love and courage

Rachel mentioned that she'd be hosting a read along of Someone at a Distance in the second week of November and lo and behold I just happened to be reading that novel. Rachel will I'm sure write the most wonderful and thought provoking posts. So I shall mainly focus on favourite passages. There were two that really spoke to me, passages that stick with you and one hopes to remember and return to when needed.

'You must go on with love and courage... and trust to God to carry you forward through your life.'
.... 'I think the way to grow in faith is to behave as if all God's promises are true, and miraculously, you find that they are.' Dorothy Whipple Someone at a Distance

faith

pale-lit hours

So November is upon us. Hopefully it won't be as bleak as this description in Alaska.

'November was here, and it frightened her because she knew what it brought - cold upon the valley like a coming death, glacial wind through the cracks between the cabin logs. But most of all, darkness. Darkness so complete even the pale-lit hours would be choked.' Eowyn Ivey The Snow Child

cabin cosy

What are your plans for November?

The month of October

The first Friday night and oh the rain. I've decided that rain on a Friday night should be banned. Meeting a dear friend who has just cycled LEJO'G for catch up drinks at Pix, resisting the tapas that are deliciously displayed there. Then on to meet with other friends at a bar on Dean Street. Oh this bar. I felt too old and as I had already thankfully caught up with friend I left to meet Warmth. Walking to where he was I passed Soho Joe, Burger & Lobster and DuckSoup three places that I really want to eat at. Joining Warmth in the rain at Cinnamon Soho for some food. The joys of small plate menus is joining late means everyone just gets to eat more.
Friday night supper with Mama and Papa Warmth.
A Saturday visit to Greenwich Auctions followed by a walk across Greenwich Park to Blackheath. collecting shining conkers on the way.
Twin and The Blessings to lunch. A roast dinner and another delightful autumnal walk in the local woods. Discussing which home Christmas will be celebrated in this year.
Baking Hot Chocolate Cup Cakes by the Hummingbird Bakery for the return from our autumnal walk.
Meeting up with dear friends that haven't gathered together for a while at Cork and Bottle in Leicester Square. How many times have I walked past this unassuming entrance right in the heart of Leicester Square. A cosy wine and food place perfect for an October evening.
Meeting up with friends for a lazy Saturday lunch at The Sun Inn and asked to be godmother. So Amity joins Toby, Oliver, Annabel, Amara and Juliette.
Sunday afternoon shopping in Anthropologie and Liberty's for two of the above godchildren's birthday gifts.
Celebrating the last day of half term by meeting a dear friend for pizza at favourite restaurant Rocket.
Celebrating an early start to half term because of Eid by meeting another dear friend and finally sampling the delicious food of Ottolenghi. I now want to buy, and cook from his new book Jerusalem.
A lazy Saturday and a late supper at Ganapati with friends. An even lazier Sunday with mother and Pops popping in for crumpets and cake.
Another lazy holiday day - though this was because the front room was being plastered so I just had to laze upstairs and read.
Finishing the month off with a trip to the V&A with Twin and the Blessings to see the Hollywood Costume exhibition.
Finally given up on JHD365 photo a day and a slight blogging lull.
Baking said Hot Chocolate Cup Cakes and the most delicious Cherry Marzipan cake.
Reading The Snow child by Eowyn Ivey and for a course at work The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird. Finishing the month reading Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple.

How was your October?

enchanting aromatic foods

'He lay back for a little while in his bed thinking about the smells of food, of the greasy horror of fried fish and the deeply moving smell that came from it; of the intoxicating breath of bakeries and the dullness of buns... He planned dinners of enchanting aromatic foods that should be carried under the nose, snuffed and thrown to the dogs... endless dinners in which one could alternate flavour with flavour from sunset to dawn without satiety, while one breathed great draughts of brandy' Evelyn Waugh Vile Bodies

eating

Whilst I'm typing this out the delightful scent of Julia Child's Coq au vin, as cooked by Warmth is enchantingly floating up the stairs.

Hope you had a weekend of eating delicious food.

dusty stars of sunlight

Autumn makes me, as perhaps you, want to go to the woods and scuff the gorgeous leaves with my feet.

'It was better there, the woods were unchanged and dim, and still seemed to wrap one in an underwater atmosphere of green warmth, scattered with dusty stars of sunlight that had eaten through the thick delicately patterned ceiling. Deep in the woods there was a clearing, where the sky was a piece of bright colour, like a silken tent stretched across the gap in the trees.' Jocelyn Playfair A house in the country

wood

rich, timeless fragrance

I picked up Rohinton Mistry's such a long journey in a second hand book shop. I've read one of his books before and enjoyed it and when I read on the back that 'set in Bombay against the backdrop of war in the Indian subcontinent and the birth of Bangladesh..' I wanted to read it. I teach in a predominantly Bengali community and want to know more. This sounded a perfect read. Alas 200pages in we have parted company.
I did enjoy reading these thoughts though.

'The smell of old books and bindings, learning and wisdom floated out.... Reaching in, he pulled out Brewer's Dictionary and opened it at random. He held it up to his nose and closed his eyes. The rich, timeless fragrance rose from the precious pages, soothing his uneasy confused spirit. He shut the book tenderly stroking its spine with the back of his fingers, and replaced it on the shelf.' Rohinton Mistry such a long journey

Book

scant leaves

'There was not a breath of wind, and under the glowing white sky tinged with pink from the horizon which seemed to fume with the warning of frost, the scant leaves were hanging motionless from the lime trees. The waiters who had to serve the tables outside the cafe were wearing their overcoats over their long aprons. It was the first sting of autumn.' penelope fitzgerald the beginning of spring

autumn

Somehow 'the first sting of autumn' makes it seem horrible when in fact it's sometimes more like the 'first glory of autumn.' 

drifted serenely

Autumn is really creeping up so just a glimpse back to summer before we go full steam ahead.

'The villa was surrounded by a garden filled exclusively with plants that produced white flowers - tuberoses, camelias, carnations and lilies - and there were three ponds in which white swans drifted serenely.' Elisabeth Gille The Mirador

flowers

Pink Friday

Kirsty has put her money where her lipsticked mouth is and has taken a sabbatical from her paid job to volunteer for a few months at Breast Cancer Care. She has reminded a group of bloggers about Pink Friday.

I have a whole host of quotes concerning pink, but decided today to post a quote about bodies. It was only when I was in my mid twenties and realised that perhaps one day I could lose my breasts through breast cancer that I realised how much a part of me they were and no longer were they these things that made dressing difficult but there to be relished and proud of.

'...to chart your body, to map its poles, its contours and terrain, its inner regions, both temperate and torrid - a whole topography of skin and muscle and bone.
... I imagined a life time as your cartographer, years of exploration and discovery that would keep changing the look of my map. it would always need to be redrawn and reconfigured to keep up with you.' Siri Hustvedt What I loved

pink

Wishing you a Pink Friday

Abou Ben Adhem

Today is National Poetry Day and what better way to celebrate it than with one of my favourite  poems.

Abou Ben Adhem

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)

Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,

And saw, within the moonlight in his room,

Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,

An angel writing in a book of gold:

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,

And to the presence in the room he said.

'What writest thou?' The vision raised its head,

And with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answered, 'The names of those who love the Lord.'

'And is mine one?' said Abou. 'Nay, not so,'

Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,

But cheerily still; and said, 'I pray thee, then,

Write me as one who loves his fellow men.'

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night 

It came again with a great wakening light,

And showed the names whom love of God had blest,

And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

Leigh Hunt