We Love L M Montgomery Week: Tag!

Hello my lovely readers!!  My poor little blog is still sorely neglected!  But I just couldn't let this week go by without participating in Hamlette's "We Love L M Montgomery Week!"  She's put together such a lovely party complete with this tag, games, and a giveaway so please do go check it all out!

Today, I'll be answering her questions about all things Lucy Maud!  Let's get to it!!

The LMM Tag

1. Who introduced you to L. M. Montgomery's writing? Tell us the story!

You could say my parents indirectly introduced me to LMM's writings through an Anne of Green Gables/Little Women coloring book I had as a child.  I also loved the Anne of Green Gables cartoon. But the first time I picked up an actual copy of Anne, it was in my parochial school library.  The book seemed so big and was above my reading level but I didn't know that until I brought it home and couldn't read the big words and sentences!  Still, I loved the illustrations and couldn't wait for the day that I could actually read the book.

2. What LMM books have you read?

• Anne of Green Gables
• Anne of Avonlea
• Anne of the Island
• Anne of Windy Poplars
• Anne's House of Dreams
• Anne of Ingleside

• Christmas with Anne and Other Holiday Stories
• Chronicles of Avonlea
• Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1902-1903

Wow!  You almost don't realize how many you've read until you list them all out like this!  I still need to finish the Anne series and then I hope to read even more!!

3. What movies or shows based on her books have you watched?

As I mentioned in the first answer, I watched the cartoon growing up. Anne's adventures and life were so delightful.

Then, in middle school/high school, I watched Sullivan Entertainment's movies and fell in love with them instantly. (Not the 4th one, however. We do not speak of that one.)

I've also watched the BBC mini-series of "Anne of Avonlea" from 1975 which is also very good in my humble opinion. (More to come on this later in my post for the link-up!)

Finally, I've watched the more recent PBS series which, although delightful, falls a little flat in story, spirit, and casting.

Oh!  And also a few episodes from the first season of "Road to Avonlea!"  I really need to finish it!  It's so precious!!

4. Which LMM character is your kindred spirit, the one you'd like to hang out with in real life?

Is it too cliché to say, Anne?  I mean, I am Anne at heart so would I need to pick someone different?   I suppose so.  Let's go with Gilbert then.  Diana would be wonderful too but over her, I think I'd even say, Phillipa Gordon.  She is a wildly wonderful character and I know she would just lift my spirits anytime I was around her.  She is sensible yet funny and has such a wonderful outlook on life.  Yes, I'd say, even more than Diana, I absolutely love dear Phil.

5. Which LMM character do you relate to the most? And why?

I'm sure many of us will say Anne but I just can't help myself! Back in 2016, I wrote this about relating to Anne:
"Anne and I are both overly romantic, exaggerate, have a bad temper, and are extremely dramatic. But I also like to think we both have generous spirits, a contagious smile, and are great friends."

Yes, that still rings very true.  I also think I've grown up much like Anne did.  We've grown into ourselves, so to speak.  We desire the best for everybody around us and have a very nurturing heart.  Anne is still my best literary friend to this day.

6. Have you ever been to Prince Edward Island?

No, sadly. It is at the near top of my bucket list of places to travel.  It is only preceded by Lisieux, France and Bethlehem.  I've always dreamed of honeymooning there; walking the beaches, strolling the towns, searching out the best and most romantic bridges, seeing "Anne of Green Gables: The Musical", and enjoying everything about it.  God willing, someday I'll make it there.

7. Who is your favorite LMM heroine?

Besides Anne?  Oof!  I haven't read her other series or stand-alone novels so it's hard to say.  There is one heroine from a short story that stuck out to me and I really just loved the story overall.  "The Magical Bond of the Sea" is one of my favorite LMM short stories.  Our heroine is Nora Shelley.  

"It was a wind that sang and piped and keened of many things--but what it sang to each listener was only what was in that listener's heart."

There's just something about a fishing village heroine who needs to discover for herself the life she is called to and deep down loves all the time; a life of drudgery, yes, but filled with the warmth and comfort of home, love, and family.

"They walked up the sands together in the heart of the autumn sunset, with the northwest wind whistling in their ears and the great star of the lighthouse gleaming wanly out against the golden sky."

"I belong to you and the sea.  But I never knew it until I crossed the harbour tonight.  Then I knew--it came to me all at once, like a flood of understanding.  I knew I could never go away again--that I must stay here forever where I could hear that call of wind and waves."

An honorable mention of a short story heroine would also be Marguerite Forrester in "A Sandshore Wooing."  It was a simply delightful story.

8. Who is your favorite LMM hero?

Of course, there's Gil.  But you know who else deserves a mention?  Matthew.  There is something just so comforting about him.  He is so calm and good to Anne from the moment he found her at the station.  He was probably the first person in her life to really just sit and listen to her and answer her questions honestly.  (Well, there were others in Budge Wilson's "Before Green Gables" but that's not Montgomery so we'll leave that for another time.)  Matthew was so good and even heroic in the little ways of life until the very end.  And when I first read the scene of his death in the book, my heart was sobbing.  Yes, Matthew was a hero although we might not think of him that way at first glance.  But he believed in Anne before anyone else, loved her, supported her, and was so proud of her.  He faced the challenges of life with quiet heroism.   (Kind of reminds me of Beth March, don't you think?)

9. Do you have any fun merch related to her books? If so, please share some photos!

Oh yes!!  "Anne of Green Gables" has been my favorite for so long, I have a very nice little collection.  I am so blessed.  I shared most of it over on my old blog here!

10. What are some of your favorite LMM quotations?

Aaah!  There are so many!  Let me just browse my Pinterest and GoodReads highlights really quickly... (This list isn't even including the ones from my Kindle!)  Now, in no particular order...

“Gilbert laughed and clasped tighter the girlish hand that wore his ring. Anne's engagement ring was a circlet of pearls. She had refused to wear a diamond.

"I've never really liked diamonds since I found out they weren't the lovely purple I had dreamed. They will always suggest my old disappointment ."

"But pearls are for tears, the old legend says," Gilbert had objected.

"I'm not afraid of that. And tears can be happy as well as sad. My very happiest moments have been when I had tears in my eyes-- when Marilla told me I might stay at Green Gables--when Matthew gave me the first pretty dress I ever had--when I heard that you were going to recover from the fever. So give me pearls for our troth ring, Gilbert, and I'll willingly accept the sorrow of life with its joy.”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams

 

“Even when I'm alone I have real good company — dreams and imaginations and pretendings. I like to be alone now and then, just to think over things and taste them. But I love friendships — and nice, jolly little times with people.”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams

“Anne: "But have you ever noticed one encouraging thing about me, Marilla? I never make the same mistake twice".

Marilla: "I don't know as that's much benefit when you're always making new ones".”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

 

 

“I have a dream," he said slowly. "I persist in dreaming it, although it has often seemed to me that it could never come true. I dream of a home with a hearth-fire in it, a cat and dog, the footsteps of friends -- and you!”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island

“Thank goodness air and salvation are still free...and so is laughter.”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island

“Gilbert darling, don't let's ever be afraid of things. It's such dreadful slavery. Let's be daring and adventurous and expectant. Let's dance to meet life and all it can bring to us, even if it brings scads of trouble and typhoid and twins!" (Anne to Gilbert)”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Windy Poplars

 

“All in all, it was a never-to-be-forgotten summer — one of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going — one of those summers which, in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends and delightful doing, come as near to perfection as anything can come in this world.”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams

 

I know that was a ton of quotes so thanks for scrolling all the way to the bottom!  XD  It is always so incredibly delightful to blog about my love for Anne and LM Montgomery.  Thanks again to Hamlette for hosting this wonderful event!!  I hope you enjoyed this post!!  Let me know in the comments below your favorite things about our beloved authoress!

In cordibus Jesu et Mariae,

Sarah

PS. Here's a bonus quote for you from Montgomery that I was overjoyed to find because I now know she shares my thoughts on knitting!