The Library

[bellamarie]

Barb, our Bishop live streamed the Stations of the Cross at the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral tonight.  I so needed this.  Our church is live streaming Sunday Mass now, and each morning I try to pray with Fr. Kidd, and night time vespers through live streaming.  It really keeps me focused on positive thinking.  I miss sharing Sunday Mass with my faith community, and I really miss my CCD class with my kiddos.  I may not get to see them to send them off, but I so loved teaching them this year.  It was an absolute beautiful sunny day here in Toledo, Ohio in the 60s.  My hubby and I took a walk with our dog, and then he cleaned out the garage, while I worked on the masks.  I think we are suppose to be cloudy tomorrow. 

[nlhome]

Wisconsin has sunshine today, although there's a brisk wind down by us that goes right through me. We are still staying "safer at home," and enjoying video chats with the grandchildren and various texting and email conversations with friends we normally only talk with at holidays and birthdays. That's a good thing. We take walks with our dog every day, some around our neighborhood but others out in our state land, which is open here. We use the less popular trails, the ones that go up and down the hills, so we seldom see anyone. Today I saw that we have daffodils and grape hyacinths in bloom, so I picked two small bouquets for the tables.

Rosemary, thank you for talking about The Chilbury Ladies Choir. I was able to get the audio book through our library, and I am enjoying listening to it in the afternoons, feet up, cup of tea in hand.

I am also reading The Other Einstein, a hardback from the library that can't be returned for weeks yet, so I am taking my time with it and mostly reading it in bed to give me something to think about as I fall asleep other than the news of the day.

I hope everyone is finding what they need to keep their days comfortable.

[Jonathan]

Hang in there, Texas, the sun will come out for you. God's in his heaven, all's right with the world. But oh to be in DC, in cherry blossom time. Hyacinths in Wisconsin.  Or in Ohio to see the daffodils, and be inspired as Wordsworth was when he danced with his daffodils: 'Ten thousand saw I at a glance, tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

God bless you all.

[ginny]

I agree.

What's going on in  Texas that I missed?  (In Edit: Oh I found out! The woman saying she's going about infecting people.) Is that it?

Oh for sheer Spring Splendor how about South Carolina and the white dogwoods, which are absolutely spectacular and grow wild in the woods. The woods, with all this spring awakening, look as if it snowed over night. Beautiful sight.

One of the Latin students put up the most wonderful quote this morning from Camus:

“In the Midst of winter, I found within myself an invincible summer” Camus.

I love that.

It's amazing what people are finding to do in this down time, it's a tribute to ingenuity.  I enjoyed reading about  your walks, Nlhome and reading. (Were there 2 Einsteins? Is that a true book?) My grandmother actually knew Einstein, lived down the street from him, apparently he was sort of odd, particularly in dress, but people would not say how, as he was liked.

But I bet if somebody were to make a list of how we're spending our days the list would be incredible for its resourcefulness.

Having said that I'm reading about Henry VIII's court avoiding the dreaded Sweating Sickness which sounds, if possible, worse than the Coronavirus.  Sort of an instant death, a hantavirus  type thing. They don't know even today what it was and then  it was gone, never to return which I hope this new one is, too. But we can see how scary it must have been. Henry VIII's solution was to move court and go where the virus was not, so he spent a lot of time traveling through the summer.  No word on the fate of the houses he visited. The whole thing  is fascinating. I am sorry to be coming to the last bit of The Mirror and the Light, I wish it were longer, it's getting shorter and more filled with dread.

I thought if I read one more word in the news about Joe Exotic I would scream so I finally watched the first in the series I guess it is. What can I say? I really thought the Freaks on TV were over, but no, they are in full array. Why?  I mean I actually saw an article on Megan Markle and Harry which talked about them looking for a home in Malibu which said, of course the "Kardashians are American Royalty...."

 I must have  missed that memo.   hahahaa Isn't it  good to know we have a Royal Family already in America. Don't you wonder what historians centuries from now will think of us from any extant press clippings?

They keep saying Joe Exotic is  "Southern."  The man lives in Oklahoma.  Oklahoma is on top of Texas, isn't it?  At any rate Oklahoma and Texas are half way across the country, aren't they considered to be  in the Mid West?    If not, what IS the "mid west?"  There's even a tiny part of Oklahoma which touches New Mexico if I'm not wrong, something about a Panhandle?

Idle thoughts of an idle mind.

[BarbStAubrey]

Ginny for those who live in this part of the country we are either western or southern - before the word mid-west kicks in you go up to Kansas and Missouri  - I guess like to many here, all those who love above Washington D.C are called Yankees were as I believe those who live in the area are particular to New England plus maybe for some it includes NY.

Texas and Oklahoma have been rivals but neither consider themselves mid-westerners but western where as the eastern part of Texas from Austin over to Orange will consider itself Southern with the piney woods and bayou's dotting the landscape as opposed to open land with few trees unless planted by the homeowner west of Austin and Dallas.

I think Ginny, Jonathan was picking up on the amount of rain and how threatening the sky has been each day that I spoke about - from the weather map there is a very narrow band of this awful weather that stretches from Mexico to the Great Lakes and it has bee stuck for days - not only are the lakes full but ranchers have been quickly digging tanks that are now full to the brim. And the temp drop that came midway with all this rain was significant - a 40 to 50 degree drop in temperature. Today the sky is brighter than it has been for the last 5 days, no sun, but no rain either. If nothing else the rain has kept everyone home never mind the coronavirus.

Early last week I could not sleep and stepped outside - it was so quiet - nothing - you could actually hear the breeze - I had not heard it that quiet in 50 years when we were still at the edge of town and now we are in the middle of town that goes on and on and on for miles all around. Except for Spring pollen with no traffic the air must be clearing - I wonder where all the pollution goes since this has to be happening in all the industrial nations - they say the Chinese can see the sky that they have not seen in years - Where does the wind take all the pollution I wonder...

With all the wet I have not seen the birds - unusual, the rain has been a steady downpour - usually it comes in waves - in-between downpours is when the birds fly looking for bugs etc. And so whatever they are doing to survive I'm not seeing them but what I did see which was a great relief, a doe snooping around the back - hadn't seen any deer in weeks and with the construction of the new school, replacing the old one across the way I thought they had all moved on - at night they would walk in a single file, about 20 of them, up from the valley into the schoolyard where they spent the night grazing - well not with the construction going on from 5:30 in the morning till after dark in the evening. The way she was snooping my thinking is she is looking for a place to fold - it is almost that time of year. 

Thank goodness we all live where we can see the trees and birds and and and - nature does not shelter in place - Spring is showing us life goes on in all its glory - folks sheltering in the city do not see the hope and normality we see when we look out of our windows and yet, many would not swap - interesting...

[Jonathan]

Barb, I like the view from your window. Ginny, your idle thoughts are so diverting. I've just consulted David Starkey's Six Wives, and it has a chapter on the sweat. Anne caught it and the king fled, which left Anne very unhappy.

