Good News Homeowners! You no longer have to be a mega-billion dollar company to have video surveillance of your home. With Ring Video Doorbells and Ring Wi-Fi Security cameras, you can easily monitor your home.
Last fall my husband installed a Ring Video Doorbell Pro at our front door. This is probably the best improvement we have made in our home in 20 years. It is an instant view camera, video recorder, and has audio capabilities. According to my husband, it was not hard to install. He said you just follow the directions. From my viewpoint, it is fabulous! I don't own a smartphone, but I do have an iPad. I can see who is at my front door in an instant without leaving my chair whether they ring the doorbell or not. If you happen to have a smartphone, you can see who is at your front door from anywhere, you don't even have to be home. You can also talk to them, which is pretty awesome if you wish to request they simply leave something at the door. Or, if you simply want a stranger to think you are at home.
Be the way, my husband uses his laptop to see through the Ring Doorbell Pro. Therefore, no smartphone, no iPad and no Alexa is required to use the Ring Doorbell Pro, in spite of how it may sound when reading the product description. We do not have it connected to Alexa, but that is an option.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro Camera is a Crime Deterrent
What I have noticed since we installed the Ring video doorbell is that people recognize what it is. One of the first things I heard a stranger say to his companion when ringing our doorbell was, "you're on video so don't say anything." Guess who I didn't answer the door too! The fact that potential criminals or even solicitors will step away, or simply not approach your door, is worth the cost of the unit.
How the Ring Video Doorbell Pro Works
When someone rings my doorbell, my iPad chimes to let me know a guest is at my front door. I can immediately see who is there. Actually, we have our motion sensor set so motion approaching the front door will often make it chime first, so I can take a look. The doorbell is video recording everything, including what they say.
It also works at night! The video camera has infrared night vision which is totally awesome. I keep my iPad on the nightstand. If the motion detector chimes, I reach out and grab it to take a look. Usually, it is my friendly spider giving us a morning greeting, but sometimes it catches other guests unaware.
Ring Stores Your Videos
You may wonder how you are able to see the videos days, or even a month later if you wish. For $30.00 a year (cost at the time of publishing this article) Ring will store your videos for you for 60 days. The Basic Plan is free for 30 days with the purchase of the Ring Doorbell or any of the Ring devices. You can download any video you need to save for longer to your own computer.
Rings Lifetime Guarantee
If your Ring device gets stolen, Ring will replace it for free.
Other Ring Devices
We also have Ring Cameras installed around the exterior of our home. They are pretty cool! They work the same way as the doorbell with motion detection, except they are battery operated instead of installed with wires. They have to be recharged regularly, in our case, about once a month. However, they now have a solar panel available so you never have to take them down and recharge them again.
A "Ring Video Doorbell 2" that operates on batteries is also available if you don't want to hard-wire the unit. It is perfect for a backdoor or other door that does not have an existing doorbell.
One thing to keep in mind, all ring devices are wi-fi and rely upon your internet connection. When we installed the Ring Doorbell Pro at our front door, we found that we needed a wi-fi extender since our internet modem is in the far back corner of our home. It was no problem to set-up and plug in the extender, but it may be something you will also need to consider.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Review of Photography Tips for Photographing Sunflowers
In Midwestern USA, July is the time that we have beautiful sunflowers blooming. Their beauty lasts just a short time, so if you have sunflowers near you be sure to take the opportunity to photograph them while they are in full bloom.
I saw some photos that friends had taken and posted online so I got directions to the sunflower field and was so glad that I did! The flowers were beautiful. I went just before sunset and was able to capture the beauty of the flowers as the sun went down. This seemed like a perfect time and the setting sun seemed to light up the backs of the blooms. Here are a couple of tips I have for you.
Look for fresh blooms. Raggedy blooms don't show good on photos.
Turn your flash off.
Watch you background. A bright blue sky works well but I have also seen flowers against brick or wood that look great.
Choose your focus point. Do you want everything in focus or just one flower?
