So, in her older and, most likely, dowdier years, my great great grandmother was gifted a ketch* . How, I wonder, did she feel about that? Did her spirits expand with the unfurling of the sails? Did she feel elated, rejuvenated, loved, twirly, joyous, prettyfull…..?
… And much the same as I did, when in my older and flabbier years, ( as in, right now 😉 ), I received the gift of a sketch, straight from the kind heart of the lovely Lucy at Visual Fling. Not a randomly selected sketch, but one specifically of me, for me, and carrying my name. Here it is: Gallivanta’s Herb Garden.
Gallivanta’s Herb Garden by LucyJartz
How generous is that? How beautiful is that?
It’s not often that those of us who belong to the ageing, greying, wrinkling Ordinaries of the world are honoured in graceful works of art, be it in the form of ketch or sketch. When it happens, it’s time to express delight and exuberance; time to celebrate our reimagined looks, like this ~
If, after listening to the gorgeous Julie Andrews, you would like to know about the pretty wonderful boy in my life, take a peek here. Adorable, and ever so handsome, isn’t he? With eyes that reach the truth of this story; which is the beauty of the soul.
Artistic Licence:
* Ketch is my linguistic paintbrush at work. Amelia Sims was a topsail schooner.
Although the sketch Gallivanta’s Herb Garden has been gifted to me, the copyright is owned by Lucy at Visual Fling. Please do not copy or reproduce this image without permission from Lucy at http://visualfling.com/about/
© silkannthreades
silkannthreades 
Gallivanta – Lucy has captured the you I think I have gotten to know. Your focus is always outward, from the reader’s perspective, and I love that about your blog. The colors are soft, pleasing and quite beautiful. I imagine you the same way. What a charming gift from a talented artist.
A very charming gift and thank you for your charming comment. The world is so fascinating. I love to look out upon it.
oh my, what a lovely way to be bathed in grace.
What a lovely gift of the heart.
The sort of thing you might do, methinks. 🙂
Such a lovely surprise 🙂 Wouldn’t this portrait make a great avatar for your blog, hmmmm?
Oh, good point. Will have to put on thinking cap and try to remember how she made the avatar in the first place. 😀
It’s on your WP dashboard under profile 🙂 All you need is the picture saved to your computer and of course the lovely artist’s permission. Maybe she can put her copyright straight to the digital image!
Thank you! I will consult with Lucy, the artist.
Speaking of “Such a pretty me,” August 25th marked what would have been Leonard Bernstein’s 96th birthday. A radio station I listen to has been celebrating his birthday all week by playing pieces composed, performed, or conducted by him.
Thank you for bringing that to my attention.
<This piece definitely sounds like Aaron Copeland’s music.
Agreed!
Really liked the portrait! I don’t know why but it feels like you (your blog). Close and distant at the same time. It was a great gift! Loved the dog sketch too. Hope everything is good with you!
Close and distant at the same time; isn’t that so exact for our blog friendships! I am happy today. My brother has come for a visit. 🙂
I have to say that it is a great piece. And I say that not only due to technical merit but also because it seems to capture you or the you I know through your writing. Your perspective on the world and your thoughtfulness about it.
Lucy and I only know each other through our blogs, so it is a great credit to her skill as an artist that she has honed in on the essence of me. I wouldn’t for the life of me be able to write a portrait of Lucy. My words would stop at ‘generous, kind, hard-working’ and then I would be stuck, which leaves me even more in awe of what she has achieved in this sketch.
The sketch is beautiful, taken from your personal viewpoint as you look into the garden. What a gift. I enjoy your play with ketch and sketch and the idea of using your linguistic paintbrush. Have just finished a conference talk and am enjoying catching up with nice things, like your blog.
Words are so much fun! I hope you had fun with your words at the conference, although it sounds as though you are needing a bit of recovery time; time to look into your own garden/backyard, which you always share so generously with us.
Gallivanta – Oh, what a treasure. The painting is stunning. I love the colors, the way the light is captured and hope is offered. The essence for me is that the flowers in your hair and the herb garden brought everything together so beautifully yet the lawn between allows the viewer the opportunity to acknowledge there’s much more to know about the subject (you). And, what a lovely gift for you to receive.
A very lovely gift and it definitely captures the way I love to stand and look at the garden and see what is there and what is not. When the garden was professionally redesigned a few years ago, I made sure that, from every room and seat in the house, there was a special view of the garden. Some of the planting needs revamping now, but the structure and layout are perfect for me.
