Sunday, January 22, 2012

swans and artists

One evening, Tasha and I watched Jane Eyre with Marjorie Tudor, enjoying the film's costumes, the gardens, manor house and the richness of the English traditions. We dined on bowls of Tasha's vegetable soup, nibbled fresh bread, and sipped our tea. As a farm wife, my life is limited by the rhythm of the seasons and I have never been to England. After the film ended, I said, "Once in my life, I wish I could experience living like that..."

Tasha smiled and told us: Many years ago when she was studying art in England, a Lord invited her to for a weekend at his castle, a fairytale place surrounded by a moat and floating swans. Upon her arrival, Tasha was given a maid to take care of her, and at the dinner table, a footman stood behind her, to move her chair and take care of her. The Lord had invited other artists, and they spent the afternoons in a studio-like room, painting and talking about the creative process.

I sighed. "How enchanting, I wish I could have been a mouse in the corner, watching the events."

"It was fun," Tasha said. "But I would rather be here with you, eating homemade soup, chatting in Corgi Cottage."

I've never forgotten that compliment that also illustrated how Tasha valued simple moments shared with friends.

5 comments:

  1. Joan, had not heard of this event in England, how interesting!

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  2. Very fun and sweet. There's nothing like true friendship.

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  3. Wonderfulmemory- thanks for sharing it.

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  4. Thank you for sharing this memory with us. I had never read about Tasha being intertained by a Lord, how interesting. I love it that she said that she would have rather been there at Corgi Cottage with friends.

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  5. Lovely story. I think, as nice as It must have been, I would have felt the same as Tasha. xo

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