The Drawing Room

Pale Fire

Note to lines 433-434

…”I want you to know that no matter how much you hurt me, you cannot hurt my love.”

Note to line 493:

… When the soul adores Him Who guides it through mortal life, when it distinguishes His sign at every turn of the trail, painted on the boulder and notched in the fir trunk, when every page in the book of one’s personal fate bears His watermark, how can one doubt that He will also preserve us through all eternity?

So what can stop one from effecting the transition? What can help us to resist the intolerable temptation? What can prevent us from yielding to the burning desire for merging in God?

We who burrow in filth every day may be forgiven perhaps the one sin that ends all sins.

Nabokov tells Pale Fire through the two least read components of literature: the forward and the commentary. The commentary is provided for a 999 line poem, and through these notes the story unfolds in multiple story lines, and by unexpected means. 

But Did You Know?

But did you  know you dressed me up nicely for the affair? Every article of clothing, every jewel save my sapphire was given by you, and his hand slid upon the silk of my shirt you declared me a beauty in.

I felt it ironic, appropriate.

I hoped it would hurt the way you hurt me

It does not matter that I was thinking of you, I was only glad it wasn’t you

Dorothy Parker

I know I have been happiest at your side;
But what is done, is done, and all’s to be.
And small the good, to linger dolefully-
Gayly it lived, and gallantly it died.
I will not make you songs of hearts denied,
And you, being man, would have no tears of me,
And should I offer you fidelity,
You’d be, I think, a little terrified.

Yet this the need of woman, this her curse:
To range her little gifts, and give, and give,
Because the throb of giving’s sweet to bear.
To you, who never begged me vows or verse,
My gift shall be my absence, while I live;
But after that, my dear, I cannot swear. 

I Know I Have Been Happiest - Dorothy Parker

Dorothy Parker kind of came to me. I was curious what all the fuss was about, afterall they have a convention for fans of this lady. I came across her collected works unexpectedly at a used book store and knew I should try her out. Let’s talk about sassy! And so familiar in the ways of love, heartbreak and death (and much in-between). If I lived in NY - I would go to that convention, and I would love every minute of it. 

When you are gone, there is nor bloom nor leaf,
Nor singing sea at night, nor silver birds;
And I can only stare, and shape my grief
In little words.

I cannot conjure loveliness, to drown
The bitter woe that racks my cords apart.
The weary pen that sets my sorrow down
Feeds at my heart.

There is no mercy in the shifting year,
No beauty wraps me tenderly about.
I turn to little words- so you, my dear,
Can spell them out. 

Little Words - Dorothy Parker

So take my vows and scatter them to sea;
Who swears the sweetest is no more than human.
And say no kinder words than these of me:
“Ever she longed for peace, but was a woman!
And thus they are, whose silly female dust
Needs little enough to clutter it and bind it,
Who meet a slanted gaze, and ever must
Go build themselves a soul to dwell behind it.”

For now I am my own again, my friend!
This scar but points the whiteness of my breast;
This frenzy, like its betters, spins an end,
And now I am my own. And that is best.
Therefore, I am immeasurably grateful
To you, for proving shallow, false, and hateful.

Sonett for the End of a Sequence- Dorothy Parker

Best-of-Breathtaking Basket : The Chappell Adoption

The Basket : and all the amazing things that could be yours - I’m too excited about the Anthropologie

While living in Texas for some short time, I met the Nichols family. I quickly  fell in love with their heart for adoption. (I look forward to adding all sorts of lovely children to my family someday). Adoption is so many things, and I love the physical, very real picture it paints of our adoption by Christ cf Ephesians.

Another thing adoption is: expensive. Casey Nichols Chappell and her husband Dan have decided to adopt 2 babies from the Congo. The Chappells have a story of a tried and true faith, and God has blessed them abundantly. It’s fun to watch - even over the Internet miles away.

To help curb the cost Casey is doing “Best-of-Baskets”

Here’s the whole story, about their most recent decision to adopt.

I’ve been waiting for one of my favorite baskets, so I can go all out, and you vintage-loving followers can join in!

“All you have to do to is enter your name into a drawing for this basket when you make a donation of $5 towards our Congo Adoption. For every $5 we will put your name on the list…. so,  $10 we will put your name on twice… $25 five times… and so forth. I will do a videotaped recording of the random choosing of one of the entries and will announce it on the blog and/or contact you through email or facebook.  I will then pack up all the goodies and send it your way to enjoy!!!

After you donate  (for each $5 you get an additional entry into the list of names for the drawing for the basket!) post something about this on Facebook or Twitter and we’ll add your name again to the list.  Just be sure to tag me (Casey Nichols Chappell) in your status on FB and/or use the hashtag #congobestofbasket in your Twitter post. (that’s the only way I’ll know to add you again)

Adoption is about community. And what a great way to know you’re a small part of helping to build an intensely loving family who seeks Christ at each turn life brings them.

Here’s the page - join in! The drawing is 10/3/2011

I Do

When you don’t know what the next month will hold, grad school? Two jobs? When your bills seem to outweigh your income and you’ve just started a new job - what would be more appropriate than to dream of wedding things? (I mean, when do women not dream of wedding things)? Nonetheless, let me have my fun and when the big day comes you’ll see what made the cut. Either way you’ll be more than impressed.

Outdoor wedding- I’m all about it. Why pay for a big venue or stuffy church when you can have the beauty of the outdoors - and minimal decorating? (This being ideal when the Georgia sun is not scorching, and the mosquitoes have not yet arrived or are on their way out).

Whatever the dress: lace or silk, no exceptions.

^ Yes!

Cake: simple and small (ish)

And oh my favorite, the flowers. I will have wildflowers if I have to go and pick them myself, old cans - mason jars, coke bottles, they all give the rustic vintage outdoors-y feel.

I will have a lot of flowers made of books, because I love literature and therefore it is a must. Also, they do not wither and die.

Everyone has their own take on the ‘guest book’. I’m in favor of a ‘wish jar’ - where guests can write whatever they please, well wishes, jokes, advice, we love you etc etc.

And even better: a message corner complete with a typewriter. I love love love this idea.

Invitations/Save The Date: with enough graphic designers in our lives, don’t doubt these won’t be phenomenal. (I prefer ones that tell your story, precious.) 

The End For Now