Friday morning, dear husband set out to paint the recently constructed pergola.
He was afraid all those Endless Summer hydrangeas would be covered in droplets of white paint, and asked if there was some way I could gather/tie them up out of the way.
After some inspection, I concluded it might just be safe to harvest some of them for drying….just the ones in close proximity to the post, there.
And then there are these…almost blocking the entranceway into the Storybook Studio.
If they take over, entirely, I shall not care… I will walk all the way around to the rear entrance, if I must.
So with my small purple-handled gardening shears, I began to glean bloom after bloom, stripping the large leathery leaves,
and plunging them into the cool water in the ironstone pitcher.
A few of the Quietness roses had blooms almost spent.
They were added to the bouquet.
(I love wearing those sweet Antoinette slippers by Sandy Wylie Olson)
There were so very many heavenly hued blooms,
that I was able to fill an old blue mason jar, to overflowing,
and place it atop the old marble sink in the studio.
The largest bouquet went inside the cottage to sit alongside the fairy, floating 'neath the chandelier in the dining room…alongside glittery candles in their crystal candlesticks.
There were three tiny fragrant blooms from the Madame Joseph Schwartz,
an old rose that was on its last leg, early this spring…and transplanted alongside the Quietness roses, from its container between the adirondack chairs.
It is now thriving, and I am so thankful.
I placed them in this ancient brown medicine bottle
husband retrieved from the ground where he created the space for the fountain, there in our courtyard.
(If only it could talk…the stories it might tell…)
Saturday morning came…husband was off to work…and I invited an out-of-town friend to come by for a visit, while she was in town for an event.
I decided it might be the perfect opportunity for a bit of a tea party.
…and the minute little girlie heard the words tea party, she asked if we could bake some cookies..
and "do we have all dee dagredients?"
Yes…we had all the "dagredients" for Victorian Lavender Cookies with Rosewater Icing.
Commence baking.
So much of my time is spent in the role as Mommy, to Sophia…
discipline, instruction, day-in-day-out duties.
Today, she needed me to be Grammy.
She needed this experience to tuck away in her memory bank.
I demonstrated how to gently crush the fragrant lavender buds between her hands,
and then dropped a teaspoonful into her tiny hands.
She mimicked what she had just learned.
She paid attention as I scooped spoonfuls of cookie dough and dropped them onto the parchment paper on the cookie sheet…and then she had her turn to do the same.
As the cookies baked, she licked the beaters,
standing there on her little pink stool, in her little white nightgown,
with its pink stains from the strawberries she nibbled for breakfast.
Then it was time to prepare the Rosewater icing.
The measuring of the fragrant water was tedious,
but she was allowed to stir the powdered sugar mix…
carefully… sooooo very carefully…
This was an incredible feat for her.
I was singing her praises throughout the process.
Finally, it was time to get dressed, and she chose a perfectly perfect dress for a tea party…
one that would twirl, for she would want to demonstrate her
ballerina dance for our guest.
Dear Gale Brisa, who created the inspiring group Vignette It, all the way from California, made her way to our Rose Water Cottage,
and we were so very excited to see her!
We had finally met, in person, when Tim and I had traveled to Round Top, Texas
for the launch of the new book…
and we had posed for a photo with one of the Junk Gypsy sisters, Jolie Sikes..
So to have her here, in Franklin, at our home…
well, I was just beside myself!
And on top of all that…it was her birthday!
How thankful I am for those little whispers…the nudgings…
we had no idea it would be the birthday of this dearest woman, so far away from home..
How honored we were, Sophia and I, to celebrate this kindred spirit friend, who is loved and cherished by so many.
I was so proud of one certain little 5 1/2 year old girl, who dug deep and demonstrated the very best tea party manners. It was a monumental moment.
After many goodbyes and hugs and kisses…our girlfriend was on her way.
And Sophia, still enchanted by the mood of the day,
dug deep into her basket of dress up clothes, retrieving silk fairy/butterfly wings
(They had been a gift from my mom and dad, some time ago)
It was as if they were brand new,
and she took flight…
….out into the magical backyard, she flew…
Dear friend of ours, Embi Ferro, had come by…
enjoyed a cup of the Paris tea, still warm in the tea pot,
and a tasty cookie.
She asked if I had a quilt, as she wanted to create a tent for Sophia,
using the two sawhorses she had spied, behind the studio.
Is there anything better, in the wide wide world, than a quilt tent,
in the backyard,
on an almost-summer day…
I crept up alongside her tent, listening to her chattering and giggling inside,
and there were her pink wellies…
those "giddy-up and go" boots,
perfect for slipping on fast,
when you've found your wings and you're in a hurry to fly...
Fly with the Fairies, friends!
Blessings