Thursday 24 March 2016

Melancholy

It seems to be inevitable that after busy times one can become a little lazy…well perhaps just 'resting' but I think melancholy sounds better. I guess it is really our body saying 'please just stop for a while' ...but the problem for me is that I get restless and bored! Larry is good at going into his own quiet space and this time he is working on an enormous tapestry of The Swing by Jean-Honore Fragonard. I don't know why I was drawn to this painting as a child but I was rewarded with a print version in 1973 from my parents. I am not sure of the significance of that date but I had just finished school and was about to start nursing. Sadly the print is terribly faded so when Larry has completed his version it will replace the print on the wall (Larry tells me that might be a couple of years away!)…….

 Melancholy did overcome me yesterday though as I said farewell to another special gentleman who served in Squadron 83 in Bomber Command. Jim was a true gentleman and he will be so terribly missed at our regular Pathfinder lunches. He was a very generous and lovely man and in fact was Lord Mayor of Adelaide for many years. My late Dad was in 582 squadron and recently I came across a remembrance list of those lost from his squadron based in Little Staughton in the UK - I still cannot imagine what they all went through. At our Pathfinder lunches there will only be one of these brave men left - David Leicester and when he is gone there will be a huge void never to be replaced. But I think a few sons and daughters (including me), will continue to meet to keep their memory and bravery alive. It was so poignant to see William Morris appearing on the service sheet yesterday……..
 Quiet times also allow us time to stop and watch the cycle of life as the monarch butterflies return. Just a few weeks ago we noticed them circling the milkweed bush and now the eggs and munchers are hard at work and in a few weeks this bush will be reduced to nothing……..



 Autumn has finally arrived and we are enjoying glorious warm days in the garden…….

Letters from the UK arrived with my Beatrix Potter Society renewal and also the new look William Morris Society newsletter with an embroidered cot quilt on the cover. This was a recent Society acquisition and the coverlet was designed by May Morris and stitched by her mother Jane. I am so thrilled that we will be able to see it on tour later this year………..
 I think my restlessness is also a result of having just completed 10 months intense stitching and writing for the Beatrix Potter book, so yesterday I decided to clean the silver! It all belonged to my late mother and I was so lucky that each birthday for many years I received a new cup, saucer and plate from her……..


 So after the cleaning I decided to start rearranging! Years ago the family had to put up with my restlessness in the form of rearranging the house and furniture but now I am satisfied to just rearrange the clutter of ornaments!…….

 To our random act of kindness friend the coffees continued this time in the new extension of a shopping complex close by. Architecturally it is wonderful and there are some lovely new shops as well - we just hope they last……..
 Gorgeous chairs in one new shop but not for me at well over $1,000 each!!……..

The goodies at home are ready for the little ones who will come Sunday for the annual egg hunt. Over Easter I will also do my next Morris quilt instalment with pattern give-aways……so till then enjoy the Easter season the way you like to x



10 comments:

  1. I'm amazed that many caterpillars will be able to survive on that one plant. Do they migrate to others in your garden? Thought they were specific to milkweed. What lovely nick nacks you have. Is that lovely lady in the evening gown Lladro? So many questions. Looks like the kids will have fun.

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  2. Love to see your updates Michele, I'm looking forward to a Melancholy Easter break, simply time to have time....
    And what a beautiful tapestry you will have, well done Larry!!
    Hopefully this time next year I will have some rose photos to share, am a little excited to finally grow some David Austen's including the William Morris rose
    XXXX

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  3. Sometimes we do need to slow down and just do nothing but putter around the house and yard. Larry's tapestry looks beautiful. You have so many beautiful pieces that you show, I do not have China and silver but live more "rustic" I didn't grow up with those kinds of pieces - the chairs in the shop that you show are so cute - they wouldn't really fit in my house but if I had a bigger sewing room I would certainly want one in there! Have a great Easter with your family

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  4. The Swing was one of the first paintings I fell in love with. I was 20 and spending the summer in London on a research grant. I wandered into the Wallace collection - a fabulous gem of a museum - and there it was on a corner wall. It is not a big painting but oh so perfect. I loved Fragonard and afterwards was at the Frick in New York were there is a room full of large Fragonard paintings. Your husband is most ambitious but what a wonderful image to work on.

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    1. How amazing we both like the same painting! Larry loves to sit and stitch…..I don't have the same kind of patience as him!

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  5. Good on you Larry, and I want one of those chairs Michele!! This Easter is also a time for me to slow down and "smell the roses", I mean sew! And my little bit of silver needs a polish too Michele. xx

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  6. looks like a good way to spend Good Friday, especially Larrys . I love the slow pace of the day, mine usually spent sailing across the gulf to Pt Vincent with friends... This year will be vicarious pleasure just watching what others are doing, so thanks for your interesting post.

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  7. although the Autumn is always lovely (especially with these beautiful days) I'm always a bit sad that summer has gone and winter will follow Autumn and that's a depressing thought for me! I so enjoy your blog Michele and I'm now able to make a comment. What lovely things you have and I'm please I'm not the only one with a lot of "knickknacks.i sometimes think it's a bit too much in our place, but Joe says that's how he likes it, so it stays (only the dusting is a nuisance)...it looks likes the children will have lovely Easter, so enjoy it.. Love to you both

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  8. Thanks Kitty and as glad we can chat this way too…..almost as good as our monthly coffee fix!! hugs to you and Joe xx

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  9. Hi Michelle... I'm not sure how many 'Sharon's responded to your give away, but I am Sharon Hoogland from 22 Braemar Avenue, Mittagong NSW 2575!! I hope it was me, ;-)

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Thankyou for dropping by and sharing in my journey. And thanks especially for your lovely comments….I may not always respond (especially if there is no email address) but please know you are appreciated x