I tried. Really, I did. But it’s so dark and rainy this morning that it’s almost impossible to get a decent photo of this china cabinet. On a good day, a photo of anything in the den is problematic, but on a rainy day? Oh my goodness, it’s frustrating.
I just wanted you to see where I decided to place the green Ixia Vase. I like it there.
Just to identify the patterns for you, from the left: a Magnolia cornucopia in green, a pink and green vase in Peony, a large vase in Zephyr Lily, a candlestick in Gardenia, the vase in Ixia, a Bleeding Heart candlestick, a vase in Snowberry, and a small bowl in Bushberry.
I tried to get a picture of the other shelf to no avail. Another day.
Yesterday’s work day in NYC went smoothly, as did the bus trip in and out of the city. But I was tired when I got home, having risen especially early so I could catch the bus and make it to rehearsal with a little time to spare. Now, I have a bit of a break before I have to work again on Anastasia. If it wasn’t raining, I’d be outside right now, starting my garden cleanup! Drat.
So I’m inside instead, reading a very good mystery (which I will soon review on Just Let Me Finish This Page,) writing this post, as well as a post celebrating Beverly Cleary’s 100th Birthday, which is on JLMFTP today, and hanging out with my husband. Not bad.
The weather report has promised sunshine for the afternoon. Seems doubtful, but I remain hopeful.
We just finished watching a six-episode series on Netflix that was simply wonderful. It was made for Netflix and filmed in Britain – it’s called River. It’s a police procedural with a huge twist and the acting by everyone is superb, especially that of Stellen Skarsgård in the title role. He knocked our socks off. Brilliant. If you subscribe to Netflix, give it a try. It was so good, we’re sorry it’s over!
On another note: Don lost a dear friend yesterday, a lovely woman who he first met when he was 22. Joan was part of a community of actors in Omaha, Nebraska at the time – where Don lived briefly. Years earlier, she had her own television show in Britain (she was British) and eventually ended up in Omaha, along with her mother and daughter. Don always said she reminded him of Julie Andrews. Many of those Omaha actors remain friends to this day and most of them ended up moving to Los Angeles, where Joan’s home was always a welcoming place for one and all. I met Joan when Don was performing in a play in Los Angeles. Since we lived in San Diego, he needed a place to stay and Joan insisted he stay there. She was simply lovely, kind and funny and warm and welcoming. She was a big dog lover and always had one or more dogs that she had rescued. She encouraged me to bring Winston along when I came for that visit and I did. I was utterly charmed by her. She had declined in recent months and her devoted daughter Kate nursed her through her final illness.
Don is devastated and very, very sad. She will be missed by many. Gracious and elegant are what come to mind when I think of her. Rest in Peace, Joan.
Happy Tuesday.
Thanks for the comments on River. I love this kind of thing, so I will be watching. Have you watched Happy Valley? There are 2 seasons on Netflix and it is also a British police procedural show with a lot of perfectly imperfect characters.
Yes, we have, Debra. Though we haven’t started season two yet.
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of Don’s friend, Joan. She sounds like a very special person! The Roseville looks nice all nestled in there. We are supposed to have a great weather week…so tomorrow you’ll find me out in the gardens, cleaning them up! Slow and steady…take my time….don’t over do…with hubby still having problems walking, we don’t need two of us limping around! Enjoy your day! ;)
Oh, that’s the challenge, isn’t it? Not overdoing! Thanks for the reminder, Donnamae. I need to remember that.
Your collection is growing beautifully! I have a hard time taking photos inside my house too… and I’m not near the photographer that you are– so your photos look pretty good to me.
The candle sticks are both lovely. I like the free flowing arrangement of all your pieces on the shelf…it has an ” organic feel” to it. (can you hear the art student in my voice?) (smile) I am truly enjoying that class and it’s online!
Sorry to hear about Don’s and your friend… it’s hard to lose family, but the loss of our contemporaries is un-natural and difficult.
{hugs} to you both.
She was about 20 years older than him – in her mid-eighties. But up until a couple of years ago, she was doing very well – vital and energetic.
Your Roseville collection is lovely all grouped together. I cannot possibly start yet another collection, so I will just have to be content gazing at yours. Sorry to hear about the death of your friend. She sound like someone I would have liked too. Love to you both.
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
She was lovely. Beautiful inside and out. Your house always looks so big to me, with lots of shelves and rooms (I don’t know if that’s all in my head or not) – if I had that much room, I’d be starting new collections!
Deepest condolences to you both on the loss of your friend. It’s always hard to get this kind of news, but it sounds like she had a wonderful life doing something that made her happy. I’m sure Joan was delighted to count you two among her friends too! ?
Don is really devastated. It’s hit him hard.
It is so hard to lose friends. I know as we age it becomes more frequent. Hugs to Don and please tell him I’m thinking of him.
The Roseville is so pretty. I may have a few (like 3 but don’t tell anyone) new pieces coming soon. Photos after they all arrive and I arrange them in the cubbies…I”m excited!
I’ve been watching ‘West Wing’ and enjoying it very much. I’ll add River to my list. The rain has moved on through here so I hope we have sunshine for a few days, and I wish the same for you.
hugs,
Linda
Can’t wait to see your new pieces, Linda!
