This is the most recent book i finished reading and when i first saw it lying in the shelf of new fiction in the Library, it caught my eye. The cover said a lot more than other books ever did. It was a yellow two storey house standing at the slope of a green mountain whose under a yellow sky. There were flowers hanging from window sills but the house looked a little ragged. Maintenance was low but there was smoke rising from the high chimeny which indicated it was still inhibited. This yellow painted house carried a mystery i wanted to find out and i brought the book home.
Author, Patricia Falvey was born in North Ireland and raised in Ireland and England and migrated to USA at age of twenty. She has enriched this historic novel with detailed information of the period early twentieth century and brings to life an inspiring story of a woman who fights for her dream of reuniting her family under their own historic Yellow house. The other supporting characters are equally strong, cultivating an adventurous plot mixed with love, hate, anger and forgiveness.
For me, this story was one of a kind. It was a woman's courage to go beyond her childhood ghosts and faith to fulfill the dream she carried on behalf of her Da. The strange ways of her getting in to and out of troubles with different sections of society, getting lost in between the thin line of right and wrong, trying to preserve her own heritage and mesmerizing courage shown on her own battles of parenthood and emotional attachments she developes in her life validates the scenes that flows in the story. Out of pure rage her destiny allows her to take strange turns she never anticipates and her love's deception leaves her more hurt and contaminated than she could handle on her own. And this Irish warrior fights for the lives of her siblings and bring back the scattered family together finally. And finds her own true love in a place she never dreams of.
Any reader would agree that this woman is more earthly than most heroines that are found in other novels making this a unique and lively experience of Ireland's revolution during the early twentieth century.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Butterfly Wings
It was a sunny day
Pretty flowers blooming and a beauty breeze blowing.
Flying from flower to flower insearch of
precious lustrous nectar I was.
This is my life
A life of a butterfly
Flying from here to there and
Feeding myself.
Can I be your friend
One day I asked from a flower in the end
A nod against the wind was all I received.
Heavy breeze swept the leaves one day
And gushed my poor wings away
I fell on the leaf bed on the ground
I tried I couldn't fly,
That pretty flower gave another nod
Again against the wind.
Pretty flowers blooming and a beauty breeze blowing.
Flying from flower to flower insearch of
precious lustrous nectar I was.
This is my life
A life of a butterfly
Flying from here to there and
Feeding myself.
Can I be your friend
One day I asked from a flower in the end
A nod against the wind was all I received.
Heavy breeze swept the leaves one day
And gushed my poor wings away
I fell on the leaf bed on the ground
I tried I couldn't fly,
That pretty flower gave another nod
Again against the wind.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Happy growing up!
First, happy new year everybody. May this year bring fulfillment and inner strength to all!
It has been a while since I last hopped in and not that life was not interesting to blog about :-) But too many thoughts always confuse the main idea stream and the quality of it vanish in to thin air. In such circumstances it is better to let go than to try and tame the fellow.
Today I am thinking in a straightforward manner as tomorrow is a memorable day for me. My daughter is turning 18 months! Isn't that a serious thing! It was like a dream when she was born in July 2009 and I moving to US with her last year January to live with my husband. So many changes and upgrades and downgrades and 18 months have passed. First 6 months were the most hectic as I never dreamed of what was coming. I had to practise patience to keep myself calm and think through things. But after few months the practise and guessing whats next on line just gave me the strength to move on. And her smile... Her smile kept me going. I struggled hard with life at that time. I had a satisfying job and a flourishing career line which I was happily proceeding. But even though I returned to work, only thing I wanted to do was to come back to her. She was so amazing and growing fast, I didn't want to miss a single thing.
I made up my mind. I gave up my life for she was more important and valuable to me. I wanted her to know that I'm there for her always when she need me. I still want her to know that. I want her to be brave and have courage to go forward in her life. But I want to be there just to see that she's safe. This is my life now. My daughter, I'm standing beside you to give you the hand when you need one. And most of all, I'm here to love you and nourish you and make sure you are never hurt. I will always do my best to give you strength in your life. Happy growing up my little baby and I love you...
It has been a while since I last hopped in and not that life was not interesting to blog about :-) But too many thoughts always confuse the main idea stream and the quality of it vanish in to thin air. In such circumstances it is better to let go than to try and tame the fellow.
Today I am thinking in a straightforward manner as tomorrow is a memorable day for me. My daughter is turning 18 months! Isn't that a serious thing! It was like a dream when she was born in July 2009 and I moving to US with her last year January to live with my husband. So many changes and upgrades and downgrades and 18 months have passed. First 6 months were the most hectic as I never dreamed of what was coming. I had to practise patience to keep myself calm and think through things. But after few months the practise and guessing whats next on line just gave me the strength to move on. And her smile... Her smile kept me going. I struggled hard with life at that time. I had a satisfying job and a flourishing career line which I was happily proceeding. But even though I returned to work, only thing I wanted to do was to come back to her. She was so amazing and growing fast, I didn't want to miss a single thing.
