Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Sisters



I have been trying to get back to my projects.  I have been finding it very disappointing though.  It seems that everything is taking me at least twice as long if not longer and I am constantly interrupted.  So, I am trying to figure it all out.  It is almost like everything I do gets undone while I am not looking.  My nephews have been sick and need a 2nd mom to come and take care of them so I will be off to their place for a bit.  I have tried to taking my art with me before, but that turns out to be so silly.



I have been photographing books for the book shop where I do different kinds of work(right now we are working on a  new website).  I wanted to photograph this 2009 published version of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte with a cover done by fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo next to the version of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte that my mom gave me to read when I was a teenager.  It had belonged to her mother.  I thought nothing of reading this book over and over.  I took it from place to place as I moved around the country and dog-eared pages, threw it in back packs and on whatever shelf or desk I had at the moment.  I was looking inside it to see when it was published so I could put that date with the photograph thinking it was probably published around 1930 at the latest but probably the 1950s or even 1960s.

 
(ooh, too cute!)                               

Well, I had a big shock.  This book was published in 1848!  That is one year after Charlotte Bronte died!  Yikers!  I have been so bad to this book!  The Big Hat Books owner freaked when I told her.  I am putting this book away for some archival healing.  Who knew?  My grandparents were older parents and had been through WWI, the Great Depression and WWII.  If they had a book they were holding on to it!  It is a beautiful book.  I am so sorry beautiful book!  I will take better care of you!  
 

So for now, I will continue to take one step forward and 2 steps back.  We are getting another big dump of snow too.  I hope everyone stays calm.  Wishing you all well.  I made Valentines last year but I don't know if I will get them done for this year.  I am still trying to mail out some Holiday gifts-so bad!  Here is a Valentine for everyone in case I don't get around to them! 


And, my little cats are staying warm.  All 4 are traveling in a pack and sleeping in a big heap of black fur which is really cute-it is a circle where one cat's butt is the others pillow.  They are hibernating big time.  I want to be one of them!
This photo really cracks me up because the belly and feet belong to my oldest cat Pascal and he is resting them on his little sis Sister Blackberry Bijou.  I love how they just push and smush each other-no big whoo!  They drive me crazy!  Pascal-Your Belly!  Sis is not amused!
pascal...

14 comments:

Queen Of Småland said...

Wow, what a beautiful book. I hope it will be ok =)
I also love cats and yours is sooo cute, looking very decadent.
Well, yes we have a very cold and snowy winter here too and im starting to be very tired of it!
Well, hope youll have a great day today.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Stina

Such a Wondrous Place this Faery Space said...

Love love love it here, always do, so must come more often! Hope and light to you for a fabuous New Year!

Unknown said...

thank you both! yes, i can save the book and am thankful i finally looked at the published date and that i have working in conservation labs for rare artifacts. the book is in good condition-just very old! thanks also about my little cats-they make my life more magical and very funny at the same time! wishing you both fabulous new years as well!
xo!

Carol Anne Strange said...

What a discovery about the age of the Jane Eyre book, Merle. Such a rare treasure. Wonderful! Go with the flow with your projects and I'm sure all will be well. Much love, dear one. xx

KatinkaPinka said...

such an amazing find, that book!

your kittehs are too cute for words!

oooh valentines....i hadn't thought about making any this year. maybe you have inspired me to be a bit better about holiday card mailing now. ;)

xoxoxox
katinkaaaa pinkS!

Carousel Dreams said...

Ahhhh, Wuthering Heights...such a beautiful, torturous (is that a word?) love story...I found you via Old Flowers 4 Me, and I love your blog x

Unknown said...

carol anne,
yes, i did scream when i saw that date! i will keep it of course for my dear nonnie. it is so inspiring on many levels. wishing you the best with all your projects!
xo!

katinka pinks!
the kittehs asked me last night,"when will auntie katinka pINKS come take us sledding?" there is a lot of snow falling! ooh, your valentines would be divine. and yes, the book is divine as all dear ancient things are and you do such a good job at reusing the amazing things you find-good girl!
xo

carousel dreams,
thanks so much for visiting my blog-dear little jo is the reason i have a blog! she is magic most certainly. and yes, wuthering heights just rips your heart apart and it is so spooky! i will have to visit you blog!
take care!

Carousel Dreams said...

Hello darling girl...thankyou for visiting my blog x

m said...

What a beautiful post this is.
It is easy to not realize these things, which is why we sometimes find these lovely things in old boxes in second hand book shops !
We have a couple of old fairy tale books that we've rescued like that, from the 1800's, and they are safe now for a while.
Strangely enough, as i write this, i am sitting about 2 minutes walk from Emily Brontes grave, overlooking the sea.
mic.xxx

m said...

Many thanks for your comment on my blog, and sorry i could not get back to you sooner. I'm spending a happy afternoon browsing your posts etc....
Mic.xxx

Unknown said...

m,
thank you so much for your comments. it is such an amazing feeling to rescue treasures like this and a whole other feeling to find out that you have been literally holding one with you for years! i am so glad you are finding and saving similar treasures yourself! and, how amazing that you are so close to Emily Bronte's grave! i am not too far from Edward Witcomb Riley's grave where i live now, but i don't live in such an ancient place these days. thanks for stopping by.
take care!

thanks for stopping back carousel dreams! i have to tell you that the sound of a carousel makes me giddy-my heart starts pounding really hard and everything else just disappears-this has never gone away since i was a little girl. and, at one of the museums where i have worked there is a gorgeous vintage carousel that was rescued and put on the top floor. it was always so hard for me work on that floor putting in artifacts. i just wanted to bust through the crowds and jump on board! my mom confessed to having the same *problem*. hehe.
xo

Heather said...

oooh, love that wuthering heights! Its art on its own! And how magical to have such an old Jane Eyre. Just think of all the hands that have touched its pages, the eyes that have read....its so marvelous!

Thinking of you and hoping all is well~

Dear Fireflies said...

Hello there! What a mystifying blog you have here... Fairy tale is always a wonderful thing to believe in, don't you think? (^_^)

Rainey J. Dillon said...

mmm I know what you mean..I went to my studio & bgan a painting ,,next day continued...went to the studio every day & by the fifth day the painting was DE-PAINTED! What a waste of time!uuugh..things just have to 'feel' right for the muse to perform eh?
Wow what a treasure you have in your book..lovely story.You'll have to be kind to it now!
Rainey