Friday, May 20, 2016

Cooking

I don't know if I have ever mentioned, but I love to cook.  And so I started a cooking blog with one of my sisters.  You can find us here, at Write That Down...  Also, what do you think of my new look?



Saturday, May 14, 2016

Book Spotlight: Paper Crowns by Mirriam Neal

Today I am doing a spotlight for this lovely book......that I haven't read yet!  I have been hearing about Paper Crowns (and it's sequel) for a while now and I am eagerly looking forward to reading it.


 

Ginger has lived in seclusion, with only her aunt Malgarel and her blue cat, Halcyon, to keep her company.  Her sheltered, idyllic life is turned upside­-down when her home is attacked by messengers from the world of fae.  Accompanied by Halcyon (who may or may not be more than just a cat), an irascible wysling named Azrael, and a loyal fire elemental named Salazar, Ginger ventures into the world of fae to bring a ruthless Queen to justice. 

Doesn't it sound intriguing and isn't the cover gorgeous?  And now, the Author.


 

Mirriam Neal is a twenty­-two­-year­-old Northwestern hipster living in Atlanta.  She writes hard­-to­-describe books in hard-­to­-describe genres, and illustrates things whenever she finds the time.  She aspires to live as faithfully and creatively as she can and she hopes you do, too. 

You can find Mirriam on her blog at: Wishful Thinking
Or contact her at: the-shieldmaiden@hotmail.com

You can find Paper Crowns on:

 I hope you will check out this book and enjoy it as much I know I will.



Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Who Do You Think You Are Game: Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship

Another game from Cordy's Lord of the Rings week.  You can find it HERE.

 

  Who am I?  Well I would like to say Sam since he is my favorite and, I think, the one whose qualities I admire the most, but I am the most like Merry Brandybuck. 

  This is kind of hard to describe.  I have Merry's loyalty, his quick thinking (sometimes!), his love for his friends and family.  I also love being part of a good conspiracy, and while I'm not a naturally 'born leader', I can step up and lead things when I need to.  I also tend to seem 'carefree and lighthearted', when it is really a coverup for deeper feelings.

And I hope that all of that made sense.



Movies I Watched In April 2016

Titles with nothing before them I watched for the first time.

Titles with ** before them are re-watches.

Titles with # before them I watched with my little siblings.

City Hunter ~ 2011 ~ 7 eps

 

Goodness this drama is good!!  Lee Min Ho and Park Min Young make an amazing and hilarious team!


When Calls the Heart ~ 2014 ~ 3 eps

 

At first I refused to watch this show because I knew how Michael Landon Jr. had utterly ruined the Love Comes Softly series when he made them into movies.  But then a friend kept telling me to watch it, so I did some research and discovered that this TV series isn't about Elizabeth Thatcher Delaney (the girl who the books are about), but her niece Elizabeth Thatcher.  So I agreed to watching it.  Mom, who is watching it with me, very much dislikes it!  I am convinced that the reason Michael Landon Jr. made it her niece, was because everyone disliked what he did to Love Comes Softly and if he used a niece, then he could take the basic plot-line of the books, throw all of his 'additions' and people wouldn't be furious because "you are ruining the books!"
 

Bride & Prejudice ~ 2005

 

This movie, while extremely hilarious and a very good adaption of P&P, had a few issues.  Mainly crudities.  But I liked it a lot and I wouldn't be adverse to watching it again.


# ** The Secret of Moonacre ~ 2009



I'm sure you all are thinking by now, "Man, she watches that movie a lot!"  It is the third time that I have seen it this year!  My little siblings really love it!
 

Elizabethtown ~ 2005

 

We watched this movie after watching the 3rd episode of When Calls the Heart.  Mom need something to 'wash the bad taste out of her mouth'.  It was rather amusing to see Orlando Bloom (who of course I am used to seeing with long blond hair and a long-bow), dressed in modern clothing and playing a shoe designer!  And Kirsten Dunst is just adorable! 





