Poetry In Period Dramas Game - Answers

These are the answers to the Poetry In Period Dramas Game from last week. As promised along with the answers I am also telling what the title of the poems and who wrote them. Sorry these answers are up late, it's been an odd day. 

Poems Quoted In Period Dramas:

#1

Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,

Heaven did a recompense as largely send:

He gave to Misery all he had, a tear,

He gained from Heaven ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.

Period Drama: Cranford (2007)
Poem: Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray

#2

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

Period Drama: Sense and Sensibility (1996)

Poem: Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare

#3

Like the dew on the mountain,

Like the foam on the river,

Like the bubble on the fountain,

Thou art gone, and forever!

Period Drama: Persuasion (1995)
Poem: The Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter Scott

#4

Ne is the earth the lesse, or loseth ought,

For whatsoeuer from one place doth fall,

Is with the tide vnto an other brought:

For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.

Period Drama: Sense and Sensibility (1996)
Poem: The Faerie Queen by Edmund Spenser

#5

I have hid my feelings– fearing they should do me wrong,

Saying– doest thou love me? Weeping– I have loved thee long.

What is this? His eyes are heavy– think not they are glazed with wine,

Go to him, it is thy duty– Kiss him– take his hand in thine.

Cursed be the social wants that sin against the strength of youth!

Cursed be the social lies that warp us from the living truth!

Well–’tis well that I should bluster!– hadst thou less unworthy proved,

Would to God– for I had loved thee more than ever wife was loved.

Period Drama: Cranford (2007)
Poem: Locksley Hall by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

#6

 Is love a fancy, or a feeling? 

No.It is immortal as immaculate Truth,

'Tis not a blossom shed as soon as youth,

Drops from the stem of life--for it will grow,

In barren regions, where no waters flow,

Nor rays of promise cheats the pensive gloom.

Period Drama: Sense and Sensibility (1996)

Poem: Sonnet VII by Hartley Coleridge

#7

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,

And the highwyman came riding--

    Riding--riding--

The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

Period Drama: Anne Of Green Gables
Poem: The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

#8

No voice divine the storm allay'd,

No light propitious shone;

When, snatch'd from all effectual aid,

We perish'd, each alone;

But I beneath a rougher sea,

And whelmed in deeper gulphs than he.

Period Drama: Sense and Sensibility (1996)
Poem: The Castaway by William Cowper 

#9

Willows whiten, aspens quiver,

Little breezes dusk and shiver

Through the wave that runs forever

By the island in the river

    Flowing down to Camelot.

Four gray walls, and four gray towers,

Overlook a space of flowers,

And the silent isle embowers,

    The Lady of Shalott.

There she weaves by night and day

A magic web with colors gay.

She has heard a whisper say,

A curse is on her is she stay

    To look down to Camelot.

She knows not what the curse may be,

And so she weaveth steadily,

And little over care hath she,

    The Lady of Shalott.

Period Drama: Anne Of Green Gables 
Poem: The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

#10 

Elizabeth Bennet: I wonder who first discovered the power of poetry in driving away love? 

Mr. Darcy: I thought that poetry was the food of love. 

Elizabeth Bennet: Of a fine stout love, it may. But if it is only a vague inclination I'm convinced one poor sonnet will kill it stone dead.

Period Drama: Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Quote is from the book but is unfortunately not in the 1995 miniseries.

Players Scores:
(High Score was 110 points)
Melody - 90 points
Lady Eowyn - 80 points
Maddie Rose - 80 points
Rose P - 80 points
Emma Jane - 70 points
Sadie - 70 points

Hamlette - 40 points

Little Men (1998)

I didn't know anything about the story before but when I saw this film on Netflix I was so excited!
It was one of those films I watched once by myself and then liked so much I convinced my sister that she had to watch it with me. She liked it a lot too!

Based on Louisa May Alcott's sequel to Little Women, Little Men (1998) is a fun family film. It's a nice companion piece to Little Women (1994) although they weren't made to be watched together. It's wonderful to find new adaptations of Louisa May Alcott's works!

John Brooke helps Nat Blake

Story: Young Nat Blake earns his living as a street musician in Boston after his father dies. One day he is falsely accused of theft after his friend Dan pick-pockets a gentlemen's wallet. Mr. John Brooke sees the commotion and offers to pay his way at Plumfield School, a boarding school run by his sister-in-law, instead of the police sending him to jail. Shy and quiet Nat fears the school will be strict by when he meets Fritz and Jo (March) Bhaer - who liked to be called "Father and Mother Bhaer" - and the other students he soon feels right at home. As winter nears Nat's friend Dan shows up at Plumfield and is taken in but his streetwise ways soon land him and the boys who follow him into more serious trouble. There are many lessons for Nat and the other students to learn about honesty, friendship and compassion.  

Opening Scene

Script: Not knowing the story I read the Wikipedia page for Little Men and compared the two. It seems they did make a few changes from the book mainly that Amy and Laurie, their daughter Bess and Meg's younger daughter Josie do not appear in this film. Jo and Fritz only have one son Teddy, aka "Little Bhaer", instead of two sons (Rob and Teddy) like in the book and there's only two servants at Plumfield instead of three. Otherwise the general plot of the story seems to be the same and the characters of the boys seem similar. The language used in this film sounds like it might be updated and changed a bit from the original. A narrator starts and ends the story and adds voice over bits in between some scenes, it's nice because it helps the viewer to remember this is from a classic book.

Bhaers receive news Nat is coming

Costumes: Pretty simple and homespun looking but fits well with the late 1800's time period. The ladies' dresses are quite plain but there are some nice fabrics and small jewelry pieces worn. The boys have some very handsome coats, scarves, hats and indoor wear as well. Simple costumes but effective in communicating the time period and lifestyle of the characters.

Plumfield in Autumn

Scenery: Filmed entirely in Montréal, Québec, Canada there is some of the New England charm missing but not too much that you'd notice. One street of "Boston" is shown for one scene. The rest of the film takes place at Plumfield house, barns, school room and out buildings. It is Autumn when Nat arrives there and the huge farmhouse is surrounded by gorgeous foliage! Toward the end of the film there is a great snowfall and it's wonderful to see the kids running and playing in the snow. I think the house could have been a bit more grand and perhaps not so secluded looking (it did sort of look like a farm in the middle of nowhere) but overall it was a great location for filming.

Nat plays the fiddle for Jo, Fritz and Franz

Music: Sort of matched the style of music used in Little Women (1994) thought not quite as grand or memorable. There are a couple dances played on the fiddle by Nat and Dan sings Amazing Grace with the others at the end of the film.

Little Men 1998 Themes

My music video with songs from Little Men (1998) with screencaps I made from the film. Listen to the Opening Theme, Nat Plays the Fiddle, Dan Sings Amazing Grace and the End Titles. You can briefly hear Chris Sarandon as Fritz Bhaer singing in Amazing Grace, he has a very nice voice!

Stuffy, Daisy, Demi and Tommy

Characters & Actors: Many Canadian actors but some American as well make for a good mix.

• Michael Caloz as Nat Blake - Nat is a bit shy and skeptical when he first comes to Plumfield but everyone gives him such a warm welcome. Michael Caloz's bright brown eyes and sweet manner are perfect for Nat and made me like the character right away! Surprisingly Michael did the voice of pesky sister D.W. in the PBS animated TV show Arthur!

• Mariel Hemingway as Jo Bhaer - While blond haired Mariel doesn't really look like my idea of Jo (she has "chestnut" hair in book doesn't she?) she does present a kind and caring character who loves her students and family very much and tries to take on the world. She took some getting used to but I liked her for the most part. Mariel Hemingway is the granddaughter of famous author Ernest Hemingway and was given the name Mariel after one of his favorite places to vacation.

• Chris Sarandon as Fritz Bhaer - I'm not a huge fan of the Jo/Professor Bhaer match up in the book and don't really like most of the film versions I've seen of him. However Chris Sarandon as Fritz Bhaer really stands out as one of the main reasons I love this film. The character becomes this strong but compassionate character who love and supports his wife and directs their students with a firm but caring hand. You might recognize Chris Sarandon as Prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride or as Charles Darnay / Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities (1980) but this is by far my favorite role of his.

• Ben Cook as Dan - Nat's homeless friend who finds his way to Plumfield where the Bhaers take him in. Ben Cook does a great job of portraying the struggle going on in Dan where he wants to be loved and have a home but also leads the other boys into mischief. Jo doesn't give up on him and he eventually finds his place in their family set. Road to Avonlea fans fight possibly recognize Ben Cook from the Season 7 episode From Away where he played Ian McNulty.

• Serge Houde as John Brooke & Emma Campbell as Meg Brooke - John Brooke finds Nat on the streets of Boston and pays his way to Plumfield. John and Meg come for a visit later in the series where it becomes evident that John is not in the best of health. I didn't really like these actors in the roles, they seemed too old and a bit contrived to me, but they were nice enough.

• Tyler Hynes as Demi Brooke & Julia Garland as Daisy Brooke - John and Meg's twins who live and go to school at Plumfield with their aunt and uncle. They are the first to welcome Nat when he arrives and are very good tempered kids. Demi has odd hair but seems quite scholarly while Daisy has long pretty hair and is very domestic and sweet. Julia Garland didn't do much acting after this role but this was Tyler Hynes' first role and he's gone on to many more film and television roles (and he has great hair now, haha!).  

• Gabrielle Boni as Nan Harding - Nan comes to Plumfield after her mother dies and is to be a companion for Daisy. Nan is even more of a tomboy than Jo was at her age and soon earns the boys respect by beating them at baseball. I wish Nan had been introduced sooner in the film because she's such a fun character! Actress Gabrielle Boni looked very familiar to me and then it all made sense when I found out she played Rebecca Graham in the Wind At My Back TV series. Love her red hair and freckles!

• Mickey Toft as Teddy "Little Bear" Bhaer - Teddy is Fritz and Jo's little five-year-old son who joins in with activities with the other boys. He doesn't have very many speaking lines but Mickey Toft steals the show by being so darn cute! (I mean just look at that grin!) He likes Dan a lot and Dan in return is very kind to him. 

• Ricky Mabe as Tommy Bangs - Tommy is one of the first friends that Nat makes at Plumfield. He and Nat go into business keeping chickens and selling the eggs. One of my favorites of the boys, he has a really good heart.

• David Deveau as George "Stuffy" Cole - Stuffy is comical and the lines he has are a lot of fun. 

• Michael Yarmush as Emil - Fancies himself a pirate, often wearing an eye patch, and says his rather is a sea captain. This is different than in the book where Emil and Franz are Professor Bhaer's nephews.
• B.J. McLellan as Jack Ford - Another of the students but with a slightly vengeful streak. 
• Justin Bradley as Adolphus "Dolly" Pettinghill - He's introduced as a student but I can't remember what he looks like. His name is really neat though!
• Mathew Mackay as Franz - Professor Bhaer's nephew who helps with the teaching. He's in a few scenes and does very well.
• Kathleen Fee as Molly & Narrator - Molly is the housekeeper who takes care of everyone. Kathleen Fee also did the narrating parts throughout the film.
• James Bradford as Silas - Works with the animals and is a bit of a handyman. He doesn't like Dan's streetwise ways but admires his way with horses.

Father and Mother Bhaer

My Thoughts: First of all, this film is such fun! It has a very sweet story and the characters are dear to us even if the actors don't exactly fit them in looks. Virtues such as honesty, compassion, kindness and generosity are valued. The boys at Plumfield have a lot to learn but they also have a lot of fun.
But the best part of this film for me was getting to see Jo March and Fritz Bhaer as they work together and care for their "family". I'm one of those who couldn't quite reconcile Jo marrying the Professor (and Laurie marrying Amy is so weird!) but the way they are presented in this film is just perfect! They are equals who love each other and care deeply about their family and the students at Plumfield. Fritz Bhaer's compassion really stands out as he teaches the boys in classes and through life lessons. The sort of education the Bhaers provide is caring and inspires the boys to be good and strive to be better and kinder.
Nat is also a favorite character for me, it's interesting to see the story unfold through his eyes and see him put into practice the lessons he is taught. The ending scene is a bit cheesy but this film overall is just wonderful and I'd watch it again in a heartbeat! Watching this film really made me want to read the book and I will, someday...

