Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Mille Fleurs

 
 
Every year I read through Richardson Wright's day book called The Gardener's Bed-Book and every year I've wanted to replicate his mille fleurs, if not with the same flowers at least with his colors.
When you have tired of being "arty" in your house bouquets, try a mille fleurs, after the manner of the mediaeval tapestry weavers. Before me as I write stands a modernistic brass vase...and in it a loosely jumbled bouquet of white, cerise, plum and pink Cosmos, lemon yellow and orange Calendulas, pale lavender and white Larkspur, purple Asters, mauve and white Scabiosa, and burnt orange Zinnias.

Richardson Wright in 

The Gardener's Bed-Book

 

This year when I read it I decided to see what our garden had to offer.



 

 

 

 

 

Although the only flower I had that my favorite author listed was one burnt orange zinnia--and it was a volunteer...


And even though I didn't have a brass vase and had to use an old copper piece, I was pleased with how my own little mille fleurs turned out.

 

 

When I researched mille fleurs, that means "thousand flowers," I read that these were usually shown on green background, the flowers shown on European tapestries during the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. 


 

My flower arrangement rests on top of a stack of old interior design books edited by Richardson Wright when he was editor-in-chief of House & Garden magazine. These are treasures to me that I lose myself in over and over.

I also own five other books written by my favorite author and my top literary crush, and they stay out all the time for me to read and study, line by line slowly, pages of notes written down.

 

 

I count Richardson Wright as a blessing in my life, sent from the early 20th century to me, especially for such a time as this. 

How about you? Is there a special author who is your own Calgon, take me away blessing?  


 

  

Thursday, August 20, 2020

'Maters!

 

 

For five years I've saved this cover of Garden & Gun magazine's Aug/Sept issue, from their annual "The Southern Food Issue." 

 

 

And each summer I wait until a nice person gives us homegrown tomatoes and then make a tomato sandwich, something that was a favorite of my father's. No, I don't use Duke's mayo for it; Hellman's is my brand.

 

 

This summer two nice people have kept us supplied with homegrown tomatoes and they've been a delicious part of my menus. We've only grown cherry tomatoes for years now; just no luck with any other kind.

 

 

I made a small pot of tomato sauce to freeze for pasta with a few that were extra ripe. You can see a couple of Trader Joe's products behind the bowl that are favorites of mine. RH just made his first visit to TJ's since before the shut down happened and he found almost everything on my long list. 

 

 

Last July, Garden & Gun had an article about sterling silver tomato servers and I got out my only one and polished it up. The top one in their picture was valued at $500! Mine was much cheaper but pretty.


 

I use mine every time I make tomato aspic.

 

 

We've only had one good tomato so far off the one tomato plant our daughter planted for us but it was so good! I forgot to get a picture of it but I used it in a salad this week.

 

It was one of those nights when we were both exhausted. RH grilled two rib eye steaks that I'd smeared with brown sugar the night before and refrigerated uncovered [it seems to help]. I baked two large baking potatoes in the oven and added our lone tomato to the store-bought bagged salad.

 

That was it and we were almost too tired to eat. Almost.


There's an amazing tomato recipe I wanted to make this summer.

 

 

It's the Hot & Hot Fish Club's Tomato Salad and it looks magnificent!

Not sure I'm up to the challenge of this dish but if you are just Google it and take lots of pictures and let me know how it was. 

Meanwhile, let's keep enjoying homegrown tomatoes as long as we can! 




 

 

Saturday, August 1, 2020

Somewhere in Time

On a scorching August morning I dress in my white linen Schiaparelli...

[Vogue, May 10, 1930]


Take my Agnès hat and secateurs and go to the garden...




Whistling for James Mason to follow; he snaps at a fat bee...



I snip a few flowers...



And seek shade before going inside...



Yesterday I cleaned the kitchen windowsill and washed all the little vases...





And keepsakes...



Now they are ready to hold a few blooms...



To give cheer while I wash the breakfast dishes...



Spots of summer color in my small world...



When the daily news frightens and frustrates me, it is the homey things that comfort me...



When I cannot see family, cherished objects become dear...



Even a humble tea towel lifts my spirits...



James Mason understands...




Sometimes a woman's life seems temporary, fragile, unsure, her night's rest disturbed by fears, real and perceived.



So she goes about her day, one task at a time, with faith that somewhere in time, Joy will come in the morning.