Identity

I just can't find the will to change my blog header because it shows so well what I truly am, what I like. 

This painting reminds me my childhood when my grandmother, the one who knew how to do everything and did it so well, would seat at the sewing machine, in front of the window, which had plants on the windowsill, and made all sorts of sewing, from just simple repairs to clothes to very elaborated and difficult dresses and all kind of things.

Not that we hadn't shop bought clothes, my parents quite often traveled abroad and my mother bought ready made dresses and all kind of clothes, but the ones made by my grandmother were rather special.

I have, from my grandmother, the liking of working with the sewing machine but not her ability but I'm decided to try hard to increase my work at the machine by quantity and quality so I will be more able to make nice things. I  know I will never, ever reach her level, not at all, but I truly want to be better in that.

To be better was the idea I had in my mind in the  begining of last year and in this one I have it again in the sense of going the extra mile.

Not to be better as to be a good person, or a better one, I mean to be better as to have more quality in those things that I know how to do it and how to be it, to be even better than I am. So with this I'm not saying that I am not good, just that I want to be even better - and really much better.

So, if someone is reading this, please remind yourself that you are good enough in many things, don't put yourserlf down, because for sure you are good in many things but you may and you should, if you want, to be even better.

On the header of my blog, if someone remembers, the one before the present one, I used to have lavender in it because it's a kind of flag to me, a symbol of me, as I am traditional, I like the old ways, I have an inclination for things past and I relate lavender with all that, in true elegance, simple and sober, in me and in the house and in mentality.

“So strong is Tradition that later generations will dream of what they have never seen.”

 G.K. Chesterton

Even the name of my blog means that: Alfazema = Lavender.

It's what I am.

Partying at

Talking about it Tuesday at Slices of Life

These blessed days before Christmas

It has been raining and raining. Not that I mind or complain, after the draught this rain is a blessing, it's just that a homemaker really needs some days of sun, or at least, that it doesn't rain so she may dry some clothes in the wind.

I do like the nice smell of dried clothes, if they are mine they smell like lavendar, the others have other nice smells. My children relate lavender with all things mine and they like to have their own scents. And I must say I don't like lavender scent on the kitchen laundry, I prefer to have it on my own things or the bathroom laundry.

Anyway, it has been quite a real Autumn with all this rain, wind, fog and it has been rather cold, at least as cold as it can be in this corner of Europe.

The days go by and I give thanks to Our Lord every day for all those blessings He gives to us. Even in the more difficult days we feel, so clearly, His Hand on us, guiding us, protecting us and helping us in each step of the way. Thanks be to God in His Saints and in His Angels and, above all, in His Holy Mother.

The First Thankgiving - September 8, 1565 - https://myfloridahistory.org/frontiers/article/140 

I'm not American but I do like Thanksgiving, even if we don't celebrate it, but I like it because one upon a time my husband, still not even my fiancé, organized a lunch with several people just to invite me. Well, one year later we were already married and I don't regret it at all.

After Thanksgiving it comes black friday which, even if I don't like the name of it, I like the reduced things we can find on that day.

And about Christmas, I must say that I'm singing Rudolph since October so I am in Christmas mood for a long time.

 

I've been buying and wrapping presents for a whole month now.

One of this days I will post about it as I like to do it every year.

From last year

Bye for now, see you tomorrow, maybe.

On lavenders

My lavender, which I had at the door, dried out.

It was quite nice and it has grown much more than the double. I bought it quite small but she was happy with my care and was very nice. It even bloomed so well. When I would come in or out my skirt would touch it and a wonderful scent of lavender crossed the air.

Not anymore, last Summer the heat wave killed it. I was careful watering it and all but even so it dried. The air was so dry and hot like an oven and even with water it didn't survive. The heat reached 38ºC  but maybe it was even hotter in that spot.

I don't know if I told you before but I am a procrastinator so I managed to put off the problem for some time and when I, at last, put myself together to buy a new one there was none of my liking.

Spanish Lavender

All I could find was the spanish type which, being nice enough, it was not the one I wanted and had more to do with me.
So which one do I prefer ? The angustifolia !

Angustifolia

Not dententa, the french one, the angustifolia, the english one.

Dentata 

Oh well, I think I feel so tired with the search that I will accept a dentata gladely.
We will see.
Wait for next episode.

Colours in my life - Lavender and purple

Purple saintpaulias

My mother's saitpaulias, the purpliesh saintpaulias I ever saw

Plumbago

Some purple flowers in Madeira Island

Lavender and purple sky, viewed from my kitchen window

and alfazema ! (lavender)

I don't know if I will post next colour today or tomorow, because I need to go with my husband to some place. Let's see.
In next colour, that will be , I think, the last one, you will have a little surprise.