Take Joy! The Magical World of Tasha Tudor (1996) - full transcript
For the first time ever, Tasha Tudor has permitted a film crew unprecedented access to document her daily life. An intimate and charming portrait of one of America's best-loved artists.
[birds chirping]
Narrator: There is
a place in new england
where much loved author,
artist, and illustrator
Tasha Tudor has created
her own storybook world.
Step into this world
and you enter another place,
another time.
Although she's famous
throughout the world
for her work
and way of life,
Tasha Tudor is an intensely
private person.
This is the first time
she has allowed her life story
to be documented on film.
Tasha Tudor is one of
the most prolific
and revered illustrators
of all time.
She has delighted generations
of children and their parents
with her enchanting paintings
in classics like
"The secret garden"
And "The little princess"
As well as those found
in her own stories,
such as "Pumpkin moonshine"
And "Corgiville kidnapping."
Tasha: I've always known
what I wanted to do,
and I've always wanted
to be an illustrator,
so I am an illustrator.
And it's a delightful
profession to be an artist.
I'm not really a real artist,
I'm a commercial artist
because I illustrate,
but my mother was a painter,
so I sort of grew up
under her easel,
entertaining her victims
while she painted.
She would always save
a good juicy brush for us.
And we had a huge bathtub.
My brother and I took
our bath together.
She'd paint a face
on our bare stomachs,
and when we inflated them
or deflated them,
the expression
on the face changed
and it was most entertaining.
And you can be an artist,
you know, and get away
with a lot of things.
You can...Be as odd as you wish
or as immoral as you wish
and they say, "Oh, she's just
an artist. What do you expect?"
So I think it's
a wonderful career.
I've never regretted it.
I really starting
making pictures
when my husband's
little niece sylvie ann
came over from scotland
and I decided
I'd make her a book,
and that was
"Pumpkin moonshine."
Narrator: "Sylvie ann was
visiting her grandmummy
"In connecticut.
It was halloween
"And sylvie wanted to make
a pumpkin moonshine,
"So she put on her bonnet
"And started out
for the cornfield
to find the very finest
and largest pumpkin."
[dog barking]
This charming story
of sylvie ann
and her runaway pumpkin
quickly became a classic.
The themes found in these
pages of joy, goodness,
celebration,
and a love of nature
are at the heart
of Tasha's life and work.
Sylvie plants pumpkin seeds
for the future.
Little did Tasha know
what the seeds
from "Pumpkin moonshine"
Would grow into.
Tasha: I went to every single
publisher in new york,
and they all
turned me down.
It was very satisfying,
'cause may massee
was editress of viking.
And she said, "Oh,
your things look like...
Too much like
a flower catalog."
And...And then I went over
to the university press,
and the person there...
Was--it was her first job,
and my book was the first
one she ever accepted.
So I took great and evil
satisfaction.
When may massee said, "Why
didn't you come to me with it?"
I'm not a very nice person
as far as that goes.
I was very pleased
to be able to say,
"I did once come to you,
but you didn't like
my pictures."
Narrator: Tasha Tudor's
art and life
are interchangeable.
Almost every aspect
of her world
can be found in
her beautiful drawings.
Tasha: I always draw
from reality.
I don't like drawing
from photographs,
and I refuse to unless
I absolutely have to,
so that the flowers I draw
and the animals I draw
I've drawn from real life.
[rooster crows]
Come on, girls.
Come on.
You want your supper?
Come on, hurry up.
Come on.
Narrator: Tasha begins
and ends each day
by milking her goats.
Tasha: Come on.
Narrator: As a child,
Tasha dreamed of owning
a small farm
in new england.
Today, her menagerie
of animals
includes 3 goats,
minou the cat,
two parrots, a manx mouse,
and a number of finches,
doves, and chickens.
Tasha: I'm surrounded
by animals
and that's why
I can model them,
because I have them
right around me.
Now, you stand still.
Good girl.
[goat bleats]
Here, chick, chick,
chick, chick, chick.
[clucking]
[meow]
Now, look at those
lovely eggs.
Narrator: And wherever
Tasha goes,
her faithful corgi companions,
rebecca and owen,
are sure to follow.
Now, rebecca...
[barking]
Tasha: And I like animals
to look like animals
and not like cartoons,
and I'm very adamant
on that subject.
I want my animals
to look real,
and I do think
I have succeeded
in bringing the breath
of life into them.
[chirping]
There it is.
You just wait.
I'll get your breeze
in a minute.
I find that one of
the greatest modern improvements
is a freezer,
because I save
road casualties,
which are not decayed,
and I freeze them.
And then I can take them out
and thaw them
and set them
in positions that I want
and draw them and put
them back and freeze them.
I've got an owl
in the freezer.
It's been there
for about 6 years, I think.
I have a whole mouse morgue
in this freezer here,
in very lifelike positions,
as they've fallen
into rain barrels,
poor things,
and not been discovered
until they're wrapped in death.
You want to see it?
I have it.
Well, I was born
in boston in 1915,
and my mother and father
at that time
were living in marblehead,
where papa had the first
licensed airplane factory
in the U.S.
He did a lot of early flight
and worked with
the wright brothers, I know.
I don't think he was the first
man to take a plane off water,
I think a frenchman
did that.
But I'm sure
he was the second.
But he had many
adventures.
And I can recall
as a very small child,
waking frederic,
my brother, and me
out of a sound sleep
in the early dawn
and taking us out
to plum island
where they did
airplane testings
because the winds,
apparently,
were just right there.
But instead of watching
history,
frederic and I slid down
sand dunes
on pieces of cardboard.
It was very entertaining.
Papa was a very
unusual person.
