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One summer you're madly sprucing up the farm for your daughter's wedding. You think you're not going to get everything done, even though your husband is a teacher with summers off and is devoting every hour of sunlight to wedding preparation. And not just him. You can still see Nancy on her knees scraping and painting the porch, Bootsie in her farmy bib shorts staining four Adirondack chairs Don built, Jennifer meditatively pulling weeds around the veggies and flowers and painting your studio roof, Peter shoveling dirt bare chested or bending over his Macbook creating the dance music play list, Don planting, grooming, tango-ing with sunflowers to get them to bloom, and promenading to and fro orchestrating all the activity according to Lesley's creative direction from a distance in NYC. You -- you do laundry, lend a hand here and there, throw pasta with tomatoes and basil onto white plates alfresco like a swing dancer throws a jitterbug. It takes months of love and help, last minute flourishes and light-hanging by Don's sisters and brothers, and in the end - twist and shout! - the occasion is beyond wonderful.
The dress is a wall flower, waiting to be asked.
On the other hand, there is no wedding to plan -- Woohoo!
Oh dear, there is no wedding to plan. Boohoo.
But no worries, you can come on over to my place, 'cause
. . . . everybody gonna dance tonight . . .
Lorenzo of The Alchemist's Pillow - an excellent blog with art, music, beautiful poetry and humor - pointed a nice finger at RUMI DAYS. Go see who dances on his shoulders.
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63 comments:
Dear you ! Thank you, I will dance just now!
We had last Sunday 46th anniversary, is that a good reason too to dance ;)
Happy dancing to you too, Ruth!
Dear Leena, somehow, I feel we share these celebrations, you and I. We are distant sisters in this life, close in heart. Congratulations and many more days of dancing to you and your husband, and to my sweet little Melli and Mikael, and big hugs from Auntie Ruth. :)
post wedding congratulations, to your daughter, to you and everyone.
just imagining the work of a home hosted wedding makes my legs ache :)
not too sore for dancing though . Never.
Where the dress just because. Post about it.
I've think you've inspired me , Ruth.
and the dress and shoes are fabulous btw.
Your dress is adorable!
Is there any place to dance around here??
What is Bishop thinking with a head-less,
arm-less,one legged lady standing on the porch?
Perhaps "Pretty dress strange lady."
Awesome summer dress! Host yourself a Weekend Brunch to celebrate something.... anything!
I thought about this when I was trying on dresses (last post "Women" blog) and wondered how often I'd wear the damn thing. If I were still in a city, it would be worn alot. Up in the Great North, not so much. Still, it's nice to have a new dress with shoes to match.
Great summer dress. It was a wonderful occasion last year. I so enjoyed those pictures. Also enjoyed the McCartney video. That song has become a sort of sneaky hit. Showing up in bits of TV commercials, etc. The tune sticks in your head and makes you feel good. I'm glad he still has it in him to write a song like that and make it seem so easy. I know you'll find a great place to wear the dress and share the pics with us.
When in doubt, spin in place. Music is optional.
Wonderful dress! If you can pull off a wedding, why not throw a garden party for your girlfriends. If I lived nearby I'd force my husband to renew our vows--on your beautiful farm! Then I'd invite you to my "wedding". I love this post.
The dress is beautiful. The wedding was beautiful. You can come dancing with me anytime...I could use a good girl's night out! :)
The wedding of our daughter Anna took place in a farm in the south of Sweden someyears ago. It was the home farm of Nils Holgersson in Vemmenhög.
My teacher in the kindergarden used to read the book written by Selma Lagerloff, she offered me a dedicated copy of this book and I read this book too to my two children.
And we danced a lot for the wedding.
Unfortunately, this farm has been destroyed by a fire and will not be rebuilt.
Dear Ruth,
I think that you and Don will need to plan a "fancy dress" dinner party with dancing under the stars! People can interpret what that means any which way that they please.
If you have it at night you will not have to weed!
Beautiful dress. I know what you mean, but it doesn't matter where you are, just dance anyway ;)
Wear the dress just because....because you are YOU, you are a woman, you are beautiful!
That is exactly the kind of dress I need to wear to a garden part at Buckingham Palace next month. I have a little white sweater and white shoes already. It would be perfect! I shall have to try and find one like it. :)
It's a fabulous dress! Wear it to Farm Day, wear it to a dance, wear it to dinner and a movie with your husband, wear it with those shoes, wear it!
Gorgeous dress -- and you are RIGHT! Where DO you go to dance around here? I think I must have discovered your blog a little over a year ago -- I remember the wedding!
Looking forward to pie on Thursday!
Ah, dancing with Sir Paul
What a lovely reverie.
Loved the Tune!!!
Great dress, WEAR IT TO Blog! It'll never go out of style, save it, if you don't find an occaison.
