A bit of a "ta-da" moment

Arboretum is now a finished top.

It was a bit too big for my regular holder-upper's help, so yesterday it came along to quilt group with me where some obliging arms helped hold it.  It was even a bit large for those arms, but never mind.  It's done.....and I am thrilled with it!

Now to join some wadding pieces together, and go shopping for backing fabric, and have it quilted.  And of course, not to forget to make a label.

The thought has even occurred to me that four more trees could be made and turned into a seasonal hanging....now, that would be fun.....

How has everyone been?  The Hay Fever from Hades is (mostly) moving back to from whence it came, thank goodness, although every now and then it makes an unwelcome return to tap me on the shoulder as a reminder of its presence.  We had some rain earlier in the week and more is forecast for the coming week, so perhaps that will wash away some dust.  The hill behind us was dry, dead and brown, but now it has a little coating of green.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn, but not knitted.  Much practicing of next Sunday's poem and song competition pieces have been taking place, and those errant chords are now firmly fixed in my brain along with the words; a little fine tuning, and it will be even better.  I made it to choir on Thursday afternoon after two weeks' absence and managed most of the notes, although there were a few which defeated me.  We hunted and foraged, our regular social activity - there's usually someone we know to chat to as we wend our way around the shops, so it's quite a sociable pastime for a couple of Olde Phartes.

There are still trees with autumn colour, but those leaves are rapidly dropping; a tree not far from our place will soon have bare branches as its glorious red/bronze leaves will be a thing of the past - but also of the future, because next year it will happen all over again. 

"The bridal costume.

The most approved bridal costume for young brides is of white silk, high corsage, a long wide veil of white tulle, reaching to the feet, and a wreath of maiden-blush roses with orange blossoms.  The roses she can continue to wear, but the orange blossoms are only suitable for the ceremony."  

I am assuming that the maiden-blush roses are artificial, as real roses could be used for one occasion only.  The "white wedding dress" with its accompaniments is a relative modern idea, started by Queen Victoria back in 1840; before then a wedding dress was not necessarily new (a bride would probably wear her best dress, no matter what the colour) or even white.  A white dress was not a practical idea in those days before modern washing machines, so only wealthy families could afford such an unsuitable dress for a daughter's wedding.  The 'virginal purity' symbolism of a white dress is, likewise, not such a very old idea either, just something which has become attached to the colour white over the years.

Besides which, white doesn't suit everyone, does it?

When Kevin and I married, my dress was a very 1970s long floral dress with a deep double frill around the hem, much in style for the time.  It was certainly not white.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer