This Friday

Treasures from last weekend's outing--

Sweetheart's "new" giant teacup. (Notice how small my regular teacup looks.)

A tag with button that reads, "This is a button from the coat my father was married in in 1828. Used by Louisa for a letter stamp. - M.J. Morris"

I also picked up some wonderful vintage buttons, lace trim, and a doily that perfectly matches one I have that was my Great-Grandmother's. We had a wonderful time.

One of the Company Girl's Small Things (click on the button above for more info) was to tidy up our bookshelves. This took some time over a few days as we have six sets of bookshelves in our home. Three are in our Family Room and the other three are scattered around the upstairs' rooms.

We like books. As we do not have a television, we read a lot. Four of the sets of shelves are antique barrister bookcases, one is a simple set my Dad built with his Dad when he was young, and the final set is the low set in this picture my Dad built few years ago.

Speaking of my Dad, he surprised us with a quick visit last night.

I wish he could have stayed longer. He and the boys played and played.

I took a few pictures of some of my favorite vintage books to share with you all.


Sweetheart really likes his tea.

Still Longing

Enough! I have decided I need to gather some bits of springtime today and bring them into our home. I know that it is February and while I have really focused these last few years on living in the moment, I still find I need a flower.
So, I will open up some of my beautiful books, and leave them out open to pictures of beauty and spring. The Private World of Tasha Tudor comes to mind. Maybe a few tea books for inspiration as well. A quiet tea time for one today during naps, journaling in my Everything Book searching out some springish pages I know are in there, a search on my hands and knees through the gardens for signs of life, and a flower.
We are low on eggs so I think we will bundle up and head out for eggs and flowers. Maybe a hyacinth? A tulip or daffodil? I know I saw some a few weeks ago at the market. Just a bloom would do so much.
Also on my heart, the season of Lent begins tomorrow with Ash Wednesday. It seems early. I must gather up my Lenten devotional and put in it my basket to have ready. Thinking of a laying aside for Lent, praying and pondering what He would have me do. I think it will be a giving up of my time and how I am using it and not a thing this year.
It is not out of legalism, but a desire to grow in faithfulness. I am listening.

Oh Dear!

We may have watched too many BBC movies. Dumpling and Pumpkin are playing with their Thomas the Train set on the living room floor. For those of you who don't know, each train and car has a name--Thomas, James, Percy, etc. One car is named Elizabeth. In our house however, it's not just Elizabeth. It's Elizabeth Gaskell.

No, I did not start this. Dumpling did. "I haf Elizabeth Gaskell on da track, Mama."

It's hilarious! Of course, the fact that I'm reading Wives and Daughters and the music from North and South is playing in the background probably doesn't help.

Now all we need is some of those Jane Austen action figures.