Our dry bubble...

[The last of yesterday's sunlight reflecting off storm clouds to the east]

A regular sight for us this summer: Storm clouds to the east but little to no rain for us.

The BOM keeps telling us it will rain "in the Flinders", but we're in the Flinders and we've not had a significant, soaking downpour since October last year.

[Our weather forecase for this week: A big "maybe"!]

The rainwater tanks are empty: If it doesn't rain this week we will need to start thinking about either trucking water in, or arranging for a plumber to switch the house onto mains water supply. A $400 SA Water bill means we're incredibly reluctant to do the latter.

[The satellite picture for today: These can be deceiving]

Being a La Niña season, we would normally get summer rains, but this year we've missed out. We've got the humidity, but not the rain. To the north, east, west and south it has rained, but we've remained dry in our odd little bubble.

Monday Mail Out: This morning's mail...

Letters to Rachael and Louise in the UK;

Jen and Nicola in Australia;

a postcard to Astrid in Austria;

and a book on its way to Israel via BookMooch.

Written correspondence has been a hobby of mine for a long time, & Monday Mail Out is a weekly feature whereby I can share my love for the lost art of letter writing. I hope my experiences will encourage others to send out letters on Monday too, and have them rediscover the joy of sending and receiving mail. If you have a blog, feel free to join in.

Bailey-dog...

Spoodle. Poser. Damn late-night fidget.

Also, irresistably lovable.

Bless his sweet heart.

"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us." ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Monday Mail Out: Old Friends...

[Laura's letter & my reply, with the picture her son drew for me pinned up in the background]

"Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant." - Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Today mail went out to Laura and Jessica, people I've been corresponding with for years.

Laura and I first started writing whilst we were both still in highschool, so our friendship has continued for near on 15 years. We write about anything and everything. In between the letters we text, email and Facebook. I never run out of things to talk about with Laura; we have so much in common and she has become one of my closest friends. I think I'd be lost without her!

[Letters sent in handmade envelopes]

I started writing Jessica in 2006 when she was working as an ESL teacher in Japan. She's been back living in Melbourne for around 5 years now and is currently studying primary school teaching. I'm so excited for her because I think she'll be great at it.

Written correspondence has been a hobby of mine for a long time, & Monday Mail Out is a weekly feature whereby I can share my love for the lost art of letter writing. I hope my experiences will encourage others to send out letters on Monday too, and have them rediscover the joy of sending and receiving mail. If you have a blog, feel free to join in.

In My Kitchen: February 2012...

In my kitchen this month are the sweetest, juiciest, tastiest peaches, stewed and packaged...

And are so good as a sweetener on porridge for breakfast, or with icecream for dessert after dinner.

In my kitchen are fresh figs, served with baked custard and a dollop of cream...

And roasted vegetable soup, great for getting in a veggie-fix when the hot weather lets up for a bit.

In my kitchen is quick and easy meals like broccoli and cauliflower cooked in stock and served with pasta flavoured with butter and covered in parmesan cheese...

And vegetable casserole pies.

What's in your kitchen this month?

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~

In My Kitchen is a monthly feature hosted by Fig Jam & Lime Cordial.

To take part, simply make a blog post and link back to Fig Jam & Lime Cordial.

Pemberley to Waterloo by Anna Elliott (illus. Laura Masselos).

Georgiana Darcy's Diary Volume 2 From Pemberley to Waterloo by Anna Elliott

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I only have a few moments to write this, and my hands are shaking so much that I've already upset the inkwell twice. We arrived in Brussels this afternoon. And the fighting is expected to begin tomorrow. The war has truly begun.

Pemberley to Waterloo by Anna Elliott is the sequel to Georgiana Darcy's Diary, a continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Elliott's novels are written from the viewpoint of Mr Darcy's younger sister, Georgiana, in the style of a personal diary.

Pemberley to Waterloo begins during Christmas in the year 1814. Georgiana is impatiently waiting for the time when she can marry her sweetheart, Edward Fitzwilliam. For now, though, she continues to reside at Pemberley with her brother and his wife, Elizabeth, who is heavily pregnant with her first child. Elizabeth's younger sister, Kitty, is staying with them, and Caroline Bingley also stops by for a bit, as does Edward's brother, Frank.

