Faire May

Welcome be thou,                                                                                                                                            faire, fresshe May.                                                                                                                                               ~ Geoffrey Chaucervi

The african violets are in bloom ….. again.

African violet

May is the month we plant the garden – ‘ A Time to Keep ‘ ~ By Tasha Tudor

Tasha Tudor inspired patio herb garden.

Has the weather allowed you to start your garden? I have indeed started my patio, Tasha Tudor inspired, patio herb garden.  My basil, rosemary and oregano that has loved a very pampered life succumbed to what – to hot then cold?? They were quite productive living about three years!

 

Happy May Day  ~ Melissa

All content and photographs copyright 2017 By Melissa O’Connor

February Oh, February

February – Oh, February you have been a very busy month!

I was sitting in my rocker last night realizing  that it was indeed the end of the month. So I started contemplating exactly where this month and this is what went to…….

First part of the Month my Dan came down with a cold….oh dear, his sister came for a visit. It was a very nice visit even though we did not really do anything special – due to sad cold.

February from the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, displayed with a few of my favorite things

The first part of the month of February brings several birthdays. The first one to arrive is my oldest  gran – daughters, who turned eleven this year, oh my! She decided last year she was going to start collecting and wearing fashion scarves, so naturally, I knit her one. This year I knit her a neck kerchief. She likes to make list and schedules so I thought she might enjoy a felt note pad case along with a hair bow – she loves to wear hair adornments!!

Amellia’s Neck Kerchief.Hand knit in Sea Song yarn made of cotton and Kelp fiber. I like to try to use a unique yarn, last years scarf was knit of a yarn made of corn fiber!

February is also Amellia’s Daddy’s birthday…. and several more in the family.

Happy Eleventh Amellia! Felt note pad case along with the hand-made hair bows and necklace.

In the mean time ….

I was finishing up an order for one of my Hand-knit Tasha Tudor style Cottage Elegance cotton shawl. I enjoy including free gifts in my orders and have wanted to design a brooch / shawl pin to go with my shawls. Here are two I tried out.

 

Tasha Tudor style shawl safety-pin brooch / shawl pin. I hand wired this brooch with beautiful cranberry and gold  czech glass beads.

We do see Tasha using a safety-pin to hold her shawl on……It always makes my kind of cinch when I see that the pin is just attached to just one stitch on each side, but I’m sure Tasha knew how to mend it if a stitch was to break. If you look close at the picture you can see that I catch two-rows of stitches on each side. Here is another style of brooch / shawl pin.

My Yo – yo brooch is made with a hand-dyed fabric (I purchased from another artesian) Encircled with czech glass beads accented with a shell button.

Happy Custmer = Make me happy!!

Received the  beautifully made shoulder Shawl,  I am late in saying thank you, Also thank you for the 2 pins And the two sachets.

I will email you Again as I would like one in grey And a little bigger I have wide shoulders and I am 5 feet 9.

I am happy to take custom orders.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/150994904/cotton-cottage-elegnace-tasha-tudor?ref=shop_home_active_4

Here you see a little bit longer version of my “Cottage Elegance Cotton Shawl”

“Cottage Elegance Cotton Shawl”

Then came Valentines day and Dan shared his cold with me!!!

Tasha Tudor “Be Mine” Valentine Advent calendar in the lovely glow of bee wax candle. A beautiful relaxing scene I take in from my rocking chair.

Dan did make up for sharing his cold with some lovely Valentines Day gifts.

Gifts from my Valentine

A beautiful wooden tea try from Germany with water colored wild flowers. I think I’m going to hang this on my wall. Some yummy Chocolate Velvet and peppermint chocolate republic tea.  Several years ago while visiting P.E.I  – Robert Montgomery ( Lucy Maud Montgomery’s second cousin once removed) gave Dan a lesson in how to identify fine china and Dan was a very good student  indeed, Here is yet another lovely tea-cup – Theodore Haviland Limoges fine china Tea up from France with a lovely violet print. I know you would like a closer look….

