One of the blackbirds that visits regularly was a little put out to find his food under a chilly blanket.
The day before the snow came down I popped out to pick a selection of helebore flowers - we have so many and as it's a deliciously promiscuous plant, seedlings pop up everywhere and the flowers all vary just a bit. I love them, but if I pick them on the stem they always droop so I find this the best way to show them off. If anyone knows how to stop the droop in a vase, I'd love to know.
I've been displaying my little things on these type-setting trays for decades, long before I got hooked on miniatures. Back in the day....I learned to typeset when I worked in publishing, so they are quite special as well as fabulous display cases and I have several. As I said, the sun shone and highlighted the dust, so I got out my soft old paintbrush and set to work before I dared take out the camera.
Click on the pics. to get bigger versions.
This one is in a narrow hallway so I had to perch on the stairs and squeeze the camera through the banisters to photograph it in its entirety. On the top is an ancient little pottery cat, an old Corgie AA van, a couple of vintage pencil sharpeners and a rather nice antique enamelled match box cover - the hanging cord doesn't show as a rule thankfully.
I thought I'd give you a closer look at some of my little 'treasures'. As you can see they aren't all true miniatures. I love buttons and small toys, old brooches and badges and the bits and pieces that remind me of special places or people. Then of course there's the 'quirky' that's just fun.
Thanks for looking
Robin
4 comments:
Hi Robin! Your type-setting trays are well filled with all kind of miniature treasures and miniatures, they are wonderful and being also precious memories for you, you have to cherish them. But....I would love to see you doing your morning gym, all because you wanted to reach with your photocamera the correct angle for taking a suitable picture hehehe ;O! I must say that your old paintbrush did excellent work, I couldn't see one trace of dust ;).
Regarding your hellebore question, I googled a bit on the internet and found a Dutch blog from a woman who wrote this in one of her post. She found a book written by Margery Fish in 1956. I quote:
"Margery (1892-1969) was an English gardener who started gardening only at the age of 45. She wrote a book, quite informative.
In my garden, if it is not freezing, are blooming beautiful black and white Helleborus orientalis. But when I put them in a vase, the stalks hang limply over the edge in no time. In her book I read the solution to this problem. Margery: "The secret is that you have to cut open the stems up to the first leaves. Then they will last a long time ".
I picked one stem to see if that was true and I cut the stem open with a knife. Then I put the flower in a vase and the miracle happened. The Helleborus was doing great and even the buttons open."
I don't know if it's helpful, but you never know ;)!
Stay warm, hugs, Ilona
Thanks Illona, you're treasure. Trust me you wouldn't want to see the gymnastics, but glad you're liking the collections.
I'm off to cut a hellebore to try and I'll let you know.
Margery Fish was a wonderful and influential gardener.
Rx
You're welcome, Robin, and.....did it work?? Now I'm curious too ;)!
I was not known with Margery Fish, so again: I've self learned something new by an attempt in answering your question ;).
Have a nice evening. Hug, Ilona
Yay!! 24 hours later and so far, no sign of a droop!
Rx
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