[Regency studies by Laura Masselos - used with permission]

Edward has just returned from his army post in Ireland and is grappling with the emotional scars left by a career in warfare. Despite this, Georgiana remains excited by the prospect of their future together, especially now that the war with Napoleon appears to be over. She cannot wait to become Edward's wife - this is a love-match, truly. Georgiana has matured into a thoughtful, considerate young woman who admires her brother and sister-in-law, and finds Kitty's escapades silly and annoying. Georgiana is a listener who does not judge others when they reveal their socially awkward secrets. Always the optimist, Georgiana is a romantic who wants to see everyone happy and lucky in love, as she and her brother have been.

But then the unthinkable happens: Napoleon escapes his prison and Edward must once again return to the battlefield. Georgiana, desperately fearing for his life, risks her own and travels to Brussels in an attempt to be closer to him. As the fighting breaks out and people flee Brussels for the relative safety of Antwerp, Georgiana makes the decision to remain in the dangerzone, continuing the search for Edward amongst the injured and the dead. She sees and experiences the worst imaginable, but does so stoically and amiably - she will do no less than what Edward would do in return, constantly finding strength in the belief that love conquers all adversities.

[Claddagh ring by Laura Masselos - used with permission]

By writing Pemberley to Waterloo in the format of a diary, Elliott provides her readers with a clear insight into her heroine's true thoughts and feelings. It also allows for greater scope to consider issues relevant to the era, particularly those pertaining to the role of women in society, social standards pertaining to marriage and children, and of the horrors of war, complicated by the medical inadequacies of the time.

I also really enjoy the fact that these "diaries" are beautifully illustrated, setting the scene more perfectly, putting faces to the characters, and bringing to life the Regency era. How can you not admire the time, dedication and skill that Laura Masselos has put into these pictures? I wholeheartedly feel the story would be incomplete without them.

A perfect Valentine's Day read!

[Georgiana & Edward by Laura Masselos - used with permission]

View all my reviews

The Lady of the Rivers: Giveaway Winner.

CONGRATULATIONS to

oloore

Who has won this paperback copy of The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory!

I will be in contact with you shortly and hope to have the book ordered and on its way by the end of the week.

Many thanks to everyone who took part.

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris.

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Quinn gave me a broad smile. He bent to crouch on the ground. I knew what was coming. The air around Quinn began to shimmer and tremble, and then within that envelope Quinn began to change. Muscles rippled and flowed and remformed, bones reshaped, fur rolled out of somewhere inside him - though I knew that couldn't be, that was the illusion. The sound was dreadful.

Definitely Dead is book six in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris. It should be noted from the outset that the plot is based around events that take place before the beginning of this novel, in a short story called 'One Word Answer', which slots between books five and six. I will admit that if you've not read the short story you will probably find the start of Definitely Dead a little confusing, yet it doesn't ruin the story as a whole: The author does attempt to fill in gaps and with a little imagination it is relatively easy to work out exactly what has happened to bring us to the here and now.

You see, Sookie's cousin Hadley has died and Sookie is named as her beneficiary. Hadley's death is somewhat unusual in that she was a vampire who was turned by her lover, the Queen of Lousiana, and then killed by a rival for the Queen's affection. So, as beneficiary Sookie travels to New Orleans with ex-boyfriend Vampire Bill and Mr Cataliades and Diantha (members of the Queen's entourage) to sort through her cousin's belongings. In New Orleans she is introduced to a variety of characters and makes new friends and enemies amongst the vamps, witches and weres, in typical Sookie fashion.

Sookie also finds herself in a brand new romance with a weretiger named Quinn, introduced into the series near the end of book five (Dead as a Doornail). Quinn is mysterious and macho, but entirely sweet when it comes to Sookie and is easily likeable. He's obviously carrying some baggage from his past, but Sookie remains fond of him too, although she decides not to rush things with her new beau. Even though I like Quinn as a character, I find he lacks the charismatic allure of Eric, and Sookie's growing attachment to him does not have the same intensity as her relationship with Vampire Bill in book one (Dead Until Dark) and her romantic rendezvous with Eric in book four (Dead to the World).

