One of my favourite childhood books was "Annie's Rainbow", written and beautifully illustrated by Ron Brooks. It was a gift for my 7th Birthday. I loved it so much it was one of the few treasures I kept throughout my life to (hopefully) pass onto my own children one day. It is now a favourite of my 7 year old and was one of the books that trekked around with us in the caravan on our recent Big Adventure. It is a story of a little girl who loves rainbows, loves to chase them and frets when they aren't around. One day she tries to follow it but it takes her through the woods and she is afraid. She wants to turn back but knows she has to keep going if she is to find it. Finally she reaches a magical place in the middle of the woods where the rainbow is streaming out of a magnificent fountain. A man is there and he is painting the rainbow. It is the most beautiful painting Annie has ever seen. "It really is a rainbow". The man paints Annie into the picture and the final illustration is of the Rainbow painting hanging in Annie's bedroom.
Another Annie who loves rainbows is Annie from Artistica Domestica. The Annie who is smart and funny and artistic and down-to-earth, wife of the Big-Fella and mother of 5 lovely children. She has had some devastating news just recently, being diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery to remove a breast last Thursday. She is making a rainbow coloured blanket for her youngest daughter and paints her toenails rainbow colours even though the colours are regularly removed by hospital staff.
I've found it hard to blog about the normal mundane things that I normally write about the last couple of weeks when a lovely fellow blogger is going through such a tough time. That's the funny thing about blogging, you get to know others quite intimately and can be delighted and saddened by what's going on their life regardless of the fact you may have never met face to face. Annie has been in my thoughts ever since I read the news and I have found my thoughts turning to her during the day whenever I come across certain things around the house, be it a colourful rug, or a book on the shelf called "Annie's Rainbow", or this rainbow spotted from the kitchen window. Lots of her friends are painting their toenails in her honour and so we painted ours today as well. It's the least we could do and I wish I could do more.
Sending you lots of rainbow magic from Hobart Annie.
Love Mel xx
What perfect colours you guys had for your nails Mel :D I keep looking at my feet and wondering why they just don't look as good as all the Australian feet I'm seeing this week. Then I realised it's because you're at summer's end where we are just emerging from winter ... my poor feet had barely seen the light of day in months and now suddenly I'm photographing them!
ReplyDeleteMel, What a beautifully written post. I'll be thinking of rainbows and your friend Annie too - and sending lots of love her way.
ReplyDeleteWowee - fancy having that title as your favourite book when you were little.
ReplyDeleteAnnie truly is inspirational and this is such a touching tribute to her sparkle.
Hoping that there are brighter days ahead for all,
x F
What a beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteI hope Annie's body matches her tremendous spirit and recovers well.
I still really dig your thong tan!!
:-) xx
I love the sentiment of that book. How suitable. Quite miraculous, really.
ReplyDeleteLove your toes.
Bless you Mel.
ReplyDeleteI understand exactly what you say about not having met somebody 'face to face' yet being so deeply affected by their plight. Blogging is a powerful tool to unite people. I hope we all bring a little brightness to Annie's life at the moment.
I love your thong tan too, Mel - I'm sure Annie will get a kick out of the fact you're sharing that with the world!
ReplyDeleteLoving the thong tan too! How amazing is that book title? I wonder if a second hand copy would still be available?
ReplyDeleteHi Emma, thanks for dropping in. I've been looking, so far nothing. If nothing turns up soon, I'll send a copy of this one up to her.
DeleteWhat a beautiful post, my prayers are with her and her family
ReplyDeletexox
That book was my favourite when I was young too! Last year my mum found my old copy and gave it to my daughter.. It has my name scribbled in the front and a drawing I did when little! (Of course, my daughter said "mummy, don't you know you should not draw in books!")
ReplyDeleteI have never seen or met anyone else who had that book too!!