Hello and welcome to today’s post. I must admit that I have gone a bit mad over earrings lately. As I already have several layers of them in my jewellery box, I really don’t need any more, but I love hunting for earrings that complement my outfits and scarves.
Anyway, here are my most recent purchases…
Ionic column earrings by Meg on Ko-fi.com
With my love of the art and architecture of the ancient world, I really fell for these earrings. I bought the gold version and will wear them with suitable scarves such as Au Royaume d’Helios and Sous le Charme d’Orphée, which show scenes from Greek mythology…
Au Royaume d’Helios by Hermès
Sous le Charme d’Orphée by Hermès
I have also ordered two pairs of earrings in the John Franklin Jewellery sale. They haven’t arrived yet, but I will show you them anyway. It was so difficult to choose as all the earring designs are gorgeous and some have matching necklaces too!
Hummingbird earrings by John Franklin Jewellery
I thought that these hummingbirds would echo their friend in my Hermès shawl: Le Jaguar et le Colibri!
Le Jaguar et le Colibri shawl by Hermès
The second pair will be worn with several of my blue scarves and clothing…
Welcome to this week’s Reading Roundup. Last week, I wrote about A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, #01 Teixcalaan. This proved to be an absolute 5 star read. Well, the book I am writing about this week is the sequel…
A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine
It has taken me all week to read this book because of its complexity: A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine #02 Teixcalaan. Here is the blurb…
“An alien terror could spell our end.
An alien threat lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is supposed to win a war against it.In a desperate attempt to find a diplomatic solution, the fleet captain has sent for an envoy to contact the mysterious invaders. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass – both still reeling from the recent upheaval in the Empire – face an impossible they must attempt to negotiate with a hostile entity, without inadvertently triggering the destruction of themselves and the Empire.Whether they succeed or fail could change the face of Teixcalaan forever.”
To be honest, I am in awe of the author, Arkady Martine. She pulled off something quite spectacular with this book. Anyway, this is my response on Goodreads:
Wow! What an amazing book! It was even better than the first one in the series. So very complex with the story being told from a range of interweaving points of view, including that of a child (and what a child!). Now I have staggered my way to the end of the duology (is that a word?), I really hope that Martine continues to set her books in this amazingly realised world. There must be more stories to tell. There’s this amazing child’s story after all.
I really don’t know how any other book can follow after this!
Welcome to today’s post. I have been rather unwell this week so have spent my days in bed wearing pyjamas. On a couple of occasions I have managed to go downstairs to watch a programme on TV with my Lovely Husband, but even this has been very tiring.
Looking out of our back bedroom window has been lovely. I really enjoy watching the changes in our garden as we move into Spring, especially the daffodils. They are my favourite flower as they cheer me up so much!
But… the golden thing in the title of this post is not a daffodil, or a piece of jewellery, for that matter. It is this…
Screenshot from @archeohistories on X – accessed 26/03/24
Isn’t that tree glorious? I have a lovely Swarovski necklace inspired by the ginkgo leaf…
Ginkgo necklace – Swarovski
This is an outfit with my Hermès’ Daimyo Princes du Soleil Levant scarf and the necklace:
Outfit of the day 26/02/21 with Hermès’ Daimyo
And here is a larger image of the scarf. You can clearly see the ginkgo leaves:
Welcome to this week’s post. Since I retired from work because my health collapsed, I have taken great comfort from my reading habits. I decided to track all of the books on the Goodreads website and also on this blog. This is just as well because I had a stroke back in 2019 which has affected my memory. I now struggle to remember what I have already read, which is quite devastating for a former librarian!
I am not a book reviewer. Writing long insightful responses to books is not one of my skills. I tend to read for escapism and look for great plots that will help me immerse myself in another world, away from my worries and stress. So, what I write after finishing a book is usually a quick first impression before my poor short term memory erases large chunks from my brain. What visitors will get here is my reaction to a fairly wide range of books: fantasy, science fiction, thrillers, crime, historical etc. You definitely won’t find grand literature!
