Now is the time for our flyers regarding our next JASNA meeting to be sent — and poor Verizon users, already abused during the Fair Point ‘take-over’ are not going to get them!
Therefore, if you are interested in JASNA-Vermont’s events, were a Verizon customer and have a new email: contact us! In the meantime, download our flyer — which can be found on the EVENTS page of our blog.
A year today – on 22 January 2008 – our Vermont Region received its official ‘welcome’ to the North American Jane Austen realm! So… Happy Birthday JASNA-Vermont!
It’s been a great year – and some thoughts on our activities can be found written down here, on this blog. We had an appreciative (large!) crowd for our first meeting, which featured Prof. Robyn Warhol-Down, whose talk centered on Pride and Prejudice; she has since joined JASNA. Then came a look at ‘Beginnings’ – JASNA’s own (with thoughts on the founding of JASNA by life members Lorraine Hanaway and Mildred Darrow) as well as Jane’s (with a look into her “first” novel, Northanger Abbey). The fall was ushered in with a thrilling and amusing look at “Austen’s England” by Montpelier resident, John Turner. Then came our big celebration: our Annual Austen Tea, featuring the Burlington Country Dancers (who led most of our audience onto the dance floor!), with music provided by the provocatively-named Impropriety.
For the first time, we share pictures and comments about our December celebration…
Barb F. wrote: “I had a great time, and brought a friend with me who had not attended a JASNA event as yet. I hardly spoke with my friend… so many opportunities to share with those we didn’t know. The gathering brings such friendly people together. I finally had a chance to try English Country Dancing and it was very enjoyable!… My spirits are lightened and energized as I reflect on a wonderful afternoon.”
Jeanne V.: “Just wanted to say that the event on Sunday was…a lot of fun. I brought someone who swore she would only watch the dancing and she was scooped up and danced every one! Now, we need to do more dancing…”
George: “I had a great time and am making everyone go to the Montpelier [event] in June.”
Val M.: “Thanks so much for having us. [Everyone] did a wonderful job with the Tea Party. Enjoyed the readings!”
And the food was … scrumptious! Thanks to the caterers connected to our host site, Champlain College (Burlington, VT), and JASNA-Vermont members who pulled out recipes that made everyone’s mouth water:
If you can ‘smell’ the aroma of scones, truffles, cookies and tea, then maybe you will be able to hear the band strike up a long-familiar tune. Members of Impropriety…
…and The Burlington Country Dancers:
Thanks to Mary Ellen Bertolini for sharing her photos!
Please join us for our next event – which features Prof. Bertolini and Persuasion – on March 1st. And send us your birthday wishes and wants!
Tune in on Thursday July 3rd to your local Vermont Public Radio station (107.9 in the Burlington area) and hear JASNA and our own local chapter discussed on Vermont Edition, with host Jane Lindholm. The program will air beginning approximately 12:08 pm (after the noon news and weather); a call-in show, our Vermont Edition segment will last until approximately 12:40.
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UPDATE (July 2nd): Deb and I spoke via phone to Vermont Edition producer Sarah Ashworth today, anticipating our segment on tomorrow’s show (see their website for a Jane-preview!). One question we were asked was, ‘Who is your favorite Austen couple?’ Having just this morning watched the Knightley-Macfadyen Pride and Prejudice, my thoughts immediately flew to Elizabeth and Darcy. B-U-T… taking a second to think about it, can anything grab a reader more than love recaptured. The idea of a second chance when you believed yourself to have been passed by… That, of course, leads to a discussion of Anne Elliot and Capt. Wentworth in Austen’s last completed novel, Persuasion. Not only a love story, Persuasion gives us all hope that life, in the end, does sometimes work out happily. What better legacy could Austen have left us with?
If you have thoughts and observations on Austen, her novels, the films give a call to VPR tomorrow during our show: 1-800-639-2211 or email vermontedition@vpr.net.
Should you miss our segment, you too will get a second chance: look up the online podcast at www.vpr.net.
Jane Austen in Vermont 