Autumn Styles: Peeking Ahead

If I have one flaw in my relationship with summer (besides high humidity and mosquitoes) it is the fact that summer fashions don't thrill my heart as much as those belonging to autumn. Maybe it's because I don't have the fabulously toned arms to rock a sleeveless top, or the fact that I cringe whenever it's strictly necessary for me to wear shorts. Maybe it's the hellish temperatures that make me wish wearing no clothes whatsoever was passable in society. ;) Whatever the reason, by this second week of August, I am always ready to break out the jeans, high-heels, sweaters and my magenta trench. So what sorts of fashions am I looking forward to trying this fall?

I've recently been inspired by Ginnifer Goodwin in Once Upon a Time:

She's feminine, practical, and stylish -- all things I will be needing to consider while continuing my nannying job this fall. Not so much digging the pixie-cut, but it looks just fair on her. One thing I've learned with a summer of nannying: I want my clothes to be kid-proof and cute. Also, Ginnifer Goodwin is a fellow (albeit petite) curvy-girl so I can take styling cues! The costume designers did such a good job bringing her personality into her wardrobe ... love it. 

Skinny Jeans & Heels & Boots:

Inspired by many curvy fashionistas, I want to try a pair of skinny jeans this year -- especially with boots or high heels. Another curvy friend and I plan to shop for a well-fitting pair together. I hate the painted-on look; I want a pair that will go well with longer tops (I would love to get a sweater-tunic) and stuff well into boots. Also, you can't beat skinny jeans and a trench-coat or blazer.

Cardigans

Also inspired by Ginnifer Goodwin and my love of all things vintage, I want to get a couple of short cardigans to pair with skirts and dresses.

Silk Neck-Scarves

Always one for that Hepburnism, I have ordered a few silk scarves and will be styling them this fall as a way to expand the versatility of my wardrobe.

Say hey to the guy creepin' on Grace Kelly

Hats

I really want to get a couple of different hats to wear this fall. I will be getting bangs of some sort "put in", if that's how you say it, next weekend and I'm looking forward to trying different styles of hats/headbands/etc.

 Yes. I am ready for autumn. This is going to be fun.

Your Daddy's gone but your Mama's good lookin'

"Summertime and the livin' is easy...fish are jumpin', and the cotton is high.

Your daddy's gone, but your mama's good lookin' so hush little baby, don't you cry."

"Summertime" from Porgy and Bess

Know what i like about summer? 

I like...

Catching fireflies.

 (even though I'm grown up)

Silly Sisters

The fudge popsicles the Silly Sister makes

Kissing my Baby.

(uhh....literally a baby)

Picnics at Fort Boykins

(under a thunderstorm sky)

Sunsets, after the thunderstorm:

Double rainbows over the house and field

(two already!)

A little more time to read the books I've neglected all year

Discovering for the first time The Wind and the Willows

Chicken salad

Garden dirt

Making videos with the Silly Sister

(um. Link to come. you will laugh your head off.)

Windswept beaches

Flip-flop day at Tropical Smoothie

Travel plans

Watching romances grow among friends

Blueberries

Listening to rain

Catching up on letter-writing

Lemonade

Peach Cobbler

and soooooo many other things that make summers precious!

  What says summer to you?

Let Me Call you Sweetheart?

....that is one love-song I absolutely despise. I mean, really. Ew. But I have to admit that I have an affinity for love songs in general. The other night, Sarah and I were sitting together at the computer helping a friend compile favorite songs for her trip to NYC! :) I was laughing over how many of the songs I suggested would classify as love songs. Haha

Though I'm a romantic, I don't go in for all the sappy, sad love-songs, nor the cheesy ones. Broadway and Vintage music have my numbers, as do Michael Buble and several country stars. :D  What are some of my favorites?

"Beyond the Sea" by Matt Belsante

This song is such a loved one it made it into a large part in my latest novel.. ^.^

"I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz

Such a sweet song. I love the dedication. :)

"Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait

One of the cutest little songs ever.

"Haven't Met You Yet" by Michael Buble and "Everything"

Two of the most adorable songs from one of the best modern-vintage singers.

"The Way You Look Tonight" by good old Frank Sinatra

"Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra (again)

"Coffee in the Morning and Kisses at Night" by Dale Evans

This song just makes me so happy and cozy. ^.^

"Why Don't We Just Dance" by Josh Turner

"Would You Go With Me" by Josh Turner

(A favorite from the very first moment I heard his astonishingly deep voice. :D)

"The Lights of Old Santa Fe" by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans

Another precious one by my favorite cowboy-couple

"Sweet Afton" by Nickle Creek

(YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS ONE BECAUSE IT'S ALSO A MONTAGE OF LADY MARY AND MATTHEW CRAWLEY! <3) 

"De-Lovely" from Anything Goes by Collin Donnell and Laura Osnes

(This couple is way too cute for their own good.)

There are more. There are so many more, because the world is just chock-full of good, cheery, sweet love songs. But these are the ones I will give you, and for further news, check out Meghan's post of her own favorites! :)

Movie Night: Jane Eyre (1983)

As I write this review I am in the middle of watching the movie I review. I speak of Jane Eyre. Not that horrid 2011 version that started in the middle of nowhere and ended much the same. No. I speak of the 1983 version starring Timothy Dalton and Zelah Clarke. For some reason I know hardly anyone who has seen this film. Long has it tortured me, having Jane Eyre on VHS, for we having no VCR player. But then my cousin, Emily, got the movie for her birthday and I was in ecstasies. (Okay, so I partially was the cause of her getting the movie--I recommended it to my aunt. :D)
Where to start? Where to start? I suppose with a plot synopsis. This will be a difficult movie to review without peppering this post with spoilers, but I will do my best.

Jane Eyre follows the life of the girl by the same name--from her dark, cold childhood at Gateshead Hall and Lowood School, to her coming to Thornfield Hall as a governess, Jane shows considerable pluck, passion, and courage. Thornfield is  a strange house indeed, as Jane soon learns. From the mad sewing-woman: Grace Poole, to Mr. Rochester himself (Master of Thornfield Hall) there are secrets abounding--secrets that threaten to upset Jane's hopes of ever being loved and accepted.Will Jane find happiness in the end, through all the difficulties that are thrown in her way?

There. That is the best I can do at a synopsis, as there are some major events that would be plot-spoilers if I mentioned them. :P

This movie was made in 1983 so I will warn you--the costumes are horrid and the filming horrider. At times it looks like a stage rather than a movie. But the singular thing about Jane Eyre (and the thing that has endeared this version to me more than any other I've seen) is the passionate, riveting acting. Timothy Dalton and Zelah Clarke are such amazing actors that they could have been standing on a sidewalk and given just as good of a performance. Costumes and setting didn't matter. All you see is them.

--Her--

Zelah Clarke as Jane Eyre is astonishing. (in a good way.) She owns the character in a way that makes you think she really is Jane. There cannot be another Jane. All other attempts have been impostors and that is all. Zelah Clarke gives Jane a certain sweetness that I felt drastically missing in the other version and bits I've seen. Yes, she has had a difficult, stern childhood. Yes,she is wronged. (again and again) But she has not been embittered. Zelah's portrayal of Jane is winsome, grave, and ineffably sweet to counter the necessary strength and passion of her character. She is perfection. (And she has adorable dimples.) But beyond all this, perhaps the best part of this Jane is that she so stinkin' tiny. I'm guessing she is no taller than four and a half feet. So that when we come to Mr. Rochester...

"Are you dumb?...stubborn?...ahh....you are annoyed."

--Him--

I have heard that Timothy Dalton is best known for being James Bond. Excuse me while I die of painful laughter. I know him as Mr. Edward Rochester and only as Mr. Rochester. *Tosses laptop to the side to watch proposal scene and will be back later* Oh my goodness. My heart is melting. Entirely. Gah!
Ahem. Back to business. Timothy Dalton played Mr. Rochester's rugged, passionate, not-entirely-tame personality very well. He has an unearthly look about him anyway that lends itself to his Rochesterian-ess.
Physically, there is this pushmepullyou business going on in my mind that only increases the ideal of Timothy Dalton as Rochester. He is plain and ugly and he is tearingly handsome. He is intimidating and he is gentle. He is kind one moment and practically bites Jane's head off the next. It is this pendulum effect that makes him so fascinating. But one of the curious things about Jane Eyre is that Mr. Rochester is not exactly heroic. At least, not till the end. But we don't speak of that. All you need to know is that Jane--her  virtue and heroism and loyalty--makes for the real "hero" of this story.

