THEME THURSDAY: LUNCH






Some of my most memorable lunches came after church at my Grandmother Coleman’s house. She referred to them as Sunday ‘dinners’ and they were always around 12:30 PM, just enough time for everyone to get to her house after their various services. Lunch for her was hardly what one might have every day. We had Sweet tea, lemonade and coffee to drink (no soda pop at her house). The meal consisted of at least two different entrees. That was usually fried (always prepared in a deep black cast iron pot) or baked chicken with dressing (sometimes turkey), a roast of some sort and even meatloaf as well. She had two huge vegetable gardens so in the summer we always had fresh vegetable dishes, at least six-eight to accompany the main courses, and then of course two or three desserts to choose from. Of the latter, cakes, pies and cobblers were always on the sideboards to tease us throughout the meal. I will say that in spite of the massive “lunch” on the table, we always had room for my Grandmother’s famous apple pie. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. It amazed us all that she managed to have feasts like this every week and refused to have anyone bring a dish. It would have been an insult to her to do so and she truly lived to prepare those meals. For her, it was a way to insure that the entire family would always at least be together once a week to fellowship. Needless to say, after these huge lunches/dinners, no one seemed to have much of an appetite for supper and if we did eat later, we usually took leftovers home from Grandma’s.

These days Sunday lunch usually consists of a salad and soup or a sandwich and some fruit with a cup of tea. That’s quite a far cry from those wonderful Sunday afternoon feasts, but much kinder to my waistline.

THEME THURSDAY: SIGN



I’ve never been much on reading or believing daily horoscopes but I must admit to recognizing more than a few similarities between myself and my astrological sun sign, Sagittarius. In the past, I’ve even had friends musingly christen me the poster child for the 'Archer’s' characteristic traits. With that in mind, how about the rest of you bloggers? To borrow from that ever ‘dated’ line from the 1970’s , “What’s your sign?”…and do you think you fit the characteristic traits?

Traits:
Sagittarians are eternal optimists. They have very positive outlooks on life, are full of enterprise, energy, versatility, creativity, adventurousness and an eagerness to extend most experiences for as long as possible( If they are pleasant, of course). They are dreamers and idealistic, drawn to travel and exploration. Because of this, they often select careers which will afford them that possibility. They are honorable, honest, trustworthy, truthful, generous and sincere with a passion for justice. Sagittarius is not a diplomatic sign like Libra and Scorpio. They are very straightforward, at times telling people more than they may wish to hear. They can be restless and dislike monotony. They are typically very extroverted and this lends well to situations where they will be in the spotlight. Like the other fire signs, they enjoy the outdoors. They are usually modest and are often religious. They are also strong-willed and good at organizing, a combination that gives them the ability to bring most projects to a successful conclusion( most but not all).

Mythology:
The sign in Greek Mythology is associated with the Centaur: half human, half horse. The Babylonians, however, identified Sagittarius as the god Pabilsag, a diety with wings and a lion's head.

THEME THURSDAY: BELL



(5 of my favorite cloche/bell and near cloche styled hats. The black lace trimmed one in the middle was a gift from Paula.)


In case you haven’t noticed from my profile picture or other random photos on this blog, my favorite hats just so happen to be cloches. The name of course is French for Bell. I’ve acquired many of them over the years and must say that one of my favorite cloches was given to me by a dear friend and Tea Society member, Paula Porter. In memory of Paula’s long battle with cancer, for others battling this disease, and for Barry’s triumphant completion of chemotherapy, I shall toss my bell shaped hat in the air and clap and rejoice in honor of all of you. Congratulations Barry!

This is for you!


Chemo at
Long last is
Over now
Caring
Hearts
Embrace and rejoice

...

THEME THURSDAY: RED



( A view from my red-walled parlor with a print of Rossetti's A Sea Spell above the fireplace mantel. This is my favorite spot to cuddle up with a hot cuppa Earl Grey and a good book. )



Hold then thy heart against her shining hair,
If, by thy fate, she spread it once for thee,
For when she nets a young man in that snare
So twine she him he never may be free.

(Lilith, translated from Goethe by Dante Gabriel Rossetti)

They peer out from beyond their idealized existence, skin luminescent glowing and flawless, faces belonging to goddesses, saints, and sirens. Their heavy lidded eyes stare dreamily off into a distant alter- reality. Their feminine mystique exudes through their full ruby red lips. They manifest into our world by way of rich vibrant paint on canvas, straight out of ancient mythology and medieval legend.

