September Favourites

Hello, Wildflowers!
Can you believe it is barely 3 months until the Christmas season will be on us? My family is going on holiday the week before Christmas so I'm looking forward to that. But in this post, I'm not talking about what is to come but what has past and a recap of the things I enjoyed this month.
So without further ado, here are my September Favourites!

Books

Kilmeny of the Orchard by L.M Montgomery
My sister and I listened to this as an audiobook and we really enjoyed it. It is a very sweet love story and beautifully written, with lovely springy descriptions. During the first chapter we weren't quite sure if we would carry on but after Chapter 2 we were hooked!
I definitely recommend this book for pretty much all ages. L. M Montgomery really had a talent.

The Noble Servant by Melanie Dickerson
Melanie Dickerson has made her way onto my list of favourite authors for sure. I have a review on my book blog for it so if you want to see my thoughts on it, it's here.



Music

This Beautiful Fantastic Soundtrack by Anne Nitkin ~ For a long time Spotify didn't have this soundtrack and I was disappointed by that. But then the other day I searched for it again and I found it. It has the perfect Springy tunes that remind me of all the lovely plants and flowers in the movie.
I have added some of the tracks to my Spring 2018 playlist.

Poldark Soundtrack ~ Of course! What more can I say? Demelza's songs are lovely and the theme song makes me excited.

Your Wings by Lauren Daigle ~ I saw a lot of people raving about this artist's new album so I listened to it and this song was one of the only ones I liked.
"You got me under your wings, under your wings". A nice song inspired by a lovely scripture!


Love Like This by Lauren Daigle ~ The other song that I  loved from Lauren Daigle's album, Look Up Child, was Love Like This.
"What have I done to deserve love like this?"



Movies

To be honest, I don't have an actual answer to this. You see pretty much all of this month the only thing we have watched was Poldark!
I am enjoying it though. I must also say that it takes a lot in a movie/TV series to make me cry but Poldark has brought me to tears multiple times!
Like when Caroline sees Dwight after Ross rescued him from France!

I couldn't find a picture of that particular scene but this one is just as sweet and beautiful!

Other bits and pieces

- Coffee & Bible Time's latest FREE printable, an In-Depth study on Romans 12:2 (Link here!)

- Snippets of spring: the sight of fluffy pink and white trees bursting out everywhere, daffies and other blooms sneaking out form their cozy holes in the soil to catch the sunlight and the sweet, light scented air.

- Putting flowers in my room. I had no idea how delightful it is to have fresh lovely flowers adorning a nook or cranny of one's room, but it is!

- Period dramas influencing my speech! Wait, is that a good thing? To be talking a bit like a 1700's gal? (Example: Trying to put 'ye' in a sentence and called your siblings 'brother' or 'sister'! Do you get my reference? ((Hint: Drake Carne!))



Anyway, dear wildflowers! I hope you enjoy this rambling, slightly too Poldark influenced post!


xoxo
Hannah

Awwww! They're soooo sweet, I might have a toothache!

My 3 Favourite Poldark Characters

Since I recently started watching this series, I have formed mixed feelings about it and it's characters.
I have quickly chosen which characters I like best and so since I haven't had a rant about period dramas on here for a wee while I thought I would now!

One note I would like to make is that everyone has their flaws and that is certainly true in Poldark. So I admire these characters for their honorable traits.

Verity Poldark

From very early on, Verity impressed me. She is one of those sweet, honorable, innocent souls that just deserves a happily ever after. Ruby Bentall (who in my eyes will always be Minnie from Larkrise to Candleford) plays her and suits the character. It was a little strange to see her in more 'fancy' costumes because in her role as Minnie her wardrobe is limited to her maid outfit and a few simple country dresses.
Verity, at 26, is on her way to becoming the 'old maid' of the Poldark family. That is until a certain Captain comes along! I was glad to see her happily married by the end of Season 1. (Spoiler?)
I like how she is one of the first of the 'upper-class Poldarks' to befriend Demelza after Demelza weds Ross. She is very kind and accepting of Demelza and tries to help her become accustomed to a more upper-class way of living.
Oh, Verity, I look forward to seeing what Season 2 holds for you!






Dwight Enys

First, of, I'd like to note how I believe this actor slightly resembles Dan Stevens/Matthew Crawley. Does he not? (proof right there that I have seen too many period dramas!)
Dwight is similar to Ross in that he cares about helping those less fortunate. He's a good doctor who wants to help the poor.
I look forward to seeing him and Caroline Penvenen meet in the future seasons! In Season 1, Dwight makes a bad mistake but what I do like is how he handled the consequences.
Despite this incident, I believe he is a good character and has some good qualities. (And some dreamy blue eyes, which I always have a weakness for, except in George Warleggan's case. Ugh!)






