Tuesday 23 June 2015

Winter Wallowing

Yes I am currently 'wallowing' in self pity despite the gorgeous winter blooms in our garden……

 I've been coughing for two weeks now and I fear the quick trip to Melbourne only exacerbated it. I finally went to to the doctor yesterday to be told my lungs were pretty revolting so hopefully a 'once a day super antibiotic' will scare it away otherwise it is testing for whooping cough in five days! But to 'wallow'? Not sure that was the right word so a quick check and Mr Google tells me to wallow is:


Indulge in an unrestrained way in (something that one finds pleasurable). Synonyms: luxuriate, bask, take pleasure, take satisfaction, indulge (oneself), delight revel etc, etc!! 

"Something pleasurable"?? I don't think so but it does lead me to a comment I received from a friend on the phone the other night - "You are always sick Michele"??! I have to say it is not something that one chooses - in 35 years of nursing I never met anyone that enjoys being sick! I only visit the doctor twice a year so maybe my pathetic immune system needs a boost from some yet to be found scientific miracle! But for now I blame Mr Hashimoto for most of it - weight gain, hair thinning and a crap immune system! But honestly one would think we enjoy being sick -  I'm lucky to have avoided much worse scenarios. So what to do when you don't even feel like stitching……share more of those Melbourne exhibitions of course - as promised!

The embroidery exhibition was small but the Pre-Raphaelite one was huge! A little more of those embroideries first……







 There were many samplers on display as well often executed by very young girls……...































I had no idea that the National Gallery of Victoria had such a large Pre-Raphaelite collection - nearly every member represented. Arthur Hughes 1863 'La Belle Dames sans merci'…….
 Edward Hughes 1901 'The Princess out of School'…….
G.F.Watts 1858 'Alfred Tennyson'…….
 Edward Burne-Jones 1895 'Baronne Madeleine Deslandes'…….
 John Everett Millais 1887 'Cecil Webb'. This was a poignant posthumous portrait of the son of Thomas Prout Webb - a distinguished Australian lawyer and King's counsel. It is presumed that Millais used a photo to complete the portrait a year after Cecil died at the tender age of nine……….
 Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1869 'La Mandolinata'…….
 Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1877 'Christina Rossetti' - a portrait of his sister…...
 William Holman Hunt 1895 'The Importunate Neighbour'…….
 Edward Burne Jones 1886 'The Garden of Pan'…….

  Edward Burne Jones 1860 'Ladies and Death'…….
  Edward Burne Jones 1871-85 'The Wheel of Fortune'…….
  Edward Burne Jones 1874 'The Ascension' design for stained glass window for St Peter's Church, Woolton, Lancashire…….
 Ford Madox Brown 1870-78 'The Entombment'…….
 Ford Madox Brown 1862 'Sheepshearing' - a tile design for Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co…...
 Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1867 'Alexa Wilding'……..
 William Holman Hunt 1857 'Emily Hunt' - his sister…….
 The highlight for Larry was seeing one of the original editions of Morris's Chaucer and in the cabinet a collection of every single Kelscott Press work……..it was very hard to drag him away from that corner!


 So with that I will hope that you are safe and well in your part of the world x
(And yes Suzie - RipponLea is where Aunt Prudence lived!)







5 comments:

  1. sorry your feeling sick again Michelle hope you will be better soon. I was surprised that you have daffodils in winter - here in the states they bloom in early spring.

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  2. I think wallow has the right sound Michele :) - to indulge oneself in emotion is one meaning, or to indulge oneself to a great degree in something (self pity), I think Winter is the worst season for being sick, sometimes the weather makes you want to stay in bed. You are so lucky to have those lovely flowers out already, I haven't seen any buds on mine yet.

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  3. I think the word you want is mired, Michele - and Hashimoto's disease is not out of the question if you have the symptoms. I hope the antibiotic works. Saying prayers for your return to health. Those slippers were so beautiful! Lots of goodies in this batch of photos just as before.

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  4. Maybe you need more rest, you are such a busy lady but your fans want more and more don't we? Loved the art pictures. Feel better soon.

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  5. Wallow all you like Michele, I think we are all entitled to our own "pity party" sometimes! But hope you are feeling on top of the world soon. xx

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