Living your dash...

Todays post will take you back in time to the 1840's, to the French Quarter and the Garden District of New Orleans, Louisiana. I will share a fable I wrote, about a legendary love story during a time of decadence in New Orleans history. While weaving in pictures I photographed in our row-home and hopefully leave you with a deeper appreciation of time worn patinas occurring during their legacy and my fable to contemplate.

Since 2012 there have been countless emails and late night phone conversations with Doré Callaway from Burlap Luxe. Over time we have nurtured a close friendship and I'm fortunate to collect Doré's French inspired art. My latest purchases were of cemetery art and inspired me to write my fable. A fable I started working on during my blogging break and I just completed in the wee hours of this morning. The couple in my story will remain in my heart, writing does that, you create fictional people that linger in your heart. So here goes...

It truly doesn't matter how many years you dwell on Planet Earth, in the end, all that really matters is the living and love you share in your dash that will become your lasting legacy. "The dash" is the infinite dash that divides the year you were born and the year you die on your tombstone or mausoleum plaque. For in the end your life is measured by the love you graced those you leave behind as you will continue to live on in their memories and hearts.

(Source Google)

For eternity, laid to rest, side by side in 1853 in a mausoleum of art and symbolism, Trent and Josephine Bernard 1823-1853. Shaded by groves of lush greenery in the Garden district. Lafayette cemetery No. 1, one of New Orleans cemeteries know as the "Cities of the Dead". Built with  beautiful architectural 19th century tombs, mausoleums and statuary. Above ground, because New Orleans was built on a swamp and has seen many floods. 

Trent and Josephine met when they we both 20 years old in old Antebellum New Orleans. Invited party guests on a star filled evening to a local societies daughter's debutant ball. Serendipity brought our couple together in the month of September 1843. When the cities population was 102,000 and New Orleans grew into the third largest city in the US. During a time of corsets and lace, white linen dresses and seersucker suits. When woman held Parasols and wore wide brimmed straw hats to shade their skin from afternoons brilliant sun-rays, wearing linen that felt cool and helped wick the humidity away. 

A time of curtsies and bows, etiquette and proper attire ... the learned southern code all women knew. Formalities and evening gown parties held in grandeur that flowed into the wee hours meeting in decadence and indulgence that tied years together in merriment. 

Their first date was at Arnaud's restaurant and over Creole fare they fell passionately in love. Josephine in her summer hat and pearls wearing a white linen dress she designed and sewed herself. Josephine was head strong, full of aspirations, driven and ambitious to become a famous gown designer.

They agreed to meet outside of Arnaud's restaurant as they hadn't seen each other yet in the daylight. Trent handed Josephine a boutique of cream roses with a smile so bright it could of illuminated the sun. Her light brown eyes sparkled with delight and Trent was hopelessly lost in their luminous glimmer with flecks of honey gold. That evening over dinner their passions peaked as their love bloomed in promise and innocence, purity and secrecy just as those cream Vendela roses represented. 

Trent was in management, employed with the Mississippi Valley trade commission at the local sawmill. Work depended on the ability of the railroad to ship lumber up north and he handled the negotiations. Debonair and handsome he was born with an adventurous spirit, traits Josephine admired. 

They were married in early December, in Vieux Carré (the French Quarter). Quickly learning and embracing the rituals of Antebellum high society. Josephine understood the importance of traditions and designed her elegant wedding dress as her fashion debut. Instantly acceptance and orders of satin and lace, taffeta and silk for gowns became Josephine's promise of successful tomorrow's.

Josephine and Trent soon purchased a beautiful ornate French style mansion on Prytania Street. Shaded by mature flowering Pink Magnolia trees. Cultivating a pristine rose garden full of Southern charm, Josephine grew her beloved Vendela roses. Daily she would design gowns looking out over the rose garden as the morning sunlight dried petals moist from evenings dew.

Their love was immense and their devotion to one another had become legendary in Antebellium high society. Together, life was well lived with a boundless love, but sadly they were unable to bear a child. They became emotionally obsessed with conceiving and living in a time when Voodoo magic was practiced in New Orleans, desperate, they agreed to have an authentic ritual spell preformed. But that was of no avail... Perhaps it was destiny intervening.

