.the princess portal.

Looking again at the virtues we associate with being a Princess, I must address one that is often left out. Its not so much on the fun side, but it is integral to our dignity, self respect and sense of nobility. A Princess always has duty to fulfill, it is these obligations that set her place in the world and also give her meaning. We each have different duties that life has bestowed on us, whether it is caring for an elderly relative, protecting and helping those weaker than us or simply staying true to our own beliefs and morals.

When we fail to fulfill our duties, we take a blow to our own pride and find it harder to value ourselves. Sometimes following duty means sacrificing some of our own free time and pleasure, sometimes it means doing what is right even if thats not what we want right now and very often it requires us to take the uphill path rather than the easy way out. However, having a sense of duty and fulfilling it is a very rewarding way to spend your life, just make sure you have a clear idea of where that duty lies.

Our first duty, which comes before all others, is to ourselves. This doesn’t mean being selfish and doing what you want all the time, it means having a deep understanding and respect for who you are as a person and strong idea of what is right for you. It means staying true to yourself in all situations, listening to your conscience and your heart and making choices that meet the demands of both.

A duty all Princesses share is to treat others, whether they are friends, family or strangers with equal respect and kindness. Noone is beneath your notice and everyone you meet deserves a kind word and a smile. Make it your personal duty to bring a little happiness and hope to every life you touch.

One of the toughest duties we have is self control. We all get angry, sad and stressed, but being able to control these feelings and express them in a positive focused way is so important. No matter how bad a day you are having, you owe it to yourself and others to control those feelings. That means being as patient, as considerate and polite as you would any other day. You have a right to feel your emotions, but a duty to contain them when its not appropriate to give in.

A Princess keeps her word. If she says she is going to do something, she does it, even if she doesn’t really feel like it. If you offer to help someone, do the best job you can. If you promise to do something, fulfill that promise without complaint. This also goes for your own goals and ambitions, if you set out to do something, a job or course or project, put 100% of yourself in it. Once you’ve started something, see it through to the end.

Look for opportunities to be of service to others, don’t just lend a hand when it is asked for. If you see a chance to help someone, then offer. The most beautiful acts of kindness are those done spontaneously, silently, and without asking for thanks or acknowledgement.

I believe that Duty is not something we are very aware of in our current, western society. Perhaps because we focus so much now on doing what is wanted and not what is needed. I think those things we do out of duty, though, are the ones that build our character and give us a sense of purpose that many of us feel missing in our lives.

Think of it this way, if you are a Princess then the whole world is your kingdom. You have a duty to every living thing in it, to offer kindness and beauty and love, protection and guidance and aid. What the world owes you is not important, think instead about what you have to offer the world and do it, with all your heart.

I apologise that it has been a while since I last wrote. Life has been very busy lately, exciting, challenging and busy. On the weekend I went to a small get-together to wish Emily happy birthday. It was a lot of fun, we played board games and watched movies and the atmosphere was so nice and relaxed. I really enjoyed just being there and being part of it. Reminded of how lucky I am to have such wonderful friends.

Today was nice and quiet, a peaceful break from all the work I have been doing lately. In the morning I sat outside in the courtyard, listening to the turtledoves coo and eating my warm porridge with honey and cinnamon. I also wrote some letters I had been meaning to for a while (dearest penpals, they are on their way now, I am so sorry for the wait!) The weather this morning was perfect, although it has warmed up a bit since.

I took my parasol and went for a little walk down to the post office to drop off my letters and did some shopping on the way back. As the seasons change, its nice to change one’s menu as well. From fresh fruit and salads, to roast vegetables and warm stews. I love winter sweets, baked apples and hot chocolate and pudding.

I spent most of the afternoon reading my current book, which is set during the French revolution. I am really enjoying it so far and will definitely post a review when I’m done. I think now I might go for a little walk before the sun sets. I hope your day was as beautiful and carefree as mine.

I think its sad that these days we mostly think of poetry as something you read, rather than listen too. I find I enjoy it so much more as an art when it is recited aloud, indeed whenever I read books such as Anne of Green Gables in which poetry recitations are featured I always wish that I could attend. Of course there are still some groups that do this, but it is not as popular as it once was.

As one of my 101 tasks that I have set for myself, I chose to memorise a poem. I’ve not done this for a long time, since it was an assignment in school, and I’m amazed at how it wakes my mind up actually. I thought it would be far more difficult than it is, but really I find it quite stimulating and it helps me to focus and train my memory, something that I’ve let run rather wild since I no longer have to learn lines for plays.

