I’m sorry that I didn’t post last Friday. It would have been my Mother’s 89th birthday and I felt so sad, thinking about how much I miss her. I simply couldn’t bring myself to write anything on here.
Mum and Dad on their wedding day in 1955
To be honest, I’m really struggling to think of things to write about at the moment. Wednesday’s posts are mostly OK as I can talk about the books that I have read, but Monday’s and Friday’s are becoming difficult to write. It’s easy if I have bought something new – Hermès scarves are a dream to write about! But now that I have spent so much money on a shawl, it will be ages until I can afford something else.
My life has become so very constricted and narrow this year. It has not been very exciting since I started this blog, but my stroke and then the dreaded Coronavirus lockdown have limited me so much more. Now, my days are mostly spent in bed reading on my iPad, wearing a vest and pyjama trousers, snacking and drinking tea, and chatting to Lovely Husband and Elder Son. I manage to go downstairs for a couple of hours, if I feel strong enough and my memory is so bad that I have probably written this post several times before!
So, perhaps I need to think about what I want from this blog and what purpose it is serving for me and the kind people who visit and comment. Is it worthwhile carrying on?
I must apologise again for missing last week’s Reading Roundup post. There are two books to write about this week and I am already halfway through a third.
A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay
A few weeks ago, I wrote about one of my favourite author’s books: Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay. The book I am writing about this week is his latest book, A Brightness Long Ago, which is a prequel. Here is the blurb:
In a decadent, often violent world in which mercenaries destroy city-states for the highest bidder and women’s lives remain desperately limited, the lives of extraordinary figures play out . . .
Guidanio Cerra is the son of a tailor whose intelligence had won him entry to a renowned school. He goes into service at the dangerous court of a count known as The Beast . . .
Adria Ripoli, born to power, has rejected the choices offered to her, opting for a life of danger – and freedom – in the service of her mercenary uncle. But freedom always comes at a price – in this case a night-time encounter from which she is unlikely to escape alive.
And Danio, living in a chamber overlooking the waterways of a maritime city, looks back in time to relate his part of this sweeping tale that contains unforgettable characters in an extraordinary era, including a healer who has also defied life’s expectations of her, and the two larger-than-life war leaders, lifelong adversaries, whose encounters put the world’s survival in the balance . . .
As always, I love reading anything by Guy Gavriel Kay and this was no exception. I won’t say anything further as I will save my thoughts for my review on Goodreads:
Yet again, as I finish a book by GGK, I am left with my head both spinning and dreaming. The author does indeed weave bright stories, based around true events in history. In this case, I didn’t know anything about the real events, so just immersed myself in the interwoven tales of the main characters.
It was a little confusing for me, at first, that this is a prequel to his previous book, Children of Earth and Sky, and that there were also allusions to his two books set in a fantasy version of Byzantium. I have only recently finished reading the former, but it is such a long time since I read the latter two and I, therefore, feel inspired to buy ebook versions and re-read them. My memory is very poor now and I struggle to remember events in books that I have only just finished, never mind read decades ago!
I suppose this could be seen as a gift and another reason to read GGK’s books repeatedly!
Having read quite a few of the other reviews of this particular book here on Goodreads, I must recommend them to other readers. Many are truly excellent and will give you far more insight than I can.
Ooh, I can’t wait to read another book by GGK, although I might return to an old favourite, when I have finished my current reading pile.
A Time of Dread by John Gwynne
I started reading John Gwynne’s series The Faithful and the Fallen back in June 2019. This series of four giant hardback books sort of grips you by the throat, shakes you around for a while, then hurls you across battlefields, forests, plains and mountains. If you are lucky, you might land on your feet at the end, although you will struggle to catch your breath! So, you can imagine that I was quite pleased when I saw that he had started a new series…
NO!!!!! I was absolutely thrilled!
OK, I will calm down now as I am sure that you will get the point. Here is the blurb for A Time of Dread, part #01 Of Blood and Bone:
Set in the same world as the Faithful and the Fallen quartet, the first novel in John Gwynne’s Of Blood and Bone series, A Time of Dread, takes place one hundred years after the end of Wrath.
