Merry Christmas, friends! This will be short and sweet, but I did want to take a moment to acknowledge the joy of the season. I hope you have time to relax, enjoy family and friends, and reflect on the greatest Gift of all that came in the form of a helpless child, but who was the Son of God who came to rescue His people.

 Now, I thought I'd share my Christmas break agenda here just in case anyone was needing inspiration.
  • Read books. Like, whole ones.
  • Drink lots and lots of cups of tea. 
  • Watch classic Christmas films.
  • Watch cheesy Netflix Christmas rom coms.
  • Watch Downton Abbey Christmas specials.
  • Do my best to stay in sweats as much as possible. 
  • Eat. 
Hopefully that gives you some good ideas. Also, here are a few of my favorite Christmasey things from around the Internet. I hope they bring you joy. 

 Yes, Mary Knew: How the Question Behind the Recently Controversial Christmas Song Stirs Us to Worship

 Gift Guide for Jane Austen Fans

 All is Calm: The Soul-Soothing Significance of 200 Years of 'Silent Night'

 What If I'm Not a Merry Gentleman? 

 25 Days of Sense and Sensibility: Day 11 -- Christmas Newsletters


Also, not to be that person, but I'm totally going to be that person. HEIDA REED READ MY POST, Y'ALL.


Ok, fangirl moment over now. MERRY CHRISTMAS! :) 
Can you believe it’s Christmas, y’all?! I can’t. I also can’t believe it’s nearly 2018. However, I’ve been really enjoying this Christmas season and all that’s come with it. I’ve always loved Christmas, but it’s been particularly sweet to celebrate the season with my DC family so far. There’s been decorating, gift wrapping parties, many carols sung together, and so many cookies. I’ve loved every bit of it. I hope you’re celebrating too and that you enjoy my fun, eloquent finds today. Some are Christmasey, some are bookish and British as usual, some are nostalgic, and some are reflective. Merry Christmas to you and yours! 

 Links 

 Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Gift Guide for Book Lovers
Photo Credit: Modern Mrs. Darcy

If your Christmas season is lasting into the New Year or if you’re scrambling for last minute stocking stuffers, any of these things will thrill the bookworm in your life. I honestly contend that book people are pretty easy to shop for, and this list is proof. 

 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Interview with BBC 
I’ve got all the heart eyes over a new royal engagement, guys. Royal wedding party, anyone? 

 Auburn’s Sideline Hedges 
I was pretty excited to see the hedges lining Jordan-Hare Stadium get torn up after an Iron Bowl again this year. The last time it happened was at this game, which also happened to be the last game I attended as a student at Auburn. Watching the aftermath of this year’s Iron Bowl made me miss that place. 

 The Weight of The Crown 
Claire Foy and Matt Smith as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in Netflix's drama, The Crown
Photo Credit: Alpha Coders

Speaking of royalty, did anyone else head straight to Netflix when Season 2 of The Crown dropped on December 8th? If you’ve not jumped on this bandwagon, I definitely recommend it. The show is a work of art to look at, not to mention the phenomenal acting and writing. Claire Foy and Matt Smith steal every scene they’re in and I’ll probably cry when I finish this season since it’s their last. All that to say, this is an excellent article that skillfully explores the deeper messages of the drama. 

 3 Surprising Things I Learned When I Gave Up Saying ‘I’m Busy’ For 40 Days 
It’s always good to be reminded that I have more time than I think I have, and this article did that well. 

 How to Make Your Last Name Plural This Christmas 
If you're behind on your holiday greeting cards, this article may save you. The short of it is this: don’t use an apostrophe. Ever. Please take heed so I won’t also throw your Christmas card or New Year's card on the gas logs in frustration. 

 Poldark, Season 3: Elizabeth and George
Screencap source: YouTube
Where are my fellow Poldark fans?! I’d contend that Season 3 was fantastic but exhausting. And unpopular as it might be with many, I also contend that the Warleggans are just as interesting as the Poldarks and even sometimes more enjoyable to watch since Ross and Demelza continue to infuriate, much as I love them. Elizabeth’s marriage to George was a dramatic twist at the end of Season 2, and the third season has been a fascinating process in which she figures him out. Their explosive confrontation in the finale was without a doubt my favorite scene of that episode, if not the entire season. It’s a pivotal moment of vulnerability for George and of incredible strength for Elizabeth, and Jack Farthing and Heida Reed delivered it flawlessly. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the actors’ thoughts on it in this video. 

