I always have great plans for January, but at my age a good fire is better than anything, so I find myself idly sitting before its warmth way too much. Of course I can always appease myself into thinking that is exactly what I should be doing by remembering the words of a very wise old badger from Wind in the Willows. No animal according to the rules of animal etiquette is ever expected to do anything strenuous or heroic or even moderately active during the off season of winter." Now if that doesn't excuse one's laziness, nothing will.
Of course, there are always plenty of chores to be taken care of, and there's the daily trek over the hillside trail to be attended to, for which one must bundle up on the cold and windy days of winter. I have actually rather enjoyed the bundling up part as of late, for I have a new coat. It was a Christmas present from me to me. Well, I had to do it, for old Father Christmas would have never done so well with the shopping. It was this description that did me in for ordering this coat.
"Stay warm, dry, and protected in this water-repellent and windproof waxed cotton Homeswood Jacket with a quilted insert and Barbour's signature tartan lining for extra warmth. On really foul days, zip up, snap the storm flap, and pull up the hood. Four pockets give you lots of options for carrying essentials. In olive.
I am very proud of this coat, and hope it lasts me out for the rest of my days, no matter how ragged it might become. But, I am remembering another coat and the happiness I felt when my mom helped slip my little arms into the little sleeves and pulled up the pretty little red plaid hood. Of course, my mom made it like she did all my clothes. It was the hood I was so proud of - the first I had ever had. On the back of the picture Mom had written, "Mary in the snow." Well, I don't see snow in the picture, but if Mom said there was, there was. After all we had snow yesterday - snow and wind like a little blizzard, but none accumulated on the ground. Millie and I walked right through it and my Homeswood Jacket kept me toasty warm and dry.
I hope all of you are staying toasty warm and dry. Take care!
Mary
P.S. I do wonder what kept those poor little bare legs from freezing.
26 comments:
I am always willing to sit by a fire...that has more appeal to me than anything you can name. There is just something so warm and fuzzy just remembering doing it. Your coat sounds wonderful. And you were such a cute little girl.
Your new coat is a wonder. I googled it and it is perfect ( I wonder what colour you chose). I like the big pockets and the tartan lining.
Badger is a very wise old codger and his words must be listened to.
Stay warm and also healthy. G.M.
You look pleased as punch in your new little coat with its darling hood. I'm still wearing my nearly 50 year old LL Bean parka for dog walks though it's really getting very snug (ahem) in the hips. So good that you have a nice new snug parka for your walks with Millie. I'm most intrigued by the other textile photos. Are they both portions of the same piece? Have you posted about this before and I missed it?
Your coat sounds so cozy and warm. You had me at tartan lining - I would love that! Must be my Scottish heritage showing. And I do so envy you having a fire to enjoy. Apartment life doesn't lend itself to such things but I would certainly be joining you if I could.
A perfect read Mary! Your new, toasty, warm, coat & the nostalgic look back in time with a coat of many colors (reminded me of Dolly Parton's song) your mama made for you.
What a lovely photo and indeed memory of childhood. Your gift to yourself sounds like the perfect coat for the season.
I would have been sold on that coat with that description too! Your little girl coat is beautiful-do you have it still? Sitting by a fire-oh how much nicer that is than sitting in front of the TV-which I find myself doing way too much. I don't think a wise old badger could justify that either! Did you sew the beautiful piece you show?
A good warm coat is a very fine thing isn’t it, very useful for brisk walks along a windy seafront on a Sunday morning too. The school I went to had, as part of its uniform a thick black heavy wool cloak with a hood lined with ones house colours. I still hanker after it’s enveloping warmth, though perhaps not after rain, when the classrooms took on the odour of damp sheep!
Did you do the embroideries? Very nice. And I love the photo of little you in your little coat. We did have to go out in the cold with bare legs in those days, didn't we?
But no picture of the new jacket! You make it sound so perfect for winter. :)
I still have a faux fur coat that my mother bought for me when I was pregnant for my second child. I still stroke it whenever I enter the closet where it is kept. Your tent picture and huddlers are just - simple wonderful!!!!!!!!!
Good morning, very sweet post
I do miss our wood stoves. there is a woodstove insert here at our new home but it needs work do to a chimney fire the previous owners had
I love the first photo-is this a project you are working?
I am glad you got a new coat to keep you warm. I do remember a easter outfit I got which we never got new Easter clothes so It was a big day.
Cathy
Thank you all ~ I have enjoyed your comments so much!
Rose, I think if we had to depend solely on central heat, we wouldn't made it through the winter.
