How’s your holiday season coming along?
I hurried between homes, burned the midnight oil to complete a photo book for my daughter, prepared food for gatherings, shopped for presents, met friends for wine tasting and book discussions, took my car in for routine service, and began to pack for three upcoming trips that will come in quick succession. “Make a list, do and cross-off; make another list, do and cross those off, too.” In the midst of my hurry, I received a collection of photos and this note:
Hi Patti
Greetings to you and blog mates! We’re celebrating Emilie Loring’s birthday a few months late, granddaughter Val and great granddaughter Kate – fun with the memories
Love to all,
Val and Kate
My tension oozed away at the thought of it and even more at the sight of their pleasant home. The original oil painting for The Trail of Conflict hangs above the fireplace. It’s prettier in the original than on the book cover–more colorful and inspiring. There may be stories behind the porcelain-ware, the framed photos on each end of the mantel, and the tiny chair on the hearth. We’ll have to ask.
Kate poured tea for her mother from heirloom, silver service, polished to a fare-thee-well. The lemon slices would have pleased Emilie, who liked her tea hot and with a generous squeeze of lemon. I recognize Val’s cup with its butterfly handle and am intrigued by the red-orange cup that Kate is using. It looks like it has a history.
The silver-framed photo on the table is a sweet one. Emilie is posed in her garden, daintily sniffing a blossom. I see a strong resemblance between Valentine (on the left) and her grandmother, Emilie Loring, don’t you?
Of course, Val and Kate enjoyed sweet treats as well. I wonder if they used a family recipe?
Here is where the Lorings are like the rest of us. They have books from each era of publication, from original hardbacks to ghostwritten hardbacks, the most-common paperbacks, and finally, a newly-issued paperback that has an e-book twin. The framed photo here is the familiar one of Emilie on the parapet at Stone House.
Valentine was born at the height of Emilie’s fame and had the benefit of her grandmother throughout her entire childhood and into young adulthood. Wouldn’t you love to linger and listen to the stories she might tell of Emilie and the Loring family?
There is yet much to do this holiday season, and I hope that slowing down has helped you, as it has me, to enjoy the moments and look forward to the happy flurry. Oh, the rejuvenating effects of a hot cup of tea and excellent company!
Enjoy the days ahead, and just a quick, production note: WordPress is rolling out a new editor, and it’s also time to update The Emilie Loring Collection’s pages, content-finding aids, and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Don’t be alarmed if the site is a little erratic for a bit; all will settle down soon!
The Emilie Loring Collection 
Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures of these great ladies. The painting is wonderful. The tea set is beautiful. I like their literary tastes as well. (EL!)
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It’s a privilege to know them—and they are great fun, too!
On Wed, Dec 12, 2018 at 8:49 PM The Emilie Loring Collection wrote:
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Happy Holidays! and the painting–outstanding!
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Happy holidays to you, Vicki. Thanks for your interest and encouraging comments. And yes, super painting. Wouldn’t it be neat to have cards made of the original artworks?
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Yes it would!
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I just love all you write and blog about when it comes to Emilie Loring Collection! It’s DIVINE! I so look forward to it!
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Thank you. That is heartening to hear!
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You are so welcome I plan to stack up on her books from the library I have shelves of books here keep blogging I love your blog!
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I’ve just started to read yours. I’m amazed at your stacks of books! I have a “library,” but only beloved books get to join. I have a very low threshold for Kindle, however. Spur-of-the-moment books go there. Good luck finding Emilies in the library; many have sold their copies to used-book sellers. There are six e-books and more coming, but I like the feel of a book in my hand.
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I cannot do Kindle I purchased one and tried and I just love the feel of the boom in hand! I have one bookshelf and need to invest in another one! Thank you I go and get a stack from the library every week or two. I’m always reading. I’m going to try my library maybe I can reserve them of there out. We have a few vendors malls here with older items and I’m keeping my eyes open for her. Hopefully I’ll find her somewhere someday.
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Amazon displays an edition of The Solitary Horseman with this artwork as its cover.
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It’s the original cover. Do you think there’s a new edition with it?
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The portrait above the mantle is on the bookjacket of my copy of The Solitary Horseman purchased by me in 1968 from Grosset and Dunlap publishers.
The photo that is linked to this blog shows a different photo that is of a western scene for Trail of Conflict that was according to Patti the original bookjacket for that title.
It would be good to have a bit more clarification on this.
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You are absolutely right, and I knew better. I have corrected the caption and acknowledged you in today’s blog. Thank you!
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Thank you!
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Any word on new ebooks?
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Not yet. I hope there will be more soon!
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