I made up my mind. I gave up my life for she was more important and valuable to me. I wanted her to know that I'm there for her always when she need me. I still want her to know that. I want her to be brave and have courage to go forward in her life. But I want to be there just to see that she's safe. This is my life now. My daughter, I'm standing beside you to give you the hand when you need one. And most of all, I'm here to love you and nourish you and make sure you are never hurt. I will always do my best to give you strength in your life. Happy growing up my little baby and I love you...
Saturday, August 7, 2010
"Darcy's Daughters"
My passion of reading English classics started when I was studying in Grade 7. It developed a world of perfectness and elegance where reputation and well manners of young ladies thrived. Those characters and romances and adventures always had a special place in my heart.
My all time favourite was "Pride & Prejudice" a work by Jane Austin. This medieval novel tells an enchanting story about lives of a family with five young daughters from their youth to their marriages. The different personalities of each daughter and the various ways their social attachments are formed brings out a much lively story that surely kept my mind bound to it until the very end. The fascinating romance between Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy who is the most handsome and eligible bachelor in English literature, is the base of Pride & Prejudice. How this romance sustain amidst the pride of Mr. Darcy and the prejudices Miss Elizabeth is caught in, and finally how both of them overcome all indifferences while the society turns its head in cruel and inardent ways can be dramatically felt in such strong wordings of the author, Jane Austen.
After twenty years of this romance "Darcy's Daughters" by Elizabeth Aston, has started the story about the family of Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy, who now has five young daughters and two younger sons. "Darcy's Daughters" unfolds the story of the young Darcy daughters' visit to London from Derbyshire while their parents are in a diplomatic mission in Constantinople.
Elizabeth Aston, the author, has made an effort to combine both stories and make a continous tale of family in her book. Under the influence of Jane Austen's views of society and civilizations, the latter author has been somewhat a success in building those lives of the characters. But I should admit that when I kept reading I realized that the latter story is often similar with incidents and characteristics of each daughter with the previous generation. One thing is that Darcy family is much the same as the Bennet family in the first book. But I must say that the latter story has made significant changes in the intellectual characteristics of certain members, as the eldest Miss Darcy is a character who is vexed easily by the mere simplest things whereas Miss Bennet was a sweet natured but intelligent soul who had a very close emotional relationship with the second Miss Bennet. Both second members of the families are quite similar with their characteristics in the form of intelligence and emotional independance. Youngest members in both stories fall in trouble as to their misbehaviour and the story goes ending with all troubles overcome by the intelligence of the second daughter.
I wouldn't let myself to word the "Darcy's Daughters" as a mere copy of the "Pride & Prejudice" but I would have wished after tewnty years the society and people should have had more morality which would have affected the story more than it had. Because the Darcy parents were intellectuals and independant souls which would have brought up their children differently.
My all time favourite was "Pride & Prejudice" a work by Jane Austin. This medieval novel tells an enchanting story about lives of a family with five young daughters from their youth to their marriages. The different personalities of each daughter and the various ways their social attachments are formed brings out a much lively story that surely kept my mind bound to it until the very end. The fascinating romance between Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy who is the most handsome and eligible bachelor in English literature, is the base of Pride & Prejudice. How this romance sustain amidst the pride of Mr. Darcy and the prejudices Miss Elizabeth is caught in, and finally how both of them overcome all indifferences while the society turns its head in cruel and inardent ways can be dramatically felt in such strong wordings of the author, Jane Austen.
After twenty years of this romance "Darcy's Daughters" by Elizabeth Aston, has started the story about the family of Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy, who now has five young daughters and two younger sons. "Darcy's Daughters" unfolds the story of the young Darcy daughters' visit to London from Derbyshire while their parents are in a diplomatic mission in Constantinople.
Elizabeth Aston, the author, has made an effort to combine both stories and make a continous tale of family in her book. Under the influence of Jane Austen's views of society and civilizations, the latter author has been somewhat a success in building those lives of the characters. But I should admit that when I kept reading I realized that the latter story is often similar with incidents and characteristics of each daughter with the previous generation. One thing is that Darcy family is much the same as the Bennet family in the first book. But I must say that the latter story has made significant changes in the intellectual characteristics of certain members, as the eldest Miss Darcy is a character who is vexed easily by the mere simplest things whereas Miss Bennet was a sweet natured but intelligent soul who had a very close emotional relationship with the second Miss Bennet. Both second members of the families are quite similar with their characteristics in the form of intelligence and emotional independance. Youngest members in both stories fall in trouble as to their misbehaviour and the story goes ending with all troubles overcome by the intelligence of the second daughter.
I wouldn't let myself to word the "Darcy's Daughters" as a mere copy of the "Pride & Prejudice" but I would have wished after tewnty years the society and people should have had more morality which would have affected the story more than it had. Because the Darcy parents were intellectuals and independant souls which would have brought up their children differently.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Bhel Puri
Yesterday I had the privilege of dining with a friend's family as they were leaving the area for a while. It was amazing food that gave me the idea to blog about it. They are Indian nationals which are students of Purdue University. We were really enthusiastic to try out their food as they liked our spicy Sri Lankan foods like Little Jack or Green Jack curry, String hoppers and Pol Sambol.
