Testing

Dear Miss Blue,

Dandelions and Lilies of the Valley have always been the flowers we little children picked from our backyard. We didn't plant them, Miss Blue, they just appeared every spring, like magic. I really loved the dandelions best. Always on the way home from school I would search for the tallest and most beautiful yellow dandelions and pick them and hold them carefully so as not to crush their blossoms and even sometimes put them in the pocket of my dress, imagining all the way home how happy my mother would be when she looked at them.  She would smile and right away look for a vase to put them in just perfect for the dining room table.  I told my teacher all about the dandelions in the vase and she asked me to bring her some dandelions and she would right away bring her own green glass vase to put the dandelions in; so elegant Miss Blue, green and yellow. I could hardly wait to see it all there in my 3rd grade classroom at school the next day.  

Once I thought I would have, when I grew up, a bookstore for children.  I already knew that I would name the bookstore "The Dandelion Book Store."  There is a lovely spot right near me, Miss Blue, it is a store that is empty; it didn't do well here in my neighborhood selling crocodile shoes and expensive things. I am sure the Dandelion Book Store for wild and happy children would be a success.  Tell Phoebe and Isabel about it, Miss Blue, will you?

Love, Pearl 

Dear Pearl,

Oh Pearl, I do apologize for the long time between letters!  While you were traveling to parts unknown, I was busy here trying to keep things dry!  The weather has been violent - monsoon-like rains every afternoon, and nights full of the most concussive thunder!  Fannie says it really is raining cats and dogs.  But without the dogs.

Isabel and Phoebe have been making crepe paper flowers for the May Day baskets they are planning to leave on everyone's stoops next week.  Do you remember the baskets we used to make?  Dandelions and Lilies of the Valley stuffed into our recycled Easter baskets. . .no wonder Uncle Thimbleton sneezed so hard each May 1!

I Remain as Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue

Dear Miss Blue,

I was surprised to hear about Fannie's riding lessons and the horse named Dobbins.  Dobbins looks very sad, Miss Blue, as if he misses his little cat friend. Too bad about the distemper booster, although farm animals don't usually have to have them, do they? Just the wild animals in the far away places where beasts become poisoned by some dreadful spoiled food left too long by hunters and other thoughtless persons.  Anyway, Miss Blue, Houdini, a perfect name for the disappearing tabby cat, will give cats all over the land a sense of honor, maybe regal!  I do believe that cats are very intuitive, Miss Blue - sly, and mischievous, and eager for attention. Remember Petunia? He was a brave and handsome cat.

Sending love and best regards to you, Pearl

Dear Pearl,

Please be more careful in the future, Pearl!  It would not do to have you sneezing and wheezing in Japan this summer!  (Cats don't mean to be sickening, darling.  They just ARE to certain lovely people like yourself.) The horse that Fannie is learning to ride on - Dobbins - is inconsolable without a nuzzle from the little tabby cat who is his stable mate.  Houdini is what they call him - he's terribly clever about making himself disappear when it's time for his distemper booster!  

I Remain as Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue

Dear Miss Blue,

Thank you so much for reminding me of the allergy pills. I  am looking forward to our trip to Japan, Miss Blue and cats, however so precious, would be a problem for me without my pills.  Did I ever tell you about the cat I got to know here that belonged to one of the families in the neighborhood? Well, Hunter was his name, Miss Blue, a beautiful white and black cat who used to prowl around in the backyard here and was quite acrobatic, always showing off by walking on the top of the fence and looking up toward my windows on the porch waiting for me to call out my greeting of praise. I did bring him up to my apartment one day, in a friendly way Miss Blue, to give him a little change of scenery and he was so happy! But right away I began coughing and sneezing; Hunter was frightened at all the noise and tried to jump out of the porch window! Really, Miss Blue a very nerve-racking time. So I carried him in my arms downstairs to the backyard and guess what? He stood right there and arched his back and hissed at me! Cats are very independent and that is a fine trait in itself but sometimes very trying to their owners. How kind and loving was the little Empress to have a daily change of scarves for Cio Cio, a story of true love!
I must say I silk scarves and kimonos, have never been in any of the stores I visit so when we are in Japan I will buy a scarf and even a beautiful kimono. Will you too, Miss Blue?

