Tuffets and Quilts

23rd most viewed on Flickr, 774 views 

tuffet

noun

1. 1.

   a tuft or clump of something.

   "grass tuffets"
2. 2.

   a footstool or low seat.

Here we have Martha sitting on a 'tuffet' in the polytunnel. The tuffet is actually the contents of a plant pot. Martha is a keen gardener to this day having been partly reared in a polytunnel.  She is still fond of sitting on tuffets.

23rd most interesting, 423 views on Flickr

Alice meets Tweedledum & Tweedledee in Through The Looking-Glass, another of A.H. Watson's delightful illustrations.

I remember Matty referring to folk as Tweedledum and Tweedledee. It was generally scathing and directed at various people of her acquaintance,  always two misguided folk who agreed with each other to a high degree. A couple of ladies spring to my mind as I remember this but I can say no more.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee also featured on a heavy patchwork quilt that was often on the bed I shared with my sister. At this stage of my life, maybe four or five years old, I was unaware of the Alice books but I couldn't help being fascinated by the patchwork pieces of fabric that featured the Tenniel illustrations. There were two colour ways, one, sunny and bright and the other, more muted with a sea-green tinge. I'd examine them for what seemed like ages comparing and contrasting. Although it was more likely moments, for little children fall  to sleep so quickly.

It was probably nursery curtain fabric and perhaps it came from the Old Bleach factory in Randalstown. It was heavy, so maybe linen. I wouldn't have known the names of fabric in those days. One thing I do know is, I would give a great deal to see that fabric again. Not because of the Aliceness of it, but for the pleasure it gave me when I was very young.

Dusty Old Books

The 9th of April and I'm way behind on my seed-sowing schedule but when it comes to entertaining, I'm right out in front.

Today's 9th most viewed photograph is a bit of a cheat and I'll tell you why.

Dusty old books. 1,135 views.

This was originally a picture of Mrs The Wee's trodden upon toe. The toe was trodden upon by her daughter's mare and she lost the tip of it including the nail. It healed rather well but the nail never grew back. Now it turned out, that a few times over the years, foot and amputation fetishists found and favourited the picture and this bothered me. When complete strangers favourite or comment on my pictures they are checked out and if I judge their pictures unsavoury I block them. In the picture's last flurry of interest I considered deleting the image as well as blocking the Flickr user but decided to replace it instead. Those dusty old books have been viewed considerably less than the 1,000+ times attributed to them. It amuses me to see the picture sitting among a collection of mature and warped feet in someone's favourites. The other culprit was blocked as his pictures were NSFW.

Thankfully I never posted to Flickr the picture that illustrates this ancient blog post. If I had it would probably have featured on many a saddo's favourite list. I know I should be more tolerant of other people's predilections but I'm not. So there you go. Like it or lumpen feet it.

The ninth most interesting picture is a far pleasanter subject.

524 views

Alice falling down the rabbit hole illustrated by A.H. Watson. I found the book in a charity shop and it is one year younger than me. I particularly like that Alice is wearing a rose coloured dress instead of the cornflower blue dress popularised by Tenniel, Disney et al. I find Watson's illustrations more appealing and less frightening than John Tenniel's work although it was that very quality that appealed to Lewis Carroll when he chose Tenniel to illustrate the Alice books.

So that is how it is - I like my Alice whimsical and my Flickr untainted by the grotesque. No more crazy foot pictures ever. And I'm beginning to have my doubts about the 'wellies' tag.