Thursday, April 12, 2018

Good Days in Bad Weather


Hello Dear Ladies,

Today a pretty pink tulip appeared in my garden just outside the living room window. Instead of picking it for a still life picture, I decided to pose an old tea cup beside it.  I like this color and now, rather than looking in a fabric store for just the right shade to go-with,  I check my little collection of "pinks" in the sewing room.  If there is any white fabric, I sometimes can dip it in fabric dye to get a perfect match.

These are Waverly fabrics, with very nice names, like "Pink Slipper" and "Carnation".


Today is my first day of feeling well enough to be up and about, and I feel like I have been revived from near death. Some of you probably know what I mean! I also have a new determination to get some things in order around here and make my home the kind of place I would love visit or stay in!

It is still quite cold with poor visibility, so I won't be modeling my fabulous hat and dress outside any time soon. I quickly made this photo and raced back inside.

Mr. S. got the big idea to remove the fencing from around the property, as we have no animals any more,  and the fence spoils the view, interfering also with mowing. After digging out the posts and rolling up the wire fencing, he has some aches and pains. He likes home made soup, so I will be making some on this cloudy day.

There ought to be another description for weather like this, other than "overcast", "foggy" or dreary. Obviously it is a time when the earth is being replenished, but I suppose that dreary by any other name is just as dreary!

I read somewhere that all weather is given by God and not all of it is bad, it is just weather.  However I noticed in the Bible during one of Pauls missionary trips that the crew on board his ship became quite alarmed by bad weather, and rightly so, for they were soon shipwrecked.  We have to batten down the hatches; tie everything down that will be blown away, close the doors and heat up the house.

These are some old broken cups I couldn't bear to part with so They are stacked on the porch table collecting rain water.  I hope in dry weather to finally paint these aging railings, as I perceive the worn out look isn't going to be so in vogue in the future.

I was looking around Pinterest a lot when I was confined to bed, and found there are some very sweet minded people who make a celebration of inclement weather or hard times. They dress up, get out their best China, invite someone to drink hot tea, or use it as a day to create. They create memories for the dark days, have journal entries and photo albums.

Now to those who are at home but seem to be fighting off suggestions that they do "something else", let me tell you, it never ceases.  In a small way I fight off those suggestions, as whenever I decide to stay home an entire day without going out for any reason, it seems the urgency to go out just comes on stronger! I will be cleaning, cooking, sewing, arranging, getting paperwork in order, and then I need something to complete a meal, a cleaning project (more storage boxes!) It is all I can do to dig in my heels and stay put!

As I have grown older I have discovered the best way to defeat any addiction, urge, or unwise restlessness is to ignore it. Eventually the voices that call you will come less and cease their whining.  I learned this from managing appetite, time,  pain, anger, and other things! 

I am sharing these delightful picture from Pinterest for those of you who don't view Pinterest: if I had captions, they would be, "Natural and pretty for Nature."

It isn't a sunny day in these pictures but the theme is so delightful.

Gorgeous 19th century painting but I didn't find the artist: 

I appreciate your comments more than you know, and I want to thank the lady who donated $15 this month! It's such a blessing and you know I can stretch that a long way!

Keep on thinking things that are good and lovely.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear lady Lydia,
What beautiful photos of the flower and cup...so beautiful and very creative. I live up in new england and the weather is still dreary here as well, so your photos are a lovely pick me up! One idea I saw for use of broken china, tea cups, dishes etc is to break them into large pieces and set them in some kind of plaster or setting compound and turn them into a trivet, table top, picture frame etc. I also saw someone who set them on a small post and made bird baths out of them. I'm sure someone as creative as yourself at find something to do with them so you won't have to part with them! lady Liza

Lydia said...

If have seen a lot of those creative things online, with old teacups. I even saw one like mine, stacked, with rainwater dripping frim them. I liked that idea best, as it doesn't inolve another project, time, etc. but I do have a box of broken China pieces for anyone in my family who wants to do a plaster mosaic table top or something of that nature.

Tracy said...

Thank you for your lovely blog. I really appreciate your work. I live in England, in the North of the country. The pictures you use in your posts are so homely. Sending best wishes to you.

Lydia said...

So nice to have your visit here from England!

living from glory to glory said...

Hello Lydia, love the countryside look with the fence down! Glad you are feeling better!!!
The tea cup with the pink rose is stunning, put it on your sidebar. I try also to stay home and keep myself busy with home life...
I appreciate your writings Hugs, Roxy

Marilyn @ MountainTopSpice said...

I'm sorry you haven't been feeling well, glad to hear that you are feeling better though! Taking down fences is indeed a lot of work! Soup should be just the right thing to help your husband feel better :) I just loved the picture of your teacup next to the rose. We just have a few crocuses poking their heads up now, and that is happy for us here, after a long winter! Hoping you get to feeling much better sweet friend!

Janet W. said...

Oh Lydia, your posts are so comforting. I am glad to hear you are feeling better. I have been praying for you and Mr. S.
Your dress and hat are just beautiful too. I hope the weather warms enough for you to wear it.

I also have a box of broken China. I made a memorial stone with them for my mom's grave at my uncle's home. I included her name,and impressed her birth date, and her home going date into the damp cement. I used the rim of a special plate she loved, fresh water pearls and bits of pink coral in a wreath pattern around her photo tile.
In the garden I placed 4' high shepherds hooks around the flower bed and hung her broken teacups with the matching saucer leaning against the bottom of the hook.
Janet Westrup

Jenny said...

The picture of the lady on the riverbank is sublime.

Dianne said...

I love reading your blog before bed. It makes me feel so peaceful! Good night and God bless you! :) And I'm so glad you are feeling better now.

Lydia said...

Thanks, you all.

CC said...

I am glad you are feeling better!