tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53393371140167721892024-03-21T08:21:01.668+10:00Miss Lily's Vintage WaresMaker of things old: reuser of things past - stitching and crafting, books, gardening, life and travel.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-3475262250706790522021-09-01T15:38:00.000+10:002021-09-01T15:38:05.386+10:00 Update on my challenges for 2021<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u><b>European reading challenge:</b></u></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Read: </b></i><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Book of Wonders - Julien Sandrel - France - <i><b>Read</b></i></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">A Month in Siena - Hisham Matar - Italy - </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Read</b></i></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Rag and Bone: A Family History of What We've Thrown Away - Lisa Woollett - England - </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Read</b></i></span></span></p><div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>One more book to go in this challenge</i></b></span></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><u>Back to the Classics challenge</u></b></span>:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span>Classic by a Women Author - Willa Cather novel<br />A travel or adventure classic
(fiction or non-fiction) - Charmain Clifts Travels in Greece<br /> 20th Century classic - Virginia Woolf novel<br />
</span></span><span><span><span>A children's classic - The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper - <i><b>Read</b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><i><b><i>Three more books to go in this challenge</i> </b></i></span></span></span></span></span> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>Victorian Reading Challenge:</u></b></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I need to read 5 books, one from each category: <br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">NONFICTION. Read nonfiction books (autobiographies, biographies, etc.)
published during the Victorian era OR nonfiction books about the
Victorian era or specific Victorians - </span></span></span><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Only Happiness Here: In Search of Elizabeth von Armin - Gabrielle Carey -<i><b> Read</b></i><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li></ul></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">JOURNEYS and TRAVELS;</span></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">LOVE and MARRIAGE;</span></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">HOME AND FAMILY;</span></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">BACK TO SCHOOL <br /></span></span></span></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><i><b><i>Four more books to go in this challenge</i> </b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><span></span></u></span></u></span></span></span></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><span>WW2 Reading Challenge:</span></u></span></u></span></span></span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">My challenge is to c</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">hoose 4 books from the following categories:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><br /><span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Fiction published during 1939-1945</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Fiction set during 1939-1945 - </span></span><br /><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Code Name Helene - Ariel Lawhon -<i><b> Read</b></i><br /></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Fiction that is about the leading up to the war</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Fiction that is about the direct aftermath of the war</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Nonfiction books about the War</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Biographies or Autobiographies with sections about the war </span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Essays, Articles, Op-Ed pieces </span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">historical-historical (straight up historical with no sub-genres) - </span></span><br /><span><span style="font-family: arial;">The Paris Library - Janet Skeslien Charles -<i><b> Read</b></i><br /></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">historical romance</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">historical mysteries</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">historical coming-of-age</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">historical thrillers/suspense/spy novels</span></span></span></li></ul></div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><i><b><i>Two more books to go in this challenge</i> </b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><b><span style="font-size: small;">The Historical Fiction Challenge</span></b></u>:</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I've committed to the </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Renaissance Reader - 10 books</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Read</b></i>:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Miss Austen - Gill Hornby</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The Runes of Destiny - Christina Courtenay</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The Paris Library - Janet Skeslien Charles</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Belinda Goes to Bath - Marion Chesney</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook - Celia Rees </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Code Name Helene - Ariel Lawhon</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The Foundling - Stacey Halls</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Mariana - Susanna Kearsley</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><i><b><i>Two more books to go in this challenge</i></b></i></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span> </div><div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u><b><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Read Scotland:</span></span></span></b></u></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I have signed up to the 'Robert Burns'
level which is 6-10 books</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Read:</span></span></b></i></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Confessions of a Bookseller - Shaun Bythell</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Christmas at the Island Hotel - Jenny Colgan</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">500 Miles from You - Jenny Colgan</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><i><b><i>Four to eight more books to go in this challenge</i></b></i></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br /></span></span></span></div><div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u><b><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Australian Women Writers Challenge:</span></span></span></b></u></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Read any books by Australia Women Writers or about Australian Women (need to read more than 1!)</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Read:</span></span></span></span></span></b></i></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Only Happiness Here: In Search of Elizabeth von Armin - Gabrielle Carey</span></span></span></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;">Code Name Helene - Ariel Lawhon (US author but fiction based on the life of a famous Australian resistance fighter in WW2 France - Nancy Wake)</span> <br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><p><u><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The Backlist Reader Challenge: </span></span></span></span></span></b></u></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The Flaneur: A Stroll Through the Paradoxes of Paris - Edmund White</span></span></span></span><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span></span></b></u><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Rebel Women - Rosalind Miles</span></span></span></span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></b></u><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Only two books read from my bookshelves so far this year... oh dear!</span><br /></span></span></span></span></p></div><div><u><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></b></u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u> </u></b></span></span></span></p></div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-33447584114571892452021-04-12T14:04:00.005+10:002021-04-12T14:11:02.409+10:00The Book of Wonders - Julien Sandrel<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXFMlz-Q1V4-pmtkUZQkB7c6nzRh6eNGw3hBzRYNdiQvX0Q9wMeNzy3NSwfR8FwTyKVngLuMXdC89wcmqPkHL3323TgetjKlLIz3unFBMkoBHBE0skSJYh7MyYOwp1i-YxHp3MTQKnC0/s684/9781787473744.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXFMlz-Q1V4-pmtkUZQkB7c6nzRh6eNGw3hBzRYNdiQvX0Q9wMeNzy3NSwfR8FwTyKVngLuMXdC89wcmqPkHL3323TgetjKlLIz3unFBMkoBHBE0skSJYh7MyYOwp1i-YxHp3MTQKnC0/s320/9781787473744.webp" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>This book has been translated from the French by Ros Schwartz.</span></span></span></span></span><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span>This book is not the first book I have read in my Reading Europe Challenge but I have only chosen 4 for the challenge and I have already read more than than 4 books from European countries.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span>I would call this a heart-warming, feel good book. It is quite short and certainly an easy enough read - but to be honest I had to read the synopsis again to remind me of what it was about. It didnt really stay or resonate with me.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span>Its about a very busy, career orientated single-monther in Paris who has a 12 year old son. The son has a skateboard accident and is in a coma for some time and the prognosis is not good.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span>The mother finds it difficult to cope with the tragedy and finds her son's 'bucket list' (Book of Wonders) in his room. She decides to fulfil his dreams and embarks on a number of adventures. She films them so her son can experience and follow along with her via his iPad in the hospital. She goes on a number of these 'adventures' - i.e. a trip to Tokyo, football training camp.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span>While it was a farily light book, it was heartfelt and did have some important themes like how we respond to grief, family dynamics, guilt over work/family life, love of your children and forgiveness.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span>I enjoyed the book and was going to read another by this author, but wanted something a little more challenging, but a nice gentle read.</span></span></span></span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-84828880980871617542021-02-18T13:31:00.000+10:002021-02-18T13:31:28.443+10:00New Year - new challenges<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2020 was a wipe out year.... I'm just erasing it! I think I got less done in 2020 than in other normal years. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I did read more, but only just and didnt particupate in any reading or sewing challenges. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I feel like 2021 should have some aims so I dont fall into the habit of just cruising by.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So, I am going to try again to do some book challenges - just so I get a variety of books in my reading and try to read from my tbr piles (3 x bookcases of tbr if I want to be really honest 😄)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u><b>European Reading Challenge</b></u>:
I am doing this one again this year.. signed up for the Honeymooner
level - 4 books from 4 different countries - can be fiction,
non-fiction, travel etc. I'm already on country number 2 now, so I
should be able to complete this challenge.</span></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.rosecityreader.com/p/2021-european-reading-challenge.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsnAkqD2RMeYPRVEjwrlA_CAarjNoS8bEVBOP09JtxTBCq-lWWWYEyo8jrb-8S0jSj1CfXZayeOEmXiUjS59BB05f5Z4rwZZl7dlJ_Y94rPGNXLDuuOs4mZvOq8O7DWdbv1JrEze43vI/s320/ERC%252B2021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><b>Back to the Classics</b></u>:
<span>T<span>his year I have chosen
just 4 categories to read from so as to not overwhelm myself...</span></span></span><span><span><br />
Classic by a Women Author - Willa Cather novel<br />A travel or adventure classic
(fiction or non-fiction) - Charmain Clifts Travels in Greece<br /> 20th Century classic - Virginia Woolf novel<br />
</span></span><span><span><span>A children's classic - The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://karensbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/2020/06/back-to-classics-2021.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMKF6tgs1ZJ5QeSgzt2T6AAMWTOyu5SBR2IK9SKMcTTJYjf3zmF9Cn01rx2wpwUT_GBqRwCnwIav_lQP4okVORoQTNh4yYV6ujusQWJBRFsTlGPIWPooanDBHcbODG7pCMgEoHvKGj5A/s320/Screen%252BShot%252B2020-08-09%252Bat%252B9.15.01%252BAM.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u>Victorian Reading Challenge:</u></b>
Again I am signed up to this one. I am going to aim to read 5 books, one each at least, from the following categories:</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">NONFICTION. Read nonfiction books (autobiographies, biographies, etc.)
