dual personalities

Of Magic Carpets

by chuckofish

a "semi-antique" rug from Iran, now gracing my living room floor

Nothing finishes a room quite as well as a hand-knotted oriental rug. I bought this Bibikabad from a dealer in Syracuse NY a couple of years ago. It’s slightly elliptical in shape and therefore blended in perfectly with the (rather worn) furniture and antique oriental already there. It’s possible to buy reasonably priced medium quality handmade rugs online now, too. In the opinion of this humble blogger, a good living room needs hardwood floors, oriental rugs, original oil paintings, watercolors, or prints and plenty of books!

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September 28, 2011

So much bigger

by chuckofish

“The small things in life were often so much bigger than the great things…the trivial pleasures like cooking, one’s home, little poems especially sad ones, solitary walks, funny things seen and overheard.”
–Barbara Pym, Less Than Angels

Well, Barbara Pym explains very succinctly what this blog is all about, doesn’t she?

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September 27, 2011

A thing of shreds and patches

by chuckofish

Today while driving to work I sang along with Nanki-Poo and The Mikado chorus. It put me in a fine mood for facing a day which boded not such smooth sailing. I recommend Gilbert and Sullivan to everyone who drives to work:

A wandering minstrel I —
A thing of shreds and patches,
Of ballads, songs and snatches,
And dreamy lullaby!
My catalogue is long,
Through every passion ranging,
And to your humours changing
I tune my supple song!

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September 26, 2011

Happy Birthday, T.S. Eliot

by chuckofish

A few lines from Prufrock and the bust in the Mary Institute front hall seem appropriate for the day:

“No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—
Almost, at times, the Fool.”

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September 25, 2011

No grumbling

by chuckofish

From today’s lectionary: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
–Philippians 2:12-13

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September 24, 2011

Saturday hero

by chuckofish

Thomas Cromwell by Hans Holbein

My newest hero is Thomas Cromwell, thanks to Hilary Mantel’s wonderful book, Wolf Hall. Here’s one of my favorite quotes from it:

“It’s easy to employ some child who will total the columns and push them under your nose, get them initialed and then lock them in a chest. But what’s the point of that? The page of an accounts book is there for your use, like a love poem. It’s not there for you to nod and then dismiss it; it’s there to open your heart to possibility. It’s like the scriptures: it’s there for you to think about, and initiate action. Love your neighbor. Study the market. Increase the spread of benevolence. Bring in better figures next year.”

Really, that’s the main thing, isn’t it? Engage your brain and try to improve things for all in your care.

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September 24, 2011

Old Houses

by chuckofish

Up here in the North Country there are not so many opportunities to visit cool historic houses, so I get my old house fix by going to the wonderful Historic Properties for sale web site (http://www.historicproperties.com/results.asp) where I can look at everything from fully restored mansions to those like this wonderful house in Salem Indiana that is in need of some tender loving care.

John A. Bowman House on sale for $59,999

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September 23, 2011

Leslie Howard Friday

by chuckofish

Enough said. Let’s watch The Petrified Forest..

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September 22, 2011

Smelling the flowers

by chuckofish

Yesterday I went to the Missouri Botanical Garden with my Daughter #1 who is visiting from Washington D.C. And actually there were still quite a few flowers blooming in late September–including those on this wallpaper in the Shaw house. Lovely.