Old Familiar, Comforting Ways...
Tasha was a delightful, serendipitous find!
Serendipitous finds are the best fun finds, those that you find when you are not looking for them, as they become the best of blessings.
This particular doll really captures Tasha Tudor's cheerfulness, enthusiasm, and the way she would take joy and delight! She enjoys so many of the old fashioned tasks that I, too, love. I think there is a bit of an older version of Tasha's doll Emma Birdwhistle in this doll, too!
What fun they have watching and feeding the birds!
"Light showers of snow, falling from time to time through the day.
A pretty flock of sparrows came to cheer us this afternoon."
~ "Rural Hours", published 1850, by Susan Fenimore Cooper
A little bird graces Tasha's mantel.
Early in the morn, 'tis so sweet to find dear little bird feet lead right up to the door. They are awaiting the replenishing of the feeder with bird seed, nourishment against the wind and cold.
Tasha is caring for the little baby.
Niece Annabelle came for a visit and asked Tasha if she could take care of the baby for awhile.
Ethlyn Corgi and the baby amuse each other.
Baby holds her teddy bear and nearby is her wooden toy terrier.
Tasha spinning flicked wool locks in the grease.
Tasha Tudor wrote to me after I gave her some of my spun Corgi hair:
"Seeing the spun Corgi hair inspired me to get my wheel out, I've not used it for almost twelve years, so I'm grateful for your inspiration."
I was so pleased to have inspired Tasha Tudor to bring out her wheel after not having used it for twelve years.
Tasha Tudor spinning on my wheel.
I showed Tasha how to flick the locks of wool and spin them in the grease.
August 28th, 2020 marked what would have been Tasha Tudor's 105th birthday.
After spinning the yarn Tasha measures it on a yarn winder and when she has a full skein she takes it off the winder and washes it. When the grease is washed out the yarn will be white.
Talented dollmaker and artist Marjorie Tudor made these wonderful dolls and Tasha Tudor's son Seth Tudor, who is gifted in wood working, made some of the furniture, which includes the yarn winder.
Skeins, balls, and bobbins of handspun yarn in the grease.
The lanolin has been washed out of the wool.
Salem Towne house at Old Sturbridge Village, so like a Tasha illustration.
Salem Towne was a cousin through old New England family lines to my great great great grandmother Sarah Towne.
In front of the old wood cookstove, winter wear drying on a small rack that was a delightful find.
In "Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendar, A Wreath of Days" Tasha Tudor writes: "Greens are brought in to make the wreath and garlands. The house is filled with the cold, fresh scents of spruce and hemlock, tracked in snow, drying mittens, woodsmoke and baking, all that exemplifies happiness and home. Were one to smell any of these things again in a far country, many years hence, the entire scene would come poignantly alive once more and clutch the heart."
As Tasha Tudor says at the end of the book: "There are few events so satisfying as the pleasurable anticipation of the coming Christmas in the silence of cold and snow without, and the warmth and happiness within."
Our sweet Emily Corgi eyes the ribbon and greens brought in to fashion into swags.
Emily decided to help her Mummy make bows!
In the beginning of our cousin Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women", she describes the four sisters:
"As young readers like to know "how people look," we will take this moment to give them a little sketch of the four sisters, who sat knitting away in the twilight, while the December snow fell quietly without, and the fire crackled cheerfully within. It was a comfortable old room, though the carpet was faded and the furniture very plain; for a good picture or two hung on the walls, books filled the recesses, chrysanthemums and Christmas roses bloomed in the windows, and a pleasant atmosphere of home-peace pervaded it."
Snow drifting into the barn through the cracks in the door.
The weather at Corgyncombe is frequently snowy, blowy, and drifting, and very cold. There is something about drifted snow that is so pretty, like frosting.
The Turret at Castle Corgyncombe in the blustery snow.
Tasha likes to bake and cook in her old fashioned kitchen.
The warmth and smells are comforting, especially on a cold, blustery winter's day.
Tasha does her baking and cooking on a "Little Fanny" wood cookstove.
Tasha Tudor's doll Emma has a wood cookstove just like it!
Tasha cooks on top of the "Little Fanny" stove which also has an oven for baking.
In front of the pewter plates on the mantel is the stove lid lifter.
The "Little Fanny" stove oven door is open to show where Tasha does her baking.
Tasha lifts the stove lid and adds another piece of wood to the stove.
The doors of the stove can also be opened to enjoy the cheerful open fire.