Dan and Nat

My Recommendations: This film is rated PG-13 for some minor scary scenes such as fire, a cut foot, and one scene where a cigar and a bottle of beer are used by the boys who are see the error of their way after that.. The word "damn" is also used several times by the boys.  I really don't see why this film was given the PG-13 rating because there is nothing really objectionable for families today and I would highly recommend it as a family film. If you like Little Women (1994), the Anne of Green Gables films or the Road to Avonlea (TV series) then you will love Little Men (1998)!

Have you seen Little Men (1998)? What did you think of it?

Have you read Little Men? What about Jo's Boys?

Are you a fan of the Jo/Professor Bhaer match up?

~*~

This is my 2nd film review for the Period Drama Challenge going on now!

New Autumn 2012 Header

 
Thank you all for voting in my poll What Should Be The Theme Of My Next Blog Design?, the votes have been tallied and the wining choice is:

The Young Victoria -- 22 votes

I know what you're thinking (because reading minds may or may not be among my many talents), you're saying to yourself: "Wait, so if The Young Victoria won then why is Miss Laurie's blog currently decorated in a delightful Anne of Green Gables theme?"
And, the answer to that is that although The Young Victoria did get 22 votes I had a difficult time finding photos from that film that were particularly Autumn-ish. So, since Anne of Green Gables came in a close second with 21 votes and I found tons of Anne of Avonlea (aka The Sequel) photos that were very Autumn-ish I decided to use that as a theme for now and make up a very special The Young Victoria theme for Christmastime!  So all you Queen Victoria and Price Albert fans will have to wait a little bit longer, but not too long! :)

I've even made a new blog button featuring Anne of Avonlea for ya'll to use if you wish. Find it below or on the right hand sidebar.
(The old Molly Gibson button can be found on the Blog Buttons page)

<center> <a href="http://old-fashionedcharm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Old-Fashioned Charm" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXS1CRe3Kv6vq_MkwNIMQYJY1YCrP3qiYHAG5RzwSubLk-n5ZKzv1gMDOmF1tHiVoje_Xd5KmB8_NAFkwk41PhLJOd-493r_0p4mZ9a8sCUK6ZVFljyS2kZ9X8n2nMZaPuhKQDM4TZqT6G/s180/annebutton.jpg" /></a></center>


For memory's sake here is the previous header:

And the previous background image was this:

and this was my Please Comment button:

As I was gathering photos to make up this theme I couldn't help remembering how wonderful the Anne of Avonlea movie is (even if it isn't completely faithful to the books)!  Fond memories of watching both Anne movies with my mom, at least once a year, are still indelibly stamped on my mind and I still find myself getting teary-eyed just thinking about the sweetly sad scenes from both films. 

This scene makes me teary-eyed every time!

What do you think of the new header, button, background and overall theme?

Are you a fan of the Megan Follows Anne of Green Gables movies? Do you have a favorite scene?

Lucy Maud Montgomery Unscramble Game

The Period Drama Keep Calm Contest is still open for voting until Sunday so don't forget to vote for your favorite finalist posters! Winners to be announced soon!

Lucy Maud Montgomery was born November 30, 1874 and died April 24, 1942. Many of her delightful books weave together experiences and circumstances from her own life growing up on Prince Edward Island. Her stories of precocious youngsters and kindred spirits are certainly timeless classics.

To Play: Unscramble the character names and titles from Lucy Maud Montgomery's books and put your answers in a comment. I'll respond with your score. Guess as many times as you wish. Answers will be posted next week.

