8 Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts (9) + Announcement watch-along!

[birdienl]

Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. sharing exciting plans for the weekend, rants on things they've encountered during the week etc.)

1. Hello everyone! How are you all doing now that summer has ended and 'normal' life has resumed? I must say, I don't mind that it's September, August was so hot and humid in The Netherlands, blegh. I'm also quite pleased 'things' are starting up again, like my children's club in church and my sword fighting lessons. Though I had a severe case of muscle pain after my first sword fighting class in two months last week ;-)

2. Though most of my summer was spend working, working, working, I did take a short trip with my mum to Belgium. We had a nice time enjoying all the good things our 'neighbour' has to offer. Here's me at the lovely castle gardens of Annevoie.

3. So, you don't have to go far to enjoy a holiday feeling. Even in my own country, so much can still be discovered. I spend a lovely sunny Saturday in the historical city of Delft which -to my shame- I've never been too! If you're ever in The Netherlands, go beyond Amsterdam and also visit this gem of a city!

4. In another of my previous 'Bookish' posts, I mentioned a Jane Austen themed trip to England I had booked. Unfortunately, at the beginning of August I heard this would not go through because of too little participants (whát!!). Well, I had already taken the week of from work, so I decided to go to England any way, but organize my own trip. I decided to go to Yorkshire as I heard this is a lovely area with lots of things to see both history and nature wise. One thing I'm definitely going to visit is Haworth Parsonage, the home of the Brönte sisters. I'm sure to take lots of pictures and tell you all about it of course!

5. This spring, in one of these posts I pointed you at some new literary webseries starting. I then fobbed you off with East and West, which series unfortunately stopped abruptly after only a few episodes... I therefore feel a little hestitant now in mentioning another new webseries, but it's so nice, I will anyway! Northbound is the webseries adaptation of Northanger Abbey and though only 15 episodes in, I already looove it's heroine Catherine and hero Henry. If you're a fan of the Jane Austen novel: go watch this!

6. Two weeks ago, two of my housemates got married! Because the bride only has a really small room, she asked if her wedding dress could 'stay' at my place. I said 'Sure' ofcourse so had a lovely dress hanging in my spare room for a week! Which was quite funny as I was reading book The Wedding Dress by Racheal Hauck at the same time!

7. Reading wise, I'm still enjoying listening to classics via audiobook. In this way I 'read' in the last two months A pair of blue eyes by Thomas Hardy, two novella's by Elizabeth Gaskell (The Moorland Cottage and Cousin Phyllis) and have just started Rilla of Ingleside by L.M.M. Montgomery. Thank you, LibriVox!

8. In July I put up a poll asking you what 'watch-along' you wanted to do this autumn. You picked Far from The Madding Crowd (1998) so that's what I'm going to watch and post about starting in October. I hope you're all going to watch along with me.

Comments

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

I am so ready for cool weather too! I am getting excited just thinking about it! Being able to walk outside without sweating... Getting to wear cute boots... Sweaters... Getting to add a proper comforter to my bed... So exciting! ;)

Ouch, I can imagine that soreness! Hope you feel better and get back into the routine soon.

Ohhhh, I am SOO jealous of your little summer jaunts! To be so close to so many wonderful places!! *_* I'm really turning green with envy!

I'm so sorry your Jane Austen trip fell through! :( How disappointing! A Yorkshire trip sounds absolutely lovely though! And I hope you are able to do a Jane Austen trip another time too.

I was so disappointed when East & West fizzled out! It was just getting good too... I will have to try out Northbound though! Sounds cute!

Audiobooks really are fabulous, aren't they?

I will have to get my hands on Far From the Madding Crowd in time to watch along with you! I still need to read the book! :x

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

The first night after summer that you can really crawl under your duvet again without sweating away is heaven, I always think!

It's such a pity when you're just getting into a webseries and then it stops. That definitely is the danger with these sort-of voluntary projects.

FFTMC is actually on YouTube in it's entirety so if you can't find it any other way you could watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWoUBO_nmtI

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

It really is! :)

It is! I understand that there are many ways webseries can go wrong but it is sad when you don't know why it stopped!

Oh, ok! Thanks :)

[richyl88.livejournal.com]

Lovely pictures! It looks beautiful :)

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[ever-maedhros.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is a lovely castle garden, alright!

Aw, I'm sorry your Jane Austen-themed trip got cancelled! But I'm glad you're finding a way to have fun anyway (and rather amused that you switched over to visiting a Bronte residence).

Oh, you had a friend's wedding dress in your room while reading a book about a wedding dress? That is priceless. :)

Hope you're enjoying Rilla of Ingleside! I haven't read that in forever, but I remember thinking it was absolutely precious. :) Perhaps I'll get an audiobook to listen to as well.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I didn't really pick the area for the Brönte residence, I picked it because my sister's boyfriend is originally from around there and he always has these gorgeous photographs. But then I did some research what to see and realized the Brönte parsonage is quite close, I ofcourse couldn't miss that!

[ever-maedhros.livejournal.com]

Oh, there's pretty scenery there, too? No wonder you picked it! And dropping by the parsonage while you're at it certainly can't hurt. :D Now I'd like to visit it some time, too!