In case you are interested in trying this, I thought I’d share a few tips.

Choose a poem you really love. Something that has meaning for you and flows beautifully in your mind. Don’t choose a poem with too many verses, unless you’re fairly confident of your ability to memorise them all. You may already have your own favourite poets, I’m particularly fond of Tennyson, Keats and Wordsworth.

Print out a copy of the Poem, or better yet, write it by hand! Put it somewhere you can easily access it or look at it when you have a moment.

There are many different techniques that people use for memorisation. One that is quite popular is to read the first line in your head, then turn over the paper and say it aloud. Go back and read the second line and then say both of them aloud. Follow through for the rest of the poem saying one extra line each time. Personally, I find this good for shorter pieces but a bit tedious for long ones. I prefer to learn each verse at a time and then string them together in this way.

Recite the poem, or what you have learned of it so far, in your head all the time. Recite it when you’re on the bus, doing your laundry, walking the dog, brushing your hair. Reciting it while you are doing other activities is good because it trains your mind to go over it automatically, without thinking too much. You may even find it gets stuck in your head like a song, and you go over it without even trying!

If you would like to recite the poem to an audience, or even for yourself, the next step after learning the words and rhythm is to understand the meaning. Think about each line, each verse and what emotions it evokes in you. If you were feeling that emotion for the first time, how would you express it? Poetry that is just read without feeling is not half as beautiful as a performance where the reader puts all of their heart in to it. Imagine yourself as a storyteller or narrator. Think about your body language and expressions and make eye contact with your audience.

You’ll probably find poems stay in your memory longer than you would expect. I can still recite verses of poems and snippets of shakespeare I learnt years ago, though to be able to recite the whole pieces in order I’d have to read through them again more recently.

I think poetry is one of the most beautiful or the written arts, and oral interpretations really add so much to our understanding of the words that are otherwise just paper and ink. If you’re interested, the poem that I’m learning right now is an excerpt from Tennyson’s ‘Maud: a Monodrama’ you can read it here.

For the final part of this series, I’m going to talk a little bit about the products and brands I use personally or have tried in the past. I apologise if some of these aren’t available outside Australia, but I’ve included some I know are international as well. You might notice if you go in to a store and pick these up, that I do not spend a fortune on skin care. Any company that needs a shiny white desk and overly-made up women in little white coats to sell their products, frankly, scares me. I know that if I chose I could look after my skin for next to nothing using ingredients like milk, egg whites and oats, so when I choose, for convenience sake, to buy pre made products I’m certainly not going to pay extra for fancy packaging and labels (If you like pretty containers I suggest buying some empty ones, such as Egyptian perfume bottles, and filling them yourself.)

NATIO

I started using Natio products about six months ago, on recommendation from the Queen who has very sensitive skin and finds their creams and lotions do not irritate her at all. I don’t have sensitive skin personally, I have combination skin, but I don’t like the idea of putting strong chemicals on my face regardless so I was eager to try them out! Currently I am using their Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser, Rosewater and Chamomile Toner and Natural Vitamin E moisturising cream. I am always excited when I turn over a bottle to read the ingredients and I see a great big list of botanical names. Apart from being a bit of a herb nerd, its nice to know that the majority of the active ingredients haven’t been removed from their natural sources. I’m really happy with the products I use, but I have looked at a few of their body washes and things that use the more harmful chemicals so be sure to check when purchasing.

Le Couvent Des Minimes

I really love anything honey scented, and have been a long time fan of the Miel range by L’Occitane. However recently I discovered this range by Le Couvent Des Minimes, that is also made in France and contains very similar ingredients (and smells equally good) at a far more reasonable price. I am using their Pure Vegetable Soap with Honey & Shea and Moisturising Body Lotion from the same range. Both leave my skin feeling soft and lightly scented, they’re absolutely a pleasure to use and I love smelling like nectar!

Tinderbox

Tinderbox is a small west Australian company based in the town of Balingup, which is one of my favourite places to visit. Their products are about as natural as you can get, using nothing but pure herb extracts and ingredients like beeswax and clay. They also smell divine because of all the essential oils they blend in. I used to use their facial care products, but found them to be a little to gentle for my skin which can be oily sometimes and requires a stronger cleanser. None the less I fully recommend them and still use their Eye cream and some other products. I don’t believe they sell outside of Australia though.

