Mothers of Invention -- A Tribute

Hello blog friends! It’s been a long time since I’ve posted here. I’ve missed chatting with you.

I should explain that my lovely and loving mother died on May 19 at the age of 71. Since then I’ve alternated between sorrow, anxiety, numbness, and a cautious cheerfulness. Many of you have been through this. No doubt you’d tell me there’s no right or wrong way to grieve, and that I should give myself as much time as I need. I do appreciate that.

This post really isn't about grief, however. It is about a legacy of love. To honor my mother (and grandmother) I'd like to share a specific example of their magical influence on my life.

I promise this will make you SMILE.

Like many young girls, I obsessed over the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. My fascination began when Mom read Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie to me at bedtime. As Laura and I grew older, I graduated to reading the novels on my own. Wishing to be as much like my favorite protagonist as possible, I demanded that my hair be braided, wore my ruffled calico dress until it burst at the seams, and begged to go to Grandma’s farm where I could practice baking, butter churning, and cow tending. (Working in the garden was less inspiring, but imagining myself as Laura helped make it endurable.) When Mom remarried I decided henceforth that she and my stepfather would be known as Ma and Pa. No one dared to disagree. Even my Barbie dolls were forced to hold down a claim under a tree in the backyard. In their little frame house they cooked on a miniature cast iron stove, slept on straw-filled mattresses, and fed fragrant grass seed to their (plastic) horses.

Mom and Grandma were well aware of my obsession. They shared it, after all. And thus one year they concocted a plan for my Christmas present--a plan so ambitious they must have been as intimidated as they were excited by the enormity of their task. They undertook to sew a complete wardrobe for my Barbie dolls based on Laura Ingalls’ wedding trousseau from These Happy Golden Years.

Each day, as soon as I was safely on the school bus, my mother collected my Barbies and drove to Grandma’s house. Together they pored over the text of the book, taking notes on her descriptions of fabrics and dress styles. They cross-referenced these details with a reproduction 1900 Sears & Roebuck catalog and adapted Barbie dress patterns to the old-fashioned styles. Once they knew exactly what they would be sewing it was time to plunder the ragbag for fabric scraps that closely resembled the dresses described in the book. Only after they’d exhausted that resource did they take out their pocketbooks and travel to the fabric store for the materials they did not already have.

They watched the clock carefully in the afternoons to ensure my mom would get home before the bus. Each day she returned my dolls to what she hoped was the exact spot where I’d left them. To her credit, I never had a clue of the costume fitting adventures my Barbie dolls had undertaken during the day...


At least, not until Christmas Day brought this box of MAGIC.

Would you like to see what was inside?

[Here's where I confess to devoting an entire day to a Barbie photo shoot, just so I could show you the clothes that were packed in that box. Many thanks go to Disney's "Belle" Barbie for standing in for my long lost dolls. And as always with my blog photos, if you would like a closer view, click the image to enlarge.]


First there was the brown poplin dress:

It's smooth, long sleeves fitted her arms perfectly to the wrists, where a band of plain silk ended them. The neck was high with a smooth band of the plain silk around the throat. The polonaise fitted tightly and buttoned all down the front with small round buttons covered with the plain brown silk. Below the smooth hips it flared and rippled down and covered the top of the flounce on the underskirt. A band of the plain silk finished the polonaise at the bottom. (These Happy Golden Years, 162-63).

I loved that there were two parts to this dress, and that you can see the underskirt's ruffle peeping out below the silk ribbon of the polonaise. Note: this was the dress Laura wore during the infamous buggy ride in which she shook the buggy whip and startled the colts, all because Almanzo tried to put his arm around her. Cheeky young man! (And "devilish" young lady!)


The pink lawn dress also came in two pieces and was gorgeously feminine. Grandma and Mom were particularly adept at recreating the tuck work that Laura described:

They made the waist tight-fitting, with two clusters of tucks down the back, and two in front...The skirt was gathered very full all round into a narrow waistband, which buttoned over the bottom of the waist to secure them from slipping apart. All down the full skirt, tucks went around and around it, spaced evenly a little way apart, and below the bottom tuck was a full-gathered ruffled four inches wide that just touched Laura's shoe tips (243-44).


Laura's black cashmere wedding dress was constructed of soft, fine-waled corduroy, complete with lace at the neck and a tiny wooden brooch painted with an even tinier strawberry. [See a closer view of the brooch.] Grandma and Mom sewed Laura's straw poke bonnet out of roughly textured green fabric and lined it with blue cotton.

Laura was ready when Almanzo came. She was wearing her new black cashmere dress and her sage-green poke bonnet with the blue lining and the blue ribbon bow tied under left ear. The soft black tips of her shoes barely peeped from beneath her flaring skirt as she walked (279).