Despite the new love interest, Sookie's personality continues to undertake major transformations. In Definitely Dead she learns the truth behind her relationship with Bill, which leaves her shocked and bitter. Sookie is growing hard, less trusting and more unforgiving. The dark side to Sookie's character has been seen before, although the changes don't make her any less likeable; it's simply interesting to see the innocent, naive Sookie mature into the somewhat cynical woman-of-the-world that she's becoming. Sookie is fast learning that life isn't always easy, especially when the big bad world likes to regularly slap you in the face.

No matter where she is or who she's with, Sookie always seems to find herself in some kind of trouble! Definitely Dead has a fascinating plot where lots of stuff happens to keep the reader interested, although I do recommend reading these books in order, and sourcing 'One Word Answer' before starting this one, just to save confusion. Overall, I found it exhilerating to be back into Sookie's rough-and-tumble world after the slight disappointment of book five.

View all my reviews

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

THE LADY OF THE RIVERS GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

I am currently hosting a giveaway for The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory, and this is your absolute LAST CHANCE to go into the draw!

All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment on my review post. Entries will be taken until midnight (Australian Central Standard Time) tonight, Friday, 10 February 2012. The winner will be announced sometime over the weekend (11 - 12 February).

Giveaway is open to everyone, on the condition that the Book Depository ships free to your country.

The winner will receive this paperback copy of The Lady of the Rivers.

Best of luck!

Monday Mail Out: A good week for books.

[The Medieval Woman postcard & stationery from Astrid]

I didn't receive a lot of letters in the mail last week, but I did get a lot of books.

Seven, in fact!

4 were from BookCrossing, 2 via BookMooch, and 1 a surprise from Astrid in Austria. Mount TBR just got a lot bigger...

In addition to the book, Astrid also sent me a selection of postcards and stationery, including bookmarks and notecards. My favourite of the lot, however, was the medieval woman writing a letter postcard (pictured above). I think it'll look nice in a frame on the wall, don't you? It wouldn't be the first postcard from Astrid that has ended up on permanent display in our house.

[This morning's outgoing mail]

Saturday was hot and then on Sunday it was blowing a gale, but that made it a good weekend for writing letters.

Today mail went out to Maaike in China, Jen in Queensland, and Ulrika in Sweden.

Written correspondence has been a hobby of mine for a long time, & Monday Mail Out is a weekly feature whereby I can share my love for the lost art of letter writing. I hope my experiences will encourage others to send out letters on Monday too, and have them rediscover the joy of sending and receiving mail. If you have a blog, feel free to join in.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (= love)

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

England is always remaking herself, her cliffs eroding, her sandbanks drifting, springs bubbling up in dead ground. They regroup themselves while we sleep, the landscapes through which we move, and even the histories that trail us; the faces of the dead fade into other faces, as a spine of hills into the mist.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel is a fascinating novel set during the reign of King Henry VIII, at the time of his second marriage (to Anne Boleyn) and his split from the church in Rome. The protagonist is Thomas Cromwell, and the story details his journey from being the son of a vicious blacksmith to gaining his position of prominence and power in King Henry's court.

Like all Tudor fictions, there are the usual personalities of Henry's court that feature in this story, characters including Cardinal Wosley, Anne and Mary Boleyn, Katherine of Aragon, Thomas More, Norfolk and Suffolk, Jane Seymour...I really enjoyed the author's intepretation of these characters, especially saintly Wosley, fiesty Anne, and crazy More.

Wolf Hall also includes a range of characters from Cromwell's blood kin and adopted family, making Master Cromwell far more personable and likeable than the unscrupulous villain he is normally portrayed as being. Thomas Cromwell remains the ingenious lawyer he has always been, but Mantel provides him with much greater scope: He is also a devoted family man with a love for animals (particularly dogs), who shows endless compassion for those less fortunate. Mantel's Cromwell is also rather humble, never proclaiming to be more than he is, and never denying his past or his origins.

