Friday, February 14, 2014

Heartfelt Friends













When I first discovered this photo in a box of photographs belonging to my mother in law, another Dorothy, all I could think of was that these ladies took their Valentine parties VERY seriously.  White gloves and party dresses, satin hearts and corsages.  These ladies were coming together for a Valentine gathering and they are just now preparing to walk in, sit down and gather round for a special time together amongst friends. I wish I could be there at that moment and hear their voices, hear the rustle of the crisp dresses, smell the fragrance of the flowers.   I can imagine they  might even have served those little stacked  sandwiches precut in small rectangles and triangles  with the crusts cut off as an appetizer.    They look so serious.  I am sure they wanted everything to be just so.  

Dorothy Widmann ( the second from the left with the brown hair and glasses)  had a dear smile, and lived a seemingly simple life.  And yet she was not idle. Her  fruit salad  consisted of hand peeled grapes and  grapefruit and orange sections with every bit of membrane carefully removed.  Her well attended violets, full of beautiful blossoms, filled the antique tables set alongside  the windows in her spare room. Boiled icings covered her cakes, and hand written cards and letters were regularly send to loved ones.  Her hand crocheted wool granny square afghan has grown to be my favorite . . . a LEGACY of the time and care she put into the components of her home.  I think about this concept sometimes as I am making things.  All those moments her hands actively worked towards bringing this blanket to life, are still generating warmth even though her hands have  been at rest for over 20 years.  


I think about friendships and the time and care and the get togethers.  It is the "stuff" that adds to the richness of life.  I think that once these women sat down, the smiles emerged.  Everything was just SO and at that point they could just BE TOGETHER with friends all dressed up TOGETHER.  They could love each other's dresses, appreciate the beauty of the flowers in their corsages, and probably most of all, enjoy that indescribable warmth of fellowship that close friendship brings.

There are times at the shop when friends are gathered around the table and in the room knitting, and the needles are humming along, and there is this  low chatter.   It is the music of friends sharing thoughts and ideas, stories of the inevitable ups and downs of life, conversations broken with laughter and sometimes moments of silence.  I treasure these times.  

For these ladies,  Valentines Day was just a good enough reason to take time to dress up and celebrate the friends they valued and cared for, and just have fun... And  this Valentines Day, though the days of gatherings with long white gloves are past,  I am smiling, thanks to this dear picture, with loving memories of the original Dot Widmann, and  thinking of her as I am warm and cozy beneath her hand stitched afghan.   
All in favor of hand made legacies, raise your right hand (and needles) and say "AYE!"

Happy Valentines Day, my friends.  Thinking of you wherever you may be.
love and red satin hearts and a big corsage
Net Loft Dotty

11 comments:

LannieK said...

What a beautiful post, Dotty, and Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours from the Black Forest of Colorado! I hope to be able to meet you one day, but do know how much I enjoy your blog. Seems like I've been to your store!
Here's to those lovely things that are made with such care by hand! Have a wonderful day!

Unknown said...

What a great post. I loved the photo of my Mom and the kinds things you said about her. I love that lady with all my heart.

The Net Loft said...

Thanks so much Lannie. I am happy to know you enjoy the blog and also hope you will come see us someday. We'd love to have you "around the table". All the best to you.
Dotty

The Net Loft said...

Thanks Bob. :) I am so happy to have this photo of her... so sweet....

Jessyka Dart-Mclean said...

Beautiful post Dotty! Thanks for sharing your poetic words.

The Net Loft said...

Thank you Jessyka.

The Net Loft said...

Thank you Jessyka.

The Net Loft said...

Thank you Jessyka.

The Net Loft said...

Thank you Jessyka.

Beryl Britton said...

A friend was gracious enough to alert me of your blog with the nostalgic photo of the ladies of the Eastern Star. As an "old" neighbor of the Widmann's... your "Bobby" was our very best paperboy... it was so rewarding to view the beautiful picture of Dot. And the bonus is that I also recognize another member and will make sure she is aware of this treasure. Your personal sentiments were heartwarming to read, as well.

The Net Loft said...

I am so happy to hear from you and I have been so curious since I found this treasured photo to know the "rest of the story" and details and so wish I had seen it sooner to get the full story on the events of the evening. She shared with me so many wonderful stories through her old photos, but we hadn't come across this on in time. There is so much I would have loved to have known about her, and I appreciate the moments we had together. I will let Bob know I heard from you. Thanks so much for your comment.