The Ben-Elim, a race of warrior angels, once vanquished a mighty demon horde. Now they rule the Banished lands. But their dominion is brutally enforced and their ancient enemy may not be as crushed as they thought.
In the snowbound north, Drem, a trapper, finds mutilated corpses in the forests – a sign of demonic black magic. In the south, Rae, a young, tempestuous soldier, discovers a deadly rift within the Ben-Elim themselves. Two individuals with two world-changing secrets. But where will they lead? And what role will Drem and Rae play in the Banished Land’s fate?
Difficult choices need to be made. Because in the shadows, demons are gathering, waiting for their time to rise. . .
It’s always great to pick up the first book in a fantasy series, where you already rate the author. I had greatly enjoyed the Faithful and the Fallen last year, so I was thrilled when I saw that John Gwynne had a new series on the way. After finishing this book, I am not disappointed.
This new series takes place well over a century after the previous one and that knowledge brings some sadness in its wake. We have lost well-loved previous characters who we have grown to know in the previous books, although many of them are consistently referenced in this book. Instead, we are introduced to new characters very quickly. That does bring some problems to someone like me, who has severe memory issues. The new names and backgrounds are quite difficult to get a handle on at first. However, as the book developed, I was able to fit this new set of people and animals into the landscape, mythology and plot.
There are only a few caveats and these are reasons why I have not given the full five stars. I feel that the author needs to check on his repetitive use of phrases to describe his characters. Yes, we quickly realise that one constantly checks the pulse in his neck! This seems to be obsessive. We have also got the point that some warriors have a particular hairstyle – does it always have to be described in exactly the same way? These are just niggles really, but I did find them increasingly irritating.
But don’t let me put you off in any way. This series is building up to be another blockbuster! Enjoy!
At least the temperature has cooled down quite a lot over the last few days! Now we have intermittent thunder storms, rain showers and high humidity to cope with. So, it still looks as if my scarf wearing days are a long way off.
I am wearing those lovely sleeveless vest tops from Lands’ End that I showed on here a few weeks ago. The fabric is thick and the colours bright and saturated. They wash very well and my oldest ones still look good. Unfortunately, I feel too weak and ill to wear any jewellery on most days, so there is really no point in making Outfit of the Day collages. When the humidity drops, I am sure that my energy levels will improve and I will be able to make more effort to dress myself in something nice again.
Here’s a reminder of my Lands’ End vest collection:
Now I will return to my latest book for entertainment on this wet and rumbling afternoon.
First of all, I must apologise for the lack of a Reading Roundup post on Wednesday. The heat and humidity has been making me feel so unwell this week – I have been suffering from a very painful headache and nausea on top of my usual stuff. I think it has all been caused by a mixture of stress (family issues as usual), overheating and dehydration. The stress is now abating a little, the temperature is cooling down and I am trying to drink more water in addition to my usual multiple cups of tea.
I have managed to drag myself out of bed on occasion, but have not been able to dress in anything particularly nice. Basic Marks and Spencer vests with loose pyjama trousers have been my staple outfit all week, although I did manage to wear my turquoise linen-mix dress from Pure Collection on one day. Can I bear to upload a photo? I must admit that I look quite dreadful, but this blog is all about being truthful about my life, so here goes…
As we move into late Summer then early Autumn, I am planning to force myself to wear my nice outfits again and work my way through my very neglected Hermès scarf collection. After all, I bought my scarves to wear, not to store them in boxes!
This is an unusual Scarf of the Moment post in that it includes two amazing formats of one design. I have done this before, with the 90cm and twilly versions of Dans un Jardin Anglais, but I feel that this is on another level: here are the 90cm silk twill scarf and the 140cm cashmere/silk shawl versions of the gorgeous Plumes en Fête by Aline Honoré. Information about both will be interspersed throughout this post.