(For the record, I simply could not manage to tie that ribbon under Belle's left ear without it looking ridiculous.)


Being very attentive to detail, Mom and Grandma did not forget Laura's underclothes. Mom cleverly constructed a narrow hoop skirt of wire and tape--"the very latest style in the East" (161)--and even fashioned a tiny bustle that could be taped underneath for fullness or on top for modest backside enhancement. Knowing Laura preferred a small bustle, I usually taped it on top. (In the photo, however, it is taped underneath for maximum enhancement. Check the side view of the black wedding dress for the effect.) To cover the hoop they provided a soft white cotton petticoat with yellow ribbon trim. Their pièce de résistance, however, was a corset of white satin sewn with the tiniest of stitches to fit the fabric exactly to Barbie's inhuman proportions.


Mom and Grandma even found time to sew a long-sleeved, flowing nightgown of white flannel sprinkled with delicate purple flowers for Barbie. They also made a girl-sized one out of the same material for me. Sadly, my gown is long gone, but Barbie looks quite cozy in hers, doesn't she?

As you might imagine, I was thoroughly enchanted by this miniature and very complicated wardrobe, and I spent hours dressing and undressing my dolls. A few items didn't survive the heavy use, and one dress (a blue calico?) was drastically retooled during my Medieval Barbie phase, but the rest were passed down to my baby sister when I went to college. (I honestly can't remember how I felt about this. I wonder if I even knew?) Eventually my dear nieces played with them as well, and I'm certain the dresses enjoyed their varied adventures over the years. Their good condition today is a testament both to the care that went into their construction and the delicacy with which we played with them.

A few years ago Mom and I searched through the toy box and collected all the Laura Ingalls items we could find. Just last week I conducted my photo shoot--partly for posterity, but mostly as a way to celebrate Mom and Grandma. They were true mothers of invention, and it is such an honor (not to mention a balm to my sore heart) to share their industry and artistry with you!

I will close with a message for these dearly departed ladies: Thank you, Grandma and Mom, for taking time out of your busy days to enter a child's imagination, for making her dreams come true, and for gifting her with your love of history and story. Thank you for the magic. You both will live forever in my heart.


Grandma and me (You can see I inherited her mouth) on Christmas Day, 1978? (Photo taken by Mom)


Margaret Ellen (Grandma) and Marcia (Mom), circa 1962

**Many thanks to my sister, Heather Miller, who searched the family albums for the Christmas photos!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Tea with Jane Eyre

Jane flees Thornfield (Haddon Hall) in 2011 film.

Charlotte Bronte's 200th birthday last year inspired me to re-read Jane Eyre, and I decided to make this part of my Read Harder Challenge by watching two film adaptations for comparison to the original text. I'd been meaning to re-watch the 2006 BBC version with Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson, and I'm always eager to watch the 2011 theatrical version with Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska. What a pleasure to read the book*, watch both adaptations and compare! It also was great fun to pair the book with tea and a sweet treat, as you'll see below.

(*Actually, I alternated between reading the e-book and listening to Thandie Newton's spectacular audio performance.)


I'd forgotten that both the 2006 and 2011 adaptations were filmed at Haddon Hall in Derbyshire (as was the 1996 Franco Zeffirelli version with William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg!). I've visited Haddon Hall in both the summer and at Christmas time, and it's one of my favorite old piles in all of England. It seems perfect for Thornfield Hall--castellated and gloomy in a Gothically romantic way, also boasting a rushing stream and lovely terraced gardens. The 2006 version makes a little more use of the Haddon Hall interiors, whereas the 2011 version uses Broughton Castle (another lovely place to visit!) for many of the interior shots.


So, which adaptation did I like better? The 2011 adaptation will always be my favorite, but the 2006 TV movie is quite good in its own right. Excellent performances from Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson, and a teleplay by Sandy Welch that is mostly true to the original. Welch departs from the book by presenting Rochester as a naturalist, and by introducing house party discussions of the scientific study of twins (???), as well as musings on the paranormal. There's even a scene with a table transformed into a talking board. (Why add a talking board when you already have gypsy readings?)

The 2011 theatrical version is stripped-down, but effectively so. I like the Rivers family as a frame, and I do prefer Fassbender's darker Rochester--he has a bit more menace to him and doesn't babble so much as the original. Mia Wasikowska truly does seem little and plain(ish) in this adaptation, but also strong-willed. I think the scene that really seals the 2011 version as my favorite is when Rochester begs Jane to stay after the revelation of his dark secret. "I cannot get at you, and it is your soul that I want!" (Watch the scene--you know you want to!) I also love the ending--very compressed from the original, but somehow more satisfying to me.