Commanding, powerful bodies, languid swanlike necks, and striking features almost always served as a prerequisite in order for these women to be christened a “stunner”, an affectionate term given to their specially selected models by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Morris, and A. Charles Swinburne. Rossetti and company elevated common, mortal, milliner’s assistants, shop girls, daughters, and mothers to tragic heroines and romanticized deities.

Perhaps the most peculiar feature that these seductive creatures often had in common was their flowing red hair. This was an attribute greatly desired by the above mentioned artists, among others, of the period.

Below is an offering of some of my favorite Rossetti's, all featuring one of his beloved "stunners", Alexa Wilding. She is seen in all her glory with alluring fiery serpentine red hair so often associated with that of a Pre-Raphaelite muse.




(A Sea Spell, Rossetti)


(Veronica Veronese, Rossetti)


(Lady Lilith, Rossetti)


( Roman Window, Rossetti)

THEME THURSDAY: BREAD

Homage to the Scone






We eat more than our fair share of bread at our Tea Society events, and being a “southern girl” I’ve certainly grown up eating lots of my Grandmother’s mouthwatering buttermilk biscuits and my Mother’s delectable cornbread. Yet, when I think of bread, my first thought is of the Scone...

Ah, that trademark sidekick to the ultimate cuppa. I’ve made them so often for tea events that I think I could make them in my sleep and I can’t really imagine a tea event without them. Being the history buff that I am, of course I had to delve into the origin of this wonderful tea accompaniment.

When I think of scones, I tend to associate their appearance at the "Tea Table" with refinement and a traditional English Afternoon Tea. However, the origin of this bread is believed to have been in Scotland. In its earliest form, it was a simple quick bread made with oats and barley flour. It was often shaped into a round mound and scored or cut into wedges. The dough was then baked on a Scottish griddle or “girdle” over an open fire.

Where did the name come from? It is believed that this popular Tea bread took its name from the Pictish Kingdom of Scone (Scotland). The exact origin of the name is possibly Dutch, German, or Gaelic. The pronunciation is also intriguing and debatable. Throughout Great Britain one may hear “skaun” or “skoane”. Either is considered acceptable. I have to admit, being born and raised south of the Mason Dixon line, I tend to favor the latter, “skoane”, drawing out the “oa”, of course…

Ah...care to join me for some cream cheese and pecan scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream- all with bottomless pots of Barry’s Irish Breakfast?

THEME THURSDAY: SURFACE




I’ve always had this very strange fascination with old gnarled tree roots, the kind of roots that have burst forth to the surface of the soil like Merlin’s languid fingers. They tickle the earth and in time become covered with a coat of deep green lichen. They embark outward on a journey of discovery, for something more- something once feared to be buried and lost. They seem forgotten in years of dormancy but waiting for the opportunity to spring forth once more to reveal that life is still contained there.

When I was a very young art student, I had this enigmatic professor who took my studio class out on drawing days to forgotten cemeteries in search of the most interesting trees with these wayward surface roots, so large that one could carve a bench from them and certainly called to mind roots from Tolkien’s Fangorn forest. I sat, mesmerized, before stately oaks and maples, ancient, weathered, hypnotic and seductive. I longed to know their history, to be close to them, and to glimpse into a mirror of the past to see all that transpired before them. I still do.

Why do roots that normally stay underground, cloaked in darkness, emerge from the soil? Science explains that roots often grow more shallowly beneath the soil than many of us ever imagined; it depends largely on the type of tree. The surface soil might erode and make way for the roots to expand and erupt, in very much the same way that a tree trunk expands with age. The older more mature roots of trees will increase and grow larger, waiting until the time is right to rise to the surface, spread, and extend outward. To me this is a strange sort of freedom from the depths of the earth. Is this a final chance for these great wonders to reveal that there is more there than meets the eye? I believe that they could be making a plea to the natural world and to all that stumble upon them, that they might truly be seen.

THEME THURSDAY: HISTORY

THE HISTORY OF MISTLETOE





Given that the celebratory Christmas season is upon us, it seemed fitting to explore the history of a time honored tradition, as well as an interesting decoration, to mark Theme Thursday this week. So, I chose to delve into the peculiar history of mistletoe.

Mistletoe’s historical origins in America can be traced back to the 17Th century, but its genesis and tales of discovery and mystical stories of tragedy and redemption have much more ancient beginnings.

One of the earliest associations with mistletoe can be found in Norse history through mythology. The lore begins with Frigga, Goddess of beauty and love. When her son, Baldur was born, she sought out all the species in the plant kingdom, save one, mistletoe, to insure that her son would never be harmed. Due to her neglect, the god of evil, Loki, found Baldur and killed him with a mistletoe-laced spear. In Fridda’s despair, she wept tears of tiny white berries comparable to the ones found on mistletoe. When Baldur was eventually brought back to life, Fridda made a vow that she would kiss anyone who walked under the mistletoe.