Demelza Poldark

Demelza, Demelza, dear Demelza! There is sooo much that I love about Demelza and I think it is safe to say that I saved the best for last. From her gorgeous(dyed) red locks to her good stubbornness and love for Ross, Demelza is truly lovely.
She went from a dirty, unrefined, girl who had nearly no manners(and a pathetically cute curtsy) to a decently accomplished lady. A great transformation, thanks to Ross and Verity!
After marrying Ross, she struggled to know where her place was because she was no longer a servant but she didn't feel like she belonged up there with Elizabeth Poldark and the rest.
I love her costumes, simple but still pretty. I much prefer her ballgowns to some other ladies' gowns.
Her hair, even though it is dyed for the role, is beautiful. I love red hair!
What she did for Francis, Elizabeth, and their family when they were sick was very honorable and cost her her own child when she got sick too.
She is selfless and doesn't put on airs after she became higher up the social ladder when she married Ross.


Bonus mention:

Ross Poldark

Though Ross didn't quite make it into my top 3, I still wanted to mention him. He is by no means perfect but what I do admire about him is how he wants justice for the poor and goes out of his way to try and make their lives better.
Despite his social status, he is not puffed up. He loves Demelza even though he still has some feelings for Elizabeth (Grrr!).
The scene where he tells Demelza that their daughter died is very touching! I love the scenes where he seems to forget completely about Elizabeth and shows his affection for Demelza.
(And you have to admit that he is rather dashing! Especially galloping along through the sea wind on his wild, dark horse.)



Now your turn, who do you admire form Poldark?

xoxo
Hannah

Sunshine Blogger Award Tag

Well, I haven't done a tag for a while now so this one was perfectly timed! Thank you, Victoria ( @ Victoria's Book Nook ) for tagging me. I am delighted to do this post!

Rules:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and link to their blog
• List the rules and have the Sunshine Blogger logo present in your post
• Nominate new bloggers and give them 11 new questions to answer

I am just going to answer the same questions as Victoria! :)

1. What was the last movie you watched (and enjoyed)?

Sarah Plain & Tall for the second time! I have a post about it here too!

2. Favourite summer-y food?

Sorbet or nectarines! Sorbet is soo good and more refreshing than ice cream and nectarines are one of my favourite summer fruits.

3. Last adventure you had?

None! Spring is here, so I am getting ready for loads of Summer adventures!

4. Road trips or airplanes?

I have only ever been on an airplane as a three-month-old and though I have been on long trips in the car, I wouldn't call them 'road trips'. But I would go with road trips because the idea of them and going on them with friends and having fun sounds great.

5. What are your dream wedding colours?

Pastel. Pastel something, whether blue, sage green, pink, or lavender. I really love pastels and of course, my wedding would be too!

6. What song have you had on repeat?

L-O-V-E  by JJ Heller

It's a new one by JJ and it's soo soft and lovely!

7. Girly girl or tomboy?

I'll let you figure that one out....!

(And here's my Pinterest board to prove it! )

8. First celebrity crush?

O my! I actually remember this very well! An actor called Cody Linley in a movie I saw when I was like, 8 (It was called Hoot, bit silly really). I've looked at pictures of him now and I honestly don't get what I was thinking!!! 

(The boy on the left....yeah....)

9. Top three favourite blogs?

Wonderland Creek

The Storybook Journal

The Bookshop Barista

To be honest, I am actually really bad at reading other blogger's posts. I either forget or can't sit down and read through them. But I try!

10. How long ago did you start your blog?
Roughly a year ago I think. 

11. How do you feel you've grown since starting your blog?
I have tried many different layouts and designs and found the one I love and which suit my blog best. I have learned that my hands try to type as fast as I think the words and that it results in terrible spelling(credit goes to Grammarly). I'd like to like I write better posts now but that is up to you to decide!

I nominate:

Danielle @ Life is Like a Book

Amaris @ The Storybook Journal

Your questions:

1. The most aesthetic food in your opinion?

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2. Dream dessert?

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3. Your ideal place for a holiday(real or fictional)?

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4. Favourite thing about reading?

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5. Current three favourite Scriptures?

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6. Name the last song you listened to and liked?

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7. What do you most like about blogging?

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8. Movie character you relate to?

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9. Yellow flowers or pink flowers?

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10. A talent you wish you had?

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11. Weirdest food combo you've tried?

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Enjoy!

xoxo

Hannah

My Top 10 Beautiful {Aesthetic} Movies

One thing that always stands out to me in a movie is how it was filmed (the cinematography) and the aesthetics and pretty little details. I decided to make a list of some movies I consider to be very beautiful today. Whether it is the scenery, the time period, the fashion, the cinematography, how they use light in the film, etc. It's going to be hard to choose just ten! I am also putting them in no particular order because that would make things even more challenging.

10. The Light Between Oceans

9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

8. The Greatest Showman

7. Hugo

6. Testament of Youth

5. Cinderella

4. Bright Star

3. The Sound of Music

2. La La Land

1. The Young Victoria

For your information, these collages took forever!!! It was hard to find the right photos to stress my point. These are only the ones I thought of but I'm sure I have seen more. Most period dramas are breath-taking so there are quite a few on this list!
Also because, to me, the period drama style is aesthetically pleasing.

