Literature

The book Mother bought me on literature is fabulous.  It is called American Literature and it summarizes what was going on in the continent of North America, mostly in the United States, and then gives a short biography on authors of the time, and then usually gives excerpts from the authors.  They are truly fascinating and have broadened my horizons.  It is very informative, and therefore thick with small print - but worth persevering in, especially for those who love books, as I do.  I highly recommend it.  It has many worthwhile selections from excerpts from Moby Dick to short stories from Nathaniel Hawthorne to pieces of John Smith's autobiography to plays from Philip Barry to poems from Robert Frost.

The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And, sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though, as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that made all the difference.

~Meggy

Who's on first base - naturally!

Even though I took a nap, I'm feeling awful drowsy - having a cold and all.  I can still smell the chicken roasting in the oven, though.  But I don't really feel like eating chicken.  Don't feel like eating anything.  Which is bad - which is really, really bad.  It means I'm actually sick, and I'm learning about taking pictures of wildlife tonight!  I can't be drowsy and inattentive!  I hate to, but perhaps I'll sing take my Mother's special tonic.

This is just the thing to cheer me up though:

Enjoy!

~Meggy

A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt

Have you ever read the play by Robert Bolt which he titled A Man for All Seasons?  I think it's quite good, although Robert Bolt's comprehension of the situation was somewhat lacking, since he was not Roman Catholic and so couldn't understand what Thomas More stood for, nor what England was breaking away from.  I think this gives Bolt an impersonal and unbiased place to stand, not being Catholic but admiring More all the same.  King Henry VIII's motives were obviously not noble, honorable, or applaudable - there were many ways he could have produced an heir besides illegally remarrying.  Catherine, his first wife, had a daughter afterall.  I suppose that could have still caused an uproar, but his actions in place of this caused an uproar even still.

~Meggy

Frozen Peanut Butter Cheesecake

1/3 cup of butter
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups of crispy rice cereal

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup of peanut butter
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of whipped topping

1/2 cup of chocolate fudge sauce


In a saucepan or small pot, melt butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring.  When the melted chocolate is smooth, mix in the crispy rice cereal until coated.  In a pan of 9 inch diameter, press the chocolate-coated cereal onto the bottom and sides.  (I suggest using a sheet of wax paper, but you can also use a spatula or spoon or knife.)  Chill this in the refridgerator for half-an-hour.  This will be the crust.

While the crust is chilling, beat the soft cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  (Doesn't take very long.)  Gradually, beat in sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter, mixing until smooth.  Stir in lemon juice and vanilla, and then fold in the whipped topping with a spatula.

With said spatula, pour this into the crust.  Drizzle chocolate fudge sauce over the top - less to be aestetically pleasing, more for taste.  Then freeze all this for four hours or more.  Keep frozen until you serve.

Then enjoy!  I recieved a complement for this one.  I don't much like cream cheese, but this was quite good.

~Meggy

Movie Review - Tangled

A Movie Review by Magdalen Aithne Arkwright

A comeback for Disney! Reverting to the old fairytale style, with beauty galore, a must see for all ages!

Think you know the Rapunzel tale forwards and backwards? Rapunzel, as we all know, was locked away in a tower. But have you ever guessed why? An evil stepmother queen maybe. Or maybe she wasn’t royalty but someone framed for a crime. …Or maybe someone wants to keep Rapunzel all to herself because of the magic powers in Rapunzel’s hair. And did you know Rapunzel has seventy feet of hair?!

Well in Disney’s new animated film Tangled she does, and yes, her prince charming does eventually climb it up into her tower. But her “prince charming” comes in the form of an unlikely character, Flynn Rider – a.k.a. Eugene Fitzherbert. “I'll spare you the sob story of poor orphan Eugene Fitzherbert. It's a little bit of a....it's a little bit of a downer.” And he’s come to rescue his new dream from Mother Gothel, an old woman who only wants Rapunzel’s power for herself so that she can go on living for hundreds of years. With help from Maximus, Pascal, and some thugs they met at the Snuggly Duckling, will Mother Gothel’s prize ever be torn from her grasp?

Masterfully done, this movie returns the audience to true love in a way that is not too sentimental, nor too mushy. But it’s not dark, only hilarious! Amusing and enjoyable for all age groups, from the youngest fairytale fan to the oldest Disney watcher, with a refreshing look on the old tale of a maiden locked in a tower – a maiden with long hair.

(Completely appropriate for all ages. No darker than any previous Disney fairytale film.)

My rating: 10/10, 100% satisfaction, A (everyone)!






Originally published April 4, 2011