Ten Books I Never Hesitate to Recommend, All Written by Women
In no particular order of wonderfulness
Songs in Ordinary Time Mary McGarry Morris
Fall On Your Knees Anne Marie McDonald
The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver
Hannah’s Daughters Marianne Frederikson
The Binding Chair Katherine Harrison
Love In a Cold Climate Nancy Mitford
The Greengage Summer Rumer Godden
Madness of a Seduced Woman Susan Fromberg Schaeffer
Weeds Edith Summers Kelly
Indian Embers Lady Rosamunde Lawrence
The Condition Jennifer Haigh
One Last Look Susanna Moore
and pretty much anything by Dawn Powell but perhaps start with My Home is Far Away
That was more than ten wasn’t it? I welcome readers to weigh in with their own comments or suggestions. I am not discriminating against the weaker sex, I just felt like showcasing women writers today. And I love my painting of the little Edwardian girl reading.
A portion of a beach collage
Several posts back I mentioned that I enjoy scrap-booking and making collages. In addition to Inspiration Boards, I think they are a wonderful way to express yourself, as well as keeping memories alive in a way that you may enjoy on a daily basis. Collages and inspiration boards can be completely random or have a theme. Some of mine get so thick they become assertively 3-D (I told you I could relate to the Collyer brothers!) Some start with a certain theme only to veer off down another rabbit hole leading me to a completely different inspiration. I started collaging when I was a child. An entire wall of my bedroom from floor to ceiling became a vast and vivid depository for photos of my friends and myself, art work, report cards (OK, one or two report cards- hardly any White-Out), pages torn from magazines and all the flotsam and jetsam I found amusing or inspirational at the time. What I wouldn’t give to have a photograph of that wall now! Later on, as a young adult, I started to collage my annual day planners, which I always bought in hardcover, sidestepping the Filofax craze. I traveled a lot and once again, in addition to being a nice way to chronicle the places I’d been each year, it was a way to keep the faces of those nearest and dearest to me close at hand. Keep in mind this was long before digital photography, much less photos on your cell phone. Later still, when my children were born, I saved their mementos; ticket stubs, school items, plane tickets, theatre programs, letters written from summer camp, even locks of golden, silky hair (boo hoo!), to put scrapbooks together for them to enjoy and hopefully share with their children. Scrap-books take considerably more effort than collages, but I believe, especially with children, your efforts will be appreciated. I kept several boxes for each son and over the years everything just got thrown into them. In the days when we were still printing photos from film, I would get 3 sets of photos; one for each boy’s scrapbook and one for mine. My older son’s books are all finished and belong to him now. Like my collages and life itself, they got a little fatter than I imagined and took longer to assemble than I would have ever thought. Our entire dining room was plastered in photos, Post Its, plastic sleeves, newspaper cuttings, mementos and books for weeks that stretched into…well, I’m not even going to confess how long. A word to the wise – DO NOT listen to sad or emotionally stirring music as you take this trip down Memory Lane or I guarantee you’ll be wiping yourself off the floor. Many were the times I would stagger away from the dining room with a tiny sock, or a note to the Tooth Fairy clutched to my breast to share with my husband who would give me a sweet hug and suggest I take a break and change the music. I haven’t started my younger son’s books yet- I’ll start soon and I look forward to it. I realize that people nowadays might not wish to save their memories in such a labour intensive,old-fashioned method. For me however, there is nothing quite like the tactile loveliness of a scrapbook; both the love that goes into making them and the love that pours forth each time they’re opened.
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Photos of 12 years of my collection of collaged Day Planners (Some faces have been blurred to protect the shy and not so innocent 
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A photo of an Inspiration bulletin board in my office (about 8′ x 5′) Not quite sure what the theme was originally, or where it went off to, but those boots are killer.
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A few pages of some of my older son’s scrapbooks. As well as mementos and photographs, I chose to include clippings of news stories over the years and everything from his favourite comics, music and TV shows to world changing, momentous events.
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Another fun idea; Collect menus from different restaurants you love, especially when you travel. Cover a wall in your kitchen or breakfast nook with them. If you have a particularly memorable evening or meal you might have the chef sign your menu, and date it. If you are a wine lover, do the same with wine lists. Most restaurants are very nice about letting you take the menu if you explain your intentions. Alternatively, carry a large bag. Here, a photo of a wall in our food pantry. I’ve wallpapered the entire room with menus I’ve collected over the years. You might even be inspired to try whipping up some of your menu items yourself when searching the cupboards for what to make for dinner.