I've probably mentioned my Haddon Hall china from Minton before. I first saw the pattern at the Haddon Hall gift shop, but it just wasn't feasible to ship a set back to the U.S. Fortunately, I later found pieces from various sets at Replacements.com. They don't match perfectly, but I think that makes the collection all the more charming. And, of course, the Haddon Hall china seemed perfect for a Jane Eyre tea!

For my tea treat, I made parkin, a spicy oat cake from the north of England, particularly popular in Yorkshire (home to the Brontës).

[Parkin] is eaten in an area where oats rather than wheat was the staple grain for the poor. It is closely related to tharf cakes - an unsweeted cake cooked on a griddle rather than baked.[7] The traditional time of the year for tharf cakes to be made was directly after the oat harvest in the first week in November. For festive occasions, the cake would be sweetened with honey. In the seventeenth century (about 1650) sugar started to be imported from Barbados[b]- and molasses was a by-product of the refining process. Molasses was first used by apothecaries to make a medicine theriaca, from which name the word treacle is derived.[8] As molasses became plentiful, or treacle as it became called at that time, it was substituted for honey in the preparation of tharf cakes. (From wikipedia)

After a disastrous attempt with a different recipe, I had success with this: Parkin--a Guy Fawkes Night Tradition. The recipe is accompanied by a helpful explanation of Parkin's connection to the 5th of November, and it uses U.S. measurements and ordinary ingredients. (I happened to have golden syrup on hand, but according to the recipe corn syrup will suffice.)


It looked a bit like a pan of brownies when it came out of the oven, but oh, the glorious spicy smell!


This parkin was very moist and filling. If Jane Eyre had tucked some of this in her pocket, she might not have suffered so much on the moors before the Rivers family took her in! For tea I needed something strong to match the spice of the bread, so I chose the Irish Breakfast from David's Tea in honor of Charlotte Brontë's Irish heritage through her father, Patrick Brontë (originally Brunty or Prunty from County Down, Ireland).

Some related links for your edification and amusement:

--The Best Yorkshire Recipes (some nice options for sweet treats here)
--A Jane Eyre tea blend from Adagio
--Every Meal in Jane Eyre, Ranked in Order of Severity, from The Toast
--A Tea with Jane Eyre necklace at Etsy
--Jane Eyre Tea Cozy patterns for knitters!
--Walnut Tea Sandwiches inspired by Jane Eyre
--Jane Eyre, the Fragrance, from Ravenscourt Apothecary (this is a NEAT site!)
--And finally, this long-time favorite: Dude Watchin' with the Brontës from Hark, a Vagrant.

Also, some of my previous Jane Eyre-related blog posts:
--Brontës on the Brain (Nov 2013)
--The Problem of Kissing in Jane Eyre '11 (Aug 2011)
--Derbyshire Top Ten, including photos of Haddon Hall (July 2011)
--I saw Jane Eyre yesterday (April 2011)

[Crossposted at Livejournal]

Read Harder Challenge 2016

In 2016 some dear friends and I participated in the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge. Overall, it was a positive experience, encouraging me to read some truly fabulous books that I otherwise might have skipped. (Who'd have guessed I'd so enjoy a food memoir?) Thought you might like to see the list.

Horror book: Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge
Nonfiction book about science: Sniffer Dogs by Nancy Castaldo
Collection of essays: This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, by Ann Patchett
A book read outloud to someone else: Finding Winnie, by Lindsay Mattick & Sophie Blackall
Middle grade novel: Summerlost, by Ally Condee
Biography (not memoir or autobiography): Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life, by Ruth Jackson
Dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel: The Girl with all the Gifts, by M.R. Carey (EXCELLENT audiobook)
Book published in decade I was born (actually published year I was born): Enquiry, by Dick Francis
Audiobook that won an Audie: Echo, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
A book over 500 pages long: South Riding, by Winifred Holtby (re-read)
A book under 100 pages: Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas, by Gwendolyn Hooks
Book by or about person that identifies as transgender: George, by Alex Gino
A book set in the Middle East: Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
A book by an author from Southeast Asia: Ghost Bride, by Yangze Choo
A book of historical fiction set before 1900: The Blackthorn Key, by Kevin Sands
The first book in a series by a person of color: The House of Dies Drear, by Virginia Hamilton
A non-superhero comic that debuted in last three years: Nimona, by Noelle Stevenson
A book that was adapted into a movie--watch movie afterwards and debate which was better:
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë (A re-read, of course. I watched the Toby Stephens/Ruth Wilson adaptation. The book is better, duh.)
A nonfiction book about feminism or dealing with feminist themes: A Serious Endeavour: Gender, Education and Community at St Hugh's, 1886-2011, by Laura Schwartz
A book about religion (fiction or nonfiction): Celebrating Christmas with Jesus: An Advent Devotional, by Max Lucado
A book about politics in your country or another (fiction or nonfiction): The Prince, by Machiavelli
A food memoir: My Life in France, by Julia Child
A play: The Weir, by Connor Macpherson
A book with a main character that has a mental illness: We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson

I'm taking this year off, but here's the 2017 challenge in case you're interested.

