Monday 11 December 2023

Dresser Top Shelf

 Sue in Suffolk said she'd like to see what treasures (as yet still in one piece) are on my dresser(s), so here is the top shelf of the white dresser in the kitchen.


One of the pictures which I found at Malvern and which appealed to me. I don't know where it is but it is nicely depicted.  I think it cost me £8 or £10.  I use it as a backdrop to stock on one of my china stands.  Well well - thank you to those who suggested Baddesley Clinton or Ightham Mote.  I have looked up both and Ightham Mote it is.  Guess who is reading Anya Seaton's (50 yr old now!) book Green Darkness which is set at Ightham Mote?  Strange coincidence.


This only gets lit up at Christmas but looks so pretty with the lights shining against the mirror, that I should do it more often.

This is a little Gaudy Welsh jug early 19th C, with a Hydra-head handle.


A later Gaudy Welsh jug.  These were all potted and painted in the Staffordshire potteries.


A cute little Hornsea jug with another pretty bunbun sitting on it.


My mum (in the middle) with her two sisters.


A Past Times mirror in need of dusting!


One of a handful of photos of my horse Fahly at Pony Club Camp one year, Gabby in the saddle.


A lovely Lemon & Crute (Devon pottery) bowl that Pam spotted at Malvern when we went together and which I couldn't resist.


Now this is something very special.  I bought it for £28 from my friend Simon. It is a piece of WWI trench art.  I had to buy it as when I picked it up, I suddenly burst into tears.  Whoever had made it for his mum, sweetheart or whoever, had not come home and that piece had been held and loved and cried over for a generation or more.  Look at how the pattern along the bottom has been worn from years of handling.  What I felt didn't surprize me - I am an empath and can easily feel emotions and feelings at a deep level.  This connecting with an item is called Clairtangency and I've had it a few times, but never as strongly as this.  I won't mention the other occasions as you are probably already raising your eyebrows and shaking your heads, but they have happened, unbidden.

Right, I took myself by the scruff today and baked a Lemon Drizzle cake as we have friends coming to visit tomorrow, and I have polished the kitchen table with Briwax, so that's nice and shiny again. I want to get all the other furniture polished before Christmas as it's not been done since we moved, and yet I used to do it regularly at Ynyswen.

Whilst I had the table top cleared, I wrapped the rest of the presents.

I have also worked out a system of tieing the brakes in place on the upstairs wheelchair - my hands and wrists have started getting painful because of me having to hold the brakes on (they don't fix like the other wheelchair).  So a couple of cable ties have been brought into use and you can just slide them off when you release the brakes.  Hope it stops me getting Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.

The delivery of the stuff for my concrete greenhouse base took place this morning.  If the weather is OK on Wednesday, a start will be made.  Progress.

Keith has also improved since giving dairy up - especially excess saliva which is a thing of the past now.  He is even managing to turn so much better (believe me he was finding it almost impossible last thing at night) so long may it continue, touch wood . . .



27 comments:

  1. Looking at the picture..a moated house?

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  2. Indeed gz - it reminds me of Long Melford, but that doesn't have the same central crenellated tower like this one does.

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  3. Could be Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire-a moated National Trust House.

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    1. It's very similar, but the architecture is different.

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  4. Never be embarrassed about being an empath. It is a gift. Recently i started admitting i have seen ghosts, spirits and fairies. Took me 50 years but i have finally come to terms with being different.
    Enjoyed seeing your little treasures. I miss Past Times!

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  5. I think the picture is of Baddesley Clinton, a National Trust property in Warwickshire.

    Fenella

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    1. Thanks Fenella. Looking at the windows in the end wall, it's Ightham.

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  6. I think your manor house picture is Ightham Mote in Kent. It’s a National Trust place now.

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    1. Spot-on SueJay. Thank you. Have you been there?

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  7. So interesting about the clairtangency. I will say that I have 'recognized' something I have never seen before. I also recognize the inability to set it back down and walk away.

    Good news about Keith. Such a simple change. Hope the improvement continues.

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    1. When something "speaks" to me that clearly, it is obviously meant to be part of my life for a while.

      Dairy-free still working, for the moment anyway.

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  8. I think your picture is Baddesley Clinton a national trust property near warwick.

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    1. Windows and half timbered wing are wrong, it's Ightham. Thanks for your comment anyway.