Points: One point will be awarded for each correctly guessed name and word. You can earn two extra points per character for naming which book they appear in. Maximum score is 57 points.

Female Characters
1. AEHI SNEYNRL (2 names)
2. EARRY STMIL (2 names)
3. SAAT SEYARNL (2 names)
4. JETU SANART (2 names)
5. MEACYL SURIT (2 names)

Male Characters
6. TETYN KEDD (2 names)
7. GRYTHET BLILBE (2 names)
8. METHBEW CUATTHRT (2 names)
9. SLHYEYT BLHIRE (2 names)
10. DYIT KEAVH (2 names)

Novels
11. EYOFN WO NEO MMIL (4 words)
12. TER SORLY GITH (3 words)
13. JTEE OR LANLANN FIHL (4 words)
14. ANVO NE AOEAFNL (3 words)
15. RNLFA GO IILDELESI (3 words)

Have fun! :)

Period Dramas Keep Calm Contest

Based on Anne of Green Gables (1986)

This week's game is a contest, a Period Drama Keep Calm poster contest to be exact. I can't say this idea is very original, the idea was inspired by Miss Dashwood's Jane Austen Keep Calm poster contest at Yet Another Period Drama Blog who kindly agreed to let me "steal" her idea. Thanks Amy!

Don't know what a Keep Calm poster is? The saying "Keep Calm And Carry On" was originated by Winston Churchill in England during WWII. The saying has recently become more popular than every with merchandise of all types showing up in bookstores and other shops. There have also been many spin-offs related to everything imaginable (usually favorite books, films and TV shows) circulating on blogs and websites lately too.

In this contest your entries must be related to your favorite period dramas and they must being with the phrase "Keep Calm And" (but just "Keep Calm" is okay too if it works with your saying).

Here's a couple examples of Period Drama related Keep Calms:

Based on Little Women (1994)

Based on North & South (2004)

Entries & Rules:

• Create your own witty posters beginning with "Keep Calm And..." or "Keep Calm" that are related to your favorite period dramas (and try to think outside Jane Austen - Dickens, Gaskell, Alcott, Montgomery, Downton Abbey or other period films). 
• You may enter up to two Keep Calm posters.
• Post your Keep Calms on your blog or website and leave the link in a comment, or if you don't have a blog leave image URL in a comment. 
• When you comment please tell which period drama(s) your sayings come from. 
• Contest will be open for entries from now until 12:00 AM (EST) on Thursday, May 3rd at which time I will choose my five favorite posters and will post them and a poll for everyone to vote for their favorite. Winners will be posted Sunday, May 6th.  
• Sayings may be related to any period drama but keep in mind that the more well-known or witty the saying the better chance it will have of being generally agreeable.
• Please keep your entries clean and upbeat. 
• Photos on your posters are encouraged by not necessary. 

The Keep Calm-O-Matic is a wonderful tool to use when making your posters and it's what I used to make the posters above.

And one more thing...have fun! Lots of fun!

I am very much looking forward to seeing your entries! :)

Contest is now closed, thanks to everyone who voted!

Finalists Announced: http://old-fashionedcharm.blogspot.com/2012/05/keep-calm-and-vote-for-your-favorite.html

Winners Announced: http://old-fashionedcharm.blogspot.com/2012/05/period-drama-keep-calm-contest-winners.html

First Lines Quiz - Answers!

These are the answers to the First Lines Quiz that I posted last week. 

I was so pleased to see how many of my readers were quite familiar with the first lines of classic literature, especially the first lines of the classic children's books I included.
Thanks for playing everyone! :)

Classic First Lines:

#1. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." - Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

#2. "One thing was certain, that the white kitten had had nothing to do with it - it was the black kitten's fault entirely." - Through The Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll

#3. "Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that situation will be held by anybody else, these pages must show." - David Copperfield, Charles Dickens

#4. "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day." - Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte

#5. "The weather door of the smoking-room had been left open to the North Atlantic fog, as the big liner rolled and lifted, whistling to warn the fishing-fleet." - Captains Courageous, Rudyand Kipling