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Notes on Scrapbooks
- ALWAYS use acid-free, archival quality paper, protective sleeves, glues and tapes.
- EXPOSURES catalogue has a great selection of items needed for scrap-booking
-use expandable books with individual pages. Trust me on this.
-Don’t use both sides of the pages. Only use one side, then place two back to back in one sleeve.
- archival quality glue “dots” come on rolling tapes in many different sizes (even 3-D) that make life a lot easier.
-For particularly precious items you might want to scan them and keep originals in a safe place.
- Keep all your book bindings uniform. Pick a classic, low key colour like black or brown leather. Something that will hold up over the years and not look dated.
- As well as photos and mementos from school and travel, include news articles- the passing of famous people and important events, as well as favourite book titles, songs, movies, cartoon characters (Bart Simpson? Sponge Bob?) . Find their photos and lyrics on the internet and include in your child’s scrapbook.
-Place tiny or delicate things such a first lost tooth, or a lock of hair in clear little bags that have an invisible double-sided strip of tape along the edges (Exposures catalogue)
-OK, I’m done. This post took almost as long as a scrapbook.
Happy Memories!!
This is the violet hour, the hour of hush and wonder, when the affections glow again and valor is reborn, when the shadows deepen magically along the edge of the forest and we believe that, if we watch carefully, at any moment we may see the unicorn.
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– Bernard DeVoto “The Hour”
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I’m in a violet frame of mind. I must already be craving a brief visual respite from all the earthy tones of this season…
and I was just thinking the other day, after looking at some of the new collections for Spring 2010, how sad it is that the ethereal, whimsical beauty of Christian Lacroix Couture is no more. Just knowing all that beauty was out there somewhere in the world could take me to a Happy Place. Sniff. A single tear just fell into my Ugg.
Best have a Martini …
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Violet infusion Martini
1,5 cl Monin Violet Syrup
4,5 cl Vanilla Vodka or Rum
Shake with ice until cold. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with violet petals or mint leaves.
(what’s cl stand for BTW? not a clue)
Violet Spritzer
Ingredients
15ml Monin Violet Syrup
20ml Monin Violet Liqueur
10ml Monin Vanilla Liqueur
A squeeze of lime
Soda, chilled
Method
Combine all ingredients into tall glass. Top up with chilled soda water.
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Do you remember the delightful colour of this gum from when you were a child? And how the idea of it was always much better than the taste, which was disturbingly similar to your Grandmother’s perfumed soap? Still, it was great for licking and then applying a light berry stain to 12 year old lips in the days when an entire summer allowance wouldn’t have bought one lipstick from “By Terry”.
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Cris Notti Silk Sleep Masks Click here These pure silk sleeping masks are the best, MOST comfortable sleeping masks I have ever tried. They are so soft, so big, and most importantly for travel, they don’t leave any unsightly marks or ridges on your face, even on long flights. Plus they have tons of different ones to choose from, all in gorgeous silk, so you may don a kimono print on your way to Tokyo or leopard print to…Vegas??
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For Medicinal Uses for Violets (other than martinis) click here
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Chocolate, Violet, Carrot
playing with fire and water CLICK HERE
In searching for a photo of violets in snow ( I seem to remember an old perfume by that name) I came across this AMAZING blog called “playing with fire and water”. PLEASE check it out by clicking on the link above. I don’t know who this woman is, but she is SO talented! OMG- wait til you see HER OWN photographs of her food (She is a free-lance chef based in Connecticut) Not only am I gobsmacked by the blog, I’m wondering how I can have such an instant love/hate relationship with someone I’ve never met. Keep in mind, when you get to the site, that even the blossomed branches at the top of the page are edible- made of goat cheese on little crackers. Check it out and join me in feeling terrible about yourself !! I’d love to know what you think.
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Violet Perfumes
And the next time you find yourself in NY, don’t forget to visit the new Frederic Malle shop on upper Madison Ave. It’s great, especially the perfume pods you enter, not unlike being on a game show while they’re revealing the answer- terribly exciting.
