Admiration, Love, and Matrimony

      Oh dear! I'm so happy I can't even seem to find the words to put down (and let me tell you that is very happy). First off there is no way in which I can elegantly put what I need to say, so I might as well state them out right. I do believe I have found my Mr. Darcy! Which has forever been on my list of 'Things To Do Before I Die' but I never assumed I would actually find one so soon. In truth I have known him for quite some time (We've been dear friends since we were but seven year of age.) but I never so much as let my heart dream....
      Honestly I feel quite silly because I am only sixteen and far from thinking about anything but friendship but as Jane says, " A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment." Right now all I can see are his beautiful brown eyes and I just know he's to be Mr. Darcy someday .   

Dresses and Lace

         This weekend was simply vexing for me. Everyone seemed to be in ill humor and lacking in wits. There were numerous occasions in which I had to defend my dignity and honor or the character of others. It made me think about how all to many of us tend to believe whatever crosses our path. It is sad to say that most of these rumors we do hear tend to be far from the truth and most always to more harm than good. (And on top of it all I had no internet so I couldn't even visit my favorite blogs!) To get my mind off of the trials around me I decided I was going to go on an adventure. My journey is to be one into the fashion and style of Regancy clothing. My mother and I did quite a bit of researching I settled on the material in which I am to make it. However, I still cannot settle on the particular style of my dress.

I'm torn between styling it after this gown.



And this dress.

Oh discisions decisions. (And yes I am very much addicted the Pride and Prejudice costumes....) 

Pride versus Prejudice

Today I got into a debate with another Jane Austen lover over which Jane Austen movies are the best. After a good hour or so (I take the words, "Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion." -Pride and Prejudice to heart) the selection had been narrowed down to the 1995 BBC production and the 2005 Joe Wright movie.   The first staring Collin Firth and Jennifer Ehle was in my favor (Who else can play Darcy so perfectly?) where as the second, staring Keira Knightley and Mathew MacFadyen was my opponent. For me this seemed like an easy win.

 I have nothing against Keira Knightley in the least (Her acting in the Pirates Of the Caribbean was amazing!) nor do I have much against MacFadyen (except maybe the fact that he's not Collin Firth) but the all around portrayal of Pride and Prejudice was splotchy and un polished.  

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On the other hand the BBC production is not even a fraction away from perfect. I do not believe Jennifer Ehle could have portrayed Ms. Lizzy Bennet any better than she did. All her facial expressions, tone of voice, and character basically fits Austen's character to a tee. 

Then we come to my favorite subject, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Collin Firth was splendidly superb in his acting out the prideful, rich, yet lovable gentleman. However, I do think that watching the great estate of Pemberley come into view helped to concrete my choice of this particular Mr. Darcy.  

As to all the other wonderful actors in the 1995 production, their parts where played to the notes and rhythm of Jane's writing and I do not think Jane herself could have produced and better cast. As to wondering who won the debate...it was a tie. Neither one of us could be swayed from our opinion which is truly fitting for someone who loves Jane Austen. 

 “There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.” -Pride and Prejudice 

Pemberley

Oh how true these words are: I'd rather be at Pemberley. This was exactly what I thought this morning as I woke up to another unusually cold day. The fact that it's May and only 50 degrees didn't help my mood and now I seem to be permanently vexed for the day. Hopefully reading a small bit of Emma before school will help though. However, I know while I'm sitting there doing figures and arithmetic that I'll be dreaming of though's warm fires, spacious grounds, and the dashing owner of Pemberley. 

Definitely dreaming of Pemberley....

Lacking ALL of Propriety

I will have to admit...this is one of the BEST parts in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice production. 

Window Seat Musings

Today is turning out to be absolutely perfect. I awoke to rain instead of sunshine and cold instead of warm. That gave me the perfect excuse to slip into pair of jeans and comfy large sweater, sit on my large window seat, and read. Right now I decided to re-read Emma and I'm once again hit by the brilliancy of Jane. At the moment I just finished reading the section where Emma wants to take an image of Harriet and with the help of Mr. Elliot convinces her to sit for a portrait. Of course I can't help but laugh because Emma reminds me of one of my closest friends. Just this weekend she had me sit outside while drawing a portrait of me, all the while talking about who was now dating who, why so and so had broken up, and hinting about a certain someone who couldn't seem to take there eyes off of me at the latest horse show. I really am debating getting her to read Emma or not because I'm actually scared she would get to many ideas from dear Jane's words. On the other hand I will simply sit here and enjoy Mr. Knightley's speech about a not so unfortunate farmer...

A Sense of Propriety

Yes I realize that most 'normal' teens do not read books written by someone who lived in the 18th century. But then again most teenage girls do not call their parents on the phone and tell them to 'make haste'. 

          Actually it was not but last week when I was grounded from reading any Jane Austen novels because I ran into the drawing room (living room) crying "Make haste, make haste," and when asked what had aroused such an outcry I answered with, "I am simply vexed by the lack of propriety in this modern era of society." So now I must learn how to speak in modern English once again which has no appeal to me. Why would you want to use words like 'swag' and 'legit' when you can use much more elegant and sophisticated words? 

        I honestly can not tell you.