Such wonderful memories. I can recall being overwhelmed by the beauty of South Carolina snow!! But to see twenty deer from one's window...wow!

[nlhome]

Ginny, The Other Einstein is fiction, but based on Einstein's first wife. She met him when they were students. She could have been a rival, maybe, had she not married him, as she was also brilliant. Or so some of the articles I read suggested. It's a slow read for me, because my eyes tire by night and because I much prefer mysteries. However, my cousin challenged me to read it so we could discuss it, so now seems a good time.

We have the occasional sunny day here, but mostly it seems we have gray or rain. I have daffodils and grape hyacinth in bloom right now, tulips are budding out. (SW Wisconsin)

[bellamarie]

Ginny, just the mention of dogwood trees in bloom, makes me happy and sad.  I had a beautiful pink dogwood since we moved here in 1984 - 2018.  The plumbers excavated my front yard to lay new drain pipes, and had to remove my beautiful dogwood.  I miss it so. I think we have decided to plant another one on Mother's Day.  Each year, since my mother passed on, I plant one perennial, in memory of her.

Barb, how wonderful that you have deer so near your house.  They are such elegant creatures, I marvel at seeing how they have become so domesticated here in our city.  It's common to go to our metro park and they will almost come right up to you.  My hubby and I took our picnic basket to the park a couple years ago, laid out our blanket and food, and lo and behold, a beautiful young deer came so close to us, I video taped him. I had my hubby give him an apple, and he waited awhile, then ate it.  You know, Blake Shelton the country singer is from Oklahoma, and he is for certain considered a southerner. 

What ever is the fascination of the Tiger King series, with Joe Exotic?  Did you know he is a former convicted felon?  My grown kids who are working from home have gotten into watching this.  I mean it looks absolutely ridiculous. My daughter is law was trying to get me to watch it, I said no way. 

I have followed the Royal family since Diana married Charles, and I just think William and Harry have become wonderful examples of the kind and caring person their mother exemplified, but I have to say, I think Meghan Markle has influenced Harry, to the point of him rejecting his family, for her celebrity status.  I personally don't see their marriage lasting, she is familiar with not being close to family, except for her mother, Harry is quite the opposite, only knowing being close to his family.  She has asked, or maybe even demanded more than I think any person should of a spouse, to give up.  He really had no other choice, since she took baby Arthur, and went to live in Canada. I knew she intended to land in L.A., she wants to be among the celebrities.  But what on earth is Harry to do?  Ah so...time will tell.

Jonathan, I read some more of Moll Flanders last night, oh she truly is frustrating me to no end.  She has turned thieving into a career.  I am only going to continue to the end, to see when and if she finally gets caught and goes to jail.  This is not a book I would recommend.  I think Barb mentioned something about reading it as a comedy.  I suppose it could be considered a, tragicomedy.

[rosemarykaye]

Good morning everybody, I hope you are all hale and hearty (or as hale and hearty as possible...)

I am so glad, nlhome, that you are enjoying The Chilbury Ladies' Choir.  Do you know who is reading the audio book? The choice of reader can make so much difference, can't it?

Here on Deeside the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the garden is starting to wake up. I'm recording birds for the British Ornithology Trust Garden Birdwatch, and since Sunday have seen robins, blue tits, collared doves, sparrows, blackbirds and chaffinches. We don't get the exotic variety many of you have, but I still enjoy watching them. When I was a child in London sparrows were everywhere, but now their numbers have dropped so much that they are a threatened species. Blue tits, meanwhile, seem to be everywhere, whereas they were relatively rare 20 years ago.

This morning I finished Hazel Holt's A Time to Die, which I very much enjoyed, I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a cosy but well written read, with well developed characters and lots of snippets about village life. I'm now well into my next book, Rebecca Shaw's Trouble in the Village - you may well sense a theme here!  I think I prefer Holt's style, she's somehow more down to earth and her main character, Sheila Malory, has a good line in wit and sharp observations (though to keep the peace she shares them only with her best friend). Shaw tends to be a bit more serious, and there are one or two people in Turnham Malpas who are far too good to be true and make you want to slap them - but Shaw still writes a good story, and keeps me reading on.

I've just emailed a couple of Scottish publishers I know to see if they need anyone to review or publicise any of their new releases, as it's a tough time for authors when their launches and other events are all being cancelled - and of course the Edinburgh International Book Festival is highly unlikely to happen this August too, so that will be a big loss for many. I thought if I could give some of them - I'm thinking especially of debut authors - a bit of a push it might help them a little, and I certainly should have more time than usual to do this (though I have to say my days are strangely full!)

Yesterday I had to proof read my art student daughter's end of year dissertation (her classes are continuing remotely) - it was about 'olfactory artists' and smell/perfume in history - in particular the ways in which odour has been used to stigmatise women and the poor. It was much more interesting than I had expected. The modern artists she discussed included her great heroine Louise Bourgeois and also Clara Ursitti.

Last night we watched a programme about the train line from Fort William to Mallaig, which is known as one of the most spectacular routes in the UK.  The programme followed a train taking the trip in real time - I'm afraid after the first 30 interesting minutes we both started to get bored!  I think actually being on the train would be wonderful, but just watching it chug along, with very little commentary, was too much 'slow TV' for me - I'm far too impatient.

Lunchtime now - have a good afternoon everyone,

Rosemary

[bellamarie]

I too have been having a good ole time bird watching this morning.  I was standing by my kitchen sink and a robin landed on my swing rail, just inches from my window.  Oh how beautiful.  We have tons of robins, juncos, sparrows, morning doves, warblers, red winged black birds, cardinals and bluejays.  I am expecting a pair of mallards any time soon, since we get one pair every year about this time, and the finch, woodpecker, and hummingbirds return in May. My least favorite is the Cooper's hawk, that always comes and sits on my back fence.  I love how the squirrel is not the least bit afraid of him, yet they keep their distance, and both seem to sleep awhile just inches away from each other on the fence.  Truly interesting to watch their behaviors. 

Listening to the news yesterday, it seems China and Italy are reporting no new cases of the virus, California and Washington State's covid19 numbers are leveling off, New York is reporting less admittance in their hospitals, and Dr. Brix and Fauci seem to think due to Americans being diligent in following the distancing/stay at home guidelines, the model is showing the numbers of deaths could be drastically lower than expected.  As President Trump said, "There is light at the end of the tunnel."  This is all optimistic, and I for one am happy to hear it.

Ya'll stay home, stay safe and stay healthy! 

I saw this on Facebook and had to share it....



History repeats itself. Came across this poem written in 1869, reprinted during 1919 Pandemic.

This is Timeless....

It was written in 1869 by Kathleen O’Mara:

And people stayed at home
And read books
And listened
And they rested
And did exercises
And made art and played
And learned new ways of being
And stopped and listened
More deeply
Someone meditated, someone prayed
Someone met their shadow
And people began to think differently
And people healed.
And in the absence of people who
Lived in ignorant ways
Dangerous, meaningless and heartless,
The earth also began to heal
And when the danger ended and
People found themselves
They grieved for the dead
And made new choices
And dreamed of new visions
And created new ways of living
And completely healed the earth
Just as they were healed.

