Look for the broadcast video at the end of this post.
Greetings ladies at home. This is for my darling Lilli (Miss Lillian) , who checks my blog every day.
Some of you remember hearing me read parts of The Weather Book by Eric Sloan, written in 1949. Parts of it explained how to detect weather conditions by the atmosphere inside the house as well as the outside.
My second stealth sipping event was in the weather, for a taste of “Soft Rain” tea. I haven’t had time to be more creative with the name.
My schedule today:
-Prep (dress, 2 minute exercise or walk through the house, make a priority list.)
-I know the custom of making the bed first is good, but lately I have pulled back all the covers, opened the bedroom windows, giving it all a fresh air laundering before putting it together. I also read about this in the book “Home Comforts “.
Other Things:
-clean fridge, kitchen
-Correspondence
-Sewing, mending
-Groceries
-planting
-Walk around outside
In this video I read about the benefit of having fresh flowers in your home HERE and HERE . You can do further research on this to convince you of the health advantages of fresh flowers and plants.
Today in my message I talked about having the life you admire from other eras, by adapting the good elements of those times. In essence it is just living a pleasant daily life at home like people in the past have always done. We don't have to wish we lived in a different century because we can practice the same customs of the past in our homes, with ordinary tasks and pastimes.
My new venture, "stealth sipping" began at night on the porch with a sip of my own blend, a concoction I call “Light in the darkness."
Our landscape is changing.
I talked about these things:
The best way to teach and influence is by the way you live.
Homemaking is a matter of character.
The reasons people homeschool are not the same for everyone, but character qualities in curriculum are very important.
I enjoyed reading you the tea descriptions from Jane Austen books. Click on this link
to see these lovely teas and read the rest of this delightful tea company.
Please enjoy your responsibilities at home while you listen:
I have stated in the past how much Victoria magaine has to offer. For one thing, it never has a discouraging word, never leaves a person feeling down, uses natural things we can all attain, and has beauty and refinement. I will review it page by page soon, with suggestions to you homeschool students, how it can be used as a window to the world and life in many ways.
The recent Victoria had some splendid autumn pictures using only natural things. I was not interested in artifical foliage for autumn this year, so I went overboard with pumpkins, squash and gourds both indoors and outside.
I found white pumpkins and chrysanthemums at our local stores, which looked best with the white and sage green on the front porch of The Manse.
This natural decor sets off the porch "ruins" just fine.
Don't I wish I could look as great in this shirt as the dress form does.
In the previous broadcast I mentioned the benefits of the spice Nutmeg. An assignment: Look for charts and pictures which list the many health advantages of using nutmeg.
Today I read the rest of the chapter on Refinement from Helen Andelin's book, which includes the following words, worth looking up:
tactful
diplomatic
courteous
propriety
good taste
graciousness
considerate
complimentary
encouraging
So much is contained in the concept of refinement, that it is worth some time to research it.
For more about refinement, listen to the previous video.
Please enjoy getting something done at home while you listen. The video today is only 45 minutes.
Greetings Dear Ladies and welcome to The Manse. It is looking like a worn-out summer around here, but still there are always the delights of every season.
Today in the broadcast I talked a little about travel clothing and in my search for ideas, came across this paragraph regarding the travel customs of the 1800's:
Secondly, women travelers were advised to avoid conspicuous dress as that was noted to be “vulgar.” This meant women were to dress plainly and avoid unnecessary garniture, jewelry, or flowers, as “gay dress, or finery of any sort, when in a boat, stage, or [rail]car, lays a woman open to the most severe misconstruction.”[2] Additionally, one etiquette expert noted that “a quiet, unpretending dress, and dignified demeanor, will insure for a lady respect.”[3]
I also mentioned this photograph from Simple Social Graces by Linda Lichter, which shows the Victorians on vacation visiting the seaside. The caption compares it with todays mode of dress on vacations.
Description reads: Strollers on the Coney Island boardwalk on a summer day in 1897 show a sensibility about public dress and decorum that is in stark contrast in the modern era.
I talked about some of the things people did to prepare for travel and vacation, such as choosing travel clothing, shopping in tourist places, and keeping a travel vacation diary of sorts.
It is a bit cooler around The Manse, as the temperature and colors are changing.
Ladies cotton plaid shirt: Time & Tru from WalMart
Plastic pumpkin soap dispenser: JoAnn Fabrics
"We are enjoying very nice weather."
