camera could not. How I will TREASURE everything, the white scenes, the CRISP wind, the very distinct smell of snow, ask me sometime and I'll try and describe it to you.
I hope you enjoy the pictures of those near perfect scenes.

Sending you love 

AUTUMNS WINDS

What is it about autumn that makes warm feelings surge through me,
thoughts of walks through the newly painted nature, being chased by the chill in the air but unwilling to be hurried on by it. Lovely colors that seemingly imitate those found in the sun. fireside evenings filled with warmth and enjoyment. quiet rainy days. All of these come to my mind when thinking of autumn, and all of these things make me treasure fall and its warm colors and flavors. I have relished in autumn, as I do every year and yet I seem to never tire of it.
But there is one thing I love in particular that I just had to write about today.
As I write this I'm looking out the window facing me, the sky is filled with beautiful violet grey clouds for certain a storm is on its way, the branches on the tree in our back yard is being tossed on the wind. Can you guess what it is I'm writing about ? Wind, wonderful wind, that unseen thing that tickles you softly and gives you the feelings of wings to fly, wind that mischievous child that doesn't mind tangling your hair or causing one to shiver. I love watching the wind though unseen on its own  giving us clues to it being here, like the way it catches the falling leaves scattering them here and there, bring colors of autumn to every corner of the street on which I live. The way the branches of the trees get caught within its grasp and move as if in a graceful dance moving to and fro. Can't you see it swirling twisting flowing everywhere all around us, the most beautiful invisible gift we have, WIND the word in its self inspires within me a sense of awe and mystery, its probably because I can't see it that I have a relentless fascination with the wind. If only I could capture the great sense of feelings I get when imagining its beauty, is that possible ? Perhaps that will be my great task, thats something to ponder on isn't it.
I hope you are enjoying your autumn, I would love to know your favorite thing about autumn or perhaps you have some fascination with something nature related, I would love to hear about it.
        Blessings

Autumn Tea.

 I have my sweater on, my trusted boots all laced and and a wide grin gracing my face, what is it that I a smiling about ?   I am joining The Old fashioned Girl and Grace in her lovely garden for a walk through the orchard I love the idea of gathering together to celebrate autumn and every thing we love and enjoy about the season. One such gathering going on until the twenty third of october is a spot of tea, a lovely link up if you love anything and everything about tea. Think of it as a tea party online from blog to lovely blog.
you can add your link, or just come along and see what others have to share just click here

Tea lovely tea, delicate dried leaves steeped in hot water poured from a beautiful pot, lovely china, silver spoons ah a moment to relax and be fully drawn in letting your senses awake in the aromatic scents of the lovely leaves take in a breath and and savor the fleeting moment of peace.

I don't understand why we americans don't have afternoon tea the english do and many other countries still enjoy a cup, but for us it has become a morning drink that has long been in the shadows of coffee and other coffee drinks, its a shame, tea is really a lost treasure.
I remember tea parties well, though it has been some time sense I have actually had a real tea party, ah time flies it seems only yesterday my sister and I were lulling away lovely hours in the sun under a favorite tree laughing and playing we were high born english ladies having our afternoon tea. But here I am now having a fall tea party with all of you ! Come and join me
                                                        THE TABLE 
I have set up a little table out side on a crisp autumn day, and have lain a lovely white or linen piece of cloth over the table, and spread some colored leaves from my yard across the table like a table runner of nature, my center piece is a bunch of home made paper flower, you can find the how to HERE

 

   aren't these cute ? I just had to post these, there party favors or place cards with a lovely flavored tea inside what a nice idea . I am placing these on my table also.

and for decorations, a felt autumn leaf garland, so cute  

 REFRESHMENTS

At my table I'm placing

Griddle scones recipe here these look really simple and delicious 

Walnut cake with caramel whipped cream recipe here next time I make a cake I'm making this one 

And lastly Ina Garten's Cranberry Harvest Muffins recipe here I have tried these and can say they are scrumptious, my whole family really enjoys them every time we make them. 

TEA

And now to the tea, any kind is just fine whether you take black or herbal tea.            

I really love Earl grey or english breakfast, both have a subtle hint of orange and other spices, served with a drop of cream and a bit of sugar its the best afternoon relaxer so that is what I am placing at my table . But I have to say you can have any kind of refreshment especially sense its autumn, why not have mulled cider served with cinnamon sticks and star anise?  that would be a lovely way to celebrate autumn. I know its not tea but its so darn good and one only drinks it in the autumn, so serve both.  

I hope you come along and enjoy an autumn tea on your blog too,  just remember to ask 

A Wonderful Journey Through Creativity.

                       Ah the joys of sitting at a desk, filling papers with all kinds of creations

stories or sketches poems and songs, all the beauty of creation every part of me loves it. Surrounded by boxes of paper colorful scraps and small sketches scattered here and there, bright pens and pencils in pots greet me every time I sit down to write, erasers and pads filled with dreams and thoughts call to me wanting to be finished. The beauty of a blank page, what will it be ? a princess a fairy or some far away place only seen in my dreams ? the skies the limit when a blank page sits before me.

