For the thought of You...

Because I know you all miss us...:)  and because I felt like sharing after reading Emily's beautiful and unforgettable excerpt from her own life, I thought I'd give you a peek through the windows of my life at present.

Here is some of what I have been working on... as often as I can.

A small family were gathered in the large-room of their home. The darkness was creeping softly across the floor, kept beneath their feet by the light of many candles. They were a mother and father, a son, and two daughters.

The elder daughter had her brown-y blue eyes bent on her sister’s face, a soft face that was aglow with joy.

“She wants you then?” The question came from the rosy lips beneath the elder daughter’s dark eyes. The rest of the family bent their heads in, listening too, awaiting the response of the younger girl.

“I asked her, like I’ve told you, and she was ever so sweet and blushing, happy, you know, that I’d want to do such a thing.”

The mother rose from her seat, her own graying hair still alive with the curls she shared with her daughters. A curious, motherly gladness was stealing over her softly wrinkled face. “My own daughter, servant to the ducissa. Oh! What wonderful things are happenin’ in my old age.” Her thin hand reached for her daughter’s. “I’m ever so proud of you, Leslie.”

“Thanks Mum. I hoped maybe I could make you so. But I thought, too, that serving someone so special to our people was a fit occupation for a girl like me. I’m simple, Mum, Dad.” She turned her head, still holding tightly to her mother’s hand, and gazed at the faces that looked back into hers. “I’m a simple person, not the smartest, nor the prettiest. But I think it fair to say I’ve got a good hand on kindness. I think that this, perhaps, is a way I can use it.”

Windsong, the sister, smiled with the smile that only one sister can give to the other, understanding the other’s words completely, remembering so much that spoke of their truth, happy in the memories they evoked. “I think so too, Les.” She said. “Your helpfulness always was destined for great things.”

“You’re a good girl, Lessie.” Her father spoke the words, and Leslie’s blue eyes beamed in her round face. Her brother too was grinning at her.

“It’s a bit odd to me, Les.” A smile was hiding in his words. “But I’m glad you’re happy. And I think Windy’s right. Something like this had to bump into you sooner or later. You were meant for it.”

It's rather simple, a sort of glimpse into the life of Fleurian faerie family. They are not huge characters, but their lifestyle, how their family works, and how that affects the other characters in the story, bears a heavy role in Part One.

Speaking of which! I shall finally make my thrilling announcement, one that some of you may have already heard. I have officially finished the first draft of my 272 page, 68,950 word...

Wandrian

A Faerie's Journey

I'm so happy!! The second draft is in progress. " Part One, In The Beginning" is officially ready for it's third draft.

I shall leave you now, ever so thoughtful and wishing you unending joy.

Emma

Christmas Draws Nigh

As Christmas draws nigh, our days have been filled with so many warm, delightful, and busy events happening in our Ramsey household. My camera and I have been very busy. :) But Emma has been even busier with Christmas sewing projects!  Thus, as to not completely neglect you dear friends, she persuaded me to share with you all my photos from our whirling days!  Rather timidly, I am attempting a post without my Emma who always seems to compliment my photos perfectly with her words...  

December in the Ramsey household is the season for...  

Baking cookies...

With Sarah Anne! =)

Cooking yummy meals together to serve around a full table...
Pulling out so many wonderful Christmas boxes!
Setting up our Willow Tree nativiy
Wearing RED scarves!

Making many wonderful pies...

Playing games with Grandma Pearl

Stringing lights with James....

Adorning the Christmas tree with so many colorful ornaments.

Putting on warm, red mittens. :-)
Curling Sarah Anne's hair...

Hanging angels and fairies on Mom's beautiful Angel Tree
... Celebrating His birth...

Merry Christmas from the Ramseys!!!

*Photo by Knightman Photography

May you continually overflow with His wonderful joy and peace in the coming year,
Ella

An End and a Beginning

Tonight, at 9:55 p.m., I submitted the final essay for my first college course. It was an online course, and the essay, the longest I've ever written, was due at 10:00. I am heaving a great sigh of relief now, ever so glad that it is over.
Yes... it is the end of one thing. Now I can begin to truly enjoy the Christmas season.. essays forgotten, anticipation awakened.

