This is not one of those photos.  When I visited Uniacke Estate Museum Park, the front of the house was covered with scaffolding.  This is the picture and description from their website: "Uniacke Estate Museum Park is part of what was the expansive country estate of Attorney-General Richard John Uniacke (1753-1830). Built between 1813 and 1815, the grand country house is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Canada. The estate offers visitors a vivid glimpse of life in the early 1800s among Nova Scotia's gentry."

Here are just a few of the many images I captured on my most recent visit.  Uniacke Estate Museum Park is one of my favourite places in the province.  The house, with its beautiful furnishings, overlooks a lake; and there are numerous hiking trails of varying distances and scenery to enjoy.

Above:
The room has a Broadwood pianoforte (not shown), which probably took two months to arrive from England.  The portrait is of Uniacke's daughter, Alicia, at 19 or 20 years of age.  
When I saw the footwear in a display case, I immediately thought of CDs and called to my daughter, "Come, see dees shoes!"
Below:
The barns and outbuildings contained all sorts of farming implements and carriages.  In another building, we watched male and female mannequins being garbed in period clothing.

We visited Liverpool, NS, during Privateer Days.  Musket fire made me jump out of my skin during a reenactment. This photo was taken at an apothecary display in one of the many local museums.

One of the highlights of my summer was a day spent at Fortress of Louisbourg, which I dubbed 'a Disneyworld for history buffs'.  The place is amazing!  Here's the official description:  "France's jewel in the 18th century. Canada's treasure today. North America's largest historical reconstruction.  Discover an 18th-century adventure nestled on the edge of a continent–a place where muskets and mortars, women in hoop skirts and men in wigs, town criers and the 'iron collar' are a part of everyday life."
Here are some random shots taken that wonderful day in Cape Breton.

While in Cape Breton, I visited Cossit House,  built in 1787; and  I learned a lot from my guide.  The photo is of the 'birthing room'.  The Rev. Mr. Ranna Cossit's wife, Thankful, would have given birth there; but it was also used to quarantine the sick. 

Back on the mainland, one of my daughters accompanied me to Prescott House in the Annapolis Valley.  'Acacia Grove' was the elegant Georgian home of horticulturalist Charles Prescott. Nova Scotia's apple industry was cultivated by Prescott from 1811 to 1859.  His love of gardening is obvious even in the display of plates (above).  I can't remember if the bedroom (below) was his or not. 

Next post will include a few other things I did on my summer vacation (not all of it was spent researching).

Writers of Jane Austen fiction 

  cordially invite you to the

  One Year Anniversary Celebration  


of 


Austen Authors




  We look forward to the pleasure of your company



Monday, September 5 - Saturday, September 10 



Throughout the week there will be: 

fun posts by AuAu writers, 
contests, quizzes, games galore, 
retrospection on the past year 
and a look into the future, 
oodles of information, 
questions and answers, 
new release parties, 
 entertainment, humour, 
and giveaways of gifts and books 
from the authors and their publishers.
  
Please join us, and be sure to post comments. 

In the challenge to find Colin Firth film titles in my excerpt, one reader has been elevated to the 
upper class and will receive a Jane Austen tote bag, a Mr. Darcy/Colin Firth poster, and a set of four pins.  

I extend a very warm welcome to everyone traveling by post this Touring Thursday.  Thanks for making my place a rest stop on your tour.  I’m truly honoured to be included on the Austenesque Extravaganza roster. Kudos to Meredith Esparza, extravaganza executor extraordinaire, for putting together this tour de force.  When Labour Day rolls around, Meredith, I hope you'll take a fond look back at this august labour of love.  

For a change, this is going to be a serious blog post.  Those who know me at Austen Authors may doubt my sincerity (and perhaps my sanity); but, you’ll see.

I’ve been taking a fond look back at my own labour of love and doing so with both joy and sorrow.  The story that became Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge was, in a way, a catharsis.  The process of writing the silly story and having it published helped me cope with the loss of a most beloved sister, my only sibling.  The book’s dedication is in her memory and in that of Jane Austen.  (See. I can do serious, although I think neither my sister nor Jane Austen would object to a posthumous humorous post.)  

My introduction to Austen came in a roundabout way, but it does not lessen my appreciation for her tremendous talent.  It began with the film Bridget Jones’s Diary, in which Mark Darcy was handsome enough to tempt me.  Consequently I became excessively attentive to the 1995 BBC version of P&P, followed by reading, and then extensive re-reading, of Austen’s novels.  But I was left wanting more - especially more Darcy and Elizabeth and more Wentworth and Anne.  

There are numerous Annes in my book - Anne de Bourgh, Lady Anne Darcy, Miss Anna Darcy, Ann Cillary, et al.  It is a truth universally acknowledged that an Austenesque author in want of a quotation would typically choose one by Austen.  As some of you may know, I am not your typical writer. I’ve chosen a passage by Lucy Maud Montgomery instead.  Earlier this month, I visited Prince Edward Island and was reminded of a quote by another Anne - the one in Anne of Green Gables.  I believe Anne Shirley’s opinion is also apt for the Austenesque community. 

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think.  
It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”

Indeed.  In want of more Darcy and Elizabeth, I hit the motherlode when I discovered published what-ifs, re-imaginings, prequels, sequels, and adaptations.  Then I found on-line JAFF (Jane Austen Fan-fiction).  Those kindred spirits were kind and generous, and I am so very glad I found my way there.  Many writers featured in Meredith’s month-long Extravaganza began by posting stories at JAFF sites, as did I.  

