Victorian Halloween

A Victorian Halloween is the one for me~

You Had to Be There

They are May-December,

True loves on the spectrum.

A month called October,

Thirty days named June.

'Divinely beautiful' Anne would say.

Words may not exactly describe,

How they have become so dear.

You had to be there I guess.

 Photo Credit - Partners For A Better World

These Are My Sidewalks

"These are my sidewalks, they wound around the neighborhood, always led me straight and safely home," --Christine Dente, Becoming

For whatever reason, I am still considering on, I have randomly assigned names or characterizations to my neighborhood paths, walks, houses, nooks and crannies, as I walk.

Pathway to Bronte Moors (BronteFamilyorg)

There is the secret garden, that I've mentioned before, and a quiet row of houses a few streets away, where one house in particular makes me think of Poe. I can see him there in my daytime walks, walking the sidewalks at mid-night.

Near Poe's neighborhood are the moors, which is a plowed field that the neighbor's cattle roam in. At twilight the field is very moor-like, deserted and windy, if I plan it right.

A little to the south of the moors lie the woods or Walden, a long path of very tall trees near a river, where you can walk to your heart's desire. Above the tall trees, hawks ride the wind on stormy evenings, in no man's land, or you might call it fairyland. Winged creatures gather there often as the trees blow softly.

There is the Netherfield neighborhood where the finest homes in the area sit, though I've yet to find a Longbourn. In the same neighborhood is the Bronte Parsonage with it's own 'graveyard' on the left, (a lot converted into a Victorian garden with benches, stones, and statues that make it graveyard-like, just like the real Parsonage has.

Finally, there is a secluded row of homes on two parallel roads where I imagine Eponine might walk late at night to escape her dreary world. These are my sidewalks and I adore them.

Anne - Autumn

 

 

Bales of Hay

Harvest time is here. I've always loved bales of hay bundled up like these ones are. Ample spools ready to be dried and stored for winter feeding.
Where I come from, bales are bundled quite differently... in long rectangular cubes. Still lovely, but not quaint and pretty like these.
These are farmhouse and picturesque, almost french-like and definitely spool-like. Like a giant dropped her sewing basket, and it spilled all over and must be picked up.

Photo By Slawek Staszczuk

Into the Woods

Into the woods...

Picture by Leisa Collins

A picnic or stroll in the woods is delightful.

A wedding in the woods, dreamy and romantic.

Photo by Amber Tamblin

Anne's 'delicious' woods, perhaps best of all.

I'd take any or all on any given day.
Just add wind.

Head in the Clouds

I've got my head in the clouds.
Just two steps and I'm there
Draped and drenched in purple elegance
Moors in the sky made for me.

Photo Source - You'll want to read this - have you ever seen clouds like this?!

Were I a cloud I'd gather
My skirts up in the air,
And fly well know whither,
And rest I well know where.

~Robert Seymour Bridges

Reading is Boring

Autumn Stirs

Photo by Angelita Surmon

Les Miserables Teaser

Wow, this is going to be good.

Bluebird on My Shoulder

Photo by Riikka Sormunen

The Bluebird carries the sky on his back  ~~Henry David Thoreau

So Close

Not quite the same thing, but oh so close. 

I love this little red suede necklace pouch that must be based on Waterhouse's "The Flower Picker."

After all, a girl must be able to walk and gather flowers hands-free.

“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,

old Time is still a-flying. 

And this same flower that smiles today, 

tomorrow will be dying.”

   --Robert Herrick

Photo Credits:

"The Flower Picker" by John William Waterhouse

Red Suede Necklace Pouch - Let's Track Back

One Man Les Miserables

Playing Fall Cards

Summer days are hibernating days for me because of my work schedule. My hibernation time has come to an end with the end of summer. Even while I mourn the end of these hibernation days for this year, I know good things, better things, are coming...the chill in the night air and the evening thunderstorms that come each night tell me fall will soon be here. The mountains are already playing the fall card...changing from their glorious summer purple to the wonderful and warm autumn shades a few weeks early this year, (usually this starts two weeks into September and is a rite of passage from one season to another).
So fall is almost here and I anticipate her with bated breath. I will play every fall card that I have;  

I vow to... 

...collect leaves for bouquets, walk more and wear jackets on my walks, drink hot chocolate and herbal tea, watch more sunsets, notice star changes in the sky, and make my evenings all about reading and writing. 

(May be a bit early for blowing leaves, but this is the first card I play)

"Blowing Leaves," by Arthur Rackham

Steel Myself With Words

Guts don't come so easily to some of us as they do to others.
I wish I had a stomach of steel, and courage as strong and wide as a bridge.
Since I don't, I have to steel myself with words meant to spur me on.
 Stretching your wings outside of your comfort zone is not easy in real life. It takes fortitude. The heart to act is inside all the while, but you have to take that very first step, which for me is the hardest part.

One foot in front of the other
If you have the guts to try
The whole wide world is waiting
From the russet earth to the blue sky
Time to stretch your wings and fly high
~Bookishkind

Beata Beatrix by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

After too long in the nest, in this case, my comfort zone, the wings are restless and unproven. Stretching is long overdue, but made awkward from disuse. I will find the strength to act somehow. I know I will for endurance is my stronghold.