When you’re somewhat housebound in the midst of winter, a day where the sun is streaming in your windows makes all the difference, don’t you think? We’ve had more than a few of those sunny days lately (not to mention warmer temps and melting snow, huzzah!) Our bedroom is awfully pretty when the sun pours in the two tiny windows so I grabbed my camera the other day to take some pictures.
My pals. Maggie Rabbit, Wayfrum Holmes and Little Lamb. You’re probably familiar with them, but if you’re a newish reader, I’ll introduce them to you. Maggie Rabbit was made by me from a kit designed by the lovely Alicia Paulson of Posie Gets Cozy. By the way, Alicia has just added more Maggie Rabbit patterns to her shop. They go very quickly, so if you’re interested hop on over. I made Maggie when I was working out of town in Hartford and I love her.
Wayfrum Holmes was given to me by Don when I was about to leave for a six month stint in San Diego. Wayfrum kept me company while I was away from my loved ones. Little Lamb was a lovely gift from Sheila. Maggie, Wayfrum and Little Lamb are my traveling companions when I’m going to be away from home for a longish time.
They are perched upon a vintage hatbox I found many years ago in the Berkshires.
Right next to them are framed photos of our dogs: Winston, Scout and Riley. (Have to straighten that photo.) The mirror was a gift from my mom. The McCoy pottery piece is filled with pennies. And you can just see my other parakeet lamp, which is sitting on the bookcase because it needs to be rewired, along with at least two other lamps we own.
I own several pieces of Roseville pottery but this one just might be my favorite. It’s a cornucopia in the Bushberry pattern. It sits in a place of honor on my dresser.
Uh oh. Now I’m fixating on Roseville and this particular pattern. It might be time to add to my collection. Roseville can be very pricey, but it’s all in the timing. I’ve found some pieces at auction for very little money. If you go to a higher-end antique shop, you’re going to pay a lot more. The very first piece I ever purchased was a little bowl in the brown version of Bushberry. I got it in a little shop in San Diego when we were still living there.
The photo in the background is of yours truly in her office when I was teaching at Boston University. The other piece of pottery on the right is McCoy. It’s full of fabric hearts. The dresser scarf is really a tea towel. (I like it much better as a dresser scarf.)
It’s sunny again today. Snow is melting. I know that March is a big tease and that the temperature will eventually get colder, but boy, do we appreciate this little warm spell. The driveway is mud, of course. We had to put down some straw in Scout’s mini-corral because it’s also a sea of mud. But we’ll take it.
An interesting article in yesterday’s New York Times: The State of Alabama is now investigating a complaint of elder abuse re: Harper Lee and the decision to publish her ‘new’ novel.
Happy Thursday.
I just love it when you showcase “some of your stuff” Claudia!
Thank you, Debbie!
I love the little peeks of your treasures! Re-wiring lamps may be a good I’m stuck indoors because of weather project?
A couple of the lamps are rather delicate and I’m unsure whether it’s the cord or the socket, so I may take them to a professional.
Spring is bursting out all over the place here in Fla. The azaleas are giving us quite a show and sitting on the front porch is out of the question because pollen is leaving it’s yellow haze all over the place. My head feels weird so I know my allergies are about to act up. It’s a beautiful day here and a red letter day because the property taxes went out in today’s mail. Yay! Love the peek into your home today.
We’re a long way off from blooms, but we heard our woodpecker this morning and a bird call, as well. Things are looking up!
The Roseville cornucopia is beautiful…I can see why it’s one of your favorites. My mom had some brown Roseville that she sold…I didn’t know it even came in blue! Thanks for the peaks! ;)
Oh, I have some in green and there is also Roseville in pink – probably even more colors than that!
The Roseville piece is gorgeous. I don’t have any Roseville as I’ve only seen it with big prices but I do enjoy viewing it. Love your little treasures, we all have them don’t we. It’s fun to share your photos and the special little things on your dresser. Love the photos of your boys and girl! I have a vintage tea towel and I now i’m going to use it as a dresser scarf. Great idea.
hugs,
Linda
I also used a tea towel as a valance in the upstairs hallway, Linda. They’re pretty handy for a lot of different uses.