 Quotes 

 Curiosity is not a sin. But we should exercise caution with our curiosity. –Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling 

 The effect of liberty to individuals is that they may do what they please: we ought to see what it will please them to do, before we risk congratulations, which may soon be turned into complaints.
–Edmund Burke 

 Don’t wake up tomorrow and realize you’ve chucked out something precious, because it will haunt you. –Geordie Keating, Grantchester Season 3 

 Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress? All of them realize that one day, amongst their victims, there is sure to be one who rises against them and strikes back! –Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling 

 That’s LA: they worship everything and value nothing. –Sebastian, La La Land 

 Two people can remain “in love” – a phrase made practically useless by stinking romanticism – only if their common desire for each other unites in a greater desire for God. –Flannery O’Connor 

 Never doubt in the darkness what God has promised in the light. –The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield 

 What is to come doesn’t exist yet. That’s tomorrow! It’s only now that can ever be, at any one moment. And at this moment, now, we are alive – and together. We can’t ask more. There isn’t any more to ask. –Demelza Poldark, The Angry Tide by Winston Graham


Merry Christmas!
Hello! I didn’t plan to take a blogging hiatus. But it’s turned out that working full-time and even just living in a city like Washington DC are incredibly time consuming endeavors. That said, I still certainly have not forgotten about my little corner of the internet here and want to pick back up as much as I can! For now, here are some brand new “eloquent finds” to kick things off again. These finds consist of the usual recent internet gems I’ve discovered, quotes I’ve been enjoying, fun finds around my new city, and more. Enjoy and leave a comment to let me know what you think! Good to be back! :) 

Recent Reading 

Poldark series: The Black Moon (5) and The Four Swans (6) by Winston Graham 
The Poldark books are still here, folks. And they are just as spellbinding as ever. The Black Moon is a new favorite for sure (I heart Drake and Morwenna, guys...really heart them). I can’t wait to continue reading the series and am SO excited to see all of this on the big screen when Season 3 of the show airs later this year! 

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 
Pretty sure this will remain one of my favorites of 2017. It’s a challenging and thoughtful memoir about the people’s search for meaning, life and death, and facing death with grace. Paul Kalanithi was Stanford’s chief neurosurgery resident when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. This book is the gift he left and I’m one of the glad beneficiaries of it, though even now I’m saddened to think of his cruelly shortened life. 

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan 
Books, quirky people, computers, a puzzle…this book is quite a character in itself. Clay is our protagonist and he takes the night shift at a 24-hour bookstore out of desperation, but he soon realizes that there’s much more to this bookstore and its owner than meets the eye. 

The Secret Wife by Gill Paul 
This is one of those books that messes with history in the best way. A young cavalry officer named Dmitri falls in love with a daughter of the Russian imperial family during World War I. Simultaneously, we're also following the great-granddaughter of Dmitri as she faces her own dilemmas in 2016. She soon determines to uncover family secrets when she unexpectedly inherits long-lost land from Dmitri. 

The Pleasures of God by John Piper 
This is my take-it-slow read of the year so far. John Piper argues that since we get to know other people well by discovering what they delight in, we ought to pursue the same thing with God. So far, it’s a very compelling argument. And I’m finding that the depths and richness of our Lord’s delights are inexhaustible and beautiful. 

Links

Beauty and the Beast’s Enchanting Table Read 
A charming peek behind the scenes at all the work that went into making this magical new rendition of Beauty and the Beast. Can we talk about Dan Stevens’s Beast face in this? And if any of you still haven’t seen the film, I’m more than happy to accompany you. 

Tim Hawkins on Air Travel 
I’ve been on airplanes quite a bit recently so this speaks to my soul. 

Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Deluxe Reading Journal Kit  
This is basically my wish list at the moment. 

Anne of Green Gables: Netflix’s Bleak Adaptation Gets it All so Terribly Wrong  
While I’m disappointed in Netflix’s new remake about my favorite literary redhead, I enjoyed this article and appreciated its explanation as to why this version is so off the mark. If you’re unfamiliar with the delightful Anne Shirley, for your own sake, heed this article and stay away from the new adaptation! Stick to the books. I know people say the book is always better, but this is one of those cases where it really is true. 

