What we've been watching...

What we've been watching...

Usually when we purchase a new movie for our extensive video/DVD collection here at home, we find the price often outweighs the value of the purchase. However, recently we acquired a mini series, one that has literally sucked away all our extra time, as hubby couldn’t wait to begin another two-hour episode, one of many included in the five-disc set. Obviously then, this series was well worth the monetary value considering the ongoing saga it provided for us in the way of entertainment. smile

The film I'm going to write about here is the award winning adaptation of John Jake’s; “North and South”, a sweeping and incredible star studded glorious epic in the tradition of “Gone with the Wind”. The story begins with Book I called “North and South", encompasses these two close-knit families, one a family of northern industrialists; the Hazard family of Pennsylvania, the other being the Main family, owners of a southern plantation. They both strive to hold their friendship together while their nation is being torn apart.

Book II; “Love and War” opens in 1861 and continues the families’ story against the dramatic backdrop of the war. The carefully filmed battle scenes are sure to please Civil War buffs.

Book III; “Heaven and Hell” opens later with the introduction of the westward expansion and how it affected native Indians, as well as the freedom the slaves were afforded and the KKK movement. The hatred, prejudice, and greed that tear at the fabric of a nation also threaten to destroy the threads that have woven these two families together after the war.

In all, 140 actors, numerous extras, 100 production workers, 8,700 pieces of wardrobe and 15,000 decorations and hand props were used in the five month, five state location shoot that brings history, and gripping drama thrillingly alive!

During the day I could find my hubby in the library, reading and researching all he could find there on the US Civil war, slavery, famous figureheads, and all the other areas brought to light in this moving epic mini series. The children were watching their father’s sudden great interest in history, often joining him in a history sitting and oral discussion together. By evening, he was ready to begin the next session to absorb, watch and learn for his next research day in the library (wink), thus is one of the main reason this blog has suffered its usual updates. Overall however, we are great history buffs, often found searching and seeking out places or things of interest nearby, finding a great book to add to the already well stocked library, perhaps another film to watch from a different viewpoint, or simply gathering a continual timeline of characters, those who lived and breathed during those days, surviving the history unfolding we now must look to other sources to gather information from. This past week, civil war uniforms came to the forefront, the biographies of General Robert Lee and Ulysses Grant are on the coffee table.

One other area I find extremely interesting is my own genealogy presents and encompasses my entire mother’s side of the family being born and raised in the south. She herself was born in Virginia, and to this day, calling her a Yankee would be a terrible insult. One just doesn’t throw names out such as that in this day and age.

I can remember being just a young gal, spending an entire month in my grandmother’s home, catching fireflies, saying “yes maam” and “no sir”, melting from the heat and humidity, and attending a very large family reunion in North Carolina. Just knowing all those people present were related to one another or me – was simply amazing for my young mind to comprehend at that time. Many obviously had other family, or were progeny from families living during the times of the American Civil War, perhaps owning a slave or two in their day even, who knows? Who knows, living in the east and being so much closer geographically might offer an opportunity to travel south some day to gather information and learn history first hand by visiting my relatives there.

At the end of the disc set, we watched the special previews with the actors/actresses twenty years later speaking of the filming and personal researching they themselves had to accomplish to offer accurate portrayals of the characters. Patrick Swayze did a great job of playing Orry Mains, a southern gentleman in real life. In the movie they excluded the book version of losing half an arm in the war with Mexico, rather losing part of a leg instead, so if you’re a reader and happen upon the three books themselves, this may seem off in the movie when watching later on. James Read plays the role of George Hazard, also excellent, offering the portrayal in its entirety, that of the American Civil War from the North’s perspective when all is said and done. Just as the movie “Gone with the wind” offers viewers the perspective of the South’s perspective, both can go hand in hand for a well-rounded viewpoint, with characters as colorful and ingenious as the next.

We very much enjoyed the star studded cast, everyone from James Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, Jean Simmons, Lesley Anne Downe, Robert Guillame, Gene Kelly, Robert Mitchum, Johnny Cash, Terri Garber, Kirstie Alley, David Carradine, Jeanie Francis along with many, many others. In addition, as the entire saga came to its completion, hubby declared it was time to begin it all over again…

NOT yet though, as I have two more films to open up for viewing.

One is titled; "Love's Abiding Joy" by Janette Oke, the fourth installment of Janette Oke's series so far available for sale in stores. We love this series by Micheal Landon Jr., following the family through the years as well in a pioneer time period.

The other is titled, "Therese", a Leonardo Defilippis film, someone we've met over the years at conventions. This is the true story, a beautiful two hour retreat, hardly a dry eye in the movie theater when it was showing. An extraordinary girl with an extraordinary soul!

Until next time...when we finally capture the next season of "The Waltons" then...

Ironing skills come in handy.

Life Skills come in handy!

It’s the modern age, at least for the Girl Guide/Brownie ease of getting those well-earned badges onto their sashes! Not all badges offer the simplicity of using a hot steamy iron to secure them onto the member’s sash; however it sure makes life simpler when the young gals are able to participate in this endeavor. A few others still require various colors to match the badge, sewn into place with a needle and thread; however life has become so much easier with regards to this duty.

Now, if only the Boy Scouts would follow suit and offer iron on badges, I would have to hand sew less and allow them to assist in the responsibility of getting them onto their sashes and camp blankets too.

On another topic, Brownies were celebrating their own kind of Mardi Gras this week with mask making activities and lots of fun crafts. How do you like her mask?

Fun!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's here already, the day cupid flew and used his arrow to attract attention to my hubby and I, that we were destined to be together. Thirty years later, I still remember that night well ! *smile*

Sorry for the lack of blog postings lately, but things have been ultra busy here in the east. I have many writings in progress and pictures are uploaded to the computer, all are ready to be posted as soon as I have a few moments to do it. Stay tuned!

Offering you our love and hugs this day, sending you special greetings on Valentine Day.

Words of wisdom coming to mind today are;

"Love is patient, love is kind and envies no one.

Love is never boastful, nor conceited,
nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offense.

There is nothing love cannot face;
there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and endurance.

In a word, there are three things that last forever:
Faith, Hope and Love, but the greatest of them all is love."

Through the eye of a painter....

As the days go by, our resident artist continues to enjoy cogs rolling for creating possible future works of art. As all our ceilings are nine feet high in this home, our walls look stark and bare in some spots, so he plans to gather and purchase those necessary supplies to use once his art easel is perched up in the window of the guest bedroom.

Driving to the city for specialist appointments often feels like it takes forever to arrive there. Our handy dandy DVD player on the vehicle's ceiling suffices when necessary, for viewing both educational or entertainment videos.

DVD player assist with longer drives.

While driving home from the city yesterday, my hubby grabbed my faithful digital camera and began to shoot photos from the eye of an artist, looking for the perfect scene to inspire him in getting his artistic endeavors off the ground again.

With the exception of a sudden darkened sky from a swift moving snow squall, we've had sunny skies all week long. This day was no exception, sunny and delightful, but cold as heck at -15 degrees all day long. No wind kicked up, so I can just imagine what it would feel like if it did.

STOP!

Around this are of the country, stop signs are much higher than normal, as the snow surrounding them gets higher and higher with passing snowploughs rolling by. My dashboard doesn't help when looking for the big picture here though.