My violets in my new violet tea-cup.

A closer look

Then another exciting visit…….My oldest daughter, son-in-law and two of my gran- daughter’s. I was over my cold enough to meet them at the park. It was a lovely day.

A Visit….. a little conversation on gran’s  shell phone 😉

A little help knitting my Tasha Tudor Style shawl!!

She has always tried to help me with my knitting so this year I gave her a basket with her own yarn and knitting needles.

Nature Notes:

The Pelicans, Sea gulls, cormorant love feasting on the fish in the canal this time of year.

Pelicans are interesting birds to watch. They are so big but glide so gracefully through the air and just above the water!

Gliding in search of the perfect fish.

Is it time yet? No we have until April this year!!

I hope you had a lovely February !

Take Joy ~ Melissa

You can find my shawls and PDF Pattern to knit your own shawl in My etsy shop. I also take custom orders for the brooches.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/elegantlyhandmade

You can find the lovely Valentines Day Advent Calendar – ‘Be Mine” at

https://www.tashatudorandfamily.com

All Content and Photographs are under copyright 2017 By Melissa O’Connor

Do not remover – do not PIN!!!

Happy New – 2017

Happy New!! – 2017

 

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

The birth of a New Year is a time of reflection, bringing with it an opportunity for change….for developing a greater appreciation of what is most important in life. ~ Victoria magazine

We can take delight entering into this New Year of 2017 with Anne’s words of hope……

“Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it… Yet.”

~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I hope you are having a wonderful start to your New Year!!

“It’s delightful when your imaginations come true, isn’t it”

~ L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

May all of your imaginations come true this year!

Take Joy

~Melissa

Copyright 2017 By Melissa O’Connor

November Days

It was NOVEMBER  ~ the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. ~ LM Montegomery –  Anne of Green Gables

Crimson sunsets…..

Parting birds

Good bye November

“It’s not what the world for you. It’s what you bring to it.”

 – LM Montgomery – Anne of Green Gables

 

November sea

 I love sitting on the rock and listening to the …..Hymns of the Sea

I love the sad songs of the sea.  The roaring sounds of the waves hitting the rocks splashing into the air are breath – takingly beautiful !!!

 

Whispering pines along Lovers Lane……

“It’s  dreadful what little things lead people to misunderstand each other

~” LM Montgomery.

Isn’t it lovely the peace that nature can bring to us, if we just take the time to stop listen and take in the beauty and calm even in among turbulence – that’s the wonder of nature and friendship – love!

 

 

I hope you have had a wonderful November and a very Blessed Happy Thanksgiving.

~Melissa

P.S. If you are in need of a delicious pumpkin pie recipe –  stop by T.T. & family site where they are sharing a recipe from their family cookbook.

https://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/inspiration/recipes/296-tasha-s-pumpkin-pie

All content and Photo copyright 2016 by Melissa O’Connor DO NOT PIN!!

Autumn of my soul….

AUTUMN OF MY SOUL

 

SEPTEMBER  

‘Best I love September’s yellow,                                                                                                               morns of dew-strong gossamer,                                                                                                           Thoughtful days without a stir,                                                                                                                      Rooky clamours, brazen leaves,                                                                                                                   Stubble dotted over with sheaves –                                                                                                             More than Spring’s bright uncontrol                                                                                              Suit the Autumn of my soul.’                                                            

 ~ Alex. Smth

“Goldenrod is one of the fairy, magical flowers…..”
~ Margaret Fuller

Lovely Lady Bug seems to find goldenrod quite magical.

Beautiful Autumn Days with out a stir.

Pumpkins ripe in or from the field ….. Suite the Autumn of my soul!

 

Brazen yellow leaves of September.

The Autumn of my soul enjoys the many colors of fall.

Happy First day of fall.

What suites the autumn of your soul? The beautiful colors, do you have a favorite? Cooler weather? Comforting foods – pumpkin (everything), soups, homemade breads?

Do you decorate your home and outside. I enjoy decorating both!

It’s still rather hot and humid for many of us…….