Splendid. I was able to do that when we lived in California. When I planned the gardens, I wanted to ensure I had something pleasing in bloom year round outside every window of the house. That was so hard to give up when I was transferred to the concrete jungle of DC.
Oh, that would be very hard, very hard, indeed.
What a lovely thing to do – this was a beautiful gesture and the painting something you’ll always cherish.
It was very generous, and will definitely become one of my treasures.
I love the sketch of you (and the one of your doggie- adorable!). As you spend much time looking at your garden, it’s just perfect! A friend of mine sent me a little sketch of me as a super hero, flying through the sky with a cape. It really made me laugh and I put it above my desk for encouragement during difficult times, haha!
Oh that is wonderful. Any particular super hero, or a super hero created especially for you? And, yes, I spend more time looking at the garden than actually doing anything in it!!! I am very slack. 😀
Just a general superhero (or rather “Super Letizia” as that is what she had written above it and the drawing had a big L on the chest.
I spend so much time looking at my garden too. It was very hot today and this evening, as the air cooled, a group of 6 cardinals all spent time at my bird bath. I watched them for quite a while.
Super Letizia it is then! I used to love watching the cardinals and the blue jays. They are so pretty. This morning I cleaned and refilled the bird bath. No colourful birds here, but the blackbirds and the sparrows enjoy it very much and give me lots of bird song in return. Speaking of birds and songs, you were kind enough to look at my daughter’s blog, ousel when she started it. She greatly appreciated it. She has just posted a couple of translations. I know you are a linguist, so you may be interested. http://ousel.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/66/
Wonderful – off to look at the translations now, thank you for the link! I liked her poem a lot, she has a beautiful relationship with words.
She will be quietly thrilled. 🙂
Oh my…what a generous person she is!!!!! The painting is something you will treasure for years.
I certainly will. Can’t wait for it to arrive in the post. 🙂
A beautiful gift, beautiful art , beautiful post❤️
Love it❤️❤️❤️
xxx
Thank you! And I love the little sketches Lucy did of your Malus.
What a gracious beautiful gift. I especially like the way it captures part of your world — none of us can be understood out of context, can we?
I love pretty things, and nice people. Those words are deemed too “ordinary” by some. But in a world of “awesome”, “fantastic”, and “WOOT!”, there’s something restful about “pretty” and “nice.” Now that I think about it, your new treasure is pretty nice!
Pretty nice indeed! And, I agree, about the ordinary words. Not everything has to be super-sized like our fries and burgers.
Gorgeous! And such an honor to be presented with something so beautiful and personal. 🙂
Thank you Elizabeth. I do feel blessed.
You are so right, Gallivanta. Whether we are a nubile nymph, or a white haired, wrinkled nanna, we are all beautiful.
The nannas, wrinkled or otherwise, are particularly beautiful! I seem to remember that my grandmothers had beautiful skin and the silkiest hair.
A beautiful gift!!
Yes, it made me very happy. 🙂
What a thoughtful and lovely gift. I know you will enjoy having it.
Thank you Karen. I am going to love having it on my wall.
What a wonderful gift….and with flowers in your hair!
It was, it was. The little blossoms on my nectarine tree are starting to appear. I can’t wait to pick a few and pop them in my hair.
Spring is just around the corner now, with all its lovely blossoms! When we were little, we used to take the fruit tree flowers and push them into our hair plaits!
Yes, yes, that is exactly how it should be with fruit tree flowers, little girls and plaits. Sometimes a daisy or two, as well.
Truly awesome painting of you.
Thank you. 🙂
What a wonderful gift to receive from a blog friend. The colours are beautiful and the details so exact.
Yes, a wonderful gift and surprise. I really did feel pretty when I saw the sketch for the first time. But I am not feeling at all pretty right now, having just spilled oil down the side of my best T-shirt and my second best pair of trews. Grrrr. Is that a case of pride comes before a fall? 😀
A wonderful painting by Lucy.
Thank you Ellen.
That is so awesome! Your beauty is ageless, through your words and now through this lovely sketch you will always have.
The only sketch I have of me is a caricature of me as a young gal that was created at Universal Studios, I think. It’s pretty darn cute because I’m doing a pirouette with a tutu and I have a secret admirer in the background with a little heart above his head. Still have it with my keepsakes! : )
I agree, it’s awesome! Your caricature sounds awesome too. Let’s have fewer selfies and more sketches! In my mother’s old autograph book, there are lots of sketches, not of people, but of clothes and landscapes and flowers. It was quite the thing to do sketches for friends.
