03/09/2009

BITTERSWEET LATE SUMMER SEASIDE DAYS



Like every year in September, before starting a new school year, I 'm spending few - but very few! - days at the seaside. It's always the same place, not far from my town, just a couple of hours' drive. These are the legendary shores where Ulysses met the enchantress Circe so it is impossible to remain indifferent. The nature and the sea here are wonderful. I'm reading , relaxing, walking on the beach as usual but, especially, I'm little by little surrendering to the fact that these are and will be INDEED my last few holidays for a long time !


I'm reading Jane Austen's LADY SUSAN and enjoying it much. It is both in my EVERYTHING AUSTEN CHALLENGE list and in the AUSTENPROSE's Soiree. But I'll tell about all this in another proper post as soon as it finishes. At the same time, I've started reading SYLVESTER by Georgette Heyer in the morning and listening to the abridged audiobook version recorded by Richard Armitage in the afternoon. You can't imagine what a delight it can be listening to his amusing reading, to his velvet voice while  looking at the blue sea in front of me...But I'll tell also about  this in another proper post.
So what am I going to post about today? I just want to tell you I can't be blogging as much as I 'd like to in the next few days, then I want to show the nice garden in my temporary home here at the seaside to you (see pictures above), as well as tell you that I'm having a good time, not to worry , and that I'll be back home next Monday.

Then ... emmm... what was it I wanted to tell you, too ? YES! Ive been awarded again. This is funny indeed:


Jane GS at Reading, Writing, Working, Playing nominated my blog for the Zombie Chicken Award. I particularly like the motivation of this amusing recognition :"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken – excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all."

Now I am supposed to be spreading the love by choosing 5 blogs I appreciate and let them receive the Zombie Chicken Award:

1. THE KERR FAMILY BLOG - In order to return Jenny the honour of receiving an award and because we share many little passions and fondnesses. She is one of the nicest and most talented women I've met blogging.

2. STEPHANIE'S WRITTEN WORD - Because Stephanie is a great woman and has given all of us Janeites the opportunity to revive our love for Everything Austen suggesting the Challenge many of us have been taking part in the latest weeks.

3. MISS BLUESTOCKING - June's blog. It's a nice place to reflect on reading and writing fiction as well as period drama.

4. LIVING ABROAD - Antonella is one of my first blogging mates on blogspot and I love her way of posting about her life in York as an Italian mother, wife and translator .

5. LIFE IN ITALY - Reverse destiny for Kathryn, who is an English woman living in Italy. I love her blog and her comments, too!

12 comments:

Elvira said...

Enjoy your last few days of holidays as much as possible!!! And congratulations for being awarded!!!

Maria Grazia said...

@Elvira
Gracias, Elvira! Un abrazo fuerte.

Michelle said...

Congrats... can't believe I'm attaching this to a post about an award you have already received but I have another one for you lovely.

http://torchundertheblanketbooks.com/2009/09/04/superior-scribbler-award/

:D

Anonymous said...

MissBluestocking:

Thank you for nominating me! I'm honoured.

Kathryn said...

Wow thankyou!!! I have been very quiet on the bloggig front over the last couple of weeks and so this morning was just catching up with some of my favourite blogs and found I had an award - thnakyou!! .....and I too will be back soon - oh, and enjoy your last few holiday days!!!!

mulubinba said...

Lovely pictures - enjoy the rest of your break. (It is springtime here so the weather is warming up). I've been listening to Sylvester too .. and coincidentally have just written a post about it!

Luciana said...

Enjoy your last days of hollidays! Mine have finished a long way by now and I do know how's good to rest!

lunarossa said...

Congratulations for your award and thank you for passing on to me. Much appreciated. Enjoy the wonderful weather. Back to autumn here. Ciao. A.

Anonymous said...

Lurking around - again! :)
Can't wait to hear about your Sylvester reading: is it your first Heyer? Did you like her?
Sono estremamente grata a GH perché 'grazie' a lei ho fatto i miei primi timidi passi verso la lingua inglese: una volta divorati i pochi romanzi (allora) tradotti in italiano, ho DOVUTO cercare quelli in v.o. perché non potevo sopportare di rimanere senza ;-)
Buona coda di vacanze!
KB
P.S. Sylvester letto da RA è senz'altro una gustosa chicca, peccato solo per i tagli!

Maria Grazia said...

@lunarossa & mrskarenblixen
Thanks for passing by girls! I'm back home, alone for some days! Hubby and sons at the seaside, I've 3/4 days all for myself at home. Ok, I'm at school in the morning but lessons haven't started yet!
mrskarenblixen, I've tried to leave a message in your blog but ... didn't succeed. I read something quite familiar to me. Guess what? Everything started with N&S. As for Sylvester, I'm going to post about it very soon. Ciao!

Lotta Dahl said...

Thank you SO much!!!!! This is my first blog award! Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you Maria! Things have been crazy here! My hubby came for the long weekend, I'm trying to pack/sort for an upcoming move (which has about a 40% chance of being to Naples! Not certain yet though), I lost my wallet with EVERYTHING in it (but a policeman found it and returned it with everything still in it!) and my car broke down (just out of radiator fluid luckily!)between here and the city and I was stranded in the rain at the side of the road with both the doggies! All to get my new issue of Martha Stewart! lol. Now I have to go find 5 people to give the award to! I would normally give it to you, but since you got one already I will try to find another deserving soul!

Maria Grazia said...

@Jenny Kerr
OMG Jenny! I'm sorry you got through all those misadventures!