So join me under the  shade of the drooping sunflower umbrella where we can chat and knit our Tasha Tudor Style shawls. It’s a calm relaxing knit whether you are a beginner or experienced knitter. You can find the PDF pattern or completed shawls on sale for Fall in my etsy shop.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/236659762/pdf-hand-knit-pdf-patterns-cottage?ref=shop_home_feat_2

From a Happy Customer

5 out of 5 stars  *****

 Angela Oct 2 , 2016

Adorable, love it, will be one of my first projects after scarves, can’t wait to make it, excellent seller, highly recommended, will buy more patterns from, thank you!

Peaceful, calm Autumnal  knitting….

 

OR ~  you can order a custom hand knit shawl, like Emily is wearing.

~ My hand-knit TASHA TUDOR STYLE ‘KINDRED SPIRIT’ VERMONT WOOL SHAWL, here:

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade/listing/142839/cottage-elegance-kindred-spirit-vermont-wool-handknit-shawl

 

A happy customer wearing her custom knit Tasha Tudor style  shawl

OR  ~ a beautiful Red TASHA TUDOR STYLE ‘COTTAGE ELEGANCE’ COTTON SHAWL, here:

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade/listing/225866/cottage-elegance-red-cotton-shawl-hand-knit

Here are a few of my handmade fall toy / decoration as well.

The Candy Corn Man……

You can find the Candy Corn Man, here:

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade/listing/148163/candy-corn-man-organic-stuffed-felt-toy-fall-decoration-halloween

Have a beautiful day!

~ Take Joy, Melissa

All content of this blog is under copyright © 2016  -2017 By Melissa O’Connor

Happy Birthday Tasha Tudor – Words of Wisdom

Happy Birthday Tasha Tudor!

Happy Birthday Tasha Tudor.

Nowadays, people are so jeezled up. If they took some chamomile tea and spent more time rocking on the porch in the evening listening to the liquid song of the hermit thrush, they might enjoy life more.   ~ Tasha Tudor

How do you relax? I do enjoy sitting in my rocker enjoy a nice cup of chamomile tea while knitting or escaping into the world of one of my books!

 

…..and watching the gentle wandering & frolicking of the sheep in the meadow.

There is no peace that cannot be found in the present moment. ~ Tasha Tudor

…….Harvesting goldenrod!

“I enjoy solitude. It’s probably selfish, but why bother about it. Life is much too important, as Oscar Wilde said, to be taken seriously…..” ~ Tasha Tudor, ‘The Private World of Tasha Tudor’

 

….I do enjoy a lovey, peaceful stroll a long the seashores of P.E.I. 🙂

Happy Birthday Dear Tasha.

“It’s wonderful to grow old,” Tasha Tudor said in an interview. ” You can get away with murder. Everyone takes great care of you. And they’re afraid of offending you. You can say the most outrageous things and get away with it. I fully believe old age is one of the most delightful periods of my life.”

Take Joy – Wishing you a peaceful , relaxing Sunday.

~Melissa

***My Tasha Tudor style shawl  PDF pattern is available for sale -here:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/236659762/pdf-hand-knit-pdf-patterns-cottage?ref=shop_home_feat_1

**Completed shawls  are available for sale -here:

My had-knit TASHA TUDOR STYLE KINDRED SPIRIT VERMONT WOOL SHAWL is available here:

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade/listing/225866/cottage-elegance-red-cotton-shawl-hand-knit

My hand-knit COTTON TASHA TUDOR STYLE COTTAGE ELEGANCE SHAWL is available here:

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade/listing/225866/cottage-elegance-red-cotton-shawl-hand-knit

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You may enjoy my other post about Tasha Tudor here:

Tuesdays with Tasha Tudor; Tasha’s shawls – A closer look!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/236659762/pdf-hand-knit-pdf-patterns-cottage?ref=shop_home_feat_1

Irish Cottage Style Knitting with Tasha Tudor

 

Have a wonderful day!

