I am deeply involved in editing 220 book pages today and feel like taking a break for some light hearted work. So... this blog post has a different, less professional, and less probing tone than usual, I think. It has been inspired by my most recent antique shop find, which is pictured to the left. I want to play up the sentimentality here to release myself from the thought of cold fingers typing away in my frigid office.
We were blessed with more snow in New England last night. (I say that in a snarky tone to get it out of my system before I move on to good-humor and sweetness.) I am not a winter person, but his charming little piece of ephemera makes it all seem less bleary. Though I do not usually like the word "charming" (because its use makes me think of those small fixer-upper houses that realtors like to describe as such hoping that you will overlook flaws to see some kind of inner beauty), it does seem appropriate for this early twentieth century card. The sun is shining out my window this morning, which makes it easier to have spring on my mind. The flowers framing this scene and the warm, soft colors are practically making my bones ache for the garden! I asked my youngster if she could imagine skating on those items they are affixing to their shoes and she responded negatively. I'm sure the dress-up costumes would be a hit. I'll have to remember to ask about that later. Those Victorians certainly could play up the sentiment. I wish life could always be happy little children in a garden...even in January.
Hi Melissa ~ I found your site via a link on FB from Marian Pierre-Louis. Love the sounds of your workshops.
ReplyDeleteAs a former archivist there's lots that catches my interest in your posts - I aim to become a regular reader.
As a real estate agent and house enthusiast though I feel compelled to rise up in defense of the use of "charming" to describe houses. "Charm" was one of my top three characteristics - perhaps even the most important one - that I hoped to find in a house when I bought. It's too bad that people - buyers and agents - shy away from using - or believing - the word. Charm is something that houses either have or decidedly don't have. But I know it when I see it!
ha, ha! Okay, I'll keep an open mind! I just wish that the realtors who helped me buy my first home had used the word "charming" for houses that really had charm and not for fixer-uppers. I got excited about "charming" at first and then learned that it didn't really mean what I thought it meant or what I wanted it to mean.
ReplyDeleteThanks for finding my site, Liz. I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts.