Thursday, December 16, 2010
My Old Flocked Tree
Flocked tree tid-bit for the day... the tree skirt is a special one. My mother made that tree skirt by hand and sent it to me in SF, CA that year, especially for this tree in it's blue and white theme. It's made of taffeta, with a tiny snowflake pattern. I have used it since on the years that I had a white, although artificial tree. It is still lovely, and special since it's hand made by my mother... I am saving it for the day when the house is big enough for two trees... a white and blue tree in the living room, and a fresh green tree in the den.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Christmas At The Movies
Often in old movies and old t.v. shows as well, the trees seem to be of the same type/variety/species. I think I can offer some insight to why Hollywood move and t.v. trees always see to be perfectly shaped with open spaces and completely horizontal branches. The trees used are "Silver Tips" or "California Red Fir" trees. In the past, it was the Christmas tree that everyone seemed to use in California. With most old movies and t.v. show being filmed or taped in California... I am assuming that the prop departments simply chose the trees that were most readily available.
One of the few pleasant memories I have of living in California was that these "perfect" trees were still available in the 1990's, sold mostly on corner lots and lumber yards and garden centers. These trees were perfect for ornament hanging, open spaces for icicles to hang just right, and very fresh with long lasting qualities. However, even in the late 1990's these trees were being phased out for the more desirable, fuller, bushier and more fragrant Douglas, Noble, and Frasier firs. Well, times and tastes change. But, of the seven. Christmases I spend in CA, three of those were "Silver Tip" trees. Also, I will mention that the silver tips were very much more expensive than the more popular shorn and shaped trees from the tree farms. Their growing cycle is much longer than typical trees, and require the higher elevations of the mountains to grow, therefore harvesting and shipping were more expensive.
Just about every year since then I have researched the Internet for a grower in No. California, Oregon or Nevada that has these Hollywood Trees, however, I have never had any success in finding a grower willing to cut and ship just one tree.
Posted below are some pictures I have found of silver tip trees on Google Image search, some are of other silver tip tree appearances in the movies, others are from growers. Enjoy.
Silver Tip tid bit of the day... like I said, I had three of these wonderful trees over the years... and, being in California, one year I decided to go as tacky as possible and have the tree flocked... and flock it they did. By the time the flocking, lights, and ornaments were one, the poor thing was weighed down so much that most of the limbs pointed down to the floor. I recommend that if you are going to flock, then flock a stronger tree!
Photo Credits:
The Bishop's Wife: from http://www.beseaandscene.com/
A Summer's Place: http://www.imdb.com/
Holiday Inn: http://www.imdb.com/
Christmas In Connecticut: http://www.imdb.com/
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Daddy of the House
It was probably the late '40's in Port Wentworth, GA, a small community just to west of Savannah. As with most children at Christmas my mother and her sister were very keen to what was popular and the "in thing". Typically at Christmas my grandfather, saw in hand, would head out to the woods behind the house. Those woods led to the banks of the Savannah River, and were once the grounds of The Hermitage Plantation, famous for the location where the Cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney in the lat 18th century. Those woods were scattered with pines, holly trees, and cedar trees. This family always had a real live cut pine tree from the woods. But one particular Christmas my mother and her sister wanted a store bought tree, just like other people, their friends in the neighborhood. It was starting to be "the in thing" to buy your tree from a Christmas tree lot set up for season, the trees, most likely cut weeks before and shipped in from the north, as coastal Georgia was not the location to find a live, growing traditional Christmas tree.
So, after much asking and begging, my grandfather caved in to his daughters want to have a store bought tree. As my mother remembers, it was a standard balsam fir tree. I would imagine that in those days, and it being the first time a purchased tree was being used that a tree stand full of water may not have been in the picture, and that freshness wasn't necessarily a concern of tree vendors in the late '40's. But, the much begged for tree finally made it into the living room. Grandaddy got it put in, stood it up in whatever stand he must have fashioned and began the lighting process. But, as the lights started going on the tree, the needles started coming off the tree at a rapid pace. In a short amount of time, that poor, ill-fated balsam tree was absolutely needle less. When the tree stood there with lights and no needles, my mother and her sister, as any child would do, started pitching royal fits at the state of their tree, no needles... just brown brittle branches and a couple strands of lights. As my mother tells it, there was much crying and anguish over the situation. But, my grandfather, completely exasperated at this point, began to have a little breakdown. After giving in to his daughters many passioned requests for the tree, and for spending money that was scarce anyway, had finally had it. He was a quiet reserved man of few words, but was pushed to the limit of frustration and exclaimed..."why was I ever the daddy of this house?!".
I imagine that at this point, Grandaddy must have tossed the bare naked tree out the door and stomped off to the woods to cut down a tree for his daughters. Over the years, whenever one of the family has found themselves in a situation where the rest of the family if frustrated and disappointed with a project gone wrong, usually the person responsible blurts out "Why was I ever the Daddy of this house?!"
Since I was of the height and age to stand on a ladder putting lights on the tree has usually been my job. I normally decorate at least two trees a year, one for me and one for my mother. These days I have the assistance of my two nieces, ages 11 and 8. Believe me, at some point during that process I usually think of Granddaddy and end up saying... "why was I ever the uncle of this house?!"
Tree decorating tidbit for the day... Would you believe that electric lights were first strung on a Christmas tree in 1882. The visionary was Edward H. Johnson, Vice President of Edison Electric at his New York City home. The first lighting consisted of eighty egg-shaped lights in the color of red, white, and blue. Below is a picture of that first lighted Christmas tree.
Story and Photo Credit to: www.jimonlight.com , thanks Jim for the fascinating information!
and Google Image photo stock; 1930's Christmas tree, source site unavailable.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Engagement Excitement... and some other excitement!
On a quite different note, an image of the royals that we are not used to seeing in the media. Protesters attacking the Prince and Duchess's car? Really, the look on the Duchess's face really tells it all as far as how surprising the incident was. I wonder who was in charge of choosing that route to the theater?
Royal Tidbit for the day ... Prince William will be marrying a commoner, it's sounds kinda mean, but in England, Kate Middleton is neither a member of the Nobility/Aristocracy, nor the royal family. Royal marriages to commoners are rare but a previous king, King James II married Anne Hyde in September of 1660. Princess Diana, daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer, was of noble birth, yet, not royalty. After Dian's father died in 1992, her brother Charles became the 9th Earl Spencer.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Christmas: Vintage is the way we go...
Along the way, I went back to using the big C7 colored lights, bubble lights, light reflectors, tinsel garland and the true, heavy, shimmering lead icicles. It really gives the tree a vintage look. EBay is the best way to go vintage when it comes to Christmas. Just search "vintage Christmas decorations" ... there are literally hundreds of pages of old things to buy or bid on. Good luck with creating your vintage-look Christmas tree.
Royal Tidbit of the day ... Kate Middleton is about to spend her last Christmas as a commoner, after she is married, she will be a Princess as well as rumored will become the Duchess of Cambridge. For years to come she will probably be spending the holidays with The Royal Family at Sandringham, in Surrey, or at Balmoral Castle. Good luck Kate!
Friday, December 3, 2010
A Holiday Diversion
This year we decided to give ourselves a little rest break between Thanksgiving and the decorating for Christmas. Normally our tree and outside lights would go up on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, but, this year we have waited a week. However, I couldn't resist buying the tree the day after Thanksgiving. While buying a tree for my mother's house in Savannah, I spotted a great tree that would be just perfect for our living room. Typically we travel not far to a local tree farm to cut our own Virginia Pine. But, when I saw the tree, pictured above, I just had to have it. This tree will be perfect, with its sparser branches to really show of the many vintage ornaments we have, as well as the fantastic lead tinsel/icicles we have collected.
Buying this tree was an adventure. After choosing my mother's tree, hauling it to her house, decorating there... I return to the tree lot in Daffin Park, in Savannah. My little tree that I spotted earlier in the day was still there. I will admit that many people wouldn't have given it a second look, but I knew right away it was the type of tree that really reminded me of the old-timey Balsam firs that we used to get in the '60's and '70's. These days all that are available on tree lots in our area are the super trimmed and super perfect Fraser Firs from. However, this tree lot gets it's whole supply from a North Carolina farm that doesn't believe in shaping the trees to such an extent. The weather had turned ugly by the time I went back for my tree, but I was determined to have this one. So, after getting it securely tied to the top of my rather small car, I drove back to Hilton Head in a dark driving rain. Our tree is good and watered, and has been waiting patiently on the back patio for a week now.