Neways

I really admire how this company is very dedicated to making sure their products are as safe as possible. I use their Shampoo and Conditioner, which not only is free from harsh chemicals used in almost every on the shelf shampoo, but also leaves my hair far healthier and doesn’t dry it out. It is a little more expensive than your average shampoo, but I think its worth it for both health and beauty reasons. Neways is not sold in stores but you can get in contact with your local consultant through their web site.

I’m not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned here, but I thought you might like to see what I use on a regular basis as a bit of inspiration when choosing your own skin care routine. I also suggest that you always read the ingredients, even when you trust the brand. This page and this site will give you an idea of what to avoid in the products you buy.

I had actually never seen this movie before, the renaissance and Elizabeth’s reign not being my particular area of historical interest (though I do think she was an incredible woman!) but I wanted to see it before watching the sequel which has just come out on DVD, Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

Knowing as little as I do about the period, I still have to say my overall impression of the film was that it was shockingly inaccurate on so many accounts. I still enjoyed it, much as I did Marie Antoinette, for the acting, costumes and scenery but I would not recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about the famous queen! I think they also over simplified the factions at the time, vilifying the Catholic church and making a mockery of the French. I lost a bit of respect for the filmmakers on both accounts.

My favourite part of the film was actually the first few scenes of Elizabeth while she is still living in the country with her ladies. The pastoral landscape is breathtaking and I love her little stone tower. They all wear beautiful dresses in rich colours (this photo is of Elizabeth from that scene) and dance in the meadows to the playing of a minstrel. The Princess Elizabeth comes up laughing and riding upon her horse. The whole setting was just so utopian for me, I wished the whole story could remain there.

It does not, of course, but instead loosely follows the events of her life with a strong emphasis on her relationship with Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes who also plays William Shakespeare in ‘Shakespeare in Love’) and her refusal to choose a husband. I don’t think the plot flowed very well, and ended a bit abruptly, but it was easy enough to keep up.

What saved the movie was some really superb acting. Cate Blanchett seized the role and made a stunning Elizabeth and Geoffery Rush was both charming and chilling as Walsingham. Despite the scripting, they were both passionate and believable. I’m really looking forward to seeing them in the sequel!

I think it was worth watching, and some of the beautiful scenes like the masquerade on the lake, made up for the story. Just take it with a grain of salt and read a good biography if you want to learn about the real Elizabeth.

I hope you haven’t forgotton, our first International Princess Day (May 5th) is just under three weeks away! Do you know what you’re going to do yet? Are you going to take the day off, or maybe participate on Sunday instead? Are you going to use it as an excuse to have some indulgent ‘me time’ or celebrate with your friends? Here are a few suggestions that might inspire you.

Start your day off in the most beautiful way possible (without sleeping it away!) leave your curtains open so that you might be awakened by the first rays of morning light as they fall upon your face. Have breakfast in bed, some fresh fruit perhaps and your favourite tea. Listen to the sounds of the birds outside, read a few pages of a favourite book, or a poem like this one.

Choose your outfits for the day. They don’t have to be your most formal, or impressive, but something simple and sweet and fun. Allow yourself to wear some jewelry, a little perfume and, if suitable, maybe a crown or tiara, to remind yourself that today you are royalty.

Put on some music if you are spending part of the day at home, perhaps some Medieval dance music, lilting classical or baroque or just make a play list of all you favourite ‘pick me up’ songs, nothing angsty or sad. Feel free to sing along and dance as much as you like.

If you choose to go out, pick a destination a little different to where you would normally go. You might like to visit an interesting store that’s recently opened, see a new movie, have a manicure, go window shopping, have high tea at a cafe or tearoom, go antiquing, visit a museum, art gallery or library. Allow yourself plenty of time to enjoy each experience and don’t fret over anything, this is your chance to indulge a little.

For more nature loving Princesses, if the weather is nice you may like to take a walk somewhere. In the park or forest or perhaps beside the sea. Notice what flowers are blooming and keep an eye out for furry and feathered friends. If you feel the whim, just stretch out on the grass and watch the clouds go by.

End the day on a high note. Go out for dinner to a fancy restaurant or cook your favourite meal, followed by some wickedly rich dessert. You might like to have a warm scented bath before bed, or spend an hour brushing your hair. Flip through some magazines, read a fairytale and take the time to write all about your day in you diary.