Take Joy

~Melissa

 

All Content Copyright 2016 By Melissa O’Connor

Kindred Spirit – Stories of Inspiration

Tasha Tudor’s Lace ~ photograph by Richard Brown

For this years Tasha Tudor Birthday celebration, I thought it would be nice to share some of the kindred spirits stories! This would be the lovely stories that have been shared with me, from my many new Tasha Tudor kindred spirits.  They have shared with me how they came acquainted with Tasha Tudor and / or how she inspires them – what they have in common. Here is the first story from Cynthia:

Photograph by Richard Brown.

I love Tasha, and live a lot like her. She was a wonderful human being, as well as inspirational. I live in Idaho. I have been spinning etc., for 23 years.

Basket of hand dyed wool yarn – “Tasha Tudor’s Heirloom Craft” by Tovah Martin Photographs by Richard Brown

Cynthia goes on to share ~ “I love my treadle machines, I have four of them. They all have a different voice and purpose. I have two one thread chain stitch machine. Willcox Gibb and Singer.

I own one of this first singer electric sewing machines. I like using it for few of my sewing projects, such as lavender sachets I include with each Shawl order.  It only sews a straight stitch so it’s not always practical to use. It just seems befitting to use on my sachets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                             “I use only treadle sewing machines, I don’t own an electric, I spin, weave, hook rugs, crochet, knit a little, chop wood, hunt, fish, and the list goes on”.    ~Tasha Tudor

The small piece of weaving on the right was the last piece Tasha was working on. This picture and more can be found in my blog post about my visit to the T.T. museum .

“I also collect and use very old kitchen tools, in good shape, and use a clothesline on good days”. 

Do you Collect antique kitchen utensils and ware as Tasha, Cynthia and I do? Do you use yours or display them?  Cynthia and I  put our’s to use in the kitchen, as intended. I do enjoy using my old fashion egg beater when making my Sunday morning pancakes or french toast.

https://elegantlyhandmade.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1635&action=edit

A beautiful view through the window ~ but who is that our in the garden? ( It is a window posters)

As March arrives, I am out in the garden planting potatoes and onions, as well as Kale and some lettuces.  After that is constant drying, canning, freezing and gardening.
You are fortunate to live close to Tasha’s place. I would love to go there, but I don’t travel at my age. I hate freeways, and fast traffic. My husband is from Pa, but I’ve never been there. I’m afraid I would want to stay”.

 

I (Melissa) do not live in Vermont year round – but it does call me back each year –  spring through fall .

I would love to purchase an e pattern from you, to knit my own Tasha Tudor style shawl.

You too, can knit your very own Tasha Tudor style shawl

If you, too, like Cynthia, would enjoy knitting your very own Tasha Tudor style Cottage shawl, you can find a pdf of my shawl pattern in my etsy shop. I will be offering at a special price  through  our Birthday month of August!  I make this special discount most years. See details at the bottom of this post

Thank you again. I have to go finish getting a lot of wood in. It is snowing again, and going to be down to 3 degrees tomorrow night. Brrrrr.

 

Talk soon.

Cynthia 

Thank you so much Cynthia with me how Tasha Tudor has inspired you. I am so happy that you are pleased with my shawl pattern. I would love to see pictures of your finished shawls.

Take Joy Melissa

If you would like to know more about Tasha Tudor and her family stop by and visit their new web site:

You can find my shawl pattern here: It is on sale!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/236659762/pdf-hand-knit-pdf-patterns-cottage?ref=shop_home_feat_1

My shawls that I have knit for you – are also on SALE:

****SALE is good on completed shawls only – Limited amounts!

~ One Birch grey Vermont wool and mohair shawl here:                                                              https://www.etsy.com/listing/166646477/tasha-tudor-style-vermont-70-percent?ref=listing-shop-header-2

~ One Berry Red Vermont wool and mohair shawl Here:                                                               https://www.etsy.com/listing/166646477/tasha-tudor-style-vermont-70-percent?ref=listing-shop-header-2

~ One Red COTTON Elegance shawl here:                                    https://www.etsy.com/listing/150994904/cotton-cottage-elegnace-tasha-tudor?ref=listing-shop-header-3

You can read more about Tasha Tudor’s shawl here;

Tuesdays with Tasha Tudor; Tasha’s shawls – A closer look!