With only my imagination to be my companion I start out on this journey this adventure full of wonder.
 I'm off  for another adventure.

what I love wednesday

Today I thought I would post about one of my favorite illustrators, Arthur Rackham, I will be posting a lot about my favorite artists in the future, but I just had to start with Him. His art is some of my favorite fairy tail art I only wish I had a book with His illustrations, then I could cary them with me. His art is surreal he brought to life all the old and enchanting fairy tales I love in a beautiful slightly dark interesting way, fairy tales were made for him for sure.
Heres a bit of  background on this genius gentleman artiest.

Arthur Rackham was born in London as one of twelve children. He studied art at the Lambeth school of art, he took full advantage of the techniques of his day which resembled photographic reproduction; first sketching in an outline of his drawing, then lightly blocking in shapes and details, afterward he would add lines with pen and ink, removing the pencil traces after it had dried. With color he would then apply multiple washes of color until transparent tints were created. He would also go on to expand the use of silhouette cuts in illustration work. Essentially a graphic journalist in his early years, the young artist showed little of the imaginative genius that was to emerge later, he did develop an eye for detail and integrity of line that characterized his later work.

a selkie woman, I love how her dress looks like the waves, she looks so tormented, do you see the faces in the water ? 

  

This ones from the snow queen, if you wave ever read the fairy tail you will know this matches the story very well, its definitely how I imagined it.

an early sketch of alice, from alice in wonderland

                                                

This is my all time favorite living trees how imaginative! I love how the leaves look like fabric or clothing
I also love the expressions on the faces hers is a bit apprehensive but unafraid, and his is in raptures looking at her, I also love how there holding hands. I could stare at it for ever, makes me think of all kinds of stories.

I love how his art has movement and fluidity like a still life capture, notice the detail in the background.

very interesting, and creative 

I love the furry in this one.
In short Arthur Rackham is one of the best illustrators of the late 19th century and early 20th
I find all of his art very whimsical and as an artiest inspiring, because he possessed something I truly treasure in an artiest Imagination in the highest form, nothing was to dark to strange to simple or just plain childlike to be explored.
I hope someday I'll  have the imagination and talent to produce art like this.
What are you loving ?

Lovely Web Recipe.

Have you been on Heidi Swanson's lovely website 101 cookbooks ?
I found her website about a year ago whilst traversing the many online results for sorbet. Her site was a breath of fresh air amide all the results that didn't pertain to what I was looking for. I have been following her ever sense and thoroughly enjoying all the recipes she offers to us. Oh by the way My family loved the sorbet recipe I got from her, thought I would add that.
This is a recipe she posted yesterday, I have not tried it but I generally trust her recipes.

A Nice Berry Pie.



 














doesn't this look delicious ?  This is Heidi's recipe that follows

Flaky Rye Pie Crust

75 g / v. scant 2/3 cup rye flour
175g / 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
8 oz / 1 cup salted butter
1/4 - 1/3 cup / 60 - 80 ml cold water or beer

You can make the crust using the quick and popular food processor technique. BUT I always make it by hand, using the above ingredients, and this technique. If you like a super-puffy crust, do the folding in Pim's instructions 4x. I usually like mine less so, and fold & roll just 2 or 3 times, depending on how the dough is feeling. The pie in the photo was 3x.

Berry Pie Filling

2/3 cup / 3.5 oz / 100g natural cane or brown sugar
1/3 cup / 1.5 oz / 45 g flour (apf or wwp)
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sprigs thyme (prefer. lemon thyme) ~ 1/2 t.
2 pounds of berries, (see head notes)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter

1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water, whisked

Large grain sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat your oven to 425F / 220C, with a rack in the bottom third. Roll out your pie crust - top and bottom - on a flour dusted counter. I tend to work the edges a bit first (particularly if I'm getting cracks) - roll and turn, roll and turn, dusting with flour when necessary. Flip once or twice. Work quickly and keep the dough moving. Place between unbleached parchment paper or Silpats, and refrigerate while you make the filling. If you're nervous about rolling out the crust, have a look at the second part of Melissa Clark's video. See how she's not super fussy? Channel some of that. If you need an extra confidence booster, read this. It's o.k. if your dough doesn't roll out into a perfect circle - you can patch and pinch later if needed. Just shoot for 11 or 12-inch inch rounds.

Make the filling by combining the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and thyme in large mixing bowl. Add the berries, and toss gently until well combined. Set aside.

Line a 9 or 10-inch pie plate with the bottom piece of pie dough. Guide it into place without stretching. You want about an inch of dough extending past the rim of the pie plate, trim a bit with scissors or a sharp knife if needed.