Do you agree with me on these top 10?
Share one of your top beautiful movies!


xoxo
Hannah

Sarah, Plain & Tall: Book vs. Movie

I am delighted today to bring to you my comparing thoughts on a story that has become a dear favourite of mine.
I had seen the movies years ago. Then a few weeks ago I listened to nearly the whole series(except the very last book) on audiobook. I fell in love! The very first book is my favourite and that is the one I will be discussing today.

The Book

Summary from Goodreads:
"Set in the late 19th century and told from Anna's point of view, Sarah, Plain & Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton comes from Maine to the prairie to answer Papa's advertisement for a wife and mother. Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her youngest brother Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay?"


The audiobook I listened to was read by Glenn Close(who plays Sarah in the movies) and she read it really well. She had a different voice for each character and you could even hear smiling in her voice at the appropriate moments.
MacLachlan's writing is addictive and really lovely.
Caleb is my favourite character, besides Sarah, of course. He is curious, bold in asking questions and very cute.

There are five books in total:

1. Sarah, Plain, and Tall
2. Skylark (both from Anna's POV)
3. Caleb's Story(Caleb's POV)
4. More Perfect Than the Moon(Cassie's POV, Spoiler: Cassie is Jacob and Sarah's child)
5. Grandfather's Dance(I have not read this one yet, Cassie's POV)

The Movie

Glenn Close plays Sarah very well in my opinion. She suits the role. She is exactly as she is in the book. Kind, friendly, sea-loving, hardworking, and well...she's Sarah!

Christopher Walken plays Jacob Whitting. Jacob in the movie is rather more dull and grim than the Jacob in the book, and I'll explain more about that later.

Anna and Caleb are played by Lexi Randall and Christopher Bell. Christopher Bell is a very cute boy in the movie and suits his role perfectly.
Caleb is the same in the movie as he is in the book, but Anna is different.

And now these are the differences:

1. In the book, the whole Whitting family greatly anticipates Sarah's arrival and all hope that she will stay. Neither of them has any resentment toward Sarah replacing their previous wife and mother. But in the movie, Anna is unhappy that her father sent for a new mother and takes a little while to adjust. Jacob too, has a hard time letting go of his deceased wife and accepting Sarah to truly help them.
That's the biggest difference between the book and the movie.

2. The Whitting's neighbors, Maggie and Matthew. In the book, Maggie is from a different area of America and so she has a different accent. In the movie, however, she is Dutch or German or something along those lines.

3. This is only a little thing but in the book, they own two dogs, Lottie and Nick. In the movie, there is only Nick.

How cute is he? ♥♥♥

Overall, I think the book is better but whether you watch the movie or read the book you will still get a lovely story.
Have I convinced you to pick up this story for yourself?

xoxo
Hannah

Branching Out

Guess what?
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I have a second blog! Yes, I'm so excited about it.
This new blog is specifically for book reviews and most book-related posts. I'll still post some book tags and such here on Joy & Wildflowers but I just wanted to dedicate a whole blog to book reviews. (Don't ask me why I don't really know myself!)

Link to the blog here. 

Make sure you follow by email and you'll be notified when I post a review!

xoxo
Hannah

Girl Defined Book Review

Oh my goodness! This book! This book is amazing! I almost have no words for it but luckily I have enough to form a book review.
This year I wanted to read more Christian non-fiction and this book was high on my list.
It did not disappoint!

Back Cover Synopsis

"In a culture where airbrushed models and ultra-driven career women define beauty and success, it's no wonder we have a distorted view of femininity. Girl Defined offers a distinctly God-centered view of beauty, femininity, and self-worth. Based firmly in God's design for our lives, this book invites us on a liberating journey toward a radically better vision for femininity--one that ends with the kind of hope, purpose, and fulfillment we've been yearning for."

Everything! Honestly, this book was amazing and so helpful. It's hard to find the words to describe it. It really gave me a new perspective on godly femininity, which I am all for! Godly femininity the way these ladies go about it and uncover it is so beautiful and makes you really inspired. We, women, have a purpose and a great God who designed us different from men for a reason.

Here are a few quotes that I loved:

"Be the woman who inspires change in others through your obedience to God." -Girl Defined

"Love is an action, not a feeling." -Girl Defined

"The most successful women actively strive to merge their earthly work with their eternal value." 

-Girl Defined

It's a great book, girls! I had no problems with anything. They base their points on scripture and everything they have learned is from their experiences and the scriptures.

Here's a blurb from inside the book: "Girl Defined challenges girls to question 'normal' and think through what will ultimately bring them the most satisfaction in life." -Jessie Minassian, author of  Crushed, Unashamed and Backwards Beauty

There! Please read it now!

All women. All women of all ages. From like 14-99! Every woman, in every stage of life, should know what it means to be a woman.

I highly recommend this book, if you couldn't tell and I hope I have convinced you to go and pick it up.

Girl Defined blog & website

Buy the book

xoxo

Hannah