Au Revoir USA, Bonjour France!

EEP!
I'm off to France on my exciting voyage! I've waited since last August for this day! I'm approaching the airport right now and since I won't have internet access or the energy to update this blog for a few days, don't be upset. But don't worry, I'll be sure to update with pictures and events from my amazing journey!
Until then,
Au Revoir!
Bisous,
Ella

30 Day Book Challenge: Day THIRTY!

"Your favorite book of all time"

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

This book has been mentioned so often, one can only assume that it's my favorite book. Best. Book. Out. There. 'Nuff said. Read it.

Me :)

Check this out :)
http://gifboom.com/x/b2aec7db

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty-Nine

" A book everyone hated but you liked"
 
 To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee


This is a great classic that I enjoyed reading for the fourth time a last year... We read it in school and surprisingly, many of my classmates didn't like it! Surprising, I know! Well, anyway, I think it's a great and I recommend it to anyone, although you'll most likely read it in school...

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty-Eight

"Favorite title"

Phoenix Rising by Karen Hesse


Not only was this a fabulous book (takes place in Vermont after a nuclear accident), but the title is just so poetic and beautiful. My grandma lives in Vermont and there was an accident where a local and loved shop got burned down. Outside of the "grave" of the store (the place with all the remains), someone put up a sign saying "Rise like a phoenix" in attempt to spark people to overcome the disaster and rebuild the store. It just gets me every time. :)

30 Book Challenge: Day Twenty-Seven

"The most surprising plot twist or ending"

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool


This is definitely one of my favorite books of all time. It's about Aibelene Tucker's journey to discover the present, but only by searching through the past. It's absolutely fabulous and I don't care who you are, you need to go out and read this book! Plus, you're in for a surprise at the end (I don't want to give too much away...)! ;-)

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty-Six

"A book that changed your opinion about something"
 
None.

I'd really REALLY like to say that there's this book that has forever changed my views on life, however I don't believe there is (if there is one, I can't seem to come up with it). I don't have any issues with my opinions now, and I only hope if there is a book that changes my views, it's only for the better!

Sigh...

This summer I've been loaded with Civics work as in the fall I'll be in an Honors Civics class. I've been working on it little by little after work every day this summer but now, with my voyage to France right around the corner, the work has come piling down on me. I'm concerned I won't be able to finish it all before I leave and now I'm super stressed. Does anyone have any ideas to cope? I'm taking the occassional breaks so it's not consecutive work but... I don't know...

I hope everyone's having a marvelous summer!

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty-Five

"A character who you can relate to the most"
 
Julie from Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Although I prefered the 1960s movie setting over the modern-day book setting, this book is also a fantastic read. I can relate most to Julie, who, although I'm not much of one anymore, is a social outcast. She loves her chickens and cares for them with all her heart (like me) and she's a young advocate for the environment (like me). There's this great scene when she climbs a tree just to prevent it from being cut down... I've always wanted to do that!

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty-Four

"A book that you wish more people would’ve read"

NONE

I absolutely LOVE it when I read about and very few other people know about it. This way, I feel a stronger connection with the characters and plot as if it's my own world without other people involved.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty-Three

"A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t"

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Although I'm not always one for modern teen literature, I saw this movie (I hate to admit seeing movies before books but...) when I was younger and became absolutely fascinated with it. It's about friendship and travel (YES!) and it just always caught my eye. I have the first two books in the series but just haven't gotten around to reading them yet... Soon, I hope...

Farm Fresh

I live on a small produce farm and it's usually about this time of year that yummy foods start popping up! I went exploring the garden for foods for dinner tonight. Take a look at some of the lovely collections.

   Fresh eggs! Yummy! :) 

 Not our tomato (from our garden, I mean), but it's organic and local and I'm planning on using it for dinner! :)

 Challots! Look a bit different than store ones, right?

 Raspberries are probably the number-one best fruit to make desserts from. They're delicious!

 This is some purple lettuce growing. It's a bit bitter but with some olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, it's absolutely divine!

 It's hard to tell from this picture, but these are some delicious snap peas. I prefer the bigger pods, yet others (like my Mum) prefer the skinnier ones.