The food was Bhel Puri and it was the green gravy that caught my taste most. Spicy and tasty with layers of choped red onions and tomatoes, it was a real treat. The speciality of trying out different foods and drinks from different countries are the best thing when you live away from one's home. I believe food really weave together different people and cultures. At home we always really on Chinese food to give a break to the routine Sri Lankan cuisine and Indian foods and dishes have a significant role in snacks and eating out.
Even though we are so far from home, we still are previlidged to find our spices, rice and vegetables to maintain our traditional cooking for our little ones. For my belief is that we should teach our young to value all kinds of cultures and have a special place for our Sri Lankan cousine regradless of where ever they reside in the world. For this world is a vast continent where all of us should enjoy living together.
The food was Bhel Puri and it was the green gravy that caught my taste most. Spicy and tasty with layers of choped red onions and tomatoes, it was a real treat. The speciality of trying out different foods and drinks from different countries are the best thing when you live away from one's home. I believe food really weave together different people and cultures. At home we always really on Chinese food to give a break to the routine Sri Lankan cuisine and Indian foods and dishes have a significant role in snacks and eating out.
Even though we are so far from home, we still are previlidged to find our spices, rice and vegetables to maintain our traditional cooking for our little ones. For my belief is that we should teach our young to value all kinds of cultures and have a special place for our Sri Lankan cousine regradless of where ever they reside in the world. For this world is a vast continent where all of us should enjoy living together.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Wondering what to do...
Lately I've been struggling to find things to occupy myself. Only the other day a friend called from Sri Lanka and asked me what I'm up to these days! I said "nothing". Plainly it may sound, I'm out of work. Last month up till my dear daughter Hazelle's birthday I've been busy with planning her very first birthday party. The food menu, cooking arrangements, her dress and so on. Last but not the least her very first birthday cake. I loved planning her birthday cake, the trials I did with cakes and icing and fondant... I really enjoyed the thrill of accomplishing something so sweet to eat!! Well, my planning did its job and the cake came out well. I got lot of compliments and everybody liked it! And then after a week, my husband wanted a birthday cake done for his Professor. That was easy as I had practise now. It took me almost three days to finish Hazelle's birthday cake amidst all attention and care given to her while working and with the help of my husband. But now in one day I can finish a cake! So keith's order was done in a half a day!
Now i'm bored. Apart of my daily housework I read. But thats all. It doesn't keep my mind occupied. My love for doing new things has opened up lot of doors for me but I'm kind of standing in one place wondering what to do...
Now i'm bored. Apart of my daily housework I read. But thats all. It doesn't keep my mind occupied. My love for doing new things has opened up lot of doors for me but I'm kind of standing in one place wondering what to do...
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Luck
The other day one of my school mates has posted a comment on my Facebook page saying that I am lucky. Yes according to her thoughts I'm lucky because I lead a very content life with my husband and my darling daughter.
I did my studies well in school. Even though I had a little number of friends, I never had any enemies. I got selected to University of Kelaniya to pursue my degree in Computer Science, a new department they had started under Physical Science. At the same time I got selected to Peoples Bank, one of the state banks in Sri Lanka. I was Just out of school and I didn't have the best impression of University of Kelaniya at that time! I took up the job and left my destine in University behind.
The job satisfied me for somewhat the worries that created in abandoning my studies, but the satisfaction turned to be a memorable start for my life. I met my husband in Peoples Bank and the start of my relationship with him kept any of those regrets at bay.
May be I was Lucky but I prefer to say I don't believe in luck myself. Self confidence and courage to face life's obstacles are the key to success in life. I believe in myself. I'm not successful in my life yet. I have a lot more to gain. Still I know that I got the world's best husband and the most cutest little bundle of joy in the world. Yes I am somewhat lucky than others.
I did my studies well in school. Even though I had a little number of friends, I never had any enemies. I got selected to University of Kelaniya to pursue my degree in Computer Science, a new department they had started under Physical Science. At the same time I got selected to Peoples Bank, one of the state banks in Sri Lanka. I was Just out of school and I didn't have the best impression of University of Kelaniya at that time! I took up the job and left my destine in University behind.
The job satisfied me for somewhat the worries that created in abandoning my studies, but the satisfaction turned to be a memorable start for my life. I met my husband in Peoples Bank and the start of my relationship with him kept any of those regrets at bay.
May be I was Lucky but I prefer to say I don't believe in luck myself. Self confidence and courage to face life's obstacles are the key to success in life. I believe in myself. I'm not successful in my life yet. I have a lot more to gain. Still I know that I got the world's best husband and the most cutest little bundle of joy in the world. Yes I am somewhat lucky than others.
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