 

All Content of this blog is under copyright 2016 By Melissa O’Connor

 

 

August – Summer’s Queen

August – Summer’s Queen

Enchanting August Moon over Vermont……

 

‘Fairest of Months! ripe Summer’s Queen                                                                                                    The hey-day of the year                                                                                                                           with robes  that gleam with sunny sheen,                                                                                           Sweet August doth appear.’                                                                                                                               ~ R. Combe Miller

I found this cheerful poem In the book ‘The Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady’

Golden Summer….

Goldenrod – Summer’s Queen!!

 

Upon reflection: do you like August? I would have to say that summer over all is not my favorite season of the year. The month of July and August I would be quick to say – NO Hot humid Hot!!  But……upon further reflection, My Birthday is this month, along with My daughter, granddaughter, Bethany and Tasha Tudor. And when I’m not in the south August can be rather pleasant on some days. Blueberries are ripe in Maine, beautiful wild flowers in the north-east, the wonderful farmers markers….. Do you like August”?

Take Joy ~ Melissa

 

Copyright 2016 By Melissa O’Connor – Do Not Pin – Do not remove any Pictures /  content from this blog without my permission.

 

To My Mother

Since Mother’s Day is May 8, 2016 I was looking for poetry about Mothers, a lot of the poetry I came across pertain to the loss of one’s mother. I know that many have indeed lost their sweet mothers to heaven’s realm but I am very blessed to still have my Mother here on earth with us. My Mom is a wonderful source of inspiration and encouragement  in my life and especially with my etsy shop / boutique and my blog and I appreciate her very much.

And my Mom does love a sale so a long with some lovely poetry about Moms I am featuring some of my handmade treasures – hand-picked by my Mom, Now on sale!!

One of the first items my daughters and I created during our craft show – home show days was the very popular swarovski crystal necklace. And yes, my mom does own one.

Available in two styles. Featured here with a larger center focal crystal/bead.

You can find both Necklaces here:

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade/listing/148299/heirloom-crystal-necklaces-customized

https://www.etsy.com/listing/130357360/heirloom-crystal-necklace-mothers?ref=shop_home_active_21

 

To My Mother

The angels, whispering to one another,
Can find, among their burning terms of love,
None so devotional as that of “Mother”

~ Edgar Allen Poe

I especially love that last line – None so devotional as that of “Mother”

My Mom loves to stay warm therefore she likes all of my hand-knits. My Mom crochets she tried knitting but prefers for us to knit for her. One of her favorites – My Tasha Tudor style shawls both cotton and wool. My shawls are hand knit by me of USA wool and mohair purchased from a local mill, in a town in Vermont where Tasha lived – I think she would approve !!

ON SALE  – I do not do this very often ….  See more detail in my shop.

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade/listing/142839/cottage-elegance-kindred-spirit-vermont-wool-handknit-shawl

 

My lovely, cozy warm, Berry Red Tasha Tudor style shawl !

https://www.etsy.com/listing/266957880/cottage-elegance-tasha-tudor-style-shawl?ref=shop_home_active_3

 

 

Sonnets are full of Love

Sonnets are full of love, and this my tome
Has many sonnets: so here now shall be
One sonnet more, a love sonnet, from me
To her whose heart is my heart’s quiet home,
To my first Love, my Mother, on whose knee
I learnt love-lore that is not troublesome;
Whose service is my special dignity,
And she my loadstar while I go and come
And so because you love me, and because
I love you, Mother, I have woven a wreath
Of rhymes wherewith to crown your honored name:
In you not fourscore years can dim the flame
Of love, whose blessed glow transcends the laws
Of time and change and mortal life and death.

~Christina Rossetti

“I learnt love-lore”…. and many things…..

