Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Easter...
...From all of us at...
Gold
Country
Cottage
The Garland House
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
SHARING...
We have been taught, from a very early age, the benefit of sharing. At that point in time, it was mainly about the toys we had. As we got older, we found our hearts felt good about what we could do for those less fortunate than ourselves.
As this last winter progressed you might remember that I wished for snow. I wanted just enough for a white Christmas and to build a snowman in the front garden. This didn't happen. You see, I can wish for this because it's not often that we get that much in our little corner of the world..Case in point:
This was the Cottage right after she became ours in 1990. We hadn't moved in yet but were coming up on weekends to work on the renovations. We didn't measure, but you can see the snow came right up to the top of our stairs. This hasn't happened again in 23 years.
So as spring is on the horizon, I am unable to share with you the images that a lot of you are seeing as you sit by your firesides and gaze out your windows and long for another kind of beauty -- which is spring.
What I can share with you are some sights that the Captain, Buddy and I saw this past weekend as we took a drive along historic Highway 49.
Take note of the wild turkey in the background. Just before I caught the picture he was right under the horses' feet.
Isn't it unusual how that big bull is marked up in the left hand corner. From a distance, he appears to have a white blanket wrapped around him.
See the animal that looks similar to a dog? When we first saw it we thought it might be a fox as it was a little far away, but in actuality, I think he/she is a coyote.
Although, every part of our world has it's own beauty, I feel very blessed to live in this wonderful region.
I hope you know that I not only wanted to share with you what is going on here at this time but also the hope that you might find a little solitude and respite from the ravages of a winter that seems to have been going on far too long.
...Judy...
These sweet little guys were so cute. The Captain had taken Buddy out of the car across the road from them and they were so vigilant. They didn't move a muscle, or take their eyes off of him, until he was back in the car.
"And Winter slumbering
In the open air
Wears on his face
A dream of spring"
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
I'm also sharing with someone new today...
Sunday, March 24, 2013
I HEAR YOU KNOCKIN'...
Let it rain
Let
It
Pour
Let Old Man Winter
Lay
Around
And
Snore
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I
Don't
Care
Any
More
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't ever under estimate the power of the Dollar Store.
$4.00 worth of spring blooms and spring will be looking like a million bucks.
Cause Spring is knockin'
At
My
Door
...Judy...
I finally figured out the possibilities of PicMonkey. A very fun experience.
I'm sharing spring with:
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
A WELCOME CELEBRATION
Come On In...Be Our Guest...
We Are Just Bustin' Our Buttons
To Meet You...
Make Yourself Comfortable...
First pickins' of the garden
Hope You Stay Around
For Awhile...
Put On Your Party Hats...
Let's Celebrate...
The First Day Of Spring.
...Judy...
"And spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the spirit of love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
Rose from the dream of its wintry rest."
Perry Bysshe Shelley
I'm celebrating this great day with:
Saturday, March 16, 2013
WEARING OF THE GREEN
It ought to come in April,
Or, better yet, in May
When everything is green as green
-
I mean St. Patrick's Day.
With still a week of winter
This wearing of the green
Seems rather out of season
-
It's rushing things, I mean.
But maybe March is better
When all is done and said;
St. Patrick brings a promise
-
A four-leaf-clover promise,
A green-all-over promise
-
Of springtime just ahead!
Aileen Fisher
Here's hoping that everyone has a wonderful green experience today.
...Judy...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a more somber note, I'd like to tell you about a friend of a friend.
Though I've never personally met my friend, Tracie of Fishtail Cottage, I feel like we all do, that our fellow bloggers are very important people in our lives.
Tracie has just lost a very important person in her life. Her friend of many years, Ashley, has just passed away from metastatic melanoma.
Ashley's dying wish was that everyone be made aware of the possibilities of cancer due to tanning beds and too much sun in general, especially if you are to start at an early age.
She fought a hard battle for seven years and finally found peace on March 15.
I send my sincere sympathies to Tracie, Ashley's parents and all who knew and loved her. She sounds like a wonderful human being.
I would also like to stress the importance of being checked by your doctor if you notice any significant changes to your body. Early detection is really the key to fighting all kinds of diseases.
My daughter and myself are happy and healthy and living proof today that it works.
Please read more of Ashley's story here.
I'm joining up today with:
Monday, March 11, 2013
MAY I BE OF SERVICE?
Hello, M'Ladies..May I introduce myself...
My name is Mabel and I reside at The Garland House, downstairs, of course, at the opposite end of the pond from Downton Abbey.
Some of you have met me already performing as head housemaid in My Lady's Service at the Snuggery (here).
I really had not expected to attend this ball and I certainly don't have the wardrobe for it, but I am fondly offering my services in the capacity of lady's maid to anyone who may so desire to have them.
I am showing that I have the right qualifications for the job.
Along with my starched apron and my common jewelry, as you can see, my backside has survived many a hard year and has the blemishes to show for it.
I have been hard at work since the early 1800's and cut a very fine figure still, if I may say so myself.
Under my petticoats, (when I am wearing petticoats) you will see that I have a fine wire cage to support me.
I have the finest and latest accoutrements to offer to any of the beautiful ladies in what might be their hour of need.
Whether it be combing and arranging their shining tresses...
...or repairing a fine seam...
...or boxes of powders and potions...
...or procuring a new article of unmentionables...
An advertisement dated April 14, 1910, from a Cornwall, England, newspaper that was found under one of the layers of carpeting that we removed when we started renovating the Cottage in 1989. You can see where the carpet tacks were placed.
...or pouring a cool libation...
...or a heart warming cup of tea...
Unlike my friend from a far away land, I don't own a glass slipper but I am fortunate enough to have the good sense to know when it's approaching the midnight hour...
...and so my work here is done and I must return to my duties. But...while I'm here,
"May I Be of Service...Milady..."
...Judy...
The ball is being held today at:
You will most certainly want to accept this invitation to attend, as you will see some very enchanting "ladies" in the finest of fashions.
I would like to take this opportunity to mention that all of you wonderful people who are all so loyal and lovely have taken me to a place where I never thought I would be. I am now sporting 200 followers and I'm loving it so much. Thank you and I hope to still be around for at least another 200.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
PRETTY IS...AS PRETTY DOES...
My paternal grandmother
I came across the March/April, 2011, special Ireland issue, of Victoria magazine. It brought back to mind my Irish grandmother, Mabel Beatrice Kelly. She had a saying that she was quite fond of. Very often she would exclaim, "Remember, Doodle Bug, pretty is as pretty does." Doodle Bug was her pet name for me. I don't know how it came to be, and no one else used it, but it was how she referred to me even long after I was a young mother with children of my own. I really don't recall her using my given name ever, and I must have behaved in numerous rowdy and ungirlish ways to remember hearing that warning so many times.
My grandmother and my dad hitching a ride to 'town' with friends
April 4, 1918
My grandmother was very prim and proper. She was forever reminding me to hold my shoulders straight and to talk in a softer voice. Appearances were very important to her.
It's funny that even though all these admonishments might seem like such negative comments to make to a child, I never thought of them in that way. I only remember how attentive she was when I would tell her, in great detail, about a book I was reading, or how she would take the time to teach me all the old-fashioned flower names while working in the garden with me always by her side, and how she kept a box of Wheaties or Corn Flakes in a little side cupboard of the wood stove so that they were always crisp and toasty warm when she poured the cold cream straight from old Bossy the Cow and placed sweet strawberries fresh picked from her garden.
The only negative thing I can remember is how I would have to sit still, for what seemed like hours, to have her put my hair up in rags so I would have pretty curls to wear to school on Monday mornings.
So, now as I'm looking through this beautiful magazine, the cover photograph is so pretty and reminds me of times gone by and I can hear her voice...
"Pretty Is...
...As...
Pretty Does..."
Tea cup, Lefton China, hand painted, Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.
...Judy...
I am sharing this time today with...
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