And even though their house didn't echo with the sounds of laughter and play from youngsters running underfoot, it didn't mean they didn't surround themselves with children and their activities. Josephine filled her days volunteering her talent during school plays and pageants making costumes. Trent supplied lumber for the plays from the sawmill which he now ran and often helped with building set designs.

When the first Mayor A.D. Crossman helped to emancipate the slaves, Trent took to philanthropic work setting up an endowment with Josephine organizing a charitable foundation. Their generosity spread goodwill as their commitments conveyed tolerance and deep humanity. 

In their decade together, not one day was ever spent apart. Late June hearing the faint trickle of a fountain nearby Josephine smelled tar outside. The city was burning tar to supposably purify the air from illness afflicting many. To help rid their house of the smell Josephine cut all her beloved roses and placed them in vases throughout the house. Days later they both developed headaches that they thought was caused by the burning tar, but it was not. Sadly, high fever followed and they were confined to bed and on July 2nd,1853 they died in each other's arms...

When precious moments are emotionally expressed through sharing or prayers, our hearts are lifted in jubilance and the energy released spends eternity resonating love's energy in universal grace.

And even now, through weary eyes from everyday fatigue, that ravishes ones most precious time, standing in the presence of ruins and aged patina through countless seasons of decay, in an instance my appreciation for life was renewed. 

In 1853, 7,840 people died in Louisiana from the Yellow Fever epidemic caused by a mosquito borne viral disease. I wrote my fable in memory of the dead in Lafayette cemetery No. 1. A non-segregated, non denominational cemetery built in 1833. 

Tours of Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 are one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Orleans. Restorations are occurring to bring back the tombs in ruins and are funded by guided tours. There's a graceful essence and beautiful peacefulness felt in Lafayette cemetery No. 1. Many movies have been filmed there, including Double Jeopardy and Interview with the Vampire. My fable was inspired by the soulful cemetery art created by the very talented Doré Callaway and New Orleans "cities of the dead".

xx,

Vera

Burlapluxe.blogspot.com

saveourcemeteries.org 

PS I post daily on Instagram and on my sidebar there is a link to click to visit me there. I love reading your comments and please tell me what you thought about this post.

Nurturing Nature ...

I am back from my blogging break with a post about nurturing nature and how we are graced with its beautiful bounty in Earth's accolades. My time away had both laughter and tears as I went about living daily life through observation in the quiet. But my time away will be measured and remembered through moments not by time. This post is a share of an afternoon, one spent amongst nature's beauty that took my breath away. No compensation for doing this, just a share.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

~Maya Angelou~

Two huge yellow Adirondack chairs on Route 31 in Ringoes NJ command your attention and create curiosity to visit, wander and explore. All photos are of Rutgers nursery and my photos were taken on my iPhone 6S and appear without any enhancements or alterations as I prefer to post this way.

"A garden must combine the poetic and be mysterious with a feeling of serenity and joy.

~Luis Barragan~

Rutgers Nursery is the premier nursery for locals and residents in the New York and Philadelphia areas. Their grounds are breathtaking and their gardening sales assistants are polite and extremely knowable. Expect to leave with not only a pleasant experience but plants and flowers to enjoy.

John and I went there on a mission. One to add to our city gardening and to seek out a huge/tall aesthetically pretty urn/container. After a year of searching for one we were not disappointed.

"All gardening is landscape painting."

~William Kent~

You wander and meander at your own leisurely pace. You feel the peacefulness and ponder your gardens possibilities.

"The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies."

~Gertrude Jekyll~

"Regardless of geographical region or culture gardening is perhaps the most common and shared experience of nature."

~S. Kelley Harrell~

At Rutgers you walk, you explore, you admire, you desire! 

"Garden as though you will live forever."

~William Kent~

The vista is breathtaking as Rutgers Nursery grows its own.

"No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth and no culture comparable to that of the garden."

~Thomas Jefferson~

There are benches to sit and reflect as you rest and even a cafe named the "Good Roots Cafe".

"Gardens and chocolate both have mystical qualities."

~Edward Flaherty~

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."

~Audrey Hepburn~

Be still my heart ... there it is. The only one of its fluted kind and in an instance I knew it was love at first sight. Calling over a garden assistant we marked it sold.

So many unique pots to choose from!

"Gardening is how I relax. It's another form of creating and playing with colors."

~Oscar de la Renta~

"My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece."

~Claude Monet~

So in the end of meandering, pondering and thinking of what we wanted to grow in our tall gorgeous urn we chose Lavender. This photo is of John and our gardening assistant holding three containers of Lavender for me to see if 3 would be enough plants, but more importantly so I could snap this photo to share with you.

"The earth laughs in flowers."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

I am working on a post inspired by a recent art purchase from Doré at Burlap Luxe. I am writing a poetic eternal love fable set in New Orleans to weave into my photos. Until then I leave you with my poem - On land or by Sea.  

During the Summer season the ground is revitalized and flowers bloom...

An extravagant gesture of earth's bounty that fills the air with floral perfume

Through the eternal ever cleansing waters colored in ocean blue 

A harmonious serenity washes over the shore and replenishes you 

Intrinsically nurturing all you love in universal development you consciously nourish

miraculously graced your fertile ground thrives and will abundantly flourish 

It is a longing deep inside ones soul to nurture nature and be connected with the soil

A time to dig in the dirt and plant a garden becomes a labor of love never a chore or toil

©Vera

http://www.rutgersln.com

Just as a reminder I am loving posting my Black and White photography daily on Instagram, please click on my sidebar to view. I love reading comments so please leave me one behind while you speak your mind.

In Black and White

I have always loved en noir photography, A French term meaning Black and White. En noir photography is intriguing in nuanced tones that capture one's imagination while it evokes emotion. There are no distractions in Black and White as there often are in color photography. Instead just tonal subtlety allowing the mind's eye to explore the captured subject. 

"Color is everything, Black and White is more"

~Dominic Rouse~

Since last year I have been including Black and White photos amongst color snapshots in my blog posts. I've enjoyed adding an additional dimension to my posts and will continue in the mix. Recently I decided to experiment posting only Black and White photos. Not in place of my color photos on my blog, instead as an addition in something new by joining Instagram. Blogging will remain my same format, every two weeks I'll post stories woven into my photo essay and share my poetry. Earlier this week I started posting my Black and White photos onto Instagram, in an effort to share the mystery that en noir creates in emotional response. 

Photo above was taken in our downstairs Laundry room. Captured on my iPhone 6S on a rainy day this week.

"When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph in Black and White, you photograph their souls!"

~Ted Grant~

A photo I snapped in Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market, a historic farmers market while John and I were food shopping. I enjoy watching people as I find observation quite interesting. Secretly writing in my mind's eye imagined details of their life stories during our brief connection in time.  

I snapped this photo this past September in Lambertville, NJ during my Birthday celebration. John and I had driven there in our 1972 French car, a DS 21 Citroën. We had dinner reservations for that evening at one of our favorite French restaurants named Manon and parked outside the restaurant earlier in the day. It's fun to park right in front - French food/French car and conversation unfolds.

Late afternoon while antiquing we walked back to our car to put some bags in the trunk noticing this elderly gent near our car. My mind raced with query, could this guy think he's a dapper dresser, is he striking a pose? Hand on his face, legs crossed, he was pondering a thought. I couldn't resist taking this photo en noir capturing that moment in time.

Flowers when viewed in Black and White allow your mind's eye to color in its own floral hues. Your imagination creates the color you perceive. 

When I shared my poem I wrote for this post with John he said "it's deep, like you, but interesting". So below is my poetry that expresses and explains my love of Black and White photography. 

In Black and White...

There is mystery and intrigue layered in dimension within my minds perception versus the actual reality

A photographers awareness expressed and captured to promote exploration of the subject revealed in neutrality

In Black and White...

Excitement stimulates my imagination and I indulge in fanciful stories through observation enticed by the tonality

Emotions are conveyed and feelings portrayed for those who take the time to perceive the potentiality

In Black and White...

Interest increases in the tonal values and implied sentiments captured that seem to evoke sensuality

But photographed in both color and Black and White and then compared it becomes a nuanced subject depicted in duality.

© Vera

Photo is of a 32 inch standing Chinese Acupuncture Buddha on our Dining room's credenza. Once used for training in the acupuncture points it's hand carved out of a solid block of wood. I was fascinated when I found him.

