Tea at Trianon: Fall Floral Arrangements

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Fall Floral Arrangements

From Victoria:

In fall, nature bestows her blessings with reckless abandon, leaving remembrances scattered throughout the land. When the majesty unfurls, gather up favorite items—multicolored foliage, lush flowers, and branches laden with berries—to create displays of fall florals that enhance your Thanksgiving décor with the treasures of the moment. Vegetables become still life in our classic grouping. Sweeping left to right, the eye moves from frilly ruffles of flowering kale to gently scalloped rosettes of ornamental cabbage. Artichokes echo the subdued palette of sage and plum, while a handful of dahlias and calla lilies lends drama to the composition. (Read more.)

Diane L said...: Thank you for the perfectly worded entry. Fall is such a magical season. That is one of the things that has me torn. My best friends are getting married and they value my opinion greatly. They want either a fall wedding or a tropical destination wedding. Both have their pros and cons. If they stay local they will have a friend do the photos and if they have a destination wedding they are leaning toward Turks and Caicos. I have done my research for them and have found a great wedding photographer. Thanks for the gorgeous pictures to help with my decision.; November 21, 2018 at 12:19:00 PM EST