Take some photos of the entire field and then zoom in to take that close up bloom. You will be glad you got both.
Here are a few of my photos.
Sunflowers Come in a Variety of Colors
I always thought sunflowers were yellow, but did you know they come in a variety of colors. My neighbor is growing some pretty maroon ones this year. I took this photo in the early evening.
A sunflower field is a great place for family photos. I took my granddaughter with me and here are a couple of the photos I took of her. I love the look of the first photo. The sun over the hill behind the field lit up the backs of the flowers and her hair.
Zazzle Products are Great Showcases for Sunflowers
Here are a few of the Zazzle products I have made from my sunflower photos.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Fitness and Exercise are a must for a healthy body and mind. Nordic Walking Poles can make getting fit a little easier. Let's Review these walking aids and see how they could fit into your life.
Growing older is not for wimps and those feint of heart, but it's something that everyone wants to do. As you get older, it seems that keeping in shape and staying fit are harder and harder to do. Unless you have always been an athlete, as we get older, we tend to slow down. Not because of an innate desire to do nothing, but rather we might be having problems with arthritis, joint issues and more. So while retirement and enjoying life is a great thing, if your mobility is not as great as it once was, you just might want to slow down or stop altogether!
That is not the ideal way to spend your retirement years. Activity keeps the mind and body stronger than just sitting around watching TV or playing cards. Oh sure you can have some fun doing those things too, but don't let that become your life and your lifestyle. Idleness is the devil's playground it is said! And the devil is Alzeimers or worse. It has been proven that activity keeps the mind and the body in better shape than inactivity. In the Canadian Government website regarding health of seniors it states, "Research shows that physical inactivity can cause premature death, chronic disease and disability. Health Canada encourages Canadians to integrate physical activity into their every day life; at home, at school, at work, at play and on the way ... that's active living!!"
So what is a person to do? Well there are all kinds of "tools" available to help seniors keep active and healthy and one of these is Nordic Walking Poles. These poles are just what they sound like, poles that you attach to your wrists to help you walk better and get exercise at the same time. Better than just walking alone, these poles help you by encouraging you to walk easier and better.
Nordic Walking poles look something like ski poles, but they are made for walking on all kinds of terrain. They are adjustable in height and have different tips on the bottoms of the poles to help you when walking on dirt roads, sidewalks and snow as well. There is NO AGE LIMIT on who can use these walking poles. What I have found with them as I use them, is that it just adds a little bit of stability to every step I take. Because of that added security, I tend to walk farther and faster too! Walking is the number one way to keep fit, enjoy nature and the outdoors, and feel wonderful, without being exhausted at the end of the exercise time. These are all bonuses to me. Here's a great YouTube Video instruction for you to understand the differences between walking and Nordic Walking!
What makes using the Nordic Walking Poles so good is that used properly, you have turned a simple walk into a cardio exercise. How is that possible? Walking poles should be at a height that makes your arms rest at a 90 degree angle to your body. When you walk, you use alternating hands and feet to take the steps. With arms swinging and your step lengthened, you are now working your heart as well as your legs and body. It is almost like using an "Elliptical" machine in the gym, but your choice of where you walk can be much nicer than staring at a wall in a gym. The added bonus is that you don't need to pay for a gym membership and the walking poles are very inexpensive. You choose what time of day, where and how long you want to walk. Take them with you on a Sunday afternoon stroll through your favorite park or "green space". They are portable, lightweight and so easy to use. From all the reading I have done, I know that Nordic Walking is a great exercise that can be done by just about everyone and it does not tire you out so much that you want to go home and drop into a chair never to move again. It is an easy exercise that done 3 to 4 times a week, for at least 10 to 20 minutes, will keep you healthier and your body happier than just sitting around doing nothing! Give it a try! My thoughts are that once you start, you won't stop, and that is a good thing for sure. Just two more things that you might want to bring along for your walk and they are a good hat to keep the sun off your head and a water bottle to help you keep hydrated. With these three items, you are good to go and I bet you will enjoy your walks so much more than before.
That's my "other half" checking out his fancy blue Nordic Walking Poles. Mine are red! P.S. as with any walking I am assuming that you will wear good walking shoes. (that's a given, right?)
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
My new favorite mayo is Dukes Real Mayonnaise! From what I can gather those of you who either live in the southern part of the United States or perhaps grew up there are very familiar with this condiment. Those of us from the northern regions and perhaps the western regions of this country most likely haven't tried it. Well, I'm here to tell you; we didn't know what we were missing!
Honestly, I have never been a big fan of mayonnaise. About the only time that I used it was when it was called for in a recipe. Since I have discovered Dukes mayonnaise, that has changed. Now, I eat it on sandwiches and use it in those recipes. Shoot, I'm even adding it to recipes that don't really call for it but I think it makes a nice addition.
This mayo is so creamy! It also has a different taste to it. Personally, the brand that I used previously didn't have much of a flavor to it at all but not so with Dukes. I don't know how to explain it other than there is a bit of a zippiness to the flavor. It is really very tasty! So, now I actually like mayonnaise on a sandwich.
One of my favorite things to have for lunch is an egg salad sandwich. Making my recipe using Dukes makes it even more enjoyable than it was before!
Bev's Egg Salad Recipe
8 hard boiled eggs that have been chopped after peeled
1/2 cup Dukes Mayonnaise
1 tsp yellow mustard
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
Combine the ingredients with the chopped eggs until mixed well. Spread on bread, bun or crackers.
For those of you who are health conscious enough that you don't use mayo; Dukes is healthier than most brands. There is no sugar added and the cholesterol is lower than most brands.
If you haven't tried Dukes or perhaps you are not able to get it near you; it can be purchased at Amazon and shipped right to your door. It doesn't get much easier than that folks! I love this stuff so much that I am finding ways to use it that I would have not done in the past with the former brand. Last night, I fixed homemade baked macaroni and cheese and decided to add about a 1/2 cup to my recipe. Oh my goodness! I love my mac n' cheese anyway; adding Dukes just made it even better!
How about you? Have you tried this brand of mayo? What do you think?
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
I am not much of a make-up wearer. Mascara is a necessity. And some sort of lip balm is a must-have. Otherwise, I'm not interested in make-up. I have recently discovered Younique products. Their Lip BonBons tinted lip gloss is awesome. I've used it every day since I received it and I recommend it to others who don't like lipstick, who do like lip balm, and who would like to have a bit of tint on their lips.
Lip BonBons Tinted Lip Balm by Younique
Younique describes their moisturizing, tinted lip balm as:
"....a creamy, smooth, and extra-nourishing balm. With a mild vanilla fragrance, fruit extracts and five natural oils, all you need is just a touch throughout the day to add a subtle hint of color while moisturizing and pampering your lips" - Younique
I decided to review BonBons tinted lip balm because I am excited about my first order from Younique and their quality products. There are four colors to choose from and one clear.
I do not like a waxy feel on my lips, which is why I historically don't like lipsticks. Lip BonBons are not waxy. The consistency, to me, is mid way between a Chapstick (which is close to waxy) and Blistex (not at all waxy). I like the barely there tint. This tint adds just the slightest hint of color - which is what I like. Lipstick (to me) is too BAM! I prefer subtle and this is very subtle. Lip BonBons are moisturizing. Years ago I bought a lip tint with a color I really, really liked. But the product was more dry and the best way I can describe it is that it "flaked" off through the day. Lip BonBons don't flake. I really like the packaging. The tube is a fat, metal tube. The lid screws on. That makes the tube easy to find in the bottom of my bag... and no messy surprises from a cap that has popped off! If you are ready to shop for Younique Lip BonBons, you can click here.
Younique Brand and My Presenter Liz
I wrote quite a bit last week about the Younique brand. I also wrote about the amazing Moodstruck Epic Mascara. I encourage you to take a quick peek at that review and information here. I rarely take selfies, but I was so excited that first morning I wore the mascara and lip tint that I took a couple of photos.