Sun Valley, Idaho
English Bread Sauce
Bread Sauce is a very traditional English dish that doesn’t have a huge amount of “hanger appeal” but is absolutely delicious!! I am including it here because even though you might feel you don’t need the wretched excess on Thanksgiving, it is served traditionally with turkey or chicken and I say the more the merrier!! Serve it beside the cranberry sauce and the contrast between red and white is very pretty.
How to make Bread Sauce click here
“French” English Bread Sauce
Hell yes! This recipe is the same, except you substitute big chunks of french bread rather than plain white, add a mere glance of mace and use extra rich cream or creme fraiche. Bring. It. On. (L.K. don’t read this)
Random Thanksgiving Morsels
- I flip the bird. I start out with my turkey upside down for a couple of hours so that lots of juice runs into the white meat at the top and the bottom gets brown and a little crispy, then half way through the cooking time, I take it out and flip it around the other way. This can be difficult if it’s a really large bird, but doable.
- another option, particularly if you are serving guests or family that fight over the dark meat is to roast two small turkeys, doubling your wings and legs and Pope’s noses!
-A pretty idea I poached from Martha is to place large sage leaves underneath the skin of the turkey in a “pleasing pattern”. It’s not difficult and it does look wonderful when the skin becomes golden and translucent.
- Best way to keep mashed potatoes warm for up to a couple of hours before serving? Place them in the top of a double boiler on a low simmer. Much better than keeping them warm in the oven as this way they don’t dry out. Just be sure to keep an eye on your water level.
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ginger pumpkin meringue pie
(From Better Homes & Gardens / November 2008
Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 69 minutes
Cool: 2 hours
ingredients
1 Recipe Gingersnap-Graham Crust, below
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 Recipe Brown Sugar Meringue, below
directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare Gingersnap-Graham Crust; bake 4 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
2. For filling, in bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, ginger, salt and cinnamon. Add eggs.; lightly beat with fork to combine. Gradually stir in milk and maple syrup.
3. Pour filling into pastry shell. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Uncover edges. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Carefully spread Brown Sugar Meringue over hot filling; seal to edge. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Loosely cover and refrigerate within 2 hours. Serves 8.
Gingersnap-Graham Crust:In large bowl combine 3/4 cup finely crushed gingersnaps (12 cookies), 1/2 cup finely crushed graham crackers (7 squares), and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter. Spread evenly on bottom and up the sides of 9-inch pie plate.
Brown Sugar Meringue:In large mixing bowl let 3 egg whites stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Beat on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until mixture forms stiff peaks (tips stand straight).
That’s IT- I’m cleaning OUT my closet. I’ve just been inspired by another beautiful film. Have you seen Coco Avant Chanel yet? What a little gem! A mini Merchant Ivory. Gorgeous set, lovely costume design. Great cast. I loved it. Grab your pearls and go! Depechez-vous!! (English Sub-titles)
I’ve just embarked upon a small bathroom renovation. No, make that a big renovation on a small bathroom. It involves knocking down interior walls – walls that we erected many years ago when my younger son was just a wee bean in my tummy. (and note to young mothers; that seems like yesterday) Now, our 6ft 1″ String Bean in that little bathroom?…not so good. Did I mention the house is 115 years old?? And those 115 year old wood floors; they served us well, but all wood things must come to an end (sorry). Anyway, what did we discover today? That the newer wall, coming down so the shower may be enlarged, is naturally where ALL the wires for everything that runs our home, and in fact the entire planet, are housed. It’s Murphy’s Wall!! And are they loose and coiled, so that they be moved over by just a couple of feet? Don’t be daft. Tighter than the veins on Madonna’s arms. Ahh, construction. Ya gotta love it.
PS. Did I remember to take Before Photos? Of course not. I did manage to think of it one day in though…
His little bitty sink with the pull out step for bwushing his teeth
Frogs and Snails and Puppy dog tails…
Madonna’s arms
All that’s left
You didn’t think I could end on those photos, did you?!
To Be Continued…
The Dyson Air Multiplier
I love the look of the new Dyson “Bladeless” fan. Very cool. I might have a wee crush on the Dyson guy and his voice. He and Prince Charles . Just the voice.
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Mark Birley For Men eau de Toilette from London
Verrry nice. Hits all the right notes.
My husband has been wearing this for years.
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The Bamix Total Immersion Blender: This is great for those Food Network- loving men in your life! – click on the link below for more info. Want one!
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Apple Magic Mouse So Cool! $69 I want one of these too!
