Daisies in a Field
from Allposters.com
Today's Fog
I know everyone is waiting for the next fog report. It has been a very dark day, so I have created a sunny afternoon tea.
In the fog, one lone English Daisy has appeared. There will be a whole field of them soon.
I have picked some daffodils that have come up in the cold weather. The lady who first lived here planted them decades ago and they still surround the property every March. It is snowing in some areas of the country, and I'm always amazed at how some flowers thrive most in the colder weather. Today I have patted a scone mixture into a square cake pan and sliced it into rectangles for lemon curd treats.
I have taken a few moments to look at the new edition of Victoria Classics, now available at WalMart for 10 percent off the cover price. This issue is all about Britain. The photographs are lovely. It is so nice to sit here in this gloom and read about other places.
I have some battery operated candles that flicker cheerfuly through the darkness. Hopefully I will soon be experiencing brighter days.
The tea is made from a fresh squeezed lemon, honey and hot water. I thought the color matched the light lemon yellow table cloth. This is a scrap of the fleece fabric that I am going to use for a coat or cape or shawl, when I get the time. On top the fabric I've place a small piece of sparkly yellow tulle, a sheer fabric that I plan to use when making the fascinator, as in previous fog posts.
The teacup was found at a second-hand store and it is made by a company called Duchess.
In gloomy weather, grief or hard times, you might appreciate this poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, where he gives encouragement to be "up and doing."
A Psalm of Life
Tell me not in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
American 1807-1882
Here is a verse that reflects the comfort that comes from above, in any circumstances, foggy or sunny!
2 Corinthians 1:3
Here is a verse that reflects the comfort that comes from above, in any circumstances, foggy or sunny!
2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort...
You certainly have a lot of fog! I love the poem.
ReplyDeleteHello, We have very little fog here, not enough moisture. But we get so much wind in the Spring and the Fall. It has been a lovely day here. I had tea with a lovely dear friend today. But I had a very sad thing happen, my very time to use a new beautiful tea pot my hubby bought me last week cracked from top to bottom. I was so sad!
ReplyDeleteHe bought it for me from a antique shop. I almost cried.
I spent some time visiting some of your other guest bloggers. It was fun. Thanks for your sweet encouragement!
Blessings, Roxy
Roxy I hope you do not attempt to patch up the tea pot. It never works. You could note the name of it on the bottom and try to find another like it, maybe on the web.
ReplyDeleteThe last stanza of Longfellow's poem is a favorite of mine...and I am very glad you included the whole poem, which I had not read before!
ReplyDeleteYour tea set is beautiful...just beautiful...and blessings to you for your evening, Lady Lydia
LM
Thanks for the fog update! :) Thanks, also, for the info on thev magazine. I want to see if I can find me one!
ReplyDeleteI've just posted this week's new Homemaking Linkup and would love to have you join, if you'd like.
Blessings,
Mrs. Sarah Coller
A good post...beautiful, & hopeful too. I'm glad you included the poem, which I read aloud to myself, as I do believe those words spoke to me & my situation at present.
ReplyDeleteGod has taken me by the hand & is walking closely with me as I go through this time. I'm grateful for the years of preparation I've had to take on the tasks before me, and can see how important my homemaking skills are & how they've served our family!
Blessings to you, Lady Lydia!
Brenda
Roxy, some words of advice and comfort about your teapot. Most of us who collect china have had mishaps with a favourite piece but you can still keep it as a 'cabinet piece' for display only.
ReplyDeleteYou should never pour boiling water directly into a bone china teapot. Warm the pot first for a minute or two with very hot water, not boiling.
The Duchess cup and saucer is lovely, Lydia. Duchess was very popular here in Ireland when I was a child. At the convent school I attended the nuns always served tea at school functions in Duchess china with a red rose pattern. Duchess is very affordable for aspiring collectors and is sturdy enough to stand up to 'everday' wear.
Duchess is made in England.
ReplyDeleteTea pots should never be heated on stove or a burner. Use a stainless steel metal tea kettle to boil water/
Heat the teapot with warm water while water is boiling in tea kettle. Then pour out the warm water, add tea bag and hot water.
Roxy, I am sorry about your tea pot, too! I have a friend that went on a special pilgrimage to Greece and brought back a tea pot from there. The first time she used it, I was there. She did not preheat the teapot and the water cracked it top to bottom!! It was sad for both of us. Hope you can find another.
ReplyDelete