Tasha Tudor

I’ve always loved the art of Tasha Tudor.  Before I was born, my mom bought me A Time to Keep, and many of Tasha’s books were among our favorite childhood read-alouds.  Her illustrations draw you into another world.

 

That’s not to romanticize Tasha or her way of life.  She herself said, “The past wasn’t as romantic as people seem to think.  There were many hardships, especially for women.”  She also said, “People have a rose-colored lens when they look at me.  They don’t realize I’m human.  They don’t see the real me.  As Mark Twain said, we are like the moon, we all have our dark side that we never show to anybody.” 

 

I grew up on a farm—not quite as primitive as Tasha’s, but moving in that direction—and there was bad along with the good.  I experienced 5AM births of wide-eyed fuzzy calves, drank milk fresh from the cow, gathered warm brown eggs from beneath hens, and picked produce from our huge garden.  Many nights we sat down for our family supper and everything on the table came from our farm.  But…Animals die.  Drought kills crops, gardens, and flowers.  Accidents happen with equipment.  And probably the biggest negative, animals can come between the farmer and human relationships, for if there’s no responsible stand-in, their daily care keeps him from travel or spending much time away, even evening engagements.  They always come first. 

So that’s a consideration for those longing for this kind of life.  It’s the main reason I haven’t pursued it for myself.  For me, people need to come first.  Unless it’s an issue of life and death, I never want to have to choose between spending time with the people I love and caring for an animal.  Maybe one day I will find a way to strike some sort of balance, but for now a lifestyle is not worth the sacrifices I’d have to make in my relationships. 

Still, Tasha’s life and her work are a sort of rustic fairy tale, an escape from the rigors of daily life to a state of charming pastoral perfection.  I adore her books.  They inspire me to pursue my passions, embrace femininity, spend time doing things with my children.

I didn’t have time to post on Tasha Tudor Day, but I did steal a few moments in the midst of a busy weekend to page through The PrivateWorld of Tasha Tudor.  Over the next day or so I hope to read some of Tasha’s books with my children.

Thanks to Clarice and Suzanne for hosting Tasha Tudor Day!  I enjoyed every post!

Pink and Gray

{photo source unknown}

The next couple weeks leave me with a little "extra" time, not that this busy mama ever has time that is truly extra. But a bit more expendable time than usual. I plan to redo my girls' room--fingers crossed and all goes well. They have waited a long time to have a pretty room. We have yet to find the magical method of keeping their room clean, but I want them to have a space they are proud to keep in order. I found a beautiful vintage platter that is our inspiration piece. I'll post a picture soon. Their colors are pink and gray with a touch of green. I want to paint all the mismatched furniture white. My oldest required some French-inspired touches.

I made a trip to Lowe's today for paint samples, and to Hobby Lobby for some items to get started. I was pleased that nearly everything I bought was either on sale or clearance, or from the thrift store. I still need to purchase the paint and one or two items, but that will have to wait till the weekend.

The photo above is the inspiration photo that we all agree we love. The girls already have pink comforters, so the room will not look the same as the picture--in fact, it really won't look anything like it. But the color combo and the soft, romantic look is what we are after. Pictures to come!