Followers

Monday 19 August 2013

Monday; vintage;




The correct usage of the word vintage must be used with a year.

So in common use, the undated term describes something that is old enough to be in fashion again.



These hand embroidered small towels are vintage between 1940 and 1950.
They are all in very good  condition. On a couple are tiny blemishes from age. To me this does not matter it adds to their charm.
 I love the idea that someone has taken the time to produce small every day items of beauty. I use them as placemats, randomly never the same colours together. They add old world chic to a table setting.


Beautifully hand embroidered, appliqué technic and crochet border.


White and yellow embroidered and crochet.




A French armoire with home linens arranged in a traditional manner, 
with embroidered dust covers over the shelves.

The first known household linens were made from thin yarn spun from flax fibres to make linen cloth. 
Ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Phoenicia all cultivated flax crops. The earliest surviving fragments of linen cloth have been found in Egyptian tombs and date to 4000 BCE. Flax fibres have been found in cloth fragments in Europe that date to the Neolithic prehistoric age.

Cotton is another popular fiber for making  household linens. Its use in cloth-making  dates back to prehistoric times, in India, China, Peru and Egypt.
 India was  well known for high quality cotton cloth as early as 1500 BC. Linen was an especially popular cloth during the Middle Ages in Europe, and the tradition of calling household fabric goods "linens" dates from this period.
 According to Medieval tradition, which survived up until the modern era, a bride would often be given a gift of linens made by the women in her family as a wedding present, to help her set up her new married home.
 In France this was called a trousseau, and was often presented to the bride in a wooden hope chest.

The Industrial Revolution brought changes to cloth manufacturing. The rise of European colonialism at the same time helped support the rapid growth of cloth production by creating many cheap sources of raw materials. 
British cloth manufacturers would import raw cotton from America and the British West Indies to Ireland, where it would be spun into yarn. The yarn would be imported into England, where mechanized factories employed thousands of workers, who would weave cloth on industrial looms. In 1781, a cloth producer from Manchester testified about his business to a committee of the House of Commons in the British Parliament. He stated that he employed 6000 workers, who would print and stamp 60,000 yards of cotton and linen fabric a year. Other European countries manufactured and traded their own types of household linens as well, and mass manufacturing techniques and trade competition gradually made affordable household linens common.

©Photos/Text Ts
Some excerpts courtesy Wikipedia


Thursday 15 August 2013

Thursday; Bookshelf;


A beautifully written book, highly recommended for people with an interest in plants and history. These sort of books are my favourites and a must have in my library.

The Knot by Jane Borodale;



 The story about a remarkable man, Henry Lyte; 


This is a story about dreams, about the fragility of human achievements and the restorative and destructive powers of nature.
Anno 1565. Across Europe.a new era of natural science is dawning. In a remote corner of Somerset, a pioneer is working to change the course of English Botany. Passionate, private, meticulous, Henry Lyte has begun to neglect his other responsibilities in the pursuit of knowledge. This has happened before with disastrous results.


The good and vertuous Physition, whose purpose is rather the health of many, than the wealthe of himselfe, will not, I hope mislike this my enterprise, which to this purpose specially tendeth, that even the meanest of my countrymen (whose skill is not so profound, that they can fetch this knowledge out of strange tongues, nor their abilitie so wealthy, as to entrtaine a learned Physition) may yet in time of their necessitie have some helps in their owne, or their neighbors fields and gardens at home.

Henry Lyte, a Niewe Herball 1578



Tuesday 13 August 2013

Tuesday; complete or finished;



No English dictionary has been able to adequately explain the difference between these two words: complete and finished.
In a recently linguistic competition held in London, England, and attended by the best in the world, Samsundar Balgobin, a Guyanese man from Bachelors Adventure, was the clear winner with a standing ovation which lasted over 5 minutes.
The final question was: How do you explain the difference between COMPLETE and FINISHED in a way that is easy  to understand.  
 Some people say there is no difference between COMPLETE and FINISHED.
Here is his astute answer .... when you marry the right woman, you are COMPLETE. When you marry the wrong woman, you are FINISHED.   And when the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are COMPLETELY FINISHED!



Monday 12 August 2013

Monday; phoshene;



Phosphene
The lights you see when you close your eyes and rub them;


 Physiology .
a luminous image produced by mechanical stimulation of the retina, as by pressure applied to the eyeball by the finger when the lid is closed.

Origin:
1870–75;  < French phosphène,  irregular < Greek phôs  light (contraction of pháos ) + phaínein  to show, shine

A phosphene is a phenomenon characterized by the experience of seeing light without light actually entering the eye
Phosphenes are flashes of light, often associated with optic neuritis, induced by movement or sound.