--Them--

The emotion, passion, wit, and drama between Jane and Mr. Rochester (especially between this version of the famous couple) never ceases to delight me. And in this version, Jane is so tiny and Mr. Rochester is so strong and tall that it plays up ever more the big heart and virtue that is Jane's. I mean girls--one of Mr. Rochester's hands is nearly enough to cover Jane's entire head. He messes up her hair every time he crushes her in one of his huge, rough hugs. It is hilarious and touching and perfect. You know how there can be...well..(for lack of a better term) chemistry between two actors? It's here. It's here big time. In fact, given that they had 5 and a half hours to play it out, I think that they became Jane and Mr. Rochester.

Cons:

Without giving too much away, there are a couple things I should mention as cautions. One, the little girl Jane comes to Thornfield to educate is never explained. Is she Mr. Rochester's illegitimate daughter? Truth is, he himself doesn't really know. That's thing one.

Thing two is that there is a "fortune-telling" scene. Of course the gypsy turns out to be one of the familiar characters in the movie and a sham-performance, but there is the suggestion that some of the characters would have believed  a "real" fortune-teller.

Thing three is the definite, indisputable fact that this movie is eerie in places. I can't explain why. It's all part of the Unmentionable Secret, but it has to do with a singular, blood-chilling laugh and very mysterious happenings in the house. (It is all natural causes--no ghosts, haints, or chillin' things. ;)

Pros:

You are in tears by the end of a Certain Scene where Jane must make a heart-wrenching decision between purity and virtue and the only love she has ever known. She makes the right choice, and you are reeling by the end. Seriously, it's the most intense scene you will ever watch in a movie. It really makes you think whether you would have the fortitude. I promise you'll be weeping if you have any heart.

Again, I cannot spill the beans all over the carpet, but everything ends just as it ought. If Charlotte Bronte had lived in the world of today's modern story-lines, Jane Eyre would probably have turned out to be just another compromise. But with a turn of Bronte's pen, she put everything right.

The ending is not entirely, perfectly, un-markedly happy, but it ends as it ought. It ends right, and that is all one can wish for. :)

Quotables:

*ahhhh* this movie is so full of brilliant quotes and you know what? I could only find one (an entirely random one, at that) online. Rats in a poke. I suppose you will have to watch it yourself to experience just the best of the best dialog in movie history! (Pssst! The proposal scene is the best *ever*. If you want to watch the film entirely out of order, you can watch the scene here.)

A Song for your Sunday :)

This song is the beautiful, poignant prayer that my soul cries every day to my Redeemer. I love it when a song's melody matches it's subject and words, and Michael W. Smith's "Lord Have Mercy" is one of those songs for me. :) It's like a modern-day Psalm in a way.

"Lord have mercy"

Michael W. Smith

Jesus, I've forgotten the words that You have spoken

Promises that burned within my heart have now grown dim

With a doubting heart I follow the paths of earthly wisdom

Forgive me for my unbelief

Renew the fire again

Chorus

Lord have mercy

Christ have mercy 

Lord have mercy on me

I have built an altar where I worship things of men

I have taken journeys that have drawn me far from You

Now I am returning to Your mercies ever flowing

Pardon my transgressions

Help me love You again

Repeat Chorus

I have longed to know You and Your tender mercies

Like a river of forgiveness ever flowing without end

I bow my heart before You in the goodness of Your presence

Your grace forever shining

Like a beacon in the night

Movie Night: The Adventures of Tintin

The Adventures of Tintin--in short: Thumbs Up. :)

When Daniel, Sarah, and I were little we would creep reverently into the library, make our way over to a certain shelf, and pull off one of the Tintin books. Daniel was generally the only one old enough to officially read those books, but Sarah and I monstrously appreciated all the adventurous illustrations and awaited Daniel's explanation eagerly.

