Simple Character Lessons from Wives and Daughters

Hello Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

I hope all is well with you and if it is not, that you "are enduring it as best as" you can.

You probably recognize this Pemberley house from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice. These historical structures are often located near a body of water, where a reflection can be seen.

When a puddle forms during the rainy season, it amuses me here at The Manse to see my own Pemberley reflected in the water. 

The comparison to the real Pemberley does not leave me a bit jealous. I have enough trouble cleaning The Manse.

Tea brands are coming out with attractive titles for their teas, hoping to win the business of the literary people. They haven't made Wives and Daughters yet.  You could make your own blend from your herb garden or your spice collection in your kitchen.

I like the Wordsworth editions of some of these books. I also like the Lamplighter catalog, but have not found Elizabeth Gaskell or Jane Austen books in their collection yet. 

The movie series of Wives and Daughters can be expensive, but the three discs amount to a little over $6.00 each and it is worth far more for the treasure that it contains. For a summer or winter W&D program, watch the videos and emulate the activities, take note of the beautiful scenes, sketch the costumes or take pictures, and catch some interesting phrases used in the dialog. 

Dress: April Cornell cotton fabric

Necklace: Walmart

Apron: Hobby Lobby

Cotton knit cardigan: Walmart

These three photos show the dress,  worn with an apron for housework, and with a cardigan for errands in public (grocery store, post office, etc.)

I enjoyed a 15 minute walk with Lucy who exercised around London.

The Poem I read,  "Drop a Pebble in the Water" is posted here with a good commentary on its meaning. 

Lady Cumnor's forthright quote that I talked about:

"Now Claire, when I think a thing, I say it out loud. I don't beat about the bush. You have spoiled that girl of yours until she does not know her own mind. She has behaved abominably to Mr. Pweston and it is all due to the faults in her education. You have much to answer for."

Today I talked about some  simple character lessons from Wives and Daughters valuable for harmony in the home:

-Learning to refuse responsibilities that are not yours (Molly taking notes to someone as a favor to Cynthia),  

   -doing things that affect other people: (Mr. Gibson springing life-changing news on his daughter after arranging it all without letting her get used to the idea). Its always upsettling (and cortisol producing) to be involved in something that someone else has arranged without your knowledge. 

- promising things that affect other family members, like a ripple on the water without consulting them and considering their feelings and how it will impact their health or their sense of well-being (Molly promising her step-sister not to reveal the difficulty she is facing).

These are things that must be learned in the home and if they are not, they are experienced in a more harsh way in other places.

Please enjoy your home while you listen.

Seeing You Soon

Hello Ladies.

I have not forgotten you; it has been so busy at The Manse. 

The homemaker broadcast is close to being finished. 

Lydia Ruth

 

More Ideas for Home Life , Motivating Young Women at Home

Hello Dear Ladies,

I hope you are enjoying being at home and have great plans for improvement.

Today the white lilacs are in full bloom. 

I like to "stealth sip" by placing an elegant cup in contrast with the wild nature around it.

Today I made this cinnamon-clove-ginger tea just for the lovely scent that swirled around the room.  If you don't like to drink some of these flavors, the tea packets can be opened and set inside of drawers to scent them naturally. 

I have been remembering some of the creative things I have done in past hard times. One of the things many of us at home did, was to freshen up the small trash containers we used in offices, bedrooms and bathrooms, by lining them with paper bags with hand-cut decorative papers. We thought it was an elegant primitive look, back in those days.

I compared the weaker vessel on the left, to the stronger vessel. In my speech I tried to explain how the more delicate vessel represented the scriptural description of a woman, and the other one, the man.  Though the more refined cup holds a lot of hot water, if it is not treated carefully it can be chipped and not be able to provide the beauty, refinement and service that it was intended to be used for.  The stronger vessel, the tin cup, will endure a lot of wear and tear and even if it gets scratches and dings while it is used in a rougher environment.  Both are good for what they were made for, just like men and women.

I talked about ways to encourage young girls to want to be keepers at home.

You saw this outfit on me with the apron, at home . If I have to go somewhere or for a walk, I'll add this jacket.  Dressing up at home is actually easier because all it takes is an apron over it at home, and a jacket over it when at the grocery store or on a walk. 

I appreciate you all more than I can explain. Your comments motivate me.

Also if I owe you a letter, I have not forgotten. I plan to answer and to catch up with my postal obligations.

Remember to check My Pinterest to see some of the ideas I have saved.

Don't forget my granddaughter's sewing blog

and Janine's Beautiful Homemaking channel.

Today I was in the sewing room, which doubles as a girl's guest room. You can see all the feminine touches behind me. 

Please enjoy your home while you listen:

In this speech I was referring also to 1st Timothy 5:14 teaching young women to marry, have children and keep house”. I did use Titus 2:5 also and I tend to use those two verses interchangeably. 

I hope to read "Keepers of the Springs" in full, without comment, in a future broadcast.

Also, Wives and Daughters is still on my mind and I will try to discuss the next paragraph of the first chapter, with a possible "assignment" for anyone who wants to make Wives and Daughters part of a summer reading program.  The videos are well done and follow the book descriptions quite well. I like to immerse myself in them to pick up things about the Victorian customs, architecture and design, clothing, recreation, conversation and much, much more. 

If you ever want to donate  (not required) you can go to My Paypal here or email me for my address: ladylydiaspeaks at comcast dot net.

Other Things Useful for Hard Times at Home

Hello Dear Ladies at Home (and those who want to be).