So, I thank all my kindred spirits - those who cannot get enough of Austen’s characters - writers and readers alike.  I especially appreciate those who have graciously put up with my jokes and wordplay.  Groan-worthy puns are not everyone’s cup of tea (Earl Grey, hot).  As a formerly obsessed Trekker, I believe in the Vulcan IDIC philosophy (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations).  Within the pages of Austenesque authors’ novels, there’s a JA-inspired story to suit everyone’s taste - from zombies and vampires to wild and wanton romance - from the Regency era to modern times.  Why, there are even stories inspired by the handsome actors who portrayed Mr. Darcy in various film adaptations … which finally brings us to my contest.   

Within a chapter of Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge, there are names of films in which a certain British actor appeared.  (Hint: He portrayed Darcy in 1995's Pride and Prejudice.)  The excerpt found here has been edited and updated especially for today’s Austenesque Extravaganza.  (Really, it's obvious I'm just trying to get into Meredith’s Austenesque Reviews' good books.)

Count all the actor’s works you can detect, and email your answer to jmariecroft@gmail.com. Those with the correct number will have their names entered in a draw.  

The prize is this Jane Austen canvas tote bag,   

                        set of four pins,

and a poster of Mr. Darcy (who, quite coincidentally, bears a remarkable resemblance to a certain British actor). 

The titles include some of his less-known work, a couple recently completed films, a TV movie, a TV mini-series, and a film aka The Hour of the Pig.  He really has quite a body of work.  Lately he’s been in one great movie after another.  You might say he’s on a role.   

E-mailed entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) August 25/11.  One winner will be randomly drawn from all entries with correct answers.  If no one arrives at the right number, I might have to Colin Firther entries.  (No.  If that happens, the draw will be made from entries with the closest guess.)  On August 26 I’ll email the winner and announce their name (and the correct answer) here on this blog.  At that time I’ll also indicate the titles in red throughout the excerpt in case anyone's interested.

But, wait!  That’s not all.  Although you have to email me to enter my contest, please remember to also complete Meredith’s Amazing Austenesque Giveaway form.  There are other exemplary prizes to be had, and the only way to win those is by leaving a comment.

I hope comments are not so scarce as I used to think.  
It would be splendid to find out there are so many of them left by kindred spirits in the Austenesque world.  
  

“La di da, la di da … your attendance is requested

At a ball where your detection skill shall be tested.



Wait, what is this? Hold closer the candle.

Stars and garters, there’ll be such a scandal!



Oh, Hill!  Hill!  Fetch the smelling salts!

The invitation says they’re planning a waltz.



Why were Jane and Elizabeth ever allowed to attend?

Oh, right. We trusted Mr. Darcy and called him friend.



Mr. Bennet!  Mr. Bennet!  We must hie across Town.

Hill, come upstairs and stuff me into a frilly ball gown."

 

I lost my train of thought and was derailed for months; but I’m back on track now.  My loco-motive for reviving this blog is the new Austen Authors’ Mission Statement.




Another loco-motive is the up-coming month-long “Austenesque Extravaganza”.  The engineer of the event is Meredith Esparza of Austenesque Reviews, and this celebration of Austen-inspired novels includes fifty or so authors.  Mark your calendar, and I hope you’ll choo-choose to park your caboose right here with me for a while on Thursday, August 25.  You may be railroaded into reading an excerpt, entering a contest, and perhaps winning a prize.  Are you on board?

In this continuation from Part 1, which is what Part 2 usually means, I’ll touch upon more of the books sitting on my shelves.  Perhaps those books should be touched upon more often ... with a duster.  Dang!  I said I wouldn’t mention dust again.  Anyway, I went through a phase of reading volumes of bestsellers; but most of those novels were passed along for others to enjoy.  Very few (see below) remain on my shelf, although I took pleasure in them at the time.  

I went through a science fiction phase and total obsession with all things Star Trek.  I have two, count ‘em, two bookcases (not just shelves) full of novels, non-fiction books, and technical manuals.  I am not ashamed to admit I was, and still am, a Trekker.  Once upon a time, family and friends knew not to bother me when reruns aired, even on my wedding day.  Now I’m more of a word nerd than a Trekker; but those novels and manuals remain ... gathering dust.

Here are just a few other books and authors, in no particular order, that have a permanent place on my shelf:

• A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens)
• The Cry of the Kalahari  (non-fiction by Delia and Mark Owens)
• Gondar and also Kala (Nicholas Luard)
• Bill Bryson’s works
• Janet Evanovitch’s ‘Stephanie Plum’ stories (a guilty pleasure) 
• Ken Follett’s novels
• Wilbur Smith’s works (especially River God and its sequels)
• Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (Oh, yeah!  My love of Jamie & Claire is only surpassed by my love of Darcy & Elizabeth.)
• Jane Austen’s six novels (My favourite is Pride and Prejudice.) 
• I’m going to include Regency stories written by Austen’s fans amongst my favourite reading material.  There’s a wealth of Jane Austen fan-fiction out there, and I’m very happy to be part of that community.  By the way, Mr. Darcy Takes the Plunge does not come with a dust jacket.