“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost
Showing posts with label vintage illustrations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vintage illustrations. Show all posts

Sunday, October 21, 2018

Hallow's Eve Is Almost Here 🎃👻

It's almost Halloween my friends! I've made my annual candy purchase at Costco and am ready for the little ghosts and goblins to appear at the door! Hopefully our weather will cooperate and we won't have snow! Since it occurs on a Wednesday night, I'm thinking we'll have a light turnout anyway.

We've actually already had snow here. If you look closely at Guy's coat in the picture below, you'll see tiny little snow flakes! It was a surprisingly cold day and you can tell by his expression he wasn't too pleased! Shortly after I took the photo he was at the door wanting in. Neither of us was ready for snow yet!








I found an autumnal poem about the moon and twinkling stars with witches having tea and current cakes. What else could you want of a friendly gathering!?




Dusk in Autumn
Sara Teasdale, 1884 - 1933
The moon is like a scimitar,
A little silver scimitar,
A-drifting down the sky.
And near beside it is a star,
A timid twinkling golden star,
That watches likes an eye.

And thro’ the nursery window-pane
The witches have a fire again,
Just like the ones we make,—
And now I know they’re having tea,
I wish they’d give a cup to me,
With witches’ currant cake.
 



My image below of Cranberry Scones is the best I could do to represent the witches' current cake from the poem. This photo took on a rather ghoulish look though, sometimes food photos don't turn out the way we want! I've posted the recipe before here's the link if you'd like it.
 Scone Recipe









Gotta fly folks! Hope your Halloween is fun!
🎃🎃 ~ Diane ~ 🎃🎃


Sunday, September 18, 2016

My Neck of the Woods

Hello! Anyone still out there?
I know, I've been gone for a whole month without any notice... Sometimes things happen to distract us from the blog world and draw us into the real world, sometimes the real world is hard.


While I was away some good things happened and a few bad things too.  That's the way it is, the bitter and the sweet all mixed together.

Let me catch you up to date on what's been going on ....


Some friends, my husband and I, went to the Apostle Islands, Wisconsin and sailed on Lake Superior for several days, and I lived through it ... (a blog post to come).



 After 9 hours of sailing, I felt like the mushroom on the right...


I've spent lots of time on my Etsy shop, working on inventory and social media, like Instagram....


https://www.etsy.com/listing/475390057/daily-dime-bank-buckaroo-cowboy-coin?ref=shop_home_active_17
  
Daily Dime Bank, Buckaroo Cowboy




My sales have been good this summer, keeping me 
busy shipping and restocking my inventory...

 




Vintage Chef Cats Salt Pepper Shakers

Vintage Chef Cats Salt and Pepper Shakers


The garden still requires some work and of course I have to spend time with my two adorable cats. Family visits and little excursions about town seems to have taken up the rest of my time this summer.


Politics this year seems to be even more hateful than most years, but I did think it funny that I found these blue elephants.  I thought they would be a great gift for the conflicted voter, but alas, one has a broken and re-glued trunk, so they will be staying at my house for the time being!



mother goose rhymes
 Mother Goose Rhymes

This 1953 edition of Mother Goose has the most adorable illustrations by Eulalie M. Banks. It's one of those books that I almost don't want to sell because I just love the sweet images!  But it is for sale now in my shop.. Click on the first image of the items to see the full listing and information.



 The image above and below are more from the Mother Goose book...



Locally some major things have happened since I was last here.

As I wrote in a previous post, Prince Rogers Nelson passed away last April.  His home and studio, Paisley Park, is opening for tours this month and next month there will be a tribute concert in St. Paul.

On a very sad note, the 27 year mystery of what happened to the young boy Jacob Wetterling has finally been solved and his family is having a memorial service for him at the end of September. After all these years he will finally be put to rest. If you haven't heard of this, just google his name and you will find the stories, I haven't the heart to go into any more details here.







So that's about it folks. Summer is fast coming to a close and the days are already getting shorter. My garden is winding down for the summer and will soon be covered with falling leaves. I'm hoping I have more time to spend here on the blog as I do enjoy visiting with all of you. If you are on Instagram, follow if you wish, I do tend to get over there more often just because it's so quick and easy.


I must dash away now... see you soon!
~~Diane~~


Sunday, May 1, 2016

Dancing Round the Maypole


I'm so happy that May has arrived. I'm as happy as these little critters dancing around the Maypole!

In early April I had sent out a tweet pic (of snow and sleet) with the message that 'April was the cruelest month.'  It turned out to be a crueler month than I could have imagined. We had been teased by the warmer temperatures in March and then April arrived, pelted us with sleet and hail and then rained purple tears all over us. I'm glad April is behind us.