Why the 1980s Anne of Green Gables is Such a Tough Act to Follow 
And on that note, I also enjoyed this take on the most popular screen version of good old Anne. The 1980s miniseries starring Megan Follows remains a favorite among purist Green Gables fans and I certainly recommend the first installment. I don’t gush over it like some do, but it does do Anne good justice and I loved reading so many people’s stories in this article about how she stole their hearts like she did mine when I was young. 

Life Finds
Friends. And this picture is just one representation of the beautiful community that has welcomed me in this city. I haven't just found friends here, but a dependable, loving family. I'm grateful and have loved sharing meals and life with them. 

SNOW! This unfamiliar substance has made multiple appearances for my southern self and I've thoroughly enjoyed it since it only stayed around for a few days :)

Seriously, go see this movie.  

A new house! I love the blue of it, the antique row house look, the way I'm decorating my room with literary quotes...but most of all, I love the voices of the dear housemates that fill it.

Washington is famous for its cherry trees, but what a treat it was to find that many of them bloom right outside my work building! They are truly stunning.

And I've found that bridesmaid duty is busy but oh so much fun. Standing beside these two dear friends as they got married was maybe the sweetest experience I've had lately. 

Thank you, Trishia Ralston! Truly treasuring this photo.


Quotes 

Books were safer than other people anyway. – The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman 

 The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love. – Henry Scougal 

 Happiness can be found even in the darkest times if one only remembers to turn on the light. – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

 Beholding glory begs for lingering. – John Piper 

 I found it is the small, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay…small acts of kindness and love. – Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 

 On paper, things can live forever. – Jacqueline Woodson, Brown Girl Dreaming 

 A library is infinity under a roof. – Gail Carson Levine 

 When domesticity, for instance, is called drudgery, the difficulty arises from a double meaning in the word. If drudgery only means dreadfully hard work, I admit the woman drudges in the home, as a man might drudge at the Cathedral of Amiens or drudge behind a gun at Trafalgar. But if it means that the hard work is more heavy because it is trifling, colorless, and of small import to the soul, then as I say, I give it up; I do not know what the words mean. To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labors and holidays; to be Whiteley within a certain area, providing toys, boots, sheets, cakes, and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can understand how this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs. Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness. – G.K. Chesterton 

Have a great weekend!
Greetings and Merry Christmas! :) What a whirlwind of a year 2016 has been on many fronts. If anyone had told me I’d travel across the world and back and then move 11 hours from my hometown this year I would have looked askance for sure. But I’m so glad I did all of that. The past few months have given me so many new friends, new purpose, a new church, and much refreshment. And I’ve found that it’s really true that absence makes the heart grow fonder, because I’m so glad to be home for Christmas for the next week or so and catching up with friends and family. I’ll be back before the end of the year with my must-have post about my favorite books of the year, but for now, here are some Christmasey Eloquent Finds to enjoy while sipping your hot beverage by the fire (or maybe a Coke by the pool if you live in the south). Merry Christmas to you and yours!
My wonderful FRC crew on our last day at the office together. Love them so!

Ladies' Christmas Tea at Capitol Hill Baptist

The True Story of Pain and Hope Behind “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” 
When I discover the history behind well-known hymns, their meaning becomes instantly richer and more moving. This is a great one of those histories as well as a poignant one for those who may find the holidays difficult. 

The Best Christmas Scenes in English Literature 
There are some pretty solid choices here. At first glance, I’d naturally add the Trenwith Christmas party in Winston Graham’s first Poldark book to the list. And perhaps the part in Jane Austen’s Emma when the near Christmas snow-in at the Westons’ leads to Mr. Elton’s notorious proposals. What would you add? 

[Official Video] “Hallelujah” – Pentatonix 
This isn’t officially a Christmas song, but it’s on Pentatonix’s new Christmas album and it is BRILLIANT. Beautiful, measured, powerful, harmonized, haunting, and much more describe it well.

Carrot Top Paper Shop 
If you’re celebrating Christmas late or for another reason you still have time to scrounge for last minute gifts, allow me to introduce my new favorite Etsy shop! It’s literary-themed and focused on many of the classics, especially classic heroines. Everything in it basically equals my Christmas lists for the next few years. 

The Modern Mrs. Darcy 2016 Gift Guide for Book Lovers 
Speaking of Christmas lists, this. This right here. Yes to everything in it. Just yes.

