Wordless Wednesday & Silent Sunday

From the Gardens of Samares Manor - July 13th 2011

Submitted to Wordless Wednesdays

Tea Cup Tuesday - Queen Victoria 1897

Welcome to the latest Tea Cup Tuesday post. 

This week I have selected one of my favourites; a commemorative set from the Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897, so this was her Diamond Jubilee.

I can't recall where I bought the teacup and saucer, it might have been the local antique hot spot of the South West of Engand - Honiton. 

A few years later, after buying the tea cup and saucer I saw for sale in Honiton the delightful tea pot stand and the tea pot. I remember thinking it wasn't actually what I wanted; at the time I was looking for saucers and plates to decorate above the picture rail in our lounge, but I knew that if I didn't get them I would regret it. I bought them and they came home with me and now live in our lounge, in a house built the year before the Jubilee in 1897.

Submitted as part of Tea Cups Tuesday hosted by Artful Affirmations

The Reverse Immigrant by Alfred M. Zappala

I have been following the adventures and activities of Alfred via his All Things Sicilian website for about a year or so. I then saw an email by which he mentioned his second book and I was instantly intrigued. I had missed all references to an earlier book. I headed straight over to the web page to read all about them and to purchase a copy of the first book. I also wrote to Alfred to advise that I was planning, once purchased and read, to review his first book, before purchasing the second.

The Reverse Immigrant : Return to my Sicilian Roots was published by Alfred in 2010. It arrived with me across the pond about a fortnight ago and I was impressed, both with writing style and publication quality. Having ordered from the website my copy arrived signed by the author.

The book was clearly written in instalments that have been pieced together; that is not a negative; the book reads like a series of conversations and is like spending time with an old friend.

There is a general mix of Alfred's family, his parents and grandparents and memories of those who have shaped his life, his friends and business, together with his hopes and plans for the future. There is some history and general information of Sicily. There is also factual information and there are the chapters written with humour that made me smile and laugh. There is above all, a deep sense of love for his family, friends and his Sicilian heritage.

Alfred's family history is by no means isolated. It is representative of what thousands of immigrants did. They left their native country with little more that the clothes on their backs and small change, to build a better life in another country. Thousands of Italians and Sicilians walked, yes walked, across their native Country to the coast where they boarded a boat to start their new life. Some walked further, and walked across France to the French coast and boarded boats to England. Some ran out of money and made their lives in England, some worked to earn the money to carry on to America and some went directly to America. Whatever their journey those men, women and children did that to build a better life for themselves and future generations. Having arrived into another country they not always treated well and lived a hard life, all the while thinking of the life and people they left behind, the traditions and values. It is those traditions and memories that have carried on and been passed down to descendants such as Alfred and it those details which appear in this book which is a reflection of the sacrifices made. It is those who are honoured.

I am in complete awe of Alfred's plans; which you may have guessed from the title, is to return to his heritage home in Sicily from the United States. That is not an easy decision to make,even for part of a year, to leave your love ones in order to follow your dreams. I admire Alfred's courage and the love he has for his family and heritage, as he completes a full circle.

The book details if you would like to purchase a copy are:

The Reverse Immigrant : Return to my Sicilian Roots by Alfred Zappala
Published 2010
ISBN - 1881901750
Available from AllThingsSicilian or Alfred Zappala

Book Blogger Hop - Pets!

I haven't taken part in this blog hop for a few months, simply life sometimes gets in the way! Here is this weeks prompt, which is unusually not book related!

"Do you have pets?”

Regular readers of this blog will have met Alfie previously, back in April when he was the subject of A is for ......as part of the A-Z Challenge.

Sleeping in Progress - Do Not Disturb!

Here is he a few weeks ago, never missing a trick to jump up on the bed and head straight back to sleep. I simply had to share; he is such a sweetheart!

Submitted to the Book Blogger Hop

In My Mailbox - Week 8

There has only been one book through the letterbox this week. I have a review scheduled for the Federation of Family History Societies, here in the UK.

And a book through the front door; the reality is the book as been in and out of the front door as I have renewed it at the library several times!

A few book reviews are still to follow, this week, the day job simply overtook everything. So unless it was absolutely essential some things did not happen.