The silk twill scarf
In the Autumn of 2019, I had firmly decided that my small Hermès scarf collection was complete. There are probably loads of reasons why I shouldn’t purchase any more scarves: I am now in my 60s, I am very ill with multiple chronic conditions, I hardly ever leave the house so rarely get an opportunity to “dress up”, and storage space is getting very cramped. But the new season’s offer started to appear and I began to slide down the slippery orange slope once again…
So, let me introduce you to my purchase for the Spring/Summer 2020 season:
Plumes en Fête scarf by Aline Honoré for Hermès
Plumes en Fête, colourway #09, product code H003433S 09, designed by Aline Honoré.
Description of the silk twill scarf
On opening the iconic orange box and gently taking out the scarf, a swirl of beautiful feathers sweeps into view. They have a sense of movement around a central empty space, as if the wind has caught them in an eddy. With the scarf laid out flat, the feathers appear to begin from the top right and bottom left-hand corners, with a clockwise motion. Even the corners of the scarf are filled. There is no border to the scarf which also has a lovely contrast hem. The whole scarf is a study in pattern and movement. Each feather is drawn in amazing realistic detail with beautiful markings and use of colour.
I chose the colourway #09 because I love blues and, yes, there are many shades of that colour in this masterpiece. There is also a vivid green, turquoise, white, a subtle purple and pale orange. The contrast hem is another shade of purple. Some of the other versions of the scarf have more variety in their colours, others are more like the shades available in nature, some are vivid and fun, and others are subtle or pastel. I think that there is a colourway for almost everyone!
Colourways for the silk twill scarf
The colourway for my scarf is #09: Bleu Cobalt/Turquoise/Vert. These are all of the versions offered for the silk twill, 90cm, Spring/Summer 2020 season. If you click on any of the images, you will be able to see a larger picture with the Hermès purchasing code.
H003433S 08
H003433S 02
H003433S 11
H003433S 01
H003433S 09
H003433S 05
H003433S 04
H003433S 10
H003433S 06
H003433S 07
H003433S 03
During the Autumn/Winter 2020 season, this amazing 90cm exceptional scarf appeared online. As you can see, it is made of silk and covered with beads, sequins and embroidery, which apparently took over 135 hours to complete by hand. It is, at the time of writing, currently available for $4850 on the US website! Here are some images, the purchasing code is at the bottom of the first picture:
H593433S 02
Here is another photo, which really shows off the beautiful beading:
And a modelling shot:
The cashmere/silk shawl
During the Summer of 2020, the new scarves and shawls began to appear in discussions online. I had been thinking for some time that I had really run out of storage space for more scarves and that I should really restrict my purchases. Lovely Husband agreed that I should buy only a few more and so I decided that I would look at the extremely expensive cashmere silks and consider whether I could save up for one!
So, I had a look, thought for a while, and then dived in!
Plumes en Fête shawl by Aline Honoré for Hermès
Plumes en Fête, colourway #04, product code H243433S 04, designed by Aline Honoré.
Description of the cashmere/silk shawl
I have already described the artwork of this amazing shawl in the “Description of the silk twill scarf” paragraph above, so I will not repeat it here. I will say that the effect of the swirling feathers is even more beautiful in this larger version.
Since I changed my second wardrobe neutral colour from brown to grey, I have purchased quite a lot of clothing in shades of this colour, mainly for my Winter wardrobe. My scarf collection, on the other hand, contains very few scarves with grey even in small amounts. As I already own a Liberty of London shawl in blues, I decided that I should choose an Hermès shawl to look fantastic with grey.
My final choice was colourway #04: Gris Chiné, Mauve, Rose. That background colour is a light grey and the feathers are depicted in a lovely blue, pink, mauve, greenish-yellow, tomato red and orange. The contrast hem is a lovely deep orange. There are also touches of black and a bright white.
These colours are completely beyond my usual choices and I felt a bit uncomfortable when I opened the orange box. As Hermès scarfies will know, the images on the website are different from the real scarves, usually varying subtlely. But this time the difference is quite marked! See what you think when you see the “real life” photos further down this post.
Colourways for the cashmere/silk shawl
The cashmere/silk 140cm shawl colourways for Autumn/Winter 2020 can now be seen. Once again you can click on any of the images to see a larger picture with the Hermès purchasing code.
H243433S 02
Plumes en Fête shawl (H243433S 04)
H243433S 05
H243433S 09
H243433S 10
H243433S 11
H243433S 12
H243433S 16
H243433S 18
Design story
Details of the silk twill scarf
Here are some close-ups of my scarf in a slideshow format:
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Details of the cashmere/silk shawl
Here are some close-ups of my shawl in a slideshow format:
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
How I wear the scarf and shawl
At the time of writing this post (beginning of January 2020), I haven’t yet worn the scarf with any of my outfits, so have been unable to make my usual “Outfit of the Day” collages. When I do wear this gorgeous scarf, it will be with cobalt, navy blue and also with white. I might also see what it looks like with other shades of blue. I would be interested to know if readers of the blog would try it with other colours. There is a lovely shade of bright green in the scarf, but I don’t have clothing in that colour.
The same applies to the shawl, as the weather is not suitable for wearing it yet!
When I can make some collages, they will be added here.
Scarf ties
I have taken some quick photos of possible scarf ties. In truth, there really are endless ways of using this scarf to show its beautiful features. I think that the waterfall knot looks particularly amazing, although it’s not very practical for daily life!
Plumes en Fête – scarf ties
1) Top row L to R: simple bias fold, cowl knot, cowboy cowl knot.
2) Middle row L to R: waterfall knot, simple tie, edo knot.
3) Bottom row L to R: criss-cross knot, asymmetric wrap, half-bow knot.
Many of these scarf ties were made using a MaiTai mother-of-pearl scarf ring.
Shawl ties
Here are a few photos of my first attempts at tying this scarf – some more successful than others:
Plumes en Fête – shawl ties
Background information
I tried to find some information about the designer of the scarf, Aline Honoré, but was unable to track down very much worth linking to here. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be very grateful.
First, a video featuring Plumes en Fête:
HSCI Hermes Scarf Catalogue Aline Honoré
Some of the wonderful scarves designed by the artist.
Next, I have just seen that the amazing MaiTai also has a Plumes en Fète scarf. It is included in this interesting recent post on her blog:
I though that I would also include a detailed article about feathers…
Wikipedia Feather
Comprehensive article with links and references.
Ooh, by the way, Hermès have produced gorgeous enamel bangles in the Plumes en Fête design! Here are a couple of photos:
I hope readers have found this exploration of Plumes en Fête, scarf and shawl, 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.
Best wishes,
Anne
💕💗💖💗💕
Updated 10/08/20 to add information about the cashmere/silk shawl, general updating and some new links.
Updated 14/09/20 to add details and photos of the exceptional silk beaded 90cm scarf.
Before I begin, I just want to say that it is so hot here today that I have virtually collapsed onto my bed. So those lovely visitors hoping for a full range of modelling photos will have to wait until the weather cools down a bit!
Yes, after a few years of collecting silk scarves from the famous and iconic Hermès, I finally succumbed to this…
First of all, the smooth and beautifully designed shipping box (I keep these just in case):
The shipping box is open – everything is well protected:
The lovely orange box, with its Bolduc ribbon, larger than usual for me:
The box is open to reveal:
The beautiful shawl is lifted out and unfolded a little:
More views of Aline Honoré’s gorgeous Plumes en Fête, the 140 cashmere/silk version in Gris Chiné, Mauve, Rose, (code number H243433S 04):
I am planning to take some better detailed shots of the shawl and also modelling photos over the weekend. Also, I am aiming to either add all of the shawl information (including photos and a full description) to the Plumes en Fête Scarf of the Moment post or write a separate one. What do readers think?
More information about this wonderful shawl will appear in Monday’s post, all being well.
Well, I have a confession to make – I didn’t finish any books last week! You see, I started one and read about a fifth of it then gave up (more about this below). Then I chose another one, read a few chapters and realised that parts of the plot were ringing bells in my mind and that, perhaps, I had read it before! At least that is another good reason to use Goodreads: I could check on there to see if I had reviewed the book – and I had, two years ago!
