Tasha Tudor, A Birthday Celebration!

Celebrating A Kindred Spirit

Sarah in one of the Corgyncombe Cottage gardens in her frock from Tasha Tudor's antique frock collection.

Tasha Tudor is pictured in "Drawn from New England" playing a dulcimer. Diane's mountain dulcimer is very similar to the one that Tasha hung in the library at Corgi Cottage.

This morning whilst out gathering wildflowers along Corgi Creek, I saw a little wren on the woodpile and a little Chippy Hackee (Beatrix Potter's name for a chipmunk) scampering about. One can feel a coolness in the air now and Corgi Creek was pleasantly babbling in the background. There is an apricot glow that starts in the wildflowers and the tops of the cornfields that eventually will work its way to the trees as autumn approaches.

When I came inside I smelled the cake on the table that needs frosting that will be enjoyed later at Tasha Tudor's Birthday Tea.

By this time, the corgyn were more than ready for breakfast and a necessary outing.

In the old barn, 'twas nice this cool morn to sit on the milking stand close to Carmella Lucille and feel her warmth as I did the pleasant required task of milking. The goat kiddles are so cute and friendly, they even still want to sit on our laps after breakfast. They always enjoy our version of the story of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"... but that is a tale for another time.

All these daily things remind us of Tasha. We had so many things in common.

How grateful we are to have been her friend and kindred spirit.

The illustrations by Hugh Thomson in "The Vicar of Wakefield" written by Oliver Goldsmith, inspired Tasha to become an illustrator. Sarah made the bobbin lace bookmark in the photograph above.

"The Real Pretend" written by Joan Donaldson and illustrated by Tasha Tudor.
Sarah was Tasha's model for the illustrations of the little girl Kathy in "The Real Pretend". It is a true story about a little girl who goes round to her neighbors, taking pretend orders from the Larkins Catalog.

Tasha Tudor milking.

"Corgiville Fair" written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor.
What a delight the book is with the lovely, detailed paintings and the story where Tasha's wonderful sense of humor comes shining through. Tasha Corgi stands in front. "Corgiville Fair" is amongst the all time favorites at The Corgyncombe Library. It is some of Tasha's best work! If you haven't seen "Corgiville Fair" you are missing out!!!

Diane made the above photograph of Sarah and Tasha Corgi into a Valentine card that Tasha Tudor was delighted to receive. Tasha Corgi was named after Tasha Tudor, and Tasha Tudor was very honored and declared herself to be Tasha Corgi's Godmother. The Johnsons have had six corgyn: Tasha Corgi, Katrina Corgi, Ethlyn Maria Weaver Corgi, Emily Jane Jones Shepard Corgi, Eliakim May Corgi, and Lydia Rebecca Sly Corgi. The Johnsons are so grateful to Tasha for showing us through her illustrations how delightful corgyn can be!

Sarah down by the creek in her Tasha Tudor frock, standing near a chair that resembles Tasha's mustard chairs. In "The Real Pretend" Sarah is illustrated by Tasha sitting in a similar chair.

The cake at last year's celebration of Tasha Tudor's birthday.
The cake receipt, "Becky's Birthday Cake", is in "The Tasha Tudor Cookbook".

Charlotte enjoying the loveliness of the garden. Like Tasha's dolls, our dolls share our love of old fashioned things.

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Cream Separator and Goat's Milk

The Corgyncombe Dairy

The Corgyncombe Dairy hand crank cream separator.

Nubian Goat Carmella Lucille's milk.

The Corgyncombe Dairy has found that leaving out one of the ten disks and cranking slower than 60 rpm gives the best results.

Diane's husband turns the crank whilst Diane runs about like Beatrix Potter's Anna Maria, keeping the milk tank full, emptying the bowls, and various other tasks.

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Putting Up for Winter

Corgyncombe Cannery

Diane has been busy in the garden harvesting and in the kitchen canning. There are always more beans to pick and put up.

The fifteen pound pressure regulator weight has been set on the vent pipe. When the pressure regulator commences jiggling about, 15 pounds of pressure has been reached, and the timing starts. Above, the pressure gauge registers 15 pounds of pressure.

A good source for canning information is the "Ball Blue Book of Preserving".

Darling & Domestic Daisy with a yellowware bowl of beans, looking at "Around the Year" by Tasha Tudor.In "Around the Year" written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor, on the August pages there are illustrations of ladies putting up food for winter in the old country kitchen. The Corgyncombe Courant just loves these illustrations!!

Diane and Sarah come from a long line of women that put up for winter as summer started turning into autumn. Diane's grandmum was known far and wide as "a canning fool" as she enjoyed it so much and she canned everything in anticipation of winter!! Whenever Diane smells dill she thinks of her grandmum putting up.

Diane remembers when she was a child, husking corn and helping her grandmum and mum in the kitchen during canning season.

As Tasha Tudor wrote to Diane in a September letter:
"I must stop and attempt to put up some of the abundant pear crop in jars."
There is always more canning to be done!

Here is a link to YouTube:
"Green Beans in the Garden" by The West Ladies

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Reminiscent of a Tasha Tudor Illustration

Goats and Kiddles

The Corgyncombe Courant just loves the nubian goats and goat kids that Tasha Tudor has illustrated in her many books, prints, and cards. Looking at our goats in the barn and pasture feels like looking at a delightful Tasha Tudor illustration.

Carmella Lucille, Sweet Pea, and Daisy at pasture.

Sweet Pea

Daisy and Sweet Pea at the hay rack that Diane's husband made.

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