I love this! What a gorgeous (appropriately so) and generous gift! ❤
I was commenting yesterday, but wp went glitchy on me! Anyway, I am a huge Julie Andrews fan and couldn't believe my luck when I ended up in Salzburg working as a nanny, living just around the corner from the Von Trapp house on the lake and retracing Julie's steps around Salzburg daily!
How amazing to have that experience. Did you have a guitar, as well? Did you happen to see on the news about the passing away of the last of the Von Trapp family? It would have been whilst you were in Australia. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/23/maria-von-trapp-sound-of-music-dies
I didn’t have a guitar… and my poor sewing skills meant no play clothes made from drapes for the little girl 😉 Oh, I don’t recall seeing that news… sad. Will check out the article. Thank you! x
I am sure you were a great nanny though even without guitar and sewing skills.
What a lovely tribute to your specialness…I remember the photo that inspired it from an earlier blog and how lovely I thought that was too. My 10 year old granddaughter does a great new version of ‘I feel pretty” that comes from the American TV show Glee – plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose!
Yes, Lucy chose a lovely photo for the sketch, even if I say so myself, and I do… 😉 . Thank you for letting me know about the Glee version of ‘I feel pretty’. It’s an interesting take on the song. Would you say it is sobering? Certainly not as upbeat as the original but much more suited to the complexity of a young person’s life these days.
I think sobering is a good way of putting it and it did give us an opportunity to discuss it’s meaning…sometimes I wonder at how we can have slipped back to the trivialization of women after all our struggles but I guess every generation has to fight again. I prefer the sweetness of the original.
Yes, every generation has its own struggle. This is probably well-illustrated in this article about our Kate Sheppard.http://www.campaignbrief.co.nz/2014/07/ywca-auckland-asks-for-the-rem.html I wonder if she would be surprised that we are still fighting for equal pay.
The way you capitalized Ordinaries raises those people out of the ordinary.
O! Well spotted. I couldn’t let the Ordinaries be mistaken for any old ordinary, now, could I ? 😉
Well, I’m late to this party but I just want to add my amazed appreciation of the kindness you were shown! This is SUCH a nice thing to do and I love that she showed your hair, from the post you did with the flowered hair ornaments! I think you inspire such kindness in people, my friend!
🙂 Never too late for any of my parties! Because they are virtual they tend to go on till all hours. Yes, I was thrilled that Lucy chose the hair with flowers and added more flowers to the foreground. And the colours are all very much my colours, too. It was a happy day when I saw what she had done for me.
I love the picture of you- just beautiful! Where are you going to place it?
Thank Joanne. I am not sure yet. It is still in Lucy’s studio, to be sent to me in due course. My favourite art work usually goes in my bedroom but the walls in there are getting a bit crowded. 😦
On of my clients, the mother of the bride, recently gave me a beautiful picture she painted herself of a young girl. It reminds me of my daughter.
I hung it on the wall next to my bed, low instead of high. I’ve never hung a picture that low before.
I swear it has brought me good luck.
How very special. Do you know I have a photo of my grandparents placed low like that on the wall next to my bed? It gives me such pleasure to see them first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Surely these things bring blessings to us; bring us a contentedness of spirit.
I agree!
🙂
A beautifu sketch and a priceless gift.
It’s very special. 🙂
I like Lucy’s sketch, what a wonderful gift.
It was incredibly generous and kind.
The picture is wonderful. Lucy is a talented artist. The older I get the more convinced I become that age does not define beauty.
Thank you Sheryl. Age and beauty stand quite independently of each other, though we have long been encouraged to equate beauty with youth.
Oh, that does look good on madam! 🙂 You lucky dog…you got to be the inspiration of someone’s creativity! 🙂 And she included one of your flowered hair bouquets. ❤ ❤
The first time I heard "I Feel Pretty" was when Rick and I were still new to each other and he had just finished showering. He came out in his robe with his hair wrapped in a towel and began prancing around the living room singing that tune. It now has a very special sentiment and always brings a smile. 😀
Mrs P! That is a scenario I would never have imagined for that song but it is so funny. Your fella has a great sense of humour. 😀
The painting is lovely, and your post made me smile as always. How can anyone not feel pretty after listening to Julie Andrews sing that song? Our family has watched ‘The Sound of Music’ so many times that’s she’s almost part of our family now…
Blessings ~ Wendy ❀
I used to love I Feel Pretty when I was young. I still do, of course, as well as another favourite which is I Could Have Danced All Night. I haven’t watched the Sound of Music for a while but I would watch it again at the drop of a hat. It’s one of the few movies that I never tire of.