I really enjoyed this novel and it is easily one of my favourite interpretations of the Tudor period that I have read to date. Despite its length (650+ pages), it doesn't feel like an excessively long read. In fact, Mantel's prose and descriptive abilities make it flow beautifully through past and present events. It is easy to believe that this is the real Thomas Cromwell, and that this story is the real history.

Absolutely loved it. Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**

THE LADY OF THE RIVERS GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

I am currently hosting a giveaway for The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory.

All you have to do to enter the draw is to leave a comment on my review post. Entries will be taken until midnight (Australian Central Standard Time) on Friday, 10 February 2012. The winner will be announced sometime over that weekend (11 - 12 February).

Giveaway is open to everyone, on the condition that the Book Depository ships free to your country.

The winner will receive this paperback copy of The Lady of the Rivers.

Best of luck!

Architecture is sexy, not scary.

[Old & New: Dining room fire place with combustion heating]

It's Thursday and lately I've been excited by Thursdays.

You see, Restoration Man is on the Lifestyle Channel on Thursday nights, and it's my new favourite show on television. Now, I don't watch a lot of TV because I am incredibly picky about what interests me and it's not very often that a TV series comes along that I look forward to watching each and every week.

[Old & New: Antique lock on the door and new copper light switches in the dining room]

I'll tell you why I like this series so much, and it's not simply because George Clarke is eye candy. It's because this is a series about simple, everyday people taking on the momentous and humbling task of renovating and restoring old buildings - buildings that are, in some cases, more than 500 years old. Everything from churches to castle towers, barns, coach inns and windmills. 

Restoration Man is a series about saving heritage buildings from ruin by bringing them into the twenty-first century, which with all the bureaucracy that comes along with it, is no easy feat.

[Old & New: Every architrave and window frame in our house is original. Some of the windows even have the original panes of glass]

I have mentioned before that I am a firm believer that buildings need to be allowed to adapt and evolve to changing times and conditions in order for them to survive in the long term, and Restoration Man is a great example of how this is being achieved in the UK on a truly inspiring scale.

Buildings cannot be left stagnant to eventually fall into ruins. They need people who have the passion and motivation to be their custodians and ensure their survival for a further 100, 200, 500 years. Sometimes heritage listed buildings come with so many restrictive requirements that potential buyers are frightened by the prospect; heritage boards should be aiming to encourage people to purchase and maintain these properties for future generations, not make it such a daunting process that they run scared instead.

[New: Ceiling  and lights in dining room]

Our house is not heritage listed itself, however it is over 100 years old (almost ancient by South Australian standards) and lies within a local heritage zone, which comes with its own rules and regulations about frontage appearance and what can be visible from the street. We love our house. We purchased it because we wanted to be able to restore and preserve it whilst making it a livable, working home.

Most people don't buy old buildings to make them look new. There's something inherently cozy and endearing about period properties that makes them so appealing that rarely do purchasers come along with the intent to completely reinvent them. It is possible to bring an old world property into the new world with all modern amenities and comfort, yet retain the original features and period charm of the property that made is so appealing in the first place, people just have to be allowed to do it.

 

[Old & New: Original wooden ceilings and split-system reverse-cycle air con in living room]

I also thought this the perfect excuse to share some photos of our cozy little cottage, as I haven't really done so since we finished our renovation stint just before Xmas. Of course our restoration efforts are on a much smaller scale than anything you'd see on Restoration Man, but they are extending the life of our property nonetheless, and that is an incredibly rewarding achievement.



Plums make good jam...

Jam (def.): A preserve of whole fruit, slightly crushed, boiled with sugar.

The plums are ripening and my new favourite thing to do in the kitchen is to make jam!

I have a pantry full of white plum preserve, and am now (impatiently) waiting for the blood plums to be ready so I can see what they're like as jam too.

There's not much better than homemade jam made with homegrown fruit on homemade fresh bread with the biggest dollup of cream spread over the top...

Yum.