Here Among the Flowers of Faith and Hope I Stand

Vintage Gunne Sax blouse and skirt; vintage Sarah Coventry broach; vintage earrings.

It was one of those days when I was tired of being in front of the camera, and instead decided to take advantage of my little sister's beauty by forcing her to wear a strange outfit and pose for me in a mud-sodden field next to the local middle school. As much as she likes to complain and rant about being "abused" in such a manner, truth be told, she adores such modeling shenanigans. Isn't she a doll? (You may remember her from a previous post this past Spring.) 

Inspired by the 1975 Australian film, Picnic at Hanging Rock, I decided to put her in a feminine, Edwardian-inspired outfit with a hint of carefree Western prairie style. The white cream and lace Gunne Sax blouse actually belonged to my aunt, who wore as maid of honor in my mother's wedding. I thought it melded perfectly with the purple calico skirt (also vintage Gunne Sax); the contrasting materials providing an aesthetically-pleasing clash with the white lace tying the two pieces together. The giant broach is just Sarah Coventry costume jewelry (alas, how I wish it was fashioned from gold and precious stones!), and the boots are from my sister's closet.

Her child-like innocence and grace amidst the posies remind me of a line from a Shakespeare's Sister song:

Here Among the Flowers 

Of Faith and Hope I Stand

While You Are Buried in the Mass 

Of Weeds You Sowed By Hand

The older I get, the more I come across (and unfortunately have to deal with) difficult human beings. Some people simply thrive and flourish on drama, basking in the chaos of their own misery. As tempting as it is to childishly retaliate with an eye for an eye, I've learned to follow the advice of a wonderful friend and "rise above it". 

Imagine this:

You're an elegant and mystical queen, seated on a throne of purest alabaster. A scattering of angry, screaming trolls wants to tear you from your pedestal and drag you into the muck and filth of their own wretched lives. Fact is, they can't stand to see anyone as calm and happy as yourself when they wallow in a world of unreasonable discontentment, brought about by their own doing. Do you whip out your magic wand and zap the little beasties? No, you use your power to let that untouchable white throne levitate above the drama, soaring up into the sky. 

Mwah! Mwah!
~Hope Adela

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