Very eccentric.
And the people
in marblehead did not like it
because he took his young son
up in the plane frequently
and flew around
across marblehead harbor,
and they thought
that was not right.
Narrator: Determined
to have fun
at the expense of his
conservative neighbors,
starling burgess
devised a plan
to drop his son frederic
from the plane.
Of course he didn't really
drop frederic into the harbor.
He dressed a 4-foot stuffed
bear in frederic's clothes
and threw the bear
out of the plane.
But from a distance, onlookers
couldn't tell the difference.
Tasha: This was very
sensational.
When he got back
to the dock,
the sheriff was there with
handcuffs and everything.
And I think papa enjoyed
himself very much.
Narrator: You don't
have to look far
to find the root of Tasha's
fantastic imagination.
As well as being
a pioneer aviator,
starling burgess was a renowned
designer of yachts and cars,
including this one he created
with buckminster fuller.
He was also
a published poet
and an incredible storyteller.
Tasha: I never heard anyone
read poetry or recite it as
papa did.
It just game you goosebumps.
Narrator: Those who knew
starling burgess
say that he had a fey,
mystical quality.
He certainly had
an incredible connection
with children and animals,
both qualities
that Tasha inherited.
Tasha: My father
had a tame seal,
whom he was sure
she was a beautiful maiden
who had been enchanted
by a wicked magician.
He had a tank for her
right off the house,
which was on the sea.
She'd flip out of it
in the afternoon
when papa came back
and would flap into the room,
but she'd get up
on the sofa with him
and lie down
while he read.
And she even drove to boston
in the front seat
of the car with him frequently.
And it was his--my father's most
endearing name for my mother.
He always called her seal.
Narrator: From her mother,
Tasha inherited
her love of painting
and a fierce
independence of spirit.
Tasha: I have come to realize
that mama was rather
a liberated woman
of that time.
She kept her maiden name
for painting.
She was very charming
and very lovely-looking,
but she was really
very adventuresome.
Think of her getting
a pilot's license
and doing all
the things she did.
When my mother and father
were divorced when I was 9,
I was sent to live
with the nicest family,
old family friends of
my father's in connecticut.
And it was the best thing
that ever happened to me.
We had the most
wonderful time.
We ran wild,
and you could actually
have more than one piece
of candy in a day.
You could sit up as late
as you wanted to.
And we were always
read out loud to.
It was just amazing
to a prim and proper child
because they were really
a wonderful bohemian family,
and we had a wonderful time.
But I wouldn't go back to it
for love nor money
because I think growing older
is even more exciting,
and I'm thoroughly
enjoying myself.
And as you're all coming
to it in due time,
you can look forward
to it with relish.
It's marvelous.
["Simple gifts"
Instrumental playing]
Narrator: Although Tasha
is in her early 80s,
her energy and enthusiasm
are extraordinary.
She attributes this vitality
to goat's milk and gardening.
Tasha: Doesn't this wet,
cooler feel delicious
on the soles of the feet.
Narrator: Tasha's garden
is one of her greatest passions.
She feels very connected
to the land around her
and tends it with care.
Tasha: Well, I just think one
has to be in touch with nature.
I don't believe in
spraying things
because I think you're all part
of the universe yourself,
so if you abuse it,
you're abusing yourself
very blindly.
But I will tell you,
I'll shoot a deer
if she's eating my garden,
but that's just
self-preservation.
This was once a nice arch.
I've got to redo it.
Narrator: If fairies
do exist,
you can be sure
they would live here.
Tasha: Well, this is known
as the secret garden,
and it's lots of fun
to have tea here.
But it is so pretty
when the tulips are not eaten
by predators.
I have a constant battle
against those and deer,
who are as fond of flowers
as I am, unfortunately.
I just believe it's going
to go wild.
It's very pleasant.
But I love forget-me-nots.
"The gloom of the world
is but a shadow behind it.
It's joy. Take joy."
And that's what I do.
I like the garden.
"He who sows a garden
sows happiness."
Isn't that an old
chinese proverb?
But I just love to garden.
I can't resist it.
And as life is so short,
I think it's dreadful
to waste it
on something that
you don't like doing.
And this has to be planted.
I plant morning glories
and scarlet runners on it.
I wish I could get
one of those motorcyclists
who wear those leather suits
to come in and cut out
the dead roses.
I'ii have to attack them
someday.
And then my greatest
pride and joy is my bay tree,
who is 36 years old.
And I started him
from a slip.
Well, it wasn't any bigger
than that,
and I love him.
I'm very proud of him.
But, you see, I'm a great
boaster anyway about my plants.
My favorite saying
is thoreau's quotation
from walden, that,
"If one advances confidently
"In the direction
of his dreams
"And endeavors to live
the life he has imagined,
he will meet with success
unexpected in common hours."
I think that's--
that's my philosophy.
And to take joy.
Because the gloom of the world
is but a shadow.
Don't you agree?
Narrator: In the late 1930s,
Tasha got married
and soon had 4 children
of her own.
Other times were often hard,
and Tasha had
to support the family
with her illustrating.
She was determined
that her children
would have a childhood
as wonderful as her own.
Tasha: The children that I drew
before I had any children
look exactly like
the ones I had.
So I think that was
wishful thinking.
The children grow up,
but they remain children
in the sketch books,
so I can refer to them
when I need to draw them.
I have many, many,
many of them,
and they're my most
valued possessions.
But that's one of the nice
things about being an artist.
You can sort of play god
and make the world look
the way you want it to.
[piano playing]
I've always been interested
in dolls
as long as I can remember.
I had a bride doll
I loved dearly.
And of course I'd read
"The little princess,"
With a doll in that,
you know.
