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Monday, March 21, 2011

A Delightsome Life Celebrate Spring Blog party And Spring Violets


Joining with A Delightsome Life for the Celebrate Spring blog party.




In Edith Holden's classic Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady written in 1906,  Edith quotes William Wordsworth's poem "Lines Written In Early Spring" on page 27 which I reproduce here:


I heard a thousand blended notes
While in a grove I sat reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts,
Bring sad thoughts to the mind;

To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.

Though primrose tufts in that green bower
The periwinkle trailed it's wreathes,
And tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure, -
But the least motion which they made,
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan
To catch the breezy air
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature's holy plan
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?




Spring by Louis Lawrence 1882


A page from the March/April 2009 issue of Victoria Magazine with Peonies which I love. The peony has a special place in China where they are called sho yo or "most beautiful"

But my favorite harbinger of spring is the violet, shyly carpeting the banks under my evergreens and just beginning to pop out their delicately curved leaves and blossoms of lavender and white with heart shaped leaves. Violets and violas make a winter rimed heart lift and the spirit smile!

This is a 1920s birthday gift card for a spring birthday. A lovely vintage piece with a violet theme:



And the famous Devon Violets fragrance in a Devon Torquay Motto Ware bottle with the crown top. The interior still has a faint violet scent.







And of course, a Shelley China Pansy Chintz teacup in the Old Cambridge shape...one of my very favorites!

To see more about these items at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.

Although there are still showers, there are still more sunny days. So enjoy your bulbs as they resurrect from the deeps of winter and rejoice in the sunshine! Life is good and we have so much to be thankful for!

8 comments:

  1. Such a lovely post! I enjoyed the poem and the Pansy Shelley teacup is gorgeous! Happy Spring!

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  2. Happy Spring!! Thanks so much for the wonderful words from William Wordsworth ~ can't you just find yourself in the grove that he describes?

    Blessings,
    Robin

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  3. What a lovely celebration of Spring! I love those violets too - they're popping up everywhere - loved that article in Victoria on Peonies - I am peaking at mine each day - have several buds!
    Love, love,love country diary! I have the video too! It's such a Delightsome book and story!!!
    Thank you for sharing this post with us this week at Celebrate Spring with Victoria
    God Bless,
    Kathy

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  4. What pretty teacups today! And I think the pretty chalk(?) drawing by Lawrence is very sweet. Have a wonderful springtime! Bess

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  5. Lovely! I love that book "The Country Diary.." I have seen that in Victoria. The passage by Wordsworth is perfect for now. Love the violet bottle, how wonderful is that. Thanks fpr stopping by.
    Sherry

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  6. Happy Spring! Love the poems and the spring photos!...Christine

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  7. I love the poem "Lines Written In Early Spring" I love the book The Country Diary too and I am wondering where to find it . You created one wonderful post for Celebrating Spring !
    Happy Spring!

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  8. That looks like a great book "the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" I too love peonies, your post was lovely.

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