This week at Carrots:
My post about coffee and marriage ended up being one of the most shared posts on ye ol’ blog this year. Apparently there are other folks out there for whom coffee is a love language. Solidarity.
In other news, Christy Isinger over at Fountains of Home and I have a big announcement to make next week! And I can’t wait to tell you! Eek!
My Obsession with the BBC:
So here’s the bad news: I finished Lark Rise to Candleford. Commence the wailing and gnashing of teeth. I am so sad it’s over! And since it was cancelled, they had to quickly tie up the loose ends and it was rushed and I’m just…..so sad. Let’s talk Lark Rise and how Fisher Bloom is better than Daniel Parish in the combox, please. My husband didn’t watch any of it with me and I need to talk Lark Rise! (P.S. it’s free on Amazon Prime which I just got a few weeks ago and why did I wait so long because it’s awesome. And now you can store all your photos (unlimited!) to the AmazonCloud if you have a Prime account and that is amazing.)
The good news is that Kendra recommended Peaky Blinders to us and we have jumped in right as the second season is coming to Netflix. As Kendra said in her post today, it’s pretty violent, sometimes a bit racy, with a heaping dose of profanity, so no, it’s not a family movie night kind of show. But good grief, I’m loving it. And can we PLEASE bring back 1919 British gangster style to menswear?! Because it is ON POINT. And the soundtrack?! I didn’t know how much I loved Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds until now. Except for that scene in Harry Potter when Harry and Hermione dance. That was great. OK, moving on…
The Quotable Benjamin:
We are very into Lord of the Rings these days. Particularly balrogs. Very into balrogs, asking me 1,000 questions about balrogs, making LEGO balrogs. Balrogs for days.
Benjamin: “The balrog lives deep in the mines of Khazad-dum. One of the ugliest, coolest creatures down there.”
Lucy: “If I was in the mines of Khazad-dum….I would see dat guy. And I would get AWAY from him.”
Links:
Kreeft, Kids, and Cattle: Dr. Tom Neal for Word on Fire
There’s a Right Way and a Wrong Way to Fracture a Fairy Tale: Catholic All Year
Kenya’s Catholic Bishops: Tetanus Vaccine is Birth Control in Disguise: Washington Post
A Working Mother’s Plea to the President: HuffPo
My Eco-friendly DIY Advent Wreath: Becoming Peculiar
My favorite first novels to read aloud to kids: Amongst Lovely Things
Tattoo artist turned monk: Not your typical art story: Statesman Journal
And I wrote a piece about Advent over at Kitchen Stewardship.
Podcasts:
Personality Types and Parenting with Megan Tietz: Inspired to Action
Bonnie Engstrom from A Knotted Life talk blogging and miracles: This Inspired Life
And did you hear that my friend Kelly Mantoan is speaking at the Edel Gathering next summer?! I can’t wait. And you simply must read her hilarious post from today. It’s gold. Who’s going to Edel next July? I’ve been saving up for my ticket!
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for Cynthia Montanaro’s beautiful book. It ends on Sunday night!
Sponsors:
Be sure to give some love to this month’s sponsors! They keep the lights on around here.
- Ignatius Press
- Holy Heroes
- Toadily Handmade Beeswax Candles
- Diary of a Country Mother
- Lilla Rose (consultant Mandi Richards)
Lots of love,
Haley
P.S. You can follow me…
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I was so sad about the abrupt ending to Larkrise, and I 100% agree on the whole Fisher>Daniel thing. We just tried to watch Peaky Blinders earlier this week…I say tried, because I’m a wimp and made my husband turn it off part way through the first episode. Just too much badness, even with the gorgeous cinematography I just couldn’t handle it!
YES! So glad other folks are on teamfisher. You’re not a wimp! It’s pretty intense.
I’ll have to check out Peaky Blinders after I finish working my way through Foyle’s War (which I LOVE). Still more than a month to go before more Downton Abbey and Sherlock, so there’s time. Cillian Murphy is excellent, so I’m sure PB will make my viewing list at some point.
(This having to put my feet up some while pregnant really opens up my evenings to BBC television-watching. Or so I tell myself. Now I just need some bon bons… 😉 )
Foyle’s War is SO GOOD. And pregnancy is definitely an excuse to watch as much BBC as your heart (or tired feet) desires. 😉
That Lucy is one smart cookie. Keep away from those balrogs!
Thanks for re-sharing the Word On Fire blog article! I had seen it linked elsewhere but hadn’t had a chance to click yet. Wow–so powerful.
Haha. She’s so funny. Wasn’t that a great article? I’ve been to two retreats with Dr. Tom Neal and he is just awesome.
I love Larkrise!!! And I agree about Fisher, although I liked Daniel too. I didn’t find out about the series until it was already on Netflix but I was so sad when it was over. I think I msg have even loved it more than Downton. Gasp! And I knew there was something familiar about Dorcas. Was so thrilled to discover that the same actress had played Lydia (much younger) on my favorite version of Pride and Prejudice. She’s so lovely, I think.
Daniel grew on me….a LITTLE. But I think he started off so sleazy and tricksy that I never really trusted him. And when Fisher comes back to win Laura’s heart again……I am completely confused why she said no. No contest!
The gal that plays Dorcas is also in Cranford. Have you seen that? It’s great. And I think she’s just lovely, too.
I’m absolutely with you on Daniel. I never got past his initial impression. But I wasn’t convinced about Fisher either, especially after he returned. I didn’t like the way the two of them decided to have a competition over Laura, (alhtough I REALLY didn’t like that Daniel refused to make any effort to go after her in any way – what was up with that?!) Personally, I think that Laura should have gone with Fisher, because realistically speaking I don’t think he ever would have been happy settling in one place. But if she simply couldn’t be happy anywhere other than Lark Rise (or Candleford), then they truly weren’t right for each other, regardless of whatever happens with Daniel. I still wish they had pursued her relationship with Alphie further. The plot lines were a bit schizophrenic, IMO. Whatever happened to Nan?
I haven’t finished season 4 yet; sorry to hear it doesn’t live up to its potential.
What ever DID happen to Nan? I can’t even remember. Season 4 is definitely worth watching, though. It just felt rushed.
I don’t think they ever wrapped the Nan thing up. That is totally okay with me. I couldn’t stand her.
Just finished Lark Rise and I really need to get some stuff out of my system about it, so here we go:
1)I couldn’t stand how fast they wrapped that up. Grrrr, one of the frustrations of TV shows over movies. Granted, it did make for one heck of a good episode. You know, all of the things that I waited the whole TV show long for finally happened.
2)That last scene with Dorcas and Gabriel: FAIL!! She was so snippy and it looked like she really didn’t want to be there. Such a disappointment. After waiting four seasons for Dorcas to get engaged, I expected much more.
3)I can’t say was completely sold on Fisher or Daniel. No doubt about it, Fisher was a better match for Laura as he made her smile and got under her skin, etc. Daniel wasn’t that good of a match, but they were going the same way in life. I think it is interesting that the producers decided to explore that route with Laura. I also with they hadn’t given up on Laura and Alfie so quickly.
4) I didn’t really like Laura. She did seem…wait for it…buttoned up. No, that’s not it. She seemed to have a…high opinion of herself, especially as the show went on. I think she picked up of Ms. Lane’s qualities, and she unfortunately picked up the ones that did not compliment her personality. It was also confusing that she was the narrator but she really didn’t play that big of a role. I guess maybe that was part of the plan.
5) <3 Queenie. So much love for that woman.
6) Did anybody else notice how almost every single episode had an underlying themes that was explored in multiple ways throughout the episode? Loved that!
7) Sir Timothy *shakes head*. What a disappointment. What an emasculated excuse for a man. I basically don't feel sorry for him being married to Lady Adelaide. *gag* Lady Adelaide.
8) Loved me some Pratt Sisters character arcs. Is it just me, or did it look like the actor for Ruby took maternity leave when she went to Pontefract? It looked like there was some baby bump hiding going on.
9) Let's just take a moment and talk about how awesome Thomas is as a man and as a character *bows head in moment of silence*. Wow, that guy is ridiculous. (By the way, I totally thought the actor was like in his mid-30s. Turns out he was in his 50s during filming. MIND. BLOWN!)
10) Alfie. ALFIE! *swoon* Did you see him holding baby Patience. DID YOU SEE HIM HOLDING BABY PATIENCE ALL RESPONSIBLE LIKE?!?!
11)So, did Brendan Coyle just jump ship to do Downton Abbey for Season 4? That's okay. I kind of got fed up with Robert and Emma. And Edmund. I guess I just don't like Timmins.
12) Is this like Pride and Prejudice: Little House on the Prairie edition? We've got Lydia, Mrs. Forester, Mary, and Charlotte Lucas. Pride and Prejudice is my one weakness 🙂
13) Mr. James Dowland. This is why I don't trust my good sense as far as romantic relationships are concerned.. I knew he was bad news from the start but I refused to believe it.
14)Miss Ellyson/Mrs. Brown is precious. PRECIOUS!
Okay. I think that is all. Now I can sleep…Jk, no I can't. I shall be angry at the BBC all night long. In the morning, i will awaken to remember that I can't stand American television and that BBC is all I've got.
I love all of this, haha! I felt exactly the same way after I watched and Daniel hadn’t watched it with me. I NEED TO TALK LARK RISE NOW, haha!
I like to imagine that Fisher Bloom went on to The Paradise under a new name. 😉
Once you run out of things to watch, check out Grand Hotel on Netflix, if you can stand subtitles. (Or speak Spanish.) I devoured all 42 episodes in under a week and feel like starting over. (Season 3 is not available to watch with subtitles, which is killing me.) I will have to check out Peaky Blinders – I love a good period show!
Haha, I love that. I think he’s too much of a free spirit to work in the Paradise, though. I didn’t even realize it was the same actor until after I finished Lark Rise!
I’ll check out Grand Hotel! Sometimes by the evening my brain is fried from getting up early with the little ones and writing is not gonna happen….but Netflix is 😉
Is there adultery in Pleaky Blinders? Because that really gets my goat. (even in Braveheart) For some reason if it’s two single people sleeping together I can roll my eyes and move past it but when it’s married people sleeping with people not their spouses I just want to throw things at the screen it makes me so mad. (inconsistent? maybe)
Doesn’t seem inconsistent to me. When it’s two single people, yes, they are hurting themselves (and one another), but when it’s two married people there’s that, plus the fact that they are hurting the spouse, breaking their vows, and lying about the whole thing. Being married compounds and expands the problem into a pervasive miasma of awfulness.
I can’t speak to the rest of season 1 or season 2 (I’m only three episodes in to the first season). But so far, no adultery. There is a sexual assault in the 3rd episode that is, obviously, disturbing.
I started watching it over again, and there are a few subtle things I didn’t pick up on, it’s definitly worth a rewatch. I also prefer Fisher to Daniel, but I wish things worked out with Alfie. I’d like to think I married an Alfie and I’d love my daughter to bring an Alfie home. I also love Robert and Emma, they’re such great role models for marriage!
I really like Alfie, too. But I wonder if Laura would have been satisfied living the same life Emma did. It seems like her work in the post office has kind of spoiled her for rural country life.
Team Fisher forever. Love that clockmaker.
I will be at EDEL this year. So very excited to be going. 🙂
Oh Mary! You’ll get the biggest hug from me! I can’t wait to see you in Charleston 😉