#6. "When Farmer Oak smiled, the corners of his mouth spread till they were within an unimportant distance from his ears, his eyes were reduced to chinks, and diverging wrinkles appeared round them, extending upon his countenance like the rays in a rudimentary sketch of the rising sun." - Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy

#7. "Call me Ishmael." - Moby Dick, Herman Melville

#8. "It's time to go to the station, Tom." - An Old-Fashioned Girl, Louisa May Alcott

#9. "A surging, seething, murmuring crowd of being that are human only in name, for to the eye and ear they seem naught but savage creatures, animated by vile passions and by the lust of vengeance and of hate." - The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Orczy

#10. "To begin with the old rigmarole of childhood." - Wives and Daughters, Elizabeth Gaskell

#11. "About thirty years ago, Miss Maria Ward, of Huntingdon, with only seven thousand pounds, had the good luck to captivate Sir Thomas..." - Mansfield Park, Jane Austen

#12. "The house in the hollow was "a mile from anywhere" - so Maywood people said. It was situated in a grassy little dale, looking as if it had never been built like other houses but had grown up there like a big, brown mushroom." - Emily of New Moon, Lucy Maud Montgomery

#13. "I will begin the story of my adventures with a certain morning early in the month of June, the year of grace 1751, when I took the key for the last time out of the door of my father's house." - Kidnapped, Robert Louis Stevenson

#14. "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C.S. Lewis

#15. "Mr Salteena was an elderly man of 42 and was fond of asking people to stay with him." - The Young Visiters, Daisy Ashford

#16. "Cedric himself knew nothing whatever about it. It had never been even mentioned to him." - Little Lord Fauntleroy, Frances Hodgson Burnett

#17. "1801 - I have just returned from a visit to my landlord - the solitary neighbor that I shall be troubled with." - Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

#18. "Among other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious name, there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small: to wit, a workhouse; and in this workhouse was born; on a day and date which I need not trouble myself to repeat, inasmuch as it can be of no possible consequence to the reader, in this stage of the business at all events; the item of mortality whose name is prefixed to the head of this chapter." - Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens

#19. "Miss Polly Harrington entered her kitchen a little hurriedly this June morning. Miss Polly did not usually make hurried movements; she specially prided herself on her repose of manner. But to-day she was hurrying - actually hurrying." - Pollyanna, Eleanor H. Porter

#20. "In these times of ours, though concerning the exact year there is no need to be precise, a boat of dirty and disreputable appearance, with two figures in it, floated on the Thames, between Southwark bridge which is of iron, and London Bridge which is of stone, as an autumn evening was closing in." - Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens

#21. "If anybody cares to read a simple tale told simply, I, John Ridd, of the parish of Oare, in the county of Somerset, yeoman and churchwarden, have seen and had a share in some doings of this neighborhood, which I will try to set down in order, God sparing my life and memory." - Lorna Doone, R.D. Blackmore

#22. "All children, except one, grow up." - Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie

#23. “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. - Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

#24. "Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress." - Middlemarch, George Eliot

#25. "'Edith!' said Margaret, gently, 'Edith!' But, as Margaret half suspected, Edith had fallen asleep. - North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell

10 Titles Not Used: 

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgeson Burnett ~ Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll ~ Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery ~ Bleak House by Charles Dickens ~ Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott ~ Les Misérables by Victor Hugo ~ Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen ~ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain ~ The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis ~ Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson 

Players Scores

Jillian - 96 points

Scullery Maid - 88 points

Lydia - 84 points 

Miss Dashwood - 84 points

Anne-girl - 72 points

Sarah Grace - 68 points

Emily - 64 points

Mary Beth - 52 points

Hayden - 50 points

Jemimah - 45 points

Melody - 38 points

Ella - 24 points

Jen - 24 points

Miss Woodhouse - 20 points

Charity - 18 points

New game will be up soon!

Very Truly Your's,

First Lines Quiz

In this game we are visiting the library, which is in my humble opinion one of the best places on earth! Let's take a look at some of those famous opening lines of classic books.

To Play: Read the first lines below and try to guess which classic novel and author they come from without looking up the answer. If you get stuck you can use the Titles Bank below for help (keep in mind there are 10 extra titles listed just to keep you guessing!). Leave your guesses in a comment and I'll respond with your score. Guess as many times as you like.

Scoring: Two points for each correctly guessed book title and author. A total of 100 points can be earned.

Classic First Lines:

#1. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

#2. "One thing was certain, that the white kitten had had nothing to do with it - it was the black kitten's fault entirely."

#3. "Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that situation will be held by anybody else, these pages must show."

#4. "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day."

#5. "The weather door of the smoking-room had been left open to the North Atlantic fog, as the big liner rolled and lifted, whistling to warn the fishing-fleet."

#6. "When Farmer Oak smiled, the corners of his mouth spread till they were within an unimportant distance from his ears, his eyes were reduced to chinks, and diverging wrinkles appeared round them, extending upon his countenance like the rays in a rudimentary sketch of the rising sun."

#7. "Call me Ishmael."

#8. "It's time to go to the station, Tom."

#9. "A surging, seething, murmuring crowd of being that are human only in name, for to the eye and ear they seem naught but savage creatures, animated by vile passions and by the lust of vengeance and of hate."

#10. "To begin with the old rigmarole of childhood."

#11. "About thirty years ago, Miss Maria Ward, of Huntingdon, with only seven thousand pounds, had the good luck to captivate Sir Thomas..."

#12. "The house in the hollow was "a mile from anywhere" - so Maywood people said. It was situated in a grassy little dale, looking as if it had never been built like other houses but had grown up there like a big, brown mushroom."

#13. "I will begin the story of my adventures with a certain morning early in the month of June, the year of grace 1751, when I took the key for the last time out of the door of my father's house."

#14. "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."

#15. "Mr Salteena was an elderly man of 42 and was fond of asking people to stay with him."

#16. "Cedric himself knew nothing whatever about it. It had never been even mentioned to him."

#17. "1801 - I have just returned from a visit to my landlord - the solitary neighbor that I shall be troubled with."

#18. "Among other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious name, there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small: to wit, a workhouse; and in this workhouse was born; on a day and date which I need not trouble myself to repeat, inasmuch as it can be of no possible consequence to the reader, in this stage of the business at all events; the item of mortality whose name is prefixed to the head of this chapter."

#19. "Miss Polly Harrington entered her kitchen a little hurriedly this June morning. Miss Polly did not usually make hurried movements; she specially prided herself on her repose of manner. But to-day she was hurrying - actually hurrying."

#20. "In these times of ours, though concerning the exact year there is no need to be precise, a boat of dirty and disreputable appearance, with two figures in it, floated on the Thames, between Southwark bridge which is of iron, and London Bridge which is of stone, as an autumn evening was closing in."

#21. "If anybody cares to read a simple tale told simply, I, John ____, of the parish of Oare, in the county of Somerset, yeoman and churchwarden, have seen and had a share in some doings of this neighborhood, which I will try to set down in order, God sparing my life and memory."

#22. "All children, except one, grow up."

#23. “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

#24. "Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress."

#25. "'Edith!' said Margaret, gently, 'Edith!' But, as Margaret half suspected, Edith had fallen asleep.

Titles Bank: (you can use this for a little help but keep in mind there are 10 extra titles listed)

A Little Princess ~ Alice in Wonderland ~ An Old-Fashioned Girl ~ Anne of Green Gables ~ Bleak House ~ Captains Courageous ~ David Copperfield ~ Emily of New Moon ~ Far From The Madding Crowd ~ Ivanhoe ~ Jane Eyre ~ Kidnapped ~ Les Misérables ~ Little Lord Fauntleroy ~ Little Women ~ Lorna Doone ~ Mansfield Park ~ Middlemarch ~ Moby Dick ~ North and South ~ Northanger Abbey ~ Oliver Twist ~ Our Mutual Friend ~ Peter Pan ~ Pollyanna ~ Pride and Prejudice ~ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ~ The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe ~ The Scarlet Pimpernel ~ The Voyage of the Dawn Treader ~ The Young Visiters ~ Through The Looking-Glass ~ Treasure Island ~ Wives and Daughters ~ Wuthering Heights

Answers will be posted next week.

