Friday
Oct022009
The Colour Purple
Friday, October 2, 2009 at 11:42 PM 
I seem to be going through a purple phase. Odd, because purple's certainly not my favourite colour. Maybe I could call it an elderberry-plum-aubergine phase. Those shades appeal much more. Probably because they're edible. :)
It all began with Emma's wedding*. Purple is definitely Emma's favourite colour. We dyed yards and yards of cotton drill (purple, naturally) to drape the walls of the barn where the wedding party would take place. Painted the woodwork purple. Ordered purple tablecovers and purple sashes for the chairs. I dressed the jam jar vases with lilac gingham ribbon, and the pots of bilberry jam to be given as wedding favours were given heather-sprigged mop caps. I decorated the cakes with aubergine sugar roses and stems of lavender, and used deepest plum gladioli and vibrant purple lisianthus in the flower arrangements. I stitched 175 yards of purple-hued bunting to hang from the barn's rafters. I even bought a purple dress for the occasion and wore a big lilac hat.
My purple phase continued throughout August whilst the heather bloomed and turned the moors into a sea of mauve as far as the eye could see. And it's continued through September as foraged blackberries have stained my fingers a rich, dark heliotrope. Now it's October and, as the nights draw in and the elderberries ripen, purple still feels right for the season.
* Emma is my......well, the closest I can get is honorary half sister-in-law!
Reader Comments (4)
I have a feeling that the lower right-hand picture is awesome. So English. And the boots: yes.
a perfectly pleasing passage on purple dear one. you hypnotize with your imagery. I'm so glad you have begun this daily narration and that I have access to it. thanks for my daily treats. i too liked the self portrait lower right, and also the one of the purple gloved hand picking blackberries.
Beautiful words and beautiful pictures. They make me feel so relaxed. It's like your love for the beautiful things in life shines through.
Love the photo mosaic. 175 yds of bunting would have driven me mad though! You might need to bring out the purple in the middle of winter when all is gray I think!