Musings

I have been working hard on my novel this last week or so, while also starting an online course on feature writing for newspapers and magazines. Phew! I must admit that my brain is now a little fried. On this, I am finding that I am not getting through my reading very quickly if at all. I am loving Young Bess by Margaret Irwin, but I open it up to have a read at night and I am asleep within half a dozen pages. Not good for an aspiring writer, or even for someone who just wants to finish a book! When do you do your reading?

Of course, I would probably be a lot better off if we threw out the telly. We have recently had a number of digital channels added to our tv schedule here in Australia, but the quality has certainly not improved. It reminds me now of the worst excesses of tv that I saw in Europe and the USA. Is my life being benefited by watching repeats of shows 40 years old or by a seemingly endless supply of reality shows about the American law enforcement system? I think not. And yet I watch and my books remain unread and my craft projects undone. How do you escape the tv trap? Perhaps you don't? Perhaps you love a bit of trash tv?

Having said that, I am in love with the comedy Arrested Development, which is re-screening on the ABC at the moment. Is anyone else watching it? And Downton Abbey? Don't get me started...

We made a pilgrimage to that great site of Scandinavianess - Ikea - on the weekend and bought ourselves a lovely new armchair which is both very elegant and very comfortable. Yet again I wondered if I should throw out all of our inherited, second-hand and just plain odd furniture and install a big dose of Swedish sleekness. Then I reminded myself that my life would not become sleek along with it as a result - despite what Ikea's image makers might like me to think - and that I do love all of our old and weird bits and pieces anyway. We did however also stock up on some culinary deliciousness, like the Swedish cookie(s) pictured above. The last one went down the red lane (as my grandmother would have said) with my morning coffee this morning. Love Ikea's foodie bits. Do you?

I may have posted a clip from this band - Dead Can Dance - before but their so very unique music has been wonderful for me at my desk lately as I try to keep my wee brainbox ticking over.

Enjoy.

Creating...and blog candy!

The Swedish artist Carl Larsson - one of my favourite artists - doing his thing. 

Image from Wikipedia.

I have recently started doing an online art class here, at this gorgeous site - http://www.willowing.org/ - and I am really enjoying it. I have never thought of myself as being able to draw or paint (especially after some very negative school art class experiences!) and I don't think I will ever be one of the world's great artists but I am really loving learning the process and seeing what I come up with.

Speaking of which, Sefarina at Windleben is giving away some lovely blog candy over at -   http://windleben.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/weil-ihr-die-besten-seid.html  

Sefarina is such a talented artist so enjoying her blog has inspired me to continue on with my (currently) primitive scratchings!

Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950s: image from http://chimagine.tumblr.com/

 

As you are perhaps aware, celebrations are taking place in Britain at the moment to mark Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee on the throne. I stumbled upon a live telecast of the royal procession down the Thames on tv last night. Did you watch any of it? Apparently some people down here in the Antipodes were setting their alarm clocks to get up and watch it live. Like or loathe the Royals, I think you have to concede that Queen Elizabeth had done a pretty fine job and has certainly - if nothing else - done her duty to the utmost. I've been watching a documentary the last couple of weeks about the Queen's reign and her commitment to duty and service is truly admirable. Also, as a commentator on the radio pointed out this morning, the British do do these sorts of occasions well and with a very touching quaintness - the street parties, the flags plastered on everything and, as for the London Philharmonic floating down the Thames on a barge, what can I say? Lovely.

Image from http://englishhistory.net/tudor/beeslychapterone.html

 

Quite coincidentally, I have just started reading Margaret Irwin's Young Bess about that other Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth I. Have you read it? Really engagingly written and such vivid descriptions. Very inspiring as I battle on with my own attempt at a novel! If you like historical fiction, you'll love Margaret Irwin.