Carnival Of Genealogy 109 - Our Ancestors' Place of Worship!

St Nicholas Church in Guildford Surrey was the venue of my Christening in the late 1960s, that of my Mum in the mid 1940s and my Grandmother in 1913. It was also the venue where my Grandfather's sisters married during the 1930s.

This is the photograph of my late Great Aunt, Dorothy Lilian Butcher upon her wedding to Richard Dick in 1936.

I have a Christening Certificate which was presented to my Mum at my Christening, alas it has the wrong middle name for me and is written as Julie Joyce. Joyce was in fact my Mum's middle name! So either the vicar looked at the register or it was the same vicar!

My Grandfather was Christened at the parish Church in Wanborough in 1908 and prior to that we have almost 250 years of ancestry on my Grandfather's maternal line connected to the beautiful rural Surrey parish of Puttenham, which is the subject of the two photographs below and that of my One Place Study

This is a great photograph, showing the font at Puttenham. How many of my ancestors have been baptised here?  There is rather an amusing story which concerns one of my Ellis ancestors at Puttenham and features this very church.

George Ellis was a blacksmith in Puttenham. He was busy working and a spark caught and set alight a building next door and suddenly Puttenham was in the midst of a fire. The locals rushed to form a human chain between the fire and one of the village wells which was situated in the front ground of the church. The fire was put out and over time the well was covered. It remained covered until Easter Sunday 1972 when during the service a huge noise was heard. Upon leaving the church, it was visible that  a tree that had previously taken root over the spot of the well had completely disappeared into the spot thus locating the hidden well. The well is now visible for all to see and the spot marked with a plaque celebrating its rediscovery after 222 years.

Now, having read the information in the archives for the village I was curious as to how the well had been covered and why no one remembered the spot where it had been situated? So many questions..... and this little story demonstrates how the church was interwoven into the lives of our ancestors.

The Carnival of Genealogy is hosted by CreativeGene

Sunday Salon - Sunday Reflections

I have not posted recently, which is a shame. I have been working on various projects, doing some reading and coping with the day job, which in itself is not difficult, but I have had a further complication and the result of that is my loss of confidence and faith in myself. So, when things get tough, I tend to focus on various hobbies and interests and reading usually plays a part in that.

I am currently writing the reviews for the following recently read books.

I have another book which arrived this week for a review for the Federation of Family History Societies.

I also have four other reviews to post, not to mention a rather large mountain of books to read. I am attempting to not purchase any books. I have not been to the library in ages, although I did ask my Mum to renew a book that I was about to get a fine for and I still want to read. So that needs to be read in the next few weeks.

I am also on the look out for a book club; either virtual or local to me, where we can read and share thoughts and alike. If anyone has any recommendations I would appreciate it.

Overall, I am finding that I am caught up too much in work mode. I am, only a month back from my last holiday in desperate need of another and have until early October to wait. Work will settle down soon hopefully and once it does I will stop bring it home in my head and that will enable me to focus on the other important things of life - mainly my genealogy projects, reading and my beloved husband.

Sunday Stamps - A Collection of Penny Blacks

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Welcome, to the latest Sunday Stamps posting.

I had planned to post a completely different post this week, but then this morning, whilst reading the paper; The Western Daily Press dated 27th August 2011, I spotted the following picture of a collection of Penny Blacks. The collection sold at an auction in Sherborne in Dorset for £2,400. A rather impressive set. I was though, slightly surprised that they didn't sell for more.

Western Daily Press 27th August 2011

Submitted as Sunday Stamps hosted by Viridian's Postcard Blog

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History - Wk 35 - Weddings

Week 35: Weddings. Tell us about your wedding. You may also talk about your future wedding, the wedding of a relative or shape this question to fit your own life experience.

This challenge runs from Saturday, August 27, 2011 through Friday, September 2, 2011.

This week's post is very thought provoking, as we have just celebrated our 17th Anniversary. So I have just spent a lovely hour looking back through our photograph albums and having a walk down memory lane.

Here are a few photos of our special day.

Looking back through our photograph collections. Here are a few heritage ones.

