Hello dear Fannes!
Seeing as I’m in between Anne readings, I thought I’d take the time to head in a slightly different direction than usual. You see, although I’m not currently reading Anne, I find in my life various and sundry activities that I’m quite sure she would wholeheartedly approve of. Let’s take a look at a few different areas:
On the Bookshelf
Although I’ve been interspersing some non-fiction/meaty/make my brain explode books, I’ve also kept some time to keep it light this summer. (Remember that I’m south of the Equator!) I’ve recently finished Sisterhood Everlasting by Anne Brashares. If you’re familiar with the Traveling Pants series, this is the fifth and final book. It catches up with our four kindred spirits right around their 30th brithdays. Since I recently turned 30 myself (and since I loved the other four books when I read them several years ago) I was excited to pick this one up. I finished it in a flash and although the main arc of the story came as quite a surprise, I turned the pages quickly and ended feeling satisfied and hopeful about our ladies of the pants.
Are you more of a Carmen, Lena, Tibby or Bridget? And yes, you can still be Anne if you want…
I’m now working my way a bit more slowly through Jane Austen’s Emma. I’m actually a bit ashamed to admit that I’ve never read it (Anne Girls should have read all of Austen’s novels by 30!) but alas, here I am playing catch-up. I’ve found it to be a delightful story – as I knew it would be – and am loving the few chapters I digest each night before bed.
We know that Anne had her share of blunders and victories in the world of match-making. Have you tried your hand? Was it successful?
In the Kitchen
I’ve had some time this summer to enjoy new experiences in the kitchen. It’s no secret that I love to bake, but I’ve been branching out some recently and the results have been delicious! Since the farmer’s markets here are abundant and very economical, I’ve been bringing home kilos of peaches and making fantastic pies. I’ve not dabbled much in the pie arena in the past, but with an excellent crust tutorial from a dear friend, I’m well on my way to adding some new staples to my dessert rotation. There’s a special kind of peach here called the “durazno platino” which means banana peach. It looks like a peach (I know you’re trying to picture a very funny looking fruit) but the flesh is lighter in color and the taste has a little less tang and a little more sweet. They’re delicious and make killer pies. I can’t get enough. I can’t help but wish I was in that Ingleside kitchen with Anne and Susan rolling out those crusts together. And just as they used to do, I tend to wait for the sun to go down to do my heavy baking, seeing as ovens and no air conditioning make for an inferno-like situation.
I also made a scrumptious batch of lemon curd tonight. I’ve been a long-time fan of the stuff, although I’ve never attempted to make it myself. I was inspired by this recipe that I ran across recently (and if you haven’t checked out Forever Young Adult, go spend some time clicking around! Great stuff..) I made a cake this week that called for five egg whites. Not wanting to waste those yolks, it was positively providential that the curd recipe called for exactly five! The whisking was long, but oh-so-worth-it. I think Rachel Lynde herself would go in for seconds.
Have you whipped up anything Anne-tastic lately?
On the Small Screen
“Big screen” would have sounded better, but it would have been a lie. I actually don’t have a television, so all my viewing is on my trusty laptop. I don’t mind so much, but at times it would be nice to stroll through the gardens at Downton in HD. Don’t know what I’m referring to? Were you completely confused by the link to the lemon curd recipe? Then stop reading this immediately and get thine self to Downton Abbey! It’s the best series I’ve watched in a long time. The story takes us to England in the years just prior to World War 1, which I can’t even refer to without pausing for a moment to remember our fallen soldier.
*crickets chirping*
Walterrrrrrr I miss you.
And we’re back! Seriously, watch this show. Wealthy aristocratic family, the servants who work for them, drama, love, war, the guy we love to hate, the guy we love to love… you’ll be hooked in no time.
Now that I’ve finished watching Season 2, what am I going to do for months and months of my life before Season 3 comes out?
This was fun. Let’s do it again sometime.
-big sis
Tags: Anneishness, flights of fancy, ingleside