Enjoy!


Very Truly Your's,

Anne of Green Gables Week - My Tag Answers

These are my answers to the Tag Questions for Miss Dashwood's Anne of Green Gables Week at Yet Another Period Drama Blog. She came up with some lovely questions! 
I had such fun answering and I've also added banners that I made a while ago that seemed to go with my answers.

1. How many of the Anne books have you read, and how many of the films have you seen?
I have read the first book and a bit of the second book. I'm not sure quite why I gave up after a few chapters of the second book except that I'm not a great reader. I have loved the films since childhood and ever since I can remember I'd watch the first one at least once or twice each year with my mom. I have also seen that dreaded masquerading as Anne's continued story twice but each time it's been terribly disappointing! :(

2. If someone yanked your hair and called you carrots, what would you do to him?
Just smile, giggle and tell him he was very silly. My hair isn't the least bit carroty, in fact Anne would probably call my hair "a beautiful raven black"! I don't think I'd get upset because I enjoy a little bit of teasing and an Anne themed teasing would be just fine with me! Although, if there was a slate handy I might enjoy teasing him right back by pretending I was going to hit him over the head with it. :)

3. What would you do if Josie Pye dared you to walk the ridgepole of a roof?
Stay on firm ground because it is a silly dare, but probably regret that I didn't try.

4. If you had the opportunity to play any AGG character in an AGG play, which role would you choose?
Diana Barry! I have the dark hair and I'm rather more like her than imaginative Anne. Marilla or Mrs. Lynde would be fun to play attempt too! :)

5. If you were marooned on a desert island, which AGG character would you want to have as a companion? (Anne, Gilbert and Diana are not options. Let's keep this thing interesting. Not that they're not interesting.... oh, yay, now the disclaimer to this question is longer than the question itself. Lovely lovely lovely.)
Hmm...maybe Miss Stacey. She seems like a sensible but kind lady with a good head but she enjoys a good laugh too. "Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes on it."
(Your MMG made me giggle Miss Dashwood! :) )

6. If there was going to be a new adaptation of the Anne books and you could have any part in making the movie, what would you choose to do? (screenwriting, acting, casting, costume-making are a few possibilities)
Casting could be fun! I'm not really an actor or a costume-maker and don't really have enough knowledge to write a good screenplay.  Set designer would be lots of fun!

7. What are, in your opinion, the funniest AGG book/movie scenes? (choose one from the books and one from the movies)
I love Anne & Diana's mud puddle scene from The Sequel, it's just too hilarious for words! From the book...it's been so long since I read the first book, I just remember that everything made me giggle, especially Anne's long speech to Matthew on the way to Green Gables for the first time! :)

8. What are, in your opinion, the saddest AGG book/movie scenes? (choose one of each again)
In The Sequel the saddest part for me if when Anne rejects Gilbert's proposal after Diana's wedding. That scene always make me cry now because I feel a bit of Gil's heartbreak during that scene!
Saddest scene in the first book (the only one I've read) is definitely's saying good-bye to Matthew.

9. Which AGG character would you most like to spend an afternoon with? (again, Anne and Gilbert and Diana are not options for this one--think secondary characters)
Maybe Diana's Aunt Josephine. She's an interesting lady with a lovely big house. Or maybe Matthew Cuthbert could be my guide to Avonlea.

10. What is your definition of a kindred spirit?
A kindred spirit is someone who shares many of the same interests and favorite things as you. Someone who doesn't mind if you chatter away because they'll be chattering with you. Someone who you can always rely on to be there for emotional support and help when you just need a friend. Someone who shares you faith and will pray for you when you need guidance.
I have met several Kindred Spirits during my time of blogging and I praise the Lord for blessing me with such kind and encouraging friends!

Thanks Miss Dashwood for such a lovely tag!