Inklings // December 2025

Happy 31st of December!! I hope you've all been enjoying lovely festivities this month. We're still in the midst of quiet (and not so quiet) Christmas carryings on here, but it's been a good month. 

We started the year with a lot to process (some broader things that were happening around us and subsequent decisions to make as a family) and we're literally ending the year processing further developments with all that, but being in a very different place than we started. God is good.

And I'm so thankful for each and every one of you that visits my little corner here! Your views, comments, and interactions are so very appreciated. I hope you all have very happy new year celebrations and looking forward to continuing blogging adventures with you all in 2026! 🤗 

As always, feel free to join any time here until the next prompt goes up! 💜 

Rules:

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt, including a link back here in your post.

2. Make sure to come back and leave a link to your entry in the box on this post. That's it!

~

December's prompt is:

A party scene in book or film

So my '95 P&P review is still partially done... In the end it was just too much for this month, particularly as I don't want to rush something that's been patiently waiting for so long. (Truth be told, to do it justice, I really want to put more thought into the themes etc., which may necessitate a proper re-read.) But! In closing out 2025, I still really wanted to do something in honor of Jane Austen's 250th birth year + the 30th anniversary of our beloved adaptation... so then I thought of Inklings!

And (of all things) I keep coming back to this Christmas scene at Lucas Lodge. Probably because I love how they incorporated the Christmas carol into the background. It's also intriguing as it's a scene where you can really feel the tightness (dare I say stifling quality) and longstanding-neighbor-ish-ness of the society. A point much talked of already in the story, but you can really feel it here, and brought into contrast again with the presence of new outsiders/arrivals who are yet just passing through, Miss King and the Gardiners. 

It's also an underrated turning point, as we're well and truly set on the road to Hunsford and EVERYTHING that follows. 💜🥰 *happy sigh*

And, as Austen's works are peppered with sister relationships, I recently started taking great enjoyment in watching the little included tableau with Mrs. Bennet, Mrs. Phillips, and their sister-in-law, Mrs. Gardiner. All in all, it may not be the absolutely smoothest scene in the entire adaptation, but it furthers both the story and character development for everyone. Such a wonderfully paced yet tightly written script. No extra scenes !

(On my last watching, I also finally noticed the peppermint bows in Mrs. Bennet's hair. Superb and delightful.)

Enjoy!

You can pop your links below:

🌿 I can't wait to see what you all come up with and Happy New Year! 🌿

Inklings // November 2025

Happy November and Happy Thanksgiving!

So between trying to wrangle out some doctrinal points, figure out how not to start my novel, iron out some massive garden plans, dig into my review for the '95 P&P, and Thanksgiving prep and celebration, my brain's been spinning just a tad. *face palm* But! Definitely wanted to keep our Inklings streak going.

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving and, as always, feel free to join any time here until the next prompt goes up! 💜 

Rules:

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt, including a link back here in your post.

2. Make sure to come back and leave a link to your entry in the box on this post. That's it!

~

November's prompt is:

A scene with a feast in book or film

Know I'm posting this on Thanksgiving itself, but hoping you'll all still be rejoicing and being thankful with your nearest and dearest through the weeks ahead. :)

My entry is Almanzo's fond memories of two typical dinners at his home. As my dad likes pointing out, it was a great feast for the Ingalls when Pa caught a rabbit and this was Almanzo's childhood experience... 😅

I do always wonder if these were actually nostalgic mental compilations, but Mr. Wilder was a well-to-do farmer and farm families did have to be heartily fed... Either way it makes for mouthwatering reading.

From one of the opening chapters:

"Almanzo ate the sweet, mellow baked beans. He ate the bit of salt pork that melted like cream in his mouth. He ate mealy boiled potatoes, with brown ham-gravy. He ate the ham. He bit deep into velvety bread spread with sleek butter, and he ate the crisp golden crust. He demolished a tall heap of pale mashed turnips, and a hill of stewed yellow pumpkin. Then he sighed, and tucked his napkin deeper into the neckband of his red waist. And he ate plum preserves and strawberry jam, and grape jelly, and spiced watermelon-rind pickles. He felt very comfortable inside. Slowly he ate a large piece of pumpkin pie."

And from the ending chapter:

 "Almanzo went on eating. He was listening, but he was tasting the good taste of roast pork and apple sauce in every corner of his mouth. He took a long, cold drink of milk, and then he sighed and tucked his napkin farther in, and he reached for his pumpkin pie.

"He cut off the quivering point of golden-brown pumpkin, dark with spices and sugar. It melted on his tongue, and all his mouth and nose were spicy." 

I just always find those sections so evocative... Farmer Boy is definitely a favorite around here. 😊 

~

P.S. Now coming off Thanksgiving, I'm also seriously picturing Errol Flynn waving that turkey leg(?) round as Robin Hood... xD 

You can pop your links below:

🌿 Have fun and I can't wait to see what you all come up with! 🌿

Inklings // October 2025

Happy October everyone! I hope you've all been having a most lovely autumn.   

I'm so enjoying the colors here. And I've had lightbulbs going off for my next novel this week... it feels so amazing to have the ideas flowing again.

(Sidenote: on a slight downer, am also experiencing an oncoming cold at the moment so have to admit my general outlook on life has gotten rather fuzzy as of this afternoon, but I'm sure things will brighten presently. 😅 Ah, the ups and downs of a single day... ;D)

As always, feel free to join any time here until the next prompt goes up! 💜 

Rules:

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt, including a link back here in your post.

2. Make sure to come back and leave a link to your entry in the box on this post. That's it!

~

October's prompt is:

A scene with a fountain in book or film

We rewatched the 1993 Much Ado About Nothing this month with my mom and sister. (Full warning: it does have some nudity near the beginning and at least one other suggestive scene.) 

That important disclaimer out of the way, Much Ado is my favorite Shakespeare play and I'd forgotten how brilliant certain scenes are. In the '93 version, the fountain plays a grounding role in numerous scenes, but this particular one -- just after Benedick and Beatrice discover their love for each other is still alive and well -- is just riveting (especially combined with the cuts to Beatrice on the swing, which swing may have to have an honorable mention some future month xD). The music is just thrilling. Definitely well done and one of my all around favorite scenes! :)

You can watch the whole scene here

The Shakespeare... the Mediterranean sunshine... ah...! Seriously epic.

And you can pop your links below:

🌿 Have fun and can't wait to see what you all come up with! 🌿