Finally, if you’re in the mood to single-handedly turn the recession around, and your fellow has been awfully, awfully, frightfully GOOD, you might want to consider this little # (a limited edition of 250 I think?) in his Christmas stocking. I don’t even know how great the photos are- I just love the look of it. $8,999.99. (But I think you get a white case with that, so practically a bargain)
And Just For FUN for The Man Who Has Everything; except a weird trailer
Click here for MEHRZELLER
Publisher’s Notes:
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women—mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends—view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t.
So with deepest apologies to those friends, and there are a few, who recommended “The Help” to me, I didn’t really love it. Oh, I feel so badly saying this, and perhaps I’m just cranky because I have a sore throat, but I have to be honest. It wasn’t that it was bad, nor was there ever a moment when I was going to bail, but for me it was a little heavy-handed at times and the characters were either “Good” or “Bad” with so little nuance or dimension. There were two particular story components that, although I suppose were integral, I found unnecessarily off-putting. And while I’m being entirely honest, I might as well admit I’m probably never going to love a book whose main female character’s name is “Skeeter”. I know I’m in the minority here and judging by how great the word of mouth is on “The Help” it will probably end up on Oprah’s Book Club List and make a trillion dollars (It’s seems obvious this is the author’s intent- I hope Oprah doesn’t choose it, there is so much better out there) This book has “Screenplay” so blatantly written all over it, it’s bags and sunscreen are packed and sitting at the screen door. I like novels to read like novels, not scripts. If it happens further down the road that a book is made into a movie, well, yay- bonus for everyone but I don’t want to hear “CUT!” in my head at the end of each chapter. Sorreeee friends- Should I just go take a little Nyquil and go back to my bed??!
I saw Tom Ford’s first film “A Single Man” the other night. May I just list every word in the Thesaurus for “beauty” and leave it at that? Go and see it the first chance you get. It is a stunning, hauntingly captivating directorial debut. Truly mesmerizing in it’s immaculate attention to detail, simple dignity and restraint, not once does this film raise it’s voice yet the pure and startling emotion emanating from the screen leaves you feeling almost punch drunk. T. Ford captures the era effortlessly, which comes as no surprise but is no less thrilling for it. Colin Firth is unbelievably heartrending and Julianne Moore is, as always, perfection. OMG- what a film debut.
Two white-cuffed and perfectly manicured thumbs up.
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A review from
The Times Online:
It’s no surprise that the feature film directing debut of fashion designer Tom Ford is a thing of heart-stopping beauty. He celebrates the male form with a sensual reverence. He uses colour with the visual articulacy of Wong Kar Wai and frames his shots with elegance and wit. It looks like a Wallpaper magazine photo shoot styled by Douglas Sirk. But what is a little more unexpected, certainly for those who were suspicious of Ford’s background in the ephemeral world of fashion, is that this is no frothy, throwaway piece of pretty silliness. Rather it’s a work of emotional honesty and authenticity which announces the arrival of a serious filmmaking talent. There will be critics who will be unable to get past the director’s background, but rest assured: Tom Ford is the real deal.
In the role of George, Colin Firth gives one of the finest, most affecting performances of his career. Two moments stand out: a flashback to the fateful telephone call which told him of his lover Jim’s death. The camera rests steadily on his face as his world crumbles. It’s a devastating piece of acting. And there’s a lovely little detail later in the film – George buries his face in the fur of a terrier puppy, recapturing the sense memory of doggy smells and happier days spent with Jim and their own pets. More than anything, it’s Ford’s eye for evocative details like this that makes A Single Man such an impressive debut.
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Click for original trailer on S.P.’s “A Feast For The Eyes” (Before the Weinstein Co. changed it)
Time to start thinking about the Thanksgiving Table… Any great gourdless suggestions out there??
The last couple of years I’ve moved away from the traditional Thanksgiving/November colours but I am totally open to suggestion- just no blue on Thanksgiving, please. As this holiday is all about giving thanks for sustenance I like to combine fruits and vegetables with flowers to create a nice bountiful feel. Who wants chic and minimal on Thanksgiving? Actually, I’m sure many people, just not me!
Last year’s table
Unfinished table from previous year
PS. Who Brines their birds and do you think it’s worth it?? I did it two years ago and other than getting a good workout and salt water all over my wood floor, I couldn’t really taste any difference. I think I might just leave a big bag of salt out on the counter and say I brined this year.
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