Mulan II ~ 2004


 

While I didn't think the plot was as well done as the first movie, it still had it's good parts.  Plus a lot of quotable Mushu moments!  And, "Did that sound like an order?"  "It sounded like a friendly suggestion!"





Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard ~ 2009

 
 

I have only watched a little over the first half of this.  Mel and I were pulling a 'long-nighter' because Mom was gone.  We watched Mulan II and started this, but then Mel wasn't feeling very well so we haven't finished it.  It was very amusing and the hero, Jeon Woo-chi, is a pain in the rear!


# ** Avengers Assemble ~ 2013 ~ ep 2

  

And some more lovely quotable Avengers!



Books I Read In April 2016

Titles that have nothing before them are books that I read for the first time.

Titles with this ** before them, are books that I re-read.

 Titles with # before them, are books that I read out loud to my little siblings.

The Wulver's Rose ~ Hayden Wand

 


An Irish Christmas ~ Melody Carlson

 


** These Old Shades ~ Georgette Heyer



** Devil's Cub ~ Georgette Heyer

 


# ** Prince Caspian ~ C. S. Lewis

 


** Daddy Long Legs ~ Jean Webster (audio)



** Dear Enemy ~ Jean Webster (audio)

 


The Best Man ~ Grace Livingston Hill (audio) 




Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Tagged by Jessica

Thank you, Jessica, for tagging me.  I was tagged ages ago and I thought I had posted this.  Obviously I hadn't.  I very sorry I didn't do this sooner, Jessica.


Which sense, (smell, touch, taste, etc) do you value the most?
  I think my sight.
What are three things you’ve learned recently?
  That Charles Dickens novels aren't as dry and boring as I thought they were.  That I love Narnia.  A whole new world that I am reveling in.
What book (aside from the Bible) has majorly impacted your life?
  El Dorado by Baroness Orczy.
Which is your favourite Psalm?
 Psalm 1.
Are you more the cook or the eater in your home? (Tell me if you’ve heard this question before. :D)
  The Cook.  I cook supper every night, tortillas when we need them and I do a lot of the baking.  And no, I haven't heard of this question before!
How do you pick yourself up if you’re having a not-so-good, down, or slow day?
  Listen to music or hole up somewhere and make up stories in my head.

What is your favourite time of the day?
  Afternoon or evening.

What are four of your current ‘happy’ things (songs, pictures, products, etc)?
  Song: Danny Boy by Celtic Woman
  The outdoors.
  My dear friend and sister, Tazzie.
  My dear friend, Lucy.
  
What is something that is outside your comfort zone, but you want to do it?
  Probably learning to dance.

What are a few of your (current) favourite words?
  "Doooooon't worry!"  Saying it drives my sister crazy!  Also I tend to call everyone, "Darling" or "Dearie" or "Dearest"

Try this recommendation by Ernest Hemingway: "All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know."
  Life doesn't always go the way you want it to.  I know that is rather a cliche thing to say, but it is very, very true!


Monday, May 9, 2016

Would You Rather: Lord of the Rings Edition




  Our dear Cordy, is hosting a Lord of the Rings week.  Yea!!  You all know how much I love that!  So here is my first post.


  1. You have been tasked with your own quest, your own Fellowship has been gathered, and you have the pick of one last member, would you rather choose Éomer or Imrahil to join you on your journey?  (Imrahil is a member of the Dúnedain.)
  Well if you aren't talking about Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth, then definitely Éomer.  I am a very big fan of Éomer.

  2. Would you rather have to track an army of Uruk-Hai, or climb the 'stairs'?
  Track an army of Uruk-Hai!  As Cordy said, if you fell there, at least you would have the whole of the plains of Rohan to fall on!

  3. Would you rather, slap/shake/glare sense into Denethor or Wormtongue? 
  Denethor!  Because I highly object to the way that...that...that person (I hesitate to call him a man) treats those dear, sweet boys of his!  I am extremely fond of those brothers, and not the least bit fond of their father.  I know, I know, Denethor became what he was, because Sauron was deceiving him.