Welcome May! Sun-kissed and sweet, May is the true beginning of spring up north. The flowers start to bloom in earnest and the green things leap out of the ground!

 Plum Blossoms 





 Purple Violets

What a pity flowers can utter no sound! 
A singing rose, a whispering violet, a murmuring honeysuckle, 
Oh, what a rare and exquisite miracle would these be!
                            
                                   ~~ Henry Ward Beecher


 Raindrops on the Bloodroot leaves

After raining on us for nearly a week the sun finally came out.



Guy Noir enjoying some sun...




 
I'm wishing for all of you fine weather 
and lovely new memories in the month of May. 
~~ Diane ~~



Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Singing Frogs

Last post I spoke of dancing bunnies and this week it's all about singing frogs.  I am fascinated by nature and have always had a curiosity about the creatures I encounter in the garden. Maybe this comes from growing up as the only girl on a somewhat secluded farm. My playground was 600 acres of woodland, prairie, deep sand filled ravines and a creek that ran through the middle of the property. There wasn't much else to do other than read and explore!




The illustration above is from my collection, the illustrator is Adrana Saviozzi from the book Somebody Saw, 1962.

I still remember those days as a child, when younger, accompanied by my two older brothers, but then later on when I was older, exploring on my own. It was all so magical.  I guess I've really never experienced it in any other way since.  I often wonder if my time entertaining myself when younger created the introvert I am today, or was I just comfortable being on my own because I was an introvert? I guess, I'll never really know the answer to that question!

Anyway... back to the frogs... You may remember that last year I was very upset because there were no frogs around our lake. I wrote about it here.  In past years we would see the small tree frogs around the garden and hear them at night singing. It was a crazy cacophony of sound that I loved to listen to at night while drifting off to sleep. Some people don't care for the sound, but those are the loud bull frogs that most people complain about, our tree frogs have a most amazing lyrical, musical sound.

Of course I couldn't write about frogs without thinking of some books I have that are delightfully illustrated with frogs dancing, prancing, singing etc.


This poem is in the vintage set of Best in Children's Books by Doubleday. 1960 Volume 30 - A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go (illustrated by Adrienne Adams) - available in my shop here. The following two images are from the same book. Illustrations are by Adrienne Adams.



I was so happy the other night when I heard the frogs start to sing. The first night I heard just one and now several days later I'm hearing maybe four or five different frog voices. Not nearly as many as there used to be, but I'm hoping that if it's a good year, there will be a bunch of tadpoles in our lake that will grow up to be wonderful singing frogs!

So you may be wondering, how do frogs survive the winter? Well first of all I did some reading and found out that they are called ectotherms. The body temperature of ectotherms follows their environment, for example if it is cold outside, their body temperature falls. They must bask in the sun to get warm and cool off in the shade, or under the water. Amphibians, reptiles and insects are ectotherms. 

To live through the winter Spring Peepers, Green/Gray frogs and others bury themselves in the mud (about an inch deep) around a wetland, such as a lake or stream. They have special components in their body that actually act as antifreeze. Their body converts glycogen into glucose, which keeps the frog alive while it's frozen solid. When the ground becomes warm again in spring, the frogs thaw-out and remain active until winter comes around again! That's why at first I heard just one frog and then as the days went by more and more, because the frogs were just 'waking' up from their hibernation.




So I can happily say that Spring is truly here! I hope our little frogs make a comeback and return to become a thriving community again. It's a very nice turn of events and so fitting as it is Earth Day this Friday on April 22nd. It's nice to see that with all the obstacles they face, our little frogs are a win for nature.





So, I've got to run, much like the frog above... and I'll be running 'round to your blogs soon, Heigh Ho!

