a new day & an early spring outing.......

a good day to you, my dear Readers,

It's been quite sometime since I have had the pleasure of putting my pen to paper and sharing with all of you, the happenings here on Deerfield Farm

and of our dear Mr Jefferson and the little Deerfield ladyes.

Our lives here have been full of changes.

My gentleman farmer and I have begun a new business growing our specialty garlic varieties for seed as well as more acres of peppermint and spearmint planted for tea

here on Deerfield Farm.
It has kept us so very busy we've hardly had time to say hello to one another. But even so, we have thought of you all often and fondly as we hurry and scurry with much to do now that
spring is arriving at last.
Each morning our farm greets us wearing her loveliest pale spring green gown with ruffled trimmings of daffodils and crab apple blossoms.

The meadowlarks and red winged blackbirds sing from the trees around the pond.

We're always so glad to see that our old friend, a solitary rooster pheasant, out and about, and slowly making his way along the edges of the fields.

There's the scent of freshly turned earth and green things growing...
Isn't Spring such a hopeful time of year?!

So now that we've caught up just a little, I can begin again sharing what has been happening with the little ladyes and our dear Mr. Jefferson~
~~~~
but first~let me catch you up a little with how things have been going in the doll house....

You see....

It seems that my writing journal had been missing for a good part of the summer and throughout the fall and winter ~and being so busy, I hadn't really noticed.

So, unbeknownst to me, it would seem that our dear & naughty Lydia had secretly made away with it and was writing her own stories along with mine,

complete with coloured pencil

drawings of mustache-ee-ode ladyes in peril ....

....circus clowns...and

"oh, my dear", he whispered into her crumpled little ear,

"how lovely you look this evening...."

the handsome Mr Jefferson bringing wild flowers for

the vivacious & oft-times eccentric titian haired layde who is now......oh my......

well, I am getting ahead of myself.....let's begin again here~

Early one morning, not too long ago and quite by surprise, my journal suddenly reappeared...

well, I should say that I found it most conspicuously atop the stack of books

piled precariously by my chair here by the fire....hmmm...

and when I opened it, well, it was quite clear that Lydia had been a busy bee all those months.

Even so, I'm so relieved to have it again and pleased to have the luxury

of being able to write to you all again.

and so I shall.

It's a deliciously soft spring morning here. It rained during the night and the sun is just now peeking over the hills, the fields sparkling in the fresh morning light.

I'm here on the porch, wrapped in my shawl, a good cup of steaming coffee

beside me while I write.

Looking through the pages of my journal, I have to smile

at Lydia's handwriting filled with flourishes

and her drawings of a fat cat with a mouse walking along the margins of

the pages....

and there's the never ending question...oh, whatever shall we do with Lydia?

~~~~

~ an early spring outing ~

a Deerfield Doll house tale

The little Deerfield Ladyes quickly finished their morning work, which means milking Maisie, feeding the hens & new little chicks, watering the seedlings in the greenhouse and making sure that there's plenty of kindling in the wood box by the kitchen garden door.

They all then hurried in to wash their hands and faces

and put on their prettiest sprigged gowns & new spring bonnets ~

It is the first time wearing their new bonnets. Their eyes are shining bright and cheeks are blushed pink with excitement. It's such a fine spring morning with the sun shining.

and ladyes always wear their bonnets out of doors....

except for Lydia. Of course.

They're especially pleased as this is the first time wearing their new bonnets

since they had woven the rye straw into long flat braids and hand

sewn their own bonnets by the light of the winter fireside~

With their baskets & tiny reticules over their arms,

they are now all gone for walk to look for spring on their way into town from the farm.

The walk isn't too very far....Just a good stretch of the legs.

Each of the little ladyes has a list tucked into their baskets.

Augusta has need of silk ribbons for something secret and sepia ink for marking her dress labels. She wants to stop in to Ms. Fancystitches Millinery.

Ladye Georgianna and little Emily plan to visit Teazley's Book & Herb.
The book & herb is a most delightful little shop along the brick walks

in the center of town.

The moment the shop door is opened and the little bell at the top gives that pleasant tinkling ring, a vast array of scents and deliciousness of new and old books, tinctures and pretty bottles filled with oils of lavender, moss rose and lemon balm, greet the senses.

There is a sunny window seat with lop-lolly stacks and piles of new and old books with stories of every kind. Old high wing back chairs snugged close to the fireplace at the end of the room with walls filled with book filled shelves. Bouquets of sweet peas on either side of the mantle and a brisk fire is crackling.

One may pick a pleasant herb tea to drink while reading the passages from the newest books.

~~~
Mother has taken Lydia and gone to the plant nursery to find several new herbs that she & Lydia have been reading about. They are especially taken with scented geraniums this spring.

They would like to find Lemon & Rose Balsam. To Mother's great surprise, Lydia has taken an

avid interest in the herb garden.

She has been helping little Emily with tending the garden and it seems that she has learned the names of all the herbs in the garden.

While Mother visits with the nurseryman, Lydia wandered down the garden paths,

sniffing each flower as she walked along and swinging her bonnet by it's silken strings...

with such momentum that it let loose and

sailed over the boxwood hedge and right into the path of a smart little carriage and horse on the road.....oh dear!

Lydia looked to see if anyone saw that it was her bonnet that went sailing, which is now

in a puddle crushed beneath the wheel of the carriage.

oh dear...the couple in the carriage look very familiar...

Lydia quickly lost interest in sniffing the flowers....and ducked beneath the hedge.

oh ~what will Mother say now....

news of our dear Mr. Jefferson

my little banty hen,Tasha and her 2 wee chicks,

they as big as a large spool of thread

~~~

~Deerfield Farmhouse News ~

The Ladyes of Deerfield have been very busy this beautiful early summer

here on Deerfield Farm.

Taking care of the gardens,the hens & new chicks, a new little milk cow, Maisy,

weeding the mint fields,
and polishing up the Dolls House from top to bottom in anticipation of....

oh! have you heard the news?!

A large wax sealed envelope arrived in this weeks mail

along with the much awaited and much anticipated

The Goode Ladyes Press.

~I'll tell you more about that soon~

It was, indeed, a large letter

with the unmistakable elegant handwriting

of our Dear Mr Jefferson.

He has written to let the ladyes know that he will soon be arriving home to Deerfield Farm.

He is bringing with him burlap wrapped fruit trees, a large rosemary topiary and a bay tree,

a new copper pot for making preserves,

several boxes of fresh sweet cherries and asparagus,

the promised new hive of honey bees

and he written to say

that he would also be bringing home

a guest!

oh my!! Who can it be?

Mother, Emily & Augusta, Elizabeth and the Titian-haired

ladye are giddy with excitment...

and of course, remembering their promise to be more subdued in their enthusiasm,...

all but Lydia who

~I'm sorry to say~is sitting on the hall stairs -in what is now called"time-out".

Mother has put her there and told her to think about her actions

and how injurious they are to her very soul.

Lydia is singing a made up song at the top of her lungs...louder and louder.

"oh, bother", exclaims Augusta.

"Why can't Lydia behave herself for just one minute?

We're in need of her help and here we all are scurrying about with that racket

going on. I do think she gets into trouble to keep from having to help!

We still need to finish bringing the hay into the barn from the field!"

Emily, always very calm in any situation, tells her that their kind neighbor,

Mr. Hogmire, has most generously offered to help with the hay

after he finished his chores.

Mother has now gone to the stairs and the singing has stopped...

and a great sigh of relief arises from the kitchen...

~~~~

There is much to do in getting the house ready as well as the everyday chores done
and now the much anticipated returnof our Dear Mr. Jefferson and his Guest.

The busy-ness of farm life & the giddy-ness with the Return of Mr. Jefferson's & his guest is taking up so much of the Deerfield Ladyes' time

Thank you my friends,

I hope that you are all enjoying a most wonderful Earlie Summer

yours on this day,

Christine

this is lydia....

....as I opened the door into my work room, a noticeable hush seemed to come over the room.
The dolls, who are usually quite talkative, were as quiet as mice.
I should have been more surprised when I found that "someone" had painted deep red circles on the cheeks of all the other dolls during the night.
I sat down at the painting table and looked around me.
One of my newest ladyes, a most demure Queen Anne, who was standing nearby, pushed a small folded piece of paper towards me with the toe of her
beautifully embroidered shoe.
Inside, neatly written in long spidery sepia ink, was this message to me:

Dear Madame Doll maker,

Lydia....

had a paintbrush in her mouth last evening.

most sincerely,
and with deepest regret,
Q.A.

oh......whatever is to be done with Lydia?

~excerpt from The Pastoral Doll maker in the Summer 2008 issue

Artful Blogger~

delightful diversions & news of our dear Mr Jefferson

Dearest Readers,
our dear Mr. Jefferson has been away to his farm in Virginia
taking care of his business affairs
and the early spring planting of his fields.
While we wait for him to return, there is much to do now that
our farm is dressed in her best pale green gown of spring.

~

Dear Mr. Jefferson has promised to bring us a hive of
his own bees for our gardens here.

He built a little house just for the bees & their bee skep
before he left for Virginia.

Soon they'll be dancing from flower to flower

and

there'll be honey for our biscuits on

cold winter mornings.

Meanwhile, the Deerfield Ladyes busy themselves with spring cleaning of the Doll House,

washing up every tiny cup & dish in the cupboards,

polishing the silver

and making things shine.

Augusta and Emily have been painting a lovely

mural on the wall up the narrow stairs

&

tending the gardens and hens.

All the ladyes have been stitching

their new gowns for the Sweet Springe Celebration

and....as I understand...

the secret and late night reading of risqué novels

by candle light!

Wherever did they acquire those?

I have no idea!

with love
on this day,
Christine

smitten

our Dear Mr. Jefferson keeps this lovely likeness

hidden in his vest pocket...

worn close & turned towards his heart...

just who might this titian haired beauty be?

Mr. Jefferson's 'Smitten' portrait miniature made by my dear friend, Cathy Penton

welcome Dear Readers

Welcome

My dear Friends,

for those of you, Dear Readers, who have just found us,

Welcome!

I have just begun my new adventure in sharing the stories of the Deerfield Doll House here on the 13th of February.

So that you will know just how our dear Mr. Jefferson came to Deerfield, please allow me to

"catch you up" with the beginning

of our Deerfield Dolls House stories with these first 2 installments of

Mr. Jefferson Comes Calling

you will need to read those 2 installments (links are below) first and then

come here for the continuation of the story with

the shoe on the tea table...or apologies graciously accepted

written February 13

&

with love, your secret admirer

written Valentine's Day, February 14

I hope that you will enjoy your visit to Deerfield Farm

and to the Dolls House.

There is always much to do and much a do

I hope you visit often.

Welcome and Enjoy,

Christine

~~~~~~

You will find them both here

beginning with

Mr. Jefferson Comes Calling

http://thepastoraldollmaker.blogspot.com/2007/11/mr-jefferson-comes-callinga-little.html

My Dear Madame....

http://thepastoraldollmaker.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-dear-madame.html

with love, your secret admirer

The continuous scratching of a quill pen on paper has been coming from the keeping room all morning.
I look in to see Mr. Jefferson, head bent over the sheet of paper on the little table in front of him.

He looks up, thoughtfully tapping the feather tip of the quill against his chin. His spectacles perched on his nose, he pushes them back up and then, head bent, the scratching begins again.

Catching a glimpse of the letter over his shoulder, I could see that he has very lovely handwriting.
I smile at how the black silk ribbon tying his hair back seems to always be freshly washed and ironed.

Indeed, he is such a fine gentleman.

The ladyes are occupied in another corner of the doll's house. They have brought their paper cuttings, watercolors & sewing baskets to the sunny window.
Each are busy in their own little worlds, trying their best to keep their endeavors secret from one another.
Cutting and folding bits of carefully saved papers into woven hearts for heart in hand valentines with hand written messages and tokens of friendship for one another~

and (I suspect) for Mr. Jefferson as well.

I've noticed that a certain auburn haired ladye has been secretly gazing at Mr. Jefferson at every opportunity.
Now, I wonder what is she quietly scratching away at with her quill in hand?