Stretching Up Towards The Sun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.       

 

 

William Wordsworth, via 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

The Outfit:

 

 

Vintage 1970s maxi dress with shawl sleeves: bought from Ebay

 

White flower hairclip: in the sale from Accessorize

 

Red chinese cuff bracelet: a gift from my aunt in Hong Kong

 

Red & black chinese earrings: a gift from my aunt in Hong Kong

 

Daffodils: all planted by my man and myself when we first moved here to the deep country!

 

The Soundtrack

 

 

Leonard Cohen: Suzanne

 

 

Photographs taken by me, self portraits using the timer on my little digital camera.

 

I'm delighted to be a part of the next Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from www.notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.co.uk, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.

Russet Velvet & The Redhead

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“And the two women stood side by side looking at the slender, flowering tree. Although it was so still it seemed, like the flame of a candle, to stretch up, to point, to quiver in the bright air, to grow taller and taller as they gazed - almost to touch the rim of the round, silver moon.
How long did they stand there? Both, as it were, caught in that circle of unearthly light, understanding each other perfectly, creatures of another world, and wondering what they were to do in this one with all this blissful treasure that burned in their bosoms and dropped, in silver flowers, from their hair and hands?”

 

 

Extract from Bliss & Other Stories by Katharine Mansfield, via 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Outfit:

 

Vintage 1930s russet velvet evening dress with ruched panels: made by granny Kiki for Kiki Couture

Vintage 1910-30s? bejewelled buckle silk satin shoes: passed down from granny Kiki

 

Vintage 1920s bracelet: passed down from granny Penny to my mother

 

Red chinese cuff bracelet: a gift from my aunt in Hong Kong

 

Vintage 1930s necklace, worn as a headband: passed down from granny Penny

 

Earrings: my mother's, from Accessorize

 

Large blue ring: a recent present from a friend

Lilac rose hair clip: an old present from my mother

The Soundtrack

Edith Sitwell: Through Gilded Trellises

 

 

As you may have guessed, the painting of the beautiful redhead is a portrait of my granny Kiki, painted at the start of the 1930s when she was in her early twenties.

Photographs taken at my parents' house by me, self portraits using the timer on my little digital camera.

 

 

 Sorry I've been too busy this week to comment on many blogs, and haven't had a chance to respond to your kind comments either. Please know that even when I don't have time to respond I appreciate your comments so much.

 

 

I'm delighted to be a part of the next Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from www.notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.co.uk, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.

 

 

Fin De Siecle

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It has made me better loving you...it has made me wiser, and easier, and brighter. I used to want a great many things before, and to be angry that I did not have them. Theoretically, I was satisfied. I flattered myself that I had limited my wants. But I was subject to irritation; I used to have morbid sterile hateful fits of hunger, of desire. Now I really am satisfied, because I can’t think of anything better. It’s just as when one has been trying to spell out a book in the twilight, and suddenly the lamp comes in. I had been putting out my eyes over the book of life, and finding nothing to reward me for my pains; but now that I can read it properly I see that it’s a delightful story.”  

 

Extract from The Portrait Of A Lady by Henry James, via 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Outfit

 

Vintage Victorian Black Lace & Pink Satin Cape: passed down from granny Kiki

 

Vintage 1930s Purple Satin Skirt With Velvet Trim: made by granny Kiki for Kiki Couture

 

Black & Purple Beaded Top: a gift from a friend, originally from the high street

 

Black Wide Brimmed Summer Hat: from Next

 

Vintage Black Lace: from granny Kiki

 

Vintage Silver Earrings: from granny Penny

 

Vintage Ruby, Diamond & Gold Ring: my 'non-wedding' ring from Mr Eve

 

The Daffodils: planted by my own hands 5 years ago

  

 

 

The Soundtrack

 

Erik Satie: Gymnopedie



All photographs taken by me, self portraits using the self timer on my little digital camera.



I want to say a massive thank you to two wonderful blogging ladies:
Jill who in her gorgeous blog Tea With The Vintage Baroness featured me in Sunday's blog post as one of  her favourite 'Dreamy Bloggers' - see the post here;
and Veshoevius, who I haven't forgotten gave me a Versatile Blogger Award a while back via her inspiring blog The Taxonomy Of My Wardrobe - see the post here - I'm still working on that response for you sweetheart!

I'm delighted to be a part of Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from www.notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.co.uk, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.