Jane Austen vs. Emily Brontë: The Queens of English Literature Debate 
Also not officially Christmas-themed, but I thoroughly enjoyed this lighthearted debate on whether Jane Austen or Emily Brontë was the better author. An expert argues in favor of each author and several gifted actors also participate by reading excerpts from the various novels. Poldark fans, we’re in luck! Our own Eleanor Tomlinson of Demelza fame brought her talent to the readings and she was a natural, even before Poldark when this took place :) The debate was fun to watch as a whole, and likely to no one’s surprise, I remained firmly in the Jane Austen camp from start to finish. 

There's no place like home for the holidays :) Have a great one, friends!
Let’s get back to Eloquent Finds, shall we?! I’m SO excited about this batch of Internet gems to share with you today, plus some updates about what I’m doing and the quotes I’ve been collecting recently.

Links

Beauty and the Beast Trailer 
OH EM GEE. GUYS. I cannot remember the last time I was this excited about a movie coming to theaters! Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Josh Gad, Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor… AHHHH!! Beauty and the Beast is my absolute favorite animated Disney movie and I can hardly believe that my childhood is now coming full circle with this live action reimagining that looks so gorgeous and magical. And with Emma Watson and Dan Stevens as Belle and the Beast… I’m fangirling big time.
I'm doing backflips inside, I'm so excited, y'all. (Photo Credit: HDQ Walls)

Beauty and the Beast Cast on Facebook Live 
And while the fangirling is high, I’ll share this as well. With the film due out in March, publicity has begun, which means cast chats and interviews! YIPPEE!!! Here’s one of the first of hopefully many! Here we have Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Josh Gad, Luke Evans, and director Bill Condon sit down together and answer fan questions. Such fun.

 Poldark Cast Plays “Would You Rather?” 
Season 2 of Poldark is nearly finished and the drama never ceases! And Masterpiece never disappoints with their collection of fun extras and this is one of my favorites yet as of late! Stars of the show Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson, and Heida Reed play a short round of Poldark-themed “Would You Rather?” and the questions are pretty humorous.
Photo Credit – Heida Reed on Instagram @heida.reed: "Squad. #poldark"
 
Adoption: How One Life Touches Countless Others 
At the risk of a bit of self-promotion, here’s an article I wrote for my internship! I was honored to have it published on my organization’s blog and would love for you to check it out! :) 

Personality Hacker Podcast 
I’ve become quite the podcaster in recent months and this is my newest find, thanks to a friend’s recommendation. The hosts of Personality Hacker focus on the Myers-Brigg personality types and spend at least 45 minutes in every episode talking about something personality-related. It’s amazing how much there is to dissect and how much I’ve already learned! Every Myers-Brigg type is explained in its own episode and the topics just expand from there. Probably my favorite episode so far is titled “How Types Say ‘I Love You.’” 

5 Reasons You Need Fiction 
Couldn’t agree more with this excellent analysis! This author does a fine job of explaining the benefits of good stories and how they can increase our love for the bigger story of which we are all a part. As I like to say, we are story-loving people because our God is a God of storytelling. 

Carrot Top Paper Shop 
I felt like I’d discovered a gold mine when I heard about this shop. Literary décor to your heart’s content! The literary heroines we’ve grown up loving are the focus of this shop and it warms me from the inside out. 

Favorite DC Finds

In the meantime, I continue to enjoy Washington DC. This city is beautiful and I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fall colors at this time of year.
See? There's just nothing quite like Capitol Hill in autumn.

The walk out to the Jefferson Memorial is breathtaking. This is by far my favorite tourist spot I've visited so far. Can't wait to see this place bursting with pink in cherry blossom season.

View from the Jefferson Memorial

My roommate and I took a walk in an attempt to see the Super Moon; despite the cloudy night that hid it, the Capitol at night was more than worth it.

What I'm Reading Lately

I’m nearly to 50 including rereads, you guys! That’s the goal by the end of the year and I’m so excited to be close. Here’s a glimpse of what I’ve been enjoying lately. 

Jeremy Poldark and Warleggan by Winston Graham 
Books 3 and 4 of the Poldark series. The story of Ross and Demelza and their friends and family just gets better! I read these almost simultaneously with the airing of Season 2 of the show, but finished book 4 slightly ahead of the last few episodes. Warleggan is a new favorite so far! If you’re only watching the show, I cannot recommend the books enough! 