Other favorite reads of 2016:
Morpho Eugenia, by A.S. Byatt (re-read)
I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith (re-read)
The Radiant Road, by Katherine Catmull
The Summer Book, by Tove Jansson
The Lie Tree, by Frances Hardinge
Astercote, by Penelope Lively
The Brontë Cabinet, by Deborah Lutz
The Wild Hunt of Hagworthy, by Penelope Lively
Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
Daddy Long-legs, by Jean Webster
The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins
Excellent Women, by Barbara Pam
Gaudy Night, by Dorothy Sayers (re-read)
Amberwell, by D.E. Stevenson
The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander
The Moving Finger, by Agatha Christie
No Holly for Miss Quinn, by Miss Read

Here is my Goodreads Year in Review (which leaves out the re-reads, argh).

Please share your favorite reads of 2016 in the comments, or link me to your own "Goodreads Year in Review" or blog post!

[Crossposted at Livejournal]

December Tea and a Book: No Holly for Miss Quinn (Christmas at Fairacre)

Quick take: So COZY.
(Special thanks to Laura B. for recommending it and to Glenda A. for gifting it!)

Goodreads synopsis: Miss Quinn, who cherishes her privacy, intends to spend Christmas on her own as she likes it. But before the holiday, her brother telephones to tell her that his wife has been rushed to the hospital, and would Miss Quinn come and stay with the children? Miss Quinn's unexpectedly hectic Christmas has a significant effect upon her life.

(Above you see Christmas at Fairacre, an omnibus that includes No Holly for Miss Quinn. Check this Goodreads page for reviews and links to various vendors of the individual novel. Or check here for the omnibus.)

My thoughts: My mom has always loved the novels of Miss Read (a.k.a. Dora Jessie Saint, who died in 2012 at the age of 98). I read one or two of them when I was young, but at that time I didn't have quite such a powerful craving for quiet and cozy books. Well, I do now! And amidst all the madness of late, this book certainly hit the spot.

I thoroughly empathized with Miriam Quinn's preference for quiet and solitude. At the same time, it was great fun to see her thrown in with her brother's somewhat feral brood of children. Oh, the appalling disorder! How satisfying to watch her organize them, and then how delightful to see her loosen up and enjoy various sweet moments of connection with each child. My favorite part involved the two nieces, one of whom knows "the truth" about Father Christmas and is aching to spoil her younger sister. Our Miriam deals with that in a lovely way.

No Holly for Miss Quinn is a quick read brimming with warmth and humor, and even a tiny bit of romance. Chime in if you've read it -- I'd love to hear about your favorite moments!

Related favorite things:


I particularly enjoyed the illustrations by J.S. Goodall, which gave me the same cozy feeling as those of Garth Williams (the Little House books) and Pauline Baynes (the Narnia books).


LOOK AT THIS! I have listened to this Enya CD about a million times, and I never once associated this song with Miss Read. How delightful! Do have a listen.

Miss Read/Dora Saint wrote of her own childhood in Fortunate Grandchild and Time Remembered (now combined in a single volume entitled Early Days). Also, for more on her inspiration for the novels' settings, see On the Trail of Thrush Green.

And now for tea:


I tend to make the same treats every year for Christmas, so this time I tried something different: Chocolate-Cherry Snowballs from the Betty Crocker website. Click the link for the recipe, which is pretty straightforward. I will say, however, that next time I'll make the cookies smaller because they really should be bite-sized. (Otherwise, MESS.) Also, I would recommend you wait until they are quite cool before you roll them in the powdered sugar. They need time to set so as not to crumble when you roll, and they get stickier as they cool, which makes the sugar cling nicely. (I learned all this the hard way, of course!) I followed advice given in the comments and used maraschino cherries instead of candied, which worked quite well. (Where does one find candied cherries, anyway?)

Here is a closer view of the "snowballs".

In the pot is Thé des Délices, a black tea containing citrus peel, candied mandarins, and cocoa nibs. So delicious, and only available during the holidays from Palais des Thés.

Don't forget to check out my December Holiday Reading List, and do let me know if I've left out one of your favorites. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Friday Favorites: Holiday reading list!

