I have a confession to make. I have a new obsession. And its called Lark Rise to Candleford.
Lately there’s been so much sadness and terrible things in general in the news. I am one of those people that can internalize these negative things and work myself into a sobby mama frenzy. It’s not earthquakes, its Ebola. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve had to shut off some outlets to the outside world (although I’ll be honest, I’m checking up on the Ebola stuff in Dallas every single day….it’s like a nervous tick)
In the midst of this, I’ve yearned for a way to just sit and be calm. Pretty dresses and flowers are welcome bonuses. I want things to get tied up happily (or as best as can be) at the end of the hour. Sometimes you just need these things. And for me, it’s Lark Rise to Candleford.
The premise of Lark Rise to Candleford is small hamlet girl Laura Timmins moves to the local village of Candleford to work in the village post office. You meet different characters of a wide array of social classes and problems. But everyone’s got a story and a past. And its all set in the gorgeous English countryside at the end of the 19th century. Get me a sleeping baby and some knitting and girl, I am SET.
Some of the actors you will recognize from other British movies and television shows. Is that Mr. Bates, I see??? With Charlotte from Pride and Prejudice?
And while some of the story lines can be a little this side of silly, I’ve noticed that my family sure does seem to settle in and make themselves comfortable when I turn it on. Dare I say my husband will ask “so you wanna watch your show?”
Another thing I love about the show— and the book— the show is based on the writings of Flora Thompson’s books by the same name— are the clothes and also– the gardens!
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| Photo from Filmscapes in the UK— really neat site about creating gardens for film sets! |
Especially in the little hamlet of Lark Rise where all the housewives are raising their own vegetables and medicinal herbs, the rustic cottage gardens are amazing. Yes, yes I am trying to work out in my brain how to make that stick fence happen in my back yard. I also love all the heirloom plants shown gone to blossomy bramble near the houses. It makes me almost hopeful that next year, darn it, I will really get to garden! Hopefully by then Robbie will be able to toddle out with me. Or at least hang out with Daddy while I sneak off to work outside.
I started watching this show through Netflix rental, but then learned that I could watch the entire 4 seasons for free online with Amazon Prime (hurray!) So if you use Prime, you are entitled to watching the whole season without any cost! Or you can order the dvds or rent through netflix.
The book I just got is very sweet too— there are three books but there are many volumes that combine the three into one book, like the one I got. I bought a used copy because I can’t resist the lure of a 99 cent book, and it has beautiful old paintings and images of pressed flowers in the pages. I’ve heard these books compared to Little House on the Prairie— another “Laura” centered book, and these were written at about the same point in time.
I highly recommend it. It does me good to settle in with a little bit of Lark Rise. Maybe you’ll enjoy it too!~
~H
Sleightholm Folk Art 
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