Peter Russell Bunn Seen on His Early Morn Hop About

The Rabbit Report

In the photograph above Peter Russell Bunn is underneath the bird feeder where he suddenly stands up and surveys the acreage.

In Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Peter Rabbit", Peter Rabbit lost his jacket and hid in a water can as he was fleeing and hiding from Mr. McGregor. Right after Peter left the water can and took flight out of the tool-shed window knocking over some potted geraniums, Beatrix Potter illustrated the poor panicked Peter who was pondering which way to go, desperate to locate a way to escape out of the garden. The illustration of Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit reminds The Corgyncombe Courant of Peter Russell Bunn seen standing alongside the smokehouse underneath the bird feeder.

Of course Corgyncombe is still snow covered and wintry, and lush greenery is but a memory and a dream to come true in a sunny, warmer time. Peter will have to be patient... however he will have to stay out of Mrs. Johnson's gardens come gardening season.

Upon hearing a noise Peter Russell Bunn hastily takes his leave through the little tunnel between the smokehouse and the cornstalks. All one can see is a retreating bunny tail and back feet...

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Tea with Beatrix on a Cold, Blustery Day

'Tis blustery, snowy, and cold today. At times one can hardly see out to the garden of herbs. It is hard to remember when it was green, flowery, and warm.

Ones memory is refreshed with warm garden remembrances.

It has been reported to The Corgyncombe Courant that the Corg'ery needed a shovel out around the fence as the snow was clear to the top, making the fence almost nonexistent as the Corgyn could walk right o'er it.

Inside Corgyncombe Cottage it is cozy and warm. Beatrix Flopsy Bunny is brought from where she resides in the parlour into the old kitchen. Atop the work table Beatrix thinks she would like to try some tea...


One of The Corgyncombe Courant's all time favorite songs is "Perfect Day", sung by Miriam Stockley. It was used as the theme song of "The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends, Beatrix Potter", that The Corgyncombe Courant featured yesterday.

Here is a link to:
"Perfect Day" on YouTube.

We at The Corgyncombe Courant hope you will enjoy it as much as we do!

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Beatrix Potter at The Corgyncombe Library

Corgyncombe Library Notes

The reporters at The Corgyncombe Courant (Diane and her daughter Sarah) feel a kinship with Beatrix Potter. Photographs by The Corgyncombe Courant photographer Diane Shepard Johnson, above and below, make a pictorial look at some of the common interests that The Corgyncombe Courant reporters have with Beatrix Potter (1866-1943). How they wish they could have personally had tea and lingered with Beatrix and discussed bunnies, gardens, ducks, old houses, old barns, hills and dales, and other aspects of country life and landscapes.
The library at Corgyncombe has many copies of Beatrix Potter's works and all at Corgyncombe find them thoroughly delightful to look at many times o'er!

The two photographs above are of tea time at Corgyncombe Cottage.
The book on the table is open to Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck".
The lady in the old photograph sitting on the book reminds The Corgyncombe Courant of Beatrix Potter.

Beatrix Potter's tales were also made into moving picture stories based on her illustrations in a series called "The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends".
Here is a link to the: introduction of "The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends, Beatrix Potter" on YouTube.

It shows the actress playing Beatrix Potter painting the lovely landscape and then hastening home as it begins to rain. Along the way home, many of the animals that she wrote about and painted can be seen. Peter Rabbit is waiting for her when she arrives home and after pouring herself a cup of tea, she is inspired to continue writing to a young ailing friend.
Beatrix's stories as depicted in "The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends" have also been enjoyed thoroughly by those at Corgyncombe.
A favorite book at the Corgyncombe Library to read about Beatrix's life and see beautiful photographs of her home and the landscapes that she loved so much is "At Home with Beatrix Potter, The Creator of Peter Rabbit" by Susan Denyer.

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Sock Doll Feels Kinship with Sallie Mandy

Corgyncombe Library Notes

The other day, whilst out and about, the reporters at The Corgyncombe Courant came across this little sock doll, made from a little child's sock.


The seller knew how The Corgyncombe Courant appreciates dolls, so gave the reporters a special price of only $5.00, and the little doll was very happy to come make her home at Corgyncombe. This little doll reminds The Corgyncombe Courant reporters of the little girl in the "Little Sallie Mandy" books, with her yellow hair and round red mouth. The little doll wears a skirt of blue check with red and yellow flowers with lace shoulder straps and matching blue check diaper. Her bonnet has a scalloped edge with a blue checked brim.

