Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Dark and Moody

Dear Mother Nature

I know it must be challenging having one planet with two hemispheres and reversed seasons. Are you confused? I think you must be, as I sit here staring out the window to yet another day of rain.

I feel a bit pushy for reminding you of this, but today is 1 December 2010. In Melbourne. It is the first day of summer.   Where is the sun?  

I do want my heart to skip lightly to bright whites and lobster, and sarongs and sun hats but instead I find myself attracted to this:



because who needs windows when its always dark outside.


and wanting to sleep more than usual, here:  

 

and here:



to nurse my flu \ cold.  Did I mention my cold?  Oh, I think my cold, and the cold and flu that half my office has, have come about because it is the first day of summer and it is still raining and cold.  Just like it has been since April.  Sorry to mention it again. 

Anyway this weather is making me turn to boho Dickensian dark and moody interiors, like this: 



and this, which has given me quite a lot of pleasure lately:


And also I have a hankering for a bit of 1940's wartime to get me through this wet spell,  wearing of course my new Persol spectacles from the man section at OPSM.

I now have something suitably wartime to watch on DVD, the film of the wonderful book Enigma by Robert Harris about codebreakers at Bletchley Park in the UK during WWII.  

Here is a code breaker Kate Winslet style.  This is what I would look like codebreaking:


And here is the real thing. I probably wouldn't look so much like these women, clever and brave as they are:


Last year these amazing women were finally recognised by the UK government.   If you have not seen or read Enigma you really must.

Perfect for this grim, rainy weather.


(Images: (1)(2) Scanlon & Theodore (3) (5) Airspace  (4) Bodie and Fou (6) Michael Paul (8) via Daily Mail)


12 comments:

Makeminemidcentury said...

On your advice, I have just pulled out my Folio Society edition of Enigma ... unread and pristine.

Though I did promise http://opeshopehope.blogspot.com/ that I'd embark on a Wodehouse romp, care of some Jeeves ... so many bookish commitments.

Hope the cold packs its bags soon.

Lee said...

Thanks for the Enigma recommendation Jane - I've seen the movie but I think I'll put the book on my summer reading list (i.e. if summer ever arrives!). Lee :)

brismod said...

If it makes you feel better Jane, it is pouring rain in Brisbane. The dark and moody images would not feel astray here. And thanks for the book suggestion. xx

Raina Cox said...

So sorry to hear you're ill with ill-tempered weather.

Hopefully, Mother Nature will be benevolent and bring some sun this weekend to bake your sick away.

Samantha said...

We have pretty much the same weather going on here in NY. And I have a cold. :)

Engracia said...

Pouring here in Sydney as well, I'm over this wet summer already.
Hope you get well soon, Luke and Jack are bout to come down with the cold, both are sneezing and their noses are running.

Heidi said...

Have you noticed that it rains exactly at School drop off time and pick up time as well? And that it only pours all day on the weekend? Melbourne isn't supposed to be humid too - people are now commenting on the curl in my hair. Yuck!

Maxabella said...

I loved Enigma and I love it when women's histories* are celebrated (I recently saw Made in Dagenham and it was brill).

And don't get me started on the weather... I made the mistake of looking at the long range forecast earlier in the week... and I could weep. x

* I hate it when feminists say "herstory"... man that bugs me. I don't even know why...!

count it all joy said...

I adored Enigma. Sorry to hear about your awful flu/coldie thing. We're got sore throats and thumping headaches in our house. But that might just be because the goofballs are very naughty and everyone's been yelling alot. Cranky, cranky, last week of school term. Anyhoo, I would love to crawl into some of those darkly, inviting images and wake up when summer decideds to arrive. Meredy xo

24 Corners said...

Hi Jane...so sorry you're not feeling well and that Mother Nature isn't behaving as nicely as she could be! It sounds like you have our wintery weather...I bet a flowery springy skirt would make you feel better! I *loved* the Dickensian room, I wish I was all curled up in there with a DVD or book right now myself.
When I'm ill, I eat lots of raw garlic (chopped and soaked in olive oil and put on Rosemary bread to take the sting away) and I drink tones of Echhinacea tea...seems to help.

Well I just posted about the Papaw...I still can't believe I won! It was like an early Christmas! ♥

Feel better and thanks again...
xo J~

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Hey Jane
I have that DVD Enigma and love it.. though I haven't read the book... very lazy in my old age

Well if it makes you feel better.. still raining up here too and rained the entire time I was in Noosa.. [which I think was the week before you headed up there]..

Have a lovely weekend and hope your cold/flu feels better .. I wish I had those bedrooms to relax and laze about it... ciao ciao xxx Julie

Mise said...

My grim, rainy weather greets your grim, rainy weather. We come in peace. I was offered a job as a codebreaker in the UK once, but when I went to visit the building where I'd be mostly based, my eagle eye immediately spotted that it had no windows. I couldn't bear that. I hope your cold gets better soon, and that you are sipping a hot brandy as you read this.

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