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  9. Thank you for a close look at all your lovely things on the dresser shelf.
    It must be good to feel an instant connection to something - it's never happened to me

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  10. Replies
    1. Temporary only, as he has MSA which is more aggressive than the normal Parkinsons. The connection is something that only visits when I am relaxed and my mind is "open".

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  11. I agree with Suejay. It looks almost certainly to be Ightham Mote near Sevenoaks, a property I used to visit often. The NT acquired it in the late 1980s in a very bad state and it underwent careful restoration over the next two decades. It was fascinating to almost see under the skin of such an old property and a contrast to Polesden Lacey, Clandon or Hatchlands, my local NT properties. Upstairs in one of the bedrooms of Ightham is the most beautiful 18th century silk wallpaper depicting birds which I think you would love. Makes me want to get in the car and visit, perhaps we will in the spring. I love your dresser treasures BB. 30 years ago I bought a cracked Gaudy Welsh teacup because I loved the colours. Btw did you see the Antiques Road Trip episode where the expert bought a dated 1677 oak post with carved witch symbols. That was very exciting. Bought for £60 sold for £1500. Talk about Touch Wood! Look after yourself - try and find some yoga for hands and wrists. Sarah x

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    1. Yup, Ightham it is and I am thrilled about that. The book has made it very vivid in my mind right now and to look at that painting brings it all the more to life. Glad that the NT were able to restore it before it fell in a big heap. Would love to see that wallpaper in person - photographs rarely do justice.

      Gosh, yes LOVED that witch symbols oak post. We had all sorts of probable Marian symbols on the beams upstairs at Ynyswen. Other witch devices over doorways too. A superstitious lot here in Wales! Will look up the Yoga exercises for hands and wrists - since getting Covid and extra Keith-worries, Yoga has been sidelined. Everything has really.

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  12. The people that lived at baddesley were artists perhaps it’s an original of theirs😊 the fact that it was bought in malvern possibly makes it more likely to be baddesley. Vivian

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    1. No, it's definitely Ightham Mote - the windows on the end wall prove that, and the half-timbering of the back wing. Thanks anyway Vivian.

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  13. What beautiful things you have on your dresser, I really liked the painting and the Devon pottery bowl. I remember reading Anya Seton's Katherine when I was about 14 and already into history - must find a 2nd hand copy. Today has been VERY wet here in Staffordshire and I only ventured out for bread and salad stuff. Sorted the dining room bookcase and OH's magazine pile, some from 2019, they've gone in the recycling bag. Glad Keith is improving and you take care of yourself. Hugs Gill Xx

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    1. Thanks Gill. Some were originally bought for stock, but didn't sell or I got fond of them. We had torrential rain around 6 a.m. yesterday but it cleared later. Well done with the sorting. I need to rehome some of my Homes & Antiques mags with my friend along the lane - they get passed round several other folk that way too. Any improvement with Keith will sadly only be temporary as he has a fast developing form of Parkinsons.

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  14. I loved Anya Seaton's Green Darkness and how wonderful that you have a picture that has an image of the setting.

    God bless.

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    1. Yes, it's good to know where it is now. Somewhere I always wanted to visit but nearest Igot was Hever Castle.

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  15. All they are beautiful decoration objects for a good home.

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  16. Good morning Jennie, just to say that Adrienne has a quick yoga video for hands and wrists. Would it be possible to watch with K and try doing it together? I’m swimming today which is so good for me. One of my SwimFit group is a a live-in carer for her mother and another has a husband with Advanced MS and cares for him at home. They both say that swimming and looking after their physical health is so important. S had one of his worst days yesterday and I ended up putting him to bed. Although he often nods off during the day this was the first time I’ve felt he would be safer in bed. But after a sleep he had perked up enough for a short walk in the afternoon and we chatted to and scratched the sheep (we have very friendly sheep along our lane) and mooed at the cows and jumped over puddles and did a standing salute to the sun on the highest point of the ridge and when we got home our kestrel was waiting for us on the gate and we stood and watched the rooks wheeling while a squadron of honking geese flew overhead against a watery sunset sky. Once indoors and changed out of our muddy walking gear we had tea and Dundee cake watching Philip and Catherine on their road trip so it was alright in the end. Mind you he was awake fidgeting at 5am this morning which woke me but I managed to fall back to sleep until 8am. I am finding it exhausting at the moment and I am 8 years younger than you so I really do sympathise. Take care BB. Sarah x

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