A few years ago I made these fanciful fake pumpkins to go with my seafoam green decor, from fleece fabric called Minky, in mint green.
It is not too sunny around The Manse today but I hope I brought
some sunshine.
Today I showed a picture from the recent Victoria Magazine, of the way a designer paired furnishings in avocado green with bright spots of fushsia pink, from a decorating book called "The Collected Cottage."
I talked about how much more creative we could have been with this color we were saturated with in a previous decade. Now I see it in antique stores made very appealing. The Tartan Topiary reviews many decorating books. Go through her videos to find one you like. Sometimes she features books by Victoria Magazine.
Please go and read it for yourself, as it is explains why the process of making introductions was created; namely to reduce the awkwardness of approaching someone by yourself.
To begin your day, I suggested a "prep" list, which, after you have got used to repeating,
can just list it as "prep" to warm your mind up to the day ahead.
One of the exercise ladies you might like, especially if you are of "a certain age" which we referred to as "vital", is
Scroll through her videos and find a one or two minute exercise from bed or a chair to get started.
They do a lot to settle your mind and emotions, enabling you to focus.
I also talked about the spice "nutmeg" that has many benefits. You can do a search on it, and discover that it also helps lift the mood and prevent depression.
Please enjoy your home while you listen to the broadcast:
For the vanilla mousse cake filling recipe similar to the one used by Costco, most of the recipes that turned up on my search required a box of instant vanilla pudding. There were a few that listed only heavy cream, cream cheese, vanilla and confectioners (powdered) sugar.
If you want more information about 18th and 19th century travel clothes, you can view some of the period movies, where the creators have done fairly good research on the subject and reproduced the clothes. The 1990's versions of the Jane Austen books are a nice representation of travel clothes. Here is one screenshot I found, when Elizabeth went by carriage with her aunt and uncle to the Lake Country and stopped to visit Pemberly. Her aunt and uncle are portrayed walking in the background, in similar understated clothing.
You can see the colors and style cited in the link I posted about travel ettiquette in the Regency era, at the beginning of this article.
Again, I am so glad to be here and having a chat with you while you get something done.
Today I read aloud a delightful article called "Get Up and Move: An Exercise Plan Inspired by Jane Austen." Click on the link if you want to read it yourself and see the site which is called "The Jane Austen Summer Program." I'm enjoying looking through these pages when I occasionally sit still.
Have a look at the drawing included in the post there, of a Jane Austen figure lifting books and teapots or greeting visitors, for exercise.
I also talked about the drama of re-locating--drama for some people, and relief for others, and read this article called House Moves in Jane Austen's Novels. This is from a site called "Austen Authors...for readers who need more Jane Austen. I'm looking forward to reading everything there.
We are having Fog Season here.
What I Wore
All that is needed to accessories dresses at home is a jacket for going out, and an apron for staying in. It is nice when you can get an apron to go with the dress.
To the widow who left a comment recently asking about how to store teacups, I took this picture at Hobby Lobby the other day. A cabinet with doors is nice to keep the dust off the cups, and this one could be set on top of a little dresser or desk, where you could keep other tea things such as boxes of tea, spoons, packages of tea treats for impromptu visits.
These kinds of things go for half price at some time or other during each month.
My friend Janine has read "When Queens Ride By" aloud on YouTube, so if you want something else to listen to, I highly recommend it. She has the sweetest voice! I'm hoping she will also post "The Wife" by Washington Irving, soon.
Please enjoy your walk, your work, or you rest, while you listen to the broadcast, and thank you for coming!!!
I have missed coming here and missed connecting with you via these broadcasts. Your visits and comments are my motivation for keeping this going, so I hope you'll come back!
This is the Wordsworth edition of Wives and Daughters. I read a little in it concerning Molly having to stay different places.
Today I talked about vacations and how to be comfortable, relaxed and not too unplugged! We aren't vacationing from God or from our values. In fact, some of our home routines will help us have relaxing vacations. Sometimes people return home more exhausted, so I made a little talk about that.
On this post I am featuring some paintings by William Henry Margetson, as painting-inspired sewing for the beach.
Along the Shoreline
Miss Lillian made a sailor-style collar for this dress. She must be admiring the fog.
Instead of one fine day we had one fine moment without fog.
On the beach I found proof of ancient civilization:
More ruins here:
This one looks positively archaic:
What I wore:
Please enjoy walking, resting, working while you listen today:
