Westerns week!

Sweet Emma from A Lantern in her Hand is putting on a Western Week! It's this week, July 27-August 1. Of course I immediately wanted to join in the fun. However, I didn't realize it was the same week I'm going on vacation! So, I wrote this up Saturday night and scheduled it for today. :) 

Now, on to the westerns! 

I'm going to be honest. Westerns aren't always my favorite. There are some westerns I like and others that I don't particularly care for. That said, I'm going to tell y'all my favorite Western television shows and movies and a little about each one. =) Oh, and they're not in any special order or anything. 

WARNING!!! Spoilers below! 

-Western TV Shows-

1) The Big Valley ties (with Dr. Quinn) for my absolute favorite western TV show. :) 

It's about a prominent family, the Barkley's, living in California's San Joaquin valley. 

I'm not going to even attempt to choose favorite characters or episodes. I do like seasons 1&2, although there are some great shows on 3&4 as well! 

Barkley family 

Heath, Nick and Audra Barkley 

Jarrod & Heath from Palms of Glory

Audra and Heath from The Odyssey of Jubal Tanner

2) Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is about a woman doctor from Boston going out west to be the doctor in the small town of Colorado Springs. She ends up caring for three kids (Matthew, Colleen, and Brian Cooper) after their mother dies. 

I LOVE this show! With the 'living in a western town in Colorado' theme and all sorts of medical stuff, how could I not? 

My favorite character: Colleen, or Dr. Mike. Or Matthew and Ingrid (until she died that is. Ahhh! Oops, I just totally spoiled it for everyone who hasn't seen it...oh well. :) 

Favorite episode: I liked Mike & Sullly's wedding, and Colleen & Andrew's wedding. (I know, another spoiler! To anyone who has saw 'Andrew and Colleen' episodes but not their wedding, you already saw that coming I'll bet. ;) 

Michaela & Sully

Dr. Mike, Colleen, Matthew & Brian

Byron Sully & Michaela Quinn

This picture and a few of the others are rather blurry. We're going to pretend they're daguerreotypes from back in the olden days and go with it! 

Colleen & Andrew

Matthew, Andrew, Brian, Colleen, Sully, Katie & Michaela at Colleen & Andrew's wedding. 

Matthew & Ingrid 

Matthew & Ingrid 

-Western Movies-

1) Shadow Riders is a movie about two, later three, brothers searching for their sisters and Dal's girlfriend Kate, who were captured by comancheros following the American Civil War. 

Favorite character: Kate Connery =) 

Heather & Sissy Traven, Kate Connery, and Dal Traven

Dal & Mac Traven

Dal Traven & Major Cooper Ashbury

Jesse Traven

Favorite part: hmm...probably the ending. :) Or the part where Dal & Mac are traipsing down that raven. Or the part where the blow up the prison to get Uncle Jack. 

2) True Women is a rather long movie following several womens lives though the historical events surrounding the Alamo, the Trail of Tears, and the Civil War. 

Favorite character: Sarah and Bartlett. :)

Georgia, Sarah & Euphemia 

Sarah

Euphemia and...I think that's the guy she marries... If anyone wants to correct me, go ahead! 

Georgia, Sarah, and Euphemia 

3) Shenandoah is about Charlie Anderson and his children - James and wife Ann, Jacob, Jenny, John, Nathan, Henry, and Boy. Boy is mistakenly captured by Union troops and others of the family set out to find him. They aren't successful, but they do find Jenny's husband, Sam. ;) 

In spite of the fact that three main characters get killed, I really like this movie. I'm going to go ahead and spoil it. :) James and Ann get killed by scavengers and Jacob is killed accidentally by a young confederate solider. :'( 

The Anderson family (L-R Boy, James, Ann, Jacob, Charley, Jenny, Nathan, John & Henry. I'm not sure of the order of the last three.) 

 Charlie's prayer - "Lord, we cleared this land. We plowed it, sowed it, and harvest it. We cook the harvest. It wouldn't be here and we wouldn't be eating it if we hadn't done it all ourselves. We worked dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel, but we thank you Lord just the same for the food we're about to eat, amen." 

Favorite characters: Sam and Jenny. (Above) 

(L-R) John, Sam, Henry (still not sure of the order of those three), Charlie, Jenny, and Sam. Jacob's body is across one of those other horses. 

Favorite part: (below) where they fit those guys that were trying to 'confiscate' their livestock.

Another favorite part:

(Charlie is pouring whiskey to celebrate the birth of his granddaughter. Boy holds out a glass.) 

Charlie Anderson: How old are you now, Boy?

Boy: Eighteen, sir.

Charlie: That means you'll be twenty in four years. Eighteen to you, sixteen to me.