Reprinted during Spanish flu
Pandemic, 1919
Photo taken during Spanish flu

[Dana]

Oh very well put Bellamarie!  I totally agree with everything you say about Megan and Harry.  Time will tell if we're right.......we'll see......(!!!)

[nlhome]

Rosemary, the readers of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir are Gabrielle Glaister, Laura Kirman, Imogen Wilde, Adjoa Andoh, Tom Clegg and Mike Grady. So lots of voices. It's held my interest. Sad to say, I usually doze off with audiobooks, and I've only done that once with this one.

We finally got up to 70 degrees today. Lovely day. Starting Thursday, for the next 5 days, we will stay below 50 degrees during the day. Usually my husband has been out picking morel mushrooms by this time of year, but not so this year.

[rosemarykaye]

https://www.facebook.com/stofkacreative/videos/2425164017783505/?t=2

I'm not sure if that link will work, but it's a brilliant little cartoon about the Governor and Chief Medical Officer of Ohio, who are both apparently doing a great job. If the link doesn't work I saw it on the 'Stofka Creative' Facebook page, it's called 'Dewine and Amy'.

And good morning, by the way, from Scotland, where the sun is still shining. I have the window open and I can hear the brook babbling (as they always say) at the end of the garden. I finished Rebecca Shaw's Trouble in the Village (where. as usual, everything ended happily ever after, or sort of - but with plenty of loose threads for the next instalment) and now i am moving on to something quite different - Angela Brazil's The Princess of the School, which I am going to read for the #1920Club themed read week, which starts on 13th April and is run by my online friend Simon, who blogs at stuck_inabook' and a friend of his. There were, of course, other books published that year, but I just did not think i would get through Main Street, In Chancery. Women in Love or The Age of Innocence. (I read DH Lawrence at school and did not enjoy him - thought it was me, but then my English teacher said she thought he was awful! I should revisit him some time I suppose - just not now...) A Brazil school story is, I hope, going to be more fun.

Have a good day,

Rosemary

[ginny]

Rosemary, you are such a hoot.

"Shaw tends to be a bit more serious, and there are one or two people in Turnham Malpas who are far too good to be true and make you want to slap them -"

hahaa, do you really? Now I know why you like Pippa in the Windsors.

Thank you, Barbara, I truly did not know how people in other parts of the country viewed "The South."  Jane has further explained it to me, using the words "east" and "west" attached to the end. For the first time I think I understand what is meant by the words "Deep South," which I never understood. It's a fine thing to be this old and realize that your perceptions of your own country may have been colored by the area in which you grew up and in which you presently live.  That's quite interesting to me.

Nlhome, it sounds to me as if you are married to a Renaissance Man!  I wonder what he thinks of herds of deer? If anybody wants to see deer, they have only to come here.  We have herds literally. They destroy everything. Nobody can have a garden unless it looks like Fort Knox. We, living on a farm, have to grow tomatoes on the porch! We used to plant such wonderful spring gardens,  lots of photos of our  little grandson  and his mini tractor following his granddaddy's tractor in the garden and them planting potatoes together by hand. Forget it.

 They literally destroy the grape crop every year, they come up and even eat the roses near the porch, they pull up the flowers out of the beds.  They kill motorists, there have been several accidents on our own road with people trying to avoid them, slamming right into trees.  One deer is a lovely sight, herds are not.


Rosemary: "This morning I finished Hazel Holt's A Time to Die..." Isn't this Tom Holt's mother? Is this a new book? I like her writing very much. I like his, too. He should not have stopped with his E.F. Benson sequels, the others who took over from him, I think, are awful, just awful,  but he's just super. I sometimes forget who did the "oranges" episode and it was he!

Bellamarie and Dana, on the one hand I agree with you, about Megan and Harry.  It's obvious that Harry has lost the two things which before her and Archie meant the most to him, and he has looked pretty miserable since the great break up. On the other hand I keep being told by people IN the UK  and I think Rosemary also hit on it in the Movies section that there was some very nasty racist stuff being flung at them continually, and I personally don't see why they shouldn't live as they choose, it's not as if he's given up the Throne "for the woman he loves," like the Duke of Windsor did, to disastrous....disastrous results. The books on their lives afterwards were awful, and she apparently didn't really love him at all, she seemed in her correspondence to have another in her heart, so to speak. Harry is way down the line, anyway.

I thought the Duke of Windsor (Edward VIII)  was pitiful expecting his mother to come to his wedding. Surely their lives are a cautionary tale.

I think perhaps they thought, Harry and Megan,  naively, they could keep on but live their own lives as well. And then when they were shown they could not, he had to make a choice.

I hope they can make it as a couple, that's a lot to ask a  young man to choose from, perhaps she might have held on a little longer, but I have heard it was really nasty. I thought the Queen was quite clever in her let's give it a year and talk again.

The best to them. I hope it's not a tragedy in the making.

[rosemarykaye]

Ginny - yes, Hazel Holt was indeed Tom Holt's mother, but she sadly died (at a ripe old age) in, I think, 2015.  So 'A Time to Die' is not a new one, it was published in 2008.  But when I looked Hazel up I found she had written far more Sheila Malory books that I had realised, so I've still got plenty more to go, hoorah. And they are very popular with libraries, so I think I will be able to borrow most of them at some point (eventually...)  I've never actually read any of Tom Holt's books - which do you recommend?

And yes, I think Harry and Meghan did think they could have their royal cake and eat it.  But the royal family does not work like that (I think it is perhaps in small part because there have been so many disasters when 'working' royals have ended up being scammed and blackmailed by hoax interviewers - this happened with Prince Edward and separately with his wife Sophie, and they both ended up having to give up paid work). The royal machine is pretty ruthless.  I'm sure the Queen is sorry her grandson has gone to live so far away, but she would not, I think, ever challenge the way things are expected to be. I don't see how Meghan could have lasted in London - even though she is obviously much older and more experienced in life than Diana was, it seems to me that no-one who has not been brought up in that life, or at least as a member of the very inner circle of the aristocracy, can even begin to imagine how it is going to affect their very existence. On the one hand you have the constant celebrity obsessed intrusion of the media, and on the other the draconian rules and protocol of the palace.

I do wonder what William thinks about having been dumped well and truly in it. He will be king one day, and he knows that, but I expect he thought Harry would be able to shoulder his own share of the royal duties, and now that is gone.

Rosemary

[bellamarie]

Ginny, oh heavens, how sad to think those beautiful creatures could be so destructive in herds.  I would be devastated to see my flower gardens destroyed by deer, after putting so much money, time and effort into them.

Rosemarykaye, very well stated, "it seems to me that no-one who has not been brought up in that life, or at least as a member of the very inner circle of the aristocracy, can even begin to imagine how it is going to affect their very existence."

