American born Grace Kelly:
Hollywood movie star extraordinaire,
Absolute Beauty,
Princess Grace of Monaco.
The Blushing Hostess has invited us to visit her site and see all the postings about gracious people.
Grace Kelly lit up the tiny Principality of Monaco with Her magic, Her stardom, Her elegance, Her style,
Her Grace.
Her Serene Highness, Princess Grace, played the Fleur Cowles Flower Game-selecting Ten Flowers she would take to fill her own island. Of the two hundred that answered to Cowles , the Princess' answers reveal much.
After reflecting, she put together a perfect world, providing everything she might need with her choices; beauty, sustenance, shelter and a fairy tale ending. She was an intellectual, an artist, a pragmatist and a dreamer.
The Princess Plays the Flower Game
in Grace's own wordsI chose ZUCCHINI so that I could eat the flower...
(the Zucchini Blossom)
let the leaves grow over a trellis made from BAMBOO*where I would sit quietly in the shade and contemplate
my beautiful ROSES
and pure white IRIS.
Bees would make a hive in the fragrance of my APPLE tree
(the apple blossom)
and enjoy the LAVENDER
and ROSEMARY to make their honey.
after running through my field of DAISIES,
I would stretch out...sip a little rosemary tea and nibble on GLADIOLUS bulb (very rich in Vitamin C). I would be very kind to this much maligned flower whose sisters are bobbing up and down, precariously perched on the back decks of yachts in Monte Carlo Harbour, looking quite forlorn.
I would try to find a fresh water pond on the island for my WATER LILIES
with the hope that their large leaves will attract frogs.
Who knows?One might turn into a handsome prince who would be decent enough to whisk me off this lonely island
and take me back to civilization...
After all, I am really a city girl at heart!
Princess Grace had a full staff in the Palace awaiting her pleasure, all in attendance to assure the success of entertaining in her name-Yet one can not imagine her hand not being in it all. The same thoughtfulness and care she must have taken in each and every detail-Much like her flower list.
* her note-" I hope you will accept it although I have never seen it flower."
Oh, that was so beautiful! Thank you for sharing that bit of Grace with us all.
ReplyDelete- Megan
What a beautiful post for a glorious woman.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post! I love your choice!
ReplyDeleteAll the best,
Eileen
Really like your post.
ReplyDeleteGrace Kelly was fantastic.
Blessings,
d
I always loved her wedding dress. She was flawless.
ReplyDeleteMy husband grew up in Monaco and one of his favorite memories was making s'mores with Princess Grace on the beach. She brought an American down to earth heavenly elegance in everything. I have a photo of her playing :shuffelboard!: I like Princesses who like regular things.
ReplyDeleteHer sunglass collection was extraordinaire!
Of course, the French Riviera, one needs sunglasses.
thanks to All for stopping in.
ReplyDeletePatricia, How interesting to imagine Grace surround on the beach by children making smores. She was obviously a wonderful mother as well. I bet you have many great stories about her. Thanks, Gaye
Just beautiful alternating photography. I so enjoyed revisint all her iconic frames and I love that you choose minute details of her thoughts rather than some very grand gesture, it points tot he fact that every last tingle of life in her indicaated she was appropriately named...
ReplyDeletealso see 'book of flowers' by princess grace of monaco, it has her flower collages. stunning. I found it at a flea market years ago and it has been a favorite of mine ever since.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.visitmonaco.com/
Following a visit to Amsterdam’s International Flower Show in the 1970s, the renowned Dutch lily breeder, Klaas de Jong, named a lily Lys Princess Grace (now called simply Monaco). With fragrant pale yellow blooms, this sturdy plant thrives in the warm Côte d’Azur climate. Princess Grace was said to be deeply honored. At the time of Her marriage to Prince Rainier in 1956, Antoine Meilland, a celebrated rose breeder named a highly scented, bright pink rose the Grace de Monaco. “It is a lovely experience for a woman to have a rose named after her, and I am especially delighted since mine is grown by a special nursery that was created by a very special man.” Princess Grace’s love of botany in all its forms led Her to become an acknowledged expert on flowers and accomplished judge of floral arrangements.
Her knowledge and skill soon evolved into an interest in pressed flower arrangements which She modestly signed "GPK" (Grace Patricia Kelly). Some of Her collages were exhibited at the renowned Galerie Drouant in Paris in 1977 and 1980 and others were displayed on Monaco’s postage stamps in the 1970s. She shared Her deep love of flowers and Her secrets of flower pressing in My Book of Flowers which She co-wrote in 1980 with Gwen Robyns.
In the summer of 1984, Her family dedicated a special parkland in the Principality to Her memory. The Princess Grace Rose Garden features some 4,000 rose bushes representing more than 180 varieties, the creations of leading European and American rose specialists. It is a serene, beautiful garden for strolling or meditation, and is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Blushing- thank you. I agree, she was perfectly named. In discussion with a friend, we both agree, there will never be another Grace. Gaye
ReplyDeleteUlla, hello and I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer. Thank you for this information.I have just found this book- I can not wait to see her collages. Thank you for bringing this great information to the discussion. I may have to follow this up with some of these collages. G.
ReplyDeleteso beautiful, little a!
ReplyDeletea friend of mine, kristina haugland, wrote the amazing grace kelly: icon of style to royal bride (Philadelphia Museum of Art). it's worth taking a look!
she was a lot of perfection.
and smores! ; )
Paul- I couldn't agree more- She can not be matched today- no one comes close. G
ReplyDeletethis is well done ,thanks
ReplyDelete