So, with all of that in mind, let’s look at last week’s book…
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
The book was A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, #01 Teixcalaan. This was another of my random choices from a very low price offer. Here is the blurb:
“In a war of lies she seeks the truth . . .
Ambassador Mahit Dzmare travels to the Teixcalaanli Empire’s interstellar capital, eager to take up her new post. Yet when she arrives, she discovers her predecessor was murdered. But no one will admit his death wasn’t accidental – and she might be next.
Now Mahit must navigate the capital’s enticing yet deadly halls of power, to discover dangerous truths. And while she hunts for the killer, Mahit must somehow prevent the rapacious Empire from annexing her home: a small, fiercely independent mining station.
As she sinks deeper into an alien culture that is all too seductive, Mahit engages in intrigues of her own. For she’s hiding an extraordinary technological secret, one which might destroy her station and its way of life. Or it might save them from annihilation.”
This proved to be an incredibly accomplished first novel and I am so pleased that I stumbled across it. This is my response on Goodreads:
A fascinating and complex book. It’s quite amazing for a first book. The world building was excellent, although the complicated social system was difficult to grasp at first. There were interesting and very intriguing elements, such as the implanted brain machines. The main character comes across as highly intelligent and very likeable.
I will admit that it took me a while to become immersed in the book, due to the complexity, but it was well worth any effort. The plot gathers pace throughout and led nicely to a second book, which I am now also enjoying!
I hope Martine continues to develop her ideas and her writing skills – can’t wait to read what she comes up with next!
Yes, I gave it the full five stars and bought the sequel straight away! I am now really enjoying that and will tell you about it next week, all being well.
Well, I have been struggling with writing this post for months now. In recent years I have compiled a full scarf profile, which I call “Scarf of the Moment”, very quickly after I have purchased an Hermès scarf. It takes me quite a long time to do this, but I enjoy the process. With this one, however, there have been so many real life events that have got in the way. I have had to write some complex and important pieces for serious purposes, so updating my blog has not been my priority.
I really want to do this wonderful design justice! So, let’s begin…
Hermès fans will know that prices for their scarves and shawls have been steadily rising over the past few years. In 2020, I managed to save up for one cashmere/silk shawl, Plumes en Fête, but didn’t plan on getting another in this expensive format. Then a new design for Autumn/Winter 2023 appeared on The Purse Forum and I fell in love! It took ages for the right colourway to appear on the UK site and I had almost given up…
When this showed up…
Le Jaguar et le Colibri shawl, designed by Montserrat Gonzales-Lugo, 140cm cashmere/silk, colourway #07 Marine, Rouge, Rose, Ref: H243919S 07.
Le Jaguar et le Colibri by Montserrat Lugo for Hermès
Description
On lifting the scarf out of the orange box and carefully unfolding it, the beautiful colours and design take my breath away. My immediate impression is of a multi-coloured feline lying lazily on a navy background, surrounded by flowers. A hummingbird hovers in the top left corner, shimmering with many jewel shades. The central part of the shawl is bordered by a colourful pattern of interlocking geometric shapes.
My version of the shawl, #07, has most of the flowers, buds and leaves in a lovely mid blue, with a few picked out in red. They are all outlined, first in navy then also with a deep yellow that stands out against the rich navy background. The Jaguar lies across the centre of the design, watching the viewer with amber eyes. The animal’s skin is decorated with a coat of many colours: pink, red, orange, green, blue, brown and white, with a multitude of shapes: triangles, rectangles, circles, and flowers, reminiscent of a beautiful mosaic. In the top left corner, a hummingbird flies, again depicted in multiple patterns to show the feathers.
The whole amazing design is surrounded by a wide mosaic border in a different style, with the coloured shapes combining into intricate patterns. Hermès Paris is spelled out on this border and the artist’s signature can be seen on the background. There is also a gorgeous contrast hem. From a distance, the warm shades of red and pink stand out on the border and the two creatures. This shawl is a riot of colour and form!