Personally, I’m going to invite some friends over the night before for a little party and then take the whole day off, though my plans for that are secret! These are just suggestions, and its important to spend your Princess Day doing things you love and find enjoyable and uplifting. I look forward to hearing all about your adventures!

It rained all morning today. The roads ran like rivers and I watched the snails crawl across my window leaving silvery trails. When it finally stopped, I went outside. The world is so beautiful after it rains, the air is fresh and sweet with a little moisture still in it. As the sun comes out and lights up each little droplet on leaf and branch, every tree and blade of grass sparkles as if draped in jewels. The most beautiful thing is a spiderweb, strung with raindrops like transparent pearls.

The sunlight seems warmer too, I let it kiss my cheek and marvel at the sky, having shed its grey cloak to reveal a brilliant blue gown, scattered with the tattered remains of clouds. Barefooted, I jump in a puddle all the same, splashing the hem of my dress. My mood seems to lift with the weather, and I wish I had a pair of yellow wellington boots so I could puddle jump some more.

I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string. - Anne of Avonlea

Last night I went out to the Opera with Lee, Christine and her housemate Kellie. The Opera we saw was Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’ which I haven’t seen before and really loved.

Lee came over in the late afternoon and we started getting ready, she had a beautiful pink and silver gown for the event and I wore my pink Mermaid Princess dress. We both had white opera gloves and tiaras so we matched! After a quick dinner Christine and Kellie arrived to give us a lift to the theatre. They looked gorgeous in matching black and white gowns, its so much more fun getting dressed up for the Opera than just going casual as most people there did (although we recieved some really nice compliments on our effort!)

Following some impressive parking by Christine we all walked down to His Majesty’s, which is truly one of the most beautiful buildings in Perth. We had to investigate the powder room before the show, because everything is so lovely and elegant, with full length gold framed mirrors and paintings of King Edward’s coronation. A kind Gentleman took this photo of use before the show.

The performance itself was outstanding. The Opera was in german, but they changed the dialogue to english so it was much easier to follow (and a little more humorous as well) all the singers were very talented, but the lady who played the Queen of Night in particular, was incredible. Her voice and the emotions she conveyed made us shiver, I am always amazed by the vocal feats these classical singers can achieve.

The costumes were 18th century inspired, beautifully detailed and very colourful. I loved the burgundy gowns of the Queen’s Ladies and the glittering black dress of the Queen herself. The three boys in period dress were so cute, and they sung well too! The stage set up was rather simple, but worked very well for the story, with doors that could open to let in new players. I also can’t help mentioning the animals, who were all played by actors in fantastic costumes, the Serpent and Crocodile were hilarious and the Polar bear was really cute!

It was a magical evening, and I was so lucky to be able to share it with three beautiful Princesses. I hope we can do it again sometime!

Its no secret the most Princesses love animals the common image of a Fairy tale Princess is surrounded by songbirds or woodland creatures. In many stories animal friends offer help to maidens in trouble and sometimes they grant wishes too! Where I grew up we were surrounded by forest and so I spent much of my childhood around wild animals. At the Kings palace there are so many birds from little finches and honey eaters to a whole family of kookaburras and several packs of magpies. Sometimes there are bobtails and large monitor lizards that come out to sun themselves on a rock. I used to get up very early to walk down to the forest and see the kangaroos grazing and once we even had a wild fox who came to visit.

Where I live now there is less wildlife, but we still have a lot of birds in our garden. Turtledoves and magpie larks and tiny willy-wag-tails. Sometimes I see little geckos and skinks too. I like to take a walk down by the river where I can see beautiful waterbirds, lacey feathered egrets, long beaked ibis and spoonbills, pelicans and elegant black swans like this one.

Here are a few links that might be interesting to animal-loving Princesses.

Hand Feeding Wild Birds
An interesting article on gaining the trust of wild birds during winter and having them eat out of your hands! We used to have the kookaburras and magpies take food from our hands at the King’s place, but here the birds are more timid. Perhaps I will put up a feeder this winter, as I have been meaning to do so for some time.

Chickadees, Juncos, and Jays Oh My!
The blog of a californian bird watcher, most of these photos come from her own back yard! Great tips on attracting birds to your garden aswell.

Behind the Bins
Another beautiful bird blog, great photos and information on local birds. This one is from New Jersey.

Beginning Birding
Some excellent tips on how to start out bird watching, I was given a beautiful field guide for christmas by my Father and I can definitely say they come in handy!

Wildlife Gardener
A fantastic site about attracting wildlife in to your garden, everything from what plants to grow, how to set up boxes and homes and attracting everything from frogs to butterflies and small mammals. The site is british, but some tips will be helpful no matter where you live. I certainly envy those who can have hedgehogs in their gardens though!

Injured Wildlife
I know we all like to help animals in need, but sometimes we can do more harm than good if we don’t know how to handle them. This site has some great information on what to do if you come across and injured animal. We rescued an owl once, he flew in to the carriage at night and taking care of him was one of the most rewarding experiences I can remember. When we released him back in to the forest we were greeted by a dozen different owls on the way home, almost as if they were saying thank you!

Cute Overload
Of course I couldn’t do this carousel without mentioning Cute Overload. If you haven’t heard of it already its a blog devoted to posting adorable photos of animals, it can be a lovely way to cheer yourself up on a bad day (all though there can be an overload of bad english sometimes as well, I just look at the pictures.)

Unfortunately, even Princesses get sick, and I’ve been unlucky enough to get hit by two bugs so far this season. The first one only lasted three days however, and I’m hoping to fight this one off pretty quickly as well! I think when we come down with a seasonal illness, there’s two important things - to boost your immune system and support your body in fighting it, and to maintain some dignity and peace of mind by being comfortable while in convalescence.

I’m a firm believer in natural remedies for fighting off colds and flu, the reason being that these illnesses are rarely serious unless you’ve got a particularly weak disposition, so its actually good to keep your immune system in fighting shape by dealing with these so you’ll be better protected when it comes to more serious viruses.

I take Vitamin C, with zinc which helps your body absorb it. Powdered form is best, but sometimes its easier to take more in tablets. Its actually pretty hard to take too much vitamin C, what your body doesn’t need it will just pass on. I also take Echinacea, the important thing with Echinacea is to get it in liquid form distilled from the root, a lot of the echinacea available is made using the flower and leaves which aren’t as strong. The brand I buy is called ‘Herbs of Gold’ its quite expensive but worth its weight in gold! I take it at the first sign of a cold, 5 mls morning and night. If I don’t take echinacea, my colds tend to last twice as long. The other fantastic cold remedy is raw garlic. I know, its nasty stuff and noone will want to come near you for days, but if you can stomach a clove or two of raw garlic a day (I crush mine and put it in soup after the soup is cooked) it will help you recover much faster!

Get as much rest as you can. Your body needs time to heal itself and the less energy you use up elsewhere the more it can devote to fighting that bug! Go to bed early, sleep in and spend the day relaxing with a good book or movie. Whenever you feel the need for a nap, take one.

Make sure you keep up your fluid intake, whether its tea or juice or watery soup. Keep yourself hydrated and eat lots of nourishing and comforting foods. My favourite things to eat when I’m sick are Udon soup, Creamed Rice and Bananas on toast. Chicken noodle soup is very popular too. If you can manage vegetables and fruit, eat a much as you can and avoid dairy foods as the lactose can increase mucous production.

Make yourself comfortable, being sick is a great excuse to be a little self indulgent and sentimental. Make yourself a comfy little nest with pillows, blankets and your favourite teddy bear. Watch your favourite movies (I don’t know about you but noontime television usually makes me feel worse) and read fairy tales and picture books. Take warm baths with salts and spend the whole day in your pajamas or nightgown. Make sure you have some pretty hankerchiefs on hand and a fluffy hot water bottle to curl up with.

When a friend is ill, take some time to go and visit them! People do this so rarely these days which I think is rather sad. Nothing cheers one up like a considerate friend. If you are concerned about catching the bug yourself, visit them after the second or third day when they are less contagious and obviously try and avoid getting too close. Bring them a handmade card, a basket of fruit or some flowers, tell them they look beautiful because they’re probably not feeling it right now, and share some amusing stories from your own life to encourage them to get better. You’ll probably both be smiling when you leave.

Stay positive! Your mind has an powerful connection to your body, so thinking positive and joyful thoughts will help you recover. If all you do is feel sorry for yourself and let being sick make you miserable as well, you’re not giving yourself much encouragement to get better. Just think of it as a bit of down time, relax and dream about all the things your’re going to do when you get better!

I hope these tips are of some help to Princesses heading in to the flu season as we are here, or if you’re unlucky enough to get a summer cold they may help as well! Thank you to everyone who has sent me lovely ‘get well soon’ messages!