All the Languages I Know

Sounds like I'm a polylinguist, huh? I'm not really, but I do enjoy learning about languages and words, and I like having more than one version of English at my disposal.

 

Although our move back to Great Britain is months away, I'm already immersing myself in all things British. I've been watching "The Great British Baking Show" (called "The Great British Bake Off" in Britain, and two seasons ahead of us in the US) and I can't miss a single episode. It's lovely, and they do bake some absolutely scrummy treats!

Source - PBS

Speaking of lovely, I've been following a British florist on Instagram, Swallows and Damsons. Check out their website, it's simply stunning.

Source - Swallows and Damsons

 Swoon, n'est-ce pas?

From the sublime to the ridiculous, we're also watching the original British "The Office" on DVD, which is so much more raw and cringe-making than the American version (I love it, especially Gareth!).

Thanks to a link Patti posted on Facebook to a British newspaper article, I've been able to brush up on my Danish. (Joking - my dad's parents spoke Danish at home in Nebraska, but I only know a few words.) And now everyone is learning about hygge, that esoteric state of happiness in comfort. I must reclaim my Danish roots!

Saturday morning hygge

I would like to learn Danish, although it isn't the prettiest of languages. The word for "beautiful" is smuk, after all.

If only I had a chance to use Italian or French, the languages of art and food and love, but my recall of those mellifluous tongues is fast disappearing. And I'll let you in on a little secret - the next language I'm going to learn is Welsh. Ni fydd yn cael hwyl?

Val

Come into my smoky little den

Before you get the wrong idea, let me put your mind at ease. I'm talking about an opium den.

Oh, that doesn't put your mind at ease? It might if you pick up the pipe on the table and take a puff...

not a very good photo - too smoky in here

This is a little special order opium den I sent off last week - a little opium den with reading material.

I made the books and the blue jar. The scrolls are made from thin paper that was in a box of Japanese candy.

These are the things on the shelves - books and scrolls, with some real characters and some fake. And I can see now that I probably put the label on the jar upside-down, like I did last time.

Here's the exterior -

chasing the dragon, or is the dragon chasing you?

I've relaunched my Facebook page that used to be called Sparkle Park Designs - now it's Muse Fondue. You can find me and Like me here, if you're so inclined.

And I'm on Pinterest now, too (here) because I needed still more things to do online. I warn you, my Pinterest boards are heavy on altered Altoid tins.

Anyone know how to put the FB and Pinterest buttons on my blog?

Val