Valentine Hearts, Flowers, and Birds!

A Celebration of All Things Lovely!

 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.

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":

Click Here for Specially Chosen Delightful Music

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.

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!

http://corgyncombecourant.blogspot.com/2013/02/valentine-hearts-flowers-and-birds.html

copyright © 2013 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson

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"The Night Before Christmas", Tasha Tudor!

Cozy, Warm, Handwoven Woolen Blankets

 The old English tall clock at Corgyncombe Cottage.

Lovely Music to accompany this post:

Click Here for Specially Chosen Delightful Music.

Return Here to Read the Corgyncombe Courant.

In "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Tasha Tudor, 1999, the page showing the bedroom is illuminated by a beeswax candle in a tin candle stick. The tin candlestick was a gift to Sarah from a tinsmith who admired her old fashioned tin lunch pail. When she gave him a homemade cookie out of her tin lunch pail he gave her the tin candle stick. Every year, in exchange for a cookie, a gift made out of tin was received.

In the "The Night Before Christmas" illustration, on the bed pushed aside when Father "sprang from his bed to see what was the matter", a blue and white plaid woven blanket can be seen. On the previous page it shows Father and Mother in their big canopy bed and the little children in the trundle bed both with a blue plaid top cover. The canopy bed was the same bed in the same room that I had the joy of waking up mornings at Tasha Tudor's Corgi Cottage. Of course, how could one wake up in the morn without an admiring glance out the window!

Above are some antique handspun, handwoven wool blankets. These blankets were woven in two sections and then sewn together down the middle to make a good sized blanket to cover a bed.

Ahh, wool, so warm against the winter's chill!

Christmas morn, after coming in from feeding the birds the Izannah Walker girls gathered round the old fashioned table top tree.

The little English Robin took the little sifter handle in its beak and is sifting flour around the table to look like snow.

Emma wanted to try on Bridget's delightfully stylish coat and hood.

In her hand she has cradled the little English Robin.

 The Advent wreath from the outside looking in through the old wavy glass.

The Robin has decided to take a taste of the doll sized apple pie. Its tracks can be seen in the dusted white flour snow.

 A clip on bird ornament in candlelight on the old fashioned Corgyncombe table top tree.

Little Twinkle Toes arrived in the post, a handmade gift from a sweet friend, who shared a special memory of making little Elfin girls such as this in Christmases past. Little Twinkle Toes is absolutely exquisite as is her little turquoise pouch dotted with gold!

Wool blankets that Diane wove are warming on the rack by the stove.

In Tasha Tudor's 1999 version of "The Night Before Christmas", plaid blankets can be found on the parents bed and covering the children in the trundle bed and hanging on the settle bench by the fire with St. Nicholas.

The deer, stars, and trees on the cookie sheet tell a true story of one twilight when I stepped outside. Seven deer came winding through my snow covered lawn by the creek looking amazingly like reindeer, all in a line, flying over the creek, curving as they ran following each other in the cornfield. Really it was much like the reindeer pulling Saint Nicholas' sleigh in Tasha Tudor's "The Night Before Christmas".

Trilly Tweet Sweet seems to have a natural sparkle about her!

 An Angel made of plaited straw.

 The candle is blown out.

We hope all of our Dear Readers had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

http://corgyncombecourant.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-night-before-christmas-tasha-tudor.html

copyright © 2013 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson

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Joyful Christmas Memories!

Dolls, Grandmum's House, and A Sweet Story!

Me in my nurse's uniform under the Christmas tree with my brother and the presents that we received.

Sweet Christmas Music

I have always loved dolls! In the photograph above at Christmas, I received a baby doll from Santa that I named Bonnie, and a bride doll from my Grandmum, who had no name other than "Bride Doll". Along with the bride doll my Grandmum made her a dress, apron, underthings, nightgown, housecoat, and bed jacket. The bride doll had lovely curly hair, which in no time I totally ruined by enthusiastically brushing it. My cousin, who received the same doll, for some reason kept her doll on a high dresser, at least when I visited!

Bonnie didn't have real hair to comb, but she could drink a bottle and then you could change her wet diaper. Bonnie slept in the crib that I got for Christmas that had a mattress and a beautiful blanket and pillow. In the summer time the crib, bathinette, table and chairs and all my little house keeping goods would be put in my playhouse. In the winter time all of these things would be moved up to my bedroom. I still have Bonnie and my daughter Sarah played with her too in my playhouse.

Grandmum's house, a very old red house with maple trees circled round, maple trees that we tapped for maple syrup and sugar sweetness. Grandmum's house looked just like a Tasha Tudor illustration!

Grandmum's parlour was on the front right and her piano room was on the left front. The parlor was only used on special occasions, in the winter just for Christmas. The kitchen was in the back wing. Upstairs in the attic above the wing we found an antique walking wheel and the wheel of a flax wheel, old shoe lasts (old fashioned forms for making shoes) and old photographs.

In the spring we would go upstairs, look out the small windows and watch the baby robins in the nests that were outside on the ledge of the small windows. 'Tis the same at Corgyncombe Cottage. We call them Corgi Windows, because they are just the right height for a Corgi to see out.

The slight dip on the lawn would flood and freeze and we would ice skate in front of Grandmum's house. Down behind Grandmum's house there was a nice hill to slide down using a toboggan or sled.

Me with my sled.

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.

Bellinda merrily ringing as she is blown by the wind and the bakery with all its tasty treats.

I have always loved bells! What a joy as a child for me to find in the newspaper a daily story, written and illustrated by Betty Goetz Knudsen. There were pictures to colour, of Bellinda, a bell who lived in an old church tower and what happens to her as the people in town decide to build a new church. Years later, when Sarah was little, the newspaper sent me copies of the story that had been in the newspaper and how I enjoyed coloring them in again! The border that was always at the top of each day's story reminds me of Tasha Tudor borders. I imagined that Bellinda lived in all of the churches in the same city that Santa Claus (who was also a Shakepearean actor), his wife, and reindeer resided. How my cousin and I looked forward to each day's installment. I put each day's story in a little book that I made with foil covers. When I coloured this in the first time when I was a little girl, Bellinda was pink, so when I coloured her in again this time she could be no colour but pink. When Bellinda was happy she sang "ding-a-dong-a-ling-a-dong in her silvery tinkle-tones". The people in town when they heard Bellinda sing were so happy because "they all knew that Christmas was coming." Bellinda had friends in the story: Bobbin Robin, the mousekins three, Bootlet Johnny Boy, and the brown and white cow. Does this not, dear readers, remind you of Corgyncombe's Tillie Tinkham the mouse, Chirpy Cheerful the bird, and Bessie the cow?

Later, I remembered the Bellinda story when Sarah was little. I wrote to the paper and asked them if they would consider running it again, as I remembered how much joy it brought to me. I described the story and included a drawing that I drew from my memory of Bellinda the Bell with little mice. I was delighted to receive in the mail copies of Bellinda's story and find my drawing was similar to the picture of mice sliding down Bellinda. The lady at the paper said they couldn't run Bellinda's story in the paper again as it just wouldn't fit in with modern times. How sad that such a sweet story wouldn't fit in! Unfortunately, ones feels as if the city, once reminding one of Bedford Falls, now is sadly like the dreaded Potterville, as in the movie "It's A Wonderful Life." Maybe the world could use more sweet, innocent little stories for children.

http://corgyncombecourant.blogspot.com/2012/12/joyful-christmas-memories.html

copyright © 2012 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson

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Shooting Stars in the December Sky!

Still with the Wonder of a Child!

A basket of old ornaments for the Corgyncombe table top Christmas tree.

The chosen music to accompany this post is "We Three Kings":

Click Here for Specially Chosen Delightful Music.

Return Here to Read the Corgyncombe Courant.

On December 13th there was a spectacular show of shooting stars! My daughter Sarah says that I act like a little child as I had such excitement over each one that fell from the sky! I'd jump up and down and loudly exclaim as I followed them with my finger "Look at that one!" and "Did you see that one go by?!" and "Ooooh, that one was sure a beauty!" All this exclaiming and jumping, my family thought was reminiscent of what is called around here "the reindeer kid", the little girl in the movie "Prancer". I couldn't help myself, each one was totally wonderful! I was the last one to leave the stars and go inside that night.

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.

Silent Night at Corgyncombe.

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".

Sarah whilst gathering greens found a bird's nest and showed it to Tasha Corgi.

Me in my little black Christmas party shoes that give an old fashioned look. The Christmas party dress was red with a white collar.

In the photograph above I am at my Grandparents house for Christmas. They always had an old fashioned looking table top tree. My Uncles on both my Father's and Mother's sides always bought me little frocks and then they would take photographs of me in the frocks. On my Father's side the frocks had a more old fashioned look. They were probably bought at charming old country stores that carried older stock. On my Mum's side I received frocks from New York City and all over the world. But then, my Father's side has always been more old fashioned! Grandmum on Father's side has always reminded me of Tasha Tudor!

Dirndls that my Uncle on my Mum's side brought from Switzerland for us girls for Christmas.

I am on the left.

http://corgyncombecourant.blogspot.com/2012/12/shooting-stars-in-december-sky.html

copyright © 2012 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson

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St. Nicholas Tea Inspired by Tasha Tudor!

A Wreath of Candles to Light December Teas!

Today, December 6th, is St. Nicholas Day.

When lit, the Advent wreath creates such lovely shadows and light on the ceiling.

The chosen music to accompany this post is Carol of the Bells:
Click Here for Specially Chosen Delightful Music.
Return Here to Read the Corgyncombe Courant.

 The Dundee cake is brought out to be served with tea.

With the coming of Christmas, Dundee cakes are delicious at teas throughout December!

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.

 

I took the photograph of the chickadee several years ago, as St. Nicholas Day morn dawned snowy, sparkly white!

 

 Mixing the Dundee cake. Corgyncombe uses the receipt for Dundee Cake in "The Tasha Tudor Cookbook". Dundee cakes are made a month ahead of time and put in cold storage until time for St. Nicholas Tea.

The Corgyncombe Bakery makes many Dundee cakes in all different shapes and sizes.
The receipt for Dundee Cake is in "The Tasha Tudor Cookbook".
I never add the citron nor the raisins as called for in the receipt, but add more than the called for amount of currants and in addition to the almonds in the receipt, add walnuts.
This combination makes the most delicious Dundee cake!

Dundee cakes are festive at St. Nicholas Tea on December 6th!
The design on the cup has St. Nicholas pulling a gift laden sled, with a tree over his shoulder, and a doll in a sack at his waist, whilst adoring children look on.
Inside the cup is fresh milk from Corgyncombe Dairy Goat Carmella Lucille!

http://corgyncombecourant.blogspot.com/2012/12/st-nicholas-tea-inspired-by-tasha-tudor.html

copyright © 2012 Diane Shepard Johnson and Sarah E. Johnson

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