I have read that Mehan's servants have spoken out and said how horribly rude and demanding she was to them.  It seems her celebrity status in the states, gave her reason to think she could marry into the Royal family, and treat the servants so ill. It just reminds me of how Hollywood is filled with such elitism.  I do think the Queen has done her best to let this play out, and maybe she has insight into how things may change in a year.  I was reading where she actually has legal custody of all the grandchildren, so if she wanted to really get technical, she could order baby Arthur back to England.  Canada did not want to be involved with this whole royal family feud, but what could they do, once Meghan moved herself and the baby there?  I agree, I do think William had hoped to always be close to his brother Harry, and he would one day share with him once he is King.  I have two sons who have been close since birth, and one has a wife that did not hit it off well with my one son, but for the sake of the family they managed to be respectful, and now after twelve years, they can actually clown around about how they didn't care much for each other at first.  It does take time to acclimate to new family members, and the royal family is not an easy family to fit in with.  I do think Harry and Meghan are of a mind, we can do it on our own, I just hope it's not at the expense of Harry and Arthur's rightful place, and happiness.  Only time will tell....

nlhome, I am about to begin The Chilbury Ladies' Choir in the next few days.  The mask making has set my reading back a bit.  How exciting to have a small discussion group. I'm anxious to hear any comments you and your group have on the story.  I so miss our group discussions.

Jonathan, how are you doing?  I hope you are hunkered down, and staying in. 

I hear these next two weeks are expected to be the peak of the virus, so ya'll stay home and stay safe.

As an Ohioan, I have to say, I am very proud of the leadership of Mike DeWine.  He has been a forefront leader, and I appreciate the daily briefings with Amy.  Thank you Rosemarykaye for that link, it worked perfectly, and I shared it on my Facebook feed.  Some people step up and show strength in a crisis, and some just simply sit back and find fault with those who do step up.  I stay positive, and continue doing my little part with the masks.  My eldest son, stopped by with groceries for us today for Easter dinner.  We safe distanced, (he stayed in his car) I stayed 6' away, and hubby took groceries out of his trunk.  We all got emotional just knowing this will be our first Easter not going to Mass together with our whole family, having dinner and the annual egg hunt in our backyard.  Face timing with the grands have been wonderful, and I told them we are going to have the biggest celebration of all the occasions we missed, when this is over.

Blessings to all.

p.s. Rosemarykaye, I truly look forward to your posts from Scotland, they are always so sunny and uplifting.

[BarbStAubrey]

Ginny plant lots of Rosemary and there is a rose they will not eat - never did look into the name of it but many of the apartment complexes plant this red rose but yes, for a real rose garden the barriers have to be in place - each herd has a favorite so we learn there is no list to depend upon - they do not eat herbs except basil - and most flowering bushes are safe - driving through Austin you can immediately tell when a neighborhood has deer by the landscaping choices - and yes, there are as many here that do not like the deer as those who remember when there were maybe 50 houses in this area, that now is well over 1000, and wildlife was rampant but they had acres to spread out in. As new construction pushed them into smaller areas they learned to adapt - plus we have a large greenbelt with a creek going through that extends miles and miles out to the edge of things that is further out year after year to ranch land where they run in huge herds. Hunting is still a fall ritual which is what keeps the balance or the deer will even eat the bark of trees - problem is there is no hunting in town and that was when finally folks realized we cannot get rid of the coyotes as they hoped would happen. The coyotes are the only natural predator left that thin out the deer population.

Problem with all this talk about Harry and Megan is we only have the reporters opinion and the editors choice of how to and what to report - they are looking ALWAYS to sensationalize any story because it sells - outside the circle no one is protected - the Windsors, Diana, Fergie, and now Harry and Megan - inside the circle it appears there is a lot of drinking that affects behavior, royal expectations and each looking for their own shiny star, some choose to, as I call it, play games. I also think there is this hidden agenda on the part of many to feel protective of Harry and he does show his vulnerability that Megan does not show in public and so, for those who feel protective, Megan has become the wicked witch of the west. 

Read the most unusual book yesterday Talking about deer is so apropos because the deer became a force as if a character in the story. It was touted as a comedy - wow - but I guess it was a black comedy much as the TV comedy M.A.S.H - the character written with no redeeming qualities gets his comeuppance after blaming seeing a deer as the cause of his hitting and killing the teenage grandson, walking home because the father was on his case and decided that instead of picking him up at his grandparents he could walk - the wife that everyone loved had already left him - then the grandfather blames himself and after the trial that they let this guy off with his tall tale and so the grandfather blames himself and goes to the site of where the grandson was killed and kills himself -

The story is told through the voice and eyes of the grandmother who makes a plan for revenge - her beloved sister had moved to Georgia and has all her sorrows but she says you have to find out what this reprobate loves. All sorts of unbelievable happenings finding out that he loves trophy hunting deer - Much to her son's chagrin, who becomes a reverend, his mother, the grandmother talks to her chickens that live in the house during the day - she still farms and uses her land that includes a large wooded area as the trap - there is a sheriff involved and, as the grandmother calls her, the Barbie Doll hookup with the reprobate who used all her money to bail him out and she has a teenage son that unknowingly ends up as paid help to the grandmother.  Everyone and thing appear connected till the end when the plot twist knocks you off your feet - The concept or message appears to be, we and nature are all connected as is death and life without one deity being in control of it but, that nature is as controlling of life and death - The Testament of Harold's Wife - Harold is the grandfather - by Lynne Hugo

Now I'm in the middle of another I started last night that reminds me of the couple who went to France and converts a house and writes of their years of experience living in France - this one is an English Couple, retiring in their very early 50s who move to Spain and buy a ramshackle house in a mountain village - so far a delight - nicely written - not straight out comedy but rather events that put a smile on your face reading about them. Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools by Victoria Twead

[nlhome]

I would be happy to chat about The Ladies Choir. I am enjoying.
On the other hand, I decided that The Other Einstein is not for me. I think some of you would appreciate it more. I did a bit of reading on Einstein's personal life, and it was interesting. But, so many books, so little time and, in my case, so little eye time.

My husband did a lot of work on the deer herd in his area of Wisconsin. It's been a balancing act, keeping deer under control and yet keeping the hunters happy, because a good part of funding for the DNR comes from hunting and fishing licenses. And then Chronic Wasting Disease entered the state. We don't have deer in our town, but there are places where the deer do a lot of damage to crops and yards. They also are a menace on the highways. I grew up in a hunting family, so we ate a lot of venison, along with ducks, geese, pheasants and fish. My husband is not a deer hunter, and I don't miss the venison.

[rosemarykaye]

nlhome - I'd be interested in chatting about The Chilbury Ladies' Choir too. My copy includes an interview with the author, Jennifer Ryan, so that might offer some useful starting points.

Rosemary

[ginny]

Barbara, your recommendation of Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools by Victoria Twead  is delightful. I am so enjoying it, even if I have to read it on Kindle which I hate doing, because I don't want to order packages  from Amazon right now. I order everything from Amazon but I don't like what I'm seeing in the news at the moment.

Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools reminds me of Peter Mayles and his Provence series except this time it's British Ex Pats in Spain. I've finished Chapter 10, and it does put a smile on your face, you're right. I like the recipes, too, in each chapter. The entire thing  is well written, and seems done with care and love, the little chicken illustrations at the top of each chapter are also a nice touch.  I have not made and probably will never make any of those simple and authentic recipes,  (because my cooking is not up to their mark, such simplicity needs a good cook), but it's quite nice to see a recipe for poor man's potatoes which she enjoyed at a dinner, and tapas and such things.


Thank you for recommending it, just the thing,  in these times,  really.

I also ordered the Chilbury Ladies Choir, also on Kindle. Was not, unfortunately, able to get the Hazel Holt  on Kindle, and she has really written a pile of them. I had no idea,  and I do like her writing. Something to look forward to.

Rosemary, the two books  I enjoyed by Tom Holt were the two sequels of E.F. Benson's  Mapp and Lucia series. They are perfect, you truly would not know EF Benson had not written them.  I understand he also writes SiFi and have not read any of those.  Lucia in Wartime and Lucia Triumphant are the two books, and they've been reprinted to mock the original series covers. If you like Mapp and Lucia you really should not miss those. If you don't, or  are  not in the mood for more right now,  then they probably would not appeal.

Coming to the end of the Mirror and the Light, the tension is rising... I had to skip a too vivid description of a burning at the stake, can't take that.....such violence over religious beliefs, but compared to Bloody Mary's persecutions which followed for the same reasons, for  the opposite side....well, it was a very violent time in which to live. A dangerous time.

I read yesterday but it's a year old that Mark Rylance may not do the second movie, I hope that's not true but this Cromwell is out of character for him, the trap is closing on him fast, and it will be hard to ...  It will be interesting to see what happens, I can't imagine another actor in that part, though.

[BarbStAubrey]

Ginny those recipes were getting the better of me and so I did a version of one - baking a potato in the microwave is never as satisfying but that is what I did - removed the skins and cut it into pieces and then instead of all the fresh tomatoes etc. I had a whole foods jar of marinara sauce that does not have the sugar that most sauces include as well as the tomatoes are chunks rather than a smooth sauce - and so I poured some to cover the cut up potatoes and heated it in the microwave for 2 minutes - delicious with a glass of Malbec  - I liked how she describes the relationship among the chickens and then it was a laugh out-loud moment when they attempted to introduce new chickens to the already established group - can see it now - been years but growing up with chickens it was all too familiar.

I thought we were going to have finally a sunny day today - the sun was out for about two hours but here we are back to grey - a sorta soft silver grey.

I think people have had it - seeing some pickups with lawn cutting tools driving by and I can see across the big hill to the street that is one of the main entry points to our area and I am seeing vehicles today where there had been empty streets for over 2 weeks - I know it is impossible to nab a food delivery time and so I too will have to consider a food run - there are a few smaller grocery stores that do not get that much business in good times much less now - they do not have a delivery or shopping service but they will be my best alternative -

Thought I had a box of masks with my craft things but evidently not so I guess I will play origami with a neckerchief - don't have any rubber bands - hope I have a couple of hair bands - if not I will just have to look like a nineteenth century bank bandit. My problem is not seeing anyone talk I have no clue what they are saying - as a Kid I could not hear very well and read lips so that is, without my realizing it, how I still 'hear' what others are saying and I realized, oh about 20 years ago to just hear without seeing it is all garbled and I have no way to distinguish what is being said. Fun and games -

I have no clue how or why but I have another free ebook from Simon and Schuster - there were several to choose from and so I chose the one about Teddy Roosevelt when he led the Rough Riders - haven't started it yet but it should be interesting - my grandfather was a Rough Rider and my sister has the bugle - he was a bugler for his group. Never did pay much attention to that war and what it was all about. Hard to imagine that war was all on horseback and only 20 years later WWI used planes and motor vehicles.

[bellamarie]

Well, we now have four of us who could discuss, The Chilbury Ladies Choir, nlhome, rosemarykaye, Ginny and myself.  Anyone else want to join in?  I will begin reading it tomorrow.  nlhome, how far are you into your book? 

Barb, when my hubby went for a hearing test, on my request, because I knew he was having hearing problems, the doctor noticed instantly he was reading people's lips to help him hear.  He got his hearing aids, and he was astounded at the fact he could hear chirping birds outside, on our way to the car. 

Jonathan, still waiting for you to check in.  This little mother hen, needs to know all the chicks are doing well. 

[BarbStAubrey]

thanks Bellamarie - I can actually hear fine now but the years of habit altered how I make sense of the sounds I hear - short quickies are easy - long protected I get left behind trying to decipher and run the words through the making sense of it all aspect of hearing.

Looks like the storm knocked the electricity out of the back of the house - I've used up my extension cords so I have the computer but no TV - let's hope its an easy fix. 

[BarbStAubrey]

Ginny --- wait till you get to the end of chapter 23 in Chickens and Mules... - click the link - tra la... hahaha- what do you think - I've seen authors and authors but this is more than I have ever seen from any author...

[ginny]

I can't wait.  I'm still reading but it's that type of reading right before sleep so not a lot is getting covered but it's nice to drift off with a smile on  your face, I'm where she was worried about her friends coming and the dishabille of her new fixer upper and then her friends came, she need not have worried, they are  minimalists and botanists, share everything, bath water, one towel, then wash clothes in that same  bath water.... I'm still trying to digest them. hahaa The place itself geographically  and the inhabitants of the village remind me of Valle Maggia, in southern Switzerland, which speaks Italian,  the narrow winding roads which turn to dirt and  wind high in the mountains  have no barriers to the sheer cliffs, and you  clutch the car armrest as if it will save you from tumbling down the mountain,  very much the same. I stayed a week there once, it was magic but a week was enlightening and enough.

It's charming, and  so is she.  I really am enjoying it.    Very positive, open, and accepting attitude she has.

I'm still in The Mirror and the Light, Bellamarie, so I'll be a bit getting to the Choir, I'm afraid, with these two books going.

I'm getting a sense, which has been a drumbeat through all three books but it's very strong in the Mirror and the Light --- as to how the class system in Britain evolved and why,  and it's....fascinating. I need to read more on this. It seems to rise and fall with the whim of whatever King, what service you did him, Norfolk will hold the North, it seems to really go back to a feudal system before Henry VIII, who was the 1500's, after all, but it...for some reason seems to have perpetuated itself into today somehow. My Lord of Norfolk, so long as he is in favor with the  King, is the nobility, but then  Cromwell who also has served the king, maybe not with his army, is disappointed when the...Honors or promotions  come out, not to be made an Earl. He can't break that barrier. The King won't break it... at least not so far.

And of course the Romans had the exact same thing, an aristocracy, the Old Families who became Aristocracy through power....why them, why were they,  several hundred years  BC,  allowed to become aristocracy eventually, an "old family,"  but not Cromwell? I wonder how far back in British history this sense of superiority, an "aristocracy"  goes?  And how it started? The mythical Arthur? Somebody helped him and became my Lord of XXX? He's "my Lord Cromwell," but not of the aristocracy because his father was a blacksmith among other things.