Roaring Boho: How The 70s Wore The 30s

 

  

  

 

I married Isis on the fifth day of May,
But I could not hold on to her very long.
So I cut off my hair and I rode straight away
For the wild unknown country where I could not go wrong.

I came to a high place of darkness and light.
The dividing line ran through the center of town.
I hitched up my pony to a post on the rise,
Went in to a laundry to wash my clothes down.

A man in the corner approached me for a match.
I knew right away he was not ordinary.
He said, "Are you lookin` for somethin` easy to catch?"
I said, "I got no money." He said, "That ain`t necessary."

We set out that night for the cold in the North.
I gave him my blanket, he gave me his word.
I said, "Where are we goin`?" He said we`d be back by the fourth.
I said, "That`s the best news that I`ve ever heard."

I was thinkin` about turquoise, I was thinkin` about gold,
I was thinkin` about diamonds and the world`s biggest necklace.
As we rode through the canyons, through the devilish cold,
I was thinkin` about Isis, how she thought I was so reckless.

How she told me that one day we would meet up again,
And things would be different the next time we wed,
If I only could hang on and just be her friend.
I still can`t remember all the best things she said.

We came to the pyramids all embedded in ice.
He said, "There`s a body I`m tryin` to find.
If I carry it out it`ll bring a good price."
`Twas then that I knew what he had on his mind.

The wind it was howlin` and the snow was outrageous.
We chopped through the night and we chopped through the dawn.
When he died I was hopin` that it wasn`t contagious,
But I made up my mind that I had to go on.

I broke into the tomb, but the casket was empty.
There was no jewels, no nothin`, I felt I`d been had.
When I saw that my partner was just bein` friendly,
When I took up his offer I must-a been mad.

I picked up his body and I dragged him inside,
Threw him down in the hole and I put back the cover.
I said a quick prayer and I felt satisfied.
Then I rode back to find Isis just to tell her I love her.

She was there in the meadow where the creek used to rise.
Blinded by sleep and in need of a bed,
I came in from the East with the sun in my eyes.
I cursed her one time then I rode on ahead.

She said, "Where ya been?" I said, "No place special."
She said, "You look different." I said, "Well, I guess."
She said, "You been gone." I said, "That`s only natural."
She said, "You gonna stay." I said, "If you want me to, yes."

Isis, oh, Isis, you mystical child.
What drives me to you is what drives me insane.
I still can remember the way that you smiled
On the fifth day of May in the drizzlin` rain

 

 

Lyrics of the song Isis, by Bob Dylan, via 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Outfit:

 

Blue Floral Palazzo Trousers: from Ebay

Old Faux Sheepskin Jacket: very old from Morgan

 

Grandad knitted waistcoat: very old from H&M

 

Vintage Hand Knitted Fringed Cardigan: from Oxfam Online

 

Two Tone Brogues: from the sale at Toast

 

Teal Cloche: from a local market

 

Leather Messenger Bag: very old from Topshop

Sunglasses: very old from Topshop

The Soundtrack

Bob Dylan: Desire

Photographs taken by me, self portraits using the timer on my little digital camera.

I'm delighted to be a part of Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from www.notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.co.uk, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.

English Rain

 

 

 

 

The Rain

 

 

All night the sound had

come back again,

and again falls

this quiet, persistent rain.

 

What am I to myself

that must be remembered,

insisted upon

so often? Is it

 

that never the ease,

even the hardness,

of rain falling

will have for me

 

something other than this,

something not so insistent—

am I to be locked in this

final uneasiness.

 

Love, if you love me,

lie next to me.

Be for me, like rain,

the getting out

 

of the tiredness, the fatuousness, the semi-

lust of intentional indifference.

Be wet

with a decent happiness

 

 

by Robert Creeley, via 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Outfit:

Red Coat: used to belong to late granny Penny

Vintage Crinkle Skirt: from late granny Penny

Green Snood: from the high street years ago

Red Faux Leather Gloves: gift from a friend

Vintage Red Poppy Umbrella: used to belong to late granny Kiki

Hunter Wellies: from Ebay

 

 

 

The Soundtrack:

 

Nick Cave: Push The Sky Away

 

 

All photographs taken by me, self portraits using the self timer on my little digital camera.  Sorry about the even fuzzier than usual images - the camera seems sad about the lack of light, it can only focus clearly in the sunshine!

 

I'm delighted to be a part of Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from www.notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.co.uk, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.