Hope you are enjoying some warmer Spring weather wherever you are!
~~~ Diane ~~~



Monday, February 1, 2016

The Hunger Moon

Welcome February...




In February there are days,
Blue, and nearly warm,
When horses switch their tails, and ducks
Go quacking through the farm.
When all the world turns round to feel
The sun upon its back...
When winter lifts a little bit
And spring peeks through the crack!

Dorothy Aldis


  
Poem and artwork (by artist Robert J. Lee) borrowed from my personal collection of vintage books and book art.

February is sometimes referred to as the Hunger Moon due to the difficulty obtaining food at this time of year. Of course that was before supermarkets and Costcos. However, me must not forget that there are still many people that do not have enough food for their families.


Food insecure—At times during the year, these households were uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they had insufficient money or other resources for food.

  • 14.0 percent (17.4 million) of U.S. households were food insecure at some time during 2014. (source)



Another more common name used now days is the Snow Moon, for obvious reasons, the snow piles that get even higher in the month of February.

In fact we are expecting more snow this week, just a little bit, most of the heavy snow is going to blanket the states south of us. We still have yet to see a real blizzard here this winter. I'm actually a little disappointed!

Stay safe and warm wherever you are, 
and thanks again for stopping in to visit! 
If you are able to donate to your local food shelf this month, 
I'm sure they would greatly appreciate it.

~~ Diane ~~




Thursday, April 9, 2015

Once Upon a Time



We have April showers.  The rain is pattering on the roof and when I step outside I smell the sweet scent of spring earth .... the smell of the garden waking up after its long winter slumber. The Fairies are awake again too, and they sometimes sneak in and bring little presents.

I found one hanging out next to the bottle of Port wine. He looks to be holding up some kind of little snack. Don't mind if I do little Fairy friend. The sound of rain on the roof, a wee bit of Port and a snack. It's a nice way to spend the evening.

I remembered that somewhere in my image files I also had a sweet little Fairy poem with an illustration. Probably ripped from some old magazine long ago, I love the illustration and the poem.  I uploaded it to my Fairy Pinterest board and wrote the poem out so it's easier to read.






Once Upon a Time by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman illustrated by Childe Hassam circa 1900







Once Upon A Time

Now, once upon a time, a nest of fairies
Was in a meadow 'neath a wild rose-tree;
And, once upon a time, the violets clustered
So thick around it one could scarcely see;
And, once upon a time, a troop of children
Came dancing by upon the flowery ground;
And, once upon a time, the nest of fairies,
With shouts of joy and wonderment they found;
And, once upon a time, the fairies fluttered
On purple winglets, shimmering in the sun;
And, once upon a time, the nest forsaking,
They flew off thro' the violets, every one;
And, once upon a time, the children followed
With loud halloos along the meadow green;
And, once upon a time, the fairies vanished,
And never more could one of them be seen;
And, once upon a time, the children sought them
For many a day, but fruitless was their quest,
For, once upon a time, amid the violets,
They only found the fairies' empty nest.

by
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

illustrated 
by Childe Hassam

 

Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman (October 31, 1852 – March 13, 1930) was a prominent 19th-century American author.  Frederick Childe Hassam (October 17, 1859 – August 27, 1935) was a prolific American Impressionist painter, noted for his urban and coastal scenes. In 1882, Hassam became a free-lance illustrator (known as a "black-and-white man" in the trade), and established his first studio. He specialized in illustrating children's stories for magazines such as Harper's Weekly, Scribner's Monthly, and The Century.




Remember if you come upon some Fairies in the garden, tread softly, 
you don't want to frighten them away!
~~ Diane ~~






Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Hello March


Time goes on. The days are growing longer again and March has arrived with the promise of spring. We still are bound by the cold winds and snow, but soon we will welcome the first blooms of a native flower called bloodroot.

Such an awful name for such a pretty flower. Named for the red sap that leaks from the roots when cut, it should have a better name....  March Miracle, or Miracle In Snow perhaps, because it will bloom even at the coldest temperatures and with snow upon its leaves. The Latin name is Sanguinaria, which isn't much better.  So by the end of the month or at least by early April, we will see the flowers starting to bloom.

The Poem below is from one of my favorite vintage children's books, Poems for Boys and Girls illustrated by Marjorie Barrows.  I hope you enjoy this somewhat melancholy, yet hopeful poem. Thanks to Debra's observation, I have provided a link for more about the author of the poem, click on her name to find out more.








The Night Will Never Stay
by

The night will never stay,
The night will still go by.
Though with a million stars
You pin it to the sky,
Though you bind it with the blowing wind
And buckle it with the moon,
The night will slip away
Like sorrow or a tune



I hope your week is full of peace and love.
~~Diane~~



What are the signs of spring in your area?


*click for more about Eleanor Farjeon

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Be of Good Cheer



Vintage Illustration from "The Happy Rabbit" by Patricia Barton

Even though the snow covers the ground and the cold air took my breath away when I stepped outside this morning, I experienced something that made me very happy.  I couldn't help but feel joyful when I heard the cheerful voices of the finch and chickadees today when I went out to refill the bird feeders. 

So this afternoon while starting to write my blog post, I thought about complaining about February seeming like the longest month of all, but I stopped and I decided to change my mindset. No complaining about the weather because it is what it is.  Instead I thought about this morning, enjoying the song of the happy little birds and the pretty shadows on our new fallen snow.

Occasionally we've all had heartbreaks, illness and innumerous sufferings that have troubled us.  I know a few blog friends who are going through really difficult times right now, and they are in my thoughts and prayers. I'm sorry for any of you that are going through rough times now that I'm unaware of.  But, if you're like me and you're in a good place, then for goodness sake don't let the little things get you down.

Try and find a bit of joy in your day... 
it can be as simple as the song of a little bird.

~~ Diane ~~

What kinds of simple things give you joy in your everyday life?