published during the Victorian era OR nonfiction books about the
Victorian era or specific Victorians;</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">JOURNEYS and TRAVELS;</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">LOVE and MARRIAGE;</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">HOME AND FAMILY;</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">BACK TO SCHOOL. </span></span></span></li></ul><p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2020/12/2021-victorian-reading-challenge.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMTP8tckKTP-Wzl-GPxIDJVZ26_n-JQ05-R9FRedeiE7BwGH1tdajRPw4AtWSDhmraIseqgFJa4o_PwCi_wZypuRO9hmupEN59O8iDwuAdfz3axxc8h9WK43iKWfjCuxISF_VErkOdeY/s0/VictorianReadingChallenge.png" /></a></span></div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">WW2 Reading Challenge: </span></span></u></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> this is a new one for this year. Im going to choose 4 books from the following categories:</span></span></span><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fiction published during 1939-1945</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fiction set during 1939-1945</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fiction that is about the leading up to the war</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fiction that is about the direct aftermath of the war</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Nonfiction books about the War</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Biographies or Autobiographies with sections about the war <br /></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Essays, Articles, Op-Ed pieces <br /></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">historical-historical (straight up historical with no sub-genres)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">historical romance</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">historical mysteries</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">historical coming-of-age</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">historical thrillers/suspense/spy novels</span></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2020/12/2021-world-war-ii-challenge.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbB5K88SiV4c4twA9UIgE4MEKe-Np0AB0zYZ3UkeR4BcPj0zy8AXEgtQHZ37S2fQAG-8rJKE1L3nz_6AQRBOcWvkiwR1dOaMjq-dDWCWn6Eo8LCJBwq7Q3mCcn2i6gCwdd05AMS7-PrSQ/s0/WW2+reading+challenge.png" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><b>The Historical Fiction Challenge</b></u>: I already read alot of historical ficiton and its one of my favourite genres, so always enjoy this challenge.</span><br />
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I've committed to the </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Renaissance Reader - 10 books.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2020/12/historical-fiction-reading-challenge.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEAOZyh7_UOyT1l-1Myf6aWHmxXMS16Mt_IQXE-hcIKfQc_XfuSA0hKiZzz5G5jeXKLu3fPZpRlNWuQMWfyBamDUK4jSM8SmCVu1F3VI1otXwGXCDJ-HQAtH0kHJaf7IdeV_Z2gdSvmE/s320/HF+2021.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><b>Read Scotland:</b></u>
this will be the 8th year I have participated in this challenge
and I have never quite reached my goal. The idea is that you read books by Scottish authors, set in
Scotland or about Scotland. I have signed up to the 'Robert Burns'
level which is 6-10 books. I only read 3 last year, so need to up my reading.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/834598-read-scotland" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="111" data-original-width="111" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZveIDbF62GTfHhBKyUBmAtQ14LINqrHCL_joQzzaXOstn7xSFgh2i8LWghPtYTiBlqLAT5GkCigLXV7LkHN9bzVOA8Q45PPJRjU_SvgMDO7jRbUyqQuGUnwckcpwlb3bRMapekuY6pE/w149-h149/834598.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><b>Australian Women Writers Challenge:</b></u>
again I am joining in the fun of this and trying to read more books by
Australian women writers... last year I managed 1 book in this
category which is kind of abysmal. Need to up this as there are so many good books by Australian women or about Australian women.</span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://australianwomenwriters.com/sign-up/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYZxrkxG_Qlr8VSt4XFeELfGYzRpJ64Z7MpoUFnOzmBtH5FYEN8LDuD5TYuT59xZILRJ0vYC3WiarJYpS5M9of3aokcPGyiKRIw8cylHTgHnHhI5fjfzHGy6rbuDB743VfkCKuphOTR4/s0/AWW+2021.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><b>The Backlist Reader Challenge:</b></u> This is the second time I have tried this challenge. I need to read more from my tbr piles. They are growing by the day! </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://bookwyrmshoard.com/challenges/the-backlist-reader-challenge-2021-rules-sign-up/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQJArEPKp_m4YbS2c_5b3lJSM-_wjzlYtYk-HBrwYmH_kMLuVzAlM51OLhR3RER3s2vDNeLzRFMa_MBtJwwqMxWHWiijj45RDeRldk2NnlgxLUYjhGBtxQf1JUJcOK87r9ADTtz6ThHc/s320/Backlist-Reader-Challenge-2021_Button.jpg" /></a></span></span></div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p></p><p></p><div><p></p></div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-84089685744884826972019-01-10T15:17:00.002+10:002019-01-10T15:20:17.155+10:00Book challenges for 2019<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love the idea of book challenges but I always seem to run out of puff and get side-tracked with books not related to any of my challenges. But I continue to do them with great enthusiasm, and I love the whole process at the beginning of the year thinking about them, choosing books for them sorting through my bookshelves looking for elusive books that I know I have. Its not easy keeping on track and this year I seem to have gone overboard with the amount of challenges I have signed up to... you cant fault me for my ambition in this regards at least.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I try to do challenges that will challenge but that also the books I read might fall into multiple challenges.... doesnt always work... but when it does its great.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This year I have signed up to:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>The Historical Fiction Challenge</b></u>: which I have done for a number of years now and always really enjoy it... I always read historical fiction so its a no-brainer for me but I do try and increase the number of books in the genre that I read each year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've committed to the Medieval level, which is 15 books....</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.passagestothepast.com/2018/01/2018-historical-fiction-reading.html" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.passagestothepast.com/2018/01/2018-historical-fiction-reading.html" border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="400" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawLoAroKAYfBOtmsCcZTKUtAFQgSgtn3q_mMVIbkaTYFoL8cKV0yBYGnaAlYj4-3kA47Z315HRYQHHYRq0vNP9dsGtBYeJy7LVH48k4v2BTo-yMg7GK_FH1k_7oTRWhrX2PknvgPUeV8/s320/2019+HF.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>World at War Reading Challenge: </b></u>this is a new challenge for me. My reason for joining is that I want to read WW1 fiction and non-fiction this year as I have alot on my bookshelves that I need to read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2018/11/2019-reading-challenges-world-at-war.html" target="_blank"><img alt="https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2018/11/2019-reading-challenges-world-at-war.html" border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="400" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZ_xoA8JgIUQR5v_gELbedfuu0ldwujpsHuBAAafcMr1spUwtPY4UAfnsFmt9duzJ3US3mllRxqambEbcf_ywd0hFnyF3scBYDFc8rdfx5dejQmXGh5xy6enTyPcpT50l7u1kykGHtW8/s400/worldatwarreadingchallenge.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is set out as a 'bingo' challenge and I hope I can get at least one bingo, if not two. The categories are: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Any book published 1914-1918<br />_ Any book published 1918-1924<br />_ Any book published 1925-1930<br />_ Any book published 1931-1938<br />_ Any book published 1939-1945<br />_ A nonfiction book about World War I<br />_ A nonfiction book about 1910s and 20s<br />_ A nonfiction book about 1920s and 30s<br />_ A nonfiction book about 1930s<br />_ A nonfiction book about World War II<br />_ A fiction book set during World War I<br />_ A fiction book set 1918-1924<br />_ A fiction book set in the 1920s<br />_ A fiction book set in the 1930s<br />_ A fiction book set during World War II<br />_ A book set in the United States or Canada<br />_ A book set in England, Ireland, or Scotland<br />_ A book set in Europe<br />_ A book set in Asia or Middle East<br />_ A book set elsewhere (a country/continent not already read for the challenge)<br />_ A book focused on "the war"<br />_ A book focused on "the homefront"<br />_ Watch any movie released in 1940s <br />_ Watch any movie released in the 1930s<br />_ Watch any movie about either war </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b> Reading Women Challenge:</b></u> I posted about this in December. I have not set my list as yet and may not do so and just go along and see what I fancy throughout the year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/reading-women-challenge-2019/" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/reading-women-challenge-2019/" border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1500" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eyLUP0eRz3ZCj6oesIqUA30LFLTZGUU4kt59qB_AM51BfkbXmDdsOc10VJUCsVmTDK49Gr4cVxC_umgyOp2FFEkDe-jFut5g7utwUbUVz_Nzf5z3w0MvJ_kaoF4uNglDblaSTwuhIaI/s320/Reading+women+cahllenge.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>Read Scotland:</b></u> this will be the 6th or 7th year I have participated in this challenge and I have never quite reached my goal... this will be the year that I do.. The idea is that you read books by Scottish authors, set in Scotland or about Scotland. I have signed up to the 'Robert Burns' level which is 6-10 books. Last year I read 5 so I am not far off. I love to read about Scotland, we lived there for 4 years and my husband is Scottish so there are lots of connections that I have. I first fell in love with it by reading Lillian Beckwith books in my late teens and early 20's I hope to revisit some of her earlier books this year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/834598-read-scotland-2019" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/834598-read-scotland-2019" border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocV3yUXO0DhVMzk9SO8VMd69fnldJyuHtxkYOFixZRCjXVXiGMH9zX-q4VX_qVL8tkcCROKz3jQRRfMBRsLpTygGngSMvcpHf7RyQ4B75Lkbb8V1xJY3UoJpq468hIN7lGXax8mglwmM/s320/Read+Scotland+2019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>European Reading Challenge</b></u>: I am doing this one again this year.. signed up for the Honeymooner level - 5 books from 5 different countries - can be fiction, non-fiction, travel etc. I'm already on country number 2 now, so I should be able to complete this challenge.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.rosecityreader.com/p/2019-european-reading-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.rosecityreader.com/p/2019-european-reading-challenge.html" border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfImSiEzVFiyXwQlhVskODAfhPAEN5JRZ-E_5buC_3qX8rwHn_p9hzI302c1PvDbzfqzgI9SkqV99Y9vexdPingeGL8DBw4Hv0uTqIlszRLGSQf6cF-OPxRNY77_vB79SHlyr2Ua5qRk/s1600/ERC+Map+2019.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Victorian Reading Challenge:</u></b> Again I am signed up to this one as I failed miserably last year.... again I am going to do the bingo challenge option. I need to read 5 Victorian books this year... its an area of literature that I am lacking in so hopefully I can read some.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2018/11/2019-victorian-reading-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2018/11/2019-victorian-reading-challenge.html" border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="400" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ2YQY7CTUJLPhdld7Z7VZiUmcvIUI-6bPxDbNl1p60rve36TUR_reDBv9UT10G2TBm-lOtZ-3uk5mFS9fLw0tU2MWBninZab5J3XQZwbIkTFm4K4AftzR6z0giSlA1VWFykMUyiQ6R8/s320/Victorian+Bingo+2019.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>Australian Women Writers Challenge:</b></u> again I am joining in the fun of this and trying to read more books by Australian women writers... last year I managed 10 books in this category so here's hoping I can trump that number this year.</span><br />
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<a href="http://australianwomenwriters.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://australianwomenwriters.com/" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlvk_9Xu2CWQDSsJZgu8APPuGgbe6YXuiir0RDzr1bGgYeGx81V37iEP-S0VBS5zSVs0gL_lS6qI4bQcZ9PR1Wx_sUK1EvHu4HFHFYiR-X9fVUmkhV-F0_OrvuHuPn7A_yLCVW_HdOg8/s320/AWW+2019.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>Back to the Classics</b></u>: I've done this for a couple of years now. This year I have chosen just 4 categories to read from so as to not overwhelm myself...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Classic by a Women Author -Miles Franklin - My Brilliant Career</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Classic from Americas - Willa Cather novel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">20th Century classic - Virginia Woolf novel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Place you have Lived Classic - Scotland - not sure what book yet</span><br />
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<a href="https://karensbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/2018/12/back-to-classics-2019_9.html" target="_blank"><img alt="https://karensbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/2018/12/back-to-classics-2019_9.html" border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="400" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGm_jpsbx8nGzgs46AbaAfZyMoOFHgbYNH-6k4TqqTOg66kMrzLKLqxJaUfvSYKUPRu63c437I8moueOeAKgyTJ6ltWNOUlmhx3VhNVrHfotWG-9zFDj2i6Q384Qobkn1cHHYS7qNHDHA/s320/BTTC+2019.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b>The Backlist Reader Challenge:</b></u> This is a new one for me as well and I hope alot of my other reading will also fall into this category...</span><br />
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<a href="https://bookwyrmshoard.com/challenges/the-backlist-reader-challenge-2019-rules-and-sign-ups/" target="_blank"><img alt="https://bookwyrmshoard.com/challenges/the-backlist-reader-challenge-2019-rules-and-sign-ups/" border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7l1SaOjdOwBh7yl03xziV4rqhJ_WBOqYCsUpm-qXGeHYWQFrJ1GJWoI4PxN4z1NmWxonxu1nfLEYOIFBz1l0f9mgt1gQcY0lf_4BnLbUQCkFxCSc-TurEPmpelEhJNF_C7Fnu5jyLr1U/s320/The-Backlist-Reader-Challenge-2019_B_Border_Button-350x350.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-10336813402520795042019-01-10T13:41:00.004+10:002019-01-10T13:41:42.254+10:00Art in Paris<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We went to alot of the usual art gallery's whilst in Paris.. there are still plenty more to see next time. Below are a few pictures of my most favourtie of art/sculpture etc we saw on our travels around Paris.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFQTCs4MG9Ckw9nPnSwaaVanO3RktM8K81hjxF3NcCpE40v64D2h-oaQc8XBisxvncXtrtI7n41S6ACs_FyeYp5H7oMRGBdNxCAQWJnQtkqMlxF0mggMqLnx66v58cD4X-q4MXHXmI7g/s1600/head+sculpture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFQTCs4MG9Ckw9nPnSwaaVanO3RktM8K81hjxF3NcCpE40v64D2h-oaQc8XBisxvncXtrtI7n41S6ACs_FyeYp5H7oMRGBdNxCAQWJnQtkqMlxF0mggMqLnx66v58cD4X-q4MXHXmI7g/s320/head+sculpture.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sculpture of a head and hand</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXy6LSJS_1g5SKEq6TvAJgRb3JWLZZc_RWCJsTYsubequSrdLUW-L1LZ80TrUa3rb-Bgq4inzf2SaBfn7g5cl0pXP681PBrfP0ELBmi9D9oEGmI74TC3YqyXIgCu5i9YZmHj0ASnAoihY/s1600/Detail+on+dress+of+painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXy6LSJS_1g5SKEq6TvAJgRb3JWLZZc_RWCJsTYsubequSrdLUW-L1LZ80TrUa3rb-Bgq4inzf2SaBfn7g5cl0pXP681PBrfP0ELBmi9D9oEGmI74TC3YqyXIgCu5i9YZmHj0ASnAoihY/s320/Detail+on+dress+of+painting.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Detail of lace on a dress - not sure who the painting is by but the detail was astounding</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1qcpWWOAESUUppkt_Bm62lUIpF6havUueXLSpUQ0YyZTFgd8cKWE3Fs8mOtIKyXZqDhXn9X5wojox1jxBXIKQz4XlOdWdm8LjFgbNFx5-cTBmf4eF1-ixTMx6PYYYOSfCyty0DYzpMU/s1600/Girl+with+cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1qcpWWOAESUUppkt_Bm62lUIpF6havUueXLSpUQ0YyZTFgd8cKWE3Fs8mOtIKyXZqDhXn9X5wojox1jxBXIKQz4XlOdWdm8LjFgbNFx5-cTBmf4eF1-ixTMx6PYYYOSfCyty0DYzpMU/s320/Girl+with+cat.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of my all time favourite images and I got to see it in the flesh</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDvxIOrCxh_Jq84th5gYDL5XgJ2wJqZwhKVwGndzZObusEq8Cf0V10aN1fXLjTPWLuj9zfzeSJtLq__NkYskc-kX6V8FGomtX0B8R4JPOOn01pnF6jze-DR07szma4f6uyvrDWkQnM8M/s1600/Lady+painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDvxIOrCxh_Jq84th5gYDL5XgJ2wJqZwhKVwGndzZObusEq8Cf0V10aN1fXLjTPWLuj9zfzeSJtLq__NkYskc-kX6V8FGomtX0B8R4JPOOn01pnF6jze-DR07szma4f6uyvrDWkQnM8M/s320/Lady+painting.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Women on a Sofa by Matisse - I really loved this one. The kind of Parisian room I can imagine myself in</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9VJIqPN-GGSS0Ycd5k_q256YobvMaCEZkod29VrVB01T-NIirTcVMYZ1OQCpOPtahVpj24fXDsK20Sc3SVmOProo86LS-UJJcNymMIGwbKKePkcugR7GSFQ2XceeMEPnVB-8gHouuCI/s1600/Van+Gough+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9VJIqPN-GGSS0Ycd5k_q256YobvMaCEZkod29VrVB01T-NIirTcVMYZ1OQCpOPtahVpj24fXDsK20Sc3SVmOProo86LS-UJJcNymMIGwbKKePkcugR7GSFQ2XceeMEPnVB-8gHouuCI/s320/Van+Gough+garden.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Van Gogh - Women in a Garden (Provence) painting. I love this - evokes so many lovely memories of gardens and Provence</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdUL1OFaHZ_b14XeKKBWt1HIP2u1kLLngCZ-aT2RBVbFUW23Vd6HBXz_tp8FvXKTApkZgYTlk9QIPCIusV19KLGC73c5G8v_4nPHX3adhpj9PA4_fuy6P2rr3VnZAUflHGiRtNaLY974/s1600/Vege+garden+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdUL1OFaHZ_b14XeKKBWt1HIP2u1kLLngCZ-aT2RBVbFUW23Vd6HBXz_tp8FvXKTApkZgYTlk9QIPCIusV19KLGC73c5G8v_4nPHX3adhpj9PA4_fuy6P2rr3VnZAUflHGiRtNaLY974/s320/Vege+garden+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Van Gogh - another of his Provence paintings. I love paintings of gardens, especially vegetable gardens - see photo below which I took on our travels - similar subject - lots of lovely neat rows of vegetables.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQ0KBSgFPBO5jjwNBITpqBKOr_leIyco5g6tkjimmVEzmorcXrCC_gDAZP8p_PIMAtjhiAoBfxqZzx_yTikPx2Vi4sstaTzrkJx6cf-8mutC4tWhAzw4I3LXf1mVpQHmAaDB5Wrm0UoU/s1600/Veg+Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQ0KBSgFPBO5jjwNBITpqBKOr_leIyco5g6tkjimmVEzmorcXrCC_gDAZP8p_PIMAtjhiAoBfxqZzx_yTikPx2Vi4sstaTzrkJx6cf-8mutC4tWhAzw4I3LXf1mVpQHmAaDB5Wrm0UoU/s320/Veg+Garden.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taken at Chatillon-sur-Loire - a gorgeous town in Burgandy at the end of our week on a canal boat.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDSU_cobdfKMkb74IlQgm0PBDZySwJGLYuE2XMdD_OsqrtgdvSoLo4ziqkOmiyQ8bCIDdsB3qlHJgxWgmHXD2Lzv7Xy0f1K6_ZOGAiXdcBrgcxguWkVgNt80sTAzkUjnmrEe2N5d35AA/s1600/The+Lace+maker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDSU_cobdfKMkb74IlQgm0PBDZySwJGLYuE2XMdD_OsqrtgdvSoLo4ziqkOmiyQ8bCIDdsB3qlHJgxWgmHXD2Lzv7Xy0f1K6_ZOGAiXdcBrgcxguWkVgNt80sTAzkUjnmrEe2N5d35AA/s320/The+Lace+maker.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Lace Maker by Vermeer... one of my favourite paintings as it depicts women and textiles making as its subject</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazZlBQx0IaCY4WJol8_O9g9jSzQKtb55-cJeeGDZLfrjLSCwbZTLiNQYy0URi75JqlPj7eCdV_YBTIml-W7rD_oFRWlZJPf-a_9myI-97XyNKr8u5mkeUkmu33HA-yhs3Wmj4AmgQ-SM/s1600/Waterlilies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazZlBQx0IaCY4WJol8_O9g9jSzQKtb55-cJeeGDZLfrjLSCwbZTLiNQYy0URi75JqlPj7eCdV_YBTIml-W7rD_oFRWlZJPf-a_9myI-97XyNKr8u5mkeUkmu33HA-yhs3Wmj4AmgQ-SM/s320/Waterlilies.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One section of the Waterlilies painting by Monet - I didnt realise how large it is</span><br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-1048861542104818112019-01-04T15:59:00.001+10:002019-01-04T15:59:17.719+10:002019 - the year ahead<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy New Year to everyone...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am now back at work after a restful 10 days off but my goodness it rained here in the tropics, which kind of put a damper on things... that tropical downpour scenario where you just cant go outside without getting thoroughly drenched. I have to admit that cabin fever did set in despite my pile of DVD's to watch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looks like we might be headed for some more rain soon and possibly another cyclone - early for the season (having already had one skirt on by us in December).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a fantastic year. We did our big trip to France and the UK for our 25th wedding anniversary in July and we had a ball. France was everything I had imagined (and read about for the past 20 odd years) and more... we are already planning another trip. I really cant describe it. Paris was busy and bustling and frustrating but so beautiful in so many ways. I loved just about everything we did, despite the heat and the endless lines of tourists everywhere.. a few pics below from out and about... I'll put some more up next week about some of the wonderful artwork we saw in Paris.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfZDBliPkGBjFxlQ9rCsu3S6_danEWW_l6iJ076Y3uMfVEIk_fxYLbY0HsqxghH0WzVM6Q-Ge-b9G4E0HfKw7bhHAemwr-FHF_0fj4fE1Y4Pbv2DdCf3SPWopwvOdLE0dmD4KbxR0Nc0/s1600/Metro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfZDBliPkGBjFxlQ9rCsu3S6_danEWW_l6iJ076Y3uMfVEIk_fxYLbY0HsqxghH0WzVM6Q-Ge-b9G4E0HfKw7bhHAemwr-FHF_0fj4fE1Y4Pbv2DdCf3SPWopwvOdLE0dmD4KbxR0Nc0/s320/Metro.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Art Nouveu at the Metro station</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uIRUhobRR_TqtTqQ8DdBKil4jJkfl5VjCdnFD4dYQc2YYkp-W49ceUYBIE9jy62W5sqCsoOkhQ67h1V9XBFXZWYsMmSYVNmdb0fybAbFdH9ObdjApN81d_y_JuLJ-6huEPUaGS6BCVU/s1600/Seine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uIRUhobRR_TqtTqQ8DdBKil4jJkfl5VjCdnFD4dYQc2YYkp-W49ceUYBIE9jy62W5sqCsoOkhQ67h1V9XBFXZWYsMmSYVNmdb0fybAbFdH9ObdjApN81d_y_JuLJ-6huEPUaGS6BCVU/s320/Seine.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Seine</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zFSpS_7MXTfeGmpFtNQuEYsQJ7HzSijgUtDmEcGll0Bq7CVlbW8Y6mz-BgzxTRuTfUKWMMdpVpBH6KBGrDpepz0BeoppdWKxCuERA286V9I1xjcBEz8ptnV9BRICUqp_YJjszrdbB7k/s1600/The+black+cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zFSpS_7MXTfeGmpFtNQuEYsQJ7HzSijgUtDmEcGll0Bq7CVlbW8Y6mz-BgzxTRuTfUKWMMdpVpBH6KBGrDpepz0BeoppdWKxCuERA286V9I1xjcBEz8ptnV9BRICUqp_YJjszrdbB7k/s320/The+black+cat.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Black Cat shop - we saw lots of cats in Paris</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEOOHUgZ-2k08Qfhg43g4SryOhOxyXB0VRQvbh8i33Jn9gyqg_sxLnTukva3XJywFcVFHj9NoExCFQy8_PMiA_hxiOfuMOq0UG37MBFb6yHzlaGajNxZ0BBXTYpdkOjOnEPTw1K4gTiU/s1600/View+from+Eiffel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEOOHUgZ-2k08Qfhg43g4SryOhOxyXB0VRQvbh8i33Jn9gyqg_sxLnTukva3XJywFcVFHj9NoExCFQy8_PMiA_hxiOfuMOq0UG37MBFb6yHzlaGajNxZ0BBXTYpdkOjOnEPTw1K4gTiU/s320/View+from+Eiffel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View from the Eiffel Tower</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbv6GvHbtOOqziddeS08x22waHomOgmA2lGz6E9_CwiCY0CtA6w7bVOsWY2rgN_pY5yMi30ck1zNEGQooKAU7NhEY7PJuV5iTtGTmkWyy6xe_JzEq5NvSt1hH6IDHKLR49EtZ0kjKpDY/s1600/Sacre+Cour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbv6GvHbtOOqziddeS08x22waHomOgmA2lGz6E9_CwiCY0CtA6w7bVOsWY2rgN_pY5yMi30ck1zNEGQooKAU7NhEY7PJuV5iTtGTmkWyy6xe_JzEq5NvSt1hH6IDHKLR49EtZ0kjKpDY/s320/Sacre+Cour.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sacre Cour</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6MTbEapPkcix-iheGNM_YQzOh9lJSkPVWiVU1i5wlAZsf2A0fk4EePVhZWVc0WEr4_NIjKJSedLQr_p6BQ7IoXmmnngtlWpFIuCgC17lwfHk3VaLGJAjyOEuQnQrfLFnebqZhfOOPVg/s1600/Eiffle+from+bottom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip6MTbEapPkcix-iheGNM_YQzOh9lJSkPVWiVU1i5wlAZsf2A0fk4EePVhZWVc0WEr4_NIjKJSedLQr_p6BQ7IoXmmnngtlWpFIuCgC17lwfHk3VaLGJAjyOEuQnQrfLFnebqZhfOOPVg/s320/Eiffle+from+bottom.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eiffel Tower from below</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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</span>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-17870219198345644632018-12-20T13:31:00.000+10:002018-12-20T13:31:47.041+10:00Reading Women Challenge - 2019<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I am joining the 2019 Reading Women Challenge.. I do read alot of women writers but want to expand my reading horizon and challenge myself to read different types of books from writers I may not have read before.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/reading-women-challenge-2019/</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Below are the categories you can choose from.. the challenge is not to necessarily read all of them but to choose books from different categories.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/reading-women-challenge-2019/ </b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