And when I had children
of my own,
I actually started
making dolls for them.
The gentleman sitting
in the chair
is captain thaddeus crane.
And then I made emma,
who is my galatea.
I feel just as pygmalion did
about galatea, so--
but her name is emma because I
had a favorite aunt called emma.
Narrator: Tasha's dolls
are part of the family.
Like the velveteen rabbit,
the dolls have been
loved so much
that they have become real
to Tasha and her 4 children.
And Tasha immortalized them
in classics like
"A" Is for annabelle,"
"A dolls' christmas,"
And "Becky's christmas."
The distinction between
reality and fantasy
is often blended
in Tasha's world.
Nowhere is this more true
than in an extraordinary
correspondence
that took place
between the dolls
and members of Tasha's family.
Oh, well, it was called
the sparrow post.
And letters were delivered
by birds, naturally.
And each child had
a sparrow post box
attached to their door,
and that was a big thing
when they came home
from school
to see if there was
any mail in it.
And you see the letter?
Look at the tiny mouse writing,
and he made this enchanting
christmas card.
See, it's all them wishing
merry christmas to emma.
Narrator: "We had a small
post office in those days.
"Valentines came
by sparrow post.
"The doll family
received valentines.
"So did all the corgis.
And miss puss
got a catnip mouse."
This is a valentine,
I think, that bethany
made for the dolls.
It says "Forget me not"
Inside.
Bethany's my older daughter.
And we also had a sort of
a sears, roebuck catalog
run by a mr. Mouse
of mouse mills.
And here's a catalog here.
The order forms
you see on the back.
I only have a few left.
They were very popular.
You see the total buttons
and mr., mrs., or miss,
suggestions
for improvements.
And here's--these are for
the doll ladies.
A spring ball gown,
"As delicate and appealing
as march roses."
And these really came.
I mean, the children
could order them
and they'd come in due time.
They say they're all priced
20 buttons.
And you had to actually
send the buttons.
There was no charge accounting.
Oh, it was fun.
I enjoyed it
more than the children.
And these are bonnets
by madame tweedy,
who was a starling
and very fine
at making excellent bonnets.
The children all thought
that mouse mills made them.
They didn't realize that
mother made them privately.
Narrator: "On labor day,
"We used to hold
the dolls' fair.
"All the dolls came,
of course, and their friends.
"We used buttons for money.
"You could buy cakes and pies
and anything else you wanted,
all for buttons.
It was great fun."
One of the biggest events
in the doll family
was a wedding.
In 1955, captain thaddeus crane
married a beautiful french doll
called melissa.
Tasha: The wedding
was quite an event.
We had sent out
formal invitations,
which were formally answered.
Oh, it was very
properly done.
Then we had wedding
cake and punch,
and all the children
had daisy wreaths.
It was really very pretty.
Narrator: The dolls' wedding
did not just appeal
to Tasha's friends
and family,
it made headlines
and was profiled
in the pages
of "Life" Magazine.
But the doll family,
like all families,
is not without
its scandals.
The marriage came to
an abrupt end
when Tasha made emma.
Tasha: I think she's
absolutely beautiful.
And, of course, captain crane
unfortunately preferred
emma to melissa.
See, now melissa lives upstairs.
And I've never held
a wedding for them,
but isn't that up
to modern times?
It's all done
that way now.
And, uh, so that's
the scandal in the family.
But every family has
skeletons in the closet,
and so do the dolls.
This one I like
so much
because you've done
a replica of this
for--for, um, for emma.
And I'm very impressed
with this one.
They were so real
to the children, the dolls,
and to me.
Even though I'm 80,
I still love
to play with them
and make clothes.
I love to make dolls' clothes.
We could take that out
and fold the top
of the apron down.
Yes, I think...
So it's just a...
That's what I do
with my apron.
[Tasha crowing
and clucking]
[laughing]
I've always wanted
to do marionettes
and have since
I was a child.
I started first
with marbles
tied in paper napkins
and attached to sewing thread.
And I had to give
our barnyard rooster
quite a haircut
in order to obtain
the feathers for this boy.
But he never held it
against us.
He said he felt it was
worth it for art's sake.
These are not puppets.
Puppets are run on the hand,
and this is a marionette.
Narrator: "Midsuummer's eve
comes in june.
"That's when we had
a marionette show.
"There were many,
many rehearsals.
"Marionettes to make--
"Scenery to paint--
"And programs to print
and color.
"The play was at night
in the carriage shed.
"Grandmothers had the very
best balcony seat.
"Refreshments were served
at the intermissions,
and everyone had
a wonderful time."
Tasha: We called ourselves
the red rooster marionettes.
The children made quite
a lot of pocket money
because we would be hired
by people to give shows,
and I had a wonderful wolf.
We thought it was
quite convincing,
because the younger children
in the audience would cry
when he got granny,
who really fell behind the bed.
Narrator: The red rooster
marionettes
began with simple shows,
such as "Little
red riding hood,"
But soon began putting on
more elaborate productions.
"Sir lancelot and
the dragon of corbin"
Featured more than
40 marionettes,
as well as
a fire-eating dragon.
Tasha: We gave a show
at the natural history museum
in new york.
We had to take edgar crow
with us, edgar allan crow,
because we couldn't
leave him at home.
He spent most of the time
in the bathtub at the hotel.
Seth and bethany, who were
some of the chief manipulators,
my two older children,
of the marionettes,
got lost in the environs
of the natural history museum.
They finally turned up
amongst the egyptian tombs.
But it was a great relief
to see them.
That always brings down
the laughs.
Narrator: Tasha and her family
still put on marionette shows
for friends and neighbors
in a theater
attached to the barn.
