Illustration from “Eugene Onegin” edition (1908); Elena Samokich-Soudkovskaïa [Public domain] via Wikimedia
Our couple takes a walk in the garden in chapter 4, and there is a bench involved. However, the couple in this painting look far happier than either Kitty or Lorcan will be during their walk in the garden.
~*~*~
“Are you well?” Kitty cried.
Mutely, he shook his head, for speech had left him.
“Do you wish to sit down?”
He nodded. Sitting was not exactly what he wished to do, but it was likely better than standing when the garden began to waver. She led him to a bench, and gratefully, he sank down onto it before his legs could fail him.
“Go on without me,” he said when he could once again speak now that his mind was no longer focused so intently on keeping him upright.
PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY CHRISTMASTIMETV ON OCTOBER 27, 2010
Songs like this make me nostalgic as they were always playing on the record player around Christmas time when I was young. 🙂 I hope you enjoy this Christmas classic.
As I mentioned in the last Monday post (which I wrote yesterday since I am scheduling this ahead of time and taking some work time off over the next two weeks), I have no writing news to share this week — other than to remind you that the Darcy Family Series is only on sale for a couple more days.
Click the image to find out more about the books and to find links for purchasing.
Since I have no writing news this week, I wanted to share something of interest with you.
I like watching videos on YouTube — especially educational sorts of videos like the one below. Not all that long ago I discovered these short 18th-century cooking videos. I love how they bring to life how things were done hundreds of years ago, and it helps me visualize the lives of my characters a bit better to see the work that went into eating and the variety of foods that might have been eaten.
The recipe in this video is an English recipe, and the cookbook in which it can be found is mentioned in the video and is also listed in this blog post on the website mentioned in this video. (The recipe book is a free ebook on Google Play.)
I thought a Christmas pie recipe would be appropriate to share considering the time of year it is. 🙂 (And his little girl in this video is just adorable.)
And not only am I going to share the above video with you today, but I am also going to share a portion from chapter 12 of For Peace of Mind — which my second published book and the book which first led me to start collecting old cookbooks in my Google Books Library. 🙂
At the beginning of this scene in which Darcy and Elizabeth exchange gifts, it mentions that the Bennets are expecting guests for a Christmas Eve dinner. I suppose it is entirely possible that they might have served a Christmas Pie on such an occasion, don’t you?
Though this scene depicts the 18th century and our story is set in the 19th century, I picked it because it reminded me of the Bennets — a mother and father with five beautiful daughters. I can just hear Mr. Bennet saying “we have done very well for ourselves, have we not, Mrs. Bennet.” (Does anyone else wish to smooth that rug? 🙂 )
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“It is Mother and Father’s anniversary. They will have been married twenty-four years next Thursday.”
“Oh, I had forgotten it was so soon!” That was indeed a day of great importance. “Are you planning a dinner for them?”
Since the time Jane was twelve, she had taken over the celebration preparations for their parent’s anniversary dinner. Before that, Mama had always arranged things.
PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY PETER HOLLENS ON DECEMBER 14, 2014.
Christmas is almost here at the Brown residence. It won’t be an elaborate day of festivities. We tend to take a low key approach to the holiday. There will be presents — just a few, but not many — which we will unwrap once we ease our way into the day at a rather late hour. This will be followed by a Christmas breakfast with far too many indulgent items, and then later in the day, we will have a turkey dinner. It’s a lovely, relaxing day of rest for us — unless, of course, my husband has a job which must be completed when businesses are closed.
(He owns a cleaning business, and I have sat reading a book in the car as I waited for him to put a coat of wax on a floor before taking a drive to look at the Christmas lights while that coat of wax dries. Then, he’ll slip in another coat before we head home.)
For the next couple of weeks, I am intending to take it a bit easier than I normally do. I will still be writing and editing and such but at a more relaxed pace.
Beechwood Park, Hertfordshire, (1818), John Preston Neale [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons.
~*~*~
Lorcan rubbed the back of his neck while he studied Netherfield. He had no great desire to go there, but he also did not wish to walk to Meryton or remain on the road. “And what if no one is in residence?”
“There will be staff, sir. They will be able to help you find accommodations. Send a footman to Meryton if there is an issue, and I will hire a carriage to collect you.”
“Very well,” Lorcan agreed. There really was not much else to do.