Sunshine

I am taking my cue from the latest posts two of my favourite blogs today - Living in the kingdom of too much and Tiny Happy. I have had some great op-shop visits lately. Today, for example, I found a terrific collection of books, including Joan Phipson's childrens' book, Hide Till Daytime. It's about two children who are locked in a department store overnight. Did you ever wish for that? I had a favourite local shop when I was a child that specialised in Snoopy merchandise. I had my overnight stay there planned right down to what I would...uh...borrow from them while I was there on my own. Little wanna-be Fagin that I was (or perhaps Oliver Twist?) - if only in my imagination! I haven't thrown any books out, though, to even things up so I'd better get onto that if I am to keep visiting op-shops...

Teddy, above, was also one of today's finds. He has been in the op-shop for weeks, looking at me imploringly. I couldn't leave him on the shelf another day today. "Relax Teddy," The guy behind the counter said as I bought him "No need to look so worried - you're off to a good home." I've called him Stanley. What do you think?

Also found some sweet little Mac's Shortbread tins from the 70s. Perhaps this is a Melbourne-only reference? When I was a child I could smell the biscuits baking from our backyard. The factory (obviously) was not far away. Love little old tins for storing crafty bits in.

And Tiny Happy wondered today about what was making me happy. I would have to say the gorgeous warm sunshine - lovely after yesterday's grey day. Autumn's last hurrah, I think. Stanley, as you can see in the photo above, is lapping up some rays.

What's making you happy at the moment?

Eurovision

My ardour for Eurovision is not quite what it once was! In the past, I have managed to watch both semi-final nights and the grand final but this year saw me watching the first semi-final night only. I had planned to watch the grand final, having assiduously avoided any mention of the winner all day on the news (here in Australia we are a day behind with the telecast, so the winner was already known), but our local news service announced the winner last night without so much as a "If you're going to watch Eurovision tonight, step out of the room now..." So, I thought, was there any real point in watching all the way through it last night? I watched Downton Abbey instead. But I must say I loved the Finnish entry by Pernilla Karlsson,  "När jag blundar" (which apparently translates from the Swedish as 'When I close my eyes'). Beautifully sweet but perhaps not the sort of 'dance anthem' that is likely to win Eurovision.

Did you watch? What was your favourite?

I Heart Waechtersbach

You know how when you go to the op shop and you're thinking to yourself 'I'm going to look for a...' Well, of course, you won't find it. Op shops present to you what they want you to find, not the other way around. So today I was thinking 'I would really like a pair of warm, tweedy, nubby pants for winter'. Nothing. Not even something that I could make do with. Oh well I thought, dejected, I'll have a look around anyway. And then I found four of these super-sweet bowls (see one above). They're made by a German Pottery, Waechtersbach, and although they are a little the worse for wear, I love them. I've just checked Etsy and there's a ton of really cute Waechtersbach vintage. Just when I thought Hornsea was my collectable! My husband will be so pleased that I've found something else to fill the cupboards up with...

Important news to impart of quite considerable importance

Did you watch the first episode of season two of  Downton Abbey last night? I have to admit to being a little bit disappointed. I'm not sure if it's because there's been a fair gap between the screening of the two seasons or whether if watching it on commercial television with a block of advertisements every five minutes just breaks the continuity too much, but I just found it a bit too much like every other period drama I've ever seen. Upstairs, downstairs, thwarted love, war etc., etc. What do you think? So I couldn't resist posting part two of the Downton spoof I posted a couple of months back (see below)... 

The scones incidentally went down an absolute treat on Friday night. I need to make them a little bigger next time but I would swear by this recipe -

Half a pound of self-raising flour
Quarter of a teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of butter
6 ounces of milk

Combine flour and salt. Rub butter in. Mix into a soft dough, using almost all the milk. Turn onto a lightly floured board, kned and then roll out to half an inch thick. Cut into shapes (I used the floured top of a glass). Place on greased tray. Bake in very hot oven (about 240 degrees celsius) for 7-10 minutes. Cooked when golden brown on top and sides are set.

Eat with berry jam and cream.

Smile with contentment.