Sunday, May 20, 2012

A Blog Spot in Romantic Country



Several months ago I received an e-mail from Mary Forsell, the editor of Romantic Country magazine. She was asking me if she could include “Recollections of a Vagabonde” in their forthcoming summer issue. The magazine is a lifestyle magazine for women featuring interiors, gardens, artists, shops, and inns. In the magazine there is a page called “the blog spot” where they highlight several blogs. I was quite surprised that she had found my blog and pleased that she thought it was good enough to be included in her magazine. (Please click on collages to enlarge and then click on each picture.)



Mary requested that I send her several photos from my posts for the article. She selected four photos from the eight I had sent her. They are: on the left a picture from Savannah, Lafayette Square and a Wedding. The first picture on the right is my French cousin’s cheese platter, below is a scene from Hawaii and below a selection of pastries in a Vienna, Austria shop (I don’t remember from which posts they came.)




Mary sent me a copy of the summer issue of Romantic country and it was strange to see my little blog in such a beautiful magazine – page 20 – under the blog spotTraveler’s Tales and Getaways.




The magazine is widely available. I saw it at the grocery store in Nashville and here, too. It is full of great tips about decoration and has good articles and creative ideas. As I was reading through it I enjoyed an article called “Rosy Outlook” about a home in Rhode Island decorated with many roses.



I like the rose sofa and it looks well with all the rose paintings on the wall. My mother loved roses - we had climbing pink roses, beautiful white roses and cabbage type old fashioned roses in our garden outside of Paris. Her bedroom walls in her parents’ house were covered with roses wallpaper. She had decorated my bedroom with wall paper with tiny roses. I would give her greeting cards covered with roses and accompanied with rose scented hand lotion, cologne, etc. Sometimes my father would say “enough!” (I did mention in an earlier post that when I visited my grand-parents my grandfather would place dried rose petals in my bath water….)



I used to have a garden here in the 1970-80s with 150 rose bushes, before I started to work full-time. But they are gone now. I only have 5 rose buses but with all the shade and tall trees they are not very floriferous. Right now there is only one rose flowering - the one below.



My husband has been planting flowers in pots and they are looking quite vigorous so we do have pretty colorful flowers.



Two weeks ago we went back to the Smith-Gilbert Gardens about which I wrote several posts. Their roses were in full bloom and I took many pictures (will be in a future post.) We volunteered to go back every Monday morning to be part of the “Rose Warriors” group who prune and weed the roses. So it does not feel so bad not having a large rose garden anymore.


Yellow Roses by Allan R. Banks, American born in 1948

While in Paris last year we saw many gardens with roses. I took a lot of pictures. Below is one of the pictures I had sent to the magazine. I need to write a post about these gardens. I am so far behind writing my posts because we travel faster than I can write them. The picture below was taken in the Jardins du Palais Royal in Paris.



I could keep talking about roses for a long time. Just one more rose painting…


Roses by Abbott Handerson Thayer, American 1849-1921

Another article in Romantic Country caught my attention. It is called “Souvenir Postcards.” I have been a postcard collector since I was a wee child and have a large number in my collection.



The article says “Maybe it’s the rich colors. Or the fact that they remind us of a simpler time. But there’s something so evocative, soothing and perfectly delightful about vintage picture postcards…” So very true. I went and gathered some of my old postcard albums and brought them to our garden. Here they are below. The one on the right with a rose on the cover is the very first postcard album my grandfather gave me when I was a child.




I opened it so the postcards inside could be seen. Here are some vintage Valentine cards.



The one below contains vintage postcards of wild animals.



Old French postcards are in the album below.



Another one has many old pictures of Turkey.



The album below contains some of my Tuck postcard collection.




Raphael Tuck & Sons, England, was a prolific publisher of early postcards. They started in 1899 to sell chromo prints which were made in Germany. They have beautiful colors. Here is a close-up of two of them – the Canadian Rockies on top and Guy’s Tower in Warwick Castle in England.



I have also boxes and large binders full of cards. I keep them by categories - for example I have a “Royalty” section. Below are four cards from this binder. Top left is Tzar Nicholas II, next to HRH Princess Elizabeth. Below left is Queen Alexandra on her Coronation in June 1902 next to “Her Majesty The Queen” by Tuck & Sons, Ltd. I bought these cards years ago and they were not expensive. I think the most I paid for a vintage postcard was one of Queen Victoria. I paid 5 pounds ($8) for it in London in the early 1980s. Then I forgot and bought exactly the same one – I need to exchange it with a collector.