Around Buddhas neck I've draped vintage rosaries from family members who have passed. I hold great reverence for rosaries that have been blessed and used in prayer, especially from loved ones. As I pass by during the day I feel the peaceful energy each rosary holds.

One rosary is from John's Uncle George who passed at age 103. A blessed rosary given to him from Pope John Paul ll, its crystals are Red. Its the Red one that is noticed first, as a designer I know eye goes to color. Yet when photographed in Black and White there are no color distractions competing for attention. Instead the photo clearly shows the acupuncture points and the writing markings of each. Personally I feel studying a subject through Black and White enables the mind's eye to appreciate the subject in whole. 

After we brought Buddha home that weekend a friend came over for dinner, an antiques junkie but not someone who collects Buddhas. As the evening progressed food and wine was enjoyed. During desert he suggested that the next party we host we should place Buddha on the Dining room table and put toothpicks with hors-d'oeuvres in the acupuncture points. Seriously hors- d'oeuvres ... I don't think so!

Photo taken on Halloween evening on my visit to the bathroom. We dined at Lily's on the Canal in Lambertville, NJ. Lily's is located in a rustic picturesque historic building on the Delaware Canal. Lily's is a favorite restaurant of ours, offering an eclectic inventive menu. Dining within the preserved integrity of the buildings original charm. Inside modern funky lighting design combines with the old architecture.  I took this photo en noir, lending a haunting Halloween charm of the handmade candle stick illuminating the old stones walls that have been in spots patched with rough cement.

I took this photo at twilight during the Popes visit to Philadelphia in September, 2015. The sky holds mystery and intrigue and many different things have been spotted in the clouds by many people including us. I had included this photo in a past post and because its dramatic in Black and White it has an encore presentation!

A peek into our sitting room seen reflected in an antique mirror that replaced the original glass of the antique salvaged shutter. The shutter was gifted to me by my son who was working on a remodeling of a 200 year old farmhouse in Buck's County, PA. The wood had taken on a gorgeous weathered texture and it is a very interesting décor wall piece. I love reflections photographed in Black and White allowing your mind to explore the contrast in its tonality.

A flickering candle on my countertop the other evening. A re-wined soy candle poured into a recycled Green glass wine bottle that I placed into a rustic chicken wire holder. 

"Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness."

~Anne Frank~

Photo taken en noir of Marcel our French Bull dog who happens to be our watchdog! He's made, OK was born in France, has flocked hair and is a bobble head. 

I appreciate your visits to rowhomesandcobblestones and the sweet comments you leave for me. I love reading each and every one of them. I am taking a month long blogging break, I need one desperately, it's been a year since I took a break. I will return back to Blog Land in June. During my break I will not post nor visit any blogs, but I will be posting my Black and White photos on Instagram. I hope when you get a chance you check them out. A link to my Instagram account is on the blogs sidebar. Click the icon and it will take you there. See you back here in June.

xx,

Vera

A Cat and Mouse kind of post...

While thinking about, OK perhaps more like dreaming up what my next post would be about - out of the Blue I had a craving for a Chocolate Chip cookie. Might be because I've drastically cut back on sugar, but there it was a undeniable got to have one craving for mega grams of sugar in a cookie. Both John's and my favorite cookie hands down. Fact is Chocolate Chip is America's favorite cookie, 53% of us love them the most. Problem was there was none, nada, zilch in our home. Actually no prepared or packaged sweets at all. But downstairs in our pantry the large Toll house milk chocolate bag of chips was lying in wait. Instantly I knew my post would be a light hearted share of my latest clay creation in play and a show and tell in my kitchen written from my heart.

So who invented our favorite cookie and when? Well back in the 1930's circa 1938 Ruth Graves Wakefield invented the Toll House brand of Chocolate Chip cookies. She and her husband owned the Toll House Inn in Whitman Massachusetts and invented the recipe by accident. Ruth added broken chocolate bar pieces into her cookie batter thinking they would melt ... They didn't. True story and the legacy of my craving. But back then they were the size of a quarter and baked until very crisp. Our favorite cookie is beloved by so many there is even a special day set aside to celebrate, seriously.  Go ahead and mark your calendars May 4th is National Chocolate Chip cookie day. Personally I think it should be called we love Ruth Graves Wakefield day!