LOOK! I have eyelashes and lips for a change.
Currently Liz, my presenter, is taking a break from active sales because family life has become so busy. But you can place orders directly from Younique. Or an internet search will help you find a presenter and Younique make-up tutorials that meet your individual needs.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
A Review of Flowers for a House Where the Afternoon Sun is in the Front Yard and the Morning Sun is in the Backyard
Or the reverse.
Our home faces directly East-West and over twenty years ago when we purchased our home, I wasn't experienced enough with flower planting to understand how the sun floated around our home to keep the poor things alive for an extended period of time.
I'm not a gardening or flower expert by any stretch of the imagination, however I have, via trial and error, found some easy to choose flowers that will survive the daily trip around the sun.
Climbing Rose Bush in Front Island
Our Front Yard is Fully Treed - Easy Care, However Not Flower Friendly
Ha! That solves it. Little room for flower errors.
After filling our yard with greenery, it became difficult to get annual flowers to grow. So other than a few select potted plants, there are few flowers to care for in the front.
As you can see in the featured photo, we have a small front island, however, after trying and retrying a variety of flowers in it, nothing seemed to grow. So we placed easy to grow juniper as ground filler to contrast with the stepping stones, and stuck with one climbing rose bush.
However, it's not just a rose bush, it has a spiritual connection.
A friend of our family was sadly diagnosed with cancer, and before he passed away we were able to purchase this rose bush from his store, and it's thrived for about twenty years now.
More freakishly, these are the ONLY perennial flowers to have survived our front yard for over twenty years. Divine intervention? We think of him every time we look at the rose bush, so we like to think so.
Begonias on the Table - They Like the Shade
Backyard Flowers - Morning Sun that Floats Away from the House by 11:00am and Finally Leaves the Yard by 5:00pm
I've essentially stayed with three or four types of flowers.
The flowers closest to the house that only feel sun til 11:00am, are 'Sun Impatiens' also known as New Guinea Impatiens.
Unlike regular shade impatiens, New Guinea Impatiens can tolerate about a half a day of sun. Morning sun is best.
To add color to the patio table, we used Begonias. They like the shade, and since the umbrella is up most of the time, they work in that spot.
For the flower planter which gets sun all day, we selected a mixed arrangement featuring three of my favorite flowers, Verbena, Bellflowers (Campanula family), and Petunias. However, skip the Petunias for a mostly maintenance free bouquet.
Popular New Guinea Impatiens - Easy to Care For
they can handle about 3 or 4 hours of a sun a day,
morning sun is best
The Complete Story of How We Landscaped this Challenging Yard, More Here:
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
The 'clutter' shown in these photos is my house at the present time. My house
does not normally look like this ~ this is the result of weeks of sorting and
packing to make a major move. But if your house frequently assume a look
such as this, you might be ready for this book by Stephanie Culp titled
“How to Conquer Clutter”.
Clut`ter To fill with scattered or disordered things that restrict
movement or efficiency. A collection of things lying about in an untidy mass.
Or, as the author says,
“all that stuff you've got all over the place that everybody keeps telling
you to get rid of."
Normal Clutter Invasions
(c) Wednesday Elf Sorting & Packing to Move
We all deal with some form of clutter from time to time, no where near as bad
as my current chaotic "moving mess".
The children scatter their toys throughout the living room because they
want to play where their special adults are instead of in the playroom or
their bedrooms.
We get out a project and the dining room table stays cluttered while we
are working on it.
You get interrupted in the middle of a long-term desk or computer project
and would lose your place if you put it away before you were finished with
it.
You have a sewing or crafting project that will take several days to
complete and putting it away before you are done would be wasted
effort.
The clutter referred to in this, and similar, books refers to the stuff that
starts as a small problem and, over time, becomes a very large and
overwhelming situation. By that time, we make excuses for not dealing with it.