This is my Mum as a bridesmaid in 1960 at the wedding of her cousin Janet Downes to Michael Newman. The marriage took place at Stoke Church at Guildford Surrey.

Here is the wedding of my late Great Aunt, Rose Butcher to Ernest Marshall in 1931. The wedding took place at St Nicholas Church Guildford Surrey.

Weekend Cooking - An Old Cookbook with a Difference

I often spend an hour or two reading the newspapers over the weekend. Sometimes, I strike it lucky with some amusing or interesting article that catches my eye. Here is a recent find

Published 13 August 2011 in Western Morning News

Hopefully, the story can be read from here, but the brief synopsis is that the lady pictured discovered the old book, published 260 years ago, in 1747, whilst clearing her late mother's home. The book is titled "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy" by Hannah Glasse. From reading a description of one of the recipes, they are anything but plain and easy. There is even medicinal recipes included.

Weekend Cooking is a weekly event and hosted by Beth Fish Reads

Postcard Friendship Friday - From Wales 1970 to Cornwall 2011.....

Last weekend I spent an hour or two catching up on a small pile of newspapers, having a read. I like to ponder over the amusing articles that I might find. Here is one that I thought would make an interesting submission for Postcard Friendly Friday.

Published in the Western Morning News 19 August 2011

Hopefully the article can be read, but a brief synopsis is, the postcard was posted in North Wales on 17 April 1970 and was addressed to Mr & Mrs Keat of Butts Cottage Blisland which is in North Cornwall. The postcard was delivered to the current owners on August 4th, 2011. The senders of the postcard were JR & PG Rowe who resided in Whitecross, of which there are two in Cornwall. Interesting, Royal Mail suggested that it had not been in the postal system for 40 odd years,but......

Submitted as part of Postcard Friendship Friday hosted by The Best Hearts are Crunchy

Simple Pleasures - Phone Boxes

A simple pleasure for me is finding some time to read the local newspapers and enjoy some of the more wacky and interesting bits of news. Well, here is an article from the local regional newspaper from a few weeks ago. This article is looking at the new lease of life that the familiar UK phone boxes get. This is part of a scheme run by BT (British Telecom), called the Adopt a Kiosk Project. This particular phone box is in the Somerset parish of Westbury-sub-Mendip where it has been turned into a library.

Western Morning News - 31st July 2011

Simple Pleasures is hosted by A Collection of This & That

Wordless Wednesday & Silent Sunday

From the gardens of Samares Manor 13th July 2011

Submitted to Wordless Wednesdays

Tea Cup Tuesday - Tea In the Garden!

A week or two ago we went to a local store, a kind of low key department store. Having a wander around and I spotted these and thought they would make an excellent post for Tea Cup Tuesday! In my mind I can see them planted with red Geranium's and wish now that I had bought them!

More regular tea cups will resume next week!

Submitted as part of Tea Cups Tuesday hosted by Artful Affirmations

In My Mailbox - Week 7

Welcome to the latest post of In My Mailbox hosted by The Story Siren. I have been absent for several months and now feel rejuvenated.

My current reads are:

The Jersey book was purchased on our holiday last month and was very interesting. A review is coming over the next week or so. 

This book was spotted on the AllThingsSicilian website and immediately appealed to me. The book arrived during the week and I was unable to not start the book. A review will follow in due course. Having ordered and paid for the book I emailed the author and advised him that I am planning a review.

I have a busy week ahead, both on the work front and catching up on some book reviews, long overdue. Thankfully this coming weekend is a holiday weekend in the UK, the last before Christmas!

Sunday Stamps - International Stamp Exhibition May 1980

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Welcome, to the latest Sunday Stamps posting.

This weeks stamp was produced in the UK in 1980 for the International Stamp Exhibition. For some reason it was always one of my favourites.

Submitted as Sunday Stamps hosted by Viridian's Postcard Blog

Weekend Cooking - Recipics

Welcome to the latest Weekend Cooking post. I had in my mind, my posting for this week all composed and structured, then, whilst in bed this morning with my early morning cup of tea I nipped onto the Apple Apps store to see what new ones had been released. I spotted Recipics, which is described as a "21st Century Recipe Scrapbook", and suddenly my Weekend Cooking post changed.

