Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Delightful Reading



I just have to share a couple of paragraphs from the Duchess of Devonshire's book Wait For Me. Bursts of laughter from me have been known to startle my pups at different times while reading this delightful memoir.


"My father did not wish for a social life. Muv would have enjoyed one but seldom suggested anything he would not want--she was aware of the hazards. Lunch guests were rare, but a memorable exception was the Duchess of Marlborough, the American Gladys Marie Deacon, second wife of the Ninth Duke, who came over from Blenheim. She produced a paper handkerchief, the first any of us had seen, blew her nose and stuck it into a yew hedge. My father was outraged."



"Swinbrook village and its inhabitants seemed eternal. Winnie Crook, whose initials gave us children such pleasure, ran the post office. She served tuppence-worth of acid drops in a twist of paper, weighed on the same brass scales as the letter. Our other delights were Fry's peppermint cream, which broke off into conveniently sized bits, and good old Cadbury's tuppenny bars. I do not know if she sold anything more expensive but these were what we could afford. There was the village idiot who chased Nancy and no one thought anything of it, Mrs Price, who lived up a bank and was nearly a hundred years old, and at the Mill Cottage, Mrs Phelps, whom Father mistook for a heifer calf when she was bent over weeding her garden."

Monday, October 25, 2010

On the Bedside Table, Cozy English Goodness



       A lifelong exchange of letters between the Dutchess of Devonshire and Leigh Fermor

          This is the memoir of the youngest Mitford sister.

         Roger Deakin's personal notebook of daily thoughts, impressions and observations around his home, Walnut Tree Farm.


Delightful book written in 1939 of the uproarious account of 18 months in an apron for the English upper classes.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Ichabod's Story

It's October and time for a yearly reading of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and other stories from The Sketch Book. It's quite short and the perfect book to welcome Autumn and its chills.

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow found among the papers of the late Diedrich Knickerbocker"



"...It is said by some to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had been carried away by a cannonball, in some nameless battle during the Revolutionary War, and who is ever and anon seen by the country folk, hurrying along in the gloom of night."  

Monday, October 11, 2010

A Favorite Nashville Blog

If I want to find out what's what here in Nashville, this is my go-to blog. Two local girls who blog about everything here in Middle Tennessee. They also just won Nashville Scene's 'Best Blog' award. Congrats Liza and Elizabeth! I love your blog!

www.styleblueprint.com 




*photos from Styleblueprint

A McIntosh Chief

My nephew Nick was on his football team float for the 2010 McIntosh Homecoming Parade in Peachtree City, Georgia. He is the cute tall one on the back right. He is now attending my high school Alma Mater and boy were the coaches happy to see him coming in the door. He is in 9th grade and is already an inch taller than my Dad/his Poppy (6'3") and just below his own Dad (6'5"). Go Chiefs!

More Monhegan Photos


Delicious Fish chowder from the Fish House

White Head/Black Head Cliffs- 150ft straight down to the roaring sea


                   Lobby of the Island Inn



Monhegan Library

            Glorious Flowers


        The Daily Newspaper



   Hiking in Cathedral Forest
Local humor at the coffee shop

               Sparkling Blue Sea

               911

Sunday, October 10, 2010

My Cozy Dream Cottage







I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this cottage and decor from the movie 'The Holiday'. Iris played by Kate Winslet lives here outside London. Isn't it cozy?! What a perfect setting for the actress who plays an editor.

Current Reading