We bought this bureau for my daughter when we moved here. Looking unloved in the corner of a junk shop I knew that once we'd painted it and cleaned it up a bit it would be perfect for her. It was an instant hit - she loves the pulldown top and hidden compartments. So here she sits toiling over her homework, writing her letters and diary and whatever else she gets up to! There was a time, not so long ago, when I would have been able to open the drawers and letters would have been shown to me, but those days are over with my eldest! A line has been drawn, an unspoken rule has been passed between the two of us, a girl needs her secrets! I'm quite happy to respect this and all the more delighted when she shares things with me, but at what age did this happen, I really can't remember ...
The desk itself has its secrets. My daughter whilst nosing around its little compartments discovered a bracelet and this photo. Previous owners perhaps of this little bureau. Don't they look a happy little bunch. Their names are written on the back - Flora, Doris, Joyce, Iris, Ken and Bella. I wonder where they all are now and what secrets they kept hidden away. I wonder what they got up to on Midsummer's Eve?
My youngest daughter was quite happy just to leave the letters for the fairies to read and happily went to bed having checked that all was in order in the garden but my oldest had invited her best friend round to celebrate. Both of them are huge "I Capture the Castle" fans (yes, I'm sorry, it's that book again) and I think are Cassandras in the making. Clothes and flowers were chosen, buttercup garlands were worn, lavender, marigold and rose petals were thrown around the garden and a fire was lit. Well a fire of sorts - M was out and my bonfire making skills are woefully bad - so in the interest of safety, bowls were filled with petals and floating candles and I was asked to leave the garden! I was told later that things had been written, wishes made and there had been dancing around the candles. They both looked very happy and went to bed with roses and buttercups under their pillows. I was struck by the innocence and beauty of all of this and touched by the fact that for all their growing up and secrecy, it was the simplicity of this that they really enjoyed. How many more years will they want to do this for I wonder?
And yes, I did ask my daughter if I was allowed to share this secret with you all!
Have a lovely weekend.
18 comments:
i love that post. i have two girls and love the realationship we have. i can't wait to see how in blooms and grows!
Oh what a beautiful post. How fun for the girls to twirl and dream and just be girls. Your daughters little bureau is adorable!
Heather :)
This post made me smile
Suzie Sews
This post was so sweet. Made me wish I had a little girl also. (But have to say would not swap one of my boys for a girl I mean extra to what I have been blessed with LOL couldn't swap any of my little cherubs). Have a good weekend Tricia
Hi Kim
This and your previous post are so sweet - the innocence of it all is wonderful in this awful day and age, isn't it.
Thanks for your message - certainly better than the blue, isn't it. I'm there tomorrow afternoon, so I shall sneak up on the room and see if I'm impressed!
Have a jolly weekend!
Sue x
what a lovely post Kim.
Thank you so much for introducing me to that fantastic book, it has become one of my all time favorites.
Alison x
I love this post - My daughters days of fairies and garden twirling are over but now i love when she "lets" her little brother join her for a jam on their guitars.
Still lovely and still innocent at 15- just a whole lot louder !!!
Lovely post, I'm nearing the end of Capture the castle which I bought on your recommendation, wonderful book! I've bought the DVD too but won't watch it until I've finished the book :)
And how sweet that your girls celebrate midsummer.
We've got the unspoken rule in our house too...don't know how or when it came about but gradually my daughter wanted privacy and is becoming her own person. We have moments of closeness and times of aloofness and moods! But she's still my girl.
Pretty bureau BTW
How sweet ! and i love that Bureau, thanks for popping over to my site as well Kim, was begining to wonder if anyone looked at it lol.
Have a lovely weekend. x
I love bureaus they are just perfect for secrets and your Midsummer Rights are so charming. Can never get enough of I Capture the Castle I wonder if any other book has such a wonderful start, I wish I could sit in the kitchen sink and write a novel!
I can tell you are the bestest mom, and your daughters are blessed to have you! They are living a fairytale life with all the beautiful creativity going on in your home! =)
I've enjoyed reading your posts and sorry you've not been well - but even that post was full of nice things:) The Midsummer celebrations sound delightful - it's a pity we aren't having the weather to match. I fear that Titania and Oberon will have rather soggy cloaks this year - though perhaps it doesn't rain on the fae.
What a wonderful evening they must have had !
I have to say I've never heard of the book, I'll have to source it out - love Julia x
How very sweet! And how lucky you are to have some girls -- I'll have to remember this for the granddaughters that my boys have been ordered to produce!
I'm a fellow crafter from Australia and a friend has asked me about your lovely footstool but it's a craft I'm unfamiliar with. Would you be kind enough to email me at coppertopj(at)gmail.com and tell me about it or lead me to a magazine that shows the technique.
Midsummer sounds lovely, I am midwinter here.
Oh what a gorgeous post! 'I capture the castle'is one of my very favourite books- I recommend it to everyone, and can't understand how anyone couldn't love it!! Love the bureau!!!!
I miss having a little girl! My sons think fun is making their mom cringe at loud music and smelly feet. I'll send them to you for a vacation and you send me your girls. LOL
So lovely to hear that girls still enjoy such things. I don't have children yet but sometimes I worry when I see kids in London, that they are all far too grown up for their age and are not easily pleased but such lovely simple things. I had a very idyllic and simple childhood and would have loved the midsummer activities or writing at a beautiful bureau like that so this post really made me smile. I love the photo. How lovely to find a little piece of history like that and to wonder about their lives.
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