A Great Book and Movie

 

 

 

About a month ago I read Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio and loved it.  Last night I started  her  book, Violets of March, and read until 4:00 a.m. because I couldn't put it down until I knew how it ended.  I enjoyed it even more than Blackberry Winter.  I have my name of the waiting list at my library for her third book, Bungalow.

 

I saw Safe Haven, a movie based on the last Nicholas Sparks book, on Valentine's Day.  It was very good.  The setting was a small NC coastal town and the scenery was beautiful.  The story is not the typical Nicholas Sparks love story and has some violent scenes.  It's probably my favorite of the movies made from his books.



Great Movie!

I've been waiting all summer for Hope Springs to start.  Today was opening day and I went this afternoon.  It was definitely all I had hoped it would be.  The combination of Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones is fabulous.  I don't remember when I laughed so much!  Of course, I loved the scene of their neighbor, Carol, and her three corgis!

I love seeing good movies so let me know if you have seen anything worthwhile recently!



Ocracoke Island

A friend and I drove to Nags Head, NC, last Thursday morning to spend a few nights with another friend.  We decided to get  up early Friday morning, drive south to Hatteras (about 70 miles) and take the 40-minute ferry over to Ocracoke Island.   We drove through a few rain showers on the way but otherwise the weather was beautiful with lots of sunshine and breezes.  The beaches on the island are totally undeveloped and preserved.

We ate lunch at this restauarant and I would highly recommend it if you ever go to Ocracoke.

On the way back  that afternoon, we stopped in Rodanthe to see this cottage that was used in the Nicholas Sparks movie, Nights in Rodanthe.  It is now rental property.

The view from the market.

This morning I participated in the Manteo Market as a vendor. My sales were good and as always, I loved the market.

This mural of Manteo was painted on the wall in the restaurant where we ate lunch. 

The Roanoke Island Inn is about a block from the market.  I'd love  to stay there sometime when I participate in the market but I'm sure it is expensive!

My Trip to the Outer Banks

 I love the sight and sound of the ocean!

I just got back from spending four glorious days in Nags Head, NC, with great friends.  My trip could not have been more perfect!  The temperature was in the 70's most of the time, we ate at great seafood restaurants and I had a successful day of selling at the market on Saturday.

The market was outside in a beautiful waterfront park  in the charming little town of  Manteo.  Manteo has  great shops, old southern homes and very friendly residents.  It is about 15 minutes from  Nags Head and the ocean.

It seemed like everyone who came to the market brought their dog.  The SPCA was sponsoring a "Dog Wash" and it was hilarious to watch all the different breeds  being bathed.

I had breakfast this morning at Mel's Diner in Grandy, NC.  I couldn't resist taking picture of this antique Ford parked in front of it.  It sure seems strange to refer to a car that was popular during my early years as antique.  So, what does that make me?

I'm excited about having dinner tonight with my daughters for Mother's Day.  I hope all of you are having a great day!

Joyful Noise

After school today I took my two granddaughters (ages 12 and 14) to see the movie, Joyful Noise.   I was so happy we could work this in their busy schedules.  This movie is like a breath of fresh air!  The music is beautiful and the combination of Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah is hilarious.

Hope everyone has a restful, fun weekend!  Be sure and see this movie if you have a chance.

The Iron Lady

I've never seen a movie starring Meryl Streep that I didn't love and this one was no exception.  In fact, I think this was my all time favorite!  Meryl does a fabulous job of  playing the role of Margaret Thatcher who was the prime minister of England from 1979-1990. 

I highly recommend this film and would love to hear what you think when you see it!

We Bought A Zoo

I saw this movie over the holidays and it was one of the best I've seen in a while.  Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansen were at their best and the animals were beautiful.  The story is based on a true story about a journalist whose young wife dies and he decides he needs a new start for his family.  It was sad at times but very funny also!

J. Edgar

This past Sunday, my friend and I went to see the movie, J. Edgar. A couple times last week I heard that Leonardo Dicaprio would certainly get an academy nomination for his role in this movie. I was disappointed!  It was interesting in that I remembered most of the historical events that they highlighted, but otherwise, I thought it was slow and boring at times.  Did any of you see J. Edgar and what did you think?

The Way

I saw the movie, The Way, starring Martin Sheen this past week and it was great!  The story is very moving and the scenery is gorgeous!