The following is my first stab at an exhaustive list of December holiday-themed fiction for adults and kids. Books that I have read and recommend are indicated with an asterisk (*). I've linked each title to Goodreads so that you can see reviews and click through to your vendor of choice. (Amazon is featured most prominently, of course, but if you click "stores" you'll find other vendors.)

I know I've missed so many titles. If you don't see one of your favorites, please list the title in a comment and I'll happily add. (There must be more MG, YA, and adult fiction involving Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, yes?)

[books alphabetized by title]

For (so-called) adults
Burning Bright: Four Chanukah Love Stories, by Megan Hart et al.
Christmas at Fairacre, by Miss Read
Christmas at Rose Hill Farm: An Amish Love Story, by Suzanne Woods Fisher
A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings, by Charles Dickens
*Christmas in Cornwall, by Marcia Willett
Christmas Journey, by Anne Perry
*A Christmas Party (Envious Casca), by Georgette Heyer
*Christmas Pudding, by Nancy Mitford
The Doctor's Christmas, by Marta Perry
*An English Murder, by Cyril Hare
Festival of Deaths, by Jane Haddam
Hercule Poirot's Christmas, by Agatha Christie
*High Rising, by Angela Thirkell
Hogfather, by Terry Pratchett
Holiday Miracles: A Christmas/Hanukkah Story, by Ellyn Bache
Lighting the Flames, by Sarah Wendell
An Informal Christmas, by Heather Gray
A Merry Little Christmas, by Anita Higman
A Midnight Clear, by William Wharton
Miracle and other Christmas Stories, by Connie Willis
The Mistletoe Promise and *The Mistletoe Inn, by Richard Paul Evans
Old Christmas, by Washington Irving
The Old Peabody Pew, by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Dogs, by Eleanor Hallowell Abbott
A Redbird Christmas, by Fannie Flagg
Shepherds Abiding, a Mitford Christmas Novel, by Jan Karon
*The Sittaford Mystery, by Agatha Christie
*The Sugar Queen, by Sarah Addison Allen
Tied up in Tinsel, by Ngiao Marsh
*Winter Solstice, by Rosamund Pilcher

For teens, kids, and kids-at-heart
*The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson
*The Box of Delights, by John Masefield
*The Children of Green Knowe, by L.M. Boston
*A Child's Christmas in Wales, by Dylan Thomas
Christmas After All: The Great Depression Diary of Minnie Swift, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1932 (Dear America), by Kathryn Lasky
Christmas Fairy Tales, by Neil Philip
*The Dark is Rising, by Susan Cooper
Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares and The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily, by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn
The Family Under the Bridge, by Natalie Savage Carlson
Greenglass House, by Kate Milford
Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances, by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
*Letters from Father Christmas, by J.R.R. Tolkien
*The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
London Snow, by Paul Theroux
*My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories, edited by Stephanie Perkins
Nutcracked, by Susan Adrian (forthcoming in 2017!)
The Nutcracker, by E.T.A. Hoffman
The Power of Light: Eight Stories for Hanukkah, by Isaac Bashevis Singer,
What Light, by Jay Asher
When Christmas Comes Again: The World War I Diary of Simone Spencer (Dear America),
by Beth Seidel Levine
Winterspell, by Claire Legrand

Picture books
Babar and Father Christmas, by Jean de Brunhoff
Bear Stays Up for Christmas, by Karma Wilson
Chanukah Lights, by Michael J. Rosen
The Christmas Day Kitten, by James Herriot
The Christmas Mouse, by Elisabeth Wenning
Christmas Time, by Sandra Boynton
Eight Winter Nights: A Family Hanukkah Book by Laura Krauss Melmed
The Golem's Latkes, by Eric A. Kimmel
*A Guinea Pig Nativity, by Bloomsbury Publishing
Hanukkah! by Roni Schotter
Hanukkah Bear, by Eric A. Kimmel
Hanukkah Haiku, by Harriet Ziefert
The Hanukkah Mice, by Ronne Randall
Hanukkah Moon by Deborah daCosta
Kevin's Kwanzaa, by Lisa Bullard
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story, by Lemony Snicket
The Legend of the Poinsettia, by Tomie dePaola
The Lost Gift: A Christmas Story, by Kallie George
Maccabee!: The Story of Hanukkah, by Tilda Balsley
The Miracle Jar: A Hanukkah Story, by Audrey Penn
My First Kwanzaa, by Karen Katz
My First Kwanzaa Book, by Deborah Chocolate
*The Night Before Christmas, by Clement C. Moore
*The Polar Express, by Christ Van Allsburg
Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story, by Angela Shelf Medearis
Snowmen at Christmas, by Caralyn Buehner
The Story of Hanukkah, by David A. Adler
*The Story of Holly and Ivy, by Rumer Godden
The Tailor of Gloucester, by Beatrix Potter
Together for Kwanzaa, by Juwanda G. Ford
The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Peek-Through Picture Book, by Britta Teckentrup

Books/series with lovely Christmas chapters
Harry Potter series, by JK Rowling
Little House in the Big Woods (& sequels), by Laura Ingalls Wilder
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame

Next week I'll feature one of the novels listed above for my December "Tea and a Book" post, so stay tuned!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

September Tea and a Book: Daddy Long Legs

Quick take: Such a delight!

