Good morning! Welcome to "Morning Musings".

Musings: to meditate, think, contemplate, deliberate, ponder, reflect, ruminate, reverie, daydream, introspection, dream, preoccupation, brood, cogitate.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady - December



Edith writes, "December was the last month of the old Roman year which was divided into ten months.  The Saxons called it 'winter-monat' or winter month, and 'heligh-monat', or holy month, from the fact that Christmas fell within it."

On the 7th she writes that it was the first real winter's day they've had.  Two days later they had the first snow.  On the 14th there was a heavy snowfall, but it melted quickly.  On the 25th, however, they awoke "to a snowy Christmas morning; sunshine later and sharp frost at night."  There was more snow on the 26th and on the 27th she writes, "In the paper today it reports that all Britain lies under snow from John O'Groats to Land's End for the first time for six years."  

The end of the biography and the DVD TV series both dealt with Edith's sudden death on March 15, 1920 in her 49th year.  She had apparently slipped into the backwaters of the Thames trying to reach a branch with her umbrella and drown.  She was known to experience dizzy spells whenever she had one of her frequent headaches.  This month's TV series was mostly a review as they have Edith thinking back over the years to sad and happy events.  Edith's 1906 diary was passed down through her husband's family.  In 1977 her great-niece, Rowena Stott,  had it published.  Rowena also took Edith's drawings from "Animals Around Us," wrote a story to go with them, and published "The Hedgehog Feast" in 1978. . . .

This month Bunny Mummy's December Nature Notes, features Edith's 1905 diary and photographs of winter scenes in the area that Edith lived.

I purchased a Christmas-themed book last month called The Country Diary Christmas Book. . . .

The first chapter is devoted to Edith Holden's Country Diary, but subsequent chapters dwell more on the Edwardian celebration of Christmas such a traditions, decorations, food and entertaining.
This month I drew and watercolored Edith's Holly and Ivy.  I drew it on my drawing pad for practice first. . . .


Then onto the watercolor paper. . . .

Gabriel and I took a break to take walk to photograph the holly and ivy that are in our yard. . . .


I copied from Edith's painting, though, and this is the result. . . .

These are some of my morning sketches in my journal. . . .

I've practiced Westies using Susan Jeffers' McDuff series. . . .
The hardest part is getting a Westie to look happy!
 

I didn't have any takers for my suggestion last month to send me YOUR Country Diary drawings, so I thought I'd close by including some links to other sites that talk about nature journaling:

A Penchant for Paper has a 4-part series on the topic of visual journals.  Click on the link to go to Part 4 which includes links to Parts 1, 2, and 3.  You'll also find a list of books and  blogs on the subject.

Simply Charlotte Mason has done a post called Nature Study Ideas for Winter based on The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.  There are some wonderful ideas here!  

My thanks to EVERYONE for following these posts each month and for all who left encouraging comments.  And to show just how much I appreciated your comments I wanted to give the person who left a comment every month one of the books I've featured this year.  After tallying them up, I found there was a tie so I'm giving away these two books. . . .

                                   

The winners are JANET from Rochester and PODSO (Dotsie).  Congratulations!   I'm going to let you pick which book you'd like.  The July post tells a little about the Herbal book and the Christmas Book is mentioned above.  So, Janet and Dotsie, first one to comment below gets to choose first.

As for what's next in my learning-to-draw adventure?  Come back in January to find out.

.•*¨`*•. ☆ .•*¨`*•
Take Joy!



21 comments:

  1. Hi Cathy, you've really captured the essence of this month's drawing. It's lovely with it's holiday colors. And thank you for suggesting another great book. Wishing you all the best for the holidays, Pat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Pat. I hope your Christmas is full of love, peace, and joy.

      Delete
    2. Your drawings are beautiful! I love the fact that you have holly growing in your yard. I miss the Northern foliage. It is just too hot in Florida for holly. Have you ever made wreaths or table centerpieces with it? Have a blessed Christmas & happy, healthy 2016! Love, Sis

      Delete
    3. We only just discovered the Holly a few years ago when we cleared our woods of the fallen trees and underbrush. Unfortunately, most of the leaves have spots on them and some are chewed so they're not particularly pretty for decoration.

      Delete
  2. Cathy, you have done a fine job of this month's drawing challenge. Your shading of the ivy is very nice. The Westie drawing in your journal (in the chair) is charming. Thank you for introducing me to Edith Holden. ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Martha Ellen and you're welcome. I love having someone with whom I can share the things I love knowing they appreciate it, too. That is a gift to me!

      Delete
  3. Loved the beautiful holly and ivy and the barn is a real delight. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your kind words. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas, too.

