Showing posts with label Red and White. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Red and White. Show all posts

Monday, October 8, 2012

Morning Light


There's something about the soft morning light 
that makes everything prettier, more serene.



Fresh autumn flowers from the garden seem
 more cheery, promising a day full of fun.


An unset table, the stillness of the early hour 
and quiet moments, soon to shift scenes,


as the light wakes the day, wandering through
 the silent space, gently notifying a new start,



a clear vision, a deep aspiration, a strong need to
 fill the day with soul and spirit and truth.

Thanks for visiting!

Posted by at 38 comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Friday, May 25, 2012

My Red & White Romance: Part 2

my kitchen

Welcome back!

 Let's move into the kitchen, shall we? If you haven't already noticed, the chickens have fled their coop and decided to plump themselves cozily in front of the pastries! I have to admit that I wasn't the least bit hesitant about letting them keep me company... me and half the female population. Cliché or not, I love these gals and they can hang out with me anytime.


But back to my romance with red and white! As you can see, I am deeply involved, illicit, to the point of displaying this passion in red gingham table runners, checkered teacups and jam jars, red crested roosters and plaid tea towels, all red and all within a 3 foot radius!


 And speaking of passion, it would be a huge oversight on my part if this brilliant colour's contribution was not mentioned with respect to Valentine's Day. I remember my very first Valentine's day celebration in primary school. Mr. Smith, my grade four teacher always threw his class a party and presented us with the most delicious delicacies prepared by his wife. I never met Mrs. Smith, but I always pictured her to be a sweet and gentle woman who spent her days in a charming little kitchen baking the most perfectly frosted little cakes for her husband's boys and girls. I can still taste their heavenly richness, characteristic of homemade goodies.


Of course just as prominent a position does red and white take with yet another holiday. Christmas characterized by red and white, in decorative terms, is a joy in itself. From candy canes to candles, stockings, snow, Santa's suit and beard, red and white puts the ''merry'' into this festive season with warmth, fun and tradition. And let's not forget Rudolph, without whose glowy red nose none of this would be possible! 

 

This little memoir of me and red today just wouldn't be complete without noting my nostalgic attachment to my native land. Canada remains my country of birth, the beautiful place I hold dear to my heart, the country that taught me to honour and respect all nationalities and cultures, indeed to celebrate them. It instilled in me a deep sense of devotion to heritage, be it my own or my neighbour's, and today I choose to celebrate a most worthy one, the Canadian: many heritages in one! Red and white in all its glory.


Thanks for visiting,

Posted by at 50 comments:
Labels: , ,

Thursday, May 24, 2012

My Red & White Romance: Part 1


Welcome back!

 Come on in and make yourself at home. Today I'm in the mood for a cozy tête-à-tête. I'd like to tell you something about me: I'm deeply devoted to the colour red. In fact, I, myself, only became aware of this a short while ago. As far as fashion is concerned, I realized that red repeatedly shows up in my choice of clothing, shoes and accessories, mostly making solid appearances, whereas in decorating, I tend to lean towards the pretty perfection of pattern.

 

I smile at the thought of gingham, checks, stripes and plaid and how they have the power to magically revitalize a tired old armchair or add whimsy to a weary window frame. I'm not afraid to let these elements take centre stage and I often group them together to let them share the limelight, either against a backdrop of solid red or happily let them co-exist and complement each other.  For me, the combination of red and white, whether it appears in patterns of polka dots or plaid is pleasing to the eye and happy for the heart!

via country living
It seems that this connection to the colour red goes back to my childhood. The first memory I have of me and Red (sounds like my sidekick!) is actually captured in a photo. I'm about two, wearing a red and white one piece bathing suit and dancing on the couch between my dad and grandfather who are applauding me with cheers of "Opa!", which is a celebratory Greek affirmation. I wanted to show you this picture but couldn't find it; it is probably nestled among hundreds of others in ratty cardboard boxes that sadly haven't been appreciated in a very long time due to the pressing business of daily life. Anyway, a few years later and another red and white bathing suit and red flip flops to match, I remember the very first time I lost something.


Google

I was around eight and we had gone on a family picnic to Centre Island, which is a short ferry ride from Toronto. It had been a very eventful day with barbecues and swimming, funfair rides and cotton candy and as we were packing up our belongings in the park, I suddenly got confused and didn't know if the wet bathing suit on the picnic table was mine or the little girl's whose family had set up their gear next to us. I was too shy to ask her and so I left the bathing suit on the brown picnic table and only later when my mother asked me for it when we got home, did I realize that it was indeed mine. 

 

They say that a child's character is formed by the age of seven. Well, I can testify to that! Although I am considered to be extroverted and assertive, I am equally reserved and diffident. Sometimes I think of that day, and my little red and white bathing suit, quietly dripping on that wooden table in a dark empty park, and the little girl who cried for it that night.


 Needless to say, since then and in my younger, no-effort skinny years, I have strutted my stuff in some sassy red and white swimsuits, several pairs of ruby red flip flops and even dabbled with daring shades of red to brighten up my lips or cover the white in my mane. So maybe, just maybe, my mania with this duo is justified!

 

Similarly, it is most fitting why one day out of the blue, my daughter, Liberty, decided to start calling me Poppy. She said that when she thought of me, the colour red appeared before her eyes in a delicate and dainty shape, like that of a poppy! It didn't even need to grow on me; it bloomed instantly and spread rampantly to other members of my family picking it up, some changing it up slightly depending on my mood or their mood at that moment. Thus, I am always the honoured recipient of a brilliant bouquet of sweet and affectionate endearments.

Thanks for visiting,


PS: My love affair with Red is not over....
Stay tuned for Part 2! 

Posted by at 37 comments:
Labels: , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)