Fascinating. That's quite a book, and quite difficult to read in places as well, because of the violence of the period.  And I know nothing of half of what it's talking about, so there's a lot to learn.

[BarbStAubrey]

Thinking back to our reading about Arthur when we read Mabinogion, the kings appear to be warrior kings surrounded by a chosen entourage of brave knights that pledge their allegiance to the king.  However, I think Britain has a double whammy that justifies their class system. While reading we learned that Arthur was a Roman Soldier and scooted over the mountains to Wales as Rome was breaking up its ability to hold onto England. And so we have the Roman system inherent rather than just the Anglo Saxon, Viking etc which all seem to be the warrior kings. As to Rome we know they not only had relations with Egypt but Egypt was the early society before the Greeks and Rome came about after the Greeks - all that to say the Egyptians had their class system. Here it the chart -

It appears according to this Egyptian Chart someone like Cromwell would not be a noble or made a noble - It reminds me of Downton Abby how the world renowned Opera Singer, according to Carson, it would not be seemly to sit her at the dining table

Still during the time of Henry VIII, Nobility sure had something to do with land - and yes, Cromwell had land - but his work was not to supply the king with money or soldiers to fight a battle that does go back to the idea of the warrior king and his knights - the difference I see is Cromwell did his job for the king rather than doing a job that was separate for his own benefit that he shared with the king during the  king's time of need. Cromwell had no entourage of followers that he could actively support the king with soldiers and he was not equal to the financial status of the mostly Jewish bankers or money lenders nor did he have trade products that brought wealth to England that depended on a peasant class who he would be a protector as a swap for their labor.

Now what group was before the Egyptians - how did they come up with their class system - then thinking about it, even though we in the US do not have as many behaviors over class, let's face it we sure put people in groups based on class, mostly using financial wealth, education, type of work and heritage - being an out and out business man regardless the success and extreme wealth does not cut it compared to that something indescribable among other presidents who were poor as church mice and made their fortunes while or immediately after being president. 

[BarbStAubrey]

Hmm looks like the class system goes back even further to Mesopotamia - and reviewing it does not appear the Cromwell would be included among the nobles - interesting how controlling flooding was a coup to leadership that followed by rank and status.

https://www.historyonthenet.com/the-mesopotamian-upper-classes

Saw where this last book in the trilogy received the Booker Mann

[nlhome]

Rosemary, I'm about half way through the audiobook of the Chilbury Ladies Choir. There certainly are a lot of things going on in that little town. I was confused by the geography a bit, so did a little research. The town is based on Chilham. So I put up a map, because one of the annoying things about listening to a book rather than having the actual hard copy in my hand is I can't easily page back and forth. The style of writing, the different narrators, makes it an interesting book to listen to.

We are supposed to have cooler, rainy days and some snow coming on Easter Sunday, so I will probably have a lot of time to listen.

The era of this book is appropriate, as I am going through my parents photos, trying to sort them and write up a story of their lives to go with some of them, for the grandchildren. They met in the latter 1930's, and my Dad entered the Army in spring of 1941, so before Pearl Harbor. Of course, they were central Wisconsin, not England, but it is the same era.

[ginny]

Barbara, yes, it's fascinating, it really is. Love the chart!  Mesopotamia, too? There are some wonderful films on Youtube by Irving Finkle who is an Assyriologist and was curator of  the cuneiform tablets in the British Museum. A whole new world.

No,  the first two books in the trilogy,  Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies, both won the Man Booker Prize,  the third, The Mirror and the Light, is certainly expected to be on the Long List which comes out July 28, the award won't be given until October.

I've been reading endlessly on the Howards.  For some reason am caught up with Thomas Duke of Norfolk and his machinations to always keep himself in the King's favor, and one way he did it, in addition to his leading armies,  was through the continual  marriage of his family members to those of the King. Unfortunately even that did not work in the end.. His is quite a story, and Henry was  a very dangerous King to be around, apparently. Frightening, really.

One thing the book talked about which I found fascinating was as Henry VIII grew large (his waist was 59 inches at one point), in order that he not stand  out as unfit or fat, his courtiers also began wearing clothes which made them appear broad, too, and in one scene of the movie Mark Rylance comes out, who is a normal sized somewhat  lean man and he's got to be 3 feet wide, those clothes!  I can't find that still from the movie but this one shows some of the costumes,   and I wondered at the fashion then and now I know why. Notice the man second from the right, Suffolk, the King's old friend, interesting  how they all stand  with the legs stretched out, like Henry VIII did, actually, in the Holbein painting, unless it has another meaning.  If  he didn't,  he'd look  like a walking billboard. 

Imagine him trying to fit in a coach seat on a modern airplane. This is not the shot I wanted but you can see if one of these men comes toward you he's a definite physical presence although he in person may be quite ordinary:

This has really been an interesting down time, am reading all sorts of new  things.

Happy Easter!

[rosemarykaye]

Happy Easter everyone!

I loved those photos Ginny - I had not noticed the size thing in Wolf Hall, but of course once you mentioned it, it was there to see. Wolf Hall is being repeated on one of our TV channels, I might just rewatch it, it was so good and I’m sure I missed loads.

Nlhome - my mother also has a lot of photos from the war, she was 12 years old when it began. I think Jennifer Ryan manages to make it all very immediate and real in her book, the characters don’t feel ‘old-fashioned’ at all. I read a review on Amazon in which someone complained that a child of Kitty’s age would never have had her vocabulary, but I don’t think that’s true - she has been brought up in a very upper class household, surrounded by adults - and adults who do speak just like that.  One of my favourite recent reads was Elspeth Barker’s  ‘O Caledonia’, in which the young  ‘heroine’ (for want of a better word), Janet, also has a rich and mature vocabulary and an in-depth knowledge of classical literature, mainly because she lives in a remote Scottish country house, loathes outdoor sports, and has nothing else to do except read and read.

I hope you are all managing to enjoy Easter somehow. I have just been to our little local shop and lo and behold - it had rice and dates back in stock! Felt more like Christmas than Easter! - isn’t it strange how soon we have lowered our expectations of shopping? I’m beginning to feel like Vere in ‘Few Eggs & No Oranges’ or Nella in ‘Nella Last’s War’ - yet really we have access to so much more food than they had in the 1940s (even in peacetime). When my mother was first married in 1952 they had no fridge, just a ‘food safe’ kept outside, which was big enough for the milk and not much else. I remember seeing that food safe in my grandmother’s kitchen as a child - now of course I wish I’d kept it. Now we have freezers and can stock up on everything from frozen peas to bread.