Boy: Just a little bit, sir. I've never tasted it.

Charlie: Well, that's no good reason at all. I've known men who've been drinkin' hard and steady all their lives that have never tasted it, either.

4) Love's Unending Legacy

I'm not sure if this would be categorized as a western, but I'm doing it anyhow. :) 

After the death of her husband, widow Missie Davis and her son Mattie move back to the town in which her parents live. She takes a job as the schoolteacher there and later adopts fourteen year old Belinda Marshal. Many other things happen along the way, but in the end she falls in love with, and marries, Sheriff Zach Tyler. :) 

Favorite Character: Missie Davis

Favorite scene: Where Belinda races that mean kid. (above) 

Other favorite scenes of mine are where Zach and Missie go and try to get Jacob. :) 

And of course the ending is great! 

5) Love's Christmas Journey is a wonderful movie anytime of the year! I've not got as much on it, mostly just some pictures! ;) 

Favorite character: Ellie, Aaron, and Eric and his girlfriend, Susannah. :D

Annabelle, Ellie, and Christopher. 

Nicholas 

Susannah & Eric

Ellie & Deputy Michael 

Sheriff Aaron Davis 

Mayor, Susannah, Annabelle, Susannah's mom, Christopher, Ellie, Aaron and Eric. :) 

Aaaaand that all! Thanks for putting this on, Emma! 

Thanks for reading and I'll 'see' y'all next week! 

-Faith 

Oh and, the 3rd Imagine This contest is up if anyone's interested! ;P

'Imagine This' - 3

Hello everyone! I will be on vacation this week (Sunday-Saturday) and will be without internet. So while I'm away from the blog I have an Imagine This for y'all! =) 

1) Write a story clip on what you imagine is happening in the picture. 

2) The word limit is 800 words. (If it's a little over I don't care.) 

3) You have through Sunday, August 2rd to send in your piece. I'll try to post the entries Monday. 

4) You can send it to my email, if you have it, or through the blogger contact form at the bottom of this page. 

Have fun! I can't wait to see what y'all come up with! 

Until next week, 

Faith :) 

Haiku

Hello everyone! :) I didn't get the next part of Being Little Sister for y'all this week, so instead your getting my attempt at haiku. (For anyone who doesn't know, Haiku is a form of poetry in which the first line is five syllables, the second is seven, and the third is five again.) 

I'm not a poet. However I did enjoy writing these. ;) They aren't very good. 

I wrote this one yesterday. 

Blank Page by Firefly

The blank page stares 

At me now, or so it seems

Begging to be filled. 

And I wrote this one last fall. 

November by Firefly

After the leaves are gone, 

The trees stand lonely and stark

Against the grey sky. 

What do ya think?? :) I'd love to hear your opinion! 

-Faith

Sisterhood of the World bloggers award...times 2!

Hello everyone! I was nominated by Jesseca from Whimsical Writings and Emily from The Imaginary World of Emily McConnell for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award! Thanks girls! These little tags/awards are such fun. ;)

The Rules! 

-Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site.
-Put the award logo on your blog.
-Answer the ten questions sent to you
-Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.
-Nominate ten blogs.

 

--Jesseca's Questions--

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

Going camping for a week with friends on my birthday. And going on a mission trip to 

Vermont to teach VBS! So excited! :) 

What is your favorite movie this year?

I will have to say 'Do You Believe?'. I loved that movie! ;) And I really want to see 'Faith of our Fathers', and when I do it may become my new favorite. 

Favorite instrument?

To play or listen to? I enjoy listening to guitar. I don't play any instruments. 

Favorite genre of books to read?

HISTORICAL FICTION!!!!! Or Amish fiction. I also enjoy a good mystery. :) And for any book to be a favorite of mine it has to include some-sort of injury. The more drastic the better!! 

Favorite Bible verse?

1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you. 

Favorite historical era?

World War II. *duh* And I enjoy learning about the Civil War, too. 

Favorite short story?

Hmmm.... (I think this is what everyone else said) The stories in Tales From the Circle C Ranch. (Especially White Christmas!) 

Favorite food?

Top three- Pizza, baked French toast, and spinach and artichoke dip! But I have maaaany favorite foods! =) 

Favorite hymn?

'Where the Soul Never Dies'. I love that song! 

Favorite movie soundtrack?

I don't listen to many soundtracks. But I do like...

- Hans Zimmer - For God and For Country

- Inception: 528491 OST composed by Hans Zimmer 

--Emily's Questions--

You discover that someone you’ve known your whole life is in fact- not real. Reaction?

Uh....I'd be really creeped out. And rather perturbed... Maybe angry too, because all these years I've thought they were real. 