So, I then turned to a book that I had been saving for a “rainy day” and this book was the perfect choice. Thank Goodness! As I only started this one yesterday, you will find out which book it is in next week’s Reading Roundup.
Now, for the book I started after last week’s Roundup…
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
One of the wonderful things about books is that there is at least one for everyone, in my opinion. Well, I have to think that, as a librarian! I was brought up to finish every book that I started and to feel very guilty if I couldn’t. It is only recently that I have shrugged this daft idea off. I only have a limited reading life left, even less if I have another stroke, so I feel that I should be a lot more selective and only read books which I enjoy. Reading should bring pleasure, not pain and guilt.
On that note, I will post the blurb for The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry:
London 1893. When Cora Seaborne’s husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness: her marriage was not a happy one, and she never suited the role of society wife. Accompanied by her son Francis – a curious, obsessive boy – she leaves town for Essex, where she hopes fresh air and open space will provide the refuge they need.
When they take lodgings in Colchester, rumours reach them from further up the estuary that the mythical Essex Serpent, once said to roam the marshes claiming human lives, has returned to the coastal parish of Aldwinter. Cora, a keen amateur naturalist with no patience for religion or superstition, is immediately enthralled, convinced that what the local people think is a magical beast may be a previously undiscovered species. As she sets out on its trail, she is introduced to William Ransome, Aldwinter’s vicar.
Like Cora, Will is deeply suspicious of the rumours, but he thinks they are founded on moral panic, a flight from real faith. As he tries to calm his parishioners, he and Cora strike up an intense relationship, and although they agree on absolutely nothing, they find themselves inexorably drawn together and torn apart, eventually changing each other’s lives in ways entirely unexpected.
Told with exquisite grace and intelligence, this novel is most of all a celebration of love, and the many different guises it can take.
Looking on Goodreads, I can see that several of my friends have reacted to this book. Some have really enjoyed it, others are more neutral. That’s exactly as it should be. I have decided that I won’t write a review for the book. I feel that it wouldn’t be fair when I didn’t read much of the book and gave up on it so soon. I don’t intend to put others readers off it as many people have truly loved it. In many ways, I am quite an immature reader in that I have to have action in my books. I don’t go for long descriptive passages and I need something to happen at fairly frequent intervals!
And there is nothing wrong with that!
Now, I can finish off this post and then turn to my lovely ebook that I am thoroughly enjoying…
I am currently sitting in bed with a large pot of tea and some lovely jammy bread, feeling very pleased with myself but also exhausted.
Yes, Lovely Husband took me out today!
I had planned to write a proper Outfit of the Day post as I actually managed to wear something very nice for once. Well, that was the plan, but I am so tired now that I simply cannot face writing and putting together a collage to show you my outfit.
So, in the meantime, here is a quick photo…
Outfit of the day 03/08/20 with Hermès’ Escales Mediterranéenes scarf
This is a really quick update at the end of the working week. I’m currently sitting in bed, with a large fan next to me, and I am absolutely gasping for breath in the heat. Earlier, I went out into the garden to hang out the washing and I couldn’t believe how warm it was.
Sadly, my serious mental health issues mean that I only feel safe and secure in my bedroom. If I put my head outdoors, I am immediately terrified. So, whilst I can do very quick outdoor tasks, I still cannot bring myself to sit outside with a book, as I would have done in previous summers. I will try again tomorrow.
Apparently, Hermès UK should be putting some of the new Autumn/Winter 2020 scarves and shawls online from tomorrow. I do hope so. I have been following the relevant thread on The Purse Forum for ages and I think I now know which scarves and colourways would work for me. But it is so hard to decide!
I have a plan to buy a shawl this season. They are humongously expensive, but, as I don’t spend my money on lavish (or even basic) entertainment, I think that I can save up for one. Add in my birthday money (November) and Christmas cash (yes, this is serious forward planning) and maybe one will be within my reach!
