It's getting a little crowded up on the Ridge...

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have reached Chapter 22 in  The Fiery Cross.

Let me tell you why Diana Gabaldon is such a fantastic writer: She makes you feel the story. I have spent countless hours reading these books and being uncomfortable. Or nervous. Or downright scared.

Right now I am feeling uneasy. And annoyed. And claustrophobic. Why? Because there are WAY too many house guests at Fraser's Ridge. The women woke up to empty beds; the men have all disappeared. To go hunting - or train - or something of that nature... which is what I'm assuming along with the wives. And the wives and kids are all sitting around the huge table, eating breakfast. Claire is taking mental notes of what food is still available in the pantries and cellars - and she's starting to get worried. And so am I. These people came along... and set up camp... and Mrs. Bug feeds them all nonstop... but has ANYONE caught anything lately? And they only have finite supplies of things like butter or raisins or parritch, etc.

And speaking of feeding them - has anyone noticed what big meals they eat for people who are low on supplies and sharing one household? Mrs. Bug is making them breakfast... just the women and children, no less... and it consists of toast and jam... sausage... porridge... raisin cake... and coffee. And now she's heading for the cellar to get some potatoes for the Muellers (who wouldn't be allowed in my house after the scalping incident; but that's just me. Yeah yeah, it was "the times".)  How about just a bowl of porridge and some coffee or water - and we'll save the cake and sausage for another day? Add some eggs and it's like a Grand Slam Breakfast! For moms and kids! My kids should eat so well every morning!

A few things you might want to know (all info and photos came from Wikipedia):

Head cheese (AmE) or Brawn (BrE) is a cold cut originating in Europe. Another version pickled with vinegar is known as souse. Head cheese is not a cheese but a meat jelly made with pieces from the head of a calf or pig (sometimes a sheep or cow) in aspic. It may contain onion, black pepper, allspice, bay leaf, salt, and vinegar. It may also include meat from the feet, tongue, and heart. It is usually eaten cold or at room temperature as a luncheon meat.

Corn dollies are a form of straw work made as part of harvest customs of Europe before mechanisation.



Hieronymus Bosch (English pronunciation: /ˌhaɪəˈrɒnəməs bɒʃ/, Dutch: [ɦieːˈɾoːniməs ˈbɔs]; born Jeroen Anthoniszoon van Aken [jəˈrun ɑnˈtoːnɪsoːn vɑn ˈaːkə(n)]; c. 1450 – August 9, 1516) was an Early Netherlandish painter of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The artist's work is well-known for the use of fantastic imagery to illustrate moral and religious concepts and narratives.

Jamie and Claire

Found this on Photobucket. It's breathtaking. I believe it was done by someone named Lilly who goes by "Doverbears" on Photobucket. Just beautiful.

Diana Gabaldon Explains the Creation of Outlander

There is so much online with the regards to spoilers... so I avoid a lot of it like the plague. But since I'm on Book 5 - The Fiery Cross - I've gotten a little less timid as I tip toe through the Outlander tulips on the interwebs. In doing so, I found this video which I allowed myself to watch and I'm so glad I did. It's Diana Gabaldon - who I've never even heard speak before -  discussing Outlander and how the novel came to be. There are many parts to this video series; I only have the guts to view this one. Baby steps. And it has no spoilers. Enjoy. (And thanks to Suwannee79 for posting it.)

Casting videos

Interesting casting choices. (Not down with Colum, though; too old.)  I like Laoghaire... Bree... Roger... Murtaugh (a LOT like mine) but what really intrigued me was Jonathan Rhys Myers for Randall! He can definitely play him - no question about that once you've seen him play Henry Tudor. How about casting him as John Grey? Not a bad choice, either. Thanks to Tiedyedaisy.



This is just Jamie and Claire from MaggiePhenix. Not bad. Again - intriguing. Evangeline Lilly - I've NEVER thought of her. Wonder if she can do the accent? She does look perfect for Claire. And this Chris Hemsworth dude? Australian. Hmmm. I like it. I'll have to see him act in something.

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Predictions

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read chapter 14 in The Fiery Cross.

So yesterday I read where Roger told Bree about the letter from Frank (aka Douchebag Extraordinaire). Were you not impressed with Roger's memorization skills? Myself as well... let me tell you. I could have used that memory in the 10th grade advanced chemistry class I shouldna have been in in the first place... but I digress...   *Thanks to gratefuld95 on travel.webshots.com for the photo.

I have to tell you that I am LOVING all this Frank's-message-from-the-grave business. Loving it. I, being a firm believer in reincarnation, think Frank is/was Jack Randall and have said that from the beginning. So hearing him say (in Drums) that he has the "oddest sense of James Fraser, almost a memory" makes me think I'm right. I almost fell over when I read the poetic "or end forever in some Celtic hell, with our hands wrapped round each other's throat?" Does that not send shivers down your spine? Especially when you think about Jamie sitting up at Culloden and throwing Jack Randall's lifeless body off of himself. Which, by the way, was never really explained any further.  Sassenachs, do you mean to tell me ye havena thought about that? I thought not.