Ready to bake? Let's fill this cute empty Cat cookie jar from Anthropologie up with CC's! We prefer them soft from butter and packed with Pecans which is our favorite nut.

Love him! 

I simply follow the tried and true recipe on the back of the package. We prefer milk chocolate chips over the bittersweet and add chopped pecans. We do not eat white sugar so I use turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw).

I buy the best Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla I can find. This batch will be made with Nielsen Massey. The scent of vanilla is heavenly.

First batch about to be baked. Already John's hanging out close to the kitchen. My kitchen stalker today.

For the past 37 years we've been married, without fail every Christmas Eve when the cookie trays are set out after our 7 fish dinner my Mother in Law will say this to me in more or less these words ... "I didn't bake any Chocolate Chip cookies this year, never again, your Johnny used to sniff and hunt them out as a kid. Eating each and every one before Christmas, leaving only empty tins! Then the conversation continues "I can't even look at a Chocolate chip cookie anymore without thinking of him eating them all". Really? Seriously? So I guess M-I-L Annie has tried repeatedly to tell me that I am married to this guy..... 

"Me Cookie Monster. That all there is to it. ME love to eat cookie. Sometimes eat whole, sometimes me chew it".

~Cookie Monster~

Now this quote is also true of John and I'll let Cookie Monster say it in his own words.

"Sometimes Me think what is Friend?"

and then me say,

"Friend is someone to share the last cookie with".

~Cookie Monster~

My kitchen stalker John a.k.a Cookie Monster will have his taste satisfied with this plate of chocolate chip cookies and a cappuccino. Waiting patiently for me to snap a couple photos. 

So the cat has been fed and he is full and I notice John is smiling like a Cheshire Cat. 

When I was young my brother Michael and I would spend countless hours watching cartoons. Cartoons fed my overactive imagination and encouraged my love of cats and mice. My favorite cartoons in order were Tom and Jerry, Sylvester the Cat and Mickey Mouse. They permanently infused my developing creativity in a playful cat and mouse kind of way. Much was learned as a child in the humorous interaction of predatory characters. Even today I delight in memory of the imaginative cartoons of my childhood. In banter during verbal exchanges often imprinted cartoon images are recalled reflecting our life in modern day.

Meet Mr. Charlie Mouse my latest clay creation to celebrate Springtime into Summer blissfully on a swing. He hangs in our bathroom on a faux Magnolia branch. It is the perfect perch to add the unexpected touch of whimsy and help promote a smile.

The silk White Magnolia branch is from Crate and Barrel.

I shaped and carved the swing out of clay. I baked it for 90 minutes and then applied 4 shades of acrylic paints to make it appear rustic, old and as if found by Charlie mouse to make his fun swing. John suggested I snip off loose hair from the jute twine but my reply was I'm leaving it on, it adds to the rustic charm.

Large beads were added to add whimsy and jute twine completes Charlie's swing. 

I twice baked Charlie like a Biscotti cookie to insure extra drying time.

"It's a happy day when the birds fly by and I swing high enough to reach them in the sky".

~Mr. Charlie Mouse~

Diminutive in scale sitting Charlie measures a smidgen over 3 inches.

I'll leave you today with my all time favorite quote and below that is a poem titled Freedom of expression I wrote inspired by it. Disney's quote allows me Carte Blanche to engage in folly. I believe imaginations are fueled by our appreciation in the creative efforts by others. When the clock stroked midnight on New Year's Eve I promised myself 2016 would be my year to tip the scales of play over work. So far so good.

xx,

Vera

"Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age and dreams are forever"

~Walt Disney~

A human's imagination remains boundless to magical possibilities occurring each and everyday

It's hindrance from peer pressure that obstructs us and creative thoughts are often lead astray

Imagination is an attribute developed and nurtured during free-spirited engagement in play

Thoughts and ideas forming in ones mind and accumulating together into a wondrous prolific ingenious bouquet

It's only because of harsh judgement from others in our creative efforts we often become afraid to portray...

I invite you to jubilation as you celebrate your talents, but first you need to banish other peoples opinions away.

© Vera

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