How wonderful! And you are pretty, all in your blue earrings and flowers in your hair! And I loved your linguistic paintwork 😀
Thank you, Tiny. Glad you liked the linguistic paintwork. It’s the only type of painting I can do. 😀
What an uplifting story and lovely pictures too. It’s all good!
It’s a good feeling to know that there is still goodness in the world. I wonder what would happen if all TV and radio stations, print and digital media committed to one day of publishing happy bloggers’ stories? Would everyone switch off or on?
I know that I’d want to listen to happy stories! 🙂
And, here, I have found a Good News site with a history of good news for this day in history http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/events060823/ Perhaps, appropriately, for my post, it was 25 years ago that the Singing Revolution reached its peak.
What a really thoughtful gift to receive. The portrait is lovely – I really like that the colours are subtle. 😉
The colours are just me!
How gorgeous! I so loved the photo that painting is created from and I love how Lucy has added in your herb garden. The sketch in the link is your Jack? If so he is a fine looking fellow – somehow I had assumed he was a Jack Russell terrier and I see he is not! I think it is wonderful that you have received this gift, it seems to me you certainly deserve to be showered with many gifts!
Yes, that was a brilliant idea to add a herb garden. And, yes, the sketch is my Jack, the miniature schnauzer. Because I am asthmatic I can only have a non-shedding dog. I have had him for 7 years now and every single morning of those 7 years he has greeted me with incredible love and joy. What a privilege to be loved like that.
Isn’t it! I have had Siddy just on 3 months and cannot imagine life without him already!
I can’t imagine life without Siddy either. Every time I see his little face peeping out from your blog, I smile and chuckle. He’s a joy.
What a beautiful portrait! It is so lovely to have a such a personal work of art. Amelia
It really is a thrill to have a ‘personal’ piece of art. I only have a few small paintings (landscape) in my home. It will be lovely to add to that tiny collection.
I am sure she got the idea from your earlier post. It is beautifully done. Wow. I went to lucy’s site, it is amazing.
Yes, she was inspired by the Summer Signature Style post. But I love her little sketches of Violet’s cat, Malus. And then there is a lovely sketch of a plumbago from one of Cindy’s photos. I have plumbago in my garden and it is one of my favourite plants because of the beautiful blue flower.
Lovely sketch! Interesting pose of you in the herb garden. 🙂 Enjoyed Julie Andrew’s beautiful voice singing “I Feel Pretty.” Thank you for sharing this, Gallivanta. 🙂 Lovely post!
Thank you, Iris. We had lots of Julie Andrews’ music when we were growing up, so whenever I play her songs, lots of memories come flooding back.
Beautiful sketch of you by Lucy, Gallivanta. And a lovely tribute to your herb garden as well!
Thank you Lavinia. Yes, it’s a reminder of how my herbs should look. They are not very flash at the moment. However, it won’t be too long before the garden starts putting on spring clothes.
From one kind heart to another. Simply beautiful and very heartwarming.
Very heartwarming. The generosity of bloggers warms my heart most every day.
You and Lucy make a wonderful team!
Thank you Cindy. I am all for team spirit. 😉
Love the gift, the music and the handsome fella, Gallivanta! A thoughtful gift indeed.
Very thoughtful. And, of course, that fella isn’t my only one, but he’s the only one who doesn’t mind being on WordPress. 😀
You are pretty 🙂 As I recalled this is your “Signature Summer Look”… 🙂
Indeed, it is. Your recall is spot on, YC.
What a fabulous gift, Ann! It’s absolutely beautiful and seems to reflect you so well 🙂
Your ‘ketch’ link did not work for me? Now that would be a gift I would cherish, rubbish sailor that I am. A rowing boat might be more suitable.
Thanks Jo for letting me know. I will see if I can get the link to work. I would be hopeless with any sort of sea vessel. 😦
It is no wonder that I was inspired by your blog, and it is a tremendous honor that you are blessed with my sketch. Now, I am working on a painting of the ‘boy’. By the way, I love the stories in your emails.
I am blessed, Lucy. So glad you liked the stories. Bumble is a sweetie. And Cecil Aldin is an absolute favourite of mine.
What a lovely gesture that obviously touched you deeply. You deserve it.
It was such a lovely gesture. I believe it is the first time that anyone has given me a painting like that; just out of the blue.