'Tis so cozy in front of "Little Fanny".
The church at Old Sturbridge Village.
It reminds us of a Tasha Tudor illustration.
Tasha went to her greenhouse to pick some thyme. On the table are some potatoes and apples that she brought up from the root cellar.
Sarah whilst gathering greens found a bird's nest and showed it to Tasha Corgi.
Tasha Corgi was named after Tasha Tudor, and Tasha Tudor was very honored and declared herself to be Tasha Corgi's Godmother.
Tasha Tudor used my daughter Sarah as a model for various cards, calendars, prints and book illustrations.
Sarah and Tasha Corgi put the finishing touches on their Snowgirl.
The snowgirl look like a bogart from Tasha Tudor's Corgiville books.
The Advent Calendar, "O Holy Night", illustrated by Tasha Tudor. On the 24th the stable doors open to reveal the Baby Jesus sleeping under starlight with mice and birds gathered round. We love the shadows and light and glow from the shining star and the colour in this Advent Calendar!
It truly looks like "O Holy Night".
The little owl in the tree by the light of the full Corgyncombe moon.
Tasha frequently used owls in her illustrations.
This little owl reminds us of the little owl found in the 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree several days after the tree was cut.
The little owl was named Rockefeller, which I find to be absurd for a little country bird, found in a little country town to be named something as citified as Rockefeller! This little owl came from the tree that grew not far from where my Grandmum would belly whopper down hill with my Mum on her back, holding on around her neck. This was an area that my family, who were early settlers there from New England, had lived in for many generations.
From my blog post about my Mum's Childhood Christmas Memories:
"Sally Ann came upon her sledding expertise at a young age. During the night, under the cover of darkness, Sally Ann went with her Mum and her Mum's neighborhood friends Mrs. Brown and other ladies. The adult ladies borrowed Mr. Brown's clothes and put them on over their own clothes to go sledding... kind of like snowpants. Her Mum would put Sally Ann on her back, have her hang on around her neck, and they would belly whopper all the way down the road, down the hill, into town. Sally Ann says that this was very exciting but that they only did this at night! The husbands all asked what were they were doing and why did they insist on doing it at night! They wouldn't tell them. The ladies didn't want to be seen during the light of day or let it be known that they had worn pants!"
Sally Ann and her sled.
"January 18th. - It is snowing a little. The children are enjoying their favorite amusement of sliding to their hearts' content; boys and girls, mounted on their little sleds, fly swiftly past you at every turn. Wherever there is a slight descent, there you are sure to find the children with their sleds; many of these are very neatly made and painted; some are named, also - the "Gazelle," the "Pathfinder," &c., &c. Grown people once in a while take a frolic in this way; and of a bright moonlight night, the young men sometimes drag a large wood-sled to the top of Mount ---, or rather to the highest point which the road crosses, when they come gliding swiftly down the hill to the village bridge, a distance of just one mile - a pretty slide that - a very respectable montagne russe."
~ "Rural Hours", published 1850, by Susan Fenimore Cooper
Tasha illustrated Sarah with a little tree. Up on the right hand side, in the border, is a little owl who reminds us of the little Saw-whet owl found in the Rockefeller Christmas tree. It is so special that this card has the little tree and the little owl, with Sarah in between!
It is such fun to look at Tasha's illustrations and cards again and again, each time you can discover something new in the borders!
Tasha tidying up her kitchen and putting things back in the cupboard.
The Fenno house at Old Sturbridge Village.
Tasha's great grandmother was a Fenno.
The photograph of Sarah with Tasha Corgi, we also used as part of our 2006 Valentine Calendar.
Tasha Tudor illustrated Sarah with the little tree in the snow with a moon overhead and Sarah feeding the goats in the barn. There is a sweet little corgi at Sarah's feet. The goat that Sarah is feeding reminds us of our Nubian goats Daisy and Clementine.
What Tasha has drawn in her illustrations are the same old ways that I grew up with. I find them familiar, comforting, and I am drawn to them. [*See note below.]
Natty hears a little squeak! What can it be?
Tasha is getting ready to cut the raspberry tart.
Simple elegance by candlelight!
* I wrote the sentences below originally in June 2007 in a letter to Julie:
"What Tasha has drawn in her illustrations are the same old ways that I grew up with. I find them familiar, comforting, and I am drawn to them."
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 and from our web site and our previous postings elsewhere on the internet.
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atthecottagegate@yahoo.com
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copyright © 2021 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson
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