Holy is the Day by Carolyn Weber 
I’ve mentioned Carolyn Weber’s other book, Surprised by Oxford, as a new favorite, so I was excited to pick up this one as well. As I expected, she is candid, gentle, encouraging, and as literature-loving as ever. She gives essential reminders to cherish the present and trust the Lord with tomorrow. 

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith 
This American classic is a long overdue read for me! Francie Nolan never made her way into my required school reading, but I’m so glad to be reading her story now. A friend recently described this coming-of-age story by saying, “It’s about nothing, and yet it’s about everything.” I think I agree. There’s nothing overly remarkable about this story, but it is a simple, endearing tale of a family who survives much hardship to do everyday life. 

Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper 
If you feel starved for joy or affection for Jesus, pick this one up. John Piper will help you regard Jesus with new awe. 

Quotes

You can do more with a castle in a story than with the best cardboard castle that ever stood on a nursery table. –C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy

If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals. –Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling 

I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string. –Anne Shirley, Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery 

I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book. –J.K. Rowling 

You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that a man forgets sooner than a woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. –Captain Wentworth, Persuasion by Jane Austen

Don’t wait to celebrate the life you have been given, even if it looks different from the one you thought you would have had. –Jay Wolf, Hope Heals 

I can’t think of a love that is worth its salt unaccompanied by any fear at all. But it is in the facing of the fear and loving still, and through it, that the loving becomes burnished to a precious sheen and transformed into an ever-present gift. –Carolyn Weber, Holy is the Day 

…Candles burning, curtains drawn, warmth, tea, friendship, love. Those are what matter to me. –Demelza Poldark, Jeremy Poldark by Winston Graham 

There is greater healing for the soul in beholding splendor than there is in beholding self. –John Piper, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ
After far too long, I have another post of fun Internet finds, quotes, and updates. For some reason, these can be the most difficult to compile. Still trying to work out why, to be honest, but here we are and I hope you enjoy. 

Life 

First off, a few updates! As you may know if you read this and this, I’ve got a few big things coming up! I’m now only about a month away from both my long-awaited trip to England and from moving to Washington D.C. In the meantime, I’m cramming in last visits with family and friends as well as a family vacation to Boston! Thanks for having a nicely located business trip, dad. ;) My parents and brother and I are leaving at the end of the week, and hopefully the trip will offer a small break from family craziness (yes, there’s been lots). As usual, I’m very excited to visit a place I’ve never been and will no doubt have a full report or two to post afterwards. Stay tuned with me on Instagram to follow the action live.
A favorite recent friend outing. The Little Mermaid was a delight!

Links

25 Books to Read When You Feel Like the World is Falling Apart  
Lots of great titles on this list and a timely word from Anne Bogel. 

Things Lucy Maud Montgomery Lied to Me About
But really though. 

This Book Nerd’s Tweet to a Bookstore’s Official Twitter Account Ended in a Love Story 
A book nerd’s dream, am I right? 

Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin Go Speed Dating!
I finally saw Me Before You last week, and the performances of these lead actors packed an emotional punch, making me laugh and cry in equal measure. They were just as delightful to watch in this interview that is mostly silly and thoroughly fun. (And if you’re now looking askance at me because of how Facebook exploded with criticism of this movie, check out my review of the book here. I don’t agree with everything about it, but I still argue that it’s a worthwhile story.) 

What I’m Into These Days 

Hamilton
Yes, I’ve gotten caught up in the hype of Lin Manuel-Miranda’s musical Hamilton and have been listening to the soundtrack repeatedly. So far, I’d say it lives up to all the talk. Truly brilliant. I’m also checking out the source material – Ron Chernow’s biographical book titled Alexander Hamilton. We’ll see if it holds me for the 800+ pages.


Doctor Thorne

With the departure of Downton Abbey, it was refreshing to watch this new work of Julian Fellowes. It’s only four episodes long and has all the charm, wit, love, and glamour we’ve come to expect from period drama. 
Stefanie Martini as Mary Thorne, Tom Hollander as Doctor Thorne, Richard McCabe as Frank Gresham, and Rebecca Front as Lady Arabella in Doctor Thorne
Screen Capture Source: YouTube

Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber 
I’ve mentioned this book before and will likely mention it many more times in the future. It is without a doubt one of my new favorite books, likely in the top five at the moment. I read it for the first time back in February/March and just read it again this summer. Carolyn Weber shares how she became a Christian while in graduate school at Oxford in this gem, and she is thoughtful, vulnerable, engaging, and a masterful storyteller. You’ll likely forget you’re reading a true story because of how she draws you in and paints beautifully vivid pictures in her writing. Read it. 


