Happy December, dear readers! I hope you are all doing well!
Mr. Bingley and I had a fun November that included some small camping trips and outdoor fun.
We definitely like camping in autumn weather more than summer weather…although both times we’ve been camping in November we had rain and temperatures that dropped into the 30s at night! 🏕❄️ But we were lucky to have some beautiful days of sunshine!
I’ve had such a desire to hike every weekend…I think I’m turning into to Elizabeth Bennet!! LOL! (How I would love to have something like Oakham Mount within easy walking distance!) 🍁
Alas, I must content myself with hiking on the weekends and driving to some destinations with beautiful views and scenery!
Are you busy with the holiday bustle yet? We sure are! Our house is mostly decorated (just need to finish the popcorn/cranberry garland…chain is too short!) and do some more on Christmas shopping…and then its many trips to the Post Office! 🎄📦🎁
But in between all that and cookie making and decorating, I have a very fun reading month planned! I’m so excited since this is the first time I’m doing something like this… 📚🤗
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Want to know what Austenesque fun I’m getting into this month?
…here is what’s on this month’s
Austenesque Agenda:
~ TO REVIEW ~
~ TO READ AND REVIEW ~
For those who may not know, Alexis Lynne is Austenesque author Pamela Lynne and this is a new non-Austenesque series she is starting. And…it is currently on sale for $0.99!!
~ MY ANNUAL TRADITION! ~
You may remember I have a special holiday tradition…for the past 5 years I’ve read annotated editions of Jane Austen’s novels – some from David M. Shapard and some from Harvard University Press. I have one novel that I’ve yet to read an annotated edition for…and in truth, I haven’t reread this novel in over 10 years! So for this year it is Mansfield Park annotated by David M. Shapard!
~ FEATURED AUTHORS VISITING THIS MONTH ~
Sophie Turner – December 10th
Don Jacobson – December 14th
Did you notice anything special about all my reads (minus Mansfield Park) for December? 🎄🎁
I’ve never had a month full of Christmas reads before!! I’m so excited! I’m two books in and already loving it!
What are you reading this month? Any fun holiday plans?
Love the photos – such gorgeous scenery. Do I detect a “Polish Star” on the Jane Austen Christmas tree?…LOL. I have been attempting to read some of the Christmas stories on my Kindle. It is just so easy to be distracted when others post excellent reviews of stories they have read. I have only read Yuletide…I believe so your reviews will be important as they will be new reads for me also. Thanks for sharing. Going to see the play at DeSales Univ. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley tonight with a friend.
@sheilalmajczan I saw Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley last year with a friend. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Happy Holidays!
Thank you, Sheila! I was so happy to find some places with beautiful fall foliage, we see so little of it where we live!
Yes! I am so happy you spotted them! I thought they belonged on my Jane Austen tree because they came from my lovely Jane Austen friend!
That sounds like such a fun play to go and see! I hope you had a wonderful time!
Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos! Looks like a wonderful line-up of books! I like rereading Christmas children’s books with my sons, though this year I’m also reading Bah, Humbug by Michael Rosen with my younger son, and we are going to see A Christmas Carol at a local theater this weekend. Hoping to get to some holiday reads myself, in between the baking and other busy-ness. Happy December!
My pleasure! I love hearing about your holiday reading plans! And how fun to see some local theatre! What a special way to make memories! 🙂 Hope you enjoy a very happy December, Reina!
That looks like quite the list to get you in the holiday spirit if you aren’t yet. And again, thank you for reading to review our lastest anthology “YULETIDE” that we published particularly to support Chawton House. Can’t wait to read what you think of the stories. And I like ve the pictures—so fun!
I know! I am so excited to read all festive reads!!! I’ve just read one story from Yuletide this morning – loved it! Can’t wait to read more! Hope you all meet your goal for Chawton House!
So far I’ve only read Unwraping Mr. Darcy and Loved it. Thanks for your recommendations and including me on the list with A Holiday to Remember. I look forward to more great reads. Jen Red
That’s so great to hear! I hope you get to enjoy a few others! I so enjoyed A Holiday to Remember and can’t wait to listen to all the music you shared!
I love seeing the pictures from your camping and hiking excursions. We did that a lot when I was a kid, but now I get to do it maybe a few weeks out of the year.
Love your Christmasy themed reading agenda. I’ve read a few of those and really enjoyed them. Your trees both look great.
Have a great December of reading and holiday fun, Meredith!
I’m so glad to hear that! We are getting to do it about twice a month…never for too long. Sometimes it is just 1 night, most we’ve done is 4 nights. But it is fun to get away and enjoy nature!
Thanks so much for checking out our holiday reads! I hope you enjoy all your December reads, my friend!
love your trees
Thank you! I do too!
Fantastic pics Meredith. If I mentioned camping to my family they’d run for the hills. None of them are out doorsy. I was as a youngster but not so sure now. Don’t think the old bones would take it:-) You have some great reading lined up.
Thank you, Teresa! LOL! We have our uncomfortable moments too. I still need to find some more padding to sleep on! 😉
I think so too! I’ve already read 3 books and am loving them!
I love the pictures of where you have camped. Just beautiful places to see. And your Christmas tree is lovely. I have read Unwrapping Mr. Darcy and A Holiday To Remember but love Christmas stories so I plan to read as many of the others as I can find the time.
Thank you, Brenda! We are having so much fun exploring the beautiful area we live in! We can’t wait to see the rest of the beautiful parks all over the country!
Like your plan! Hope you are able to read some more!
There are some stars in there! Lucky Meredith to get to read them. I love the dolls on your Christmas tree and they remind me that I had planned to make a set of clothespin Regency dolls. It should be fun making tiny top hats!
Thank you! I am very excited about all these lovely upcoming reads!
Yes! I have just the Bennet sisters, but I need to get some male characters and make them too!
The photos this month are brilliant. That scenery! Love the saturated colors in the Fall on a clear blue sky day! The pic of your hiking boots reminds me of ones we took over a handful of years, when we lived in TX. We sent one picture to our son’s girlfriend one year because she couldn’t make it in from out of state and said “something’s missing from this picture.” Now they live in Oregon together, a great state for all the outdoorsy stuff they love.
What a great line-up this month, all Christmas. Great fun, and very ambitions considering it’s the holidays. I’m looking forward to your reviews. Fab guests this month! I need to get that Shaphard edition, I’ve enjoyed his other annotated editions, but still missing a couple.
I love your trees. Especially the Jane Austen ornaments. <3 Have a wonderful month, Meredith.
Thank you, Michelle! We were definitely out and about a lot this month and I enjoyed seeing some pretty fall scenes!
Aww! Fun! that’s awesome that your son lives in Oregon – that is one state we are definitely looking to check out!
Even though it is a lot of books, most of them are under 200 pages so it seems to be a perfect fit for the holiday season! I hope you enjoy some great reads this month and a happy December!
Beautiful pics with the golden touches in the trees! Glad to see you enjoyed such an overwhelming landscapes!
I’m still decorating home putting tiny angels in the curtains 😉
I like your Christmas trees, they look so lovely! . I’ve just finished reading a Christmas book; it’s not an austenesque but a little book about Santa Claus : “The life and adventures of Santa Claus” by L.Frank Baum the author of “The wizard of Oz”: it’s a heartwarming story ideal for these days 🙂
Have a magic December and enjoy your readings! (I’ll ask Santa for more time to read)
Thank you, my friend! We love diversity of the state we live in!
Angels – how lovely! Isn’t it fun to set up all the decorations?
That sounds like a wonderful read to enjoy! I’ve not heard of the book before! Thanks so much for sharing!
Great idea! 😉
Great photos as usual Meredith, and some great reading! I have read Unwrapping Mr Darcy, Yuletide, Christmas at Darcy House and Newness and Wonder and I’m planning on reading A Holiday to Remember.
I look forward to your thoughts on them all.
I love both your Christmas trees – nice! 🙂
Thank you, Glynis!! You are on a roll! I’m glad to hear you are enjoying some Christmas reads too!
Happy December!
I love hearing about all your hiking trips! The pictures are just beautiful!
I’ve read ‘Unwrapping Mr. Darcy ‘(So fun!), and I have ‘A Holiday to Remember’ and ‘Yule Tide’ to read! I would love to read all the other Christmas stories on your list! They all look lovely!
Have a wonderful December, Meredith!
Thank you, Candy! It is definitely something we are starting to love more and more!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed Unwrapping Mr. Darcy, and great choices for your other holiday reads!
Hope you enjoy a wonderful month, my friend!
OMG! You and Mr. Bingley [hello Mr. Bingley] have been on the road again. You guys always have the most amazing photos. Throughout all that rain, were your boots and petticoat six inches deep in mud? I love your decorated trees. And I did spy a quilted wall hanging in the background? Do you quilt it or did someone else do it? Beautiful decorations, just lovely. An Austen decorated tree.. fabulous.
🙂 Yep, the first trip was because Mr. Bingley and my brother wanted to attend an outdoor expo, the second trip was because we didn’t want to be in town for Black Friday. 😉
LOL! Yes our shoes were covered in mud, but I’m so thankful that I didn’t get mud 6 inches up my pant leg! That would have been so not fun!
Thanks so much for noticing! The quilt hanging was made by my grandma and given to me by my aunt – I just love have something she made. 🙂
Your lovely camping photos make me want to go camping again — I haven’t been in a long time!
And I’m very much looking forward to visiting! 🙂
Hope you get chance to enjoy some camping soon! We might be done for 2018, we will see if we can get out in Jan or Feb. 😉
So happy to have you visit and share about your new release, Sophie! We wish you all the best!
Your Netherfield Nook tree is delightful Meredith. I adore the Austen character ornaments and have several on my own tree. Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Thank you, Laurel Ann! It is a little one and I thought it would be fun to keep any Jane Austen-y/Regency ornaments together. Aren’t they lovely? I hope to collect some more one day…I just have Jane Austen, Anne Elliot, and Mr. Knightley….a very interesting mix!
I love your camping photos. I have camped in 17 degree weather, but much prefer summer camping. I love your neat bookcase. Thank you for sharing your Netherfield Nook tree.