As I sat recording my "works cited" earlier this evening, our Christmas tree was set up against the living room wall near me. My head was bent on my work though my ears quivered with the joyous sounds around me. My family, sitting, drinking coffee and eating gingerbread, were laughing, giddy with the fresh smell of pine and the pleasant sounds of Christmas music.

This is what Christmas means to me, this sitting around with my family, discussing, perhaps, or reminiscing, laughing for no apparent reason, glad to be together.

Words Upon A Page, Tagged, Part One,

So, Johanna and I have been tagged, more than one time, for more than one meme.  I think it's about time we got started on them, don't you?

The first one is a book meme for which we were tagged by Emily and Amy and Julia.

Here are the rules...  

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages)
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people.

The book nearest me was my current reading material, Poirot's Casebook.  The story on page 123 was The Missing Will.  The fifth sentence...

I am not a great admirer of the so-called New Woman myself, and, in spite of her good looks, I was not particularly prepossessed in her favor.

6. "My business is of a somewhat unusual nature, Monsieur Poirot," she began, after she had accepted a chair.

7. "I had better begin at the beginning and tell you the whole story."

8."If you please, mademoiselle."

Johanna's also was a heavy tome of short-ish mystery stories, G.K. Chesterton's "The Complete Father Brown."

Sentence 5...

"Who is that?" cried Father Brown, stepping back with a hissing intake of his breath.

6.  "Oh, it is only that Hindoo humbug ," growled Harris; "but I don't know what the deuce he's doing here."

7.  "It looks like hypnotism," said Flambeau, biting his black moustache.  

8. "Why are you unmedical fellows always talking bosh about hypnotism?" cried the doctor.  "It looks a deal more like burglary."

And we tag:  Jolie at That Something Else

                     Stephanie

                      Katie at The Fiddlers Nook

                     Olivia at Working with Eager Hands

                     Keri at Quaint and Quirky

And thus ends Part One....

Post Script:  Hello from Ella!  I am here to announce that our new blog, dedicated to historical dancing is now complete!  Please come visit it and give us your input.  A Dance in Time

Whispers of Coming Joys

Sewing machines are purring gently through our house.
 

Piles of soft fabrics, black and white wool, wine colored satin, and vintage, green-y interfacing await the "snip, snap" of our scissors.

Vintage pictures smile up at us from vintage patterns.

We whisper.

And Christmas draws closer and closer.

P.S.  A blog regarding the annual Bonnie Blue Ball and other historical dances is in the works... We await its completion excitedly!

Even though I haven't the words

I feel, somehow, that I should share.  Perhaps I am making a request.  Perhaps I am merely musing.  But I must say something.

By the end of this day we should know who will sit in the Oval Office, who will lead our country.  It frightens me, terribly, to think of who it may be.  There is but one thing that keeps my head held high.  No matter who wins, no matter to whose name will be added the word, President, it is God who will lead our country.  If the hearts of his people are turned to him, he will lead us.  He will guide us and protect us.

I hate the media.  I know I should not hate,  and perhaps it is not the people I hate, but the deceptions they throw out to us, the mesh of lies and falsehoods that create the veil, no matter how thinly woven, that blinds the people of God to the truth.

Dear Father in Heaven, rip the veil.  Tear it in two.  Burn it in the fires of your wrath, and the fire of our passion for you.  Destroy the deception, Lord!  Help us to see!!  Go with us through this battle..

The day outside was a calm one, the sun covering the meadow like some gauzy gold shawl interwoven with glittering colored threads, it luxuriant folds dropped over the green of Fleure in a draping, flowing motion. Aldwin emerged from the palace into the brightness of the day, and found himself, looking up, blinded at the sun. The yellow orb lent a quietness to the air, and music seemed to drift from the sky, bathing him in light and peace.
“The calm before a storm,” he whispered. “Any moment we will feel the darkness again. We must be ready. He slipped to one knee behind a wall of white flowers and bowed his head.

“Be with us, Father. Night is coming. Awaken us when the day returns.”

-from "Wandrian, A Faerie's Journey"

Be with us, Father. Night is coming. Awaken us when the day returns.

Think deeply, my friends, before you make your mark, before you pen fills in that small round circle.  Think deeply.

And may God go with you,

Emma

And finally... Week in Feminine Dress, Day Seven

So much time has passed, I know, but last Saturday was a day to remember, and one, therefore, I cannot neglect sharing with you...