OMG, I just love it that you have “traveling companions” that go along with you when you’re going to be away from home for a time. Now I don’t feel quite so seven-years-old about placing my own stuffed red turtle – the one I’ve had since I was born – in my bag when I go out of town. And you’re right of course. March, the most changeable month of the year, is probably teasing us with all these above-freezing temps, sun and melting snow, but this sure is wonderful nonetheless. Enjoy your day!
Great minds, Janet–we have to have out traveling companions with us!
Love seeing some favorites being showcased- while the Roseville is pretty– I love seeing Maggie, Wayfrum, little Lamb and of course your Pack babies! Winston, Rylie, and Scout– truly a cozy home there at MHC!
Going to read the article now on H. Lee
Enjoy the sunshine-
I am. We took Scout for a gallop over at the library. She loved it!
I read the article about Harper Lee. It’s just so sad. It’s a constant back-and-forth between people. She appears to have her good days and bad days. I really wonder if she was cognizant, when she agreed to publish the old manuscript.
It reminds me of the condition my mom was in during her last year of life. Sometimes cognizant, but often not. No short term memory. I think Ms. Lee was manipulated. And it makes me very sad, indeed.
That article makes me very sad. It is dreadful what can happen to a wonderful person who has come to that point in their life.
We also put new straw in the dog yard today and “tidied it up” a bit. The pups were happy!
To be 65* here tomorrow. Sunshine on our shoulders ~ and head ~ and everywhere else ~ can definitely make us happy!! Some days are diamonds. We know that we will see more snowflakes at some point, but with every day the ground warms up, the likelihood that they will last when they do fall becomes less likely. We have to cling to those small things to pull us through, I guess!
65! I can’t imagine it! It reached 55 here yesterday, but it’s colder today and will be tomorrow, as well. Still, it’s sunny and the snow is melting and what was supposed to be snow on Saturday will now be rain. Good!
Bushberry is a great pattern, I have a large bowl in the green. Most of my Roseville comes from thrift shops; even when they know what they have, the price is affordable.
Margaret
Thrift stores or auctions are definitely the way to go with Roseville, Margaret.
I’ve worried about the Harper Lee thing ever since I first read about it. I am very ‘elder-aware’ since I did major, hands-on, daily caregiving to both my parents from 2007 to 2013, only just now ‘recovering’ from the responsibility and exhaustion of it. But what I mean is, I know what goes on with older people; I’ve been at it firsthand, in the day to day, the hour to hour; I can surely see what it will be down the road for myself as well (and I’ve got no kids to look after me as my parents had me). When you’re in the thick of it, you know how it goes with an older person becoming increasingly frail and looking to you for all the answers…so, when you see something or wonder about something with a neighbor or when you read about Harper Lee, something doesn’t often set right. I can’t describe what I’m trying to say but I had to be come a student of elderly people…that’s what any of us do when we’re thrown into something, and I had to do the same thing when I was diagnosed with cancer so that I could make good decisions…and of course I’m no expert and things aren’t always what they seem, but I get red flags. What is going on behind the closed doors? Is the elderly person being well taken care of, or is someone taking advantage. Elderly people with increasing disability need to be kept safe and healthy and clean, and in a caring/friendly environment; nothing about their welfare or health can be taken for granted. They already have so much taken away from them healthwise and sometimes are struggling to make ends meet …it’s overwhelming for them, and they need to have reassurance, love, understanding on top of all the usual chores and tasks of getting through a day. I feel skeptical about the reclusive Harper Lee suddenly putting out a book. Too many things don’t add up. I’m probably too cautious and suspicious, but…
By the way, don’t mean to be bring up the downer cancer thing. I saw my oncologist a couple of days ago and he said he doesn’t need to see me as often anymore because my results have been so favorable. I’m one of the lucky ones. I have an HMO but somehow I wound up with great care and skillful physicians.
Your Roseville piece is awesome. I don’t recall seeing the Bushberry; it’s such a lovely color. I always love to see what you have in your home; you have an eclectic (did I spell that right?) collection.
