Spring Home Atmosphere

This is the second in a series of postings on how I think about the atmosphere of our home in a seasonal manner.  If you'd like to read the first posting, Winter Home Atmosphere, click here.



In my mind, each season has an atmosphere all its own, and that atmosphere spills over to: the kitchen, touches of beauty and comfort, and our activities. Here is how I am thinking about this spring:

Spring

Growth.  Bloom.  Color.  New.  Clean.

The Kitchen:

-fresh eggs

-quiche

-asparagus

-lemon desserts

-strawberries

-grilling

Touches of Beauty and Comfort:

-fresh flowers on the table

-open windows

-forsythia branches indoors

-lighten and brighten decorative touches

-fresh air

Activities:

-Easter!

-spring cleaning

-make soap

-creatively dye eggs

-lighten wardrobe

-clean out closets

-start seeds

-travel

-plant garden

Turning ONE!

It seems hard to believe that a year has passed since Theo was born one snowy day last spring. What a delight to watch him grow and become part of our family! For his birthday, we all went over to Walter’s parents’ home for a celebration.

But first, Colette made him a spectacular cake covered with spots!



Presents were purchased and colorfully wrapped!

All because we love this little guy to pieces!!!!



He ate his cake with great gusto, much to everyone’s delight!

Happy Birthday, little guy!

A Wedding Get-Away

Having long anticipated a trip to North Carolina for a friend's wedding, we decided to forge ahead with our plans. Heeding doctor’s advice for Technohubby to get out and walk a bit every 1-2 hours to prevent blood clots, it took us a bit longer than it might have otherwise. But we’re really glad we went!

We left New England with 15″ of snow on the ground, but by the time we got to Connecticut, we had left any snow coverage behind. Just the four of us and the Rubber Chicken about to cross that bridge in the distance, the George Washington Bridge over the Hudson River just outside New York City.



It was just a day’s drive to friends’ home in northern Virginia, where we enjoyed their gracious hospitality as overnight guests. It was such a blessing to reunite with old and dear friends!  Great conversation! A game of Stratego between the boys. Comfortable beds. Good food! It was a short, but wonderful visit!

The wedding was in North Carolina.



Pretty stained glass windows in the church.

And they were pronounced husband and wife!



There had been thunder and lightning the night before in Virginia. But all were grateful for just a slight sprinkling of showers the day of the wedding. Remember that green brocade and silk I purchased in New York City in January? Well…there it is in its finished form.



The reception was held at this historic inn. So pretty!



There was great rejoicing! Dancing! A harpist! And delicious food!

The next day, after a breakfast open house at the bride and groom’s home, we bid farewell to our friends and went off exploring. We headed for North Carolina’s Outer Banks. There we discovered the Wilbur and Orville Wright National Monument, which consists of a small museum (building to the right), recreations of the Wright Brothers cabins where they lived while conducting their experiments in flight (two wooden buildings to the left)…



…and at the top of the hill from which they launched the first flight, this monument to their accomplishement.

It was a great trip!

Change of Plans

Our plans are not God’s plans. This was abundantly clear last Friday. Technohubby took the day off to go skiing with the kids. I spent my usual quiet Friday sewing. About 1:00 p.m. the phone rang.  Technohubby had had a skiing accident.  A fall.  A ski that didn't release.  Ski patrol.  A tobaggon ride down the hill.  An ambulance ride to the hospital.  The diagnosis...a broken hip.  Surgery.  A hospital stay.  Crutches...for the next three months.

Life is moving pretty slowly now.  Yet the days are exhaustingly full.  The prognosis is good for a full recovery.  Praise God!

One loyal dog just wants to be close to his master, anyway he can.



Developing Eating Habits

Theo, my grandson, has learned to be quite proficient at putting Cheerios in his mouth. And the dog? Well, it didn’t take her long to learn where the best place to lie is.

Summer in Winter

Last summer I visited a local farm that does u-pick flowers (see this posting).  I bought an armload of flowers for a mere $12, and they’ve been hanging in the laundry/sewing room drying. I’ve been waiting for a snowy day to arrange them in vases. But alas, so little snow this winter. And it’s already February, so I decided that I just ought to get busy with the flowers. Today was the day!

I gathered various vases and vessels and all the flowers (just a few shown here).



What fun I had! I got six arrangments for my $12 investment and the beauty of bringing a touch of summer to our winter. This one is sitting in the sunny kitchen windowsill to cheer me as I work.

And the kitchen table got an arrangement made in a redware crock from Old Sturbridge Village.



A small bouquet in a silver basket sits on the laundry/sewing room windowsill.



And in our master bath, this bright little spot of color.



And Colette even had some fun putting together this pretty arrangement for her room.



Excellent flowers for dried arrangements include:

- globe amaranth

- statice

- blue salvia (looks like lavender)

- straw flowers

- cock’s comb

I’m definitely going flower gathering again this summer!