Favorite old TV show? (has to be earlier than the eighties)

Big Valley, The Waltons, and Little House on the Prairie. 

You open your door to discover the dandelions in your yard have actually turned into real lions. How are you going to take care of this problem?

Scream, close and lock all doors and windows. No, wait, put the dogs inside so that they don't get eaten then close (and lock) all doors. And windows. Hehe...Oh, and I'd call the zoo and see if they're missing any lions. Lol. 

Guinea pigs or chinchillas?

Can I choose neither? That type of animals aren't my thing... ;) But if I have to...guinea pigs. 

Do you follow world/national news much?

Nope. Not really. 

What’s your favorite verse in Revelation?

Revelations 1:8 I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith The Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

Which Nordic (Scandinavian) country do you want to visit? Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Denmark or Norway?

Sweden.

Do you know what the Baltics are?

Uh....I feel like I should but no. *looks up definition* Oh, yeah. I sort of knew that. :)

If one of your fictional characters (or a character from your favorite TV show or movie or book) was to be your mentor, who would you choose and why?

Hard question Emily!! I could pick one of each...maybe I will. :)

My characters: Caroline Jackson because she's so sweet and kind and considerate. Or Joe Clarke because he's such a good listener to his siblings, particularly his sisters, older and younger...(Y'all will be hearing more on them soon.) 

Book character: Could book be the Bible? If so, Daniel...or David...or Joshua...or Ruth...or Mary...(I'll stop now.) 

TV show character: Grandpa or Olivia from The Waltons. Grandpa because of all his wisdom about life and such. And Olivia because she's an amazing mother and I just love her character. (By the way, I love it when John calls her 'Livvy'! ;D) 

Movie character: Missy Davis from the Love Comes Softly series. She dealt with many things and I think she would be a good mentor. 

Would you rather be bucked off a horse and break your arm and a rib, stepped on by an elephant and break your leg or nearly drown in a river?

Hilariously random question, Emily. :) I'm going to say getting stepped on by an elephant. I know, that's not what you expected. I like horses (though I've only rode one once!) and if I got thrown I would have a fear of horses. And I like swimming, but if I nearly drowned I would have a fear of water. And, personally, I don't care if I'm ever around elephants so a fear of them wouldn't really bother me. :) 

Now for who I nominate... 

Amy from Living in Faith and Fun 

Eve from Edge of Night night

Indi Raine from A Million Little Blessings 

Emma from A Lantern in her Hand

Some of y'all have already been nominated I think, and there was many others I would've nominated, but they already have been. But if anyone would like to answer my questions, please do!! I would love to read your answers. Or if you do not have a blog, you can answer my questions in the comments!

Here's my questions....they're pretty random. ;P

1) If you could have any one thing in the universe but it had to be smaller than (or the size of) a gallon of milk and weigh less than five pounds, what would it be?

2) Who's your favorite fictitious character? Why? (Of your own preferably, unless you're not a writer.)

3) Favorite way to spend a Saturday?

4) Favorite Bible Verse from the Old Testament? New Testament? 

5) What was/is your favorite school subject? Why?

6) Do you enjoy research? If so, what do you most like researching? 

7) Do you like dogs? 

8) Do you know what World Changers is? 

9) Favorite Historical era? 

10) What kind of stories do you best like to read? Write? (Again, if you're a writer.) 

Thanks for reading!

--Faith

The Bookshelf Tag

Sweet Shantelle from  A Writer's Heart  recently did this tag with an 'open nomination', so to speak. So, I kind of tagged myself. LOL! :) I may've went a little overboard with the pictures...

Describe your bookshelf (or wherever it is you keep your books-it doesn’t actually have to be a shelf!) and where you got it from. It's a tall (nearly to the ceiling) wooden bookshelf. We got it from a family in the homeschool group several years ago. The top shelf is pictures, knick-knacks, etc. The second, third and fourth shelves are book. Then the fifth is my scrapbooks and the bottom is books again. :D

Do you have any special or different way of organizing your books? I organize my books by author's last name (like at the library) except for some sets. Ex. I put all the American girl books under 'American' and all the Sisters in Time series by 'sister' so that the sets are together. :-)

What’s the thickest (most amount of pages) book on your shelf? 

The Little House Treasury has the most pages,

But The Mandie Collection, Volume four is only a few pages behind. 

And if this question means book (not several books-in-one), then Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery. 

What’s the thinnest (least amount of pages) book on your shelf?

The Chik-fil-a version of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (retold by Jean Fischer)...not kidding! 

Is there a book you received as a birthday gift?

I got Mandie's Cookbook by Lois Gladys Leppard last year. 

What’s the smallest (height and width wise) book on your shelf? 