Nasturtium flowers are VERY bitter/spicy and I'm not much of a fan... but they look great on your salads (and my Dad enjoys them).

 BASIL!!! This smells AND tastes delicious! :)

Cucumbers. I love these! Look how big they are!

 These are our tomatoes... Still growing but they'll be ready soon!

Some hot peppers in the works... Not quite ready yet but almost...

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty-Two

"Favorite book you own"

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

I picked this novel up in an old hippie bookstore in Maine last summer. Once I opened to the first page and began reading, it was impossible to put it down. It's an absolutely fabulous book about Calpurnia finding her voice and calling in the world in late 1800s-early 1900s America. READ IT!

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty-One

"Favorite book from your childhood"

Eloise by Kay Thompson

I couldn't get enough of these books when I was little. I would often pretend to be Eloise and dress up as her. She's an absolutely adorable character and the illustrations (by Hilary Knight) are fantastic! Love it, dah-ling!

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty

"Favorite romance book"

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

If you've been following all my posts, you'd see that Anna and the French Kiss has been mentioned quite a bit. This is a good thing. One of the reviews says "You should date this book". I couldn't agree more. As the title exhibits, the book contains of lot of romance (yay!) and is a fabulous book: thus making it my favourite romance book.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Nineteen

"Favorite book turned into a movie"

One Day by David Nicholls

One Day isn't my favourite movie (see Across the Universe or Midnight in Paris), however, it happens to be my favorite movie that originated from a great book. Being madly in love with Jim Sturgess (Jude in Across the Universe), it's only natural I'd want to see the film One Day. (Not to mention, Anne Hathaway is one of my favorite actors). However, I usually prefer to read the book first, so I ordered from Amazon and read it. It was marvelous! It kept me hanging on to every detail and falling in love with Dex along the way. Recently, I finally got around to watching the film, and it was just as good, if not better, than the book!

I also want to read and watch The Help... any reviews?

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Eighteen

"A book that disappointed you"

Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

I was really looking forward to this book, as it's rare to find books for youth about evolution. My hopes for this read included: the main character would come to the decision that evolution is real and gods aren't. The book sort of started off that way, but in the end I was disappointed to find the science teacher to be religious as well as the main character made some sort of weird twisty conclusion about evolution and creationism combined. I very disappointed. It had it's good parts, but over all, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone like me.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Seventeen

"Favorite quote from your favorite book"

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Although Charlotte's Web isn't my favorite book, is does include one of my favorite lines.

“'Why did you do all this for me?' he [Wilbur] asked. "I don't deserve it [the help from Charlotte's webs]. I've never done anything for you.'

'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing.'” 

My Chickies :-)

 My lovely girl, Penny (left). She's a Rhode Island Red and is very outgoing. Although she likes to go on adventures, she follows my rules and usually well behaved. :-)

 This one here on the right is Advika. The name is Hindu and it means unique, just like my little chicky.

 This one (on the left) is Daisy. She's a bit of an oddball, but she's super sweet!

 The one that looks like she's angry is Prudence... She's not always the most fun-loving of the bunch but she can be sweet. She's just a bit mature.

 The one in the back left is Charlotte and the one in the back right is Dhara (also a Hindu name, means Earth). I was holding clovers and all the chickies wanted their share.

 Here's some fresh eggs! The green ones are laid by my Americanas: Charlotte and Advika. Aren't they cool?

This is a picture of Penny taking off. You can't see her head, but those are her wings flapping.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Sixteen

"Favorite female character"
 
Francie Nolan from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Not only is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn one of my favorite books of all time, but it also holds my favorite female character: Francie Nolan. Francie Nolan is portrayed as a bit of an outsider and introvert, as she grows up in poor territories and has to help care for her family. I admire her courage, honor her strength, and adore her personality. She's the kind of character I'd love to have as a best friend, not only for the wondrous stories she would tell, but also for her caring heart and open mind.

If I haven't given you enough reasons already, I really recommend going out to your nearest library and borrowing A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: it's absolutely fabulous!