In the photograph above are the books "Little Sallie Mandy and the Shiny Penny" and "Little Sallie Mandy at the Farm". In the books, Sallie Mandy has a dolly of her own named Susie Anna. The books were written by Helen R. Van Derveer, with illustrations from original drawings by Bess Goe Willis.

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Corgyncombe Jubilant Over Mummy's Return!

Those at Corgyncombe have been successful in raising enough buttons for the special cause of bringing Mummy home.


All are so thankful to God, prayers have been answered and Mummy has safely returned home to Corgyncombe! She also thanks Auntie Nicey, Amelia, and the rest of her sisters for taking such good care of her daughters whilst she was awaiting rescue from the remote island, after her ship was lost at sea. She is so grateful to all those at Corgyncombe, particularly her little niece Daisy who spent hours in her Auntie Amelia's kitchen baking for the bake sale, as well as everyone who worked at Daisy's Baked Goods Booth, working to raise buttons for her return.

The Corgyncombe Courant witnessed the happiness as Mummy and daughters were reunited and was able to capture a moment for our readers' viewing in The Corgyncombe Courant. In the photograph above, Mummy's four daughters gather around her in joyous admiration. Gathered around Mummy is Violet on the left, the youngest daughter Cynthie in front, Elizabeth on the right, and the oldest daughter Rosalie in back.

When asked by The Corgyncombe Courant what their thoughts were on Mummy coming home, all agreed that they were very relieved and could hardly believe that their Mummy was finally home. Elizabeth observed "Mummy and I look just alike. Mummy is beautiful!"

Their Mummy said that "I am very proud of my daughters." She is very happy that her daughters are involved with "Tillie Tinkham's Frocks and Fashions" and says it is no surprise to her that they are interested and talented in such pursuits, as she is fond of frocks and fashions also.

She is looking forward to settling in to life at Corgyncombe and sharing her favorite things with her daughters!

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"Won't you be my Quackentine?"

Society Notes

The Corgyncombe Courant reports that the Duckies of Corgyncombe held a special Valentine Tea. They enjoyed Tasha Tudor's Welsh Breakfast Tea and a little ring cake purchased at Daisy's Bake Sale to benefit the cause of "Bringing Mummy Home". Crackers for Quackers were quickly devoured by the fashionable young duckies. The lovely Miss Dilley Dibble Dabble wore a new pink frock fashioned by Tillie Tinkham of Tillie Tinkham's Frocks and Fashions. Her outfit was topped off with sweet little bows about her neck and atop her fuzzy yellow head. Quackenbush had a special red paper hat made for the Valentine's Day occasion, which sports one of Post Mistress Phidelia Finch's feathers tucked in the side. The instructions for making the paper hat is in the book, "Tasha Tudor's Old-Fashioned Gifts". The Corgyncombe Courant reporters have had a personal lesson in paper hat making from Tasha Tudor herself.


At the Valentine Tea, the Quacking Duckie pair were listening to Claude Debussy's "Clair de Lune" and discussing how the music was to them reminiscent of paddling and gliding on Corgi Creek. Corgi Creek and its banks are a favored place for picnics and other social events.

Quackenbush gave a red heart Valentine to Dilley Dibble Dabble and was heard quacking "Won't you be my Quackentine?"

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Buttons to Bring Mummy/Auntie Home

At Corgyncombe's Finch Post, Chirpy Cheerful holds one of the official Valentine Dolly Cards. Tasha Tudor had the children use buttons to buy goods for their dolls and animals and Sparrow Post to deliver mail. The currency for the dolls at Corgyncombe is buttons, as well. A little button box can be seen near the base of the scale.

Daisy has been in the kitchen baking everyday for the bake sale to help raise buttons to bring her Auntie home. She has even been making Baby Doll Biscuits and Crackers for Quackers. Above, Daisy poses for The Corgyncombe Courant. She tells her Baby Doll to smile for the camera. Daisy is holding one of her wrapped boxes of baked goods with Baby Doll smiling from her bassinet.