A quick download from the Apps store and initial glances it looks good. An application where you can photograph your recipes from cookbooks, magazines, newspapers. Upload them to the application and then share amongst friends using Facebook and Twitter.

I had a quick play and photographed a few recipes from my recipe notebook.

Developed by The Appstillery, a company based in Scotland. The application is free and can be used on both  iphone and ipad.It also seems to be available for Android smart phones.  HERE is the website to the Recipics.

Weekend Cooking is a weekly event and hosted by Beth Fish Reads

National Lemonade Day!

glitter-graphics.com

Today is National Lemonade Day! So, I thought I would share my Grandmothers very simple recipe.

Casting my mind back to the summers of my childhood, there was the delicious home made lemonade, which sat in the larder in a large heavy 1930s china jug decorated with summer flowers. The jug has long since gone but the recipe lingers on and will be made today I think, a lovely summers day in England.

The recipe is simple.

Add sugar to a jug, to taste

Cut 1 or 2 lemons 

Add boiling water to the jug and stir

Place in the fridge until cold

Postcard Friendship Friday - Franco - British Exhibition 1908

I love to collect commemorative things. It really all started when we bought our late Victorian house and we wanted to decorate the house with some plates and alike from the Victorian age. We then spotted some plates and saucers that were made to commemorate the Jubilees of 1887 & 1897 for Queen Victoria and suddenly an obsession was born. Gradually we acquired small items that were produced to celebrate a particular event and this postcard is one of those items. 

Produced for the Franco - British Exhibition, held in London England in 1908.

Notice, how the sender has fixed the stamp to the front of the card, rather than the back.

Submitted as part of Postcard Friendship Friday hosted by The Best Hearts are Crunchy

Simple Pleasures - Happy Memories & Sharing them!

When I was about 3 years old, I remember being given a penny UK stamp in a matchbox by my Grandfather.  After then, every time the postman visited with a stamped letter I was given the stamp which I added to the matchbox. I still have those original stamps, mixed in, to what became a childhood collection that I actually still have. Every now and again I pull them out and contemplate selling them, but something stops me. Perhaps it is the link to my childhood and happy memories of my Grandfather.

So, I was delighted to recently find a weekly meme called Sunday Stamps whereby, I might share a stamp or two before I seriously think about parting with my childhood collection for someone else to enjoy.

Then a sudden thought occurred to me. In Australia, I have a cousin with two children, and perhaps they would like the stamps and albums. I dropped my cousin an email and I was delighted, actually, it is my simple pleasure for this week, that her children would like my collection, that can be joined to their Mum's childhood collection. Therefore I plan to share over the coming months as part of that meme my collection then package them ready for my trip next year, where the collection will be place in the hands of their owners, for them to enjoy.

So, in essence, my simple pleasure is that I have had many years of enjoyment from the collection, built on a beautiful memory of my Grandfather and I will get to pass on that memory and treasure to two very special young people. What could be more of a pleasure than that?

Here is my very favourite photo of my Grandfather, the person responsible for starting the hobby in the first place. This is taken during the Second World War, when he was stationed in West Africa.

Simple Pleasures is hosted by A Collection of This & That

She Writes Blog Hop Number 6!

She Writes

Blogging about Books and Writing Blog Hop

Over at She Writes, Meg who hosts the 1st Books blog thought it would be great to host another online Blog Hop as a get to know you event - great idea! So here's the deal:

• Add your own blog using the Linky, leaving a description of your blog
• Add a post on your own blog by way of introduction
• Visit the other blogs and leave comments!

Welcome to Anglers Rest, where I describe my blog as The Rambling Obsessions of a Fisherman's wife! ~ a real assortment, with snippets of genealogy,books, cross stitching, scrap booking, web pages and general ramblings. Really the blog reflects the two big obsessions in my world, reading and books and genealogy, and if I can merge my two obsessions so much the better!  Have a browse!

To see the original post on Meg's website click HERE

Wordless Wednesday & Silent Sunday

Samares Manor 13th July 2011

Submitted to Wordless Wednesdays