( Druids Cutting Mistletoe)

The second association is found in the history of the ancient Druids. When the warring clans would come in contact with mistletoe, they would cease to do battle and call a truce, if only momentarily. Some historians suggest that this act of peace, instead of the Norse account, may have actually been the precursor to traditional associations with kissing when standing underneath the balls of berry -laden greenery.

Though some cultures have made the association of mistletoe with marriage, when a man kisses a woman while standing underneath, most merely see a person there as stumbling upon the chance encounter for a kiss and an embrace.



On a much less romantic note, mistletoe’s botanical history reveals that not only is the plant poisoness, but it is in fact viewed as a “partial parasitic plant”. It can actually survive on its own, through photosynthesis, and will attach its roots into trees, robbing them of nutrients.

I don’t know about you, but I certainly prefer the romantic Norse or Druid ‘Histories’ to the Botanical one…

THEME THURSDAY: LATE



Late Warnings:

I was thinking of the phrase "better late than never" and how in most cases it seems innocent enough. However, my mind took a turn to when being late actually results or has resulted in devastation, especially when being precisely on time or even early could have prevented a catastrophe. A great example of this is in the case of the Titanic tragedy of 1912.

On Titanic's maiden voyage from Southampton, England, she cast off and departed precisely on time. That was on Wednesday, April 10, 1912 at noon. On Titanic's second day at sea, the wireless operators began receiving the first of many iceberg warnings from a number of ships in the North Atlantic,some of which reported that they had been forced to cease their voyages due to encountering dense icebergs and ice fields. However,Titanic's Captain Smith ignored the warnings and continued on, powering the vessel at full strength with the ferocity of its 30,000 horsepower engines blazing.



As history has revealed, not all the ice warnings reached the bridge. Tragically, the wireless had broken down on Friday night, and a number of unsent messages multiplied, destined to remain in a sort of limbo until the radio was fixed. As the operators worked to clear the backlog, most of the messages were of little importance- a large number of them from elite passengers sharing the wonders of their trip to friends and family. Consequently, because the operators focused on these mundane messages, late ice warnings were never delivered to Captain Smith or his officers. In fact, the California, a near-by ship, endeavored to contact Titanic as late as 10 minutes prior to impact with the ill-fated iceberg. The response from Titanic? The wireless operators told them to "Shut-up!". At 11:40PM Titanic hit the iceberg. The lookout on duty, Frederick Fleet, was the first to spot the iceberg. Mistakenly,he believed it to be a small mass a mile or so away from the ship. He rang the "three-bell alarm" and then telephoned the bridge. It was then that first officer Murdoch shouted, " Hard a starboard and full speed astern!"...It was too late.

Sadly, we all know how this story ended....

THEME THURSDAY: TELEPHONE


(Faber's Euphonia)


(Faber's Euphonia 2)


(Alexander Graham Bell)





Telephone and Euphonia

We're all very familiar with Alexander Graham Bell and his contribution to developing a workable telephone, but how many of us have ever heard of Joseph Faber?
Faber, a German astronomer living in America, traveled across the Atlantic with P.T. Barnum to unveil his cutting-edge “Euphonia” at London’s Egyptian Hall in 1846. The astronomer had spent the previous 17 years perfecting this bizarre offering, and had even smashed and destroyed an earlier version of the machine after American audiences ignored his invention. The complex device was controlled by 17 levers, a bellows, and a telegraphic line. It was fashioned with the movable replica of a human face, which was able to faithfully replicate human speech. At the exhibition, Faber made his peculiar invention sing a haunting rendition of “God Save the Queen”.

In spite of the support and promotion by Barnum, Faber and his Euphonia became the subjects of ridicule. One of the Euphonia’s few devotees was a Scottish speech professor named Melville Bell. His son was none other than Alexander Graham Bell. The younger Bell made various attempts to reproduce speech, the most successful of which finally resulted in the workable telephone. Consequently, it was Faber's device that modern inventors credit with being a catalyst to Bell's prototypes. Unfortunately, Faber never realized how he was indirectly responsible for Bell's working device. Sadly, he destroyed his Euphonia and took his own life in the 1860s .

This is a description of the machine:

About this device:

" It is a speech synthesizer variously known as the Euphonia and the Amazing Talking Machine. By pumping air with the bellows ... and manipulating a series of plates, chambers, and other apparatus (including an artificial tongue ... ), the operator could make it speak any European language. A German immigrant named Joseph Faber spent seventeen years perfecting the Euphonia, only to find when he was finished that few people cared."