It was a delightful afternoon of tea in the park. I had to wear my new Colonial bodice to see how comfortable it will be in re-enactment. I invited my daughter, Little Estelle to join me for tea. She is so much like me. She is planning to do a Zombie Walk later in the day. She love to dress up and parade around town with her friend. A chip off the old block.
As you can see, with the right shoes, hat and Colonial accessories, the bodice will do quit fine.
I bought a new 1780's outfit to wear. It is a Colonial bodice for re-enacting. I brought it from a dear friend that truly enjoys the era.
It is the first for me. I always enjoyed the Victorian era. I find now that the American Colonial Women were quit strong and productive in the making of this country.The clothing their wore were very practical and not as restrictive as the Victorian woman's. I really enjoy wearing this outfit. It is very comfortable!
I have to get the proper stays and petticoat for this bodice.I own 5 Victorian corset which is not correct for this era. They did not start wearing corsets until the 1800's .
It so comfortable that I have decide to wear it to the park and have a private tea picnic.
I wish you all could be there with me. Have a delightful and adventurous Saturday.
A Victorian friend sent me this poem, and I wanted to share it with you.
Flower In The Crannied Wall
By Alfred Tennyson Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies,
I hold you here, root and all, in my hand,
Little flower -but if I could understand
What you are, root and all, and all in all,
I should know what God and man is.
Mary and I decided to take a day trip to Charlestown. We came across a wonderful place called The Fantastic Umbrella Factory.
The Fantastic Umbrella Factory is on a small farm in Charlestown, RI. It's a small colony of "hippy" shops which sell very affordable clothing and jewelery as well as many novelty items. The property is very woody and has beautiful gardens.
It's a very beautiful place which is a fun time for people of all ages.
Buried in a maze of thick vegetation laced with exotic flowers lies a cluster of ramshackle shops connected by trails offering treasures from tie-dye to incense to Tibetan Singing Bowls
Some warnings: You need to keep track of your children, they can get hurt if you do not watch them. This haven is a direct yourself kind of place. Eat before you come, there may be no Cafe. Do not pick the plants, do not attempt to touch the animals. There is no public transportation to or from this attraction.
The Rediscovery of Swimming
Swimming is rediscovered by the British during their researches in Polynesia during and subsequent to the 1700s. Ocean swimming matures as a sport in Europe in the following century; the Europeans remain quite ignorant of the fact that the Hawaiians have already invented the sport of surfing.
"I am still on vacation"! I was so graciously invited to spend my vacation at a dear friends home on the beach. I was honored and excepted. She has on charming cottage on Oakland Beach.
Oakland Beach is a neighborhood located in the South Central area of Warwick, Rhode Island, on Greenwich Bay, a tributary of Narragansett Bay. This densely populated community of small cottages was developed after World War I as a summer colony, largely for nearby Providence's middle-class Irish, Greek and Italian communities. Oakland Beach reached its heyday in the 1930s when it boasted a bathing beach, boat docks and restaurants, as well as a Ferris wheel, and rail service to Providence and other nearby summer colonies.
The New England Hurricane of 1938, however, destroyed much of Oakland Beach. The area never quite recovered, and Hurricane Carol in 1954 sent the neighborhood into further decline. By the late 1960s and into the 1970s the area had fallen into decline and became notorious for street fights, drug dealing, and house breaks. Today, Oakland Beach shows many signs of revitalization as several upscale homes have been built near the shore & others have been updated. In the summer, people flock to Oakland Beach's shore and seafood restaurants. The most notable being Gus's Restaurant and Mrs. Gus's Doughboys & Pizza, where patrons enjoyed clam cakes, chowder, doughboys, Narragansett beer and other local favorites since 1924. A popular local attractions included an arcade, carousel (merry go round) movie theater, bowling alley and dodgem cars.
Vacationing.on the beach had become a new adventure to the Edwardian family. Oakland Beach was once THE beach for Providence residents during sweltering summer weekends. The electric trolley ran south, along Warwick Neck, past Rocky Point amusement park, continuing on to Oakland Beach, where restaurants and cool Narragansett Bay waters awaited. The carousel, with its calliope music and hand-carved wooden horses made cooling off in the bay a magical experience. .It is no longer here at the beach. But there is talk of getting it back.
