I had a relative - a great-aunt or something like that - named Aunt Velda, who mostly wore purple and who mostly surrounded herself with various shades of that royal color. She wore a purple hat with flowers on it. She had a purple coat.
I remember this distinctly: the toilet brush cleaner thing in her bathroom was PURPLE! Is that not the best??? She had purple glassware. This woman LOVED all things violet and mulberry and lavender and lilac.
Another relative thought that all of this purpleness MUST be the cause of the weirdities of Velda. This person thought that being surrounded by only one color could contribute to strange behavior. I'm not sure what strange behavior Aunt Velda exhibited. But I was young. Maybe I didn't notice such things. I thought she was just fine. Maybe I still wouldn't notice now, because I've always appreciated those that don't quite fit into the fabricated "norms" of the world.
Tonight, in honor of purple and mulberry and violet and Aunt Velda, I post purple flowers. I also just finished listening to Deep Purple playing "Smoke on the Water" and Jimi Hendricks playing Purple Haze.
Do you think that I've been around too much purple???
I think harmless eccentricities are something we could use more of.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to catch up on your blog. Purple is the color of spirituality and higher knowledge. In this time it may be crazy but well needed. Whatever, The world needs more purple. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOf course you've not been around too much purple, Carol. Purple in it's various shades is a lovely color. My high school's colors were Northwestern Purple and White.
ReplyDelete(My friend and colleague. Doug, owns a purple truck. That is too much purple).
Agreed, Otowi!
ReplyDeleteANJ,
ReplyDeleteI like your photo!
I would most definitely welcome the proliferation of spirituality and higher knowledge in our country and the world!
Nick,
ReplyDeleteI've only seen a couple of purple trucks and I coveted them. I think your friend, Doug, has good taste! :-)
ah .... purple ... always makes me think of this poem by Jenny Joseph ...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.poemhunter.com/poem/warning/
Sandie
PS I'm posting "anonymously" as it's far easier whilst I'm using hotel internet.
ReplyDeleteSandie/Dancing on a Blade of Grass
Oh dear ... the link doesn't seem to work so I hope you won't mind me putting the whole thing here (delete if necessary!)
ReplyDeleteWarning
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
Jenny Joseph
Hi Dancing,
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought of that poem after I wrote this post. I wonder if Aunt Velda's pen name was Jenny Joseph! ;-)
I once sold a purple painting to a cardiologist who had the email address prplhaze. A professional who knows the ways of the human heart.
ReplyDeleteWe just planted purple salvia, Russian sage with purple blooms, and a butterfly bush which will purportedly sport blackish purple blossoms someday. To the possibility of purple!
San, YES! Here's to the possibility of purple. The cardiologist sounds like someone I would enjoy knowing!
ReplyDelete