I do believe I inherited my love of hand crafting from my Mother. She taught us  how to sew in our 4-H class. I made a bathing suit and cover up and won the Miss congeniality  award at our local fair. Ugh, I had to model that bathing suit!! My Mom made / sewed many of our outfits during elementary school. My Mom was also our Girl Scout leader and when we went to Girl Scout Camp I learned to Macrame Necklaces. I macramed and sold necklaces  while in High School. My mom crochet and My grandmother knitted, I still have some of my grandmother’s  knitting needles.

I Love you, Mother…  she, my daughters along with Dan lovingly encouraged and assisted with my next endeavor, the writing of a story pattern and creating it into a PDF – the  knitting pattern for my Tasha Tudor style Cottage Elegance Shawl a long with bonus patterns. And yes, it is ON SALE!

My PDF digital downloadable story pattern includes Two variations of the pattern for my Tasha Tudor style cottage shawl,  A Cottage scarf along with tutorial, hints & tips on how to use left over yarn – such as making a doll shawl and hand warmers.

PDF pattern is 20% off  through Mother’s Day.

Enter coupon  code 2JOY2916 at check out. Available here:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/236659762/pdf-cottage-elegance-kindred-spirit?ref=shop_home_feat_1

 

 

Fairy Nuggets, sterling silver chain necklace available in my new AFTCRA store:

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade/listing/148161/fairy-amethyst-nuggets-sterling-silver-necklace

 

My Mom and grandmother always bought quality jewelry. I remember when she bought me a black diamond pinky ring. A lovely faceted black diamond set in a  sterling silver band and when we turned thirteen we received our birthstone ring – mine a Peridot set in 10 Kt Gold band. We also had  a few pieces of Sara Coventry and Avon,( when she was selling Avon). I still have some of the Avon jewelry – just not the same quality today!

I like my grandmother and Mom believe in heirloom quality – so that’s all I use when creating my jewelry. The Necklace above was made using genuine amethyst nuggets, quality sterling silver chain, components and clasp. Made to pass down from one generation to the next.

Please stop by my New Aftcra shop

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade

 

I have a few items left in my etsy shop and it’s they place I can sell my digital PDF pattern (for now)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ElegantlyHandmade?ref=l2-shopheader-name

 

Mother’s Love

Her love is like
an island in life’s ocean,
vast and wide
A peaceful, quiet shelter
From the wind, the rain, the tide.

Tis bound on the north by Hope,
By Patience on the West,
By tender Counsel on the South
And on the East by Rest.

Above it like a beacon light
Shine Faith, and Truth, and Prayer;
And thro’ the changing scenes of life
I find a haven there.

~ Unknown

My mom loves yellow roses, so when I see one I take a picture and send it to her! She has an Iphone, she text, send pictures and is on FB.
Happy Mother’s Day

 

I think I  may like this last poem best – too bad the author is unknown ?

I love you, Mother ~ Melissa

You can also find me at :

MY NEW SHOP

http://www.aftcra.com/elegantlyhandmade – Handmade in USA

All photographs and content under copyright@2016 By Melissa O’Connor

No content may be removed without permission. DO NOT PIN!

February Portrait ….

February Portrait ~ Emily Dickinson.

AN AMETHYST REMEMBRANCE

I held a jewel in my fingers

and  went to sleep.

The day was warm, and winds were prosy;

I said: “Twill Keep.”

I woke and chid my honest finger,-

The gem was gone;

And now an amethyst remembrance

Is all I own.

a sweet little picture from my book ‘Rosemary for Remembrance’ by Tasha Tudor. I hope your February leap year day is warm and your winds are prosy!

 

Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Throughout her life, she seldom left her home and visitors were few. The people with whom she did come in contact, however, had an enormous impact on her poetry. She was particularly stirred by the Reverend Charles Wadsworth, whom she first met on a trip to Philadelphia. He left for the West Coast shortly after a visit to her home in 1860, and some critics believe his departure gave rise to the heartsick flow of verse from Dickinson in the years that followed. While it is certain that he was an important figure in her life, it is not clear that their relationship was romantic—she called him “my closest earthly friend.”

