It's a Classical Life

 Have you ever heard the term "slow literary living"? I think it was Gracie from Austen and Alcotts who used the term and I thought it sounded lovely. It truly encompasses what I hope to achieve in my own life and here on the blog. I imagine it to mean a slow life, inspired by books and literature. I love not only to read about slow and simple living in classic literature, but I also love to hear and be inspired by people who are living a slow and literary life in our modern world.  Living this kind of life is a deliberate choice; it will not happen by accident. It is quite in opposition to how we live our modern lives and requires commitment and determination. We have discussed  knowing ourselves and having a purpose here on the blog, something that has come up in a number of classics discussed here. By knowing what you value you are in a position to commit to these values and make the choices necessary to live the life you want.  We don't necessarily need to rel...

  The last few weeks for me have been incredibly busy as we are preparing to come out of lockdown and return to regular in-school teaching. Getting my own children ready as well as myself and my classes, has been no small chore. It has taken up a lot more time than my allocated "part-time" status suggests. I don't mean to complain, simply state a fact why my posts here have been a bit sporadic (I missed one completely last week!). In amidst all of this busy-ness, one quote kept coming to my mind. Each morning as part of my morning ritual, I read. I often read something spiritual whether that be the Bible or some other spiritual reflections. Part of my reading routine has been Leo Tolstoy's "A Calendar of Wisdom." I have loved this book. Here's what Tolstoy himself says about the book in a letter dated 16 May 1908 to his friend Gusev: "I cannot understand how some people can live without the Calendar. What could be more precious and important than co...

Part of my little Victorian literature collection I started this month on Instagram participating in what is lovingly called #victober. This tag celebrates the diverse and rich history, literature and society of the Victorian era during the month of October. I started the month by reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, then followed that with The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte and A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (the latter is not technically a Victorian novel, but it is certainly imbued with many facets of Victorian ideals, values and social norms.) It has been a while since I have done a History post, and thought I would love to revisit Victorian Britain in a bit more detail here on the blog. I hope to explain here some of the history of this time that has influenced those books, artists and poets that we know and love from this time. There is a lot to love about this time, but there is also a lot that might shock or sadden our modern...

"During the 18th century, art and design in the form of silk, lacquerware and delicately painted porcelain began arriving in Britain from China. Britons became enamoured with the exotic aesthetic of what was considered a mysterious, far-away land. The increasing demand for these Eastern goods led to the development of ‘Chinoiserie’, a desirable style which drew upon the imagery, patterns and textures of these imported goods. ‘Chinoiserie’ permeated many aspects of design, from crockery to wall coverings, furnishing to gardens and became an extraordinarily popular trend."                                                                                          From Museum of London Archaeology Today, I'd like to talk about a lit...

  Today, I am combining two of my great loves: growing my own food and cooking. To me, the two go hand in hand, but I know there are a lot of people out there who don't know where to being with either one of these. So, let's take a little bit of inspiration from the English poet Robert Bridges, and find joy in the making of something.  I thought that we could begin with herbs, as they are some of the easiest things to grow in a kitchen garden and the most versatile to use in the classic kitchen. Now, there are many herbs that you can grow and some are better suited to some climates more than others. I am going to share with you the ones that I have had a success with in my garden and how I love to use them (either fresh or dried) in my kitchen. Before we begin, I should probably tell you that in our house we cook traditional European food, inspired by English, Italian, Greek, French and Spanish cooking. All with an Australian flair of course! So most of the herbs I will talk a...

 In this new series, I am reflecting on a quote from a classic author, poet or novelist, or another small tidbit of inspiration, in just a few lines.The aim is to take inspiration from delicious, bite-sized morsels, without a long, overwhelming blog post. So let's begin with the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius on the topic of work and having a purpose. "In the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present - I am rising to the work of a human being. Why then am I dissatisfied if I am going to do the things for which I exist and for which I was brought into the world? Or have I been made for this, to lie in the bedclothes and keep myself warm? - But this is more pleasant. - Dost thou exist then to take thy pleasure, and not at all for action or exertion? Dost thou not see the little plants, the little birds, the ants, the spiders, the bees working together to put in order their several parts of the universe?" I think we can all sympa...

Yesterday afternoon, after a lovely picnic with my family in the backyard, I sat down and watched The Sound of Music  with my daughter. It was her first time watching this classic, award-winning film from 1965, and the amused and slightly awed look on her face throughout the movie was precious. She said, several times, "this is such a good movie!" I have to agree with her! Do you agree? Perhaps you saw it many years ago, or like my daughter, you've never seen it. Either way, here are a few ways we can draw inspiration from this classic movie.  Have a sanctuary in nature The film begins with Julie Andrews' character, Sister Maria, high in the Swiss Alps singing freely. The hills are, quite simply, her sanctuary. She sings:  I go to the hills when my heart is lonely I know I will hear what I've heard before My heart will be blessed with the sound of music And I'll sing once more I've spoken here on the blog about the importance of having a sanctuary and I s...

Who is Jane Eyre? Ask her and she will tell you, for she knows exactly who she is. Don't ask Mr Rochester, because he has his own, blinkered view of her. Don't ask Mr St. John Rivers, because he doesn't understand her either, or recognise her for her true worth. Ask Jane; she will tell you that she will not be swayed by the opinions of others, nor will she conform or try to be someone she is not.  These days when I read or reread a book, I do it with the mind of not only entertainment but also, as a source of influence or inspiration. How can the book help me to live a more refined life? A classically, simple life full of pleasure, contentment and overall satisfaction. For these are my goals: to be satisfied with how I am living my modest, modern life;  and by having true confidence in who I am and what I believe  without being swept away by societal trends and the current zeitgeist. As I read Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre  it didn't take me long to see what aspect o...