Official-ish synopsis: First published in 1912, this young adult novel is comprised mostly of letters from orphan Jerusha "Judy" Abbott to her anonymous benefactor whom she names "Daddy Long Legs". The letters chronicle her departure from the orphanage through four years of college. Judy makes new friends, slowly gains knowledge and independence, but also struggles with her humble past and unfixed future. (from Amazon)

Good news: This e-book is available from both Amazon and Barnes & Noble for only $0.99!!!

For years I kept seeing positive references to Daddy Long Legs, and you know how I love stories of orphans and foundlings, so I decided to give it a try. WOW! It took me less than five pages to fall for Judy Abbott. She is clever, hilarious, and quite forward-thinking for her time. And when anyone tries to push her around, she pushes back

Some favorite passages:

I find that it isn't safe to discuss religion with the Semples. Their God (whom they have inherited intact from their remote Puritan ancestors) is a narrow, irrational, unjust, mean, revengeful, bigoted person. Thank heaven I don't inherit God from anybody! I am free to make mine up as I wish Him. He's kind and sympathetic and imaginative and forgiving and understanding--and He has a sense of humour. (53)

Don't you think I'd make an admirable voter if I had my rights? I was twenty-one last week. This is an awfully wasteful country to throw away such an honest, educated, conscientious, intelligent citizen as I would be. (105)

Just back from church--preacher from Georgia. We must take care, he says, not to develop our intellects at the expense of our emotional natures [...] It doesn't matter what part of the United States or Canada they come from, or what denomination they are, we always get the same sermon. Why on earth don't they go to men's colleges and urge the students not to allow their manly natures to be crushed out by too much mental application? (135)

NOTE: As you can see, Judy is very free with socio-political criticisms, but she has her frolicsome moods as well. She reminded me of an L.M. Montgomery character--brimming with imagination and entertaining opinions!

And now for tea:

Judy spends the summer after her first year of college at Lock Willow Farm.

The farm gets more and more entertaining. I rode on a hay wagon yesterday. We have three big pigs and nine little piglets, and you should see them eat. They are pigs! We've oceans of little baby chickens and ducks and turkeys and guinea fowls. You must be mad to live in a city when you might live on a farm. (52)

When Judy mentions picking blackberries on the farm (something I did every summer on my grandparents' farm), I found myself with a powerful yearning for blackberry cobbler. Doesn't that sound lovely for a late summer tea?


I used this recipe from Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman (who lives in Oklahoma, of course!). Simple preparation and very tasty.


It didn't seem like a true cobbler without a little scoop of ice cream. I chose Breyers lactose free vanilla.


To pair with the cobbler I chose the Assam Hattiala from Palais des Thés, "a beautiful large leaf Assam with an abundance of tips, a pronounced, very spicy aroma, and dark, full-bodied liquor." Perfect with a warm and sweet afternoon treat!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

TINY STITCHES by Gwendolyn Hooks -- GIVEAWAY!

I loved Tiny Stitches!

There's no doubt Vivien Thomas' story is historically significant, but his journey toward developing a groundbreaking procedure for pediatric open-heart surgery is also dramatic and incredibly moving. Gwendolyn Hooks writes in a clear, engaging manner, and her words are enhanced by the watercolor paintings of illustrator Colin Bootman. TINY STITCHES, intended for readers 8 and up, would make a great addition to your home, school or church library.

I am giving away one signed copy of TINY STITCHES to a lucky U.S. winner. (I'll even throw in a signed copy of my own book, Ghostlight, to sweeten the pot.) Read more about TINY STITCHES below, and then enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

More about the book:
Vivien Thomas's greatest dream was to attend college to study medicine. But after the stock market crashed in 1929, Vivien lost all his savings. Then he heard about a job opening at the Vanderbilt University medical school under the supervision of Dr. Alfred Blalock. Vivien knew that the all-white school would never admit him as a student, but he hoped working there meant he was getting closer to his dream.

As Dr. Blalock's research assistant, Vivien learned surgical techniques. In 1943, Vivien was asked to help Dr. Helen Taussig find a cure for children with a specific heart defect. After months of experimenting, Vivien developed a procedure that was used for the first successful open-heart surgery on a child. Afterward, Dr. Blalock and Dr. Taussig announced their innovative new surgical technique, the Blalock-Taussig shunt. Vivien s name did not appear in the report.

