Saturday, June 11, 2011

Serendipity Saturday


A Moment In Time





I was given a chance to look at two interesting publications today. On the left, the Jean d'Arc Magazine,



which yielded these two lovely ideas. Above, a shaded patio table created with swaths of lace over a metal structure, and below,




making bouquets using columbines, a spire-like flower that apparently comes in several colors. Sometimes these common flowers that are so easy to grow begin appearing in expensive, store-bought bouquets, along with things like Queen Anne's Lace, forget-me-nots and daisies.

The magazine on the left, "The English Home" featured an interesting recipe for a tea bread, above, and some beautiful scenes, below. That was not all: - each magazine had far more splendid pictures and reading than these, and the ads, all relegated to the back pages, were in keeping with the theme of the magazines. Each ad was a pretty as the pictures in the publications themselves.



The English Home magazine features a regular ettiquette lady named Mrs. Minerva,  who has a tongue-in-cheek style that makes you smile.  This issue featured a personal home tour, an article about taking afternoon tea, a study of damask fabrics, and country homes. I'll have to start getting my own copy.


Wal-Mart had a new batch of cotton prints so I got a small piece of several patterns. The daisy print also comes with a pale background,
And this is a close-up of the pink swirly print that has a sheen on it.



It is always nice to have a bit of leisure time and enjoy the things that delight the heart. A friend of mine wrote to me recently and suggested that women at home take non-spending pleasure trips by viewing what is new in the shops and savoring new ideas. It is important to take time out to rest and enjoy just being alive.

I am reading a book called "An Enduring Love," about the modern Queen of Persia. A chapter from the book can be read here, and it was also made into a Miramax movie. This is a story of a family without a country, and shows the dignity in which Farrah handled all the things that happened to them from the time they fled their homeland to the death of her husband and youngest daughter. She wanted to be seen as an over-comer and refused to succumb to self-pity.


I looked for an unaccompanied (ACapella) version of "God's Choir in the Sky" but could not find it. This version, however, is quite nice, (filmed in the small village of Urk in the Netherlands)  and the words are posted below it here.





I heard the angels sing "Glory Hallelujah!"


A mighty chorus way up high;

I heard the angels sing "Praise the name of Jesus!"

Singing in God's choir in the sky.



Chorus:

I heard a thousand trumpets sounding out His Glory,

telling the story how he came to earth to die;

I heard a million voices praise the name of Jesus,

Singing in God's choir in the sky.



I heard the glorious song coming out of Heaven,

The sweetest music ever heard;

I heard a mighty song sung by all the angels,

My soul thrilled at ev'ry loving word.



Chorus:



I fell down on my knees when that chorus ended,

They shouted out a glad Amen!

I fell down on my knees, prayed that when in heaven,

I would hear that choir once again.

(Chorus)

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lydia,

If its not too much trouble, may I request that you place the 'English Home' teabread recipe upon your blog?

Lydia said...

I just added a link to the recipe under the picture. The other recipe on the left, that looks like a cake, is called coffee and walnut cake. I do a certain amount of substituting of ingedients when I do not have all the ingredients, or if there is something I'd rather have than the recipe calls for.

Anonymous said...

Lydia,

I have just read the recipe; it is very easy and sounds delicious! An English lady friend of my late mother used to make a divine tea bread that I have never been able to replicate; This has just taken first place in my baking queue for this week! I shall try a loaf tin and let you know how this works out; serve with freshly brewed tea and plenty of butter to spread... perfect for our dreary winter weather at the moment!

While I adore your entries on the high calling of the homemaker, its centrality as the vocation of Christian women, your beautiful entries on clothing, fabric and fashion, gorgeous art, beauty, and practical, all of life application of Phil 4: 6-9 (http://www.ccel.org/bible/phillips/CP11Philippians.htm) into every facet of our existance, I would very much welcome some entries on good, time-tested cookery, either by season, occasion or food/dish group. Here is an excellent link for those new to cookery that does not depend upon the box or jar for everything... http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0563362499?ie=UTF8&tag=kitchenstore-%2021&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0563362499
Plus my all time cookery hero!!
http://www.rickstein.com/Poultry-and-Meat.html
along with

whose approach to farming, food production and cookery are in keeping with the central tennants of your blog ministry.

I wish you could spend a day with me pottering in the kitchen and garden!

Jenny said...

The English Home is such a cute magazine!

My favourites are probably the English Country Living magazine and Victoria magazine - both are adorable! I have been reading them for years.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Lydia for this beautiful post.

As always, I leave filled with inspiration and encouragement.

Finding Joy said...

I like to wander through those country style stores that are full of ideas for the home, but are usually very expensive -which then inspire me to go home and make my own or look for a cheaper option. It brings out the creative juices!

I did this today with two girlfriends and I now have a few ideas of things I can make for gifts.

The magazine looked lovely and I must take a closer look at the recipe.

MrsSM said...

I'd love to try the recipe--it's always tricky for me to convert weights into cups. I'm seriously thinking of getting a kitchen scales for that purpose. Do you use one, Lady Lydia?

Anonymous said...

For the reader a little stumped by the measurement conversion process,

Weights to cup conversion is easy.

30g equals 1oz equals a quarter of a cup.

Some also use the 4 tbspns equals one quarter cup method, but this is a bit dodgy. So, 8oz of flour/sugar/rice etc equals 2 cups, approx 240g (close enough for perfectly good results). As you bake, you'll become more comfortable with this.

Additionally, a set of cup measures is far more practical than one large cup with the various markings - I wouldn't be without my trusty quartercup!! it fits into everything; flour tin, sugar jar, etc. Once you start making cakes, biscuits and slices you will become adept at the basic building blocks for all of these, merely needing to adapt with different fruits, flavourings, additions etc.

Happy baking!

Anonymous said...

Can you please make your links open in a new window? I would love to look at these things but clicking always takes me to a new page, leaving your blog and disrupting my reading. That or take the lock down off your's so we can right click. I realize you do that to dissuade stealing but it is easy to get around it if someone really wants to to take your whatever it is you are protecting.

Thank you.

Miss Linda said...

I do so enjoy magazines such as the two you feature in this post. They are such a wonderful source of inspiration! The Wal-Mart close to me stopped selling fabric last year, which was such a shame. They would occasionally have very pretty fabrics for a great value. The fabrics you found are lovely and I look forward to seeing what you do with them.

Janet said...

Hold down the CTRL key while clicking a link you want to open in a new window. I do this all over the web and often end up with 10 open windows.:)

Lydia said...

I put that code in so long ago that I have been unable to reverse it. I will try to get that straightened out or have my "staff" help me.

Lydia said...

Yes I agree. You get so many creative ideas that renew your enthusiasm for making a nice home, when you look around at nature, at the products that are available to buy, and all the things people are making these days. I particularly like the book, "Sew Scandanavian" that has something for nearly every room in the house, done in the prints and fabrics you choose.