Glad you’re getting some thaw and I hope it lasts. It must make you feel so human once you can get out and breathe some fresh air. I just read the National Weather Service reports for my area and we’re going to be in blistering heat in SoCalfor the next week…blistering at least to menopausal me. I do NOT want 90s in March; it was our last hope for rain. The heat will kill all my new vegetable plantings if we’re not careful. I want to give you some of our ‘hot’ and have you give me some of your ‘cold.’ I think I’m as sick of heat and dry as you might be of cold and wet…although, pen me down to it, you’ve probably got it the worst. I’m so sorry you’ve had to endure a bad winter; it looks like it’s ending! Yay! Can’t wait to see your gorgeous property with a mess of flowers outside. I’m always struck, since it’s a lot diff from a lot of congested SoCal, how many Northeast homes seem to have quite a little bit of land attached to the home. Do you have a couple of acres? Is that the norm once you go upstate from NYC? Very spacious and tranquil…I can see, from looking at your photos, that other houses are visible from your house but it’s not that they’re so close that you can hear them, right? New houses were built in our town in the recent/couple of years and they are very nearly zero lot lines, not much diff from townhouses/condos/apartments. I don’t think the yards are big enough for children to even play properly in, which is why I guess they have a community playground. And these are expensive homes! That’s what happens in California now as property is still expensive, even after the Recession (are we even out of it yet; I don’t think so)…they build up (like a 2-3 story home), on a tiny lot, rather than spreading out. On the other hand, I lived in two houses here, each of which had a half acre which proved to be a lot to maintain, which got pricey. I’m sure other readers who live on farms or who live in less-populated states can’t imagine how some of us have felt cramped when living in a multiplex or any other crowded place.
I know how my mom was the last year or so of her life. She didn’t talk much, couldn’t hear very well, her short-term memory was faulty and she had okay days and far more not okay days. All of which has had me looking skeptically at this whole thing right from the start. Lee’s older sister Alice was her lawyer and protector and with her gone, Lee and her interests are easy pickings. It has been said in one of the many articles on this subject that Alice said Harper was far too easily influenced in the last few years, she would sign anything put in front of her. I do not think I will buy this book.
In my area, which is Upstate NY and a small town, to boot, most people live on at least an acre, though not necessarily those who live ‘in town.’ We’re on just under two acres and part of that is wooded. Nevertheless, there’s still a lot to keep up. I love it, though. The gardens are all near the house, so we can water them if needed and because deer are less likely to eat things close to the house. They will eat anything if hungry enough, but there’s a lot of greenery around here other than my gardens, so they have lots to choose from.
Having lived in San Diego, I know what you mean about smaller lots. We lived on one, with a postage stamped sized front yard and a small back yard. And I was raised in suburbia in Michigan, where the houses were right next to each other and you could hear conversations through the windows. Here, we have neighbors, but we don’t hear those kind of things. Occasionally, the kids across the street will be playing and we hear them, and of course, we hear snow blowers and lawn mowers, but it’s a nice level of privacy for sure.
Well, I think then that you and Don have chosen wisely. Your area sounds so beautiful and you do love your home. You’re both near your work in Boston or NYC. Maybe next winter won’t be as severe. If I were you, I’d stay put. It sounds perfect. The house seems so suited to your aesthetic and is just the right size for having all the things you love around you. Thanks for your description of what properties are like upstate. Gosh, I wish I could see it all. Anyway, it just sounds like you’re right where you’re meant to be at this stage in your life. I’m happy for you both!
What you said about Alice may have sealed the deal for me on the Harper Lee issue. I wish all of this had been written in cement before Alice passed…like, okay, maybe publish something after Harper Lee dies or else bury it forever if she wasn’t able to fine-tune it herself, but don’t have somebody ghost it and make it something that’s not her (or are they saying it’s a completed work which has just been locked away and will publish as it was written?). I just hate to think of this author and her singular work, which still stands the test of time, to be in any way diminished by some possibly-lesser piece that’s brought into question in terms of authenticity. Maybe it’s something brilliant but I wonder if it should just have been left alone, as Harper Lee herself obviously left it alone all through the many years. She must have had her reasons. If she was younger and would be doing selected appearances and interviews about a new book release, if you could get that from her, in terms of promoting the book, I can see myself caving to it but, obviously, what’s the likelihood of seeing any of that happen with her now. Not! But the big question for me remains, with Harper Lee, why now? What’s special about NOW for this prequel? Does she need the money? Will be interesting to see what happens in July…
Claudia, I read that article. The last three sentences really bother me, about putting the town back on the map. There seem to be many agendas here. A very neutral party needs to look at motive and opportunity. All of those contradictory anecdotes are disturbing.
Love your traveling companions. I have a couple of pieces of Roseville and love it’s distinctive look. Mine was given to me by a little lady across the street who I bought groceries for.
Hooray for warmer temps!
Judy