Greetings you guys! I can’t believe it’s only been two weeks since our last Wondrous Words Wednesday. It feels like ages! Perhaps it’s because my Mommy was on holiday and I missed her so much for the week they were gone. Luckily she is home safe and things are falling back into our weekly rhythm again.
As you know, Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted right here on Elza Reads and the concept is as easy as pie. All you need to do, is share any new (or new to you) words you came across this week and share them with us. You are also welcome to share words you simply want to show off to us. For more on Wondrous Words Wednesday, you can click here. There is a Mr. Linky attached at the bottom of this post if you’d like to make your own post and add your link.
Our Wondrous Word for today, is chosen for the plain and simple reason that my Mommy can’t pronounce this word to safe her life. And if she can’t pronounce a word, you bet she can’t spell it either.
As most of the followers of this blog are big readers, I’m sure you all know where I got this word form. Yes, from the international best seller The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner.
A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them – setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.
Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose – selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.
In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate – and not everyone will survive.
Now that’s a book we really want to get our hands on. But my Mommy still can’t pronounce or spell the word apothecary. Perhaps if she studies the word slightly more intensely, it might stuck.
Apothecary (/əˈpɒθɪkəri/) is a mostly archaic term for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica (medicine) to physicians, surgeons, and patients. The modern chemist (British English) or pharmacist (British and North American English) has taken over this role.
Not that we didn’t know that. Amazing enough. The Afrikaans word for a pharmacy, is “Apteek”. Deriving from the Dutch word apotheek and that brings us right back to apothecary.
Ha, and just like that, she spelled the word correctly without having to look at the dictionary. I guess my study plan worked!
I can’t think of any books that we’ve read with an apothecary in it so far. But the following three books all deal with apothecary or chemistry and we want to read all three of them.
What words did you come across this past week? If you want to join in the Wondrous Words Wednesday bi-weekly posts, just add your link to the Mr. Linky provided, or leave it in the comment section.
Wordless Wednesday
We simply love joining up with Wordless Wednesday. From new words to no words, a perfect combination. Wordless Wednesday is hosted by Sandee @ Comedy Plus and it’s even more simple than Wondrous Words Wednesday.
Wordless Wednesday (WW) is a visual blogosphere phenomenon. Wordless Wednesday is a simple blog post featuring a photo which conveys a message that speaks for itself without using words. One thing for sure is this is a fun and easy meme to do. So come and join us in Wordless Wednesday.
Not that either me or my Mommy are an apothecary in any way, but we will prescribe the best medicine ever invented – take a vacation!
We wish you all a wonderful Wednesday!
Pretty photos! Vacation sounds better than medicine to me. I had google pronounce the word for me … and now I’m well practiced on A-Poth-e-cary . thanks!
Hi Susan! I did the same thing and asked one of my very English friends to read it very slowly, but precisely to me. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it now either!
Vacations are definitely better than medication….
I love the word apothecary. It brings to mind gorgeous bottles and mysterious shops filled with all kinds of things!
I have the exact same thoughts! Old times and magic…
(A vacation sounds like a fabulous idea, esp. if I get to go to those places in your photos!) I love how you have linked apothecary with chemistry, it’s a great transition into the modern world, eh? And thanks for talking about the Dutch and Afrikaans links of the word!
Lex my friend!!
I always love picking my Wondrous Words with some or other theme in mind. No idea what I’m going to do when I run out of ideas…
Hope you are doing well!
They say that laughter’s the best medicine, but for me, it’s a holiday every time and your pictures have given me itchy feet!
Couldn’t agree more Keith!
I like apothecary better than pharmacy. 🙂 Beautiful vacation photos. XO
Hi Ellen! Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you guys are doing well!
I agree! A vacation is the best medicine! And I want to read The Lost Apothecary
I also want to read The Last Apothecary and I am going to try to get it for our Book Club meeting in July. Then it will be my turn to host and that is one of the books I want to add to my list!
I know nothing about mixing medicine, but a vacation I can do. You nailed it for me. Water and boats. It’s perfect.
Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. ♥
Hi Sandee! We had a wonderful vacation last week, but it’s back to the rat race in full swing this week.
Thanks for hosting WW and your lovely blog, we love visiting you!
I haven’t read the other two, but I’m reading Lessons in Chemistry right this minute and I’m loving it so much I can hardly bear to stop reading, even to blog.
And, yes, absolutely…the best medicine is a vacation! Gorgeous photos!
Happy Wondrous Words and Happy Wordless Wednesday, Mareli and Elza!
Hi there Debbie!
Oooooh now I’m definitely adding Lessons in Chemistry to my list of Book Club buys. It will be my turn to host in July, so of course I am already making lists.
Happy WWW in all it’s forms to you too!
Can’t wait to read your “lost apothecary” thoughts. My book group meets to discuss it this afternoon. I was kind of disappointed:(
Hi there Diane! I will definitely let you know. We normally and mostly have the same taste in books, so now I’m slightly worried…! But I am still going to give it a try.
Thanks for visiting us!
I love the word apothecary, it sounds so much more interesting than chemist. I have read a couple of books with it in the title but not the one you mention. The last one was “The Apothecary’s Cat” which I read a couple of years ago.
Those views of the sea and boats is beautiful.
Hi there Jackie!
The Apothecary’s cat is definitely a book that me and Elza would love to read! Going to see if I can find it.
Thanks so much for visiting us, I hope you are having a good week!
What nice photos looks so peaceful there
Have a boattastic week 👍
Thank you Steve! It really is very relaxed and peaceful.
Hope you are having a good week so far.