Saturday this and that . . .

 

We watched a fascinating program last night about the homes of Jane Austen and how they affected her writing. Jane Austin at Home, was a fascinating peek into the life of this much revered and most famous authoress.  I fear that I am rather late to the Jane Austen table.  I never read any of her writings when I was growing up, and it was not until I had watched a film based on one of her novels, Pride and Prejudice, that I actually became curious about both her and her writing. Who has not fallen in love with Mr Darcy at least once in their lifetime  . . .

 

(Jane Austen's writing desk at Chawton House) 

  "Though the frailties, foibles and follies of others could not escape her immediate detection, yet even on their vices did she never trust herself to comment with unkindness . . . . She always sought in the faults of others something to excuse, to forgive or forget." 

I think the time period in which she was alive and wrote were some of the most elegant times.  An age where people had such high standards of etiquette and bearing, dress and deportment . . . indeed this was not a time in history  which was kind to those who were steeped in poverty, but I don't believe that any time period has been truly kind to the poor.  I love the fashions and gentility of this era.  When I look at the desk that she actually wrote upon, I am amazed to think that she wrote in such a small space.  If you were to look at mine, it is much more spread out and quite messy, for when I am in the throes of creativity I am like a whirling dirvish, and all my creative materials are about me. Its as if I cannot wait and clear up one aspect of my creativity before I move on to the next for fear that I lose the inspiration.

Another thing which fascinates me about this time of her writing is how very prolific she was and that it was all done by hand, not to mention by a feather quill.   My hands get tired after only a few minutes of writing . . . I cannot imagine writing for hours and hours each day. We are so very spoiled it seems . . . 

 

(Cassandra Austen's portrait of her sister Jane) 

Whatever the appeal of the time, it is an era which fascinates many, many people. She is one of the better known authors of what was called "The Regency" period, a time when our King (King George the third) was deemed unfit to rule and his son (George the fourth) ruled in his stead as the Prince Regent. It was a time of Byron, Wordsworth, Blake and Keats . . . and a time period which also spawned Mary Shelly's Frankenstein.

However highly romanticized, it was a period of time in which marriage was only ever very rarely based on love matches, but more on the desire to make a match which was based on economy and financial security, both for the bride and for her family. Small wonder that novels and writings of such romantic leanings as Janes became very popular, for these provided women with the opportunity to live vicariously through them a life which could never be their own . . . 

 For many "abroad" could only ever be achieved within

the pages of a good book, and today it is

much the same for many of us.

We do all tend to romanticise the past don't we.   We look back at past eras and times and swoon, but in reality many were starving and living in squalour . . . in conditions we would find appalling, almost third-world-like today.  I wonder what future generations will look back on and think about our times?  Will we be so romanticised?  I wonder  . . .  

I think we are entirely far too relaxed and too slack in our dress and our deportment.  Manners have taken a hike.  There is very little "Gentility" in these so called modern times, but there is also much I would not want to have to give up or live without.  Each era has its charms . . .  and its faults.

 

We don't have a lot planned this weekend.  We are still working on clearing out clutter.  It is such a hard exercise.  I think sometimes cutting off a hand would be easier than having to part company with one's belongings.  Funny that something can be stuck in a cupboard and forgotten for years and then once it hits the light of day and you see it again, it becomes something that you can't bear to live without.  I say don't even look.  What you don't see, you really really won't miss.   We are sometimes such odd creatures I think.  I am of the opinion that once something hits the "store it in the cupboard" stage it is really time to get rid of it completely  . . . 

 

I've been winding my yarn stash into balls while I sit and watch television with Todd in the evenings. I have done a ton and there is a ton more to do.  I am addicted to yarn . . .  and fabric . . .  and paper.  There is no hope for me . . . 😕 

  

There is something really relaxing to be found in winding yarn into balls.

It is the mindlessness of it all combined with the

feeling that you are accomplishing

something at least and that

progress is being

made

...

And with that I will leave you with a thought for today  . . . 

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.° ˛°It isn't what we say and think that defines us

but what we do. 

~Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility•。★★ 。* 。

Spiritual Enlightenment  

  

I baked these beautiful Soft Maple Sugar Cookies yesterday . . . seriously tasty. I do so love the flavour of Maple.

Have a great Saturday whatever you get up to.  Don't forget along the way! 

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And I do too!