On "On Long Ago in France": A Book Review

Title: Long Ago in France: The Years in Dijon
Author: M.F.K. Fisher
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir

About the Book...
Famed American food writer M.F.K. Fisher's memories about her early years in France and the various experiences she had learning about the food, art, and the people that lived in Dijon.

What I Think...
This isn't the first book I've read by Fisher, but it's the first of her memoirs that I've read and I quite enjoyed it. One of the blurbs on the back describes her writing as "crisp," which I think is a perfect way to describe it. Her reflections never seemed forced, never come across as being overly tiresome and long-winded, and are like listening to a friend tell you about their trip in a straight-forward, yet confiding way.

While this book, as might be expected, talks quite a bit about food and drink, Fisher balances it out nicely with discussing other things such as the people they encountered, classes she took, and various historical details. Details about the people are just as colorful as those about the food, highly enjoyable, and often the two subjects cross over providing the reader with a well rounded sense of Fisher's overall experience and how different factors influenced her perceptions. These perceptions are often accompanied by her reflections on later visits or how if she would have acted had she had a better understanding of things, which allows further insight into Fisher's thought process and the way in which this time affected her and allowed her to grow as a person and were enjoyable to read as well.

 To Sum it All Up...
A fun way to learn more about Fisher if you're already a fan and a lovely read about what it was like living in 1930's Dijon. ♥️  

On Things to Do While You're at Home: Sew and Sow

In my case, this involves radishes!

Felt ones for wearing...

...and real ones for eating! I ordered a variety pack of radish seeds, so it will be interesting to find out what I planted!

♥️ ♥️ ♥️

On Finally Posting My Peter Pan Skirt

After waiting for a warmer day and not liking the original photos taken of this outfit, and then having to wait for yet another warmer day and not liking those photos either because I waited until it was later in the evening, I decided to just share a mix of the photos.

That being said, I actually don't have much to say about this project. This is the same pattern I used back in 2016 to make my butterfly and lily pad skirt and the one which has an exceptionally blotchy and faded instruction sheet. This time, having made it before and having my already completed skirt for reference, it went much more smoothly. 

As usual, the print on the pockets had to match up with the print on the skirt. Since I had a limited amount of the printed fabric left, I opted to go with a lovely and perfectly matching "pink lavender" for the waist and pocket facings, as well as for backing on the ties. 

Eventually I'd like to make a matching blouse in mint green or using some white on white star fabric I have in my stash and I do have a waiting to be altered shirt I found at the swap meet for a $1 that will match perfectly, but for now I'm finding that I like pairing it with a black shirt.    

And least I forget, there's this tiny detail!

 ♥️ ♥️ ♥️

On Things to Do While You're at Home: Dust

If you've let the dust accumulate, now might be a good time to address it, so your Walrus and Carpenter don't call in seven maids with seven feather dusters to try to have cleared (the Carpenter doubts this would do any good and has shed a bitter tear). 

♥️ ♥️ ♥️

On Decorative Eggs for Easter

About a week ago I pulled out my 1973 copy of Easter Eggs for Everyone. This book is a mixed bag of history and cultural practices, methodologies for coloring eggs (the crepe paper idea is intriguing), a lot of suggestions on how to decorate them, and a section devoted to Easter egg games. 

Some of the suggestions given are more interesting, such as the Golden Eggs for the "mature egg crafter" who wants to glue pasta and seeds to their egg shells and then paint them. 

It also takes the very retro approach of making pigs, which are "fun to make and attractive to busy mothers who dislike the mess so often associated with Easter Eggs" by putting pieces of gumdrops into a hard-boiled egg. Along the same lines, are instructions for making miniature vases and candle using emptied eggshells.   

Other fun ideas consist of a Hawaiian Hula Dancer Egg Head and Moon Men and Maidens!

After perusing the pages awhile, I settled on being inspired by this book's ideas for animal eggs and made a lion, a rabbit, and a German inspired egg bird. Rather than use real eggs, I pulled out my childhood plastic egg supply, which having dwindled to a considerable number of mismatch-y colors has made it perfect for crafting, and used hot glue to attach the various paper bits and the rabbit's pom-pom tail. 

I didn't use the instructions in the book, although under normal circumstances I would have actually liked to have tried making the rabbit using powder puffs for the ears and feet as they suggest. At a later date, I might have to have a rabbit making craft day!   

And to end this post, here is a picture of Mrs. Muzzlesworth my aged styrofoam egg bunny that belonged to my grandma.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter! 

♥️ 🐇 ♥️     

On 'Sing with the Four Roses Society': An Album Cover Story

The opening dialogue of the album spoken in an overly enthusiastic manner:

Anne: "...our guests are all assembled!"

Robert: "Well, then let the meeting of the Four Roses Society come to order!" 

Anne: "You break out the ice while I spin this platter!"

Robert: "Alrighty! Then we'll all break out in song!"

Harold had always been fun to have around, but when he became a dog he became the life of the party. Friends would fight over who would have Harold at their next gathering, plying him with tasty morsels in attempt to lure him into being their guest. More often than not, though, it wasn't the treats that lured him, but the likelihood that there would be a sing-along.

Accepting an invitation from Anne and Robert, Harold knew he would have a great time! While Harold's voice was never quite the same as it once was, it did have a certain charm that his friends couldn't resist after they'd had a few drinks and now that he was a dog he felt he could sing along with complete abandon. Really, as far as Harold was concerned, becoming a dog was one of the nicest things that could have happened to him!

On Things to Do While You're at Home: Brush Up on an Impractical Skill

With extra time on one's hands, now is the perfect time to brush up on some of those impractical skill sets for which you rarely have any use. 

For example, building a house of cards, which, outside of perhaps building one's coordination and patience, for most of us has no practical application in daily life. It simply comes with the satisfaction of having made something flat and flimsy stand up in a triangular shape and/or the frustration of having it collapse at a moment's notice including as you are trying to build it.

I am not much for building card houses, but my Alice In Wonderland Card Game Set was sitting there and it gave me something to do. As you can see I cheated and decided to make mine on carpet where it's easier to stabilize rather than on a table.

If you're going to make one, why not a few more for a balanced trio? (With the added advantage that the smaller ones are easier to make!)

After I was done staring at these for a bit, I happily told them "You're nothing but a pack of cards!" knocked them down and put them back in their box. 

Anyone else brushing up on skill sets that aren't exactly practical?

♥️ ♥️ ♥️