So my latest prediction... not even that firm, but maybe a theory, is that Frank could have come through the stones during his marriage to Claire... and he's going to show up at any point. You never know. Geillis didn't travel exactly 200 years; maybe Frank didn't either. Maybe Frank got so fed up with living in the shadow of a dead man, that he decided to go meet this Jamie Fraser, himself... and ended up in 1770 Scotland. And after inquiring about Jamie's whereabouts, finally found someone who knew where he was - and was told "We just heard Jamie Fraser is living in the colonies with his wife, Claire and their daughter, BRIANNA."  Holy shite - you KNOW that would get Frank on a boat crossing the Atlantic so fast... and then picture it. Claire's doing a little Laparoscopy on old Mrs. MacHugh in her surgery while Jamie is out front chopping wood, smelling of woodsmoke and pungent man, and up walks Frank. Whoo hooooooo..... what I wouldn't do to get a little piece of THAT little read. Mmm hhhmmmm. Hell, I might have to write it myself!

OK and speaking of predictions - here is another one - that my friend SHANNON had today. Shannon, Jenn M and Jen L and I got together this AM over coffee to discuss Outlander. Shannon, Jenn and I are all on TFC and Jen L is just starting Drums. So Shannon emails me today and makes the following TREMENDOUS prediction:

I'm thinking that this book is going to be based on alot of religion. Since Jamie is catholic and catholics weren't to own property. He is going to be forced to sign his land over to Roger (b/c he's protestant) in order to keep the land. And of course Jamie is going to lose ownership of his land ONCE MORE!

Now - it's an awesome prediction and verra plausible. But what makes it even more tremendous is that our mentor, my sister Tracey, had the SAME prediction yesterday. She is a few hundred pages past us - and she's our MENTOR! So I am giving major props to Shannon for the mere suggestion. Canna WAIT to see what unfolds....

Beans, Beans, They're Good For Your Heart...

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you've read Chapter 14 in The Fiery Cross.

Why, oh why, must Diana wave this horrible fear that Jamie is going to die in front of my face on a constant basis? He and Roger have been rounding up the men-folk for the arduous task of standing up to the backwoods hicks from the western part of the state. All in the name of the crown, of course. And this is what I dinna understand, Sassenachs. If the crown wants so badly to keep the peace, then why don't they STAY in the colonies and do their own, damn dirty work??  Private Ogilvie  is hoping to get on the last boat to Scotland just as soon as Lizzie stops filling him with eggs and strawberry preserves. (How cute is that, by the way?) Why doesn't HE stay and fight the backwoods folk instead of JAMIE always having to do everything? Riddle me THAT, Batman! *Thanks to osv.org for the photo.

And am I the only one who seems to have a morbid fascination with all the weird ailments Claire treats? I was on the edge of my seat when she was cauterizing the poor slave's nose polyp. Wasn't it exciting? I wanted to hold that blade in the fire and do it myself! This might be due to my lack of medical fun around my own house as my husband won't let me near the occasional pimple... and the kids run from me when they have a splinter. Can't a girl play doctor once in while?? (And I'm not talking with JAMIE unfortch.)  I wonder why I want to. I loved Biology class... maybe that has something to do with it. At any rate, do you find yourself thinking up new and even more weird ailments for Claire to handle? I know I do. *Thanks to nlm.nih.gov for the photo.

So I have a new Kindle... and I find myself highlighting every time Jamie and Claire have a special little moment together. Kindof like this:


"And then I want to go home," he whispered... His forehead was pressed against mine, and his eyes very blue. "I want to take ye to bed-in my bed. And I mean to spend the rest of the day thinking what to do to ye once I've got ye there...."

Melt. OK focus, Carol.

Or how about this:


"Did I ever think to thank ye, Sassenach? he said, his voice a little husky. "For what?" I said, puzzled. He took my hand, and drew me gently toward him. He smelled of ale and damp wool, and very faintly of the brandied sweetness of fruitcake. "For my bairns," he said softly. "For the children that ye bore me." "Oh," I said. I leaned slowly forward, and rested my forehead against the solid warmth of his chest. I cupped my hands at the small of his back beneath his coat, and sighed. "It was... my pleasure."


le sigh... Does it get any better than that? I'm thinking no...

OK so before I leave go read, I must say that I verra much enjoyed the way Roger stood up to Jocasta when she dropped that "you're only marrying my niece for the money" bomb on him. That was uncalled for. And yet, I can't let it make me too mad at Jocasta just yet. I feel like she's got a plan - even beyond the plan Jamie and Claire were discussing (Jocasta trying to save Roger's rep in a way?) And how much did I love Jamie's reaction to the whole thing. His booming laugh is something I will mourn when this book series is over, Lassies... I truly will.

I also loved his "whooping laugh" when Claire recited the little beans jingle. When I was a kid, we weren't allowed to say "fart" - so we had to change it to the following:

Beans, beans, the musical fruit
The more you eat, the more you toot
The more you toot, the better you feel
So eat your beans at every meal

LOL! Can't you just hear Jamie laughing now????

  

*Thanks to Mary Hattler from al.com for the photo.