Grantchester 
Here’s another one for fans of British drama, though I wouldn’t classify Grantchester as a strict period piece. Set in 1950s England, it brings together an unlikely crime solving team – Anglican vicar Sidney Chambers and gruff police detective Geordie Keating. Sidney has unrivaled people skills while Geordie relies on logic and hard facts. And in the midst of all the murder cases to solve – there are a surprising number of them in this quiet little village of Grantchester – these two men are also facing PTSD to one degree or another, having both fought in WWII. Friendship, crime mysteries, post-war changes, and social issues abound in this drama and I highly recommend it!
Robson Green as Geordie Keating and James Norton as Sidney Chambers in Grantchester
Photo Credit: Grantchester on Facebook

Quotes 

If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden. –The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 

God doesn’t do contracts. You have nothing to barter with. –Matt Chandler 

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. –Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling 

We always value something for which we’ve had to labor. –Dr. Nuttham, Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber 

A place ain’t a place without a bookstore. –Lambiase, The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 

This was a day for soft wool, warms socks, loafers, and literature. –The Brontë Plot by Katherine Reay 

You can do more with a castle in a story than with the best cardboard castle that ever stood on a nursery table. –C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy 

I like books. They’re so much less terrifying than people. –Leonard Finch, Grantchester (2015 TV Series) 

It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. –Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling 

As I aimed to become a teacher, God made me a student. My spirit as a questioner does not affront Him; rather, it reflects Him, and honors Him, and pulls me toward Him. –Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber
My friends and I went to a wedding recently, hence the dresses in that picture. It's been a beautiful spring and early summer in Birmingham so far! As for your Eloquent Finds, I have several fun tidbits from some famous British faces for you today. As mentioned, it can be beneficial to look behind the scenes occasionally, so here’s a bit of help :) Additionally, check out a new vacation idea and a creative Mothers’ Day article. And of course, quotes! Enjoy and let me know what you think! 

Links to Check Out

BAFTA’s 60-Second Challenge with Eleanor Tomlinson 
Take a minute and listen to this lovely lady behind Poldark’s fiery Demelza answer a lightning round of questions! She’s charming and witty and just delightful. Here’s hoping Poldark snags a BAFTA award this Sunday. She and Aidan Turner, Ross Poldark himself, will be Poldark reppin’ at the ceremony and I can’t WAIT to see pictures of them in style! 

Downton Abbey, Season 6: What’s Next for the Cast? 
Missing Downton Abbey? Yeah, me too. Check in here with the stars of the show and see where they’re headed next. Some of them are going in a decidedly un-Downton-like direction! Anna, a murderer?! Never would have pegged that one. 

How to Take a Reading Vacation 
Anyone fancy it? Pick me please. 

A Conversation with Daniel Radcliffe and J.K. Rowling 
Because I’m a nerd, I read behind-the-scenes articles and watch interviews when I read a new book or see a new movie. So, since Harry Potter has taken over my life in recent weeks, I’ve watched quite a few interviews with the film stars. This is one of my favorites. I found it moving to see J.K. Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe – the primary faces of the Harry Potter phenomena – chatting it up and happily reminiscing on how the stories began and all that happened from there. I kind of want to be friends with them both.

My Favorite Fictional Mothers 
I loved this Mothers’ Day weekend post on Modern Mrs. Darcy! There are certainly many wonderful fictional mothers out there. Who are your favorites? I’d probably add Marmee from Little Women, Maria von Trapp from The Sound of Music, and of course Downton Abbey’s fabulous Dowager Countess if I’d made the list! 

Cool Quotes 

Nothing makes a man more reverent than a library. –Winston Churchill 

Nowhere else outside the New Testament have I found terror and comfort so intertwined. –C.S. Lewis 

It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live. –Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001 film) 

An education forced is no education at all. –Professor Nuttham, Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber 

God is not in love with some future version of you. –Matt Chandler 

If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden. –The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 

It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. –Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Have a great weekend! 
 

First, I felt this was an important life update to share. Yes, I'm now reading the Harry Potter books for the first time EVER and am thoroughly enjoying the experience. Currently about halfway through The Chamber of Secrets! Follow me on Instagram @elizabeth_8212 for more life updates and book pictures! 