The following is a review I found on the movie website:

The Way" is a powerful and inspirational story about family, friends, and the challenges we face while navigating this ever-changing and complicated world. Martin Sheen plays Tom, an American doctor who comes to St. Jean Pied de Port, France to collect the remains of his adult son (played by Emilio Estevez), killed in the Pyrenees in a storm while walking the Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of Saint James. Rather than return home, Tom decides to embark on the historical pilgrimage to honor his son's desire to finish the journey. What Tom doesn't plan on is the profound impact the journey will have on him and his "California Bubble Life.”

Sarah's Key

I read  Sarah's Key last winter and went to see the film yesterday.  It was excellent!  Even though the book is fictional, it is based on a sad, dark time in Paris in the 1940's.  The story is very moving and the acting is superb!  Be sure you take your tissues!

And, I had quite a once in a lifetime (I hope) experience today.  The state of Virginia experienced the largest earthquake since the 1800's.  I was dusting  in my dining room and every piece of china in the cabinet started to rattle.  At first I thought it was a large plane since I'm not  far from a major airport.  But I soon realized what was happening.  It actually felt like my house was moving.  There were no injuries or major damages in my area. However. the epicenter was about 50 miles away and there were damages reported in that county but no major injuries.  Several historic brick structures were damaged significantly.

"The Help" Movie

I saw the movie The Help today  and it was one of the best movies I have seen EVER!  I enjoyed the book but I enjoyed the movie even more.  The whole cast was extraordinary.  Two of the main characters were Miss Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard, Ron Howard's daughter) and Skeeter (Emma Stone).  There's doubt that several of the actors will be nominated for awards.  

You might want to take some tissues, I found I needed them a few times.  If you see it, let me know what you think.

Larry Crowne

I went to see  Larry Crowne yesterday with a group of friends.  In spite of the negative reviews, we all thoroughly enjoyed it.  I thought the chemistry between Julie Roberts and Tom Hanks was very entertaining.  It was written and directed by Tom Hanks and reflected his usual straight forward humor.

The Movie "Water For Elephants"

I saw Water for Elephants yesterday and I enjoyed it so much more than the book.  Usually it's the other way around for me, but not this time.  Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson were great!  I expect both will be nominated for Oscars.  A lot of the dark details about the treatment of the animals and the circus workers were left out of the movie and that was a good thing.  Of course, I loved Rosie the elephant!  The setting and costumes for the 1930's Benzini Brothers Circus were very beautiful.

Weekend Projects

Last night I worked on covering this album with the beautiful fabric I got at Hobby Lobby yesterday.  I also found the pink and green tassels that matched it perfectly and I think they give it a finished look. I plan to use it for pictures that I've collected of my friends and family during fun times we've shared at my house. 

A few years ago I made a valance for my friend's black and white bathroom. This weekend I made her two coronets from the leftover fabric to hang on a hat rack that she uses as a towel rack.  These are great for an extra hand towel.  I especially like to display vintage handkerchiefs in them.  I'm hoping to make some for my Etsy shop soon.

This is the same friend who is basking in the sunshine of the beach in Florida right now (earlier post).

I'm going to see True Grit this afternoon.  I am not usually a fan of westerns because I don't like the violence, but I do remember seeing the first True Grit and thinking that it was a fantastic movie.

The King's Speech

Yesterday I went to see The King's Speech and I loved it!  The acting was superb and I won't be surprised if it doesn't get several Oscars this weekend.   The fact that Elizabeth and Margaret had two darling corgis certainly was part of my fascination with the movie. There aren't many movies these days that have any substance to them at all, so seeing something that is entertaining and educational is refreshing!

For Colored Girls (the movie)

My friend and I saw For Colored Girls this week.  Although some parts of it are sad and a bit shocking, the acting is outstanding.  Janet Jackson is especially beautiful and talented in this movie!   The story was originally a Broadway play that was based on a series of  poems, so some of the dialog in the movie is poetry which makes it very interesting! 

Secretariat

A friend and I went to see Secretariat yesterday and it is a great movie.   It was especially interesting to me because Secretariat was born at The Meadow farm in Doswell, VA (Caroline County) which is about 20 miles from my home.

Secretariat was a Triple Crown Winner in the early 70's.  The story of the bond between Penny Tweety, his owner, and this beautiful animal was amazing.