The Secret Garden: A Tribute

Mary Lennox tends her garden in the 1993 film

 Science, or para-science, tells us that geraniums bloom better if they are spoken to.  But a kind word every now and then is really quite enough.  Too much attention, like too much feeding, and weeding and hoeing, inhibits and embarrasses them.  ~Victoria Glendinning

Unlock the Secret Garden with this Skeleton Key from Gwen Delicious

I am in love with the story The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.  It has all the mystery and excitement of a fairy tale and yet, unlike many stories for children, it is also plausible.  Sure, not every little girl is raised in India, orphaned, and sent to live with her eccentric uncle who keeps his sick son locked in a room, but it could happen.  It's a lot more likely than a fish-girl getting legs from a twisted, nautical-witch and losing the man she loves to some lady and turning into foam; not that I've ever really thought A Little Mermaid was a children's story, it's a bit morbid... in fact, most fairy tales are.

If you can't have an entire garden, carry a mini one by Warm Country Meadows.

 
How many fairy tales are actually about children anyway? Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and The Beast, Aladin, Thumbelina... try going through the Disney repertoire and find some... there aren't many. Even the stories that have children in them, like Little Red Riding Hood, and Hansel and Gretel, tend to have talking animals and candy houses. Among those precious few that manage to stay away from fantasy, the depiction of children tends to be optimistic in a far too enlightened (rather than naive) way for their tender age (A Little Princess, Heidi).  The beauty of Mary Lennox, on the other hand, is that she begins as a lonely, spoiled little girl and over the course of the book she learns to care for something (and someone) other than herself and ultimately finds the meaning of family and friendship.  She does something that every child eventually should, she grows.  

Mary and Dickon

And speaking of growing, another wonderful element to the story is that one of the main characters is the garden itself.  This is where all the magic happens and I've found that in reality this isn't far from the truth; a garden is indeed a marvelous place.  Think about it, a pile of dirt is sprinkled with seemingly dead, dried-up seeds.  Add water, sunshine and patience and you've got yourself some sprouts.  Add a little weeding, water, sun and more patience and soon you have flowers and fruit and grass and trees and shrubs.  And then, the animals come.  Birds and rabbits and deer and butterflies, it's really an incredible setting for any story.  

Edwardian Style never looked so good.  By Enid and Edgar

I could gush forever about the majesty of this book, but rather than blather on like the kids' book-nerd that I am, I will just say this:
If you haven't read the book, it's about time to read it.
If you haven't seen the 1993 film (pictured above) do yourself a favor and see it.  It remains one of my favorite movies of all time and the cinematography is exquisite. 

It's Too Darn Hot

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.  ~Henry James

Keep the sun off your face and an air of mystery with this straw hat from Kakalina Rose.

Melting... that's what I've been doing for the past few days in good old Upstate New York.  And though we try with all our might, the boys and I cannot manage to cool off.  The best bit of work that I got to do today was ironing (believe it or not) in an air-conditioned room!  It was a chilly 78 degrees in there.  It's best, however, not to complain, because tomorrow it could be 60 degrees outside and then I'll want the heat back.  How fickle one gets, especially when it comes to the weather. 

Keep your cool with these lovelies from Petit Plat

 Ways to Cool Off in the Summer: 
A Modest Proposal

1.    Act like you're nine again and run through the sprinkler
2.   Go see a matinee movie... I hear they have air conditioning.
3.   Find a stream, lake, pond, river, kiddie pool, neighbor's pool, any pool and dive in.  Don't forget your water wings!
4.   Treat yourself to a creemee (that's soft serve for all you non-Vermonters) with sprinkles!
5.   Fill a rather large bowl with ice.  Position the bowl of ice between you and a fan.  Turn the fan on HIGH and pretend you are somewhere in the arctic... think cold thoughts.
6.   Gather lots of tasty ingredients and make a smoothie.  Here's one of my faves:
• Dig out the blender from the way back of your cabinet and layer ice, strawberries, whole milk yogurt, one banana, a mango and a peach (cut into chunks).  Add a bit of honey or agave nectar for an extra sweet kick.  Fill tall (preferably chilled) glasses and sip with a straw.  If you have those nifty little umbrellas and a wedge of fruit then bust them out.  It's like being on vacation... sort of. 
7.  Consider joining a nudist colony?  
8. Find two trees that are relatively sturdy and also relatively close together.  Hang a hammock and take a lazy nap or grab a trashy summer novel (in this case I always judge a book by it's cover and title -  if there is a picture of a body-builder and a swooning lady on the cover you've probably hit gold).
9. Buy a plane ticket North.  Or, depending where you are, Buy a plane ticket way, way, way South. 
10. Get a job at a grocery store.  Request to work in the dairy section, meat and seafood section,  or the freezer.  Take all the overtime hours offered.

Check out more underwater prints and other art at the Grace Gallery. 

A Summer-ish Mix

It's Too Darn Hot - Ella Fitzgerald 
Ah Mary - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Take it Easy - Jackson Browne
Summertime - Nina Simone 
Reelin'  in the Years - Steely Dan
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carne
Lights Out - Santogold 
Maggie Mae - Rod Stewart 
The Tide is High - Blondie
Ventura Highway - America
Summer boy - Lady Gaga  
Brown-Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
 

Bring out your inner siren in this upcycled creation by Snuggle Pants.