I finished my Angela Brazil novel ‘The Princess of the School’ - I enjoyed it so much, it was such an escape from reality (though of course it depicts a lifestyle enjoyed by very, very few people in the 1920s - most were poor as poor) I wanted to move on to something easy that still fitted in with my #projectplaces theme, so I decided to read a Debbie Macomber. I know she does not write anything like great literature, but I enjoyed her Blossom St series. So I started the Cedar Cove books - and you know she really is a good writer in her genre, as she kept me involved and I had read more than half the book before I even got out of bed this morning. Sometimes this kind of thing is just what I need. I’m also reading ‘Selkirk FC vs the World’, a collection of poems and short stories by Thomas Clark, who was the first ever Poet in Residence at Selkirk Football Club.  Clark really gets into the dour, miserable Borders character, and the stoicism/pessimism of the fans of a not very good football club in the heart of rugby country. Much of the book is written in Scots, but it’s easy enough to follow once you ‘listen’ rather than ‘read’ it.  And much of it is very funny too.

Last night we watched an episode of ‘Vera’ that we had not seen before - I’m not sure if you get that in the US?  Vera is a detective in Northumberland, played by the wonderful Brenda Blethyn (who in fact comes from the south coast of England, but manages a brilliant Geordie accent.) I have asked my daughter to send me up my DVDs of The Jewel in the Crown, Brideshead Revisited, and Dinnerladies, as I think all of those would be good to re-watch.  We often seem to eat so late that we don’t have time for a whole film before bedtime, so things in episodes are more useful.

And now I really must do some gardening before my husband takes a hacksaw to my precious plants....

Best wishes, Rosemary

[nlhome]

Today I attended my first Zoom meeting; in fact, as secretary, even took minutes of the meeting. I would feel very accomplished, if my aunt who is 91 hadn't been attending such meetings with her singing group for the last couple of weeks.

Rosemary, I have no trouble believing that Kitty could have such a vocabulary or be so capable. I have run into similar young women over the years, well read and independent. The one part I have trouble with is the father, whose cruelty is so accepted by his family and others around him. Of course, I know that such people get away that today as well, it's not unrealistic, but it makes me angry.

Nan

[bellamarie]

Well, I wasn't sure how or what we were going to do this Easter, with the quarantine happening, but my hubby convinced me to put together some baskets for the kids and grandkids, so I ordered beautiful hyacinth plants from a small business shop my friend owns, she placed the orders outside the back door, and we called when we were minutes away, so we did not come in contact with anyone. She did such a great job with arranging and selecting the cutest little novelties to place in the pots.  These had paper mache' carrots, she also had boxes of old fashion pick up sticks, and magic tricks, I ordered for the youngest two grandkids, Zak and Zoey.  I had a couple of Dollar Store puzzles, so I put those in for the older grands and adult kids, along with masks I made, and some goodies. 

We got up, ate breakfast, dressed in our church clothes, came down and watched live streaming Mass from our church.  It was so nice seeing Fr. Miller and Deacon Jim.  Then my son had Zak and Zoey face time us, I didn't know we were on speaker, and I slipped and told my son we were going to do a drive by.  We first went to my youngest son Jeremy's house, wearing our masks, I placed their basket on the front porch and rang the door bell.  He came to the door and I backed away over 6 ft., he and his wife and the three girls were so excited to see us.  They brought out the new grandpuppy, Francesca Blue, a miniature Austrailian Shepherd.  I was overjoyed to play with her on her leash.  We visited practicing "social distancing" and then off to our son Mike's house.  As we drove up, they were all outside playing basketball, and Zak and Zoey were so excited they started to run up to our car.  I yelled, "No, don't come any closer, go back to the porch."  We got out, sat the baskets in the driveway and backed away, so they could see their baskets.  We watched them shoot some hoops, which of course they were so proud to show us their new moves, and then we came home.  I cooked Easter dinner, and we ate just the two of us.  I would have had a really difficult time keeping back tears, had we not gone to see all of them.  We knew it was going to be our first Easter without going to Mass with them, and no egg hunt or dinner, but knowing we are all safe and healthy is what really matters.  We'll have many more Easters to celebrate all together.

I FINALLY finished the book Moll Flanders!!  I am going to be brutally honest, I would never recommend this book to anyone.  There is only one part of the book I can say I was happy about, and that is the son finally gets to know his mother.  Was she deserving of all the wealth, and happiness she ends up with, after ruining, and causing the death of innocent lives? 

While in Providence, spending time with her son, learning her mother has left her an estate of great value, she says, "This is all strange news to me, and things I had not been used to; and really my heart began to look up more seriously than I think it ever did before, and to look with great thankfulness to the hand of Providence, which had done such wonder for me, who had been myself the greatest wonder of wickedness perhaps that had been suffered to live in the world.  And I must again observe, that not on this occasion only, but even on all other occasions of thankfulness, my past wicked and abominable life never looked so monstrous to me, and I never so completely abhorred it, and reproached myself with it, as when I had a sense upon me of Providence doing good to me, while I had been making those vile returns on my part.

But I leave the reader to improve these thoughts, as no doubt they will see cause, and I go on to the fact. 

Then it ends with she and her Lancashire husband, returning to England, where I was certain he was never to be allowed to return to, after being released from Newgate prison.  It was just too difficult for me as a reader, even knowing this is fiction, to believe she not only escapes the last hour death sentence, but he also does, and they live happily ever after, wealthy and back in England. Which ends with her saying, "and he is come over to England also, where we resolve to spend the remainder of our years in sincere penitence for the wicked lives we have lived.

A bit convenient, to finally be penitent, now that she is free and wealthy. This story leaves me with one thought.....

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

nlhome, I tried to download the app Zoom, when my daughter in law invited me to join her's, I got a message on my computer that it would harm my computer if I proceeded, so I chose not to.  It is all the rave, for the teachers and businesses through this quarantine time.  Here is an article you may want to read.  Not to discourage using it, just a bit of info for users to consider.

https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-04-13/is-zoom-safe-to-use-heres-what-you-need-to-know

[Frybabe]

Another interesting Project Gutenberg find. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61813

FOLKLORE OF WELLS BEING A STUDY OF WATER-WORSHIP IN EAST AND WEST
BY
R. P. MASANI, M.A.

The book is organized by the type of folklore or worship rather than by geographical area. It includes healing waters, holy wells, water spirits, demons, river wraiths and water-goblins, wishing and cursing wells, and more.

[ginny]

Bellamarie, what a lovely Easter  you had!

But on Moll Flanders, surely her redemption, and repentance, regardless of the cause, and living the rest of her life in sincere penitence  is a perfect Easter story?

Nlhome, I'm impressed with your  ZOOM ability! I've not done it but have done Facetime with our grandson. That's so fun.

Our sons and grandson have  come to the farm but do the distancing thing so we have been able  to see them, but if they did not live within driving distance,  and/ or for some reason did not come, I would love to ZOOM. In more than one way. hahaha  It's intimidating, I think? How does it work? How do you SEE all the other people, the ones I've been invited to join are really lectures in lieu of classes and have a  100 people capacity?

