Posted in Fiction

A Winter Week- 16-21 June

Posted on by TravellinPenguin

‘Librum furatur: per collum penderetur.”

Translation:

“He who steals a book: let him be hanged by the neck.”

This is from a little book of Book Curses by Eleanor Baker. Published by the Bodleian Library. It’s a fun little book of curses pertaining to books from ancient to more current times. I only have a few books this might apply to.

Sorry I missed everyone last weekend. I was gearing up for a three day photo excursion on Bruny Island, south of here abiut 45 minutes to the 15 minute ferry to get across. There were two originally signed up with the photographer leading us through night photography (I got the southern cross in the middle of the milky way, I think), sunrises, sunsets, rocky seascapes and a beautiful extensive garden full of birds endemic to Tasmania. Photos to come. The good news about this trip is the other participant dropped out so it was just two of us so had some high level photography tuition to myself. The bad news is it was very cold, down to about 3 degrees C for night skies (37.4 F). We also did a tourist three hour boat ride out into the Tasman sea around the cliff faces. We saw albatross, dolphins every where and many fur seals. But the last hour was pretty high speed and very, very cold. But great fun.

One of the photos taken from the boat on my phone of the tall cliffs of dolomite rock. Lots of caves along these cliffs.

I read the book Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier for July’s book group discussion. We do a classic each year. I had read it before but not for years.

Here is the description of it from Deep Seek.

Rebecca is a classic Gothic novel written by Daphne du Maurier and first published in 1938. It is a haunting tale of love, jealousy, and secrets, set against the atmospheric backdrop of the English countryside.

Plot Summary

The story is narrated by an unnamed young woman who works as a companion to a wealthy American woman. While in Monte Carlo, she meets the wealthy and enigmatic widower Maxim de Winter, the owner of the grand estate Manderley in Cornwall. After a whirlwind romance, they marry, and the new Mrs. de Winter moves to Manderley, only to find herself overshadowed by the memory of Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, who died under mysterious circumstances.

The housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, is fiercely devoted to Rebecca’s memory and subtly torments the new Mrs. de Winter, constantly reminding her that she can never replace Rebecca. As the protagonist struggles to adjust to her new life, she begins to uncover dark secrets about Rebecca’s true nature and the events leading to her death—revealing shocking truths that threaten to destroy Maxim and Manderley itself

I imagine most bibliophiles have read this but it may have been years ago. I enjoyed it very much. Rebecca is very much in love. There is much miscommunication. Mrs. Danvers is creepy. And there is a murder thrown in as well. All within the beautiful landscape of Cornwall. What;s not to like.

I got back from Bruny Island on Friday late afternoon and Mr P headed off to visit family in Canada the following morning. He was kind enough to organise an early morning uber so I didn’t need to drive him out to the airport in the cold. It was much appreciated.

I will be pet sitting for the next three weeks. I’ll pop in a photo of my charges.

1940

Well there has been more going on but I’ll catch up later. It is getting late. I hope everyone has a good week. Let me know if you’ve read Rebecca and did you like it? Have you also seen the 1940 film adaptation by Alfred Hitchcock? I saw it years ago but I see there is a more recent adaptation on Netflix so will have a look at that.

Cousin Eddie age 11. He was in hospital all week with pancreatitis and inflammation of his bowel. He is a bit of a high stressed boy so quite fragile at times.

Grizzy 8 Very laid back all of the time.

Ollie age 5– Such a big doofus.

Peanut (Peannie) such a little mother to everyone. Bery bright. She is a mixture of Pug, Bichon, Toy poodle, Miniature Poodle and Maltese and 12.5% companion dog unknown.

Tell me about reading Rebecca.
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Author:

I live a retired life in Tasmania, Australia. I love books, travel, animals, photography, motor biking and good friends. I indulge in all these activities with the little Travellin' Penguin who has now shared five continents with me. We love book shops, photography walks and time with friends as all our family is in USA and Canada. I enjoy visitors to my blog so hope you'll stop by.

16 thoughts on “A Winter Week- 16-21 June”

  1. Love seeing all the kitties and pups! Hope Cousin Eddie is feeling better. Love the picture of the cliffs!!!! I would be terrified to be on the water, looking up at them. Also terrified to be on the edge looking down. Hahahahahahaha.

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  2. What a wonderful trip and photos. You are really good with the camera. I read Rebecka a couple of years ago. I have a wish to read all of DdM’s books, so it was in that context. I did like it, and I have seen both the old Hitchcock version and the new one. Since the old one is in black and white it makes a more ‘scary’ impression, but I do like both versions.

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  3. Gorgeous photos of the cats, but a special hello to dear little Ollie and Peanuts.

    But it’s your photo of that cliff that stunned me. I don’t know if convicts were ever on Bruny but it made me think immediately of convicts wanting to escape and being confronted by such a hostile landscape.

    Rebecca? Yes, first when I was in my romantic twenties, and then about 15 years ago I think when it featured in a course I was doing. I don’t remember ever seeing the film, I don’t think I want to though Laurence Olivier is rather gorgeous. The novel made me a lifelong fan of Daphne de Maurier, though I think she went a bit odd in her later novels.

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    1. I’ve not read anything else by Daphne. Just Rebecca. Those Bruny cliffs are something else. It is pretty much like that right down the east coast and Tasman peninsula where there were many convicts not to mention the dog line at the neck of Tasman peninsula.

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  4. “Rebecca” I seem to recall first picking it from the shelf when I was about 10, but don’t recall reading it! Perhaps I didn’t like where i thought it was going? I should try again?

    I love you menage des animaux!

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  7. Love you photos of the critters….my little dog is also a lady of very democratic lineage– has been with me now for 4 months, 6 years old, from the local Humane society, very traumatic background, but adjusting well. As you can tell from the attached photo. If your husband is coming to Canada he will have quite a temperature adjustment…right now here in Toronto it is about 28-30 degrees C….. Looking forward to your photos from the tutorial session…… Regards Josée Posen Toronto

    647 924 4683 cell

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