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<ol data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A mystery or thriller written by a woman of color</strong></span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Check out our episode about mysteries and thrillers for some great options.</em></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book about a woman with a mental illness</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book by an author from Nigeria or New Zealand</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book about or set in Appalachia</strong></span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Find out more about Appalachia on the </em><a href="https://www.arc.gov/appalachian_region/TheAppalachianRegion.asp" target="_blank"><em>Appalachian Regional Commission’s website</em></a><em>.</em></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/blog/interview-with-elizabeth-catte"><em>For more inspiration, listen to our interview with fellow Appalachian Elizabeth Catte!</em></a></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A children's book</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A multigenerational family saga</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book featuring a woman in science</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A play</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A novella</strong></span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>A novella is a text of written, fictional, narrative prose normally longer than a </em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_story" title="Short story"><em>short story</em></a><em> but shorter than a </em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novel" title="Novel"><em>novel</em></a><em>, somewhere between 17,500 and 40,000 words. </em></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book about a woman athlete</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book featuring a religion other than your own</strong></span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>If you have no religion, then choose to read about whatever religion you like!</em></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A Lambda Literary Award winner</strong></span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Learn more about the </em><a href="https://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/" target="_blank"><em>Lambda Literary Awards on their website.</em></a></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A myth retelling</strong></span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Check out</em><a href="https://www.readingwomenpodcast.com/blog/2018/08/29/ep-505-collab-with-thats-ancient-history" target="_blank"><em> our crossover with Jean</em></a><em>, the host of That’s Ancient History, for more inspiration. Jean also has a </em><a href="https://morejeansthoughts.wordpress.com/classical-myth-retellings/" target="_blank"><em>guide myth retellings over on her blog</em></a><em>!</em></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A translated book published before 1945</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book written by a South Asian author</strong></span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), a contiguous block of countries, started in 1985 with seven countries—</em><strong><em>Bangladesh</em></strong><em>, </em><strong><em>Bhutan</em></strong><em>, </em><strong><em>India</em></strong><em>, the </em><strong><em>Maldives</em></strong><em>, </em><strong><em>Nepal</em></strong><em>, </em><strong><em>Pakistan</em></strong><em> and </em><strong><em>Sri Lanka</em></strong><em>—and added </em><strong><em>Afghanistan</em></strong><em> as an eighth member in 2007.</em></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://dscprize.com/" target="_blank"><em>The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature is an excellent resource for recommendations for this prompt.</em></a></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book by an Indigenous woman</strong></span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>This includes Native, First Nations, and Indigenous women from anywhere in the world.</em></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book from the 2018 Reading Women Award shortlist</strong></span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>2018 RWA Fiction Shortlist</em></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>2018 RWA Nonfiction Shortlist</em></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A romance or love story</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book about nature</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A historical fiction book</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book you bought or borrowed in 2019</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book you picked up because of the cover</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Any book from a series </strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A young adult book by a woman of color</strong></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BONUS:</span></div>
<ul data-rte-list="default">
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book by Jesmyn Ward</strong></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A book by Jhumpa Lahiri</strong></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-86356067727634737502018-10-04T16:14:00.000+10:002018-10-04T16:17:03.835+10:00Playing catch up - Historical fiction challenge<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have once again neglected my blog this year... my reading has continued and I will now do my update on my historical fiction reads (challenge) for the year on this one blog post...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Last Christmas in Paris by </b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we were Paris bound in July my reading in early 2018 was anything French/Parisian... this is a nice little story set in WW1 about Evie and Thomas who carry on a romance by letter while Thomas is fighting in France...its is done using the <span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2117305731"><span id="freeTextContainer14806177898283878903">epistolary style and I must say it is done really well... abit like </span></span><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2117305731"><span id="freeTextContainer14806177898283878903"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2117305731"><span id="freeTextContainer14806177898283878903">The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. An fairly easy book and worth reading if you like a light and romantic read.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="gr-h1 gr-h1--serif" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>My Name is Mary Sutter by </b></u><u><b><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">Robin Oliveira</span></span></b></u></span></div>
<div class="gr-h1 gr-h1--serif" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Set in the Americal Civil War, this story is about a young lady who wants to become a doctor. Trained as a mid-wife by her mother she wants to take it one step forward and become a surgeon. In order to follow her dream and leave behind some romantic heartbreak, Mary travels to Washington DC to help tend the thousands of wounded soldiers. Under the guidance of two progressive surgeons Mary starts to undertake more hazardous and difficult medical work and her dream to be a surgeon looks like it might be fulfilled. However, she is called home to help with the difficult birth of her twin sisters baby. <span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer108038125"><span id="freeTextContainer14865827041642564284">Mary
Sutter is a strong heroine, who is to be admired and pitied.