And Tasha has ambitious plans
for future productions.
Tasha: I've always wanted
to do a marionette show
of "The legend of
sleepy hollow,"
Which I think would be
loads of fun to do.
And we figured out how we can
make ichabod crane racing away,
by he has two big rollers,
and ichabod will just gallop
in the center of the stage,
but two grandchildren
will turn the rollers
and it will appear that
he's racing away
from the headless horseman.
That would be fun to do.
I want to do that.
[piano playing]
I think one of the most
important things
you can do
for your children
is to give them very happy
memories of their childhood,
and I feel I succeeded
very well in that point.
You can ask any one
of my children
and they'll agree with me.
[birds chirping]
Narrator: Everything in
Tasha Tudor's life has purpose.
Tasha grows many of her own
fruits and vegetables
and has an extensive
herb garden
situated on
the crest of a hill.
Tasha: I have chervil and...
Uh, thyme, tarragon.
They're down here.
And then we could put a few
sage leaves in, I guess.
Mm.
Well, my most favorite
is lavender and rosemary.
I love them.
But I like thyme, and I like
some are savory and dill.
I don't have any dill.
I've got to sow some.
Now, you don't need
to help, rebecca.
Now, come on. Rebecca.
Narrator: As well as using
the herbs in her cooking,
Tasha dries them for teas
and uses the oils
for ointments
and skin creams.
You know, garlic, chives,
they're good.
That ought to do it.
Now to get
that bird stuffed.
[piano playing]
Narrator: The kitchen
is the heart of Tasha's home,
and cooking is one of
her favorite occupations.
Tasha's scottish nanny dady
taught her to cook
at a young age,
and Tasha continued this
tradition with her own children.
Tasha has many old-fashioned
tools and utensils
in her kitchen.
One of her favorite possessions
is a tin kitchen,
which roasts chickens and
turkeys in front of the fire.
This is a tin kitchen,
exactly like the one I have
that belonged to
my great-grandmother,
which we just--we cook on.
But look at that.
Wonderful.
It was made by a man
in horseheads, new york.
And what a beautiful
job he did.
You see, you open it
and it sits in front
of the fire.
It's like a reflector oven.
And it's a truly--
it truly roasts something.
It doesn't bake it the way
one does in an oven.
You see, it lifts up in back
so you can baste it.
But anyway, there he is,
and then this has to go up.
This is a corgi foil.
'cause they get after
the drippings.
But they have everything.
It's a very well-equipped
kitchen.
I love little things.
Narrator: There are worlds
within worlds at corgi cottage,
and the distinction
between worlds
is not always
immediately obvious.
No, he definitely
needs oiling.
He whistles
and flutters his wings.
It's unbelievable.
And you see how tiny he is.
But I've got to take him
to new fame.
And look at his key
in the shape of a bird.
You see?
Isn't that nice?
I love him.
He's a real treasure.
Oh, there he goes. Look. See?
[tweeting]
He's actually moving.
Can you see him?
[chirping]
[whispering] All right.
Narrator: For those fortunate
enough to be invited
to corgi cottage,
a treat is in store.
The meals Tasha prepares are
reminiscent of childhood--
mashed potatoes,
roast chicken,
homemade goat's milk
ice cream.
We have probably all dreamed
of a grandmother
who would make such delicious
and comforting things.
Hello.
How are you?
All right.
Narrator: No matter
what she's doing,
Tasha's sense of fun
is close at hand.
One of her favorite pranks
is to pretend to serve
a live parrot to her guests,
to see how they'll react.
I can pick her up, too,
if you want to see her
do that.
Ohh...[clicks tongue]
He's an african fricassee.
He's very fat.
Look at that.
My, you'd be good eating.
This bird was cooked
in the tin kitchen
that's been in my family
for many generations,
and it's really good
cooked this way,
as you will discover
in a few minutes.
I'm not very good
at carving.
I'm good at hacking.
It seems to be
nice and tender.
[piano playing]
And my favorite book of all
the books I've ever done
is "Corgiville fair."
Narrator: The fair is one
of the most important events
in any rural community.
And in the book
"Corgiville fair,"
Tasha tells the story
of young caleb corgi's
bid to win the goat race.
Caleb has been training with his
beloved josephine for months.
But then along comes
edgar tomcat,
who is determined to ruin
caleb's chances of victory.
Edgar feeds cigars
to josephine
and gives caleb
a sleeping potion.
Caleb is out of the race.
But then along comes
the bogarts to save the day.
[crowd cheering]
"Corgiville fair"
Is a delightful
and entertaining tale,
but like all great
children's literature,
it is allegorical.
It is a story about
the importance of community,
tolerance, and good
overcoming evil.
Tasha: I'm working on a sequel
to "Corgiville fair,"
Called "The great
corgiville kidnapping,"
Which is really quite something.
It's a mystery story.
I wrote the story and
the pictures came secondarily,
which is curious, I think,
'cause I have trouble
with words.
Are you going to swim?
She always tries
to drink the pond.
But overall these are lovely.
She didn't go in
this morning.
All right.
You didn't go in swimming.
You didn't want
to go swimming?
Come on, come on, come on.
Look at the way
she sways her hips.
It's quite indecent.
Very alluring.
But I am addicted
to corgi dogs,
and I've had them
for a long time.
I think they're
the best dogs ever.
[whispering]
You're a nice dog.
Yes, you see me.
But I think it's because
my ancestors,
a lot of them,
came from wales.
Maybe I'm part corgi myself.
Now, this is
sandra amelia corgi.
Not made out of fur.
She's a very nice little dog.
She's interested
in drawing, as you see.