The pottery looks lovely ~ come rain or come shine!! ? We are actually having (or predicted to have), a lovely week. Still cool, but they are saying 70’s by the weekend!! We are having our house sided this week, so it actually turned out well in the weather dept. for that job to be done. Lots of people all about are pounding and ripping down siding, which has one dog snoozing on the couch, and the other one on patrol alerting us to every movement. She will sleep well tonight! The cat snores through it all. And the birds and squirrels seem a bit perturbed that people are too near their feeders.
Hope the sun comes out for you, so you can begin the clean up in the garden. Such a wonderful time we have (finally, finally!!) reached. Have fun!
As of this afternoon, the sun came out and the rest of the week is supposed to be beautiful. Tomorrow begins cleanup!
So sorry about the loss of your friend. It seems this season of our life causes us to lose lots of dear friends. I absolutely love the Ixia vase. So tall and regal!
Judy
We lose more and more friends and family at this point in our lives. It’s heartbreaking.
I’m sorry to hear of yet another loss in your lives Claudia. My husband and I were both born and raised in Omaha. We just moved to the northwest in late 1993, funny that Don was probably working there while we still lived there. Joan sounds like a wonderful and gracious soul. My thoughts go out to her family and to the friends like Don that have been left behind.
Blessings,
Betsy
He lived there in the early seventies, I think, Betsy. He acted in a lot of shows at the then Firehouse Dinner Theater.
Your collections are all so lovely. I’m sorry about the loss of your friend. Last Saturday I spoke at a memorial for my cousin’s twenty two year old son who passed away a few days earlier. I babysat him when he was a baby. We are all still in shock. It still seems unreal.
Oh, I’m so, so sorry. How tragic! My sympathies, Janie.
Sympathies on the loss of Joan.
I like the Ixia vase exactly where you put it. What a unique piece.
Such fondness in my heart for favorite author from childhood, Beverly Cleary. Huge influence. Isn’t it amazing and wonderful that she’s been here 100 years! Lovely tributes to her all over the web; I’ve enjoyed reading them in the past day or two.
Tell me again why you take a bus into the city rather than a commuter train? I’ve never been to your neck ‘o the woods and in movies and TV shows, it seems like people upstate or in Jersey or Connecticut take these trains in from the suburbs and countryside. Is this just more glam for the screen? A bus more practical? Excuse my ignorance about the subject. If you had a choice, do you prefer a train to the bus? I don’t know much about either mode of travel. In California, we’re the car culture. Other than a travel-type tour or a school trip (school bus), I’ve only been on a Greyhound bus once in my life (because, for years, my mother didn’t drive; she was a city kid who always took public transportation so never learned how to drive until well into her 30s, and if we needed to get to Grandma’s and Dad wasn’t available to take us in the car, the bus was IT). And I have only been on a train once; a few hours on Amtrak in the 80s.
I can take the train or the bus. I have to cross the Hudson River to get the train. The train is fine, but it’s noisy and jam packed with lots of stops along the way. The bus leaves from my neighboring town, with no stops along the way, and it arrives at Port Authority which is right in the middle of the theater district. Very handy for me. The driver insists on quiet, therefore you don’t have to listen to everyone’s cell phone conversations. They are very much frowned on. Much more civil. If I’m going in at an odd hour or coming back very late at night – which is extremely rare – I’ll take the train.
That’s very interesting; a whole way of everyday life of which I know nothing. The bus sounds like the way to go!
I’ve been noticing something lately. One of those things that sort of creeps up on you and then you get the moment of realization: Less cell phone conversations in public settings because I guess people are instead texting and therefore silent. We’re a world of people looking downward, missing the ‘world’ around and before them, staring at their hand…in silence.
You see that everywhere – especially in the city. Everyone looking down. Makes me crazy!
I’m so sorry about the death of Don’s and your friend, Claudia. Losing someone who encompasses all that is good is extremely difficult. I’m going through a loss too, as the best man at our wedding recently died. He was one of my late husband’s best friends. Tough to see one’s past and present slide away. I hope garden work rejuvenates you and lifts your spirit. After last week’s rain, I have to get out there and sweep up debris.
I’m so sorry to hear of this loss, Wendy. You’ve had to weather too much loss. xo
We totally live on the opposite sides of the country from each other. I’m in Northern California. It’s fun to read of your travels into the city, your weather ups and downs, your family, your collections (stunning I might add) your home and garden, and all the little things in-between. We, who read your blog, get to experience having a great pen pal. Very sorry to hear of your recent loss. Another loss! You are lucky to have experienced the true meaning of friendship in this dear lady. Here’s to the darkness of your loss soon be filled with lasting memories of her.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Lyndia! It means a great deal to me.
Such a lovely pottery collection Claudia…I am frustrated with this weather too…I’m very sorry to hear about the loss of your dear friend Don…
Today has started out sunny, and I think I’m going to start in on the yard cleanup process, Nancy.
Claudia, I have no earthly idea how I missed three of your posts considering I try to check by daily, but somehow I did. :-/
To that end, please accept my condolences on the loss of your good friend. She sounds like a lovely person with whom you shared happy times. It seems we are all in that arc of the circle, an arc that is particularly difficult at times. Please let Don know how sorry I am.
Love to you both…
xo
Sheila