Now the 'clutterbug' handles it by saying “I'll just put it over here
'for now'. But soon 'for now' becomes forever and here comes that
clutter crisis.
Author Stephanie Culp
Stephanie Culp is an organization and time management consultant who has
written several books on getting organized. Her organization firm has helped
people and small businesses get – and stay – organized since 1982.
In How to Conquer Clutter, Stephanie helps you get yourself organized
and reduce or eliminate the clutter that has taken over your life. This book
is informative and humorous and will give you simple ways to take back control
of your stuff.
Pack Rat – A large, busy-tailed rodent from the Rocky Mountains
that collects and stores food and miscellaneous objects. Just like you!
Stephanie includes a “Pack Rat's Excuse Almanac to help you deal with the
mess in your life, a 'clutter quiz' to help identify problem areas and 19
'Clutter Checklists” to provide practical ideas for storing everything you
cannot live without. She deals with each area of clutter from A to Z, from
addresses to ziplock bags and everything in between. Included are areas
inside the house, outside the house and under the house! Culp even tells you
how to use this book by defining the worst area of clutter in your life and
identifying specific problem areas so you will know where to
begin.
How to Conquer Clutter
is a helpful guide to get control of and 'conquer' your clutter! Having
read this book myself (which helped me especially with my admittedly biggest
clutter problem area ~ dealing with paper - filing, purging,
processing, etc), I am now passing my copy of the book on to my daughter, who
is an admitted 'pack rat' just like her dad. (c) 2018 by Wednesday Elf
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
The Masterpiece is Francine River's most recently published book. Like all of her books, The Masterpiece isn't a typical cookie-cutter Christian fiction where everything is perfect after salvation. It is a story about people with very real issues in life.
Rivers doesn't write about fairy-tale versions of life as a Christian. She writes about down to earth people who have been hurt or are struggling with life and in some cases, struggling with God. Her books are not meant to malign Christians. Rather to assure us that we are not alone and that it is not abnormal for a Christian to hurt, suffer, or even fail.
She also doesn't steer clear of difficult subjects like adultery, divorce, abortion, pregnancy outside of wedlock, prostitution, separation from loved ones, or even going to hell, quite literally.
For nearly two decades, Francine Rivers has been my favorite author. Ever since I picked up her series, Mark of the Lion. I have read and reread that series several times. I originally purchased it in hardback since Kindles were nonexistent. But, it was one of the first sets of books I added to my Kindle when one was gifted to me.
It may seem odd to you that I read some books several times. I do that when I want to read something I know I will love. It is like watching the same movie over and over again because it touches something deep inside of you.
Even though most of my current day book purchases are made in Kindle version, I collect Francine Rivers' books in hardback copies too. I never want to be without them.
Plot of The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers
The MasterpieceCheck PriceWhen Grace Moore's father kills her mother and then commits suicide, Grace is found hiding in the closet. Already she has seen and experienced too much for her young mind to comprehend. She will be scared by the murder-suicide of her parents for the rest of her life.
Grace is sent to live with a grieving single aunt she does not know. Aunt Elizabeth has no idea how to truly care for a 7 year old child, nor does she want to learn. Every time she looks at Grace, she is reminded of the man that killed her beloved sister. It doesn't help that Grace looks like him.
Having been raised in a loveless home, Grace doesn't really know or remember what love looks like. It is no surprise that she ends up marrying a man who uses his charm to get what he wants from Grace, but who doesn't love her. Because she believes her husband's education should come first, she drops out of college and goes to work full time to support them both and pay his tuition. She is devastated when she comes home early from work one day and finds him with another woman. Adulthood doesn't look anything like what she wanted, needed or expected. She must get away and start over. Even though she is a Christian, her problems are far from over.
Seeking to find love in all the wrong places, she leaves a bar with a man she just met. The decision to cast caution to the wind will change her life forever. She ends up being a single mother torn, trying to choose what is best for her child. She had planned to give her baby up for adoption. Now, she wants to keep him, but the parents she had chosen to adopt her child, still want him too.
