Monday 8 December 2008

The Tale of a Princess.



This wonderful blaze of colour is what greeted Lucy as she swept the curtain back this morning. So dazzling was the display of the showing-off sky that she called for the camera, hoping to hold on to its beauty before the inevitable rain won the daily battle and turned our world pewter grey once more. We stood on the doorstep, chill wind whipping round the camellia as we struggled to find a gap between pollarded chestnut and jutting rooftops, and in the end settled for anywhere the sky shone through, anywhere we could bathe in its burnished glow for just a moment.



Isabella had far more important things to think about. "Want be Pincess," she announced racing to the wardrobe where Miss Lucy's vast collection of dressing-up clothes resides (thank you Granny-mother)and stood expectantly before it as I rummaged through the vibrant folds of a myriad guises. Within this wardrobe of age-softened walnut there are the makings of many a play as fairy dresses spill over gossamer wings and tiaras sit atop gowns fit for a princess. Should the tale involve castaways and shipwrecks then pirate garb of tattered trews nestle with eye patches and cutlass (fake I hasten to add!), a choice of headgear featuring skull & crossbones or white spots on navy depending on your mood, and even a flag for the ship can be found. Dancers can choose from ballet tutus and leotards or Haiwaiian skirts and strings of brightly coloured flowers for the ley. There's a lion cub, a devilish Hallowe'en outfit or two, wands and Darth Vader and even a Welsh national costume because Granny-mother liked the colours...but Isabella wanted to be a Pincess so first she donned her beautiful tiara encrusted with diamonds and pink garnets (!).



Next came her dress



and then she rode away on rocking dragon to save the Prince from a cow ... as you do.


Finally, this brave Princess did what most Princesses do: she put her coat and scarf over her beautiful gown, took big sister to school and queued in the Post Office for aeons and aeons till her mummy, Queen Pipany of the Wold, offloaded her parcels. They walked along the river as the mist came down, an eerie light settling over the deepening rivulets of the turning tide and the haunting cries of the hidden river-birds wheeling their way through the thickened air.



"We go home now and eat cake," declared Princess Isabella.

And we did!

Bye for now xx

27 comments:

  1. Ooooh I loved it! What a wonderful adventure. I bet she remembers it when she's all grown up and my money's on her forgetting the Post Office bit!

    Fab!
    love Stephx

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  2. And everyone around your place will definitely live happily ever after, rain or shine.

    Beautiful post, Pipany!

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  3. You have a beautiful little daughter and one who certainly knows her own mind. When mine was small, she couldn't say "tiara" and instead insisted it was a " ta ra ra". Another favourite mispronunciation was "fablious" rather than "fabulous". This makes us laugh even now. Have a lovely day.

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  4. A real delight to brighten our days. Thank you Pipany, with a special hug for the Princess.

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  5. And we're all so very pleased that the Queen has a blog and is able to share such a beautiful day with us all.

    P x

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  6. what a beautiful tale, with a happy ending!! Thank you Pip for sharing your lovely day with us

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  7. What a happy ending!

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  8. Pure delight Pip, you've done it again!

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  9. What a wonderful story Pipany, you little pincess will have so many lovely memories when she grows up.

    Kx

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  10. What a beautiful story Pipany, I really felt I was in fairyland there! I Love the look of concentration on Princess Isabella's face as she rides off to rescue the Prince from a cow......

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  11. I do LOVE your blog, and that picture of Isabella looking at you, having just viewed herself in the mirror, is absolutely beautiful.

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  12. A beautiful little tale, Pip, and just the sort of thing we need. My favourite is Princess Isabella riding off to save her Prince, and it would be a cow wouldn't it?

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  13. It's good to know that real, live princesses are still to be found in this world of ours. Long may Princes Isabella eat cake!

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  14. What a bonny princess she is too!
    Sounds like a good was had, what a lovely view you get of the sea and beach, is this on the way home?
    I do not envy you with the PO run!
    The skys have been just wonderful lately.
    Carol xxx

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  15. a delightful story complete with a beautiful princess....and to finish with cake now that is a happy ending...
    Jan

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  16. Your wardrobe sounds a pretty magical place. You had me wanting to dive in and dress up!

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  17. So lovely! What a little poppet. Most days I wake up and think the same. How lovely to be small enough to actually be a 'pincess'! This morning I had to settle for slummy mummy. Still - there's merit in that too.

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  18. What a lovely day. Gorgeous sunrise, thanks for sharing that!

    My little one often has to endure a wait at the Post Office while I do my parcels. In fact I think my business keeps our village PO open!

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  19. What a poppet! I love the sound of your dressing up box.
    I had a wonderful b'day party aged about 8 when dad worked in the theatre and brought home armfuls of childrens costumes for my party. Sooo exciting. I got to keep the Blubell Fairy outfit from the ladies in the Wardrobe dept.
    Thank you Pipany for a lovely tale.
    CKx

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  20. Gosh it's been ages since I visited your blog. I had a very busy November, as did you by the look of things. Excellent news for the business.

    Isabella looks adorable as a princess. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up on all your lovely words and divine pictures. Now I feel really Christmassy!

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  21. Wonderful story, my 2 year old, sitting on my knee, has now announced that she wants a 'dinosaur rocking horse dragon' lol.
    Yvonne x

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  22. Aww such a sweet post! I'm sure your girl have a lovely day.

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  23. Beautiful photos and a beautiful `pincess'
    Twiggy x

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  24. This one bought the memories flooding back, what a poppet !!

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  25. Really gorgous photos, love the head band. Thankyou for visiting my blog Pipany, and leaving comments, it has been a real encouragement. Happy Safe Christmas, Meagan

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  26. ah, blessikins! Wanna daughter! htrsy pivd, yoo, \pipd.

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  27. oops, fingers must have been on wrong keys, what I meant was lovely pics, too, Pip! I'm not showing off my Swedish, honest.

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