Mar 30

Mar 30 The Ides of March and a Wish for Ginny

Ginny took a book off the shelf. It seemed so appropriate: The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden. While the wind made the snow dance outside, pelting the windows and sinking the house in darkness, Ginny turned the pages and dreamed a Spring adventure.

Waldorf-inspired doll Miss Ginny, in her bunny bonnet. By Fig and Me.

“The book starts in January, just like the year. Imagine that!” she said. But excuse me, if you have not met Ginny before, you can go and see her here. She is my current guest and we are very happy to spend this time with her.

Ginny turned the page as the book read “Nature Notes for 1906”. Wow! that’s 117 years ago. Ginny does love to read about olden times and prefers these old stories to contemporary ones.

The poem reads:

“To sit on rocks; to muse o’er flood and fell;
To slowly trace the forest’s shady scene,
Where things that own not man’s dominion dwell,
And mortal foot hath ne’er or rarely been!
To climb the trackless mountain all unseen,
With the wild flock, that never need a fold;
Alone o’er steeps and foaming falls to lean;
This is not solitude: ‘tis but to hold
Converse with Nature’s charms, and view her stores unrolled”.
Byron

Ginny wears her hand-knit collar and bunny bonnet. By Fig and Me.

Lots of details and vintage lace. Wooden button and braids for Mis Ginny, by Fig & Me.

MLG: Marie Louise Geneva by Fig and Me. Natural fiber art doll, custom order.

Ginny loved the poem and in fact tried her best to memorize it. I think she wants to impress Mom and all her wooly siblings when she gets home. Knowing they’re all a tad anxious awaiting her arrival.

The first illustration depicts Cole Tits, Blue Tits and a Great Tit. Ginny has seen them and wonders wether they will be seen in the plains or gardens of Texas, where she is heading. Since there are also Moor Hens on this book she gets very excited. Water fowl are her favourites, especially swans.

Miss Ginny dreams of Spring. By Fig and Me.

Just before the month of March arrives there is another poem that holds Ginny’s imagination:

“Now the North wind ceases,
The warm South-west awakes,
The heavens are out in fleeces
And earth’s green banner shakes.”
George Meredith (you can find his full poem here: Tardy Spring)

Oh yes, a green banner is expected. In the meantime Ginny plays with her very own banner of sorts, her green collar.

Choosing the right green was a marvellous afternoon well spent. There were so many shades that made her smile but in the end she chose this ball of yarn, with wool and alpaca in it. She also chose the pattern and the gold ribbon for it.

Wearing vintage roses and dreaming of Spring. Marie Louise Geneva, art doll by Fig and Me.

Ginny wanted the right green to mirror the leaves of her pinafore and the plaid pattern. She is very particular about colours and while she is not a “matchy-matchy” pervert, she puts a lot of effort into her colour schemes. Things have to “feel right” she says.

All those roses just make us feel so lonesome for spring and summer to arrive. With three feet of snow outside we feel rather put out about it. But it’s no good to worry about the weather I keep telling her. Spring will arrive, one way or the other.

Natural fiber art dolls by Fig and Me: Ginny and Carota.

Dreaming of Spring adventures, we started thinking about suitable attire. She asked for a bonnet with bunny ears and we sewed it together. She wanted wire inside the ears so she could scrunch them all up!

(If you would like to make a bonnet like hers, there is a tutorial in my Patreon channel).

Next up, she dove inside Poet’s treasure chest and brought up this felted Easter egg I made for her many years ago. Poet normally fills it up with chocolate eggs for the little ladies in the house, but this year she is going to put two chocolate bunnies inside. Shhhhh! don’t tell.

Seeing her so excited for Easter to arrive I decided to make her a wee friend: Miss Carota. Another carrot baby from yours truly, ready to be snuggled and sure to keep Ginny company as she travels home.

Hand-knit doll socks for Ginny, by Fig and Me.

Ginny is a natural fiber art doll, custom order, by Fig and Me.

After playing with Carota and trying to snuggle her inside the egg, Miss Ginny felt much better about the snowy situation. We made our way to the kitchen, I put the kettle on and she took the raspberry jam off the pantry shelf to make some toast.

It seems the day will end on a good note. No cranky child, spring dreams, poetry, soft dolls and Easter-plotting shenanigans.