October 25

Here are a couple different libraries whose look somehow goes together for me -- they're both perfectly cozy-looking places to spend one's day in, researching fascinating history, say...

October 24

A Middle-Earth holiday today:
Frodo Recovers and Awakens in Rivendell

J.R.R. Tolkien's descriptions of Rivendell are perfect, and if you read his lesser-known works there are fascinating historical "facts" about Rivendell and its owner. Of course it's inspired beautiful art, including in Peter Jackson's movie sets. Do a search for Rivendell images on google, or look at sites like http://scv.bu.edu/~aarondf/rivimages.html . And check out someone's Sims version! at http://tigger.ednixon.com/fun/simslotrriven.html . Here's a beautiful tiny sample from a site which didn't seem to say who did it; it looks like "Inbel 2008."

And if you'd love to pretend you're there, why not play some music like from the album At Dawn in Rivendell by the Tolkien Ensemble? Here's my favorite song by them -- I found a wonderful full set of what they've done -- hope they do another one based on The Hobbit's songs!:


The right place, as well as the right caregivers, can do so much toward healing up what ails you! I wrote up a place that even thinking/dreaming of makes me feel so much better when I have a headache or whatever...

My place of feeling better
...is some huge residence that I share with my love and our beloved cats, and a dear dog, and of course sometimes our favorite other people. In front it faces the sea, a huge dramatic ocean, though of course this favorite place is perfectly safe. In back it faces a woods with wide, easy paths. Far in the distance are purple mountains. My study, one of our speciality libraries, opens onto one of these paths into the woods. The residence is made of stone and is furnished with wooden, old furniture...

October 23

Today is Boston Cream Pie Day! My favorite I've ever made was from an item on my Wish List, the Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery...

October 22

Today is Franz Liszt's birthday! He was born in 1811. My son plays beautiful music by Liszt...

Today is also National Nut Day! What's your favorite?

October 21

Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born today in 1772.

Today is national Caramel Apple Day! Mmm!

October 20

Christopher Wren was born today in 1632. He designed several buildings at the University of Cambridge...

October 19

Let's go property shopping today, shall we? This was a property featured in the supplement to The English Home magazine from April 2012, Glorious English Homes:

Ambling along the quiet, meandering lanes,…one can spot Apedroc farmhouse atop its attractive perch….There are connections to King Harold, who was said to have lived there before the Battle of Hastings in 1066….To return from a riding expedition and relax with tea in the principal reception room is the perfect way to fully appreciate the property's privileged views.

October 18

This library is the coolest ever! It's Jay Walker's, as profiled at
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-10/ff_walker?currentPage=all

October 17

I'd like to start a new "series," featuring people -- mostly real! -- who have designed beautiful lives for themselves.

  Designer Julia Leach is profiled in the August 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living. I like the quotations from her of how she would love to have a "whole day to go for a drive, cook, write, hike, discover something new....[I] pack light and carry a big tote."

Today is national Pasta Day! Here's one of my favorite pasta recipes, though after my cookbooks arrive months from now in our international shipment! I'll add another Jamie Oliver reference to a tuna-caper pasta I adore:
http://bestfoodthisweek.blogspot.com/2011/03/sage-and-pumpkin-pasta.html

October 16

Oscar Wilde was born in 1854! He said something like this during his last days (I must confirm this though) -- in a dreadful-sounding hotel: "It was me or the wallpaper. One of us had to go."

I think he and our hero of yesterday (Wodehouse) would have approved:
Today is National Liqueur Day.
I used to get a perfect raspberry (framboise) liqueur imported from France at a great wine shop on the Upper West Side....Wordle.net is a wonderful, fun tool for making art objects of some favorite words. Here's one I made about some of my favorite things:

October 15

P.G. Wodehouse was born today in 1881. He is such an entertaining author! My favorite quote from him so far, which long ago qualified him for my "top prize":

"I'm a pretty quick fellow, as a rule, but when it comes to homicidal maniacs in the front garden, I am not ashamed to confess myself temporarily baffled." - Lord Biskerton in Wodehouse's Big Money

 Do visit a wonderful site about him at http://wodehouse.co.uk/ . Oh, wow, when I just checked their quote of the day from him was perfect -- and inspired me to add their quote generator to this site! --

He was in the acute stage of that malady which, for want of a better name, scientists call the heeby-jeebies. - from Spring Fever

October 14

Lois Lensky was born today! I loved her books.

e.e. cummings was born the year after her. I love his poetry.

