Stitch and Sew

Plant Flowers

That thou mayest perfume have and to give.

Plant cabbage 

That thou mayest eat and live.

For life is complex and its needs demand

That flowers and cabbage go hand in hand.

 I thought this might be 1940's or 1950's, but my Great Uncle and Aunt , both of whom have embroidered , sewn and upholstered, tell me that no-one had time in the 40's to sew like this and that it must be earlier than that.

The detail is lovely, as is the colour. It has obviously been stored away from light as the dye of the silks  seem so vibrant. The shop, well really a jam packed room  full of discarded treasures where I found this, is owned by Robert who has eclectic taste and who buys at auction. This piece was framed in Bangor - Wales, date unknown. But has made its way to Hastings and now is in another town.

I resonate with the sentiments. My passions in the garden are my flowers , my pots are well attended and nurtured and the nearest I come to cabbage growing are my wicker baskets of herbs outside the kitchen door. As a child, I would distill rose petals in water in jam jars to try to create perfume loving the colour and scent .

My Husband is the cabbage grower, or at the moment, green beans , potatoes, salad, beetroot and tomatoes.

These are today's flowers and cabbage and yes, life is complex . We are very different people but we do complement each other .


So still with the seaside theme:

And hand in hand,on the edge of the sand 

They danced by the light of the moon,

The moon,

The moon,

They danced by the light of the moon.' 

Edward Lear from The Owl and the Pussy-Cat.