Spud Launcher Project

First came the mathematical calculations. Then came a trip to Home Depot. Then Technohubby and Max put in many nights’ work in the basement. They’ve been building a potato cannon! Today was launch day!

I’m not sure exactly how it works, but I know it involves shoving a potato from the pantry into part of the cannon.

A long piece of wood plays the role of a ramrod.

Another part of it is filled with air from the air compressor. Valves are involved.

The inventors!

I wish I could’ve photographed it shooting. I wish I could’ve videotaped it and shared it with you. But that spud blasted out so quickly that I never even saw it happen. Technohubby managed to track the potato as it went up, uP, UP! Impressive! I fear for unsuspecting squirrels in the forest. But the guys are immensely pleased!

Winter Home Atmosphere

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand and for

a talk beside the fire;

It is the time for home.”

-Edith Stilwell, British poet

I’ve had this quote sitting at my place at the table for about a week now…just thinking about it. It’s prompted a lot of thinking about the atmosphere of our home. Naturally, I hope our home is filled with the presence of Christ, and His love and presence can be felt by those who live here and those who visit. But I was thinking about the atmosphere we create…the tangibles that create beauty and make home feel like home. And then I was thinking about how, for me, that atmosphere is entwined with the seasons of the year. So, I put pen to paper in an attempt to sort out my thoughts. I found that, in my mind, each season has an atmosphere all its own, and that that atmosphere spills over to: the kitchen, touches of beauty and comfort, and our activities. Here is how I thought about this winter:



Winter

Quiet. Home. Peace. Rest. Togetherness.

The Kitchen:

-soup

-hot cocoa with whipped cream on cold nights

-oatmeal

-crockpot

-warm, comfort food

-eating last summer’s preserved food from the freezer, pantry shelves, and basement

-cinnamon rolls

-maple syrup

Touches of Beauty and Comfort:

-candles

-cozy quilts

-duvets

-indoors together

-flannel sheets

Activities:

-garden planning

-arranging dried flowers (picked fresh last summer) in vases

-knitting

-afternoon walks

-reading

-family fun

Favorite Period Movies - Part II

These postings on our favorite period movies are not my usual sort of blog posting, but I hope you’re enjoying them. Everyone loves finding a good movie recommendation. I know I do! I’ve seen many more period movies than I list here, but many I could not, in good conscience, recommend to people (nor even watch again myself). But I think I’m giving you a good list of decent movies.

If you are in the mood for Dickens, we would recommend:

Bleak House

It has all the usual elements that you come to expect from Dickens: an excess of words superbly written, snobby artistocrats, eccentrics, dirty London streets, and a virtuous heroine. Our whole family was captivated!

Photo credit here.

Click here for a promotional trailer.

Little Dorrit

As always with Dickens, excellent moral lessons to be learned. Well acted!

Photo credit here.

Click here for a trailer for Little Dorrit.

Downton Abbey

Like everyone else in America (and England too), our family is hooked(!) on Downton Abbey! A British television series, it follows the tale of the artisocratic Granthams and their household staff in the early 1900′s. The world is changing, and so are the traditional class systems in England. Beautifully costumed! Well acted! You’ll be hooked too!  (Disclaimer: there are a couple of scenes in the first season that you might find objectionable.  Might want to preview them first, if you're watching as a family.)

Photo credit here.

Click here for a trailer from the first season of Downton Abbey.

Enchanted April

This movie has long been a favorite of mine. It follows the story of several British women as they escape their lives in England and rent a villa in Italy for an extended vacation, and learn some valuable lessons along the way. The movie has a very quiet pace…as though you’re along on their relaxing vacation yourself. Excellent performances. And a plus for me, it also stars Michael Kitchen, who I will watch in nearly anything.

Photo credit here.

Click here for a trailer. (You will have to click on the yellow button that says "Watch Trailer.")

If Technohubby is in the mood for an action movie, and I am in the mood for a period movie, here are a few that please both of us:

Horatio Hornblower Series

This is a series of DVDs. You should just buy them. They are ever so entertaining…for the whole family!

Photo credit here.

Master & Commander

Another movie portraying the glory days of the British Navy, this one stars Russell Crowe. We actually have a friend who's in this movie!  True!  Well acted! Beautiful cello and violin duets! Superb!

Photo credit here.

The Patriot

Far too few films set in the late 1700′s in my opinion, so I do enjoy an occassional viewing of The Patriot. It thrills my colonial-loving heart! Some of the costuming is excellent (like the leading lady’s gowns and the men’s costumes), and some of it is ridiculous (like the leading lady walking about in her corset). Rated R for violence.

Photo credit here.

Moving beyond period movies with war elements…

Lark Rise to Candleford

One of our newer discoveries, this British television series portrays two rival towns…the bustling town of Lark Rise and the rural town of Candleford. Each is filled with its own interesting collection of townspeople…the opinionated post mistress (who only has “one fault”), the impressionable young girl, various handsome young men who come courting, the fussy seasmstresses. When this was first recommended to us, we were told that the family liked it “because the problems the people have are real problems.” And that’s so very true. Everyone is struggling with the sins with which we all struggle. Highly recommend!