And staying with our literary theme today, Victor Hugo got married today in 1822. His books sure are interesting!

October 13

Happy birthday, Paul Simon! You are an amazing, very favorite musician!

The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Vegetable Soup.

October 12

Another beautiful library for you.

October 11

Eleanor Roosevelt was born today in 1884.

October 10

from Shabby Blogs, thank you so much!

October 9

Ooo, look at Paris in the autumn at The Paris Apartment's wonderful post!
http://parisapartment.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/head-in-the-clouds/

October 8

Today in 1937 Lord Peter Wimsey married the highly intelligent Harriet Vane in Dorothy Sayers' novel Busman's Honeymoon!

What a wonderful site if you're so inclined! Ideas for delicious and beautiful packed lunches Japanese style! by a San Francisco lady who used to live in Japan.
http://lunchinabox.net/

Of course sometimes she packs Japanese, but not always. Here's a Greek-looking option from her site:

And no it doesn't have to take forever to make these lunches; here's her Need for Speed: A Mommy's Lunch Manifesto:
http://lunchinabox.net/2007/04/23/need-for-speed-a-mommys-lunch-manifesto/

October 7

For once this is by me...

First I got an errand done for my husband, and in the process finally found a restaurant we'd been looking for! to enjoy quite possibly this coming weekend.

Then I browsed at a large bookshop and found a favorite magazine long on my wish list, plus a beautiful little book of poetry, the Everyman's Library (AKA Every Person's per my husband) anthology The Four Seasons of poetry on each season.

Then, very appropriately, at my next stop of a coffee shop I had a delicious autumnal coffee drink and read poetry about autumn. There I also got a pound of our favorite coffee…

And then walked home -- all of this was walking, mind you, so I even felt fabulous for that. The rest of the morning I studied for an upcoming exam and did some writing. Then after lunch some lovely basic dishes we'd ordered for our new home arrived via our longsuffering UPS man. After some more study I unpacked and washed them, just in time for my husband to arrive home from work and tell me some good news about a house we're hoping to buy (our first!).

In the evening we had a delicious one-dish vegetable and tuna dish with some lovely rolls, with chocolate and fresh berries for dessert. Afterwards we watched an episode of Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence-- I loved the books and adore the BBC series as well. What wonderful costumes especially for the ladies!

What a fun day! We're in a new place and I am so enjoying myself.

October 6

(One of these months I need to find out where these Dreamy Libraries are, and who took their pictures. I found them without a photographer's name online...)
(but I know this cool divider is from the very generous Shabby Blogs! Thanks!)

October 5

If I could write poetry, I'd write An Ode to Sweaters. Today I went leisurely shopping with my dad for food...and sweaters! My favorite was at a consignment shop -- dark grey and washable and dryable (very useful in certain homes) and best of all cozy. I also found a nice magazine. Also found ingredients for a wonderful pasta dish you can find at our http://bestfoodthisweek.blogspot.com/2010/10/olive-and-caper-pasta.html which I adapted last October from the Phillipine magazine YUMMY! which people living elsewhere can easily find in digital form for about $3 an issue from the site you'll get by clicking on http://www.zinio.com/browse/publications/index.jsp?sch=true&productId=500604237

October 4

This is the Strahov Monastery Library.

October 3

Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Chinese Chop Suey. 

James Herriot was born today in 1916. What wonderful stories he told, and how many creatures he helped! You can read about his real world at http://www.worldofjamesherriot.org/ , and of course enjoy his books -- his children's books gave stiff competition to the children's book line I headed eons ago!

And of course don't forget his beautiful television series!

October 2

From E.F. Benson's Mapp and Lucia:

October, that season of tea parties that ushers in the multifarious gaieties of the winter.

October 1

Today is World Vegetarian Day.

Happy birthday, Julie Andrews! I always loved as a child your parts in fairy tale stories, and much appreciate your beautiful work on so many films and such today.

Wouldn't you know it, it's also a
Minor Festival in the Shire and Bree

In honor of your birthday and this Middle-Earth holiday, how about a fantasy library...

September 30

Today is the wedding anniversary of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who married in 1829.

Also today -- the first volume of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women was published, in 1868.

It's also National Hot Mulled Cider Day! Little smells better than a pot simmering on the stove....I think it would be wonderful to make some hot mulled cider and read books like Louisa May Alcott's and essays like Ralph Waldo Emerson's today!

