Hello, fellow bibliophiles! Ready to dive right in? Let's do it!
Grace's Thoughts:
First of all I'd like to say, "What a way to start a book!" It sucks you right in with the mystery of possibility. Honestly, my major thought beyond that was "Poor Valancy and what horrid relatives"! I love L.M Montgomery's description of each of these characters; they all come to life so vividly, and their nuances come right off the page! And the names, I mean Cousin Stickles?? My mom laughed right out loud at that one! The ending of Chapter Two, just feels so real, "in this mood Valency went down to breakfast." You never know what goes on in a body's head before they greet you in the morning, so give them some grace!
Katherine's Thoughts: I have two words to sum up my feelings on the first two chapters.....Poor Valancy! Oh, it's terrible how they treat her! I've come to loathe Valancy's ugly room as she does, and I have a love-hate relationship with her family and their antics! They almost sound like Mrs. Bennet's relatives! Seriously though, how can you not like a name like Cousin Stickles?? I can just picture her.....tall, thin, "spectacled", a hawk-like nose, dreary clothes....well, anyway you catch my drift. 😀 I like this Doctor Trent, Valancy tried to go see - and yes, perhaps it is for the same reason Valancy does! 😀 All in all, I'm looking forward to the next two chapters!
Your Thoughts: Don't let us do all the talking! Weigh in with your thoughts on the first two chapters, below in the comments!! We are dying to hear what you have to say on the subject! 'Let us take a turn about the room'....and you can tell us what you thought....
Greetings, Fellow Quarantine-ers! We are here today to, as the title suggests, catch up on two tags that our dear friend, Chalice over @https://lionhearted.art.blog/ tagged us for! So settle in for the ride!
The Rules List 10 things that make you happy. (Linking to them, sharing pictures, writing poems about them, telling jokes, etc. are all encouraged but not required.)
Tag 10 people who make you happy (and notify them of their tag). Grace's Answers
1. Spending Time With My Family
God handpicked each of us to become a family and you know we're pretty awesome when we get going!
2. Listening to Music
I especially love Russian folk music, but all music is awesome! You will no doubt always hear music being played at my house!
3. Reading Books
There is nothing like reading the first line of a new book, or the last for that matter! Books take us all manner of places and teach us all sorts of lessons and just thinking about the impact some of these books have gives me shivers!
4. The Theatre
The lights are dimming, the crowd is hushing and the orchestra's tuning fades away.
A tapping of the conductors baton comes through the silence, then the gloriously loud music begins and carries you away with joy and excitement!
The curtain rises. Let the fun begin!
5. Being able to live our family's dream of a homestead
When we moved to MO, we came from 4.3 acres to 106! We are so grateful to be able to raise our own meat and grow a garden and have a place where the nephews love to come and explore.
6. Dancing
Katherine and I dance very often when we are supposed to be doing the dishes! I would love to learn Swing dancing or Tap, but currently I know some English Country and Jewish/Hebraic dancing.
7. My sister Katherine
No matter what, she never fails to make me smile and laugh and I love her to pieces!!
8.Singing around a campfire
I haven't done this much, but I really love it. That and the wood smoke!
9. Learning History and the Why Behind Things
I find it so fascinating how historical events shape and mold peoples reactions and future decisions. Behind everything is a reason and we have a whole lifetime to find it!
10. Poetry
Katherine's Answers 1. Music!
I love doing the week's cooking while listening to Grace's fantastic playlists! And of course Broadway soundtracks wouldn't be great if they didn't beg you to burst into dance periodically! One of my all time favorite songs is "Time to say Goodbye" sung either by Celtic Woman or by Dima Bilan & Aida Garifullina!!
2. My Family
I mean, my family is just the best thing since soft spread butter, I'm sorry!
3. Writing Plays with Grace!
I know I've said this before, but hey, its still true! All our hashing/arguing out of plot details, costume and set design, character development, etc....oh it's so much fun!!
4. Singing
Singing makes me very happy, especially if I'm singing with Grace, and we are trying to harmonize with one of our favorite swing songs!
5. Things That Make Me Laugh & Smile
Hee Hee! I just love this Get Smart clip - always has me grinning!!
6. Our Dogs & Cats
No better friend you'll find
than the fluffy, furry kind.
They lick, they snore,
They scratch, they purr,
No better friend you'll find
than the fluffy, furry kind.
7. Ice Cream
Need I say more? If you ever find me huddled in a heap, sobbing my little heart out....
......you can just fix me a big bowl of Moose Tracks, drizzled with Chocolate Sauce, and that will make it all better....though I might just burst out crying again by your touching act of kindness!
8. Black & White Movies
They just don't make 'em like they used to! People who don't watch black and white movies are missing out on so much! I mean, Casablanca? It Happened One Night? You Can't Take it With You? Since You Went Away? Dear Ruth?
9. Good Books
I was just re-reading through "Anne of Avonlea" yesterday, and oh, that woman could write! I mean if you just take the last page....oh, it's just so well done, people! (glares at all those who didn't vote for "Anne of Avonlea" for the Read-Along - Hee hee, just kidding!)
10. Cooking/Baking Videos
What more do you need to entice you to get busy in the kitchen than to watch smooth buttercream get slathered over a cake? When searching for new recipes, I much prefer to watch the video tutorial over the written directions, just to see it all get put deliciously together!
Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well (this award was created by Okoto Enigmas.)
Answer the five questions you were asked.
Tell your readers three things about yourself.
You have to nominate ten – twenty people.
Notify your nominees by commenting on their blogs.
Ask your nominees any five questions of your choice with one weird or funny question.
Share a link to your best post(s). The Questions We Were Asked
If you were asked to pick any song to sing on stage, what song would you pick and why?
Katherine- Hmmm.....that's a hard one. How can I choose? I'll go with Sound of Music or My Favorite Things!
Grace- Spanish Rose by Chita Rivera from Bye Bye Birdie would be fun ( I might tamper with the lyrics a bit), but I don't know if I could pull off all the dramatics so maybe a hymn or ballad?
If you had a mystery that needed solving, would you go to Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot?
Katherine- Sherlock Holmes.....you might say my loyalties lie with him as I've only read one Hercule Poirot mystery, and dear Sherlock has.....well...he's always been there!
Grace- Sherlock Holmes every time!
Do you prefer rap or opera?
Katherine- I prefer Opera, though I can appreciate some (and I mean some) rap.
Grace- With the exception of Hamilton, I can't take a lot of rap, so Opera!
What’s your favorite word in another language?
Katherine- "Ooh, La La"!
Grace- I don't have a favorite word, but I do like the French term of endearment "ma petite chou" which means "my little cabbage"!
If you were the prince in Cinderella, and her shoe hadn’t fallen off, how would you go about finding her?
Katherine- Grace just asked me this question last night, and I seriously was dumbfounded at an answer for how the Prince could possibly find her without the slipper! Then of course, Grace just effortlessly offered up a brilliant answer......
Grace- A kingdom wide census where each person, no matter who they were had to come, register and answer a few questions. If that failed I would go door to door which would be a pain, but what is a little pain to a prince in ♪♪♪AGONY!!!!!♪♪♪
Three Random Things About Us Thing #1
Katherine- I'm a Redhead!
Grace- I love to take long four-wheeler rides whilst belting Santa Fe, On My Own and other sad Broadway songs.
Thing #2
Katherine- I LOVE to harmonize when I sing!
Grace- The only constellation that I can find on a regular basis is Orion's Belt. Thing #3
Katherine- I only just saw "The Princess Bride" in the last year or two.....and so now I know what all the fuss has been about! :) 'INCONCEIVABLE!'
Grace- I'd really love to paint my room blue!
Our Questions For The Nominees #1. If you had to teach a class on one thing, what would you teach? #2. If you had to write an alternate ending to any book, which book would you choose, and how would you end it? #3. What is your favorite Bible verse right now? #4. What Gif/Meme describes you? #5. What is the last book/movie/song that made you cry? Conclusion
Whew, that was a long post!! Are you still with us? Hello? HELLO?? Grace, their GONE!! We hope that you enjoyed reading this and again, thank you so much, Chalice for tagging us - we are sorry to have been so tardy following through with them!! :) See you all on Thursday for the first Blue Castle recap!! Katherine & Grace