Some of my all time favorite cards are those I call my “pretty ladies.” I have a binder with maybe 100 of them or more. The ones I like the best were done by the Fidler sisters, Alice, Pearl and Elsie. They illustrated cards in the early 1900s with lovely American beauties. The two top cards are from Alice Luella Fidler, 1911.



I like some of the cards for the quaint message on them.


“Don’t worry about the future. The present is all thou hast; The future will soon be present, And the present will soon be past.”

Do pick-up a copy of this magazine if you can. It may make you reminisce just like I did. I’ll end with a postcard for my mother. Her birthday was May 12th, the day before Mother’s Day last week. She would have been 102, but she passed away in 2002. I miss her.




(Far from the eyes, close to the heart.)



o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o


Note: Blogger Break - Post pre-programmed.

34 comments:

  1. I am super excited for you. Your writing and blog are perfect for this magazine. Congratulations and keep us up to date on how it goes.

    Hope you are having a great weekend.
    Sam

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  2. That is totally awesome to have your blog in this magazine! Congratulations! Will have to go and get a copy of this! Lovely post today!

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  3. Dear Vagabonde, the folks at Romantic Country were so right in choosing to spotlight you and your always fascinating blog...........congratulations!!! I will definitely be looking for this issue on the newsstand later today.

    In this post, again full of interest, I love the roses but am in awe of your amazing post card collection - it is stunning. I love postcards too, save a lot from my travels but don't have them organized like you - those albums are wonderful and I'm sure bring many hours of browsing joy with the many memories they stir.

    Have a wonderful day dear.
    Hugs - Mary

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  4. Your blog is one of the most professional and elegant that I follow, VB. I am not surprised that they chose it for this magazine. Congratulations!

    So you have always been a collector of postcards. That is fascinating. I collect nothing but debris, it seems. And then I need to clean out my drawers. :-)

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  5. Congratulations to you!! I will be going out to look for a copy of the magazine!

    My fifth grade teacher had a beautiful post card collection and when we finished our work as a reward, she would allow us to look at her post cards. I've been in love with them ever since. I started my own collection as I got older though all of mine are travel cards. I have quite a collection though they've never been catalogued or organized in any way. Getting a glimpse of your collection is quite a treat!

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  6. How WONDERFUL to be included in this beautiful magazine...CONGRATULATIONS, my dear Vagabonde....

    I LOVE all the Postcards---especially that one of the Fiddler sisters of the four women---that lower right lady in that incredible hat is magnificent...!

    I love Roses, too, so it is always lovely to see photos and paintings of Roses...!

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  7. wow, impressionnant ! félicitations
    but I see why they chose you !
    bonne semaine
    anni

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  8. I've missed so many of your wonderful posts due to our time in Europe and then a rough re-entry that culminated this week with having to say goodbye our dear Gypsy. I'm very behind with blogging, but I'm so very, very glad you finally posted about your mention in Romantic Country! I just was so excited when I saw it -- knowing how deserving the mention.

    I'm glad you shared more bits of your postcard collection in this post. It's an interest we share, but your collection is far larger (and better scanned!) than mine! Thanks for including it in the post!

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  9. What an honour to have your blog recommended in a magazine, you must be so happy.

    Love all your post cards they are wonderful.

    Take care Diane

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  10. Well done Vagabonde - maybe you can do more work for them. I, too, love your postcards. What a wonderful collection you have! Colour printing in 1899! I wonder how that was done.
    Probably as now. But the registration looks excellent, though the Canadian Rockies I saw didn't look like that!

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  11. How wonderful it was to see you all!

    I think your mentioning being Rose Warriors might have influenced some photos I took this afternoon and have included in my new post.

    I also love old postcards, even if I am not really a true collector. Your collection is remarkable.

    Many congratulations on being included in the magazine. I will seek it out. xo

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  12. Congratulations to you, Vagabonde. The magazine was wise to choose your blog as one to feature. Your blog is such a delight to view, and is always full of information and interesting tidbits.

    I loved seeing some of your many postcards. What fun it would be to see all of your collection.

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  13. I'm so happy for you! Congratulations! You are a treasure, and I'm glad others appreciate you too.

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  14. Congratulations on being published! That's a beautiful magazine, and your blog certainly deserved to be mentioned and showcased there. What a delight to see other interesting articles too. Your postcard collection is just amazing as well. I've thoroughly enjoyed your blog all along, and so glad you've been deservedly recognized!