Now for some new Eloquent Finds for you! I think it took some soul searching for me to get to where I could do a new Eloquent Finds post after my last one, as it was devoted to Downton Abbey and that beautiful concluding episode. Sigh. But never fear! I really AM excited about this round-up and hop you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Links to Check Out

Keith and Kristyn Getty: Facing A Task Unfinished
The title song and first single from Keith and Kristyn Getty’s new album that will release this summer. As usual, they show unique talent in how they so beautifully and richly sing the gospel. 

 Sherlock Season 4 Teaser!
Season 4 of Sherlock has FINALLY begun filming, thank heavens! I like this teaser. Think it’s hinting that season 4 could be the last? I know I’m definitely curious about what’s next after that mind-bending special episode!
Photo Credit: Wallpapers Craft

Corinne Rogero: I’ll Make a Man Out of You
A friend sent me this article earlier this week, and I’ve now been browsing this girl’s blog a good bit. Approximately 4957623188 articles on this particular topic have been written, but this is one of them that’s worth reading, whether you’re male or female. These are probably my favorite lines from it:
~“[Men], whether it’s as the CEO of a Fortune 500 or as an artist who struggles to make ends meet, it’s been built into your DNA to cultivate order and to leave things better than you found them.”
~“Boys can change tires and pay bills, while men will change dirty diapers at 4am and hold their daughter’s hair back from her face when she gets sick in the middle of the night.”

 Go on a Blind Date with a Book
Ha, didn’t think this was the kind of blind date I meant, did you? :) But how cool is this? I have to say, I REALLY like the idea. What do you think? And I was proud of myself for figuring out what one of the wrapped books on the home page was!
 
Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

Mysterious Stacks of Books in NYC are Connecting Strangers Around the World
This is really fabulous and I want to get in on it. New York, anyone? 

Cool Quotes

History will be kind to me for I intend to write it. –Winston Churchill

 Everything’s a story – you are a story – I am a story. –Sara Crewe, A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

 Any amount of theology can now be smuggled into people’s minds under the cover of romance without their knowing it. –C.S. Lewis

 I am like an addict when it comes to books. Compelled to read, understand, savor, wrangle with, be moved by, learn to live from these silent companions who speak so loudly. –Carolyn Weber, Surprised by Oxford

 I am his Highness’ Dog at Kew
Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?
–Alexander Pope

 If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in a cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it. –Sara Crewe, A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire? –C.S. Lewis

 No individual, by the very state of existence, can avoid life as a form of servitude; it only remains for us to decide, deny, or remain oblivious to, whom or what we serve. –Carolyn Weber, Surprised by Oxford 

I don’t want to be married just to be married. I can’t think of anything lonelier than spending the rest of my life with someone I can’t talk to. Or worse, someone I can’t be silent with. –Juliet Ashton, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
Photo Credit: Wallpaper Cave
Well, friends, the final season of Downton Abbey has come and gone, concluding in the most breathtaking, heartwarming final episode imaginable. We laughed, we cried, we sighed in contentment, and then we wanted to start all over from the beginning. From the gorgeous shots of the sprawling house and estate, to Mr. Carson’s ever-proper manners as butler, to Lady Mary’s transformation from young debutante to estate manager, to the much enjoyed one-liners of our dear Dowager Countess, we’ve loved it through the ups and downs, and we now say a bittersweet farewell to the beloved Crawley family and their entourage. Our cameras have moved away from the lives of these wonderful characters, but they will never be forgotten. 

So now, I hereby offer you an Eloquent Finds collection in Downton Abbey’s honor. I’ve rounded up my favorite recent Internet finds on Season 6 as well as my favorite quotes from this last season. Please enjoy, discuss, and share your favorite quotes and finds in the comments! I’d love to hear! There can never be too much Downton Abbey :)

Photo Credit: Fanpop

Links to Check Out

Masterpiece Studio Podcast: Farewell to Downton with Julian Fellowes
If you haven’t been following the weekly Masterpiece Studio Podcast, you definitely need to check it out! Downton actors and directors have been interviewed on it to discuss behind-the-scenes tidbits, thoughts on character journeys, and what it was like to film the final moments. This recent podcast featured the talented man who served as creator, executive producer, and writer of every line of every episode – Julian Fellowes himself! Hear his final thoughts on how the show wrapped up and enjoy his reflections on how he’d grown “rather fond” of all these characters he brought to life.
 