 

So when we heard that Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg were making a movie version we were both excited and skeptical. How could anyone really make a good movie out of Tintin? Wouldn't they probably ruin it?
I'm here to say that as a devoted Tintin fan, the directors went above and beyond the call of duty. They stayed so faithful to the books (and especially the illustrations) that I could recognize all the characters right off the bat. They even throw in lots of direct nods to the illustrations! Check this out:

The original:

 And what the movie did with it:

Awesome, isn't it? :) I don't want to spoil the plot of the movie for you, but I consider it to be the most original and genuinely intriguing animated film to come out of the movie theater since UP. You get lots of adventure, you get lots of potential danger, and yet there is always that comic-book sense of "Everything will turn out right."

Captain Haddock...to the rescue?

  The story follows Tintin, a young journalist who frequently doubles as a detective, and his pal Snowy. Right there that sounds cheesy and entirely unoriginal, and yet I thought they played the boy and his dog thing differently than you usually see it. Tintin often leaves Snowy to do something while he moves on--he has a life besides that of his dog, and the dog is sensible enough not to get into places where he needs to be rescued. I despise movies where the hero has to put everything on hold to rescue a pet. :P

The hilarious duo: Thomson and Thompson. :)

Tintin becomes the owner of a mysterious model ship that appears to be entangled in a web of intrigue and family secrets that may or may not have to do with pirates, buried treasure, and more! There is plenty of peril, including getting kidnapped, shanghaied, and stuck in the Sahara desert.

Tintin and the loveable Captain Haddock

I am not usually this way, but the animation was so superb I found myself ducking and gasping and doing all sorts of typical movie-girl thing as the characters were in danger. :D

I love Snowy. :)

The outcome of it all is quite satisfying and leaves a door open for a Tintin 2! :) I wonder if there are plans in the works for that?

Throughout the whole movie there is a decidedly optimistic, hopeful, boyish point of view that I found refreshing. Tintin is neither pouty, nor rebellious, nor overly nosy.

 He is just a boy with an adventure who takes it all in stride. :)

 Jackson and Spielberg did a superb job with this film.I did not feel that it was only a child's film. I think it's one of that rare category that envelopes the whole family! All of our kids watched it, and we are pretty strict about letting the younger ones watch things. :)  I would highly recommend Tintin to anyone that asks!

So I loved the movie, I want to buy it, I'd whole-heartedly recommend it, but let's get down to the nitty-gritty. :)

Plot Strength and Characters: ***** (5 stars)

Language: A character takes the Lord's name in vain...once? Beyond that the worst you'll hear is "Great Snakes!" or "Blistering Blue Barnacles!" or "Great Scotland Yard!" :) Terrible, I know.

Sexual Content: Absolutely none.

Other Cons: One character gets shot, but it is tastefully done, I thought. One character belches, but as it is actually important to the plot, it is absolutely excusable. Apart from that, this movie has not a single off-color joke or reference. It is seriously the cleanest film I've seen in ages.

Tintin is my new favorite family movie. It's clean, it's adventurous, it's entertaining, it's hilarious. Go now, rent it and be happy. :) You will not regret it.

Capering and Cookery: The Ideal Southern Breakfast food. :)

As it is Saturday morning and a beautiful one to be out in the countryside, I thought I'd share some of my favorite, tried-and-true breakfast recipes! :) One of the first things you ought to know about me as a cook, is that I am picky about breakfast. Here's a definition of the top breakfasts foods, per my opinion:

• French Toast: Soggy, egg-y, bread. Like someone dumped it in a pond, fished it out, heated it up, and tried to get you to buy it by pouring syrup on top.
• Pancakes: Fairly tasty things when fresh and hot, but soon hardening and crusting into soggy discs that don't bear putting a fork into
• Waffles: These and I had a love affair once-upon-a-time. When they are hot and crispy, Waffles and I are a pair. When they get a steam-bath, I will toss them out.
• Oatmeal: "Ye ain't a true Scotchwoman if ye doon't lak yer parritch." Guess I'm not Scotch. I want to like oatmeal--I try more often than not and I can always get it to smell fabulous. But somehow the porridge will not absorb flavor and I feel like I'm eating baby-food.
• Cereal: Come on guys, I'm not a horse. Don't feed me bran and corn-flakes and all that jazz. 

