
My friend Mariame is not only the most intelligent, best read and most articulate person I know, she also has a rare sensitivity, a true gift of empathy that have endeared her to me for over 10 years. A couple of years ago, I blogged about
her wedding. And now she is a mother!
On August 26, she gave birth to a little girl, Lily. The uncanny thing is, just a few days ago I was reading a children's book about John Singer Sargent's masterpiece "Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose" and thinking what an enchanting name Lily was - without know that Mariame and her husband had chosen that very name for their baby! More uncannily yet, the very day Lily was born, I
posted a picture of this painting on my blog.
As soon as Lily is old enough, I will buy her Hugh Brewster's magical book about this painting (above)...



Maybe one day Lily will have brother and sisters, echoing other Sargent paintings I adore - I just read Erica Hirshler's fascinating
Biography Of Sargent's Daughters, which tells the story of "The Daughters of Edward Boit" (Sargent never had children of his own, bar his works).

In the meantime, I got her the same
mouse hat I had chosen for another tiny friend, from
ElleGanT's Etsy shop; I hope it keeps her warm in the Parisian winter.
Welcome to life, Lily! In my heart, you are already a treasure, a beloved trasure.