Shannon of Avonlea

My husband works nights and I often find myself staying up until he comes home, working on some craft project or another and watching old movies from our video collection. Last night was no exception, and my choices for the evening were the scarf that matches the new hat that I just knit and "Anne of Avonlea". If you have never watched this one and the movie that comes before it, "Anne of Green Gables", do yourself a favor and pick it up from the library next time you are there. These two movies do a good job of incorporating all of the exciting stuff from the first four books and they are so fun to watch. They are always good for a laugh and a tear.

I must admit though that I am a little pre-disposed to love these movies. I was a major Anne-phile in junior high and high school. In fact my family members and friends took to calling me 'Shannon of Avonlea' for awhile. I had a subscription to the newsletter, "The Avonlea Traditions Chronicle" and continually read and re-read all of L.M. Montgomery"s books and short stories. And really, the Anne stories can't be beat for good, wholesome excitement and romance; even if the prose is sometimes a bit flowery. The books are all wonderful, right up through "Rilla of Ingleside" and they follow Anne from her childhood through the maturity of her youngest daughter. They also offer an interesting perspective on World War I and some of the manners and fashions of the day.

My copy of book number five," Anne's House of Dreams" was read so many times that it actually fell apart. That is the book where she gets married and starts her family, and to my adolescent mind, it was everything that I wished for as a chubby, nerdy girl in high school. I still haven't replaced that book. Maybe I'll go looking for it this weekend and re-read it.