Overcoming racism and resistance from his colleagues, Vivien ushered in a new era of medicine children s heart surgery. Tiny Stitches is the compelling story of this incredible pioneer in medicine.

What reviewers are saying:
Beyond the crucial message of perseverance and spotlight on prejudiced attitudes that still resonate today, this middle-grade picture book illuminates the life of little-known man whose innovations continue to be essential to modern medicine. --Booklist, starred review

By focusing on the enormous talent and skill of Thomas and depicting instances in which he was dismissed by white coworkers and by the media, the text is an insight into not only this innovator's life but the social and institutional conditions that allow for African American contributions in medicine and science to go largely unrecognized. --School Library Journal

A good alternative to dense, chapter biographies and a rousing tribute to a man unjustly forgotten. --Kirkus Reviews

Hooks writes with vivid detail and immediacy, describing Thomas's anxiety as he coaches Dr. Blalock, the doctor who originally hired him, on performing the first surgery. Bootman's subdued watercolors channel the sobering climate of Depression-era America in a sensitive portrayal of a little-recognized medical pioneer. --Publishers Weekly

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Friday Favorite: Charlotte Brontë

Charlotte Brontë turned 200 yesterday.

The Brontë blog offered a plethora of cool links, and The Brontë Parsonage Museum is celebrating in grand style. So it seemed fitting to celebrate here by sharing some CB-related favorites (and future favorites?).

Favorite Charlotte Brontë novel and film adaptation:


While Lucy Hughes-Hallet makes a good argument for why Villette is better (and I do love Lucy Snowe), my heart will always belong to Jane Eyre. There's quite a pile of film/TV adaptations, but my favorite is the 2011 film directed by Cary Fukunaga (and this will be news only to more recent blog followers). It does compress the story, and perhaps Fassbender and Wasikowska are too pretty, but for me this movie nails Jane's quiet strength and Rochester's anguished yearning. (I also enjoyed the Toby Stephens/Ruth Wilson mini-series and probably need to watch it again soon.)

Favorite non-fiction books about Charlotte/The Brontës (click photos for more details):



Non-fiction books I've partly read/plan to read:



A fun thing I just discovered:


There are so many modern riffs on Jane Eyre, but this is the first middle grade option I've seen!

Thirteen-year-old Charlotte is obsessed with Jane Eyre. She dreams of living in a Gothic Mansion in the Yorkshire countryside instead of attending Harraby Comprehensive School. Charlotte's love-life is pretty much non-existent, except for the gorgeous Jack Burley, who doesn't seem to notice her. Resigned to her boring life for the time being, she decides to find a Mr. Rochester for her mum. Charlotte's prayers are answered in the form of the dark, handsome new French teacher. But Charlotte has to control her imagination and aspirations of being a bridesmaid, because Mr. Grant turns out to be not nearly as charming as his sideburns had promised.

The book is only available from used book sellers, but you can find the audio (with sample) at Audible.com.


Me in Haworth, many years ago...

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

March Tea and a Movie and a Book!

My dear friend Michelle visited earlier this month--it's an annual thing for us. We shop, have tea, see movies at the theater, watch tv and movies at home, and, of course, we talk, talk, talk. I look forward to it every year, and it's always hard to say goodbye at the end.

This visit I asked Michelle if she would watch Bright Star (2009) with me. I'd seen it twice already, and I wanted to share it with her. And you know what? I think I loved it even more the third time!


As you may already know, Bright Star is the story of the ill-fated romance between John Keats and Fanny Brawne (played respectively by Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish). The film was written and directed by Jane Campion, who also wrote/directed one of my all-time favorite films, The Piano.

I adore the look of this film--it balances the ordinary and extraordinary with an exquisite attention to detail. We see that the feelings shared by Keats and Brawne are powerful and transformative. At the same time, Campion honestly depicts the melodrama of youthful passion (Fanny was only 18 when they met), as well as the ways in which each might have been in love with the idea of love.


As a companion to the film, Campion published Keats' letters to Brawne, along with a selection of his poems. The passion in his letters is, at times, breathtaking:

I cannot exist without you. I am forgetful of everything but seeing you again -- my Life seems to stop there -- I see no further. You have absorb'd me. I have a sensation at the present moment as though I was dissolving -- I should be exquisitely miserable without the hope of soon seeing you. I should be afraid to separate myself far from you. My sweet Fanny, will your heart never change? My love, will it? I have no limit now to my love. (13 Oct 1819)

I wish Fanny's letters weren't lost to us. Apparently the letters she sent to Keats in Italy were buried with him unopened. Fanny mourned him very publicly for years. She did eventually marry, but not until twelve years after Keats' death. Her letters from him were not released until many years after her husband's death, and they created quite an uproar when published. Many thought Fanny was vain and shallow, certainly not worthy of Keats' love. (argh!) However, the 20th century publication of Fanny's letters to Keats' sister offered a different perspective on Miss Brawne--one that apparently inspired director Jane Campion's depiction of her as steadfast and kind.