Dear Pearl,

If we go to Japan this summer, Pearl, I would advise you to take your cat allergy pills with you.  The Japanese have been having a love affair with cats for a very long time indeed! The Empress had a little white and black one when she was a girl.  She named it Cio Cio and tied a new scarf around its neck every day.  She would throw the old one away just like that!  Very wasteful of the little Empress, don't you think, Pearl?  Louise would have a fit!  

I Remain as Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue

Dear Miss Blue,

I am so happy to hear from you since the last few days have been quite dreary; even though spring is here, we are still having cold weather, wearing our winter coats and scarves.  

Now I will admit, Miss Blue, that I have been hoping to have some excitement in my life so that your letter with the picture of the beautiful Sing So Long inviting us to the Orient in June was a blessing!  I have already set aside my silk scarves and gowns with designs by the famous Chinese designer Cha Cha Ling.  I do want to make the proper impression when we are in the Orient.  Do you remember my darling skirt pleated in sixteen gores?  It flared out when I walked fast and everyone watched while I stopped and twirled around and tossed kisses with my hand.   Do you remember my silk kimono, Miss Blue?  It was a creamy ivory color and I loved wearing it around the house and often would stand in front of my full length mirror feeling beautiful in my kimono (made in Japan, of course).

We always have such good times when we are together, Miss Blue and I will reserve a seat on an overseas plane soon. 

Love, Pearl 

PS  June is the time of roses and if they are in bloom I shall bring a large bouquet wrapped in red tissue paper.

Dear Pearl,

Our dear old friend Sing So Long has invited us to the Orient for June. She is still arranging maple leaves for the Emperor's floral arrangements, as you can see from the photo she enclosed with her letter.  We always had such a good time with her, didn't we, Pearl?  Those pot stickers she made for us whenever we were blue.  And the teakettle cozys sewn to look like little kimonos.  My feet always ached after wearing the silly wooden sandals she loved to share with us. And what pleasure she took in Russian Teacakes and Spritz cookies!  She said they sounded like characters in a spy novel!  I hope that you will be able to come with us - it's only a month, after all, and most of your clubs shut down for the summer, don't they?  

I Remain as Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue

Dear Miss Blue,

Tulips growing in a roomy pot here on my porch, Miss Blue, the bulbs planted in the winter so that they can bloom just in time for Easter Day and every year the blooms surprise me with their long stems and vibrant color; sometimes  red and then yellow.  Their stems are very strong so that the tulips can stand up straight and show off their beauty.  I must tell you, Miss Blue, that I have a beautiful heather plant; It is called Erica Heather native to South Africa.  Long ago, the musical Brigadoon was playing on Broadway in New York and I hurried to buy a ticket so I could hear that mesmerizing song, "The Heather on the Hill." Music keeps memories alive and even now I find myself singing and humming "The Heather on the Hill."  

Always the young students of the best Art Schools bring their education and ideas of making everything more beautiful and smart; industrial design I would say, exciting and contemporary.  Good for Eleanor and Esther.

All my love to you and Melba and Fanny, Pearl   

Dear Pearl,

It is wonderful to be at home again!  Spring has arrived and the daffodils and early tulips are poking up through the old matted vegetable material. . . Mrs Highbottom's nieces skated over yesterday on their way home from the Academy.  Both are studying to be interior decorators of the most refined kind.  At a glance they can tell a Louis XIV from a Louis XVI leg!  Eleanor is predicting that indoor gardens will be the next big trend.  And Esther thinks that curtains for mirrors will take off as a decorating idea.  I would be very interested in that!  Think of how lovely it would be to look at yourself only when you actually intended to do so!  A very organized way to live, don't you agree?

I Remain as Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue