AT THE TIME OF THE FLOOD – The Vampire's Wife

At the Time of Flood

A lady called Linda from Geelong in Australia sent a very long, detailed and beautiful letter to me, part of which said—

“I am writing to express how much I appreciate everything you and Nick create and share, you were uniting humanity long before current circumstances showed how connected we all are.”

“I thought of Stuff when I came across this breathtaking painting of devastation (and fashion inspiration perhaps). In 1864 Russian artist Konstantin Flavitsky painted ‘The Princess Tarakanova, in the Peter and Paul Fortress, at the Time of the Flood’ based on a legend in which Catherine the Great locked the false princess in a cell that was known to flood. It is in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.”

Such an amazing painting! The image resonates with many I am sure—the feeling of being besieged! Thank you so much, Linda, for your kind words and sending your lovely ideas.

Stay safe and much love, Susie x

AH, MY DEAR ANGRY LORD

I love this terse little poem by the English poet, orator, and priest, George Herbert about the contradictory nature of religious belief, its good and bad sides, and its joy and sorrow. There's nothing like a bit of hard religion on a Sunday morning!!

NO TEAR-FLOODS OR SIGH-TEMPESTS

In A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, the English poet, John Donne, likens his relationship with his wife, Mary, to a spiritual entanglement between two souls as he says farewell to her before he goes on a mission to Europe. I love the lines ‘let us melt and make no noise/no tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move’. Beautiful!

THE CARNIVAL IS OVER

I have just a simple song for you all from 1967, all the way from Australia (where my husband is), by The Seekers. I love this song, melancholy but so stirring, and Judith Durham, dressed in what looks like something from the archives of The Vampire’s Wife, is so touching. It is a song full of tears about the end of things and love’s enduring presence. We adore this song here at The Vampire’s Wife.