Harvest
France, 1844-1925
The painting, above, shows some interesting garments in colorful aqua and deep sea green. It is possible the painting depicts a family farm, with women from the same household, helping with the harvest. The fabric was sewn into several skirts, vests, and aprons. I usually buy more than I need of a print or color that I like, and then other women in the family get a skirt or dress or apron too. I like the color of the dye on the apron of the woman in the forefront of this picture: a deep aqua color, and of course, the hay color in that painting looks the same today as it did a hundred years ago.
In this picture you can see the field of ripened wheat in the background. I used the gold lame' woven material for the table cloth, because it is similar to the way the wheat glows in the sun.
I looked for wheat patterned tea sets but to no avail. Those of you who frequent thrift stores and garage sales like I do, might know what I am talking about.
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Those are the cups and saucers that have a wheat emblem on them, that are always there, and no one wants them. They aren't especially pretty and not very popular, so they are always the last things left in the tea cup area of the thrift stores. Well this year I actually tried to buy some, since they are often as low as 25 cents a cup, and there were none. For years and years I saw those wheat china sets and this year, nothing. I thought they would go well for the wheat tea-party.
The wheat is now being cut, so I quickly had a little guy take an annual photograph standing in the wheat, wearing the green piece of minky which I showed in my previous post, as a shawl.
I did not get the "wheat" dress finished, and already I see the wheat is being chopped off, in the distance. I hope to get a picture of the new tractors on the block, and note some of the latest technology in them. It must be fun to be a farmer these days.
Not much happens around here, folks, so we make our own events. Today the wheat was taken, so 12 family and friends gathered at the edge of the field with cameras to record the event, as we do each year.
It was hard to get a clear photo with all that dust, but here is what these wonderful machines look like.
I picked a small bouquet of wheat before it was all taken.
Everyone filled their tea cups and loaded delicious sandwiches on the plates so they could sit outside and watch the various farm machines do the rest.
If you really want a wonderful bouquet, ask a child to pick it. The children usually have no notion of current trends in floral combinations and come up with rich bouquets, full of every color and shape.
Here is a beautiful book published by John Deere, about tractors:
It shows what the driver sees out his front window,
and all the things inside the cab,
as well as all the conveniences,
and some history.
This new farm machinery is nothing like our Daddy's tractors. They
are so interesting, it makes me want one, even though I don't have anywhere to put it and no field to plow.
Update: I found a few wheat patterned tea cups in the thrift store today: 99cent each.
Pretty, pretty, pretty....all your photos and you in the field....with colors like the painting you posted too...very lovely and uplifting.
ReplyDeleteLM
thanks Lynn.
ReplyDeleteSo pretty,with the sunlight on the wheat and the pop of green on your shoulders,like a page from Victoria magazine, I just loved it.Those wheat sets can be found on Ebay,as I have been looking at some after your post.There was a really beautiful one that was gold with the wheat in the center.And I was trying to remember crafts that were popular using wheat in the early 70s,maybe it was a kitchen shadowbox?I so look forward to your posts,you always have such lovely things on your blog.
ReplyDeleteI have been looking at them on ebay, Gayle. It astonished me that they were no longer in abundance at Goodwill, when for the last 20 years I've seen so many of them. No one valued them because they were a modern style with platinum trim, usually, and not very attractive on the table. However, teamed with certain table linens and centerpieces, I think the tea set would look pretty good, especially during wheat season, outside.
ReplyDeleteHi Lady Lydia,
ReplyDeleteI have a radio show (just started, yeah!) on Blog Talk Radio called " The Homeschool Homemaker". I just wanted you to know I gave you a shout out today on my radio show. Love your blog and have been reading for years. Maybe in the future you would be willing to do a quick interview with me? I hope so.
If you care to listen, it was under August 2 and you should be able to listen here
http://tobtr.com/s/3575779. #BlogTalkRadio
Have a Great day!
The Homeschool Homemaker
I have been wondering about how to do blog radio for a long time!! Thanks for the link and for doing it and sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh how FUN! To have a harvest tea party with friends.....and that little bouquet is as pretty as can be!!! Love the harvesting picture too.
ReplyDeleteLynn
I love this meal blessing of a family from an old movie in which they lived in Oregon in 1850: "O Lord, Thou hast brought us through desert, mountain and wilderness to a good land...a land of WHEAT and game where we need never hunger. We thank thee, O Lord, for thy loving care and Thy bounty. Amen."
ReplyDeleteLynn
Dear Lady Lydia, is there a way I could contact you to discuss possibly having you on my show in the future?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Blog Talk Radio is free for a show up to 30 min, in case you are interested. It is a lot of work, but something I have always wanted to do. I basically wanted something fun to listen to while doing housework and never found something my style. So I decided to do it myself.
God Bless You!
Thanks so much,
The Homeschool Homemaker
You can email me at ladylydiaspeaks@comcast.net
ReplyDelete