September 29

Miguel de Cervantes was born today 'way back in 1547! Thanks to him we have our Quixote...

And re characters who also left on an adventure, today is the day
Frodo and Bilbo Depart to the West

It's also National Coffee Day! Yum!

September 28

Kate Douglas Wiggin was born today in 1856. Her writing was the first "classic" I ever read. Looks like there were various film and stage productions of her Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm; Shirley Temple starred in one:

September 27

Happy birthday to Gwyneth Paltrow! I love your work! You even do cookbooks, cool! -- I just found one at the library! I love the Spain series you did with friends...

It's Corned Beef Hash Day in America! After many many many moons I finally find the terribly jumbled stuff from our international move, I'll post my own favorite recipe which is phenomenal!

A picture from a fun blog about older stuff including a old recipe book from Hormel, http://curly-wurly.blogspot.com/2007/03/hormel-invites-you-to-dine.html :

Meanwhile, a thought: I don't like to serve normal corned beef hash super frequently because of dietary restrictions; is it possible to make another, more innocuous meat taste corned beefy? Like with Penzeys Spices' Corned Beef Spices? Though I think those are to cook already-corned-beef: http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyscorned.html . However, the same people do have spices that will make a healthier-than-usual homemade bratwurst at http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysbratwurst.html , or Polish sausage at http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyspolish.html , or a breakast sausage (though I like to make my own with sage), or an Italian (though I make my own with fennel seeds and chilies and other stuff) -- and others -- just do a search for sausage on their site.

September 26

George Gershwin was born today in 1898! I need to ask my pianist friend (AKA my brilliant son) if there's a youtube type video of someone's playing Mr. Gershwin that he recommends...

It's National Pancake Day in America!

However, please note that food holidays do not seem to be super-coordinated; I've also seen March 1 proclaimed as the same holiday. Why not plan on celebrating both?

Hobbits would very much be for that idea! After all, today is the day of...
Frodo Meets Tom Bombadil

September 25

Just taking time off to relax....I'd like to explore book blogs through this list:
http://books.blogranking.us/
The first site I've discovered is this:
http://happy-booker.blogspot.com/

 

I'd like to keep an eye out for her next year's book challenge, if there is one, at http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2011/11/2012-tbr-pile-reading-challenge-sign.html

Some days I play with the idea that the year I turn oh 80 I'll do a book blog too. Too busy right now and probably for decades to come...

I see one could practice foreign languages at that general site too!

September 24

Francis Scott Key was born today in 1896!

September 23

William H McGuffey of McGuffey Readers fame was born today in 1800! How very appropriate of him, to be born in such a traditional-month-for-starting-school! (Though I think there are almost no American schools that don't start in August nowadays!) Speaking of traditional, he certainly was; but at least he was all for some illustrations for children's books.

September 22

It's Bilbo's Birthday !!! I'd love a Middle Earth celebration...You can find Middle Earth recipes through sites listed at my http://ofwizardshobbitsentsandelves.blogspot.com :

Hobbitian, Elven, and Other Ancient Tolkien-ian Recipes!

• http://home.comcast.net/~mithrandircq/LOTR-Hobbit-recipes2.htm
• http://www.daisyshobbithole.com/cooking.html
• http://hobbitmeals.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/hobbit-recipes/
• http://historicalfoods.com/2058/food-in-tolkiens-the-hobbit-recipes/
• http://midearthfoodie.wordpress.com/
• http://lotrscrapbook.bookloaf.net/other/recipes.html

from a fansite, from the great Fellowship of the Ring movie:

Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Bean Polenta from Italy. It's pureed beans (no corn polenta in this dish), mixed with carmelized onions and served hot with a sauce of vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, and plenty of molasses. 

The first issue of National Geographic was published today! in 1888.

September 21

Today is the International Day of Peace...

Thomas Kinkade for me captures the feeling of peace.

 

I was grieved to hear of his passing recently, and immediately ordered some calendars from him for next year, both a wall calendar and a color day-by-day one:

 -- I got the same sort of wall calendar for 2012 and I've been enjoying it immensely. These are available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1449416322 and http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1449417124 .


It's Fannie Flagg's birthday! I love her Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. (Is this a repeat? I definitely need to confirm some dates next year or earlier if I can.)

September 20

This is the Trinity College Library in Dublin.