Shakespeare upon the Ridge

The Bard and Loyal

Jane Eborall Design and Art traveled all the way from UK to brighten my day!

Normally, I do not travel very far; a jaunt to the Wal Mart parking lot, Albertson's for groceries. The trips to Tucson, while tiring, have been a change. I've hard people say that the desert has no color; but, believe me when I say that in May the desert blooms with color. At least 15 hues of green..from darkest deep to greyed greens

Blossoms on weed and wild flower alike, range from orange, deep purple to yellow. The yucca's creamy white becomes an opaque tint of yellow. Add a sunset at about 6 PM and the desert becomes a painter's pallet.

In May, I sent a pendant to Judith Conners and received one of her own design, in return for the In Tatters exchange. I worked diligently on the pattern by Yarnplayer. A cross with a rose in the middle. I was fairly sure that Judith would be at ease with the cross since she has a beautiful prayer book covering amongst her patterns. Let me tell you, friend, I was one intimidated little ridgetatter. You can imagine my amazement, as well as a big sigh of relief when I received the following this past week.

"Your lovely pendant arrived just as I was to set up a display in our local library for the Queensland Tatters. So it had pride of place in the display for the month of May. After that I showed it to the tatters at our monthly meeting last Saturday. They loved it, and were so interested that it had travelled so far.
Once again, thank you very much. Judith"

I promised that the mid-month June blog would have some photos of tatting; and, so I shall keep that promise. Because of the quirkiness of blogging and layout, the photos and scans will all be at the top...but I did give them comments, for your edification.

A few weeks ago I made a public statement that for my 75th birthday I would dye a purple streak in my hair! Well, I was half correct. Now, I'm dim when it comes to math (it's said in other areas too ~ but 'fie' upon them). No matter how you subtract 1936 from 2010 you will NOT get that lovely, symmetrical 7 5. See that well balanced 7, and the 5 with its straight hat and round tummy? 74 looks anemic. I am 74 today. That is the half that was wrong (obviously).

However, I did it! I put the wild streak in my hair...a deep purple; applied with glee by Kelly (the day before she was married to Chris). And DH walks around with a low rumble, "Purple PURPLE" But, you see, it is a warning to people not to judge a book by its cover.

Oh sure, I'm a bit "more to love", and sport quite a few well-earned wrinkles and a growing number of silver strands in the brunette hair...but, in the heart I'm twenty-something! That time when you are no longer a child but NOT QUITE adult, with adult angst and foresight. YET, the beauty is I'm old enough that someone might just think I am quirky and eccentric; and, who am I to deny such judgements? My youngest daughter, BB, said, "I like it!" (meaning the idea, as she hasn't seen it) But Kelly was really qute restrained so this is not a truly Punk Purple...it's a little more Rocker Purple (after all, I was a 50's Gal from Grant).

My birthday was very quiet. In fact I did not leave the bed most of the day. I got up at 6 AM, showered, put on fresh lounging gown and plopped myself down with the lap top. Later, I tatted for about an hour. BUT, just after breakfast Loyal brought out......THE PACKAGE FROM UK......

I had truly dire threats that I was NOT to open the packet from Jane Eborall. I might say, Stern warnings. Loyal hid it from me because he KNOWS I can't resist a package nor chocolate. He waited till after breakfast so he would be finished, too. You see, it was rumored that there was something within the packet for HIM.

He opened his first because I insisted! He is the only guy in Silver City with a 3-inch figure of Shakespeare upon his refrigerator. I know he was touched because when he opened it he sort of laughed...or began, and it kind of choked in his throat and he marched off to the kitchen with his prize.

When he returned I began opening each wrapped remembrance. A lovely Tea Towel commemorating all that is Stratford upon Avon, a book with colour plates of all the sites of the area. Complete with sticky notes...comments by Jane about the various homes and areas. I have at last seen the Banbury Cross my Mommie read to me in the nursery rhyme. You MUST understand that I love books; but, especially I love the works of Shakespeare.

"Oh, that this too too solid flesh would melt, thaw, resolve itself into a dew!"

(I must be thinking of dieting again).

The third package held the personal prize. It is that lovely, linen hankie with the edging Jane designed and had up on her blog (this is the second time she has done this to me!)....Plus, I have the pattern. (ho ho) It takes a great deal to make a Teutonic personality become sentimental...but deep in my heart of hearts I just bubbled inside with the warmth of friendship. Were it not for tatting, I would never have experienced such joy. And if I ever get a pence or three, I'm going to Stratford upon Avon and give my friend Jane, a humongous hug...