Colourways
These are the colourways for the Autumn/Winter 2023 cashmere/silk, 140cm shawls. I have added in the codes to help those of you who may wish to purchase a shawl.
Here are some closeups of my scarf in a slideshow format:
How I wear the shawl
As I have not owned the shawl for very long, I have not had much opportunity to wear it. I have, however, taken photos to show a variety of scarf knots (see the next section). Below are two images that I took a few weeks ago. I think that I will mainly wear the shawl against a navy background to showcase the wonderful colourful design. In my wardrobe I have jumpers and tops, jeans and trousers, and a wool dress which would all work.
Outfit of the day 29/12/23 with Hermès’ Le Jaguar et le Colibri shawlOutfit of the day 25/12/23 with Hermès’ Le Jaguar et le Colibri shawl
I have created a collage to show some of the clothing and accessories I might wear with the shawl…
Le Jaguar et le Colibri – possible clothing and jewellery
Scarf ties
I have knotted this scarf in a variety of ways – apologies for the poor quality of the photos.
The ties are: Top L to R: weave knot, half-bow knot, and a draped bias fold. Bottom L to R: two versions of a cowboy knot, and a criss-cross knot. I used a MaiTai horn shawl ring for two of these ties.
Le Jaguar et Le Colibri – selection of shawl ties
Background information
I tried to find some detailed information about the designer of the shawl, Montserrat Lugo, but there does not seem to be anything worth posting here. Please let me know if you find anything suitable.
There is an excellent video made by Hermès fan “cranleyplace” which describes the shawl. This video has information about the designer as well as a detailed review of the shawl itself. It includes a fascinating section about the influence of indigenous Mexican textiles on the design and another about hummingbirds.
A couple of sites each about hummingbirds and then jaguars:
Discover Wildlife Hummingbird guide Detailed facts and videos. Partnered with BBC Wildlife.
Big Cat Rescue Jaguar facts Straightforward article.
World Wildlife Fund Jaguar Detailed information about this amazing animal.
I own another Hermès scarf, L’Arbre du Vent, by the same designer. You may be interested in reading the Scarf of the Moment post that I wrote back in February 2017.
This is a quick reminder of the scarf:
L’Arbre du Vent scarf by Hermès
I hope readers have found this exploration of Le Jaguar et le Colibri both interesting and useful. Once again, if you find any errors or have any additional information that I could add, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s Reading Roundup post! If you read last week’s you may remember that I was sort of addicted to a historical series: M J Porter’s The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. There was one more on my list, so I read that first before taking a break from the series for a while…
Protector of Mercia by M J Porter
The book was #05 in the series, Protector of Mercia. Here is the blurb:
“A deathbed oath leaves the lives of two infants hanging in the balance. Tamworth AD833 After successfully rescuing her husband from the Island of Sheppey, Icel hears the deathbed confession of Lady Cynehild which leaves him questioning what he knows about his past, as well as his future. In the unenviable position of being oath sworn to protect their two atheling sons when Lord Coenwulf is punished and banished for his treason against the Mercian ruler, King Wiglaf, Icel is once more torn between his oaths and the secret he knows. When the two children are kidnapped, Icel, good to his word, and fearing for their safety, pursues their abductors into the dangerous Northern lands, fearing to discover who is behind the audacious attempt on their the queen, the king’s son, or even Lady Ælflæd, a friend to him in the past, but now wed to the king’s son and aunt to the two abandoned children. Alone in the Northern lands, Icel finds himself facing his worse fears. Can he rescue the children from their captor, or will he fail and lose his life in the process?”
And this was my response written on the Goodreads site:
Another enjoyable and escapist read! I really liked the travelling aspect of this book and the motivation behind this, from Icel’s point of view. This brought something a little different to the story and showed new aspects of our hero’s character. The ending came along quite abruptly, however, but it seems that this particular arc is not yet over.
I will certainly continue with this series, but will now take a break.
I have enjoyed the pure escapism of reading a series like this, whilst living a fairly stressful life! After this book, I decided to make a random choice and this is it…
The Hideout by Camilla Grebe
This book came up on the Library’s ebook app: The Hideout by Camilla Grebe. The blurb was interesting, so I decided to download the ebook. Here is the blurb:
“The Hideout is an eerie psychological thriller from the award-winning Swedish bestselling author Camilla Grebe.
When 18-year old Samuel finds himself at the centre of a drug deal gone wrong, he is forced to go underground to escape the police and an infamous drug lord. Seeking refuge in a sleepy town in the Stockholm archipelago, he takes a job as a personal assistant to a disabled boy. But when Samuel moves in with the beautiful Rachel and her son Jonas in the remote house by the sea, he soon realizes that nothing is quite what it seems . . .
Meanwhile, the bodies of young men have been washing ashore in the archipelago and investigator Manfred Olsson fears that they have a killer on the loose.
Set against a sweltering summer backdrop, Camilla Grebe’s flawed characters come alive as a chilling tale unravels to reveal evil lurking in the most serene of surroundings.”
The book was another four star read – I seem to be making good choices at the moment! This was my short review:
This was an interesting and inventive book with a rather slow start. The pace eventually became faster as the plot climax came in sight and I became thoroughly gripped with my heart thumping in my chest!
The characters were varied and well drawn, with one who really irritated me until close to the end. I will definitely read more books by Camilla Grebe and am disappointed to see that this is currently the only one available on the library’s ebook catalogue.
Hello and welcome to my blog. UK visitors will know that last Sunday was Mother’s Day. I was utterly thrilled when Younger Son contacted us to say that he would be coming over for a few days: Mother’s Day with all three of my chaps! What a treat!
Well, I had a wonderful day. I was fortunate to receive some lovely gifts from my two sons, lots of hugs and cuddles, plus a totally scrumptious dinner. We were treated to beautifully cooked steak with dauphinois potatoes and a vegetable medley, with trifle to follow. I forgot to take a photo!
On Wednesday my treats continued. Elder Son and I went to a lovely local café for a delicious afternoon tea. I even managed to eat most of my share. Once again, I didn’t take a photo. It was beautifully presented, so that really was a missed opportunity.
I tried to arrange my gifts for the photo, honestly! Not one of my greatest skills…
Mother’s Day gifts 2024
You can see a pretty scarf and toning earrings from Oliver Bonas, plus an amazing purple orchid and miniature daffodils (my favourite flowers).
These are the items from Oliver Bonas:
Eliza Starburst Gem Inlay Statement Hoop EarringsEliza Starburst Gem Inlay Statement Hoop EarringsAbstract Hearts Small Square Lightweight ScarfAbstract Hearts Small Square Lightweight ScarfGifts from Oliver Bonas
I wore the scarf and earrings to the afternoon tea on Wednesday with an all-navy outfit: cashmere v-neck, cord trousers, shoes and handbag. Adding more colours would have been overkill, I think.
Here is a quick photo:
Outfit of the day 13/03/24 with items by Oliver Bonas
Welcome to this week’s post. Today I am going to write about two books from the same series. I have chosen these for escapism because I have been feeling very ill and stressed out. Reading books like these really helps…
Warrior of Mercia by M J Porter
My first book of last week was Warrior of Mercia by M J Porter, #03 The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. Series like this remind me of the books I enjoyed when I was a child. Books by such authors as Henry Treece with his series about Vikings: Viking’s Dawn, The Road to Miklagard and Viking’s Sunset.
Anyway, here is the blurb:
“Icel is a lone wolf no more…
Oath sworn to Wiglaf, King of Mercia and acknowledged as a member of Ealdorman Ælfstan’s warrior band, Icel continues to forge his own destiny on the path to becoming the Warrior of Mercia.
With King Ecgberht of Wessex defeated and Londonium back under Mercian control, the Wessex invasion of Mercia is over.
But the Wessex king was never Mercia’s only enemy. An unknown danger lurks in the form of merciless Viking raiders, who set their sights on infiltrating the waterways of the traitorous breakaway kingdom of the East Angles, within touching distance of Mercia’s eastern borders.
Icel must journey to the kingdom of the East Angles and unite against a common enemy to ensure Mercia’s hard-won freedom prevails.”
Interesting and absorbing tale set in the “Dark Ages” of British History. There were a few very repetitive phrases and moments, and also some spelling and homonym issues that made me drop one star. In addition, I do wonder whether a young man of that era would have known quite so much about the geography and history of his place and time? Nevertheless, I am enjoying the series and am already reading the next book!
On to the next book: Eagle of Mercia, #04 in the series. Here is the blurb:
“A mercy mission in the heart of Wessex is beset with deadly, bloody dangers. Tamworth AD831
Icel’s profile continues to rise. Lord of Budworth and warrior of Mercia, he’s acknowledged by King Wiglaf and his comrades to keep Mercia safe from the ravages of Wessex, the king-slayer of the East Angles, and the Viking raiders. But, danger looms. Alongside Spring’s arrival comes the almost certain threat of the Viking raiders return.
When Lord Coenwulf of Kingsholm is apprehended by a Viking and held captive on the Isle of Sheppey in Wessex held Kent, Icel is implored by Lady Cynehild to rescue her husband.
To rescue Lord Coenwulf, Icel and his fellow warriors must risk themselves twice over, for not only must they overpower the Viking raiders, they must also counter the threat of Mercia’s ancient enemy, the kingdom of Wessex as they travel through their lands.
Far from home and threatened on all sides, have Icel and his fellow warriors sworn to carry out an impossible duty?”
I found this episode much more interesting than the previous one and awarded it four stars. This is what I wrote:
This book was definitely better than the previous one with much more adventure, dangerous moments and nail-biting excitement. Our “hero”, Icel, continues on his journey to being a warrior-healer in Anglo-Saxon England, fighting Vikings and men from Wessex and getting into all kinds of scrapes and scraps.
I must admit that I’m becoming quite addicted to this series. So, the question is: should I go on to the next book immediately, or take a break with something different? Choices, choices!
Well, I have to admit that I am now reading the next book – more about that next week. When I have finished, I will definitely choose something very different, I promise!
Welcome to this week’s post. As many readers will know, I rarely leave the house these days and, in fact, spend most of my time in bed. I am fortunate that I now have a collection of gorgeous scarves and shawls and I don’t want them to just stay in their boxes, unworn. So, I have been trying to make the effort to wear a scarf whenever I can, even if I only manage this for an hour or so.
Here are some of the ones I have been wearing in recent days…
These scarves are all by Hermès and are called:
L’Arbre du Vent
Le Jardin de la Maharani
Cosmographia Universalis
Lazy Leopardesses
Hermès Story
La Promenade de Platon
De la Mer au Ciel
Sweet Dreams
All of the scarves are silk and 90x90cm, except one, Sweet Dreams, which is from the men’s collection and is a silk/wool mix and 100x100cm. During the colder months, I tend to wear my scarves with cashmere or thick cotton mix jumpers as these don’t detract from the beautiful colours and designs.
Now that we are beginning to move into warmer weather (I hope), I am going to sort out a few scarves that look more Spring like. Others will be put aside until Autumn comes around. Maybe a few might sneak in over the next couple of days!
These are more suitable for Autumn, perhaps…
La Femme aux Semelles de Vent scarf by Hermès Tyger, Tyger scarf by Hermès Daimyo Princes du Soleil Levant scarf by HermèsSous le Charm d’Orphée scarf by Hermès
Not forgetting some non-Hermès scarves that I love…
Olympian Gods scarf by FetoliaIanthe scarf by Liberty of London
What do you think? Can I still get away with any of these now? Goodness, what a silly question when I am only wearing them indoors!