I know I'd grown "rather fond" of these two. So sweet to finally see them together this season!
Photo Credit: Frock Flicks
Michelle Dockery’s Last Day of Filming at Highclere Castle
In this heartwarming video, Michelle Dockery, the well-known actress behind Lady Mary of Downton Abbey, shares what it was like to finish filming at Highclere Castle. This gorgeous mansion has been their home in a way for the past six years, and it’s touching to hear what the last moments there were like for her and the other cast and crew members.

Julian Fellowes’ Letter to Fans
A touching thank-you letter from Downton creator Julian Fellowes to all the American fans who embraced the show from the beginning. Thank you, Lord Fellowes, for sharing your talent with the world and giving us a story and characters that will forever have a special place in our hearts!

Downton Abbey and the Power of Happy Endings
Written by my good friend and fellow Anglophile, Sarah, this reflection on the final episode explores why we want and need happy endings. She hits the nail on the head and echoes many of the sentiments that ran through my head as the concluding moments of Downton faded out – we revel in happy endings because we were created for them and have one coming if we know the Author of the greatest story ever told.
There were quite a few happy endings to go around in Season 6, but I must say this was probably my favorite one :)
Photo Credit: Frock Flicks
Down in the Downton Dumps
A shameless fangirl post on The Anglophile Channel that considers Downton Abbey as a whole – why we love it, how wonderful the finale was, and how life will never be the same without it. I’m right with her and know that there will never be another show quite like it.

The Downton Abbey Series Finale Recap
Another fangirl-esque post in which the final episode is recapped via screen captures and commentary on them. She gushes, uses all caps, and describes her emotions in a fashion that encompasses the reactions of devoted Downtonites remarkably well. I was doubled over in laughter for much of this one. 

Downton Abbey 6.9 Recap: The End of an Era
So…this is actually my recap that I wrote for Gossip and Gab. I had quite a bit of fun with it as it was a really fun episode to write about, and it was an delight to do so! I’d be honored for you to check it out! :)

I've loved seeing Cora and Robert stick together as the foundation of Downton through all the ups and downs!
Photo Credit: Corks & Cake

Favorite Season 6 Quotes 

Does it ever get cold on the moral high ground? –Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham

What did you think you were doing – sprinkling sunshine?! –Mrs. Patmore

It’s not right for you to cry alone. You’re married, and that means you never have to cry alone again. –Mr. Bates to Anna Bates 

A woman can always change her mind. It’s what we’re known for. –Lady Mary Crawley

Photo Credit: Rissi Writes
 Robert Crawley: No one has sharper eyes than a loving son.
Violet Crawley: You read that somewhere.
Robert Crawley: Why do you never think I can make anything up? 

There’s no such thing as safe love. Real love means giving someone the power to hurt you. –Tom Branson 

If I withdrew my friendship from everyone who had spoken ill of me, my address book would be empty! –Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham

You will be hurt again, and so will I. Because being hurt is part of being alive. –Tom Branson

Golly gumdrops! What a turn-up! –Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham 

I believe in rules, and tradition, and playing our parts. But there is something else… I believe in love. I mean, brilliant careers, rich lives, are seldom led without just some element of love. –Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham

Your words have made my heart pound at such a rate I’m surprised you can’t hear it! I’m hot, I’m cold, I can barely breathe and it’s all because of you! –Henry Talbot to Lady Mary Crawley

In the end, you’re my sister. And one day, only we will remember Sybil. Or Mama or Papa, or Matthew or Michael, or Granny or Carson, or any of the others who have peopled our youth. Until at last, our shared memories will mean more than our mutual dislike. –Lady Edith Crawley to Lady Mary Crawley
Photo Credit: Frock Flicks
Lady Mary: Well, Mr. Talbot, you have swept me off my feet.
Henry Talbot: I promise you won’t be sorry.
Lady Mary: I better not be!

If reason fails, try force! –Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham 

Lady Rosamund Painswick: What do you think makes the English the way we are?
Violet Crawley: Opinions differ. Some say our history, but I blame the weather. 

Violet Crawley: Makes me smile, the way every year we drink to the future whatever it may bring.
Isobel Crawley Grey: Well, what else could we drink to? We’re going forward to the future, not back into the past!
Violet Crawley: If only we had the choice!

As was only fitting, the incomparable Dowager Countess got the last word. I shall miss your wonderful wit, Violet!
Photo Credit: Corks & Cake