By the 1860s, Dickinson lived in almost complete isolation from the outside world, but actively maintained many correspondences and read widely. She spent a great deal of this time with her family. Her father, Edward Dickinson, was actively involved in state and national politics, serving in Congress for one term. Her brother, Austin, who attended law school and became an attorney, lived next door with his wife, Susan Gilbert. Dickinson’s younger sister, Lavinia, also lived at home for her entire life in similar isolation. Lavinia and Austin were not only family, but intellectual companions for Dickinson during her lifetime.

While Dickinson was extremely prolific as a poet and regularly enclosed poems in letters to friends, she was not publicly recognized during her lifetime. The first volume of her work was published posthumously in 1890 and the last in 1955. She died in Amherst in 1886.

While I do not enclose poetry in my cards and letters I am known to include some dried petals. What fun when you open a letter and petal sprinkle out. I sometimes add little white ‘ feathery’ dove feathers!! My Gran- daughters love it!! Do you add special little touches to your mail?? This little water color posy is by Tasha Tudor and can be found in her book ‘Rosemary for Remembrance’

Upon her death, Dickinson’s family discovered forty handbound volumes of nearly 1,800 poems, or “fascicles” as they are sometimes called. Dickinson assembled these booklets by folding and sewing five or six sheets of stationery paper and copying what seem to be final versions of poems. The handwritten poems show a variety of dash-like marks of various sizes and directions (some are even vertical). The poems were initially unbound and published according to the aesthetics of her many early editors, who removed her unusual and varied dashes, replacing them with traditional punctuation. The current standard version of her poems replaces her dashes with an en-dash, which is a closer typographical approximation to her intention. The original order of the poems was not restored until 1981, when Ralph W. Franklin used the physical evidence of the paper itself to restore her intended order, relying on smudge marks, needle punctures, and other clues to reassemble the packets. Since then, many critics have argued that there is a thematic unity in these small collections, rather than their order being simply chronological or convenient. The Manuscript Books of Emily Dickinson (Belknap Press, 1981) is the only volume that keeps the order intact.

Some information on Emily Dickinson was found at:

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/emily-dickinson and at  Wikipedia.

Emily Dickinson was a jewel indeed and so is the book – ‘The New England Butt’ry shelf Almanac. By Mary Mason Campbell. Emily is featured for February’s portrait, February’s flower is the Amaranth, as I shared in my last post.

February Portrait Bird ~ THE SONG SPARROW

The most optimistic and hopeful bird we know is the Song Sparrow, who arrives in the garden – if indeed he has ever left it- to sing his first Song of Spring in the wintry cold and dark of February.

`The New England Butt’ry Almanac by Mary Mason Campbell

I sit and hear the blithe song-sparrow sing

His strain of rapture not to be suppressed…..

That song of perfect trust, of perfect cheer,

Courageous, constant, free of doubt or fear.

~Celia Thaxter

We have some lovely little sparrow living about us. They serenade Mitzy and I on our promenades. We also have doves that coo to us in the morning and a cardinal couple who sing to us from the trees out back as we sit in our rocking chair sipping  our tea. What lovely feathered friends to you have about you?

FEBRUARY ~ Portrait – Tea Time Delectable

~ Rosemary Butter –

~ Mother’s Ginger Tea Cakes

~ Quaker Maids

~Apricot filled cookies

~Doubles Chocolate Tea Cakes

~Gillian’s Tea Loaf

You can find the recipes for these delectables in the book – ‘The New England Butt’ry Shelf Almanac’ By Mary Mason Campbell & Tasha Tudor

Happy leap year to you. I know I’m glad I had an extra day!!

You can find many of the books I mention in my post at:

http://tashatudorandfamily.com/

Please note all content and photos of this blog, F.B. and etsy shop are copyright@2016 by Melissa O’Connor. Please do not remove with out my permission.

Thank you very much to those who ask, I enjoy working with you!

DO NOT PIN!!