Betty Adams's Blog, page 91

Series Review - Lark Rise To Candleford

​If you want a nice, wholesome addiction this is your show. Think for a moment if Downton Abby had been written by Agatha Christy in her romantic phase. That is the vibe of “Lark Rise to Candleford”.
 Communism is a rising threat in Europe, measles epidemics are still common and deadly, the world is humming to news sent by telegraph, and harvests are still brought in by men with scythes. Set in rural Oxfordshire somewhere near the turn of the last century this four season show follows the life of the inhabitants of two villages, Lark Rise and Candleford. These villages might be best described as, ‘the middle of nowhere’ and ‘just left of the middle of nowhere’. Candleford is however a bustling market town with a telegraph in the post office and just a hint of the fashion of Paris in the ‘Stores’ across the street. When young Laura is sent to apprentice at the Post Office by her mother she is put in a prime position to watch, and journal about, how life changes for the people around her.
It is hard to overstate the charm of this show based on the semi-autobiographical books by Flora Thompson. It is the finest of BBC craftsmanship. It shows the wonder of discovery, the horror of pestilence, the terrifying and thrilling changes of the 20th century, all without traveling more than eight miles in any direction. That is in fact a very significant point in the show. Eight miles or less. Watching this show is like expecting a PBJ and finding a fully loaded BLT on artesian bread.
Go, fall in love with the characters, enjoy the English countryside, and do try not to notice too much when the show forgets to edit out the modern rain gutters on that one house in the background. 

Flicker and Flame

The ground is cold,
The sky is dark,
The birdies sleeping in the park.
My paws are cold,
My whiskers hot,
The fire burns until it's not.

Working Hard

Hopping along through the snow,
Getting my pawsies all wet,
Being a kitty is hard,
But I'll get those mousies yet!

Strawberry Time

The winter is cold, 
The summer is hot,
I wish the strawberries were in bloom,
But they're not. 

Stripes and Glow

Humans have stripes and we display bio-luminescence. True story. Of course it was Japanese scientists who proved the glowing bit. But this lends itself to all sorts of fun interactions with aliens. Human eyes can't see the stripes or the glow but what if we met a species that could? What would art in alien galleries look like?
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Butterflies and Hotel Rooms

I just booked my hotel rooms for NorWesCon2018! Also a fluffy flying insect. 

The World is in the Details

If you spend a good time looking at the detritus on the forest floor you can learn what the forest looks like without actually looking up. Or at least you can get a good idea. Likewise a great author can create a clear overarching image of their world by giving the relevant details in a specific scene. 

Favorite Toys

The puppy has many toys.
A fuzzy hedgehog. 
A rawhide chew toy. 
A rubber geodesic ball. 
A rope toy. 
A rubber tire rope toy.
The paper towel I used to dry my hands after washing them. 
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Which toy does he like best? Which toy do you think the puppy likes best? * Fuzzy HedgehogRawhide ChewtoyRubber BallKnotted RopeRope With TireDirty Paper Towel Submit

Sick Day Spider

This is the sick day spider that I was too sick to post yesterday. 
On a happier note.
For Christmas I got a new floor and a new heater thanks to Dad. Now the floor is a very nice earth tone. Think what a conifer trunk looks like when it falls on the forest floor and degrades into the soil for twenty or thirty years. 
But the really amusing bit was the reaction to the new heater. It is an oil bath heater. Oil bath heaters were built off the designs of the old school radiators and usually one set size. But this one is about a third of the usual size. 
Six out of six people had the same reaction. 
"Awe! How sweet! Look at the little heater." Leans down towards the heater. "'You can do it little guy!" 
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Sick Day Post

Here is a nice picture to tide my reader over when I am sick as a dog and miserable on many levels...
Or rather I sincerely hope my dogs are never this sick. This is no fun and I would never wish it on my precious puppies.