We can't wait to start decorating tomorrow. I will be sharing pictures of the finished product, as well as posting some other interesting pics that I have come across. Also, some of my own pics of Christmas trees from past years.
Hopefully this will keep us occupied while we wait on further details of the upcoming royal wedding.
Royal Tidbit for the day... The Christmas trees that grace royal residences such as Sandringham, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, and Frogmore were typically cut from the woodlands of Windsor Great Park adjacent to the castle. These trees were mainly Nordman Firs, the most popular choice in England for Christmas trees.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Countdown Begins!
Also, this royal wedding fan is very pleased that they have chosen Westminster Abbey as the venue. Perfect size for a "non-state-event" royal wedding. And, it keeps things in London where the media will have easy access, and the world will have a better view of things. I would imagine that things are chaotic if not at a high excitement level on the grounds of the Abbey this morning (afternoon there). All the planning that will be needed for this event will surely start immediately. So much to do, and so little to do it all. Most weddings these days take around a year to plan and execute, and none of them will have the elaborate details that this wedding will entail. Music, staff, security, attire, horses, carriages, banners and flags, and FLOWERS! I am hoping to hear from my dear friend David Longman (legendary London florist, maker of Diana's bouquet) to see if he has any inside information on who the lucky florist will be. I could speculate all day as to what Kate's bouquet will look like, however, without knowing what the dress will look like, the bouquet would be difficult to plan. Wondering if there will be a sentimental nod to Princess Diana some how in the style of the bouquet and it's contents... possibly Lady Di roses? Who knows, only time will tell, and we will find out for sure early in our morning on April 29th, 2011. Don't forget to set your TiVo's and DVR's.
Royal Wedding Tidbit for the day... in 1947, there was so much curiosity over Princess Elizabeth's wedding gown, that designers tossed bogus designs and patterns in the trash bins in order to distract and confuse the media so eager for a look at the dress.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Congrtualtions to Wills and Kate!
Royal Wedding Tidbit of the day.... it is speculated that prior to the wedding the Queen will give the happy couple new titles and they will be known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
American Royalty...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The British just have a way with weddings...
Sunday, June 20, 2010
It's Sweden's turn to shine...
Monday, May 24, 2010
A little dissappointing... the York saga continues
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Turquoise - It's this years pink...
And here is one more pic from the turquoise and hot pink wedding.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Recreating the royal bouquets...
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Happy Mothers' Day... and, more about Peter and Autumn
Monday, May 3, 2010
Kissing Cousins ... and their Grandmother
Prince Harry sure was the kisser at his cousin Peter Phillips' wedding at Windsor Castle. The affectionate prince is show kissing the cheek of his cousin Zara Phillips (Princess Anne's daughter) and also giving a peck on the cheek to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. This is surely something we don't see very often... Her Majesty showing any sort of affection in public. I would say it's very rare as the Queen usually upholds the highest level of decorum and modesty. But, the young princes, Harry and William are very much comfortable with showing their emotions and making physical contact with people they meet. So much like their mother, Diana.
I would never say that the Queen is unfeeling or cold.... but, during the years when she was raised and became queen, such public displays simply weren't the norm. I feel that people criticize Britain's Monarch excessively and unfairly for her conduct in public... hey, it's the way she was raised! And how often do we all use that as a reason for our conduct?
Now, about the flowers, I chose this picture to show the "kissin' cousins" as well as to get a closer look at the attendant's flowers for Peter and Autumn's wedding. All the bride's maid's bouquets are composed of all white flowers. Zara's bouquet is all Stephanotis, with many of the buds still closed. I can imagine how wonderful a fragrance that bouquet emitted.
And another thing! look at the way they are dressed.... can't Americans take some clues from the British when it comes to what looks good to wear to a wedding?
Royal Wedding Tidbit of the Day ... St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle has played host to many noteable royal wedding ceremonies... Edward VII and Queen Alexandra were married there, as well as Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, as well as the current hier apparent to the throne, Prince Charles, when he wed Camilla Parker-Bowles, known know as the Duchess of Cornwall ... more about Camilla later. ;)
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Peter and Autumn Phillips.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Giving Wallis Simpson her day...