Fill the crust with the berries, drizzle with lemon juice, and dot with the butter. Brush the rim of the bottom crust with a bit of egg wash, then top with the other piece of pie crust. Trim the top crust a bit if needed, then press the top and bottom crusts together at the edges. Working around the rim, tuck the overhanging dough under itself, and crimp with a fork or flute using your fingers (see picture up above). Brush the crust with more of the egg wash and place in the oven for about 45 minutes - until the crust is deeply golden. Check your pie regularly after 25 minutes. If you need to foil the edges of the pie - pull it out and do so - this way the edges wont get too dark and dry. I don't have to foil in my oven for this pie, even at this temp, but your oven might be a bit different. I also sprinkle with large-grain sugar about 25 minutes in - for a little extra crunch and sweetness. Let cool a bit, slice and serve.

Serves 8.

Prep time: 90 min - Cook time: 45 min

Now you may think rye crust seems uncanny, but I assure you its not as strange as you may think, I think its sounds delicious and I'm sure at some point I will be trying it. I do hope you enjoy looking over all her wonderful recipes as much as I have. Heres her link.

101 cookbooks, A Nice Berry Pie. 

Enjoy Today.

this recipe is taken from Heidi Swanson's website 101 cookbooks.

The black arrow.

Here today I will attempt my first book review.
I have just completed Robert louis Stevenson's the Black arrow, A tale of the two roses. which I found vary interesting. I love all things middle ages and I thought this story was wonderful, though I have read some reviews that said it was not a true literary treasure and had nothing special about it, and the style it which it was written as hard to understand and the plot hard to follow. I can not disagree more I thought this story was written well, perhaps not as in depth as some of the other literary novels written at that time, but a wonderful adventure tale none the less.
set amide the conflicting alliances during England's war of the roses, we follow young Dick Shelton on an adventure to avenge his fathers murder, his world is turned topside when he discovers the man he thought was his friend the man who raised him since infancy is his one true enemy and is plotting to betray him. Our hero fleeing for his life joins a secret fellowship of outlaws band together to avenge the deaths of upright citizens known as the black arrow. Amide all this he finds true love with his enemies stolen ward Joan Sedley and sets out so save her from his clutches. We follow our hero as he is drawn deeper into the conspiracy of the times and must distinguish friend from foe and ultimately decide on which side of this age old conflict will he pledge his honor. we follow him as he finds the inner hero within him self, and learns that mercy is much more honor worthy that a battle scarred knight. and the perils of war and the hasty decisions made in them ultimately hurt more that you might expect.  Despite all the ridicule even some from the author himself I thought The black arrow was an exciting adventure novel, I hope this might compel you to give it a chance.

What I love wednesday

Ah the middle of the week, so you all know what that means. What you don't know ?  it means I'm linking up again with Krystina at her lovely blog for what I love wednesday.
Are you ready for it ? drum roll please, i'm loving pintrest that sounds really exciting doesn't it,  let me explain pintrest is a site for saving and cataloging pictures that you just cant live with out, its phenomenal and has become my little obsession. For myself as an artiest and writer I can go on there and get inspired very easily, pictures are definitely worth a thousand words, here are some pictures I have saved

All of these are from my pintrest  pinboards this website is too much fun, it should be illegal. Warning this web site may induce obsessive behavior and or hours of pure enjoyment online.
I hope you join and start your own little world of inspiration, i promise you there is no going back once you start. Let me know of you need an invite, and if you already have an account on pintrest I would love to see what inspires you.
See ya





Linking up here.

Another what I love wednesday.

Here we are at yet another wednesday the middle of the week or not if you count the weekend, but who considers the weekend as the week ? any way I thought I'd post some web deliciousness, ''no that was not a phrase I made up I couldn't have thought of somethin so clever'' again moving on. Being Italian my family and I try to incorporate some kind of pasta meal each week and wednesday has been that day ever sense I can remember, I love wednesdays because now that I'm older I get to cook the pasta meal for my family, have I mentioned I love to cook ? well if I haven't let this be an announcement I love to cook for my family, and cook with my mother learning from her, she makes the worlds best sauce, I'm not kidding.  I thoroughly enjoy it. I would post a recipe of our own but my camera is full and I don't have the heart to delete any pictures, I'm strange that way, so here is some delicious recipes from around the web for a Italian
wednesday

                          bow ties with summer squash the italian chef this website has lots of good looking    recipes for all different meals not just pasta. 

                               this sausage spinach ravioli with tomato cream sauce looks delicious 

                                this recipe is from italian food for ever                                 

                        sundried tomato pasta salad from  the pioneer woman this one looks really good
                       

  winter pasta from 101 cookbooks looks scrumptious I love green pasta, probably the child in me.

                             pasta with asparagus pancetta, and pine nuts from cooking light yummy.

I hope these recipes have inspired you to start a wednesday pasta tradition,
have a great rest of the week.







linking up here