So what on earth do I like for breakfast, and what sort of recipes will you find in the body of this post? Let me tell you. I'm a huge fan of left-overs for breakfast. I love fruit cobblers and crumbles and things. I like a cinnamon-roll on occasion. I love granola and granola bars. But the epiphany of all breakfast foods (in my opinion) is a properly made, white-flour biscuit. Oh yes. So here's the scoop on this amazing food.

The Ideal Biscuit: Country, Southern Comfort

courtesy of pinterest

I don't believe I need to explain to anyone what I mean by that title. When you find one, you know it. When it isn't up to par, you know it too. My brother and I are a bit of biscuit aficionados. We like them done properly, and thus we generally take on the responsibility of making them. Here are my two favorite recipes. The first is our favorite in general because we usually have the ingredients on hand. The second is one that I had at a friend's house recently and fell in love with. Enjoy!

Cloud Biscuits

(from The Southern Living Cookbook)  
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour (if you don't have self-rising flour, make you own by using a ratio of 1 c. flour, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. salt.)
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 large egg, beaten slightly
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbs. butter, melted

Combine flour and sugar in a medium bowl; stir well. Cut in butter till mixture is crumbly. Combine egg and milk, then add to flour mixture, stirring only till moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a biscuit cutter. Be careful not to twist the cutter--punch, rather than twist. If you twist, your biscuits will not rise well. Bake on an un-greased baking-sheet for 10 minutes (or until golden) at 450 degrees F. (makes 10-12 biscuits)

Whipping Cream Biscuits:

(from The Southern Living Cookbook)

2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup whipping cream.

Combine ingredients, stirring with a fork until blended. Dough will be stiff. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 10-12 times. Roll dough out to 1/2 inch thickness; cut with a biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and baking at 450 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes. (Makes 12 biscuits)

courtesy of pinterest

Both of these biscuit recipes are ah-may-zing. They rise fairly high--not entirely sky-high, but the rich, buttery, flaky texture so makes up for the height that you will want to eat half-a-dozen yourself. I do have to stress again the importance of using white flour in these recipes. Yes you can use wheat flour. You can use half-and-half flour, but to get that perfect Southern biscuit, go white. :P

The other recipe you might want to take a gander at sounds really strange. I was laughing when I read the title, but the recipe totally won me over as soon as I'd mixed up the batter. What is it?

Breakfast Cookies.

courtesy of pinterest

I didn't know what to expect from a recipe like this. What came out of it were large, palm-sized cookies with a soft texture and spicy flavor. The batter seriously tasted like Oatmeal Raisin Cliff Bars. I could have eaten the whole bowl without bother to bake them. They are healthy, hearty, taste stunning, and make a great snack for any time of the day. I made a couple of alterations, and here is the recipe for you!

Breakfast Cookies:

3/4 c. whole-wheat flour
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. ground flax-seed
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1/2 c. oil
1/4 c. brown sugar
3 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup pureed carrots (you can use baby-food, but I make my own by boiling carrots and throwing them in my Bosch blender with a tidge of water.)
1 tsp. vanilla
1c. rolled oats (I've been using quick-oats and they work great)
1/2 c. raisins

Mix first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. Mix butter, oil, sugars, egg, carrots, and vanilla in medium-size mixing bowl. Add the dry mixture. Stir well, then add oats and raisins. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and drop large spoonfuls of batter onto tray. Slightly flatten with palm. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes. They cookies will be soft and fragrant when done. Let cool, then enjoy! (makes 1 dozen cookies)

These three recipes are my choice for breakfast--they are tried and true recipes that I know you and your family will love! :) Have a lovely Saturday--I suppose I'd better start making breakfast for my own crew now. Talk to you gals later!

The best of "Keep Calm" :)

There are some silly things that make me happy. What silly things, you might ask? Okay. It's confession time. I am currently in love with:

"Keep Calm" pictures

Here are some of my favorites! :D

The best! :D

Precisely.

Brilliant advice--only, I love sneezing!

Need I say more? :)

You wouldn't get this one unless you'd seen a certain news clip... :D

Have a great evening--I hope you are getting some of the gorgeous weather we've had around here. :) I declare it feels like Spring--I'm wearing a light, brown cotton dress and loving it. :)

Cookie-love :)

In my quest over the years for the perfect chocolate-chip cookie, I had narrowed my criteria down to a few things:

• They have to be chewy
• They have to be thick
• They have to have plenty of chunk to them
• They have to be a cookie texture. [i.e. not cake-y]

But there was always something wrong. I'm sorry, dear Nestle-Tollhouse, but your recipe does not cut it. There was also the strange problem of the cookies turning out a different way every time. Sometimes they were just hard little balls. Other times it appeared that there was a steamroller in my oven running back and forth across the cookies. And once, once in a midnight-blue moon I'd get it. The ideal cookie.
Then I started baking as a business. We wanted to sell chocolate chip cookies along with our other products, but I knew for a fact that our classic recipe just wasn't reliable enough.

Enter The Brown-Eyed Baker.

 Not only was her name simply adorable, her recipe looked smashing. So I printed it off. I tried it. I fell in love. Simple as that. These cookies are it. They are fat. Chunky. Enormous. Everything we girls dread in ourselves but adore in a cookie. The secret? I'll quote The Brown-eyed Baker herself:

Source

"The secret to the thick and chewy cookies is the combination of using melted butter, an extra egg yolk, and a higher ratio of brown sugar to white sugar. Also, definitely follow the instructions for making jagged edges on the top of the cookie – this gives them the crinkled and craggly bakery cookie look."

The craggly look, as I soon found out, comes from the fact that you roll your ball, then pull it in half. You'll have two squiggly sides, you know what I mean. Rotate the halves so that their squiggly sides point up into the air. Squish the bases of the two halves together and leave squiggles galore. Set onto the parchment paper and bake as is. This is the secret to having that classic rocky-topped bakery look. I was tickled pink when it worked, and I laughed my head off trying to show a friend how to do it. I've linked to the instructions for this craggle-top if you're still confused...

How to Craggle-Top

 I've shared the recipe below as it is found on both her website, and Baking Illustrated, page 434. (Her source for this recipe)

 Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Source: Baking Illustrated, page 434)

Makes about 18 large cookies.

These oversized cookies are chewy and thick, like many of the chocolate chip cookies sold in gourmet shops and cookie stores. They rely on melted butter and an extra egg yolk to keep their texture soft. These cookies are best served warm from the oven but will retain their texture even when cooled. To ensure the proper texture, cool the cookies on the baking sheet. Oversized baking sheets allow you to get all the dough into the oven at one time. If you’re using smaller baking sheets, put fewer cookies on each sheet and bake them in batches.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.
4.  Roll a scant 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough’s uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.
5. Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a side metal spatula.

 *    *     *    *    *

My notes on this recipe are only a couple of things. First off, don't worry if the dough is goopy--you're melting the butter so it will be a little soft. You can refrigerate the dough for a few minutes if you like, though a little while on the counter will do the trick. Secondly, use parchment paper. I can't tell you how many times this has saved my skin! Third and lastly, bake only one tray at a time--that's probably the most important thing of all! :) So give these cookies a go and come back and tell me how they worked! I like using Nestle Chocolate Chunks instead of the chips--they only enhance the over-all rockiness of these beauties! -Rach

Swing-Time! :)

Well, I don't know about you guys, but I absolutely love to watch Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance. They are crazy-good, and so cute together! Plus,  I cannot imagine dancing like she does in high-heels on a slippery floor. This is my favorite dance I've seen them do together--I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! :)

"The Ornament of every polished society"

In the past few days I have become addicted to contra-dancing, [!!!] thanks to my lovely Abigail Taylor, I have spent hours on the road, I have eaten at The Texas Roadhouse for the first time ever, I have had a very close-to-fainting-in-the-arms-of-a-German-while-dancing experience, I have eaten the world's best chocolate chunk cookies, I have made homemade pretzels, and last but certainly not least, I've got a new brother:

Sarah (17) and Our Darling. :)

Meet The Nameless One. A.k.a. The Heffalump, alias The New Puppy, alias To Be Named. He's part English Setter and part Black Lab, and part Adorable. He's destined to be over-loved and over-stimulated, and a massive part of our family. :)

It was a rather amazing weekend.

