The White Gate, that's the title of this week's book of the week. It's a tiny book in its own small drop spine box.
The white gate is on a farm I visited in the Loire Valley of France. It is a beautiful country, not too different from our North Carolina landscape. When I was there I felt as if I had opened a gate into the past. Suddenly my mind was filled with visions of French royalty, medieval jousting tournaments, village crafts guilds and bountiful farms. The white gate was a reminder of that era in France.
The photograph I took of the white gate is pasted on the front of the drop spine box. The box, covered in my pastepaper and a piece of silk brocade book cloth is only 4 inches tall by 3 inches wide... and the photo is the size of a business card.
Inside the book are pages from an antique book I found in a trash bin in Angers, France,
The Troisieme Race, copyright 1826, which is a long list of people who were leaders of France during the reign of Louis XIV. Also in the book are some colograph prints I made.. the lush greens hint at the rich opulence of old France as a growth chamber of arts, culture, and societal change...
If you feel bad that I dismantled the book, perhaps this excerpt will change your mind.."Ce Miniftre quiavoit fuccede a Cuprogli, gagne par l'argent des Hollandois, avoit empeche des l'an 1677, que M. de Noitntel, Ampaffadeur de France a la Porte, n'obtint les honneurs duSopha, & lui avoit donne tous le degouts qu'il avoit up, jusqu' a trouver mauvais let rejoiffances que fit cet Ambaffadeur pour let fucces de Louis XIV, mais M Nointel ayant perfifte a ne point recevoir fon audience, fi cet honneur ne lui etoit accorde, l'obtintgen la France de l'infolence de ce Miniftre." It goes on and on like this... but the paper is exquisite.
It stands in its tiny box... the book of
The White Gate, beautiful and sad in its solitude and refinement and long ago lived golden days.
Not to end the post on a downer, I must introduce Charlemagne and Louis, my two new kittens who came to us this week, Week 21!
 |
| Charlie, 5 weeks |
 |
| Louie Lamour, 7 weeks |
Two very royal cats...
Kathy