She wants a life she can not have because she is a women and faces continued sexism and disappointment. Despite this she rallies forward and her determination is eventually rewarded and she finds happiness in life and love. I have not read a huge amount of historical fiction set in the Civil War but this has wetted my appetite for more.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="gr-h1 gr-h1--serif" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Golden Hill by Francis Spufford</b></u></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer108038125"><span id="freeTextContainer14865827041642564284">I listened to this on audio. I was not sure what to expect having not read much of pre-revolutionary America, espeically old New York. It was an intriguing read. One minute is was a mystery, the next a love/hate story, a horror, it was often farsical but rarely boring! A story of fortunes won and fortunes lost, men beaten down to only rise again, treachery and deceit all this woven into seamless and vivid descriptions of the beginnings of New York. I really enjoyed this and its was a pleasant surprise...</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer108038125"><span id="freeTextContainer14865827041642564284"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Mrs M by Luke Slattery</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Story set both in Mull
and Ulva as well as the colony of New South Wales. A historical fiction
book about Governor Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth who spent 11 years
in the colony. Governor Macquarie often made bold and radical decisions.
He wanted the colony to be more than just a prison, he believed that
pardoned convicts could make worthwhile contributions to the development
of the society, once gaining their 'freedom' they would help to build a
new world. Macquarie was much maligned during his last 2 years of life
as a report on the colony ridiculed his endeavours. A sad story in the
end for Macquarie who was progressive in his vision.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A very good
rendering of the historical fact, swathed in a fictional story of their
lives together and a romantic liaison for Elizabeth with a convict
architect.</span><br />
I really enjoyed this one but I think it helped that I had studied convict history at University.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-5758636810082093372018-01-03T15:43:00.000+10:002018-01-03T15:43:20.196+10:00Starting again... for 2018<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I seem to be a particulary bad blogger as I only did one post in 2017! However, we will begin again for 2018 in the hope that I can get it together to post on a more regular basis. This year is going to be busy as we have a lovely overseas trip planned for June/July of which the planning is keeping me well and truly occupied at the moment. We are off to France and Scotland for our 25th wedding anniversary celebrations. It will be my first time in France (3 weeks planned) and a week in Scotland (Edinburgh) to visit family and friends. It will have been 12 years since I was last in Scotland.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have once again joined some reading challenges to try and keep me on track - the ongoing five year Classics challenge of which I have only read 1 book out of 50 in 2 years... oh dear.... I am also joining the Historical Fiction challenge, the Victorian Reading challenge (cross over with the Classics challenge); Read Scotland 2018 for the third year running and also joined the European reading challenge to get me into the spirit for our trip mid-year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See the above tabs for the Classics and Victorian Reading challenge lists.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will list my other challenges and books read as I go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2017 was a busy year work wise but also for my little business - Miss Lily's Vintage Wares. I did a number of 'extra' new markets this year which added quite abit to my schedule. As we will be away this year, I will miss a number of markets, but it will enable me to have a bit of a breather and re-group towards the end of the year for my major markets then. Some photos below from my last market of the year - the Leukemia Christmas Craft Fair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-6154701865334513432017-01-04T16:19:00.003+10:002017-01-04T16:19:46.823+10:00New Year, new challenges<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I cant believe it has been nearly 12 months since I wrote anything on this blog.... anyhow, I shall begin again, a new year and new dedication to at least writing now and again....</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So much has happened - we brought another house at the end of 2015 and moved in over Christmas 2015/2016, I then took on a new role at work from May which has basically kept me flat tack for the rest of 2016. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sewing madly for my markets has also kept me on my toes, but its been a good but hectic year.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My reading has gone downhill in 2016 but I do now have a garden, which is lovely but daunting - 2 acres of it actually - well 1 acre is reclaimned rainforest and the rest tropical gardens and lawn. We now live in the hills around Cairns (Kuranda) and commute down the range each day to work.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Work has meant there has not been enough time in the day for too much gardening and planning but now we are settled in and generally the house sorted, 2017 is the year to really start planning our edible garden and get stuck into it. I had some success in the dry season with beans and tomatoes but much else got eaten by birds or just failed to thrive. I am not sure what I am doing wrong - this tropical gardening lark is testing my patience. So need to source some good advice from locals about how I can tackle my gardening problems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here are some photos of the house and garden. This is the vegetable garden once I had cleared it of weeds and planted out in pots - the soil is clay so I am trying to break it down before planting in it as things are just dying if I plant direct at the moment. This patch is now overgrown again and needs clearing out and compost and mulch laid again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> Enclosed vegetable garden with lemon tree (about March 2016). Unfortunately bandicoots still get in and dig things up - constant battle with wildlife here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Pineapple corner - I have a few more planted in this area now.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAHaOviFb0ZBoz-b4TMHH3pJDLO1QPFqSGhyF6De-jX2qCOhVluH_qx4yvE6FY_8r6XqvcEjAmTGu-RJSMLtzHhcrH9ykRVM1VbQU99nPRGlybH7p6ycFu-y56lvovPmqfubq5u6LCE4/s1600/Tomatoes+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAHaOviFb0ZBoz-b4TMHH3pJDLO1QPFqSGhyF6De-jX2qCOhVluH_qx4yvE6FY_8r6XqvcEjAmTGu-RJSMLtzHhcrH9ykRVM1VbQU99nPRGlybH7p6ycFu-y56lvovPmqfubq5u6LCE4/s320/Tomatoes+2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Luscious tomatoes until the sunbirds realised they could get tasty treats from the bushes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'll write more soon about my bookish aims for 2017 and more garden and creature encounters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-57889511159550478042016-01-25T11:51:00.001+10:002016-01-25T11:51:35.081+10:00Our first pineapple from the gardenOur first pineapple from the garden... just a little one but very juicy and sweet. The elderly lady we brought the property from has planted dozens of
these around the place - all in different stages. It takes 2 years
for a pineapple to grow and flower (fruit)... so if I plant about 500
each year I might just be able to keep up with Mr Macgregors demand for
pineapple juice and for eating...<br />
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So lovely to pick and eat things from your garden... bring on the dry season so I can make a good start with my vegetable gardens...<br />
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-86466943435437554442016-01-14T15:00:00.000+10:002016-01-14T15:00:02.622+10:00Book challenges for 2016 and beyond...<h3>
To help me get through my very large pile of to-be-read books and just for fun, I have signed up for a number of reading challenges for 2016</h3>
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<img alt="http://susancoventry.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/challenges-historical-fiction-challenge.html" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0mH4WLB8jxlow-FS3tQX2ZpscelZ8b80phZnVxGXR2eJ5CmcG2z3QorBYBTU3_IchQ__Rpco6s5ajzGpzQcaH6cppJZmuk8R68UaqXLFcJB-2tGllb9w6Gk88Og15gN9yndFCE7PyRZA/s200/2016+HF+Reading+Challenge+Button+2.png" width="169" /></div>
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I love to read Historical Fiction so I am setting myself the challenge to read more from this genre this year. I have loads on my pile as well as a list I want to borrow from the library. I am going for the Renaissance Reader level - 10 books for this one.</h3>
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<a href="http://peggyannspost.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/read-scotland-2016.html" target="_blank"><img alt="http://peggyannspost.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/read-scotland-2016.html" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsSWR89kR0I-SajE63VfTo_avqvz1rqsBDHB3QUGD4PtFUeK5TY1inUz_SzZSb0Nz6AuqRcJJ62YbGo2GD-sEQ1h6CDageweyHsaS-wV4pDIZrhKaXzo0jas_MOupyRK7gEd3asoR7-k/s200/Read+Scotland+2016.jpg" width="176" /><span id="goog_856620277"></span></a><span id="goog_856620278"></span></div>
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The Read Scotland challenge is to read books: set in Scotland or written by a Scottish writer. I have chosen The Highlander level (6-10 books) which should be doable. Having lived in Scotland for 4 years and married to a Scot for 22 years I have lots and lots fiction and non-fiction books on Scotland so have a good selection to choose from.</h3>
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<a href="http://www.theintrovertedreader.com/2015/12/nonfiction-reading-challenge-2016.html" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.theintrovertedreader.com/2015/12/nonfiction-reading-challenge-2016.html" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgvJiXdiP_upi378JaH443OHBkJ2ykUZETSY0OW8stf5O106_oyjodboj6huM7-m6w2rTmcNXohJdNhG-Bm9v9vu7iuS4DzlTQgcJOy0L35zfHYhsIQ3Q2t7nY-HzZOVOKaCpsUBmf7M/s1600/2016+Nonfiction+Challenge.jpg" /><span id="goog_856620288"></span></a><span id="goog_856620289"></span></div>
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I read a lot of non-fiction books so thought this was a rather apt challenge for this year. I want to concentrate on women's non-fiction (either by or about women), in particular a number of autobiographies that I have accumulating dust on my bookshelves. I am going for the Master level (16-20 books) which I should be able make. </h3>
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<a href="https://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com/about/" target="_blank"><img alt="https://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com/about/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_P3J52Dy-AJ3l9F1q9B870e7zMomr1iwY2uOcO-Qw3wW91lWC686AJjzmUVmYTMRlRfqzBUEQriL8L_6niSZ8ibfY43myxXzlG82IewyekDCTNyRawwt4uHxhtgTUeh-5IA3G9j6k60E/s1600/classicsclub.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Classics Club challenge is a more long term challenge. I will list at least 50 classic books that I want to read and give myself 5 years to read my way through them. I will create a tab at the top of the blog with my list of books for this challenge.... I suspect the list will be more than 50 books long... there is alot to read out there!</h3>
Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-85726918136717429932016-01-13T14:45:00.001+10:002016-01-13T15:07:40.283+10:00A New Year<h4>
My aim in 2016 is to attempt to keep this blog alive by posting more and showing more of what I am working on, reading, listening to and watching. Life just got in the way last year and I ended up taking on more than was reasonable. I have a little more room now I have finished studying so I should be able to do more of the things I love and then post about them.</h4>
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We have just moved house so things are in abit of a mess at present and the internet is not yet connected, but once I have my new dedicated craft room sorted and I can find things again, I will give some updates as to where my projects are at.</h4>
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Alex</h4>
Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-43075743132742495432015-01-18T20:17:00.000+10:002015-01-19T08:59:19.541+10:00English Paper Piecing (EPP)<span style="font-size: large;">I started hand piecing a hexagon quilt about 10 years ago... I'm still doing it! Its one of those long-term projects that gets picked up and put down regularly. I was inspired by some Grandmother's Flower garden quilts I had seen online so the blocks are made up of a yellow center, a circle of 6 darker fabrics and another circle of 12 lighter fabrics. These blocks are then to be separated by a row of white hexagons. All of these have been hand tacked and hand pieced, the size of the hexagon is about 1 3/4" - this is likely to be the only quilt I make that is hand pieced. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am not sure how many flowers I have made so far... below are the finished flower blocks I have done - 1 with the white surround.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZ-DL8G-RsXrye9_iFGITT7u7w7ke09anxyYFERdjnPAXs7or9SKILV67B74R3tc6mcIjI5edWKmmVKhQvvvrsmmJt6fgtBaRG7Fwd09PrPz4vFzeEU2AqTkE9Pe985F-wVKtKtgLJ2c/s1600/Hex+flowers+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZ-DL8G-RsXrye9_iFGITT7u7w7ke09anxyYFERdjnPAXs7or9SKILV67B74R3tc6mcIjI5edWKmmVKhQvvvrsmmJt6fgtBaRG7Fwd09PrPz4vFzeEU2AqTkE9Pe985F-wVKtKtgLJ2c/s1600/Hex+flowers+finished.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Complete hexagon flowers ready to piece together</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have many more in various stages of construction and lots of fabric cut and hexagons tacked. No fabric has been repeated, so each flower is different.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRFdHE1Ox4GGI2Un0g_Dqcz2SW3yVxKEH2dvLmMMKnd76LTj1OhJibMeDWE6zjWDWsLpjqIu54B450n0KBdjR_lN46OWEYzLFq33JHBTCoj-tRJjmoOvN2GRvmfCRAsLK3Ovwn1vvU9U/s1600/Hex+flowers+half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRFdHE1Ox4GGI2Un0g_Dqcz2SW3yVxKEH2dvLmMMKnd76LTj1OhJibMeDWE6zjWDWsLpjqIu54B450n0KBdjR_lN46OWEYzLFq33JHBTCoj-tRJjmoOvN2GRvmfCRAsLK3Ovwn1vvU9U/s1600/Hex+flowers+half.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Half finished hexagon flowers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZIR9vb8COvKxciMdF90t3FkKCdShivFKPCWkQ5NrGrKHNFWQEvUygp1EdOepRsDWwlxXOBNSQXG6s5nu1GBS4C4jR-Q7ePaYH5vXknUgX8tQ7VbL4rrW9Yv83wBw1oWxP4II5H3GO-A/s1600/Box+hexagons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZIR9vb8COvKxciMdF90t3FkKCdShivFKPCWkQ5NrGrKHNFWQEvUygp1EdOepRsDWwlxXOBNSQXG6s5nu1GBS4C4jR-Q7ePaYH5vXknUgX8tQ7VbL4rrW9Yv83wBw1oWxP4II5H3GO-A/s1600/Box+hexagons.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Box of hexagons in various stages</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPsr_xrZM41KQp-iewFITJVQKElUEaNIis0HWUqUox1p8QJ_vudEtPwn5mVRRMd2B0-wJT1DbS1mTEZD_zYn6KoeWkMVNIlq0M7FjnS5nVfJd9eO8E6LibV2ZsUR2K2vNl-IpkX9VA3U/s1600/Complete+hex+flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPsr_xrZM41KQp-iewFITJVQKElUEaNIis0HWUqUox1p8QJ_vudEtPwn5mVRRMd2B0-wJT1DbS1mTEZD_zYn6KoeWkMVNIlq0M7FjnS5nVfJd9eO8E6LibV2ZsUR2K2vNl-IpkX9VA3U/s1600/Complete+hex+flower.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Close up of a complete hexagon</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have also been working on some smaller hexagons over the weekend. These are for a small round-robin I have been involved it. These measure about 1/2-3/4" - so quite small. I now have to sew these onto the next boarder and do some embroidery... I think they are looking great - love the colours of these small flowers.