Granny Marigold ~ The coat is in olive; thought it matched Millie better. Ha! The coat was an investment, for sure, so I won't be going to the antique mall this year. :~/
Quilting Babcia ~ I play with embroidery on long winter evenings. I did several pieces having to do with Native America and put them into a little cloth book. The cloth is old sacking which I rolled up with leaves that I collected from a stream. I got some interesting markings that way, and thought this one looked liked smoke from a fire. Thus, the teepee.
Magpie Mumblings ~ I love the tartan lining ~ maybe because of my own Scottish heritage.
Hootin' Anni ~ I think of Mom when I hear Dolly's song. It makes me cry.
mamasmercantile ~ I am sure a proper coat is something you had to have when you made your move out onto the Isle of Lewis ~ perhaps one with wool from the island's sheep.
Debra ~ I don't have this little coat, but I do have another that my mother made, along with numerous other pieces. I treasure them.
Kat ~ You tell a story here of which I would like to hear more. Smelly sheep sounds so fine to me.
Leigh ~ About those bare legs. I grew up in dresses and bare legs, probably just as you did. How did we make it?
Nookworm ~ I can relate to your stroking of the coat. I have a couple of jackets that my mother made which I still wear. I stroke them too!
Kathy ~ The embroidery is something I do on winter evenings by the fire. It keeps me from nodding off in my chair.
A good warm coat is a must on a cold winters day!! :) I remember my mom putting me in a bright red snowsuit to play when I was a kid. I must have a picture of that somewhere!
I had forgotten that -- the bare legs of little girls during the previous era. I think I was in late junior high before we were allowed to wear pants. The idea of "waxed cotton" intrigues me about your new coat. Now that is something I had also forgotten!
During our recent brief snow my husband and I remembered the cold weather clothing of our childhoods. All wool, and warm until it became saturated with melting snow and then it felt soggy and heavy until it could be dried on a rack near the woodstove.
I remember 'knee socks' with elastic that gave out early on--warm tights didn't appear as an option until I was in high school.
I bought a 'Loden coat' from a consignment shop when those were the in thing, and later a long down coat. We moved to Kentucky with quite the collection of cold weather gear!
You do write the BEST posts! I'm so disappointed that I missed your Dec 24th post until just now. Your Santa is wonderful! Oh, you are so adorable in your little red coat with a hood. You are right about those little bare legs. Bet you were not one bit cold though. In the first two pictures, did you do the needlework? Both are beautiful. Your new coat sounds just perfect.
Guess someone forgot to tell the squirrels that. They have been busy as bees lately. Stay warm! Janice
There is a lot to be said about ruminating and pondering before a warm fire. Especially if one has had a nice long walk in the cold, a warm fire is a fitting reward.
Did you make those pictures of "the wool people"? I love them. I was excited about the "blizzard" even though there was no accumulation it was neat to look out and see it. I was cooking so I didn't go out but I used to love walking in snowstorms up north although you had to be careful because you could literally get lost in a whiteout.
Such a cute picture of you in your coat! Are you sure you aren't wearing some tights? Where's the picture of your new coat? It sounds wonderful.
Thanks for reminding me of the wisdom of animals. I tend to feel guilty when I don't work around the house. I live here alone and no one comes to visit now with the virus. Plus I worked hard all my life, so feeling guilty makes no sense. Animals are so wise. And a new coat sounds lovely. A winter coat was always such a special buy, I remember that.
I'm loving the stitched pieces!
I guess little cold legs made us stronger; however, I have a picture of myself in little corduroy overalls and a knit long sleeved shirt, so maybe they kept me warm at least part of the time. And I think you already know the story of the coat my mama made for me;fur collar and all.
Oh lucky you, Charlotte,to have had a pair of warm corduroy overalls! I must hear the story of your little coat with the fur collar, for I don’t remember it at all.
I LOVe the picture of you and your coat! I am still giggling about the Mary in the snow. We have a picture of us sledding and there is also no snow in the picture. Your mom is right, there was snow somewhere. Thank you for the wonderful post.
Sandra, I have been missing your quilting updates. I admire every stitch you take, and treasure every word you write. Thank you for the friendship!
Your bare little legs make me shiver right here where the wind is not blowing.
I am one of three sisters, and when we were in elementary school we all wore dresses every day. It wasn't until 8th grade in our little country school that I remember a girl from New York who dared to wear pants to school. I don't remember if she got away with it.
But I don't remember having uncomfortably bare legs in winter. My mother had us wear flannel-lined jeans under our dresses! I'm sure that was not too much clothing as we stood in at the bus stop for a long time in the thick 20-degree fog. Brrr!
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