I very rarely am quite
satisfied in what I do.
Someday I'll really
astonish you.
In all the many drawings
I've done,
there are about 5
that I'm really proud of.
It's like hunting
the pot of gold
at the end of the rainbow.
You never quite get there.
["Simple gifts" Playing]
Narrator: Tasha has not just
been successful
at creating a remarkable
private life,
she has had extraordinary
success in the outside world.
Tasha has illustrated
more than 87 books
and received many awards,
including the regina medal
and caldecott honors.
She has also published
a cookbook
and is the subject
of 3 well-known books
about her way of life.
Tasha is beloved by hundreds
of thousands of fans
and regularly travels
around the country
giving talks about
her life and work.
Tasha's magic kingdom does not
just exist at corgi cottage.
She takes the magic with her
wherever she goes.
Tasha: Well, I never thought
I'd be successful.
Because I was always known
as poor rasmus' daughter.
They thought I was going to be
a big problem,
which I probably was to them.
I never got through
the eighth grade, though.
I was a despair
and the teachers
gave me up
as a lost cause.
So I'm frightfully pleased
that I've succeeded,
because one usually
has to die to succeed.
I know I lead two lives,
you see--
there's granny who lives here,
and then there's Tasha Tudor
who people seem to think
is quite glamorous,
but that's dandy with me.
I hope they continue.
[piano playing]
Narrator: Rituals play
an important role
in Tasha's life.
[indistinct chatter]
Narrator: Even simple
everyday occurrences
like afternoon tea
are moments to be savored.
Life is unhurried
at corgi cottage.
Nothing seems rushed.
Yet Tasha is one of
the most productive people
you will ever meet.
Tasha is also a great
creator of traditions.
Birthdays are very special
events at corgi cottage.
For the children,
Tasha created
flotillas of birthday cakes
in a nearby stream,
and even the dogs
get a hamburger cake.
[wind whistling]
[piano playing "God rest you,
merry gentlemen"]
Christmas is perhaps the most
magical time of year
at corgi cottage.
Tasha has illustrated
many classic christmas stories,
like "The night before
christmas,"
And her christmas cards
and advent calendars
are traditions
in their own right.
"Christmas eve
was a magical time.
"When dark fell, we stepped
into the starlit night
"To follow a winding path
lighted by candles
"To an enchanting creche
in the woods.
"And on christmas night,
"We had the loveliest
celebration of the year,
"With a beautiful tree
and a shine of candles
to remind us of peace on earth
and loving-kindness."
[piano playing]
Tasha: Oh, that rain's so nice.
Just what the garden ordered.
Doesn't it smell good?
Narrator: Someone once wrote
about Tasha's father,
"He is one of the most
charming men of this world,
"But with all his brilliance,
he is a child,
and that is part
of his charm."
Cynics among us may look
at the world Tasha has created
with skepticism
and accuse Tasha
of escaping from reality
by creating an imaginary world.
Tasha: Come on, dogs,
want to go pond?
Narrator: But Tasha is not
escaping from reality.
Rather, she is choosing
to create the world
the way she imagines it.
Tasha: I've always lived
in a world of imagination.
Maybe it's because
I'm a coward
and hide my head
in the sand
and don't want to see
the real world.
I don't know.
But I can assure you,
it's a very delightful
way to live.
I'm an eternal optimist.
I've never had a headache,
and I've never felt depressed.
I mean, my children say,
"Mummy, you've had such a
hard life."
But that's nonsense.
My whole life
has been a vacation.
And I thoroughly enjoyed
every minute of it.
As oscar wilde said,
"We're all in the gutter,
but a few of us
are looking at the stars."
And I think
it pays to look at the stars.
I'm really not afraid
of anything
that I can think of,
'cause I can handle a gun,
and I'm quite self-sufficient.
I have a bad reputation
that way.
And I'm not even afraid
of dying.
I think it must be
quite exciting, really,
because I have no--i have
no regrets, in other words.
When I die, I'm going
right back to the 1830s,
which was a delightful period
in my past life.
I'm quite certain that
I lived in the 1830s.
I've never been regressed,
and that interests me
because several
of my friends have
and they all want
to go back
to grecian or egyptian days
and be priestesses
or princesses,
but I would just like
to go back
to being a sea captain's wife
in ipswich in--
from 1800 to 1840.
And I really wouldn't
go back to youth for anything.
Mr. Shaw was quite right
when he said,
"Youth is wasted on youth."
Because when you get older,
you enjoy things more intensely.
And in spite of forgetting
where I put my glasses
the last time I sat down,
I'm having the time
of my life, I can assure you.
That meant to be a rabbit
and it's a mouse.
Narrator: Tasha's philosophy
of taking pleasure
in the simple
joys of life
is beautifully summed up
in one of her favorite poems
by evelyn underhill.
"I come in the little things,
"Saith the lord,
"Yea, on the glancing wing
of eager birds,
"The softly pattering feet
of furred and gentle beasts.
"I come in the little things,
saith the lord,
"Not borne on the morning's
wings of majesty,
"But I have set my feet amidst
the delicate and bladed wheat.
I come in the little things,
saith the lord."
Taking pleasure
in simple things.
Being connected to nature.
Celebrating everyday life.
These are the things that
Tasha Tudor reminds us of.
She shows us
what is possible
if we put our hearts
and imaginations to work.
[meow]
It's all finished.
But fairy tale endings
often happen.
That's a good dog.
[kissing sounds]
I mean, look
at the success I've had,
and I never thought
I'd had it,
but I always was determined,
and I was always looking
for the pot of gold
and the end of the rainbow,
and I think I've
more or less found it.
