Wooden Chair

Eliza takes Flight

At an Autumn book signing, Eliza sat alone on her lovely sofa, amongst the books and kits and cards....


Grammy realizes, as she is searching through her purse for a handkersniff, that John Jacob has been hiding there since her visit to Xavier's house. After searching through the boy's toy box, the little mouse had been found, and made his way into Grammy's hand bag. He had missed his friend Eliza, and Xavier said he would have called her if she had had a tiny phone of her very own.

Grammy surprises her sweet mouse with the presence of her dear friend, whom neither have seen in over a year...


Eliza hardly recognizes him.. his fur has turned white and his ears are very pink.  She inquires regarding his present condition.  It just so happens, that being tucked inside that little boy's pocket, caused the predicament...for the short pants Xavier had been wearing went straightaway to the washing machine...along with John Jacob! What a washing he received! But he is still her dear friend, nonetheless, and they have much to discuss, for many many adventures have taken place.

Now, it is time, in early November, for Eliza to accompany Grammy on a most exciting adventure...a flight on an airplane.

Xavier wants to be sure that Eliza will be able to call her friend, while she is away.



Eliza gives instructions on how to use the tiny phone that Grammy has purchased for them...


It came all the way across the ocean from England..  (if you have acquired the book Eliza Celebrates a Royal Wedding, you may refer to the map, inside, of England)


Eliza tells him he must always use his very best manners when answering and speaking on the telephone.

Grammy and Eliza are awake very early, on the day of the adventure, and travel to the airport.

She is rather anxious about the idea of flying through the air, but Grammy assures her she will be tucked safely inside her satchel, alongside her books and paint sets and sketchpads and paintbrushes...all the familiar things from the art table in the pleasant sunroom...


She asks if Eliza might want to take a peek out the window, to check the weather conditions for flight...


When the surrounding passengers on the plane meet Eliza and are informed of this first experience for one nervous little mouse, they commence telling funny stories and tall tales, and in no time, Eliza is at ease. How wonderful to make new friends.

Grammy has told her of the exciting event they will be attending, as presenters...Art in the Garden, at a school in Florida...and what fun it will be to meet the boys and girls who have been so excited to meet her.

Grammy dons her dress and hat and prepares for the day...


Her sister-in-law, who will be assisting at the event, is prepared for the day, as well...


Arriving at the school, we meet the principal and the art teacher, who welcome us to the beautiful campus and into the lovely garden...


We are introduced to one of the musicians...


...and we then find the perfect spot for our table.... under the beauty berries and in close proximity to the fountain, with its trickling sound, reminding us of our own fountain outside the window of our sunroom studio...


Children come, one class at a time, to our table.
This is Ms. Lowry's class of 1st and 2nd graders...


They were so very excited to see us, and being ever so clever, asked meaningful questions of how a story comes to be.  They wrote down my responses and even drew darling pictures of our dear Eliza, their new friend...



Eliza poses for these sweet girls...


It is now time for lunch, and we are famished. A delicious meal is prepared and enjoyed out in the garden. Vases of freshly gathered sunflowers, grace the tables....


The creator and coordinator of the event, my brother Brad Jones....


After lunch, another precious child returns to my station to ask more questions, for she has fallen in love with Eliza...and Grammy...and we love her...


We will come again, to this garden, to these children.

The next morning, we venture out into the garden, once more, to gather cotton for the new and improved mouse making kits, for it is the very softest material for plumping newly stitched mice..


There are such beautiful blossoms on these cotton plants..



This is a freshly picked cotton boll..


We then sampled the fresh cucumbers from the garden...


This Edible Schoolyard has become quite a success, and how exciting is its future.

At my brother's home, in his very own garden, I snap a few photos.

His outdoor shower inside the enchanting secret garden..


and the bright green moss growing amongst the flat rocks..


the gorgeous, fragrant orchid that hangs nearby..


and at last, the roses reaching for the sky...along with the dreams of this brother and sister...


Back at home... in the quiet little sunroom...we assess the cotton and marvel at the stages of its transformation...


Here is the quantity of cotton, picked and processed by the students....


Small amounts will be placed in tiny bags and tied with tiny ribbons and placed in the mouse making kits.

A package is sent to the 1st and 2nd grade class, as they will be creating a classroom abode for their very own Eliza mouse. They have been awaiting the package for several weeks, and it has finally arrived.  Mr. Jones presents the package to the class...


How exciting to think of what is inside...what is a kit, exactly...


Ms. Lowry's class is now able to create a mouse for their classroom, and they will begin enjoying their very own adventures.  They plan to help Grammy as she creates her book for spring, Goat's Milk and Gardening, in which Eliza will grow peas.
Thank you, to this incredible educator who gives her love and talents to this active, creative, and incredibly clever group of students.  I am blessed to know her, and to have the opportunity to engage with these loving children.

Hoping you are blessed, as well, this Christmas season.

Enjoy the warmth of the hearth in your home as the days have become shorter and colder...


Those of you who are friends of Susan Branch and follow her blog, will know how truly inspiring it was to view the sweetest vignette in her "Peter Rabbit Room"...I just could not resist creating my own version here at Rose Water Cottage.

Happy Mother's Day...Dorothy Jean Aly Jones

Dearest Readers,

Please indulge this "Grammy" to write a belated tribute, as a daughter.... to her mother....as we realize life spins along faster and faster these days. I want her to know what an extraordinary woman she is, having come from such a humble beginning. But isn't that the beginning of all those who do extraordinary things with their lives?

The daughter of Fred and Effie Aly, Dorothy Jean(my mother), was born in North Georgia and moved to Central Florida as a toddler.


Her daddy built the home they would live in, when Dorothy was a little girl. She recalls dropping a penny in each corner of the foundation of the house...which meant luck, good fortune, blessings, remembrance ....significance of a home being constructed with love, and very little more. The late 1930's and early '40's were difficult years, to say the least.

Dorothy was fortunate to have a loving neighbor woman across the street. Two rocking chairs...a large one for the lady and a small one for little Dorothy...were occupied on endless occasions, for the reading of books. Before she was able to read, the kind lady introduced her to the classic children's books. Heidi, the story of the little girl living in the Swiss Alps, would become one of her favorites. For her seventh birthday, the neighbor gifted her with a tiny crocheted purse....


(As a young mother and missionary to Africa, Dorothy would acquire the Joanna Spyri book in Kitwe, Zambia.)


A sweet little gift, the tiny violet teacup, purchased for 25 cents, would be a Mother's Day Gift for momma, Effie.


When Dorothy was in 5th grade, her beau...Edward Cedarholm...presented her with a lovely "handkersniff". His mother, of scandanvian descent, painted the exquisitely detailed image...


Young momma Effie, made sure to teach her children the stories of the Bible. The book 'Bible Pictures, and what they teach us' was a well-loved book of Dorothy and her little brother Neil. The book is now coverless, with only the spine remaining, but the pictures ...each one, a work of art....are as beautiful as they were at publication.






Young Dorothy would grow to be a lovely young woman, attain the nickname "Dottie" and catch the eye of a tall, blue-eyed young man from Kentucky, in 1953. In January of 1954, William H. Jones, Jr. made his way from Newfoundland (where he had been stationed for 7 months) to Kentucky, and on to Orlando, Florida, within 24 hours. He did not see his beautiful bride-to-be until the moment she walked down the aisle...her veil having been lifted, before she entered the sanctuary, by a dear, wise, friend who simply said..."so he may see your face"….


This wedding photo sits atop the veil, Dottie fashioned herself. (There is a great similarity between the wedding dress of this young bride, and the enchanting wedding dress worn by a princess bride, Kate.)

The receipt for the purchase of gold wedding bands...


Children were born to this union, but not until college and seminary had been completed. Dorothy had felt called, since childhood, to missions. Bill, had a calling to the ministry, and pastored several churches. Together, they were led to the mission field and began to prepare for the journey to Africa in 1964. Three young children sit with them for the photo which would appear on their passports. ...Lynn, age 4 1/2, Christie, age 2 1/2, and Bradley, age 1 year.

The baby gown was worn by Dottie's young sister (20 years her junior), her oldest daughter, Lynn, and her second daughter, Christie...the tiny pink beaded bracelet wrapped Christie's arm as a newborn.

Silver baby spoons have been passed down through the generations, being used by Christie's children and grandchildren.

A photo of Dottie....with two women enjoying her visit to their village...


Husband Bill, had purchased the pearl choker for Dottie, before their passage to Africa...she is wearing it in the photo above.

A letter home...


Dottie had to measure her words carefully, in all communications, even the words she used to describe seemingly routine family updates..it was a difficult time in those days of recent upheaval of their government.

This photo of Dottie, along with Christie and Bradley, shows the ladies Dottie worked with, and their children. Christie remembers the little girl in the pink gingham dress, wearing green socks with her sandals...she recollects their innocent friendship...each trying to teach the other their language...




Dottie purchased a carved ivory necklace for her mother Effie and her mother-in-law Leva Jones. This is the one passed down from Effie. The carved ivory elephant statuette and elephant hair bracelet were brought back as mementos. The black Waldybag was purchased on a stopover in London, as the family traveled home. This being the same style the Queen carried...


Even as a 4 year old, Christie loved purses, and has recollection of this wonderful purchase...the cubby shelving the purse was drawn from...

These were the 60's...the era of Jackie Kennedy....Princess Grace Kelly.....elegant role models for the young women of our country...and Dottie followed suit...

Their work in the mission field was shortened by a difficult birth of their fourth child, Stanley, and it would be necessary to travel back to the States for further medical procedures.

Once again, a photo was necessary for passports...this one, though reveals a weary mother of four, maintaining her posture and smile...such incredible strength to be 30 years of age...