Ooh, now I remember that I am going out with Elder Son for a treat on Wednesday. He is taking me for a Mother’s Day afternoon tea. Now, what shall I wear? I don’t want to get jam and cream on anything special! Choices, choices… 😁😁😁.
Hello and welcome to this week’s Reading Roundup post. I have read two very different books this week. One was a slight disappointment, sadly, the other was very different, which was interesting.
The Ghost Ship by Kate Mosse
The first book was The Ghost Ship. Kate Mosse’s final book in her trilogy: The Joubert Family Chronicles. This is the blurb:
“Piracy. Romance. Revenge. Across the seas of the seventeenth century, two seafarers are forced to hide for their lives. The sequel to The City of Tears , The Ghost Ship is the third novel in The Joubert Family Chronicles from bestselling author Kate Mosse.
The Barbary Coast, 1621. A mysterious vessel floats silently on the water. It is known only as the Ghost Ship. For months it has hunted pirates to liberate those enslaved by corsairs, manned by a courageous crew of mariners from Italy and France, Holland and the Canary Islands.
But the bravest men on board are not who they seem. The stakes could not be higher. If arrested, they will be hanged for their crimes. Can they survive the journey and escape their fate?
A sweeping and epic love story, ranging from France in 1610 to Amsterdam and the Canary Islands in the 1620s, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling novel of adventure and buccaneering, love and revenge, stolen fortunes and hidden secrets on the High Seas.”
Here is my response to the book from the Goodreads website:
There was much to enjoy in this book: the historical setting, the breaking of customs for women in the 17th century, action and adventure on the high seas, etc. As usual, Kate Mosse has written a well-researched and interesting tale. However, this third book in the trilogy did not reach the high standards of the previous two. There were parts that dragged and I became quite bored; other sections were too repetitive.
Some aspects of the earlier books were simply dropped for this one. I also found the relationship between Louise and Gilles irritating and why was the latter always referred to with masculine pronouns?
I hope Mosse’s next book is a lot bette than this one and that she returned to her excellent writing.
I must say, having read all of Kate Mosse’s books to date, that I would love to be able to visit Carcassonne. It always seems like a wonderful place!
OK, now on to the next book…
The Sanctuary by Andrew Hunter Murray
I chose my second book at random from the Library’s ebook collection: The Sanctuary by Andrew Hunter Murray. First, we have the blurb:
“In a disintegrating and increasingly lawless Britain, a young man is travelling north.
Ben is a young painter from the crowded, turbulent city. For six months his fiancée Cara has been living on a remote island known as Sanctuary Rock, the property of millionaire philanthropist Sir John Pemberley. Now she has decided to break off their engagement, and stay there.
Ben resolves to travel to the island to win Cara back. But the journey there is a harsh and challenging one, and when he does arrive, a terrible shock awaits him.
As Ben begins to find his way around the island, he knows he must also work out – what has made Cara so determined to throw her old life away? And is Sanctuary Rock truly another Eden – or a prospect of hell?”
This book was intriguing as well as enjoyable. These are my comments on Goodreads…
This was an interesting read and I am glad that I chose it. Although slow in places, it built up gradually, with a noticeable development in the main character. The final third was exciting and surprising in turn, with a nice sting in the tail (tale?). I will certainly look out for more by this author.
I am not sure what I am going to choose for my next read. Younger Son is visiting, so the house is full with male bodies and voices! Will I even have time or the space to read? My time will be given over to hugs, talking and listening and, perhaps, we might even manage a short excursion! Who knows?
Former professional school librarian, now retired through chronic illness. Trying to keep cheerful by reading, drinking lots of tea, blogging my new life, and my love of bling!
The Librain
The Librain......retired 
Dear Lauren, thank you so much for this kind and lovely comment! Love & best wishes, Anne XXX