My 100th Post!
It wasn’t long after I started blogging that I found the wonderful blog, the Dancing Professor, and one of the first posts I read there asked, “Who are you writing for?”
I thought about it and realized I was pretty much writing this blog for:
– my past self, the costume amateur. Fifteen years ago I was trying to help a small historical park with costuming. We didn’t need to know anything about the high fashion of the times, we needed to know what ordinary working people wore and what textiles they used in their homes. We were representing a period before photography, so there were few visual records. People who have their portraits painted tend to pose in their best clothes. Even the clothes that people note in their letters or diaries are the ones that they consider special, so information was sparse. I got very interested in learning about everyday clothes and furnishings. The things I know now would have been a great help to me then.
While amazingly cute, these costumes don’t come close to being historically accurate.
This is not what people wear when they are settling a frontier.
– my past self, the urban resident. For 30 years I lived in a city and a suburb – they were great locations, full of fun things to do, but I prefer open spaces and quiet, and I would have loved a little nature photo now and then. As a matter of fact, I could use one now.
Aaahh, the Hill Country.
– my present self. Having a blog makes me finish things, learn things, explore new places, look at old places in a new light, and even work beyond my comfort zone, so that I have something to post about!
loom from Star of the Republic museum at Washington-on-the-Brazos
1830s child’s dress from Washington-on-the-Brazos – something I might have missed if I didn’t go out looking for blog material!
– my future self. I’m sure I’ll need some memory aids in years to come, about where I got each textile – or possibly, even about where I was living!
I also write for my female relatives, and by extension, other “ordinary” women – ever since the curator I worked for made a disparaging remark about women and their needlework, I have felt the need to express respect and appreciation for all the little things women do to enhance life for their families and communities.
My mom has made at least 45 afghans for charity. That seems to me to be a fact worth documenting.
Information and inspiration have come my way over the years, and I’m just trying to pass them on to anyone who needs them.
Congratulations on your 100th post… I look forward to the next 100! I love your reasons for blogging and share many of them. A big virtual hug for your Mum for her fantastic and generous achievement. Her afghan looks just lovely, not often you see such perfect tension.
Thank you for your kind comments!
I didn’t even realize she had made so many myself, but fortunately she documented them and recently gave me her notebook.
Yay! Here’s to the next 100 and counting! I love to read your posts.
Thanks, I really love yours too. I check in with you every day for just a little moment of peace or humor or attitude adjustment!
As you have looked for inspiration, you have been an inspiration yourself. Just one example:You had your daughters volunteer with you at the historical ranch and they learned so much from you. They learned about living in another time, they learned to bake biscuits over an open fire. They saw you wrestle cows down to the dipping tank! What a powerful woman! There were a few times when they learned that you don’t panic when your skirt catches fire. Just put out the fire and go on about your business. They learned to treat people with respect. And I know they enjoyed all of it, mainly because they were there with you..
Oh pshaw! Not to put holes in my reputation, but the cows were pretty tame.
Glad you think of that as inspirational though – I was just trying to be like my hero, Hallie Stillwell.