For my "Bright Star" tea, I chose Brigadoon Breakfast from Adagio, perhaps in memory of Keats' faithful, if infuriating, friend, Mr. Brown. (Contrary to the film, Charles Armitage Brown was not Scottish, or at least wasn't born there, but he and Keats long had a dream of traveling to Scotland together.) Brigadoon Breakfast is a very special Scottish Breakfast blend that only makes an appearance every four years. (It is out of stock until Feb 29 2020!) The official description: "Celebrate Leap Day with this Scottish Breakfast Blend of Assam and Keemun teas. We've added a touch of Silver Needle and blue cornflowers to evoke the blue and white of the Scottish flag that Brigadoon would fly."


To go along with the tea I made scones using this easy-peasy lemonade scone recipe. The funny thing is that Michelle and I tried to make these scones while she was here, but they didn't turn out very well, possibly because I didn't have self-rising flour and instead had to make my own with [possibly outdated] baking powder. (Or did I use baking soda???) Whatever the error, the resulting scones were flat and strange-tasting. My second attempt yielded much better results, though I think they needed to bake a little longer, and I would urge you to use a well-floured biscuit cutter.


I whipped my own cream (not as thick and wonderful as true clotted cream, but still quite nice) and used Crofter's Organic Strawberry Spread. I prefer the Devonshire style of putting cream first and topping with jam. (See this article for more context.) Very tasty!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

January 2016 Tea and a Book

This past weekend I accompanied Steve on his trip to NYC for the AALS conference. Once he was finished with sessions on Saturday, we took a long walk through Central Park and rewarded ourselves with afternoon tea in the Plaza Hotel's Palm Court. (We booked in a advance, of course.)


We loved the vibe in the Palm Court -- jazz music, lots of chatter and laughter with great people-watching opportunities. It was especially fun to watch the young ones enjoying their Eloise teas, which included pink lemonade, pb&j sandwiches, and cotton candy, along with more traditional tea fare. (See more about Eloise below.) Here's a more detailed review of the afternoon tea, from which I gather that the Palm Court used to have a more formal atmosphere. Steve and I rather liked the buzzing, upbeat feel to the place. I suppose some might find the music a bit loud, but we did not strain to hear each other.


The tea was perfectly steeped. I enjoyed the Big Ben English Breakfast (a blend of Assam and Yunnan), while Steve chose Thé des Amants, (black tea blended with apple, almond, cinnamon and vanilla). Both teas can be ordered from the Palais des Thés website.


The "New Yorker" tea tray is divine, don't you think? The warm scones are snuggled in the napkin on the lower rack.


Here is a closer look at the sandwiches, which were traditional and tasty, along with the sweets, which were extraordinary. There was no way we could finish it all, but the "leftovers" made for a perfect snack that evening.

And now for the book: The Absolutely Essential 60th Aniversary Edition of ELOISE.

I had a vague notion of who Eloise was, but prior to this tea had never read the book. Of course, I rectified this omission as soon as I got home! The 60th edition of Eloise is quite nice, and I appreciated the essay and scrapbook from Marie Brenner, which included a biographical account of author Kay Thompson and charming notes from illustrator Hilary Knight.

The book is clever and often endearing, but I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as a child. If memory serves, I was more wrapped up in books about animals or pioneers. Eloise's life at the Plaza would have seemed very alien to me, and though I've always loved books about children with wild imaginations, I think her "trickster" tendencies might have stressed me out a little.

Fortunately, Marie Brenner's essay helped me better understand the appeal: "[Eloise] lived mother-free in a poor-little-rich-girl paradise without rules. As she raced from a mint raid in the Empire Room to spy from the Baroque ceiling of the Grand Ballroom, she lured us into an intoxicating urban fantasy. [...] Eloise was free to express the dark gleams of her inside. She could offer rubber candy to adults and let fly with her opinions. My daughter, Casey, on discovering Eloise when she was six, said of her reverentially: 'She is a bad girl!'"

I'm considering tracking down Eloise in Paris, and Eloise at Christmastime. Any other Eloise fans out there? Please feel free to enthuse in the comments!

ETA: Oh my -- do check out Jama Rattigan's celebration of Eloise!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]