A Girl After God's Own Heart Devotional by Elizabeth George. ;) 

What’s the biggest (height and width wise) book on your shelf?

The signature edition of Charlotte's Web. 

Is there a book from a friend on your shelf? 

Possibly but I can't think of one...

Most expensive book?

Probably "The Annonoated Anne of Green Gables". I had to have it for school a few years back. 

The last book you read on your shelf?

"A Dream Not Imagined" by Shantelle Mary Hannu and "Gift From the Storm" by Rebekah A. Morris. 

Of all the books on your shelf, which was the first you read?

I'm going to say Peanut Butter Friends in a Chop Suey World by Deb Brammer and Escape by Mona Dunckel. I read them in...3rd grade? There's probably some I've read before this that I'm forgetting, like the American Girl Books. 

Do you have more than one copy of a book? Actually I do. I have 2 copies of A Cousin's Promise by Wanda E. Brunstetter. I had one copy and I wanted to read the other two books so I got the trilogy. 

And the same thing happened with the The Hope Chest by Wanda E. Brunstetter. 

Do you have the complete series of any book series?

Yep! Several actually. (In the picture, left to right starting at the top.) Of the American Girl books I have the complete series of Felicity, Caroline, Kirsten, Addy, Samantha, Kit, and Molly. By Wanda E. Brunstetter I have...Daughters of Lancaster County, Sisters of Holmes County, Brides of Lancaster County, Brides of Webster County, Rachel Yoder- Always Trouble Somewhere, The Discovery, Kentucky Brothers, and Indiana Cousins. Kathleen Mckenzie- A Life of Faithby Tracy Leininger Craven; Keystone Stables by Martha Hubler; Avery's Battlefield and Avery's Crossroads by Deanna K. Klingel; The Mandie Series by Lois Gladys Leppard; Summerhill Secrets by Beverly Lewis; Starlight Animal Rescue by Dandi Daley Mackall; Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan. The Circle C Beginnings, Circle C Adventures, and Goldtown Adventures by Susan K. Marlow. Twenty-four Sisters in Time books (I'm not sure whether or not that's all of them.) And lastly, The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

What’s the newest addition to your shelf? 

The Kentucky Brothers series by Wanda E. Brunstetter. The Journey, The Struggle, and The Healing. 

And My Father's World by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella. 

What book has been on your shelf FOREVER? 

The Molly series by Valerie Tripp. 

What’s the most recently published book on your shelf? 

A Dream Not Imagined by Shantelle Mary Hannu. 

The oldest book on your shelf (as in, the actual copy is old)?

Helen Lester by Pansy (Isabella Alden). The copyright date says 1882!! 

A book you won? 

The Redemption of Sarah Cain by Beverly Lewis. 

A book you’d hate to let out of your sight (aka a book you never let someone borrow)? 

I think I would let someone borrow any book. I really love Avery's Battlefield and Avery's Crossroads by Deanna K. Klingel, though. 

And The Discovery Series: A Lancaster County Saga is AMAZING! Wow, I love those little books. :) But I have lent them to someone before. 

Also A Cousin's Promise by Wanda E. Brunstetter. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this book! Which is probably why I can't get rid of it, even though I have two copies. ;)

And I love White Christmas Pie by (you guessed it!) Wanda E. Brunstetter. =)

Most beat up book? 

Without a doubt that would be the two books my dog decided to read. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell and Indiana Cousins Trilogy by Wanda E. Brunstetter. 

And to make matters worse, Island of the Blue Dolphins was a library book... :P

Most pristine book?

The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I got the full-color collectors editions and they are beautiful books. And I haven't even read them yet. ^^

A book from your childhood? 

The My First Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

A book that’s not actually your book?

Umm...I don't think so. 

A book with a special/different cover (e.g. leather bound, soft fuzzy cover etc.)?

Nope.

A book that is your favorite color? 

Hmmm...the blue on the cover of Skylark by Patricia MacLachan is really pretty. :)

And I love the colors in the cover picture of The Princess Adelina by Julie Sutter. 

Book that’s been on your shelf the longest that you STILL haven’t read?

I'm going to say it's a tie between A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett and The Stout-Hearted Seven: Orphaned on the Oregon Trail by Neta Lohnes Frazier. I'm not sure which one I've had longest. 

Any signed books?

Yep, three! Thick as Thieves, Tales from the Circle C Ranch, and Heartbreak Trail by Susan K. Marlow. 

Have you read any of these? If so, which ones? Did you enjoy them? Leave a comment and let me know! 

I'm not going to nominate anyone, but if you're reading this and would like to do this tag, please do it! And leave a link so I can read your post. ;) 

--Faith