Ruth, i think i told you that i have problems with Rumi, i don't remember what problems, i don't know if he borrowed money from me or i borrowed from him. But something uncomfortable there.
Height of ecstasy leads to dance but i sit down and smoke. For me a wedding invitation is a nightmare Ruth. Dress is the last thing on my mind. No one has so far objected to my dress.
Gujrati weddings are very interesting Ruth, the dance 'Dandia' is very pleasant to watch. Dances in other weddings including Muslim weddings are pretty chaotic. Everybody is drunk in Coorgi weddings, they sincerely believe that they are dancing but they are not. Part of the dance includes falling on the dinner table scattering plates all over. That is normal for them. Except for the Gujrati wedding dances which are highly organised, other wedding dances always end up in a big disaster. The groom (riding on a horse) arrives with a dance group leading on the road, yes on the road blocking the traffic.
What a pretty dress. Why not have a garden party in your beautiful garden this summer? Invite a few friends for “high tea” (and crumpets) and it will look just perfect, add just a sunny straw hat.
I liked your McCartney clip. By coincidence tonight I was reading an article about him. It seems that Sir Paul McCartney received the Library of Congress's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song last week and made a joke about George W. Bush's lack of intellect. Now the Republican leader in the House of Representatives, John Boehner, wants him to apologize. I find it so interesting that in this country no one can make a joke on the Republicans – you remember the Dixie Chicks who had concerts canceled and were almost black listed from the radio because they said they were sorry to be from Texas? But then these same Republicans call president Obama all kind of terrible names, the Tea Baggers call him a terrorist or socialist, question his birth certificate and no one says anything. Why is that I wonder? Why such a difference in a country which says everyone is equal? I’d like to know. Poor McCartney, he is used to the UK but not to the US Republicans. Good song anyhow. And Ruth, you need to go on a cruise, you’ll get a lot of wear from your party clothes, and there are many dancing places on board.
Love that dress!! Too bad I'm not cute and petite like you...I'd borrow it to wear to the wedding we're attending in August. Better yet, I could snag you an invitation and you could go with us! But, honey, I could never in a million years wear those shoes, even though they're bee-yu-ti-ful! They would have to cut me out of them and call an ambulance to take me to the old cripple's home! haha! And anyway, I like to dance barefoot.
Deb, I guess all the hard work and aching legs are ultimately to get to the dancing. It doesn't really matter to me that I can't dance well, I just love the feeling of it, the loss of self, the oneness I feel with everyone on the dance floor.
Thank you, I'm glad you like the dress too. :)
Anet, yes poor Bishop! She sees another strange lady taking pictures all the time, so maybe she's used to it. :)
Seriously, where can we dance?? Well, you do have a Pow wow coming up! I could wear the dress to that!
Judy, like maybe Summer Solstice?
California Girl, oh I loved that post of yours.
This dress can be dressed down, no problem. Flat shoes. But it isn't a dress I'd wear to work. The English department types (sorry, don't mean to type anyone) tend to blend in, and so do I. I'm not normally a PRINT person. I guess this is the summer of the big bold print. Fun for a change!
Shari, our son Peter made a video collection clips and photos from wedding prep and the reception, and he used this song as part of the track, I really like it. The whole album Memory Almost Full is fun too.
Loring, I can't believe you just said that . . . music is optional?? You??
mais c'est vrai.
Raquel, it's a deal!
♥ Kathy, yes, I'd say you could use a night out. Come on over to my place!
Ahh, had I only known.... you could have been my 'plus one'!!
Daniel, extraordinary! I didn't think I knew the book, until I googled it and instantly recognized the cover, here. How sad about Holgersson's farm.
Love your description of the season's changing. I can almost see them..thru your words. And- maybe the dress is calling out at you to kick up your heels and have some fun. Who needs a wedding to celebrate?!?!?
You know what my oldest said? Sorry mum, I won't be making you a grand ma. $ years after graduation, she want to go to Med school.
Patricia, having it at night, and no weeding? Brilliant!
We had a dinner once for five couples outside here. It would have been very nice, but it was the hottest day of the year, in June. The guests enjoyed it and said they weren't too hot, but me, running in and out of the house between courses, I thought I would die!
Something less stressful sounds nice. Maybe a potluck. :)
Babs, I know. And sometimes I forget to just dance. I think I need to play more music . . .
Pat, OK! I won't wear the blue heels though.
So OK, Sophia, after disbelief and enticement, and our email exchange, I know you're not pulling my leg! How very cool and exciting, and I would be happy to loan you my dress if we were on the same side of the pond. I could always say This dress went to Buckingham Palace . . . .
I hear you, Grandmother, and I have one question: May I wear it on your balcony near Citta Sant'Angelo?