Photo credit here.

There are so many episodes to Lark Rise to Candleford, that it’s difficult to choose a trailer. But here is one from the first season. For those of you who are fans of Downton Abbey, you will recognize the valet, Bates, in this series as the young girl’s father.

The Importance of Being Earnest

A perfectly delightful comedy starring Colin Firth, Judi Dench, and Reese Witherspoon! Hilarious from beginning to end!

Photo credit here.

Click here for a trailer.

Cranford

It has been said that what little you have to see in small towns is made up for by how much you hear! And that is certainly true in the town of Cranford, populated by spinsters and busybodies. An adaption from another of Elizabeth Glaskell’s novels (like Wives & Daughters and North & South). Once you’ve seen this movie, you will never let a cat get near lace. Just sayin’.

Photo credit here.

And last but not least, two different versions of Jane Eyre. Either movie is an adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel about a governess who takes a job at the forboding mansion of Mr. Rochester, only to discover that love and secrets abide there.

Jane Eyre (2011 movie)

This one we love for its incredible costuming, cinematography, and musical score.

Photo credit here.

Jane Eyre – 2006 Masterpiece Theatre Mini-Series

But for the chemistry between Mr. Rochester and Jane, the 2006 BBC version can’t be beat! I favor this one by quite a bit.

Photo credit here.

Enjoy a movie or two this winter! Comments welcome! If you have some recommendations for me, I’d love to hear them!

Favorite Period Movies - Part I

I love winter evenings, because the sun sets sooner and everyone is indoors together and the house is cozy and warm. And in these long nights of January, we’ve been watching some period movies, old favorites and new discoveries. Here is our list of favorite period movies…always with commentary, sometimes with a plot synopsis, and sometimes with a trailer for the lesser known movies.

Wives & Daughters

Hands down, this is my all-time favorite period movie. Based on the novel by Elizabeth Glaskell, it is set in England in the 1850′s. The acting is superb! The costuming exquisite! (And you know that’s so very, very important to me.) And the movie is just so perfectly decent. While Jane Austen is pretty decent too, there’s usually the hint of a scandal somewhere. This is not so in Wives & Daughters. Humor and excellent dialogue all help to make it my favorite!

Photo credit here.

All the various Jane Austen movies:

Pride & Prejudice

I like both versions. Colin Firth, the beautiful civility, the elegance, the dialogue, and more all make me like the first version best.

Photo credit here.

In the newer version, I really enjoy: the mother being kindly and silly rather than ridiculous, the realism that runs throughout the movie (especially in the first dancing scene), and the sumptous, fabric-like feel to the cinematography. (Shown: my favorite scene.)

Photo credit here.

Sense & Sensibility

A dear friend of mine described the version with Emma Thompson as, “...a perfect movie.” So true. Can’t find one flaw in it. Perfectly acted and costumed. Beautiful cinematography. Great sets. Elegant musical score.

Photo credit here.

Emma

Our favorite is the version with Gwyneth Paltrow. Humorous story of a young matchmaker, who is quick to recognize love for everyone except herself. The archery scene always make us chuckle.

Photo credit here.

Amazing Grace

Moving on from Jane Austen movies now… Our whole family loves Amazing Grace! Inspiring, true story of Wilbur Willberforce, who succeeded in abolishing slavery from England, and his friendship with John Newton, author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”. Stellar performances by all the actors and actresses in this movie. Beautifully costumed.

Photo credit here.

North & South

Also based on a novel by Elizabeth Glaskell (as was “Wives & Daughters), this is a new favorite of ours. It has NOTHING to do with the American Civil War, but is instead set in 1850′s England. A minister’s family moves from the cosmopolitan area of southern England to a northern mill town, where their genteel manners are in contrast to the sometimes-rough tradespeople who surround them. Can the minister’s daughter find love there?

Photo credit here.

Click here for a trailer from North & South.

The Four Feathers

This movie differs a bit from all the previously mentioned ones, as it is often violent and portrays some really wretched prison scenes, but I do like it. Heath Ledger portrays a young British officer who is given four feathers, symbols of cowardice, from his fellow officer friends and his fiance when he decides not to follow his commrades to war. Beautiful scenes in England. Excellent costuming. A touching story of friendship and atonement.

Photo credit here.

And here is a trailer for "The Four Feathers".

Under the Greenwood Tree

This is the story of a young teacher who creates quite a stir when she moves to a small, English town. Soon she finds herself with three suitors. Hilarious, at times.

Photo credit here.

Little Women

A favorite, especially at Christmas time! Good for the whole family!

Photo credit here.

Anna and the King

This is one of the most beautiful movies I’ve ever seen. The costuming is flawless! The cinematography exquisite! The acting superb! Heavy subject matter at times, and humorous at other times.

Photo credit here.

Comments and other movie recommendations welcome!  More of our favorites in my next posting.