Elsewhere, Roman Velasco is a wealthy artist who has lived under the shadow of evil his entire life. He never knew his father, and his mother died of an overdose when he was a child. Roman moved from one foster home to another where the parents either gave up on him, or only wanted the money for taking in a foster child. He joined a gang just so he could have a place where he fit in. Selling drugs did not appeal to him, but he found his niche within the gang by painting graffiti on buildings. After he is caught and arrested, he is sent to Masterson Ranch. An isolated ranch that makes running away impossible. However, the Mastersons and his teacher encourage him to develop his artistic abilities.
As an adult, he changed his name from Bobby Ray Dean to Roman Velasco, and found a place where he, or at least his art, was wanted. He became a workaholic and spent every day drawing or painting, often forgetting to eat. He needed a personal assistant to take care of his daily tasks like grocery shopping, laundry, paying bills, answering the phone, etc. Things a wife might do, if he had one. But the last thing Roman wanted was a wife and he certainly did not want another personal assistant who wanted to be his wife or his girlfriend.
When Grace is sent by a temp agency to be Roman Velasco's personal assistant, she is not really impressed with him. He is demanding, yet distant. However, the distant part is much preferred by Grace. So much so, that she ends up moving into the cottage on his property for convenience and going to work for him permanently.
Conclusion
You may think from the description above that you can guess what is going to happen and to some extent, you might be right. However, expect the unexpected. Grace is a Christian, but Roman is not, so it is hardly a relationship made in heaven.
It is what happens to Roman when he suffers a heart attack that I found most gripping. I have heard people describe going to heaven when they die, or even seeing the white light, but reading River's description of what going to hell might look like, sent chills down my spine. Frankly, it isn't as far fetched as I would like for it to be.
While this may not be my all-time favorite book by Francine Rivers, I would definitely recommend it.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
To read The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, is to reflect on how the bouquet of each of our lives is crafted flower by flower. As we enter Victoria's story, none of us would want the bouquet she sees as the definition of who she has become: thistle, peony, and basil (flowers that represent a deep mistrust of people, anger, and hate). Well before the end of this book, I suspect, like me, that you will be urging Victoria, in your heart of hearts, to pick a few white violets and daffodils.
Who is Victoria, this self-described thistle? She is a child who has spent her entire life in the foster care system. Victoria's self-image has been shaped by the one constant she has known throughout her childhood: rejection. After being bounced from 32 different placements, Victoria is finally aging out of the system. Having turned 18, she is eligible for emancipation. While that freedom is welcomed, it comes with a whole new set of challenges. Victoria has no money, no family, and no place to call home. What she has, though, is an extraordinary gift for changing lives. It will be the discovery of this gift that offers up new hope for a girl who has always been too afraid to hope, or trust, or love.
We learn early on that Victoria had one significant relationship at the age of nine. Her foster parent, Elizabeth, taught Victoria how the meanings of flowers were an important form of communication during the Victorian Era. This language of flowers is something intuitive for Victoria. Plants, flowers, and growing things become her solace, her sanctuary, and the very life of life.
As Victoria seeks to find her way in a world that frightens her, individuals from her past reappear. One offers the chance for true love. The other offers the chance for redemption. Both can give Victoria something she has always wanted more than anything: a family and a sense of belonging. Will Victoria be able to move past the shame and feelings of unworthiness that stand in the way of making her way home? You will want to read The Language of Flowers to discover the answer to that question.
Before we go, were you curious, in the introduction to this review, about why we might want Victoria to pick some white violets and daffodils to replace the thistles, peonies, and basil in her bouquet? Those white violets represent the sentiment "let's take a chance on happiness" and daffodils are symbolic of new beginnings. When it comes right down to it, isn't that what we wish for everyone who has waited a lifetime to grow into something beautiful?
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
The love story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy as written by Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice has been one of the most popular in all of English literature. Now over 200 years old it's been made into numerous movies, plays, and variations. Understanding Elizabeth is one of these variations.