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHbnXD_zZcP-AWbjuwdfpjYrnn0CsjkCbCyPNp5WALuKhdZ4b1U9ofn-ECZA1tmwvY8owGh6sloFeqVmLAn7gqHzmjAh1HBKNJldt3z3LNHH-yXzm-JBovS-PfaL_ap6w0mNDAtr_1qg/s1600/Small+flower+hex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHbnXD_zZcP-AWbjuwdfpjYrnn0CsjkCbCyPNp5WALuKhdZ4b1U9ofn-ECZA1tmwvY8owGh6sloFeqVmLAn7gqHzmjAh1HBKNJldt3z3LNHH-yXzm-JBovS-PfaL_ap6w0mNDAtr_1qg/s1600/Small+flower+hex.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have been thinking of doing some different types of EPP - I am particularly inspired by the fussy cutting of fabrics for the Lucy Boston blocks that are quite popular at the moment. Think I might have a go at these sometime soon... but back to some of these unfinished BOM. 2015 is the year of trying to complete some of these... </span>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-6170728742921353552015-01-16T10:07:00.000+10:002015-01-16T10:25:48.504+10:00Convicts, Quilts and bonnetsThis year I am going to study a unit on Australian Convict history. I have always been very interested in the early European settlement of Australia and in particular the women convicts that were sent out to Tasmania and New South Wales. There have been a number of wonderful books written about this subject and on some of the women - Babette Smith's a Cargo of Women; Sian Rees' The Floating Brothel and Lucy Frost's Abandoned Women. I can recommend all of these books for anyone interested in Australian women's history or convict history.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In November last year I was fortunate enough to visit Hobart, my first visit to Tasmania. While there I made a journey out to the <a href="http://www.femalefactory.org.au/" target="_blank">Cascades Female Factory</a>. What a wonderful few hours I spent taking the tour as well as the Her Story tour with the wonderful two actors who represented a female convict and the Superintendent/Physician. Whilst there is little left in the way of the buildings on the site (the Superintendents house still remains and some of it has been restored), it is a fascinating insight into the lives of the convict women that lived and worked in this facility. What hard work they had to do and the conditions they had to live in were ghastly and inhumane.</span><br />
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In the small museum they have in the Superintendents house there was a display of some of the bonnets made for the Roses from the Heart exhibition some years ago. 25,266 bonnets were made by the public to represent the convict women sent out to Australia. See below for a picture of one of the bonnets on display.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Following on this theme, in 2013 I visited the "Quilts 1700-1945" Exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery and in a rare outing they showed the Rajah Quilt. The Rajah Quilt is the only known surviving transportation patchwork quilt made by convict women. It was created on their voyage to Van Diemen's Land onboard the 'Rajah' in 1841. There is an excellent book published in 2013 about</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">the Rajah Quilt and the convict women who were thought to have worked on it. 'Patchwork Prisoners: The Rajah Quilt and the Women Who Made It' by Trudy Cowley.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Elizabeth Fry an English Quaker and prison reformer, founded the British Ladies Society for Promoting the Reformation of Female Prisoners and it was under these auspices that convict women on board ships bound for the colonies were given needles, thread, fabric, bibles and other sewing tools. The idea being to keep them occupied during the long voyage and to also allow them the opportunity to gain sewing skills that they might use once in the colonies. Elizabeth Fry was a very interesting lady and a number of biographies have been written about her life (see Elizabeth Fry by June Rose). On arriving in Van Diemans Land the Rajah Quilt was presented to Lady Jane Franklin the wife of the Lieutenant-Govenor of the colony with the following incription.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">TO THE LADIES<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />of the<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Convict Ship Committee<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />This quilt worked by the Convicts<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />of the Ship Rajah during their voyage<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />to van Diemans land is presented as a<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />testimony of the gratitude with which<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />they remember their exertions for their<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />welfare while in England and during<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />their passage and also a proof that<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />they have not neglected the Ladies<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />kind admonitions of being industrious.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />June 1841</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The
quilt found its way back to the UK and was discovered in a Scottish
attic in the 1980's and purchased by the National Gallery of Australia.
Its truly remarkable that it has survived so intact. I have recently
read a book about Lady Jane Franklin (The Ambitions of Jane Franklin by
Alison Alexander), another interesting women of the same era.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">So much history to be explored and its fantastic when this history collides with my other great interest - quilting and quilting and textile history.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKi8ZkTpw3bBtnELkz9D9848eZLQg1nEuvUu1xaaJeP3eHihBwaoAV8WlRP3TXswxmfV1wi__KOKAmqM7ntGwISPb7EdpzrXCBXg69FVbnjx_5vFyPhmsS8_HIcQ8in3IgoBDBVoaXC8/s1600/The+Rajah+Quilt+Top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKi8ZkTpw3bBtnELkz9D9848eZLQg1nEuvUu1xaaJeP3eHihBwaoAV8WlRP3TXswxmfV1wi__KOKAmqM7ntGwISPb7EdpzrXCBXg69FVbnjx_5vFyPhmsS8_HIcQ8in3IgoBDBVoaXC8/s1600/The+Rajah+Quilt+Top.jpg" height="320" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rajah Quilt - National Gallery of Australia</td></tr>
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Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339337114016772189.post-45485330334084747342015-01-14T12:30:00.000+10:002015-01-14T14:45:03.975+10:00Welcome and hello....This is a new venture for me in 2015. I have been thinking about setting up a blog for some time and decided that this year was my year to do something new. So here we are...<br />
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This blog will be about the things that are happening in my life, things I am stitching away at, books I am reading, trips I am taking, movies that I am watching, homemaking that I am doing.<br />
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Jenny from Elefantz inspired me to take this on (<a href="http://www.elefantz.com/">http://www.elefantz.com/</a>). She is having a Year of Gentle Domesticity and I thought that summed up what I would like to do... go back to basics and start to do and enjoy all those home centered projects again. The past few years have been abit crazy and I would now like to start to refocus my life on some new and some old adventures. And in doing this to try and bring back some positivity into my life and reignite some long lost dreams and aspirations.<br />
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I dont promise to be posting here lots and lots but I do hope to be able to share photos and ideas and thoughts with you all... if you choose to follow along.<br />
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I am looking forward to the challenge..<br />
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Alex <br />
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<br />Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14880753599024862748noreply@blogger.com4