At the Corgyncombe Library, displayed on the art stand, along with some antique Valentines, is "Drawn From New England, Tasha Tudor; A Portrait in Words and Pictures by Bethany Tudor".
Bethany Tudor is Tasha's older daughter.
Bethany Tudor is Tasha's older daughter.
Inside is a lovely original colour drawing by Bethany Tudor of two doves with roses and forget-me-nots!
The dove perched on the art stand carries a bunch of Rose geranium leaves tied with a ribbon. Rose geranium leaves smell so fragrant, like roses! I picked the leaves one morn from the rose geranium that I have wintering over in the cool upstairs.
In the book "Drawn From New England", Bethany talks about how her mother would make Valentine's Day a lovely and delightful day with handmade Valentines, an abundance of flowers, and delicious treats at tea! The dolls would receive and give small Valentines, too!
The chosen music to accompany this post is "Simple Gifts":
Return Here to Read the Corgyncombe Courant.
Some of the photographs and some of the writings on this post are from previous Corgyncombe Courant posts that can be found here on the Corgyncombe Courant.
Finch Post serves the dolls at Corgyncombe with superb mail delivery service. My daughter Sarah and I were inspired by Tasha Tudor to have our own doll Post. Tasha Tudor's post was named Sparrow Post, where cards and goodies were delivered to her children. Tasha Tudor featured Sparrow Post in her books "All for Love" and "A Time to Keep".
Violet's mittens keep her hands warm as she goes out and about in the cold and snowy outdoors. Violet's antique mittens have pretty pom-poms attached. Carrying a basket of Finch Post mail, Violet has stopped at the Finch Post box.
At 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.
The currency for the dolls at Corgyncombe is buttons, as well.
A little button box can be seen near the base of the scale.
The writing slope at Corgyncombe is very similar to the writing slope that Jane Austen used to write on. Her father gave it to her in December of 1794, near her 19th birthday.
On the writing slope, some beautiful Valentine Ephemera from the Corgyncombe Collection.
On the writing slope, some beautiful Valentine Ephemera from the Corgyncombe Collection.
The quill feather is from Corgyncombe's Peacock Reuben. Peacocks naturally shed their feathers. On one of the warmer, sunny days recently he had his tail feathers fanned.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
2013 marks the 200th year since its publication.
Bleeding Heart in a late May snow.
I made a special Valentine cake using "The Tudor Family's Valentine Cake" receipt in Tasha Tudor's book "All for Love".
It is so delicious at Valentines tea!
An antique peg wooden doll who has a fondness for birds.
Her old frock, petticoats, and pantalettes are exquisite!
The very small woven Swedish heart was made by my daughter Sarah.
An old doll head alongside a pincushion, atop an old tin box that someone years ago labeled "Receipts" for saving away old recipes. Receipt is an old word for recipe.
The sundial in the Corgyncombe Garden of Herbs
with wind blowing glistening, sparkly snow.
On the art stand made by Seth Tudor, son of Tasha Tudor, is the "New Cyclopaedia of Botany and Complete Book of Herbs", an advertising card with a lovely dove delivering a letter and a rose, and a trade card with forget-me-nots from an Apothecary in Bellows Falls, Vermont.
On the art stand, "Queen Victoria's Dolls" by Frances H. Low and illustrated by Alan Wright. When she was a girl, Queen Victoria collected small peg wooden dolls and the book has drawings illustrating their many fashions. In the illustration of two dolls in the book above, the doll on the right wears a dainty ballerina frock sewn by Princess Victoria, with a pink rose head wreath.
At Finch Post, the Tweet Sweets are holding a
Valentine Banner of Love!
Lucy has a fondness for hanging things on the line and she thinks her hearts look very pretty.
The prickly laundress, Mrs. Tiggywinkle the hedgehog looks on.
Mrs. Tiggywinkle was named in honor of the hedgehog in Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Mrs. Tiggywinkle".
Early in the morn, 'tis so sweet to find dear little bird feet lead right up to my door. They are awaiting my coming forth with a bucket of bird seed, nourishment against the wind and cold.
The other morn 'twas 29 degrees below zero wind chill!
We hope our Dear Readers had a
lovely Valentine's Day!
copyright © 2013 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson
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