  4. Would you rather attend Bilbo's birthday party and have to dance a jig, or have to sing a solo at Aragorn's coronation?
  Dance at Bilbo's party by all means!  I am very shy (so shy that I don't like asking for pepperoni at the Deli and hope that Mom will) and singing in front of people would be torture!  Plus I love Hobbit dancing.  I love singing too, just not in front of people!

  5. Would you rather soar on an Eagle's back to pick up Frodo and Sam, or participate in the last march of the Ents, courtesy of Treebeard's shoulders?
  Ooooooo!  This is a hard one!  Riding on the Eagles would be splendid, but I think I would go with the Ent's.  Then I could hangout with Merry and Pip and there is more action where the Ents are going!  Plus I am all for Rohan so I would be putting in a hit on their side so to speak.

  6. Would you rather have to face and enraged Oliphaunt, or Shelob?
  An enraged Oliphaunt!  I think that there is greater chance of not being seen.  Plus 3 of my favorite guys (Lord Faramir, Éomer and Legolas) are pretty handy at taking down Oliphaunts!  Yes, one of my other favorites, Sam, is pretty handy at taking down Shelobs, but I still find Oliphaunts preferable!   

  7. Would you rather have to wear the full armor of Gondor for a day, or the full armor of Rohan?
   Rohan!  As much as I love Gondor, I am a daughter of Rohan.  (Even though I don't have blonde hair and when I take a 'Which Tolkien Race Are You' quiz, I come out as a Hobbit.  I know!  I am the granddaughter of a Lord of the Rohirrim and a Gondorian woman.  He was one of Thengel's Chief's who was with him in Gondor and married there.)  Also, not only does the armor of the Rohirrim look more comfortable, I like the colours more.

  8. Would you rather have a bow or axe?
  A long-bow!  Archery is very coolPlus it is hard to fight with an axe on horseback!  If you are very good, you can shoot with a bow on horseback.

  9. Would you rather visit Rivendell or Lothlorien?
  Another hard choice!  Both places are absolutely amazing!  But I think that in the end, I would choose Lothlorien.  You see, it is a forest, and I utterly adore forests!
  
  10. Would you rather have to go through the Mines of Moria, or take the Paths of the Dead?  (In each situation, you are with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.  Haha, so you aren't alone!)  
  Seriously, Cordy!  You surely gave me a shock!  I didn't see the second part at first and wondered if you were trying to kill me or something!  But now that I know I am with the Three Hunters, I would take the Paths of the Dead.  Why?  Because the Dead obey my Lord Aragorn, where as the Orcs and Goblins and Trolls and Balrog in the Mines only obey someone who is saying, "Kill them!"

  11. Would you rather stay and help rebuild the Shire, or sail to the Undying Lands?
  At first I was going to say, 'stay until King Elessar's death and then sail', but I remembered everything said in The Silmarillion about the Gift of Death to Men, and the Doom of Undying Life to Elves and I would much prefer to stay and then die.  Plus I would enjoy seeing how the children (King Elessar, King Éomer, Lord Faramir, the Thain, the Master and the Mayor's children) got along.

  And those are my answers.  I hope you all enjoyed reading them and thank you, Cordy, for coming up with them.

 



Thursday, May 5, 2016

Springtime Beauties

I found a very unique dandelion the other day.  It was three dandelions grown into one.








And then here are some other pictures I got of the flowers and shrubs.

The Red Currant bush is blossoming.

Our lilacs have lots of buds...

....but no flowers yet.

And some dandelions!

Tulips!!

I love this mulit-coloured one.

This is a wild Yellow Rose bush.  I can't wait for them to start blooming.

And here are my Rhubarb beds!!  I am very eagerly awaiting the first crop because Rhubarb is sooooooo delicious!!

Number One

Number Two

Number Three

And all of them.
And if any of you reading this watch the Kentucky Derby, who are you cheering for?