In this video I analyzed a little of this poem by Edgar Guest:
MY CREED
To live as gently as I can; To be, no matter where, a man; To take what comes of good or ill And cling to faith and honor still; To do my best, and let that stand The record of my brain and hand; And then, should failure come to me, Still work and hope for victory.
To have no secret place wherein I stoop unseen to shame or sin; To be the same when I'm alone As when my every deed is known; To live undaunted, unafraid Of any step that I have made; To be without pretense or sham Exactly what men think I am.
To leave some simple mark behind To keep my having lived in mind; If enmity to aught I show, To be an honest, generous foe, To play my little part, nor whine That greater honors are not mine. This, I believe, is all I need For my philosophy and creed.
I am enjoying the use of the pedestal tea cups.
I showed you the cover of the June 1991 Victoria magazine:
I shared a few pages of The Anne of Green Gables Treasury
which is an activity book that in my opinion would serve as an
excellent learning book for young ladies.
What I wore at home today:
Please enjoy your home while you listen. Weigh everything in light of your own observations and thoughts.
Sources for the subject of conversations in open spaces:
The vitamins listed in this speech were from Philippians 4:5-7, a type of activism at home:
R - Rejoice, Requests, Refinement
T - Thankfulness
P - Prayer
The main theme today was conversation at home and a few things that make it more pleasant for everyone in the shared spaces of the house.
The following is a source that I referred to when discussing the problem of shutting people out of conversations, and when it is necessary to go to a private place.
1. Biblical Sources
Romans 12:10 – “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”
Philippians 2:4 – “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”
Hebrews 13:2 – “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Each of these verses addresses manners, hospitality, kindness, and how we are to treat one another in daily living and shared spaces.
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2. Victorian Etiquette Sources
These historical sources document manners and social customs of the Victorian period:
A. Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861)
A widely used guide to Victorian home life, manners, and domestic order.
Relevant section: Chapter on "Etiquette with Guests and in Social Gatherings."
Summary: Private discussions were to be held in private rooms (like studies, gardens, or drawing rooms with closed doors). Shared spaces were assumed to be public.
Available online at:
Project Gutenberg - Mrs. Beeton’s Book
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B. The Habits of Good Society (1859)
A formal guide on etiquette, including how to conduct oneself in public and private conversation.
Quote from Chapter on Conversation:
> “A person entering a drawing-room during conversation is to be greeted, not excluded. Privacy, if desired, should be sought elsewhere.”
Available at:
Internet Archive - The Habits of Good Society
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3. Modern Etiquette Sources
A. Emily Post Institute – Modern Etiquette Authority
Emily Post’s descendants continue to publish etiquette standards for the modern home.
Relevant Articles:
“Privacy and Shared Spaces”
“Manners in the Home: When to Excuse Yourself for Privacy”
Key Principle:
> “When privacy is needed, it's proper to excuse oneself to a private space. It's never polite to ask someone to leave a room in their own home unless absolutely necessary — and never rudely.”
Website:
https://emilypost.com
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B. Debrett’s (UK Etiquette Authority)
Longstanding British etiquette guide, highly respected for both historical and modern manners.
Quote:
> “It is inconsiderate to conduct private conversations in shared spaces if others are likely to walk through. Proper conduct requires discretion and the use of private rooms.”
Thank you for your visit today. I appreciate it more than I can express!
Today on the video I mentioned the tea that has non-toxic wrappers or bags, and the one above, has bags made of sugar cane.
We had a light snow fall.
(This is not "real wicker"; it is vinyl.)
One of the points I made today was this:
To those who are living in less than ideal situations, or in reduced circumstances, dress with dignity. Do not call attention to your situation in a negative way. Dress as though you are rising above discouragement. Simply be neat and clean well put together.
If you will be absorbed in caring for your appearance and self-improvement, as well as keeping your dwelling in excellent condition, you will not notice the circumstances as often.
In time, there will be whole days so filled with things to do and think about that you make your dwelling a glorious place that angels might look in on with envy.
If you will become interested in learning about things, and develop a curriculum for yourself, you will be able to live outside of your situation and have a very abiding sense of well-being and happiness.
Self improvement in things like self control and kindness and responsibility— that will always rise above circumstances.
If you need more edifying regarding your current situation, listen to
I saw this once when I was about 10 years old on a Loretta Young Show episode but it has never been released to the public, for obvious reasons which you'll know after you listen to it.
I read these poems:
Don't Quit
The Man Who Thinks He Can
The Brighter Side
The Choices
Courage
The Joyous Gifts
The author of most of these on the list is Edgar A. Guest
These are real flowers sent from a lovely lady via pro-flowers. They’ve looked fresh since the middle of December. I had been putting them in a cold area at night .
I am looking forward to our talk sometime today and I am hoping to have videos more often. I have so many things to share in the valuable and high honor of being a worker and keeper at home.
Thank you for stopping buy to visit. I appreciate it so much.
The photo, above, is to show a few things that can be done without much money, or even using free things. Cotton knit sheet sets which can be stretched over a worn out chair and couch, can coordinate and protect furniture. The blanket and table cover are two pieces of fabric, folded and draped. Florals can be hand made from free instructions in books and online, made from fabric or tissue paper.
No-sew fabric-covered cushions
Old magazines with colors that look good with the fabrics can be used as part of the decor.
What I wore.
The catalog I showed in the video is HERE, which shows various couch covers similar to the way we draped our furniture to protect it:
To make this decorative cushion, I machine-washed and dried a worn-out bed pillow and wrapped a piece of fabric around it (this was previously fabric in a dress), and tied it together in the back.