Rosemary , I loved your nostalgic post about the ice box. For some reason this isolation is making me quite nostalgic. Or I'm getting ancient,  myself. I remember those, too, and I remember the Iceman who literally did "cometh," who made  deliveries, in Philadelphia, which had lamplighters long after a lot of cities modernized, horse drawn milk trucks,  and Ice deliveries.  There was an Ice House (until recently there was one here) and they would deliver big blocks of ice hauled up to the 2nd stories of houses for these "Iceboxes," which literally were that. That's hard to believe now, isn't it, I would bet quite a few people have never seen one or know how it worked,  and it's been in one lifetime, too. (I just realized I  have never read The Iceman Cometh, I'm going to have to rectify that now.) Probably has nothing to do with ice. Probably some awful thing.

And you are dead right about how quickly we fall back on being grateful for things like fruit. I have always put a tangerine or orange in every stocking and just recently realized why that was done in the first place, they used to be like gold during the war.. (Read the Tom Holt on Lucia and the oranges and Mapp and her wartime hoarding), such a hoot.

I've been sent a link by a Latin student to a new project called Shakespeare 2020 in which they  have set out   to read all the works of Shakespeare, and are about 1/2 way through it. They set a date to read it each play, and take about 4 days in total to comment on it.   There are quite a few Latin students in it, it's on Facebook, which I don't do and currently has 4,000 members. That's something else, isn't it? Are any of you doing it?

When we started online on SeniorNet,  I think it was in 1996, because we attended  a Convention in 1998, but it could have been 1997, but anyway we thought we were in the forefront of technology, the cutting edge. I have to say it still works nicely in 2020 in the pandemic. I'm also not sure I want to be photographed sitting here at my... ahem...not too orderly.... desk.  hahaha

What IF suddenly as you typed you APPEARED right now  on a screen, with no notice, to the world? How scary is that?

hahaha

[ANNIE]

Easter here in Assisted Living was the confined to our rooms even eating but we did get to
Walk outside staying 6 feet apart.  The weather was very cool but two of us dressed in our winter coats plus wore warm ear covering hats. My neighbor and I walked almost a mile.  We stayed out for forty minutes! ‘Was quite a treat!

Happy Easter

[jane]

Nlhome...I also did Zoom with 6 groups of Family and Friends and I loved it.  It was so easy to use and I could see and hear all the groups and see what they were doing...from cooking to showing off homemade sourdough bread to home improvements, etc.  It was great and was across 3 states.  Incredible.

jane

[bellamarie]

Ginny, yes, it seems fitting I finished Moll Flanders the Monday after Easter's resurrection of our Lord and redeemer, with the true meaning of repentance, new life and forgiveness.

My daughter in law who is now working from home has set up her Zoom for the kids to have a work out session with their friends once a week for gym class, a part of the homeschooling schedule.  She normally would get up at 4:00 a.m. to go work out at the gym.  Now she has her gals working out at 7:00 a.m., on Zoom.  I may have to cave in, and give it a try.

Jane that is wonderful you were able to use Zoom across three states.  Isn't technology just the best today.

Annie, it was 61 degrees here in Toledo Ohio on Easter Sunday.  I'm so glad you were able to get out for a walk.  It's amazing how just going outside for a bit, can bring about a whole new feeling.  My hubby and I walk our dog each day, it feels so refreshing to feel the wind and sun on my face.  We are going to have temps in the 40s all week here, so I tend to stay in if it's too chilly. 

Frybabe, thank you for the Forklore links.   

[nlhome]

I use Zoom with one of my tablets, because my desktop has no microphone or camera and really tight security. It worked great, only 7 of us were able to attend, and there are options to show everyone, to not be visible, etc. It was set up by our tech person and she used the waiting room to "usher" each of us in. It was good to talk to them all again. I'll try again tomorrow with the postcard group I participate in. Should be interesting to see how it works with them.

I finished listening to The Chilbury Ladies Choir today. It's cold here, we had moments of sun, mostly clouds, and some fast and furious snow flurries, plus one period of graupel.  So we stayed in mostly and read. Tomorrow I start a mystery. 

[BarbStAubrey]

Cannot believe it - Easter like you Bellamarie it was 61 degrees and floating between 60 and 65 during the day ever since but to top that off - here we are a bit further south than Baton Rouge and more south than Mobile Alabama in mid April and the HIGHEST for the day, Wednesday will be 35 degrees - unbelievable -

As to the virus, most of 10 counties around us have 3 to maybe 7 cases except one of the closest, Williamson County does have 124 cases with 4 dead while here in Travis county we went from Sunday at 775 to today 900 and 39 who died - so it appears we have not yet flattened out. Had myself scared - this is allergy season and my lungs were a mess the last few days - my typical herbs were not doing the trick and I had a fever - took the colloidal silver in the afternoon and again last night - now I am awake but breathing again without all the wheeze and pain - it is so easy to imagine the least bit of feeling off is a sign of the virus. In the last 2 weeks I was only out that one time and washed immediately when I returned but still the anxiety is there.     

Found the most fascinating book The Course of History: Ten Meals That Changed the World by Struan Stevenson. It starts off with the meal Bonnie Prince Charlie gave on the Eve of Culloden - the battle is described along with the disaster the meal created that aided the loss  - what I Thought was fascinating and new information, the bad blood between England, and France, who supported the Highlanders continued into America and was part of the basis for what we call the French and Indian wars between Canada and the Colonies. At the end of each chapter not only is the menu included but the recipes for each dish served on these menus.

[rosemarykaye]

Barb, I am so glad you are feeling better. I know exactly what you mean, if I even feel tired, or stuffy, I start counting back the days to see how long ago it is since I could possibly have been in contact with anything - but as I am the person who does the shopping in this household (of 2) I have usually been at the village shops (all two of them..) within the past 5 days, so I just have to hope for the best. I do wash my hands thoroughly as soon as I get home, but even in normal times I can imagine anything without much prompting. One of my daughters has been having trouble with hay fever already.

There is no official sign of the lockdown ending here, but my daughter has heard that schools might re-open again next month. I personally feel this is unlikely, and it is certainly only rumour at this stage, but I can see that having young children at home must make it very difficult indeed for parents to work from home. It is all very well affluent parents banging on on social media about how 'lovely' it is to have the children at home, and how people should stop moaning, but these people inevitably live in big houses with huge gardens, trampolines, even pools, and it's likely that the mother doesn't work, or previously did something that she can just stop and start without the family taking much of a financial hit. For many families these days, two incomes are vital to keep the family afloat, and living space, especially in cities, is probably very cramped, with no access to a garden. I think back to when my own three children were little - I can imagine what the scenario would've been - my husband would've worked from home for maybe 15 hours a day (as he is frequently doing now) and I would have had to have tried to keep the children and the dog quiet and entertained. We did have a small-ish garden at that time, but the house was not large - and we were some of the lucky ones.

That book sounds very interesting. How did the meal contribute to the defeat at Culloden? (Having been educated in London, I am woefully ignorant of Scottish history I'm afraid.) We always get a very good reception in France when people find out we are from Scotland rather than England. (Scotland voted very strongly to stay in the EU.) We also both have lapel pin badges that show the Scottish and French flags. I didn't know about the carry-over into US history, but it makes sense.

Take care and look after yourself,

Rosemary