Heritage Dress ...

Each summer, 'round my birthday, Mother sits down at her Singer and in a flurry, she sews for me what she calls a "heritage dress." These dresses are white, and contain vintage or antique elements, blended with the new.

Last year, my heritage dress was made from a vintage white pillowcase that was given to Mother, with new ribbons added. Two years before, she added new buttons and ribbons to a white dedication gown that she wore when she was a baby ...

This year, my heritage dress is made from a lovely embroidered cotton that Mother purchased. She added some vintage lace that belonged to my grandmother Rose, and she lined the back with vintage buttons that belonged to my great-Grandmother Eva.

She breathed a sigh of relief when the dress was complete, and her smile could not be erased when the dress was donned and my hair was tied in a silk ribbon ...

A Visit to the Stables

Mother brought us to the stables today ...

We admired the early September flowers, rode the tractors, and visited "Duchess," a beautiful chocolate horse.

As siblings so oft' do, we managed to find ourselves tangled up in a bit of mid-morning mischief ...

There is something to be said of a lovely winding path, the shelter of trees, and fences that do not skirt us in ... but rather, remind us of how free we are to run where we will ...

Tea Towel to Toddler Tote

When I fashioned a brown damask print fabric clutch with bamboo handles, my daughter, Guinevere, requested one of her own ... For a fortnight, she inquired about the purse that Mother was going to make for her, and as every loving Mother would do, I began to consider what type of clutch I would create for her.

This dainty delight was crafted using a tea towel and embroidery hoops. The hem of the tea towel sufficed as a skirting for the front of the clutch. It rests quietly on her tea table, awaiting her morning embrace ...

Friendship Blooms & Tiny Tips

~ A friend came to tea today ... Stepping from the carriage, she cradled in one arm her beautiful baby girl, Nora ... Folded in her other arm was a delicious bouquet ... "For you" ... said she ... Such vibrant and stunning colors were they, I was quite sure they were from the hothouse indeed ... but no! To my delight, she gathered them from her garden that very morn.~

Songs for Theoden & Guinevere

My heart sings their songs; the ones they are yet learning to sing ...

...songs of a little boy, growing up so quickly ... ever learning and exploring, becoming a young character full of promise and steadfast faith; a warrior of truth and prayer ... loving and protecting family and friends ... dreaming of being a soldier ... growing in the power of a soft heart ... finding that integrity is not something to be attained, but that it lies within him ...these are his songs ...

...songs of a little girl, crossing boundaries between tea parties and tadpoles; beginning to pray and believe in God, loving nature and daring gravity... Her spirit soars and her feet dance to the music of life, drumming the rhythms of freedom ... as we gently teach her to walk in the ways of her Creator. ... yet, she pauses for the beauty of a flower, and glories in a new brooch for her dress ... these are her songs ...

These, and many more, will be their songs ... and for now, in this moment, as the wind scampers across their cheeks, and the sun kisses their knees, I stand here, nearly bursting with pride. I am so blessed. They are beautiful. They belong to God. He has given them to me to care for ... I will sing their songs until they sing them for Him ... and from then on, I will carry the melodies in my heart ... until my last breath ... for these are the songs we live and die for.

The music of our children.

Strawberry Soup

~ 1 pint of fresh strawberries, hulled
~ 1 c. whipping cream
~ 1 tsp. of honey
~ 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
~ 1 tsp. of lemon juice
~ 1/4 c. sugar
~ fresh mint
~ whipped cream (see "Summer Blackberries & Cream" for homemade recipe)

Combine ingredients in a blender, serve chilled in punch glasses with whipped cream and fresh mint.

Roses ...

It is known, in my circle of friends, that
roses
are my favorite blossom ...

What a delight
these pink roses have been
as they sweetly adorn my table.
They smile at me each morning,
they nod courteously in the afternoon,
and they whisper
"good evening madam"
before I retire ...

They know their time is short,
and while they are here,
they share the sweetest fragrance,
the brightest hues,
a graceful silence, and a silken touch ...

To be as the rose,
is to be a blessing to those in whose hearts we are momentarily placed ...

L.J.W.