We rose early and washed our hair, lifting over our heads soft rayon and linen dresses made for our film, "The Photographer, How the Rain Falls". We put on our vintage shoes and our vintage hats, our gloves and our jewelry, and we were ready.

It was a parade, a parade of antique cars. Our brother, Sam, is wanting to sell the 1926 Chevy Sedan we used in our film, so he decided to run it through our city's annual antique car parade. So, of course, we put on our costumes and, fifteen minutes later, were sitting in the sedan in a long line of other old cars... waiting for the parade to commence.

And then, it did! And we were off...



It felt, almost, like we were at a reenactment; so many people wanted to take our pictures, so many faces lighting up with interest at the sight of our hats and our gloves waving out the car windows.

Our dresses are both made from vintage patterns and real rayon and linen. And don't you love the shoes? The hat I'm wearing is one of my very favorites. Do you notice my big, round "cheaters"? They are actual vintage eyeglasses with my prescription in them.


Afterwards, we came home to rest, donning more comfortable clothes.

Johanna, with the anticipation of another trip to town, wore her lacy, white, eyelet skirt, paired with a black and white polka-dotted blouse. Isn't the ensemble ever so sweet?


I wore my ever favorite, cowl-neck sweater over my embroidered denim skirt. For accent, I added a black necklace I made myself.


And here is Grace.  Isn't she sweet?  Her skirt is from Chadwicks and her top is from Bealls.  Don't her black beads and black shoes touch it off perfectly?  Not to mention her smile.

And that was the end, a rather eventful day... one full of memories, memories of our film, of the work we put into it, and full of good byes, good bye to the car we've grown to love so much, good bye to all the memories filling its warm, fragrant, interior.

So, for the moment, farewell, dear friends...

Emma and Johanna

Week In Feminine Dress, Day Six

The week has wandered by quietly, though crowded with sturdy work and busy thoughts.  Now it draws to a close.  Tomorrow is the last day... and then another week begins.

We went into town today, to attend an estate sale, anxious to dig through boxes and peer over rows of books, hoping to discover something amazing.  

I wore a deep orange turtleneck and my denim skirt embroidered with darker thread, both from Macy's.  

Then came my cozy, fleece-lined, brown, ballet flats.

To accessorize, I added my brown, corduroy jacket, my floral messenger bag, and my brown, newsboy-ish  hat.

Aren't these earrings lovely?

Johanna wore her darling little corduroy skirt from Goody's and her glittery, black t-neck with its elegant bell sleeves.

Her accessories?  Dark tights, a headband, and her black flats with shiny patent leather toes, a gift from Kami.

Grace wore a comfy denim skirt with an embroidered top.  To add a splash of color, she put on her dark pink shoes.

And then, of course, some beads....:)

For some odd reason, I feel as if it shouldn't be the end of October, but the end of December.  Lying on my back on our living room floor, swathed in soft flannel, feeling the chill of the outdoors in my mind, though I was so warm, it felt, truly, like winter.  It felt as if it should be Christmas, as if my mind should be echoing with favorite songs and last minute plans.  But, not yet.....

May this winter be a winter of hope and joy,

Emma and Johanna

Week In Feminine Dress, Day Five

Today was half spent in the shop, sanding and refining what remained of the hardwood doors.  We sped through, thinking only of what lay at the end of it, and by 10:45 we were finished.

We hurried to the house, shaking the dust from our clothes and slipping on fresh ones...

We went to get the mail just before dinner.

I wore my long skirt of the loveliest, softest flannel, made last winter, with my teal silk blouse from J.C.Penney. 

My sleeves are so elegant, they flutter around my arms in gorgeous, silken folds, pushing my imagination into the days when such things were an everyday appearance.

To add, and because they match so well, I slid my feet into my greeny, polka-dot, ballet flats.

Johanna wore a dark print, rayon skirt found at a thrift store, pairing it with our ever favorite cream wool tank, and a cozy black sweater.  

And, to cover her feet, she put on her beloved, black, ballet flats.

And to accessorize, round her neck went a lovely necklace of brown beads.

Grace too wore a rayon skirt, this one in a red with navy flowers, and wore with it her favorite white blouse from J.C.Penney.

Doesn't she look just like a princess?

Our Grace Kathleen....

I shall get into to bed now, wrapping myself in my flannel nightgown, embracing the chill in the air outside, glad that, once again, winter approaches.

May you all have dreams so sweet,

Emma and Johanna