Sunshine Blogger Award!!!

 

Lizzie Hexam of Starlight and Saucepans has nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award! Thank you, Lizzie! I'm really excited to fill out her questions and come up with some of my own.

The Rules of this tag are: 

1. Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog.
2. Thank the person who nominated you. 
3. Provide a link to your nominator’s blog.
4. Answer your nominator’s questions.
5. Nominate up to 11 bloggers.
6. Ask your nominees 11 questions.
7. Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts.

Here are Lizzie's questions: 

1. What was your first word?

The first specific one seems to have been "Abi" for Albie, the dog of a family member. Otherwise, it was probably "Daddy" or "Mummy".

2. It’s a rainy afternoon. Would you most enjoy going outside and feeling the rain on your face Marianne-Dashwood-style, curling up in a window seat with a good book, or getting your favorite music on and doing some housecleaning?

Well, all of those sound tempting...but, based on my actual actions, it would have to be going outside and being like Marianne Dashwood. While I'm not always a fan of cold, wet walks during which your clothes stick to you uncomfortably and water runs down your face, I do like to be outside in the rain for a short time!

3. What does your handwriting look like?

Like this, of course! 

No, I'm afraid not...

It is sometimes pretty nice, when I have time to spend on it. I tried to learn a copperplate hand, but it takes so long that normally my writing is cursive, but pretty messy. Like so...

It starts off neater than it ends...one of my favourite prayers by St. John Henry Newman

4. Which decade in history do you think had the best women’s fashion, and which decade had the best men’s fashion?

Oh, good question! For women's fashion, after agonizing over it, I've narrowed it down to three: 1940's, 1950's, and Civil War era.

 

1940's 

(1950's)

(Civil War era)

Men's fashion: hands down, 1920's. 

(Jeeves and Wooster and the infamous white mess jacket...have I watched these too many times?!)

5. What’s your dream career?

My dream career is probably being a housewife and mother. Like this, complete with frilled apron: 

Definitely not like this: 

  

6. Name three to five of your favorite fictional characters.

Oh, this is a hard one. Probably Anne Wentworth from Persuasion (I admire her perseverance, patience, self-sacrifice, and faithfulness); Laura Ingalls in the Little House series of books (for her perseverance, cheerfulness, obedience and unselfishness [I mean, she basically becomes a teacher so her sister can go to college even though she hates the idea]); Faramir from The Lord of the Rings because he is gentle and merciful yet kingly and just; and Eowyn, because she is valiant and strong, yet comes to realise where her true place is.

7. What’s one virtue that particularly attracts you in other people?

I like gentleness in others, and generosity and humility as well. But if I had to pick one, it would be gentleness.

8. If you write, which authors do you think have most influenced your writing style? (If you don’t, which authors’ styles do you most admire?)

I'd say Jane Austen, primarily; she taught me how to be concise! (Not that my writing is always concise. Let's just say she pointed the way.) Also, Elizabeth Gaskell and Elizabeth Goudge, for their family-based, yet still interesting plots. I think that Georgette Heyer's books have influenced my writing, too, in that I learnt a lot about the setting of several attempted stories from her. When I was much younger, my writing was very influenced by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer's school stories.

9. What are the three best and three worst period dramas you’ve seen? (Broaden this to movies in general if you’re not a period drama person.)

Three best periods dramas: 

1. Emma (2009). A-mazing. I'm planning a post on this series soon, but it's so close to the book! And they even brought out aspects of the book I hadn't noticed before!

Beautiful. One of my favourite films.

2. Pride and Prejudice (1995). Need I say more?! (Though the Mr.-Darcy-in-the-pond made this adaption lose marks.)

3. Persuasion (1996). I'm really not being original here, am I? But this is almost word-for-word from the book, and it's a lovely watch. Although...the circus at the end? The random shots of livestock at the beginning? Also, the actress who plays Elizabeth also plays Cordelia in Brideshead Revisited, which took me off guard. 

Three worst:

1. Pride and Prejudice (2005). I actually enjoyed watching this. But it is one of the worst period dramas I've seen! I found it inaccurate, clunky, and not true to the book. And the dialogue is pretty bad. And Keira Knightley is very annoying. And a pig wanders through the Bennet's house. However, it was fun to watch. I want to post on this sometime, although many people have done so already. 

2. Little Women (1994). I know this is the L.W. for many, but it just didn't engage me. It felt very, very rushed. Laurie was creepy. Meg was irritating. Don't even get me started on Jo.

3. Maleficent (2014). This isn't a period drama, but I haven't seen many truly terrible films of the genre to have a third! This is quite possible the worst film I have ever seen: boring, bad plot, and rather spoiling one of the most beautiful fairy tales ever.

This person is the good character! She is apparently misunderstood. 

10. Who were some of your earliest role models (either real or fictional)?

I didn't particularly have any role models, but there were my patron saints, and obviously my parents (though I never really thought about role models when I was younger!).

11. What’s one of your favorite prayers/Bible verses?

Well, it's hard to choose, but picking at random from some of my favourites, I love Proverbs 31: 10-31:

10 Who shall find a valiant woman? far, and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.11 The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.12 She will render him good, and not evil all the days of her life.13 She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.14 She is like the merchant’s ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.15 And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.16 She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.17 She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.18 She hath tasted, and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.19 She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.20 She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.21 She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments.22 She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple, is her covering.23 Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land.24 She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite.25 Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.26 She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.27 She hath looked well on the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.28 Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her.29 Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all.30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.31 Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.

I know that's not one verse, but I really like the whole section...

Now, I nominate: 

Emi @The Idlewood Archives

Heidi @ Along the Brandywine

Hannah @ Inkling Corner

Autumn Grace @ Shades of Art

Miss Evelyn @ Letters From Avonlea

Ruth @ The Bend in the Road

Olivia @Meanwhile, in Rivendell

Liz Churchill @The Antique Bookworm

Lynn @House Mouse

And...I know that she nominated me, but she is one of the most sunshiny bloggers out there, so...

Lizzie @ Starlight and Saucepans 

And anyone else who wants to fill in my questions. 

Here are my questions:

1. What's one thing you've wanted to do for years, but haven't got round to doing?

2. What's one thing you DO that your peers DON'T do? And what's one thing you DON'T do that your peers DO do?

3. What's your least favourite classic book you've read, and why?

4. If you had to dress in one colour for the rest of your life, what would it be?

5. Excluding the Bible, what was the best spiritual book you've read and why was it so good?

6. What was the earliest creative project that you started and still have (even if you didn't finish it!)?

7. If you could live in one place in England, where would it be?

8. If you could be a well-known published author, what genre of books would you like to be famous for?

9. Which piece of classical music has most inspired you, and why?

10. What's one thing someone said to you that made you happy?

11. If you could swap places with one Jane Austen heroine, who would it be?

Thank you again for nominating me, Lizzie; I had a lot of fun with this!