One of these gorgeous Plumes en Fête 140cm cashmere/silk shawls is my goal (if you click on an image, you will see a larger version plus the code number in small type beginning with an H)…
H243433S 12
Plumes en Fête shawl (H243433S 04)
H243433S 16
H243433S 11
H243433S 10
H243433S 02
H243433S 09
H243433S 18
H243433S 05
… but which would be best? As I already have a 140cm cashmere/silk shawl in blues from Liberty of London, I am thinking of getting a colourway which will look lovely with grey. Any ideas? (Bear in mind that the colours in these images are not quite accurate, to help prevent fraud).
Please let me know your preferences in the comments. It would be so helpful.
First of all, I must apologise for the missing post on Monday. I was feeling really down in the dumps and couldn’t think of anything positive to write about. The good news is that I have read two books this week, so I can write about those today.
Hitler’s Secret by Rory Clements
Rory Clements’ Hitler’s Secret (Tom Wilde #04), was the first book of the week. I have already read the first three in the series, so was really looking forward to this one. Here is the blurb:
In the Autumn of 1941, the war is going badly for Britain and its allies. If the tide is going to be turned against Hitler, a new weapon is desperately needed.
In Cambridge, brilliant history professor Tom Wilde is asked by an American intelligence officer to help smuggle a mysterious package out of Nazi Germany – something so secret, even Hitler himself doesn’t know of its existence.
Posing as a German-American industrialist, Wilde soon discovers the shocking truth about the ‘package’, and why the Nazis will stop at nothing to prevent it leaving Germany. With ruthless killers loyal to Martin Bormann hunting him down, Wilde makes a desperate gamble on an unlikely escape route.
But even if he reaches England alive, that will not be the end of his ordeal. Wilde is now convinced that the truth he has discovered must remain hidden, even if it means betraying the country he loves . . .
I enjoyed the book, but not quite as much as the other three, as I wrote in my review on Goodreads:
I really enjoyed the first three books in the series, but this one didn’t quite work as well for me. The others were set in England, just before the outbreak of WWII, and the characters and setting seemed to fit together very well. This fourth book, taking place in both wartime Germany and England, felt rather confusing and disjointed.
Don’t get me wrong, the book is still a good thriller with some very exciting and gripping moments. Many of the characters, however, felt like extreme stereotypes without nuance, especially the “baddies”.
I’m now wondering where this series will go next. Will it go full espionage/thriller and move more into a European setting? I am sure that I will continue to read more books, if they are forthcoming.
The second book was entirely different. I’m not quite sure why I chose it – you will quickly realise my meaning as you read the blurb and review for Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay.
When it happens, it happens quickly.
New England is locked down, a strict curfew the only way to stem the wildfire spread of a rabies-like virus. The hospitals cannot cope with the infected, as the pathogen’s ferociously quick incubation period overwhelms the state. The veneer of civilisation is breaking down as people live in fear of everyone around them. Staying inside is the only way to keep safe.
But paediatrician Ramola Sherman can’t stay safe, when her friend Natalie calls her husband is dead, she’s eight months pregnant, and she’s been bitten. She is thrust into a desperate race to bring Natalie and her unborn child to a hospital, to try and save both their lives.
Their once familiar home has becoming a violent and strange place, twisted in to a barely recognisable landscape. What should have been a simple, joyous journey becomes a brutal trial.
This was such a quick read, for a variety of reasons, I finished the book really quickly. Here is the review on Goodreads:
Well, this was an odd choice of book to read in the middle(?) of a pandemic, during shielding, when I have hardly left the house for months! I’m just glad that I’m too old to be pregnant!
When was this book actually written and published? Are we all living in a massive publicity stunt?
No, that’s too frivolous.
Anyway, this was a fast-moving and gripping read which kept its hold on me right until the very end. The journey of two women, one pregnant, the other a doctor and her friend, in the middle of a breakout of a rabies-like threat, was enthralling. The alternate points of view for each chapter gave different angles on the story and became emotional and heart breaking as the plot moved on.
When our real pandemic is over, I am sure that something like this will be made into a film or TV series. I don’t think I would watch it…
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!
And a modelling shot:
The Librain
The Librain......retired 
[…] If you would like to read more about this scarf, here is my Scarf of the Moment post with…