Friday, February 26, 2010

Cottage Life and "Marriage and Its Real Purpose"

Dear Friends,

A merry Friday to you, today! Thank you for coming over today; we might even have a bit of sunshine to share with you!

Let's see what's been going on around the cottage~ We would like to introduce two "new" members of the doll family; Meriweather and Fauna, who have been to the big, big city and have just been reunited with their big sister, Annabelle (Who is feeling a little quite the country bumpkin next to their fine clothes).



These two dolls belonged to my mother's younger sisters back in the early 1950s, and Annabelle for many years reigned supreme at the head of my grandmother's bed. So you can see that they go way back! I was very thankful that my mother trusted me to keep them here (on the very tippy-top shelf, of course).

And here are two Godey's plates that we tried to resist buying, but when they were marked down to $2.50 each, well. . .
See how much Grandma's old Dutch girl likes them!

AnnaMarie and I decided that instead of painting over this, ummm, lovely wallpaper that used to greet the eye upon entering the kitchen, we would wallpaper over with the same wallpaper we put up in the parlor three years ago~


It looks SO much more pleasing to the eye, that we wonder why we did not think of it sooner! And of course, it was very economical, coming from the thrift store :) .


We hope that you do not tire of our sharing little tidbits from our old books and magazines~ this little article jumped out at us so that we thought we'd finish off with it today (We will leave to our married friends to arrange sharing it with their spouses):


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Marriage and its Real Purpose

"Real marriage, ideal marriage, should mean the union of a man and a woman, living their lives together, and spending their entire lives learning to know each other." This is the statement of John Arthur Graves in one of his recent essays. "The man who has been married a week, a month, a year or five years, and who imagines that he knows his wife, is a man to be pitied.

"Each human soul represents the development of thousands and thousands of years back of us. Even the simplest human creatures cannot be really known except by years of study, lasting over a lifetime.

"The man and woman really married, and happily married, are the couple that each day and each week and each year find new attractions, new and charming characteristics, in each other. Nine-tenths of the troubles of married life are due to the fact that the average husband neglects to study his wife, fails to realize her beauty of character--ignores the wonderful gift that has been bestowed upon him.

"A woman gives herself, her entire life, everything that she has, to a man, staking her happiness upon his intelligence and appreciation, and expecting him, as the years pass, to study and know her as she strives to know him, until a perfect union of soul has been completed between them. This is real marriage."

~The Mother's Magazine, April 1908

Until next time, dear friends,

Love,

Marqueta

11 comments:

  1. Lovely post!
    Oh your dolls are so pretty. I adore the one in the middle. Dolls are such treasures. I collect dolls (among other things!) and my hubby is a train enthusiast. I guess we are just kids at heart.
    Hope you and your family have a beautiful weekend!
    Hugs))

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  2. No dear friend, I do not get tired of reading the words of wisdom that you share.

    The wallpaper is just lovely and it looks beautiful with the cupboard and the cups hanging with ribbons. So cottagey :)

    I have always enjoyed dolls, but never had too many of them while I was growing up :( But no matter, I enjoy my enjoyement of them through yours ~ dear friend :)

    Blessings to you and your lovely family,

    Maria

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  3. I love those little snippets from old books:-) And the paper is so pretty!

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  4. I love the sweet blue floral wallpaper, and the cups hanging from ribbons are a delightful touch. It makes me wish I had a peg shelf like that to hang cups from myself☺

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  5. hello to you and your girls at the cottage! Oh, those plates were a steal! I'm so glad you liked them. And that article was so fun...I do think it rang true about constantly striving to know and appreciate your partner.

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  6. Oh everything looks lovely the wallpaper looks wonderful so pretty and you got that from the thrift store wow!! I love wallpaper our house in New York I wall papered the whole thing hehehe!! The dolls look wonderful and the plates are exquisite(I hope I spelled that right lol!!) Hopefully your relaxing now!!! your not nesting are you hehehe!!! Have a Blessed Day and I enjoyed your tidbit of article Blessings Love Heather

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  7. Marqueta,

    I do have to admit that I am not quite the house dresser! AND if you and I were next door neighbors I would ask if you and your girls would come do a decor make-over at my home! I know that my sweet daughter would find that the funnest thing!
    ~The new wallpaper is very pretty and the shelf with all the cups and trinkets are very charming~

    I love to read the wisdom that you share! Please keep sharing :o)

    Blessings & love this morning,
    Deanna

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  8. Hello my friend, Meriweather and Fauna are just lovely additions to the family!!! I still love my dolls~I have a few from when I was a teenager~I still love to dress them up~they were quite loved and I play with my dolls while my girls bring their dolls in. We have a little dialogue going with all the dolls and it is so much fun. God bless, Rose

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  9. Dear Marqueta,

    What sweet baby dolls you have now! I am sure they will get over their country bumpkin stagefright. :)

    And I never get tired of the tidbits of wisdom from the good old days.

    Love,
    Lynn

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  10. Dear Marqueta,

    The dolls and plates are just beautiful! Your new wallpaper looks lovely! Very Victorian! I love how you decorated your shelf. I have a rose cup just like the ones you have on the pegs! I also have two plates, and three bowls that match it. I paid very little for them years ago, and they are so cottage'y sweet. Yours go perfectly in your Victorian Cottage! The article was wonderful! Thank you for always sharing!

    Love, Paula

    P.S. It has been an extremely cold winter for Louisiana! I am ready for Spring, as I imagine you are! :)

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  11. Dear Mama,

    The dolls are pretty!!!

    I like the wallpaper!

    I love you and I like you!
    Love,
    Audrey

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