Courtesy Wikipedia

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Wednesday; silk & science;



 GENETICALLY MODIFIED SILK IS STRONGER THAN STEEL

At the University of Wyoming, scientists modified a group of silkworms to produce silk that is, weight for weight, stronger than steel. Different groups hope to benefit from the super-strength silk, including stronger sutures for the medical community, a biodegradable alternative to plastics,

 bbc.co.uk


Photo Courtesy of Indigo Moon Yarns.


Tuesday 6 August 2013

Tuesday; musica; GIANGOL - La Lüna



Arrivederci Ticino!

Giangol (Switzerland)

Giangol,  from an antique game that children played in our valleys in times gone by ( dialectal name from Val Cavargna) to a new group whose intent is to have fun and to entertain. Made up of musicians who for some time have shaken the Ticino and international folk scene presenting popular songs from Tessin, Lombardy, Piedmont, and the Venetian region in a modern and pleasurable way, without compromising the musical quality and the personalisation of their tracks.

With Davide Zoppellari ( vocals, guitar), Leo Canepa (vocals, accordion), Katia Albertoni (vocals, percussions), Stefano Fedele (violin, mandolin, hurdy-gurdy), Patrick Botticchio (djembe, cajon).??







Sunday 4 August 2013

Sunday; au·toch·tho·nous;

< Greek autóchthon  of the land itself,   the earth, land,

Ecology, one of the indigenous animals or plants of a region.


Banksia integrifolia; or simply coast Banksia;





Notice the white underside of the leaves.


© Ts Photos my garden.

Banksia integrifolia, commonly known as Coast Banksia, is a species of tree that grows along the east coast of Australia. One of the most widely distributed Banksia species, it occurs between Victoria and Central Queensland in a broad range of habitats, from coastal dunes to mountains. It is highly variable in form, but is most often encountered as a tree up to 25 metres. Leaves have dark green upper surfaces and white undersides.

It is one of the four original Banksia species collected by Sir Joseph Banks in 1770, and one of four species published in 1782 as part of Carolus Linnaeus the Younger's original description of the genus. 

A hardy and versatile garden plant, B. integrifolia is widely planted in Australian gardens. It is a popular choice for parks and streetscapes, and has been used for bush revegetation and stabilisation of dunes. Its hardiness has prompted research into its suitability for use as a rootstock in the cut flower trade.

It was known to Indigenous Australians,  the Gunai people of Gippsland called it Birrna.
Because of its wide range it would have a name in a number of other indigenous languages, but these are now lost. In 2001, a search of historical archives for recorded indigenous names of Victorian flora and fauna failed to find a single name for the species.



Tuesday 30 July 2013

Tuesday; rescue;


Kookaburra, still a youngster;

Saturday morning I went to the back garden, Billy as always at my side. I was looking around and just noticed a flurry of feathers, in haste I said:" Billy stop", but it was not Billy, because he never touches any wildlife in the garden.The Kookaburra above was wedged between a fork of three small branches and he could not move forwards or back. His beak was wide open, quite exhausted from trying to get free. I think when Billy past it, it flapped its wing, one was caught as well. Luckily I could prise the branches apart and with some luck it came free. He was fairly numb from his ordeal. I checked  that nothing was broken and let him recover. After a couple of hours he was sitting on a nearby tree. Perhaps he was chased or chased something, and was caught in this unfortunate situation.
This time all is well for this youngster.

My grand children liked to sing this song;

Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree,
Merry merry king of the bush is he.
Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra,
Gay your life must be!


Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree,
Eating all the gum drops he can see.
Stop Kookaburra, stop Kookaburra
Save some there for me!


Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree,
Counting all the monkeys he can see.
Laugh Kookaburra, laugh Kookaburra
That's not a monkey, that's me!



©Ts Photo/Text

Saturday 27 July 2013

Sepia Saturday 187; old books;

Before the PC arrived,
there were books nothing but books;




Before PC's there were just books to learn from, like these old, leather bound books for electrical Engineers.


I have learned to read at an early age  and since then I have been fascinated by books. Both these old books have shaped my life. They were already old when they found their way into my bookshelf.
The one on the left is bound into fine, soft suede, which shows now  bad signs of old age. It is an encyclopaedia which was full of knowledge for a hungry child. The other a very old book about biology, botany which opened up my love and interest in plants at an early age.


Encyclopaedia;



Botany;

...for more old books or such...


Wednesday 24 July 2013

Wednesday; famous...



Chester E. Macduffee,  his newly patented, 250 kilo diving suit, 1911.

It must have been scary to dive in this monster suit.



Attorney at law, Mohandas Gandhi, 1893.

In September 1888, at age 18, Gandhi left India, without his wife and newborn son, in order to study to become a barrister (lawyer) in London. Attempting to fit into English society, Gandhi spent his first three months in London attempting to make himself into an English gentleman by buying new suits, fine-tuning his English accent, learning French, and taking violin and dance lessons. After three months of these expensive endeavours, Gandhi decided they were a waste of time and money. He then cancelled all of these classes and spent the remainder of his three-year stay in London being a serious student and living a very simple lifestyle.





This  earnest  looking young man would one day be the  famous Charlie Chaplin




 The last Tasmanian Tiger, 1933.

The TasmanianTiger, unfortunately hunted to extinction. One more "glorious deed" of the human race.





This girl working in a factory in 1944,  was later the famous  Marilyn  Monroe.



Hope you enjoyed this "famous" trip back.



Courtesy ; excerpts from  Gandhi's Biography and 
Ink Tank

Monday 22 July 2013

Monday; memories;


My stylish mother; spring 1930

But who shall so forecast the years
And find in loss a gain to match?
Or reach a hand thro' time to catch
The far-off interest of tears?
Alfred Lord Tennyson


Saturday 20 July 2013

Sepia Saturday 186;


Helvetia 
is the female national personification of Switzerland, officially Confœderatio Helvetica, the Swiss Confederation.




Helvetia on the right with Geneva; National monument in Geneva Switzerland.


The allegory is typically pictured in a flowing gown, with a spear and a shield emblazoned with the Swiss flag, and commonly with braided hair, commonly with a wreath as a symbol of confederation. The name is a derivation of the ethnonym Helvetii, the name of the Gaulish tribe inhabiting the Swiss Plateau prior to the Roman conquest.



Old stamp;





Swiss money;


The Swiss Confederation continues to use the name in its Latin form.  The  name Helvetia appears on postage stamps, coins and other uses; the full name, Confœderatio Helvetica, is abbreviated for uses such as on vehicle registration codes,  CH.


 Switzerland = CH

A modern Helvetia!



Please visit sepia Saturday 186

Friday 19 July 2013

Friday; gladness;




Iceberg roses in my garden;


In the morning I drink my coffee and  look out into the garden, my heart sings when I see it green and fresh from the nightly rain…





©Photo/Text Ts





Thursday 18 July 2013

Thursday; comfort;




Time for ease and comfort; Ts



Home is our comfort zone; Ts



Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always. 




Simple things make life comfortable, a smile, kindness, a helping hand…Ts





As older  I get as more comfortable becomes the past. Ts



Every child needs a family's comfort.



©Photos/Text Ts

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Tuesday; sun play;


SUN


Found a keyhole at 6:50 AM




Here she comes, golden, tiny,  forcing her light  through the branches and leaves...6:51 AM



Here she is gilding everything around her...6:53 AM


Sunlight playing beautifully in the mighty Eucalyptus tree.  6:54 AM



©Photos/Text Ts

Friday 12 July 2013

Friday; thinkers;


Plato
Philosopher
Born: 427 BC, Athens, Greece
Died: 347 BC, Athens, Greece
Plato
a philosopher in Classical Greece, was also a mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues. Founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the foundations of Western philosophy and science.

Plato's dialogues have been used to teach a range of subjects, including philosophy, logic, ethics, rhetoric, religion and mathematics.

Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.

All the gold which is under or upon the earth is not enough to give in exchange for virtue.



Jacek Yerka


Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence.


Democracy... is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder; and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike.


No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to persevere to the end in their nature and education.



Fabi; I want to know more...


©Photos/Text Ts

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Tuesday; Morning;

A new day is approaching...


Photo taken without flash;

It is  Tuesday, 6:13 AM. Through the window I can just make out the silhouettes of the nearest Paperbark tree. It looks very beautiful and very still. With my camera I try  and want to keep this moment, as daylight quickly seeps in from all directions.
   Blustering cackles of the Kookaburras and  the plain  cawing of some crows  keep pace with the approaching light.



Daylight;

Good Morning, have a nice day.


©Photos/Text Ts



Monday 8 July 2013

Monday; fantasy;


My granddaughter loves fantasy, another little note I found in one of my cookbooks.




The faculty or activity of imagining things that are impossible or improbable.

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary plot.
Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic and magical creatures are common. 
In popular culture, the fantasy genre is predominantly of the medievalist form, especially since the worldwide success of The Lord of the Rings and related books by J. R. R. Tolkien.
 In its broadest sense, however, fantasy comprises works by many writers, artists, film makers, and musicians, from ancient myths and legends to many recent works embraced by a wide audience today.



My garden and its little fantasy ;  every garden needs a little bit of fantasy;

 Fantasy has the inclusion of fantastic elements in a setting,  inspiration from mythology and folklore.  The fantastical element may be hidden, or  may leak into the real world setting. It may draw the characters into a world with such elements, or it may occur entirely in a fantasy world setting. Fantasy follows rules of its own,  allowing magic and other fantastic devices to be used.


©Photos/Text Ts.

Sunday 7 July 2013

Sunday; free;


My garden;


Every religion has a lot to answer for! Give me a religion who has not done evil in its own name.  Ts


©Photo/Text Ts