When asked about how the Bake Sale has been going, Daisy told The Corgyncombe Courant that "The Bake Sale has been going well and the buttons are adding up!"

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"Mummy must come home!" is Elizabeth's Plea

Elizabeth is very excited, for The Corgyncombe Courant has reported a sighting of her Mother. Elizabeth is anxious, apprehensive, and excited about the possibility of her Mummy perhaps finally being able to join her at Corgyncombe. Elizabeth has three sisters, one older and two younger, who are also daughters of the said Mummy and who also make Corgyncombe their home. Several years ago, their Mummy's ship was lost at sea whilst returning home from a trip abroad and she was feared lost at sea forever. The youngest daughter, Cynthie, doesn't even remember Mummy.

Mummy is reported to have been seen on a remote island and it appears funds will be needed to be gathered in order to attempt to pay for her traveling expenses. A note from Mummy carried in the beak of a bird began the renewed hope that Mummy may still return.

If you look closely, tears of joy and apprehension can be seen on Elizabeth's face.

All at Corgyncombe have been working to attain the necessary funds. Daisy has been busy baking for an ongoing bake sale that has been taking place out of Amelia's kitchen. Everyone has been taking turns at the bake sale booth.

Elizabeth is hopeful that Corgyncombe will gather enough funds to pay for her Mummy's safe and swift journey to Corgyncombe. There can be no doubt that Elizabeth's Mummy is yearning to come join her four daughters as soon as possible.

Elizabeth (right), reading to her younger sisters Violet (left) and Cynthie (center) on Christmas Eve. Older sister Rosalie not pictured. All want their Mummy to be able to come home as soon as possible.

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Inspired by Tasha Tudor and Valentine's Day!

Greetings to Our Dear Readers! My name is Diane Shepard Johnson and my daughter Sarah and I have always loved old fashioned things. Some of our favorite things and interests are:
spinning, weaving, natural dyeing of fiber and yarn, knitting, bobbin lace making, vegetable, herb and flower gardening, old fashioned clothing and frocks, dolls, the old ways of preparing food, canning, corgyn, bunnies, goats, birds, photography, writing, drawing and painting, and the old ways of living. 

The Corgyncombe Courant is our newspaper of some of the highlights of life at Corgyncombe Cottage & Corg'ery. Courant is an old term for newspaper.

  Corgyncombe Cottage & Corg'ery is a little farm in the valley where the corgyn dwell. Corgyn is plural for corgi. A combe is a valley, dale, vale, or hollow. Diane and Sarah made up their own exclusive word: "Corg'ery" ....... a corg'ery being a farm where an abundance of delightful corgyn dwell. Some spelling variations of their own word Corg'ery include: Corgiery, Corgi'ery, Corgery, Corg'ry, Corgi'ry.

   

For years we have been inspired by our friend Tasha Tudor's doll families. Tasha made her dolls look so real and we know that they were real to her. Our dolls seem very real to us, too. Our doll families have many children, cousins, Mums, and Aunties who like to do all the favorite things that we like to do best!

  Amelia, photograph above, reports that the Dolls at Corgyncombe Cottage are celebrating Valentine's Day. Inspired by Tasha Tudor's Valentine Calendars and delightful dolls, Diane and her daughter Sarah are making this years Valentine Calender, "The Days of Valentines: Amelia's Favorite Things". This is the 3rd year that Diane and Sarah have made a Valentine Calendar featuring Amelia's Favorite Things. Amelia and her family like to celebrate all the special days throughout the year. Here is the link to view the Valentine Calendar:

"The Days of Valentines: Amelia's Favorite Things" 

Everyday a new photograph should appear on the Valentine Calendar, however we ask your patience dear readers, as sometimes there might be a delay due to the weather, blizzards, technical difficulties, Finch Post delays, etc.

 

 As it is a Valentine Calendar of Amelia's Favorite Things and Amelia is a doll who lives at Corgyncombe Cottage & Corg'ery, the photographs in the calendar are appropriately small. 

 The Corgyncombe Courant realizes that their readers would like to see the photographs bigger. This had already been taken into account with the creation of "Amelia's Favorite Things: A Closer Look" pages. Here is the link to the first page of this years Valentines "A Closer Look": 

"Amelia's Favorite Things: A Closer Look" 

Take care,
Diane and Sarah