Kaleidoscope of Green

Stalks of corn deep in hue reaching up to the clouds in the clear, blue sky...


The variegated shades of ivy reminiscent of a castle wall...


Brilliant chartreuse in a flower box highlighting the pink blossoms that surround it. Contrasting against the old window completing the vignette...

The season of Summer relinquishing her beauty for us to behold...

Wedded Bliss

Tucked away on a rejuvenated downtown main street lies a hidden gem. Dubbed the 'Honeymoon Capital' Niagara Falls Ontario is a most appropriate spot for a Wedding Museum.


Having been treated to our own personal tour by its knowledgeable curator David Tetrault, I was intrigued to discover a collection of gowns and dresses chronologically displayed (from the mid 1800's to present day) for our viewing pleasure.


Each creation and accessory is artistically placed, enhancing the costumes that once draped the velvet-skinned shoulders, revealed the delicate waist and covered the trembling heartbeat of a young bride...

Harmony With Nature

Since the beginning of creation we have relied on Nature to yield her gifts of fibers to weave into cloth.


From biblical times or of primitive peoples the process is exactly the same. With the exception of the handling of clay on the potter's wheel little has changed over the centuries.

'The growing of flax and the long stages it took to become thread,
Nature entered intimately into textiles from the past.' *

Wool harvested from sheep, fibres from alpacas, even goats and camels yielded forth the necessities... to live in direct cooperation with nature.

Barks, berries and flowers provided the palette for colour. With the discovery of Indigo, blue and white made their way into early cloth and garments.


Perhaps it is this connection that stirs our passion for collecting and caretaking of textiles from the past...

* Homespun Blue by Martha Sterns 1940.
Homespun wool blankets from my personal collection

Gossamer Threads

Artistically arranged by loving hands and an imaginative spirit pieces of lace lie sorted and awaiting tags for an upcoming show.


Each one a reflection of its creator the light, delicate threads are as fine as a spider's web.



Some were cherished for years, tucked away to stir a memory or hidden beneath one's outer garments.


Others were utilitarian, woven for bedding, toweling and household use. Often initialed by the maker they were stacked in wardrobes, cupboards and dressers.


Each one a wonderment of their construction soon to be treasured by someone else.


* Gifted silhouette by Karen Otto (A`Musements)

* Tape and netted lace

* Bobbin and netted lace

* Cotton chemise crochet trim

* Homespun linen and pillowslips late 1800's

* Close-up of Man's waistcoat silk velvet 1840's. Entirely handsewn.

Beyond Words

I awaken at first light serenaded by the cooing of the mourning dove or the vibrant song of the cardinal. With the dawning of a new day comes the promise of fulfilling a wish, creating something from scratch or venturing about through a field of memories...

Summer is the season of laid back, bare feet, impromptu gatherings and bouts of laziness provoked by unrelenting heat.

A perfect opportunity to indulge in a good book or a sentimental movie. There are countless flicks that stir my emotions, bring on the tears or fill my heart with gladness.


I must admit if I had to choose a favourite 'Out of Africa' would be near the top.


From the soundtrack to the cinematography (and of course Robert Redford and Meryl Streep) the very essence of the movie reaches into my heart and fills it with euphoria. It is an emotion beyond words...


So indulge in all those pleasures of summertime, cherish each raindrop, the bounty from the garden, the laughter of children along the beach... whatever stirs your emotions beyond words...

On The Porch

Dating back over several hundred years the porch evolved from a place for family and friends to gather, almost into obscurity and back once again as a retreat, a place to while away the hours and one so cherished in our memory...


Very much a signature of North American culture, when television didn't exist and socializing was more of a neighbourhood affair, the porch was an integral part of everyday life.


As society changed along with architecture the porch no longer filled the role to which it originated.


But those of us with century homes, beach and lakefront cottages, hilltop havens... all played a part in the resurrection of the porch.


For partaking of time on the porch is one of life's purest pleasures.

* Pics of porches from my hometown
* My sleeping porch where I see Tallulah has found a perfect spot for a nap.

Contentment

Several times a week my travels take me past a small hobby farm where the early morning sunlight casts a silhouette of ethereal beauty. The horses have come from the barn quietly in the wee dawn hours to linger in the paddock.


Do they dream of the open plains and endless grasslands or are they content to graze in the emerald green pasture, daydreaming of sugar cubes and apples?


Perhaps we should take note of their contentment...