Sorry folks and loyal followers, that is has been so long since the last posting. I guess spring just got away from me... sitting and anticipating the warm weather kinda got me distracted. Plus, other distractions like the still circulating rumors that a royal engagement will be announced in June, and Her Majesties birthday last week... things that keep a royal blogger distracted. I hope everyone will forgive the lapse in blogging.
So, today we give The Duchess of Windsor, a.k.a., Wallis Simpson her due. Looking at this picture her wedding day didn't appear to be an especially happy day. But, she had her King, err, well her former King on her arm. What more could a girl want? How about to be Queen? The look on her face seems to say it all... "I should be the queen right now!" That is simply not what history had in store for Wallis and Edward VIII. From all I have read over the years, the abdication crisis in December of 1936, was the most serious event and potentially destructive event in the life of the British royal family for many years before and after. Abdication, almost unheard of. Normally, monarchs died and the next in line took up the crown as their duty. But, I realize, often making great personal sacrifices of happiness in order to fulfill their duties. Clearly King Edward VIII saw something truly wonderful in Wallis Simpson, in order to step aside and let his younger brother take the throne. It is a story for all the ages, as one of the most uncertain times in the great and long history of the British Empire.
Now, for the flowers. Clearly from the picture, the bride neither carried nor wore any flowers. The groom, by this time styled as the Duke of Windsor appears to be wearing a carnation boutonniere, classic and stylish in his morning suit. The flowers present to the right of Wallis seem to be peonies and delphinum. I think an appropriate combination that is quite fitting for the french chateau where they were married. The wedding location was Chateau de Cande, near Tours, France, and the wedding date was June 3, 1937, just six short months after the abdication on December 10, 1936. The Windsors were married first in a civil ceremony performed by the local mayor, then married again in a religious ceremony conducted by the Rev. Jardine... while being serenaded by the great organist Marcel Dupre in the music room/salon the the chateau.
What a scandal and what sadness, since the bride was an American and twice divorced, she was not at all deemed an appropriate wife for a king. Edward VIII, having not yet been crowned in a formal coronation ceremony, elected not to be king without the woman he loved. Edward's mother, Queen Mary refused ever to receive her daughter-in-law, and brother Albert, now King George VI paid a final insult to his brother's choice of bride by refusing Wallace the style of Her Royal Highness, she was simply The Duchess of Windsor.
Royal Tidbit of the day ... for years after the abdication crisis, Wallace and Edward were snubbed and ignored by the royal family. The Queen Mother reportedly held a heavy grudge agains Wallis, believing it was Wallis' fault that she and her family were forced into becoming King and Queen, the stresses of duty, leading to the premature death of King George VI at the age of 56.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Azaleas around Hilton Head
Royal Tidbit of the day... on the last occasion of investiture of Garter Knights, Prince William was invested as the 1000th Knight of the Garter. The investiture ceremony takes place in the month of June each year at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. P. William is currently the youngest Garter Knight, but not the youngest to be invested. Prince Charles was made a Garter Knight at the age of 19.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Easter Flowers 2010 - And Royal Wedding Rumors!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Blue Roses for your wedding... you can't go wrong
Would you call that pink, or Flamingo?
Some many good pictures and videos too, from this past weekend. The flamingos were the first exhibit we saw at the zoo in Columbia. These birds were amazing, so colorful, and a bit loud. Their call sounds very much like geese. These flamingos have a brilliant color, much more vivid than the standard pink that you see on most flamingos, those not in somebodies front yard!
All of the animals were wonderful, I think I was most impressed by the giraffe exhibit. There you can purchase lettuce to feed them, and they are not shy. They will take the food right from your hand. The zoo has graciously provided hand sanitizer stations in that exhibit. I had lots of giraffe saliva on my hands when the feeding was done.
If anyone is in the Columbia, SC area for a visit... I highly recommend the Riverbank Zoo and Botanical Gardens.
Royal Wedding Tidbit for the day... Westminster Abbey has been the scene for several royal weddings. But, the first royal wedding to take place in the abbey occurred on November 11th in the year 1100. The happy couple was King Henry I and Princess Matilda of Scotland. The current Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II was the 10th member of the royal family to be married in Westminster Abbey.