The story does not stop here....fast forward to 2010....Bill and Dottie answer the call, once more, to travel to Africa.  This trip would last four months...working to rebuild an eye clinic, post-war, and helping novice pastors start churches in the villages desperate for God's word.  They left young men and women, who would continue to think fondly of them...even referring to them as Mama and Papa...and who would claim brotherhood/sisterhood to the four Jones siblings (whom they never met... in person).
What a reunion it will be, one day, on the shores of eternity, to come face to face with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

After 57 years of marriage...Dorothy is still in love with the tall blue-eyed fellow from Kentucky…

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My mother has told me many many times...we remember the women in our family by their first names...as last names will always differ....given names will always remain....
On a favored quilt, she stitched the names of the women, forming a list from my great great grandmother down to my daughter....along with my daughter Olivia's baby bracelet and baby ring in the center of her initial "O"...
such a loving tribute....it will continue to be cherished through the years. 


I love you, Mother!
Your darling,
Christie

Minnie Elizabeth Weatherington Aly...

I have had the most wonderful news...I am going to be a mother-in-law to the most precious young woman I could have ever imagined in all my dreams and wishes. My eldest, Matthew, has asked his Jenny to be his wife.  The ring he has given her as a promise, and as her  future wedding band, is the ring which belonged to my great great grandmother. I would like to share this post from last year, Mother's Day 2011, so that this sweet girl can know the history of this band of gold, given to dear Minnie on her wedding day in 1871.

"Keeper of the Stories" being my unofficial title in our family is a difficult task, but as I share them in this fashion, they are released, and no longer bump into each other in my mind, causing much relief. I want to remember all the special details, facts, who-begat-who, and on and on...
This is where we shall start.

A little car was purchased for Eliza and John Jacob  ...it reminded our friend Diane of a truck her grandparents had...and it reminded me of a photo I keep in my family treasures cabinet...and so the story must begin with Miss Minnie Elizabeth Weatherington.


She is pictured in the photo wearing her fancy fascinator (this is surely why I adore wearing hats). This was taken about the time of her marriage to John R. Aly in 1871. Her wedding band rests on the art stand and is inscribed "John R. Aly to M.E.W" in beautiful script. The tiny spectacles, toddler's shoe, and darning egg have been passed down to me, but no one is quite sure which article belonged to whom. The dashing young fellow in the picture would be the son she would have, Fred R. Aly, Sr.  Minnie would obtain the Testament & Psalms after 20 years of marriage.


Little Fred Aly, Sr. would one day have a granddaughter named Dorothy, and would carve this tiny little chair for her. If he had ever dreamed that his great granddaughter would still cherish this petite piece of furniture and photograph its escapades with tiny mice and dolls and squirrels...He would surely be proud.


This photo was taken of John and Minnie and their grandson, Fred R. Aly, Jr. with the automobile that reminded me of Eliza and John Jacob's new little car.


See the resemblence?


I am so honored to have this Bible, fragile as it is, knowing that my great great grandmother held it in her hands.


Upon opening, the front page bears a faded signature, date, and address....


A closer look reveals the complete date...


Feb. 14th 1891

Pasted on the back cover, I found a poem, "One of Us Two" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. How incredibly gripping are the words...


One of Us Two
The day will dawn, when one of us shall hearken
In vain to hear a voice that has grown dumb.
And morns will fade, moons pale, and shadows darken,
While sad eyes watch for feet that never come.

One of us two must, some time face existence,
Alone with memories that but sharpen pain.
And these sweet days shall shine back in the distance,
Like dreams of summer dawns, in nights of rain.

One of us two, with tortured heart half broken,
Shall read long -treasured letters through salt tears,
Shall kiss with anguished lips each cherished token,
That speaks of these love-crowned, delicious years.

One of us two shall and all light, all beauty,
All joy on earth, a tale forever done;
Shall know henceforth that life means only duty.
Oh God! Oh, God! have pity on that one

Ella Wheeler Wilcox



I have never known who passed away first, and who was left behind....

This is how the lineage progressed:


Little Fred Aly, Jr. pictured in photo on the left...grew up to marry pretty Effie Belle Sams, pictured in photo on the right...and they would have a baby, Dorothy, being held by new mommy... Effie...and Dorothy would have Christie (Grammy)....  I find my smiling eyes in my Grandma's sweet face.


My great great grandmother Minnie, holding my mother Dorothy in the photo to the right. 

Thank you for joining me, as I strive to be a thoughtful caretaker and "Keeper of the Stories"



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Miss Eliza has requested that Grammy knit 2 more lovely shawls to send to her new friend, Millie Mousekin, as a belated Mother's Day gift. Mama Mousekin has been quite busy these days helping her mistress Linnie (the Butt'ry and Book'ry) sew tiny stitches in her beautiful gown for the Ball they will be attending this week.  A working shawl and a tea party shawl (like Tasha Tudor used to wear, minus the fancy ribbons...little mice have trouble keeping their shawls on their little shoulders) are being sent her way...


...with warmest regards, blessings, and many mouse hugs!


Hoping all who are Mothers, had a most blessed day, and were honored for their love and commitment to their children.