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  15. What a beautiful post. I am so proud of you and plan to buy several copies of the magazine and beg you to autograph one next time I see you!! I thought about Memere (sorry - not sure how to put in the accent marks in the comments) a lot last week and shed a tear reading this entry.

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  16. Based on this post and its gorgeous illustrations, you could have supplied enough copy for the entire edition, Vagabonde, bit just one page. I really love your old postcards - so evocative.

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  17. What a thrill to see your photos in such a lovely magazine! It's nice to know that so many people enjoy your photos - and some of us will exclaim 'I knew her when...' as we look at the magazine.

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  18. Vagabonde,
    What a great news!! Congratulations!
    I am just amazed with and gaze at your collection of the postcards.
    How graceful “Pretty ladies” are in tasteful hats! Recently I have not seen a woman in such an elegant hat or cap in Japan. It’s a pity.
    Thank you for sharing.
    keiko

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  19. Dear Vagabond, congratulations on your blog being featured in the magazine "Romantic Country" living. Having read your postings for several months now, I'm not surprised as your blog is always so interesting, so beautifully illustrated, and so well done. I'll look for the magazine at the library. If it's not there, I'll go to Barnes and Noble to see if they have it.

    And this posting today with all the beautiful pictures and the paintings of roses was lovely. Yesterday I read a post by Arlee who does the blog "Wrote by Rote." He collected stamps when he was young. I wish he would have shown us some as you have displayed some of your postcards. Thank you.

    Peace.

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  20. I can see why they wanted to feature your blog. I've just spent time reading back....how lucky to be able to travel (and share it with us). We ar going to France in august.

    Roses are great, you've got a green thumb. Thanks for reading my blog!

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  21. I hope that your blogging break is going successfully. I am also collecting postcards. However, your collection is so much more impressive.

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  22. What a thrill for you to be published in Romantic Country! Your blog posts are certainly a good fit for the magazine. I so enjoyed seeing more of your postcard collection. You have such a wonderful variety. Looks like you have them organized quite well too. With so many, it's no wonder you are able to find one that fits almost every post that you do. I hope you are enjoying your latest travels.

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  23. I'm not surprised they contacted you. Your blog is a real treasure!

    ...and especially not now after you also show us your awesome postcard collection, that is really something! So old ones too! Fabulous and fantastic!

    The magazine looks equally fantastic I must say, I don't think I've seen it over here though.

    I so recognize your saying: "I am so far behind writing my posts because we travel faster than I can write them.

    We still have trips from 2008 to write about... ehum...

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  24. being selected for such a great magazine is wonderful!
    you certainly earned it

    I love your pretty ladies

    thanks so much for coming by and catching up with me and for the kind words
    I am seeing a new doc tomorrow
    the cats are comfy and their meds are working
    so sorry about Mitsou, I'm sending lots of hugs

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  25. What a beautiful blog you have... thanks for stopping by mine and leaving those lovely comments. I can see why the magazine wanted your photos... they are gorgeous... I look forward to reading more!

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  26. Congratulations! Your blog is so wonderful -- I'm glad that many more will discover it!

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  27. Oh my friend, I am so so happy for you! What a deserving honor and highlight of the beauty of your blog, your vision, your adventuresome spirit, and yes romantic too. It is something to treasure, that magazine, and know that you give beauty so bountifully that it was discovered by this magazine editor. No one blogs better than you, with such thoroughness, insight, intelligence, sensitivity and beauty. Brava!

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  28. Congratulations on having your blog selected for a magazine. It's an honour you richly deserve.

    It's too early for roses here, they'll be out in June.

    I love your extensive postcard collection. You must have started many decades ago.

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  29. Très joli post. Félicitations, tu vas devenir célèbre ! Toi et ton blog le méritent bien.

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  30. Congratulations on the magazine, what an honour. Your blog looks very inspiring, looking forward to following your adventures.

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  31. I appreciate all of you who came and read my blog while I was away and left such kind comments. I also would like to welcome any new blogger who came – I appreciate the visit of each of you too. I am slowly catching up reading all your posts. Merci.

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  32. Congratulations to you ..Such a wonderful accomplishment..Great post..Hope you have a nice weekend..Susie

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  33. Congratulations! I feel the need to start collecting postcards. What a great idea. I always learn something interesting when I come to your blog. Happy holiday. =)

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