Movie Review: "Much Ado About Nothing" :)

When I watch a movie and then spend all night dreaming about it (not to mention all morning) I know it has captured me heart and soul. Kenneth Branagh's version of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing was such a movie for me. At first I panicked, thinking I would never be able to understand the Elizabethan English the characters used, (It is strictly Shakespeare's play. No modernizing, thank you. :) but by the end of the first scene it was clear the stellar actors of the cast would take care of me. They understood what they were saying and were so phenomenal in their performances they made you understand. The key to deciphering Shakespeare? Don't listen too hard.
The plot is a delightful mash of two love stories: one sweet and simple, the other fiery and sarcastic. Meet Hero and Claudio:

Played by the winsome Kate Beckinsale and Robert Sean Leonard.

And Beatrice and Benedick! :)

Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh

The latter couple were my absolute favorite--their witticisms and banter were hilarious and brilliant. 

Benedick overhearing talk of Beatrice's "love" for him

I don't want to spoil the plot for you--I'll only say it contains a good prince, a jealous brother, lots of hilarity, and a couple of nuts who will have you dying of laughter.

Dogberry & company

 The friendships will have you smiling...

the lovers will make you sigh happily....

.

.....the treason will have you wanting to strangle Mr. Good-lookin' Prince-Man...

Don John--the villain!

There is abundant wit and cleverness throughout. I loved the music and dancing and costumes and setting. This movie was amazing. :) It's a sweet, lovely, happy-ending but lots of danger movie. I went to bed smiling like a loon and dreamed all night in Shakespearean English....I was so brilliant and had sharp, sparkling, witty repartees with everyone...too bad I can't remember a stitch of it this morning. :D

There are, however, a couple things I must warn you about.

Cons:

• After the very first picnic-montage, the entire cast and crew take it into their heads to bathe before the Prince arrives....they do so...and there are back-shots of everyone in the process. We were forewarned so we fast-forwarded and were none the worse for it.
• There is a false scandal against Hero that would suggest she was unfaithful to Claudio resulting in a grand kerfuffle...apparently they show a bit more of that "scandal" than is comfortable. We were forewarned about this so we skipped it, and again didn't miss anything of the plot.
• At the masquerade you see a fellow "tickling" a lady but he goes a bit farther. Fast-forward for about five or ten seconds and you'll be just fine. [Random Elizabethan obscenities, anyone? :P]
• Shakespeare's English and ours is much different. He liberally uses words we would not use now (such as Ass, Bastard, etc.) but in the context they are not as offensive. Back then they weren't bad words and in keeping with his original works, they didn't bother me.

Pros:  

• This movie showcases Shakespeare at his best. The acting was Brilliant. That is all I can say. Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh were Beatrice and Benedick. That's all there is to it. 
• Purity is highly, highly prized. Pretty much, this is what the plot swirls around. Purity before marriage.
• The family in the movie have ultra-close relationships. I love it.
• The scenery and music were gorgeous, as well as the simple, yet lovely costumes

This movie, since I've given you fair warning and told you where to fast-foward, is now one of my favorites. I can recommend it heartily with those cautions in mind. :)  I love it to death, and I plan on watching it again very very soon! :)

In closing, here are a few (so hard to choose!) favorite quotes from Much Ado About Nothing:

Claudio, speaking of Hero: "Can the world buy such a jewel?"

Benedick: "Yea, and a case to put it into!"

Dogberry: "Thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this!"

Don Pedro: "Officers, what offense have these men done?"

Dogberry: "Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover they have spoken untruths; secondarily they are slanderers; sixth and lastly; they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.

Don Pedro: "What is your offense, masters? This learned constable is too cunning to be understood."

Bwahahaha!

"I see our hands have betrayed our hearts!"

                   

                              "Trust God, love me, and mend...." *heart breaks* :)