Jeanie, if you don't know of a place to dance around here, then there is no hope.
Can't wait to meet you at lunch today! :D
Pamela, he does know how to make us move, doesn't he?
JackeeG4glamorous, if I wear it to blog, can you see me through the screen?
rauf, oh. I remember what it was. No, Rumi didn't borrow money from you. I think it was something about his love for Shams being selfish, because Shams was killed, possibly because of a scandal about Rumi.
You would scratch your head if you saw Don's and my wedding, or anyone from a Baptist church in those days. No dancing, no drinks, it looks like we're not even celebrating. It's maybe the most boring kind of wedding ever. This is why I don't really know how to dance, but I still move around on the dance floor anyway. All of us in my family love to dance now, and so we are excited when someone gets married so we can dance. Our Baptist feet are pretty bad at it. Don thinks women always look nice dancing, and men mostly look bad. But you should see Joe, Dee Dee's husband. He looks good, and he makes everyone look good on the dance floor. The whole room dances beautifully when Joe is on the floor.
Cher Vagabonde, if you find the answer to your very good question, would you get back to me please? I'm afraid the American people are getting more starkly polarized, and it will get worse before it gets better. We have to listen to each other, and that is something sorely lacking in this country at the moment.
Susie Q, I'm not sure I will wear those shoes either. They sure look pretty though. Dancing barefoot is way wonderful, and maybe you and I can do it together some day. I would happily loan you my dress. In fact, that's a thought for it to be useful. First to PurestGreen/Sophia, then you, and to anyone else who can put it to use!
Violetski, well yeah. And I still haven't been to Toronto yet, so . . .
I know, Marcie, but I want to show the dress off, to more than the ducks and chickens.
:|
Oh, Ann, wow. Wowowow. I don't know what I'd do.
Dance, dress or no dress, shoes or no shoes (shoeless dancing is the best).
PS: Lorenzo is a kindred spirit, isn't he?
That is one GREAT dress and those shoes, wow! And your porch, have you ever show a full pic because I'd love to see it! I think I see Bishop there.
Loved the video and now will check out Lorenzo's blog. thanks.
I remember the grueling hours of labor getting read for weddings or the last reception party we had at the house. We worked outside 8 hours a day for days and days.
psssst go to Ann Arbor for dinner and shopping or East Lansing? How about that cute litte Inn in Williamston on Grand River???
I'm commenting on the dress post.... I'm late with my response,soooo tired!( work is DIFFICULT) Oh cute dress and shoes too.
Terresa, I forget about dancing. It takes a pretty dress to make me think of it. That comes from a lot of years of no dancing. Sad, I know. Maybe I need to put it on a daily list.
Yes, Lorenzo is kin of the spirit. Like you too.
Oh yes, Sandy, you know about that getting ready!
Yes, that's Bishop watching these two strange women, one with a camera and the other very still.
I guess I've posted pics of the porch now and then. It's a simple, small one. I know you love porches. Maybe I'll get a fuller one for Farm Day in August, just for you.
Cathy, yes, yes, yes, I like dinner in AA . . . maybe Gratzi for my birthday! and dessert or a martini at La Dolce Vita.
Gratzi, my friend. :)
I'm so sorry you have had a tough year. I hope you're almost done for the summer?
Thanks...there is something about that photo with the dress in front.. There is a real "feel" to the day, almost tangible. I smell "green" when I look at that photo. I think someone just mowed.
Hi Ruth!
It's always nice to have a pretty dress in the closet for "just in case"...Who knows what kind of occaision will turn up this summer!...
I'm right there with Susan on the shoes though...I have never been able to wear heels higher than a nurse's oxford...
...and everytime I hear that McCartney tune I literally get up and do a little dance...I think it's the mandolin that does it to me:)
Thinking about that big farm wedding makes me smile, Ruth. We all had so much fun, didn't we. Never to be forgotten. Believe it or not, I actually kept those farmer-bib shorts because I had so much fun in them. You wear your pretty dress and I'll wear my bibs and let's have a Big Dance in the barn one of these years. I would die to be there. I am so ready to dance in public again. :D
Oh, I can visualize Don twirling you round and round and you swishing the skirt after you've kicked off those gorgeous shoes! Why wait for a wedding? Do it tonight! I even have a tune for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG8giVJKQPI
Yes, Sandy, I watch the world from that porch in the warm months, and there is definitely a feel.
Oliag, I think you're right, it's that mandolin!
Believe me, I wouldn't attempt to dance in those shoes for long, but I do like to wear heels every now and then.
Boots, let's dance whenever we can. :)
I have the most wonderful memories if you here that week before the wedding. And images of you staining and sealing, and seam ripping. :D
Dutchbaby, thanks to you, I am dancing NOW. What a great, danceable song!
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