Spring sunset

Silent beauty

Purple crocuses

These are the first blooms from our garden this spring.

A favorite passage

"'Well, aged parent,' said Wemmick, shaking hands with him in a cordial and jocose way, 'how are you?'

'All right, John; all right!' replied the old man.

'Here's Mr. Pip, aged parent,' said Wemmick, 'and I wish you could hear his name. Nod away at him, Mr. Pip; that's what he likes. Nod away at him, if you please, like winking!'

'This is a fine place of my son's, sir,' cried the old man, while I nodded as hard as I possible could. 'This is a pretty pleasure-ground, sir. This spot and these beautiful works upon it ought to be kept together by the Nation, after my son's time, for the people's enjoyment.'

'You're as proud of it as Punch; ain't you, Aged?' said Wemmick, contemplating the old man, with his hard face really softened; 'there's a nod for you;' giving him a tremendous one; 'there's another for you,' giving him a still more tremendous one; 'you like that, don't you? If you're not tired, Mr. Pip -- though I know it's tiring to strangers -- will you tip him one more? You can't think how it pleases him.'

I tipped him several more, and he was in great spirits."

--Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, published 1861

A beautiful spring day

It's wonderfully sunny today, with the thermometer reaching 80 degrees! This morning I went out to inspect the green things that are shooting up out of the earth, accompanied by Basil the cat. He got into the spirit of the day by enthusiastically rolling around in the dirt. I did find buds on the lilac bushes and plenty of daffodil and tulip leaves that have come out of nowhere! There also appears to be some fresh green growth on my foxglove and woolly lamb's ear!

Snippet from my current reading

"...life in England had a background, layers and layers of rich deep background, of history, poetry, old traditional observances, beautiful houses, beautiful landscapes, beautiful ancient buildings, palaces, churches, cathedrals."

--The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton, first published 1938

(Not a book I can particularly recommend, by the way -- I'm nearly done with it and I can't see what all the fuss is about.)

Custard pie on the cooling rack

Despite how it may look -- no, the pie is not burnt, and yes, it will taste good. :)

The piano

Fashion in literature

"Now she fitted the white lace into Mary's collar and pinned it so that it fell gracefully over the collar's edge and made a full cascade between the collar's ends in front.

They all stood back to admire. The gored skirt of brown cashmere was smooth and rather tight in front, but gathered full around the sides and back, so that it would be ample for hoops. In front it touched the floor evenly, in back it swept into a graceful short train that swished when Mary turned. All around the bottom was a pleated flounce.

The overskirt was of the brown-and-blue plaid. It was shirred in front, it was draped up at the sides to show more of the skirt beneath, and at the back it fell in rich, full puffs, caught up above the flounced train.

Above all this, Mary's waist rose slim in the tight, smooth bodice. The neat little buttons ran up to the soft white lace cascading under Mary's chin. The brown cashmere was smooth as paint over her sloping shoulders and down to her elbows; then the sleeves widened. A shirring of the plaid curved around them, and the wide wrists fell open, showing a lining of white lace ruffles that set off Mary's slender hands."

--Little Town on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, first published 1941

c. 1931 suit

Remember that EvaDress pattern from way back when? Well, I've finally finished the jacket, so I wore the whole ensemble to church today. You can see photos at my sewing gallery.

Time for a spring wallpaper

(Click for more wallpapers from the Haworth village website)
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd:
He shall gather the lambs with his arm,
And carry them in his bosom,
And shall gently lead those that are with young."

--Isaiah 40:11

St. David's Day

Inspired by the Welsh hymn concert we attended last Sunday, I decided to have a St. David's Day dinner tonight. On the menu:

• Cream of Leek and Apple Soup
• Welsh Rarebit
• Winter Vegetable Medley
• Green Salad
  
• Pwdin Efa (Eve's Pudding)
• Prince of Wales Tea

After dinner, we listened to a few Welsh songs courtesy of my Aled Jones CD.