Victorian Fancy: Under the Weather

I've been quite ill for the last week, with a sore throat and headache, so no new posts and no new clothes or anything. Actually, last weekend I made a travel bag modeled after on in Godey's. It's quite nice, made of red-striped cotton ticking, and I'm ever so excited to use it for my first reenactment in two weeks. I've had word from the ladies making my corset and my dress, which should arrive within the week, so I believe I'm all set to go! I'd really like to make another set of drawers and another chemise, but I fear that other responsibilities have got to come first. Perhaps I can whip out another set of drawers at least next weekend - it would be so nice to have clean underwear for both days of the weekend.

Today, the last day of my extended sick "holiday", I walked 'round our country property. The day has been as beautiful as can ever be offered, the perfect Texas day. It was about 50 degrees F, with a perfectly clear blue sky, a bright sun, and refreshing breeze. Of course, I was accompanied by our most loquacious cat, Puss-In-Boots:

I only get to visit home on the weekends, and next year I'll be much farther away, and will only visit on holidays, so I try to soak up as much of this beloved place as I can, whenever I'm here.

I walked down to the pond, which is delightfully full and brimming with rainwater from our prolonged deluge these past few weeks. (By the pond is our traditional campfire round, with spare wood and log seats, in case you wondered.)

(This picture doesn't do the pond justice! It was really lovely, not so brown in the person.)

It was so lovely, I sat down right on the bridge and soaked in the glorious sunshine. Of course, Puss-In-Boots would not leave me alone, so I was forced to either be continually petting the large fellow, or deal with his loud and demanding vocals. He could wake a whole village from its slumber with a few choice meows!

When I started on my walk again, I felt decidedly the chill, and reconciled myself to go back inside.

(isn't that sky just glorious?)

There I commenced to making the four valentines I'm giving this year.

One for father,

one for mother,

one for my brother, (can't get it upright!)

and one for my only living grandparent, Genie. (this one too! :( Picasa hates me )

To follow up on my last, and shamefully cryptic post, here are a couple pictures of my finished travel roll. When buying fabric for my case, Mom was buying fabric for a rolling case of her own to store her watercolor brushes in. She needed something sturdy, so she made hers of thick cotton ducking. I had selected the cotton ticking I mentioned at the beginning of this post, but it was a little flimsy, and Mom had the great idea of lining my travel case with the scrap ducking from hers. It worked brilliantly, as she had just enough left by for me, and my case is much the stronger for it.

And here I am, back in the big city, anticipating an early morning of school, missed assignments, and late work due. I'm most certainly wishing it were already summer! And it's being so far away, at least if it were Spring Break... Ah well, this is my last year of high school, I did willingly choose to go to school (rather than homeschool), and I oughtn't act so put upon by it all. I promised myself that if I didn't like school I'd quit and come home, but I guess I was too stubborn to be "beat" by school. It's not as if I made any "bosom friends", as Anne would say. But for some reason I've stuck it out, and now that it's almost done I don't rightly know if I'm happy or sad about it. Perhaps the old phrase "bittersweet" fits it best.

p.s. I have some (4) pictures of our sheep and Mom's mostly neglected garden that didn't fit into my narrative, so I'm tagging them on at the end.

Cadfael, our Black Welsh Mountain wether, who broke off his left horn last year :(