      Delete
  4. Holey moley! What a nice surprise! Thank you so much, Cathy. I can't believe my "inability to stifle" - as my Dad called it - has actually enabled me to win a prize! My Dad always teased me for my chattiness. Apparently I learned to talk EARLY and OFTEN and was referred to, in the family, as having been vaccinated with a phonograph needle! Remember them? Phonograph needles - now there's a blast from the blast. Anyway I've been impressed with your staunch dedication to your drawings. I don't know too much about drawing - except that I myself have no talent for it. But like music, drawing requires practice to become proficient and you are certainly doing that! I like the holly and ivy picture too. And the Westies of course. You'll need to do them for your children's books, right? Does Gabriel know he's going to be the subject of a book? Oh it doesn't matter which book you send - both look interesting to me - so let's wait to see if Dotsie has a preference and if she doesn't either, maybe you can eenie-meenie us! Hope you have most of your Christmas plans etc all taken care of, shopping done etc. I still have to make my gift bags but have all the materials. And there are 100 peanut butter balls in my freezer waiting to be thawed and gnawed on Christmas Eve! Take care & talk to you soon!

    PS - you are going to have so much fun with Olivia at Christmas this year, now that she knows a little better what's going on. She's still little though, I don't imagine she was too open about sitting on Santa's lap this year - or was she? Maybe the stalwart little soul climbed right on up? 🎄

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love surprising people, Janet. Dotsie hasn't commented yet, so we'll see what she says. I already have your address, so look for whichever book is not chosen to appear sometime next week. I'm glad your chattiness is being rewarded. After all, it's who you are. Your Christmas preparations sound like they should be a real hit in your family. I don't know if Olivia's parents took her to see Santa. I'll ask and let you know. Your cute little Christmas tree icon did not show up, as you see. Blogger's program doesn't recognize very many. What I do is copy and paste the icons that show up as question marks and that usually works.

      Delete
  5. Congratulations on this month's drawings. Your work was good before, but with your patience and practice you are reaching a whole new level of competence and I'm looking forward to more in the New Year. Now if only I could tear myself away from the laptop I could be following your path!
    In case our paths don't cross again before Friday, I'll take this opportunity to wish you and your family Nadolig Llawen ~ a Happy Christmas from Wales.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Deborah. I know what you mean about tearing yourself away from something you love to do to do something else you'd like to do. It helps to have a definite goal in mind--like I have to illustrate my story. I'm learning this about myself...what I need to do to fulfill my innermost longings. I'm realizing I need to get back to writing, too....but it means letting something go which may very well be being on the computer, which I don't want to give up. Perhaps the solution will be to set a time limit and time of day to do the computer and then stick to it. Nadolig Llawen to you, too. Do you speak Welsh as your first language now? Or only on occasion. In our family Bible from the 1800's (which I only have a transcription of) it records that our ancestor sailed from Wales in the 1700's....but we are definitely Scots-Irish. So I don't think that information about Wales is correct. I've always wondered, though, if we did have some sort of connection to Wales.

      Delete
  6. Merry Christmas Cathy! It has been a joy to watch you begin to bloom as an artist. And thank you for the introduction to Edith Holden. I hope everyone here has a Merry Christmas. The family begins to muster in tomorrow and for me that is the best gift of all. My mom will once again be spending Christmas with me. I love to watch her and my granddaughter Annabret working in the kitchen! Sheer joy!

    From West Texas
    Chris

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so happy for you, Chris. It will be a special Christmas indeed. Thank you for being here and offering your encouragement all year. Merry Christmas!

      Delete
  7. Cathy, your Holly and Ivy look very good! You can be proud of your work, you have learned well. I wonder what you will do next year to continue with your artwork. I finally purchased a copy of the Edith Holden DVD, Amazon had it. I haven't yet watched it so I didn't know she died so young. Enjoy your Christmas*****

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coming from you, Jeri, an accomplished artist, I feel greatly encouraged that I can do this--learn how to draw. Next year I hope to strike out on my own and make my own art. It feels like a huge chasm to cross right now, so I'm building a bridge right now. I think you will enjoy the nature scenes in the DVD. I want to watch them again this coming year.

      Delete
  8. Good early morning, Cathy. I came up to my little office on the second floor so I could enjoy listening to the rain on the roof. --After an earlier than desired wake up from a "false alarm"--or mistake with the alarm clock! First I enjoyed your Edith account and your drawings…holly and ivy so well done and the Westies too. Did you sketch the barn from your mind or did you have a model? And then what a surprise to read that I am to receive one of the books! To one "who never wins anything!" (Oops that's not true, we did win a door prize at our Sunday school class party for being married the longest. Beat another couple by 1/2 a year.) It's gracious of Janet to leave the choice to me. I am not so much into herbs so the Christmas book looks really good to me … and thank you, thank you!!! I'll send you my address. Enjoy your time with your family this Christmas--especially little Olivia---her eyes will be wide and bright this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dotsie, I'm so pleased that you won, too, especially since you've only won a contest once before. It is raining here, too. And it would have been snow it we were having normal temperatures. But with it being 46 degrees with a high of 75 on Thursday, it will only be a rainy week.

      Delete
    2. P.S. The barn drawing is not an original. I had a drawing from a book to guide me.

      Delete
  9. Your holly and ivy pictures are a lovely way to end your pictures from this wonderful book. I have enjoyed seeing them throughout the year and can't wait to see what you do next year. I think your Westie pictures are wonderful I can see Tavi in them! Have a wonderful Christmas. Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sarah, and it's good to know that my drawings look like a Westie to another Westie momma. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, too.

      Delete

Thank you for your comments! Please note: To prevent spam comments are published after moderation.