I spoke to you from this little room,  which is a guest/sewing room.

On the broadcast, I shared things from these books:

I read from the sermon "Keepers of the Springs" by Peter Marshall. If I had a "school at Ashcomb" I would insist students read and understand this missive in relation to the importance of homemakers and their influence.

The Manse in the blue light today. 

The video ended abruptly but the next one will be much better. I didn't want to throw the work away, as it took up so much of my vital voice.

Please enjoy your home while you listen today.

   

Updating Things

Hello Dear Ladies at home and those who want to be,

I hope to be back with a broadcast soon.

I have had my devises all updated and a grandson has corrected the camera-cutting-off problem. He is going to Greece next week with a Bible School so I have been absorbed in preparing Greek style food during his stay here. It’s so delightful that he likes audiobooks of Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell. He pauses them and we make comments on the dialog. 

This is a natural photo of a recent sunset on a misty day— no visible sun all day, and then, this!!

I will be back soon, Lord willing ( and the creek don’t rise, as they say). 

 

What You Need in Hard Times or Dire Circumstances (And It is FREE) #1

Hello Dear Ladies,

Thank you for coming. I so appreciate it ---more than I can express!!

Today I talked about a few things we need in hard times and they are FREE, and not freeze-dried. The list is provided here and you can create your own.

But first, a little cottage from my Pinterest account . The Manse would look like this just by oval-sizing the porch, door and windows 

While it is nice and green outside, it is cold. The window view will do for now. 

In Hard Times

-Personal Cleanliness 

-Well-Dressed

-Careful Home Keeping and Culinary Arts 

-Courtesy, Polite Speech, Kindness , Good Manners 

-Hospitality 

-Tea Time 

-Art, Literature, Music

-Faith, Study and  Prayer

Mind and Physical Fitness

-Correspondence and Letter Writing 

-Learning 

Again I apologize for the abrupt ending. My team is going to fix that soon,  but please enjoy your home while you listen.
 

Staying Home, Personal Care, Courtesy, Other Subjects

Hello Dear Ladies,

Thank you SO MUCH for coming here and also for listening to the video below.  It means so much to me. 

 

The first bloom this year.

I am trying a different flavor of tea every day, just for the scent.

I have this on MY PINTEREST 

It may be a painting by William K. Blacklock.

Catching the blue light.

2 minute Warm Up Movements from Lucy Wyndham-Reade

5 minute Chair Exercises

Listen to When Queens Ride By, a story I summarized in the broadcast.

Please enjoy your home while you listen. I'm sorry it does not have a proper ending. The video stopped before I could sign off. 

More Than Keeping House

Greetings Dear Ladies,

We are having very nice weather. 

Today I talked about the book of Ruth, which you might want to go and read through yourself.

I showed you these Sunrise Patterns from the 1970's.

Today's message is only fit for the mature, balanced,

understanding and knowledgeable minds.

Dear Ladies, 

Please enjoy the broadcast while you get a few things done at home.

All examples and quotes are purely fictional or historical; in fact, many of the derogatory quotes about women at home are identical to some of the teachings of Karl Marx  ;-)  Any resemblance to your own or others' situations are  solely because the subject and quotes are common worldwide and have been common objections to women at home throughout the ages. 

I was wearing this cotton dress I made from a 1980’s Laura Ashley pattern.  The fabric as from a cloth store that no longer exists but may be available on the web. It has gold colored  metallic thread outlining the print. 

With apron: 

Focus at Home

Greetings at Last!

It has been cold here and a bit of a challenge to stay warm indoors but we are enduring it as best we can.

I am so happy you came to view and to listen while you continue with your responsibilities at home.

I spoke today of making the home a good and pleasant place to dwell, so that we don't have to go "somewhere else" for relief.

Don't forget to go to my Pinterest page and view the things I love. Here are some of the pictures I've saved there:

I have great plans to create a house like the one pictured above...

...with light nooks and crannies like this.

A local produce store yielded this huge strawberry.  (These were grown like this with volcanic ash where I grew up.) It was so big it did not fit in the teacup pictured there.

Here it is in the box with regular size berries:

Dollar store had such pretty cotton fabric during the Valentine season, and I've

collected some and planning how to use it.  

During the snowed-in days I have also been looking at the fabric online.

A yard of the above would be nice on any table or stitched into a kitchen accessory such as a tea cozy, towel, or curtain.

This is from Shabby Fabrics and is a nice small print for a cottage-core style dress.

I discussed some things from these publications.

Anti-Anxiety Exercise: the instructor suggests you can do these while in chair or before getting out of bed, which makes it so easy.

Reminder: Your preparation includes appearance, prayer, list, exercise and listening to something cheerful. We have been shamed out of dressing nicely for the home, but we can bring back the old paths, where the good life is.

Thank you for coming today, and congratulations for getting a few things accomplished in your home while you played this broadcast in the background:

For the Wives and Daughters Reading Program:

Activity #2

Refer to the end of the previous post for activity #1.

Read the first and second paragraph of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell and draw what you think Molly's room looked like according to the author's descriptions. You can watercolor or crayon color it. If you are not familiar with art, you might just try drawing a square for the wall and add the objects on to the wall. If you have anyone in the family that would like to do this for you, that's good too. It is your notebook and you can do what you like.

 

Watch the first BBC episode again. The video series did not show Molly's room but as you watch the series you may get some knowledge of the colors and furnishings used during the era of the story. 

Example: 
(posting later)