Since most of the characters in Understanding Elizabeth came straight from Pride and Prejudice, I'm going to refresh your memory with this diagram to show how they are related.
It has been sixty years since I read Pride and Prejudice, and that's why I needed to read it again before writing this review of Understanding Elizabeth. If you haven't read Jane Austen's original recently enough to remember the plot and characters, you can watch this video summary or download the free book from Amazon, as I did. This is the best of the summary videos I found.
If you prefer to read a plot summary with descriptions of the original characters in Pride and Prejudice, Wikipedia provides it. I reread the 410 pages in two days to refresh my memory, since the plot is complex and my memory isn't what it used to be. I found I appreciated Pride and Prejudice more at 75 than I did at 15.
Understanding Elizabeth by Robin Helm focuses on Mr. Darcy's inner thoughts. Although the narrator tells the story, Robin Helm lets the reader inside Mr. Darcy's head. Whereas Jane Austen reveals what her characters are thinking through their words to each other and comments from the narrator, in the Helm book Darcy's italicized thoughts are interspersed between his spoken thoughts and the narration.
We discover what motivates his words, including those infamous insulting words spoken to his friend Mr. Bingley at an Assembly. Bingley wanted Darcy to dance with Elizabeth and offered to arrange an introduction, but Darcy coldly replied, 'She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me...' Elizabeth overheard him, and although wounded, she joked about it with her friends. The offending words came from Pride and Prejudice, but they play a major part in both books.
In Understanding Elizabeth, Elizabeth writes in her journal:
Fortunately I need not care for Mr. Darcy's good opinion, as I have known from the first moments of our acquaintance that I am not handsome enough to tempt him. After all, in his own words, I am barely tolerable....As I told Charlotte, I could easily forgive his pride had he not mortified mine.
Darcy Reads Elizabeth's Journal
It was in trying to understand Elizabeth that Darcy alienated her. After hearing that her sister Jane who was staying with the Bingleys at Netherfield had become ill, Elizabeth immediately left for Netherfield to care for her .
Darcy was also staying there, and one evening while a group was in the parlour, Darcy observed Elizabeth reading a book. That impressed him because he liked intelligent women who read. He wondered what she was reading. As he observed she was also writing, he became curious about that, as well.
When she left to go back to Jane's room, she accidently left her book behind. Darcy took advantage of this and grabbed it, hoping to read the pages she had written and concealed in the book's pages. He battled his conscience before doing this, knowing he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop himself. He hid the book in his newspaper and took it to his room.
The first papers reveal her thoughts on the poem she was reading, but then after arguing back and forth with himself about invading Elizabeth's privacy, he yields to the temptation to understand her thoughts. As he reads her notes on Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," he sees her opinion that 'to be generous and sincere is better than to live for worldly fame and fortune.' He wonders if she thinks he "wallow[s] in luxury and pride." He questions his own character.
As he reads her opinions, he 'picture[s] himself under a magnifying glass held in her small hands.' Then he realizes the rest of the papers in the book are her personal journal. As he reads he realizes she overheard his remark about her not being handsome enough to tempt him, and he admits to himself he hadn't meant it but was merely trying to get the matchmakers, including Bingley, off his back. By this time he knew he was becoming attracted to Elizabeth against his will.
He closes the book and sneaks it downstairs to return it to where Elizabeth had left it, now dark. Everyone else had retired by then, and, newspaper in hand, he is headed back to his room when he runs smack into Elizabeth who had come to retrieve her book. After a brief conversation about why they are there, they return to their rooms. And he realizes he is in danger of falling in love with Elizabeth.
By this time Darcy deeply regrets the insulting words he had spoken to Bingley about Elizabeth. He had never intended for her to know about them. Now they were thwarting his desire to have her think well of him and she made it clear that she loathed him. As he wishes he could take back his words, the theme turns Faustian as the devil appears in a dream to ask what he'd give to take back his words. But the angel who also appears in the dream reminds him that anyone dealing with the devil has a price to pay.
These dreams are repeated all through the book as Darcy tries to repair the relationship damage his words have caused. Elizabeth still doesn't realize he knows that she overheard them. That comes out later just as the relationship seems to be healing.
By this time Jane's illness has become more serious and Elizabeth spends a great deal of time in Jane's room. To give her some diversion, Darcy suggests they play chess. Each has a chessboard. Each writes their next move on a paper. They arrange that Molly, a servant, and Watkins, Darcy's valet, carry the notes back and forth so Elizabeth and Darcy can play their chess games without being in the same room. (Molly and Watkins don't appear in Pride and Prejudice.)
The relationship continues to develop until Darcy makes a verbal slip that makes Elizabeth realize he had read her journal. When she confronts him, he at first denies it. She then ends the chess games and the relationship because he not only invaded her privacy but also denied it. She returns his book and tells him to burn any of her notes in his possession. She also forbids him to call her Elizabeth any more and insists it be Miss Elizabeth.
That night the angel and the demon return again in a dream. Only quoting the Scriptures keeps Darcy from dealing with the Devil. The demon says he will return only once more. The quote in the image below was a warning from the angel.
Comparing Understanding Elizabeth and Pride and Prejudice
Unlike many Pride and Prejudice variations, this book is not a sequel. Instead it parallels the plot of Pride and Prejudice, adding many more details about the period Jane and Elizabeth spent at Netherfield during Jane's illness. It also elaborates on what Darcy did to help after Lydia ran off with Wickham.
In Understanding Elizabeth, Darcy doesn't try to break up Bingham and Jane, nor does Elizabeth become as friendly with Wickham as she does in Pride and Prejudice. Darcy's marriage proposals are handled differently, and so are the weddings.
The most significant difference in the books is the Christian element. Whereas Austen devotes several pages to making Parson Collins look pompous and ridiculous, he is not so major a character in Helm's book. We get only a hint of his attitudes and see fewer of his interactions.
Helms also explores Darcy's spiritual life. She reveals the torment he goes through in his dream visions and temptations before he finally achieves a difficult victory in which the Scriptures play an important role.
In his search to understand Elizabeth, Darcy learns to better understand himself. As he sees more of his own sin, he loses ungodly pride and develops more humility. He is finally able to love more unselfishly.
My Recommendation
Fans of Jane Austen will enjoy the additional details in Helm's plot. Helm doesn't change any of the main plot elements, but she gives readers deeper insight into what motivates Darcy and Elizabeth. She alters some of the plot details and adds some characters such as Molly and Watkins, but she doesn't change the personalities of the main characters Austen created.
Austen lets Jane recover from her illness and leave Netherfield in chapters 7-12. Helm devoted at least her first sixteen chapters - more than half the book - to Jane's convalescence, thus giving Elizabeth and Darcy much more time to develop a relationship before Elizabeth breaks it. I appreciated this.
Understanding Elizabeth is much easier to read than Pride and Prejudice. Though it retains the style and customs of Austen's book, it's easier to keep the cast of characters straight in Helm's book. The language is not as obsolete. Many of Austen's words have different meanings today than they did 200 years ago.
That being said, Austen's book still surpasses Helm's in overall literary quality and character portrayal. Still, I'd give Understanding Elizabeth five stars. It's entertaining, the main characters are well-developed while remaining true to Austen, and the spiritual elements add depth. I loved the ending.
Many others have written variations of Pride and Prejudice I've not yet had a chance to read. I'm amazed at how many there are -- from historical to modern. Some make the romantic details much more explicit than others set in that historical period. The three I'd like to read next are in the group below. Why not download one today?
You may also enjoy my reviews of these Christian historical novels:
Untamed Land by Lauraine Snelling - the story of two Norwegian brothers who settled the Dakota country in the 1800's with their wives
Paper Roses by Amanda Cabot: A Christian Mail Order Bride Romance
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