[chicken clucking]
Narrator: There is
a place in new england
where much loved author,
artist, and illustrator
Tasha Tudor has created
her own storybook world.
Step into this world
and you enter another place,
another time.
Although she's famous
throughout the world
for her work
and way of life,
Tasha Tudor is an intensely
private person.
This is the first time
she has allowed her life story
to be documented on film.
Tasha Tudor is one of
the most prolific
and revered illustrators
of all time.
She has delighted generations
of children and their parents
with her enchanting paintings
in classics like
"The secret garden"
And "The little princess"
As well as those found
in her own stories,
such as "Pumpkin moonshine"
And "Corgiville kidnapping."
Tasha: I've always known
what I wanted to do,
and I've always wanted
to be an illustrator,
so I am an illustrator.
And it's a delightful
profession to be an artist.
I'm not really a real artist,
I'm a commercial artist
because I illustrate,
but my mother was a painter,
so I sort of grew up
under her easel,
entertaining her victims
while she painted.
She would always save
a good juicy brush for us.
And we had a huge bathtub.
My brother and I took
our bath together.
She'd paint a face
on our bare stomachs,
and when we inflated them
or deflated them,
the expression
on the face changed
and it was most entertaining.
And you can be an artist,
you know, and get away
with a lot of things.
You can...Be as odd as you wish
or as immoral as you wish
and they say, "Oh, she's just
an artist. What do you expect?"
So I think it's
a wonderful career.
I've never regretted it.
I really starting
making pictures
when my husband's
little niece sylvie ann
came over from scotland
and I decided
I'd make her a book,
and that was
"Pumpkin moonshine."
Narrator: "Sylvie ann was
visiting her grandmummy
"In connecticut.
It was halloween
"And sylvie wanted to make
a pumpkin moonshine,
"So she put on her bonnet
"And started out
for the cornfield
to find the very finest
and largest pumpkin."
[dog barking]
This charming story
of sylvie ann
and her runaway pumpkin
quickly became a classic.
The themes found in these
pages of joy, goodness,
celebration,
and a love of nature
are at the heart
of Tasha's life and work.
Sylvie plants pumpkin seeds
for the future.
Little did Tasha know
what the seeds
from "Pumpkin moonshine"
Would grow into.
Tasha: I went to every single
publisher in new york,
and they all
turned me down.
It was very satisfying,
'cause may massee
was editress of viking.
And she said, "Oh,
your things look like...
Too much like
a flower catalog."
And...And then I went over
to the university press,
and the person there...
Was--it was her first job,
and my book was the first
one she ever accepted.
So I took great and evil
satisfaction.
When may massee said, "Why
didn't you come to me with it?"
I'm not a very nice person
as far as that goes.
I was very pleased
to be able to say,
"I did once come to you,
but you didn't like
my pictures."
Narrator: Tasha Tudor's
art and life
are interchangeable.
Almost every aspect
of her world
can be found in
her beautiful drawings.
Tasha: I always draw
from reality.
I don't like drawing
from photographs,
and I refuse to unless
I absolutely have to,
so that the flowers I draw
and the animals I draw
I've drawn from real life.
[rooster crows]
Come on, girls.
Come on.
You want your supper?
Come on, hurry up.
Come on.
Narrator: Tasha begins
and ends each day
by milking her goats.
Tasha: Come on.
Narrator: As a child,
Tasha dreamed of owning
a small farm
in new england.
Today, her menagerie
of animals
includes 3 goats,
minou the cat,
two parrots, a manx mouse,
and a number of finches,
doves, and chickens.
Tasha: I'm surrounded
by animals
and that's why
I can model them,
because I have them
right around me.
Now, you stand still.
Good girl.
[goat bleats]
Here, chick, chick,
chick, chick, chick.
[clucking]
[meow]
Now, look at those
lovely eggs.
Narrator: And wherever
Tasha goes,
her faithful corgi companions,
rebecca and owen,
are sure to follow.
Now, rebecca...
[barking]
Tasha: And I like animals
to look like animals
and not like cartoons,
and I'm very adamant
on that subject.
I want my animals
to look real,
and I do think
I have succeeded
in bringing the breath
of life into them.
[chirping]
There it is.
You just wait.
I'll get your breeze
in a minute.
I find that one of
the greatest modern improvements
is a freezer,
because I save
road casualties,
which are not decayed,
and I freeze them.
And then I can take them out
and thaw them
and set them
in positions that I want
and draw them and put
them back and freeze them.
I've got an owl
in the freezer.
It's been there
for about 6 years, I think.
I have a whole mouse morgue
in this freezer here,
in very lifelike positions,
as they've fallen
into rain barrels,
poor things,
and not been discovered
until they're wrapped in death.
You want to see it?
I have it.
Well, I was born
in boston in 1915,
and my mother and father
at that time
were living in marblehead,
where papa had the first
licensed airplane factory
in the U.S.
He did a lot of early flight
and worked with
the wright brothers, I know.
I don't think he was the first
man to take a plane off water,
I think a frenchman
did that.
But I'm sure
he was the second.
But he had many
adventures.
And I can recall
as a very small child,
waking frederic,
my brother, and me
out of a sound sleep
in the early dawn
and taking us out
to plum island
where they did
airplane testings
because the winds,
apparently,
were just right there.
But instead of watching
history,
frederic and I slid down
sand dunes
on pieces of cardboard.
It was very entertaining.
Papa was a very
unusual person.
Very eccentric.
And the people
in marblehead did not like it
because he took his young son
up in the plane frequently
and flew around
across marblehead harbor,
and they thought
that was not right.
Narrator: Determined
to have fun
at the expense of his
conservative neighbors,
starling burgess
devised a plan
to drop his son frederic
from the plane.
Of course he didn't really
drop frederic into the harbor.
He dressed a 4-foot stuffed
bear in frederic's clothes
and threw the bear
out of the plane.
But from a distance, onlookers
couldn't tell the difference.
Tasha: This was very
sensational.
When he got back
to the dock,
the sheriff was there with
handcuffs and everything.
And I think papa enjoyed
himself very much.
Narrator: You don't
have to look far
to find the root of Tasha's
fantastic imagination.
As well as being
a pioneer aviator,
starling burgess was a renowned
designer of yachts and cars,
including this one he created
with buckminster fuller.
He was also
a published poet
and an incredible storyteller.
Tasha: I never heard anyone
read poetry or recite it as
papa did.
It just game you goosebumps.
Narrator: Those who knew
starling burgess
say that he had a fey,
mystical quality.
He certainly had
an incredible connection
with children and animals,
both qualities
that Tasha inherited.
Tasha: My father
had a tame seal,
whom he was sure
she was a beautiful maiden
who had been enchanted
by a wicked magician.
He had a tank for her
right off the house,
which was on the sea.
She'd flip out of it
in the afternoon
when papa came back
and would flap into the room,
but she'd get up
on the sofa with him
and lie down
while he read.
And she even drove to boston
in the front seat
of the car with him frequently.
And it was his--my father's most
endearing name for my mother.
He always called her seal.
Narrator: From her mother,
Tasha inherited
her love of painting
and a fierce
independence of spirit.
Tasha: I have come to realize
that mama was rather
a liberated woman
of that time.
She kept her maiden name
for painting.
She was very charming
and very lovely-looking,
but she was really
very adventuresome.
Think of her getting
a pilot's license
and doing all
the things she did.
When my mother and father
were divorced when I was 9,
I was sent to live
with the nicest family,
old family friends of
my father's in connecticut.
And it was the best thing
that ever happened to me.
We had the most
wonderful time.
We ran wild,
and you could actually
have more than one piece
of candy in a day.
You could sit up as late
as you wanted to.
And we were always
read out loud to.
It was just amazing
to a prim and proper child
because they were really
a wonderful bohemian family,
and we had a wonderful time.
But I wouldn't go back to it
for love nor money
because I think growing older
is even more exciting,
and I'm thoroughly
enjoying myself.
And as you're all coming
to it in due time,
you can look forward
to it with relish.
It's marvelous.
["Simple gifts"
Instrumental playing]
Narrator: Although Tasha
is in her early 80s,
her energy and enthusiasm
are extraordinary.
She attributes this vitality
to goat's milk and gardening.
Tasha: Doesn't this wet,
cooler feel delicious
on the soles of the feet.
Narrator: Tasha's garden
is one of her greatest passions.
She feels very connected
to the land around her
and tends it with care.
Tasha: Well, I just think one
has to be in touch with nature.
I don't believe in
spraying things
because I think you're all part
of the universe yourself,
so if you abuse it,
you're abusing yourself
very blindly.
But I will tell you,
I'll shoot a deer
if she's eating my garden,
but that's just
self-preservation.
This was once a nice arch.
I've got to redo it.
Narrator: If fairies
do exist,
you can be sure
they would live here.
Tasha: Well, this is known
as the secret garden,
and it's lots of fun
to have tea here.
But it is so pretty
when the tulips are not eaten
by predators.
I have a constant battle
against those and deer,
who are as fond of flowers
as I am, unfortunately.
I just believe it's going
to go wild.
It's very pleasant.
But I love forget-me-nots.
"The gloom of the world
is but a shadow behind it.
It's joy. Take joy."
And that's what I do.
I like the garden.
"He who sows a garden
sows happiness."
Isn't that an old
chinese proverb?
But I just love to garden.
I can't resist it.
And as life is so short,
I think it's dreadful
to waste it
on something that
you don't like doing.
And this has to be planted.
I plant morning glories
and scarlet runners on it.
I wish I could get
one of those motorcyclists
who wear those leather suits
to come in and cut out
the dead roses.
I'ii have to attack them
someday.
And then my greatest
pride and joy is my bay tree,
who is 36 years old.
And I started him
from a slip.
Well, it wasn't any bigger
than that,
and I love him.
I'm very proud of him.
But, you see, I'm a great
boaster anyway about my plants.
My favorite saying
is thoreau's quotation
from walden, that,
"If one advances confidently
"In the direction
of his dreams
"And endeavors to live
the life he has imagined,
he will meet with success
unexpected in common hours."
I think that's--
that's my philosophy.
And to take joy.
Because the gloom of the world
is but a shadow.
Don't you agree?
Narrator: In the late 1930s,
Tasha got married
and soon had 4 children
of her own.
Other times were often hard,
and Tasha had
to support the family
with her illustrating.
She was determined
that her children
would have a childhood
as wonderful as her own.
Tasha: The children that I drew
before I had any children
look exactly like
the ones I had.
So I think that was
wishful thinking.
The children grow up,
but they remain children
in the sketch books,
so I can refer to them
when I need to draw them.
I have many, many,
many of them,
and they're my most
valued possessions.
But that's one of the nice
things about being an artist.
You can sort of play god
and make the world look
the way you want it to.
[piano playing]
I've always been interested
in dolls
as long as I can remember.
I had a bride doll
I loved dearly.
And of course I'd read
"The little princess,"
With a doll in that,
you know.
And when I had children
of my own,
I actually started
making dolls for them.
The gentleman sitting
in the chair
is captain thaddeus crane.
And then I made emma,
who is my galatea.
I feel just as pygmalion did
about galatea, so--
but her name is emma because I
had a favorite aunt called emma.
Narrator: Tasha's dolls
are part of the family.
Like the velveteen rabbit,
the dolls have been
loved so much
that they have become real
to Tasha and her 4 children.
And Tasha immortalized them
in classics like
"A" Is for annabelle,"
"A dolls' christmas,"
And "Becky's christmas."
The distinction between
reality and fantasy
is often blended
in Tasha's world.
Nowhere is this more true
than in an extraordinary
correspondence
that took place
between the dolls
and members of Tasha's family.
Oh, well, it was called
the sparrow post.
And letters were delivered
by birds, naturally.
And each child had
a sparrow post box
attached to their door,
and that was a big thing
when they came home
from school
to see if there was
any mail in it.
And you see the letter?
Look at the tiny mouse writing,
and he made this enchanting
christmas card.
See, it's all them wishing
merry christmas to emma.
Narrator: "We had a small
post office in those days.
"Valentines came
by sparrow post.
"The doll family
received valentines.
"So did all the corgis.
And miss puss
got a catnip mouse."
This is a valentine,
I think, that bethany
made for the dolls.
It says "Forget me not"
Inside.
Bethany's my older daughter.
And we also had a sort of
a sears, roebuck catalog
run by a mr. Mouse
of mouse mills.
And here's a catalog here.
The order forms
you see on the back.
I only have a few left.
They were very popular.
You see the total buttons
and mr., mrs., or miss,
suggestions
for improvements.
And here's--these are for
the doll ladies.
A spring ball gown,
"As delicate and appealing
as march roses."
And these really came.
I mean, the children
could order them
and they'd come in due time.
They say they're all priced
20 buttons.
And you had to actually
send the buttons.
There was no charge accounting.
Oh, it was fun.
I enjoyed it
more than the children.
And these are bonnets
by madame tweedy,
who was a starling
and very fine
at making excellent bonnets.
The children all thought
that mouse mills made them.
They didn't realize that
mother made them privately.
Narrator: "On labor day,
"We used to hold
the dolls' fair.
"All the dolls came,
of course, and their friends.
"We used buttons for money.
"You could buy cakes and pies
and anything else you wanted,
all for buttons.
It was great fun."
One of the biggest events
in the doll family
was a wedding.
In 1955, captain thaddeus crane
married a beautiful french doll
called melissa.
Tasha: The wedding
was quite an event.
We had sent out
formal invitations,
which were formally answered.
Oh, it was very
properly done.
Then we had wedding
cake and punch,
and all the children
had daisy wreaths.
It was really very pretty.
Narrator: The dolls' wedding
did not just appeal
to Tasha's friends
and family,
it made headlines
and was profiled
in the pages
of "Life" Magazine.
But the doll family,
like all families,
is not without
its scandals.
The marriage came to
an abrupt end
when Tasha made emma.
Tasha: I think she's
absolutely beautiful.
And, of course, captain crane
unfortunately preferred
emma to melissa.
See, now melissa lives upstairs.
And I've never held
a wedding for them,
but isn't that up
to modern times?
It's all done
that way now.
And, uh, so that's
the scandal in the family.
But every family has
skeletons in the closet,
and so do the dolls.
This one I like
so much
because you've done
a replica of this
for--for, um, for emma.
And I'm very impressed
with this one.
They were so real
to the children, the dolls,
and to me.
Even though I'm 80,
I still love
to play with them
and make clothes.
I love to make dolls' clothes.
We could take that out
and fold the top
of the apron down.
Yes, I think...
So it's just a...
That's what I do
with my apron.
[Tasha crowing
and clucking]
[laughing]
I've always wanted
to do marionettes
and have since
I was a child.
I started first
with marbles
tied in paper napkins
and attached to sewing thread.
And I had to give
our barnyard rooster
quite a haircut
in order to obtain
the feathers for this boy.
But he never held it
against us.
He said he felt it was
worth it for art's sake.
These are not puppets.
Puppets are run on the hand,
and this is a marionette.
Narrator: "Midsuummer's eve
comes in june.
"That's when we had
a marionette show.
"There were many,
many rehearsals.
"Marionettes to make--
"Scenery to paint--
"And programs to print
and color.
"The play was at night
in the carriage shed.
"Grandmothers had the very
best balcony seat.
"Refreshments were served
at the intermissions,
and everyone had
a wonderful time."
Tasha: We called ourselves
the red rooster marionettes.
The children made quite
a lot of pocket money
because we would be hired
by people to give shows,
and I had a wonderful wolf.
We thought it was
quite convincing,
because the younger children
in the audience would cry
when he got granny,
who really fell behind the bed.
Narrator: The red rooster
marionettes
began with simple shows,
such as "Little
red riding hood,"
But soon began putting on
more elaborate productions.
"Sir lancelot and
the dragon of corbin"
Featured more than
40 marionettes,
as well as
a fire-eating dragon.
Tasha: We gave a show
at the natural history museum
in new york.
We had to take edgar crow
with us, edgar allan crow,
because we couldn't
leave him at home.
He spent most of the time
in the bathtub at the hotel.
Seth and bethany, who were
some of the chief manipulators,
my two older children,
of the marionettes,
got lost in the environs
of the natural history museum.
They finally turned up
amongst the egyptian tombs.
But it was a great relief
to see them.
That always brings down
the laughs.
Narrator: Tasha and her family
still put on marionette shows
for friends and neighbors
in a theater
attached to the barn.
And Tasha has ambitious plans
for future productions.
Tasha: I've always wanted
to do a marionette show
of "The legend of
sleepy hollow,"
Which I think would be
loads of fun to do.
And we figured out how we can
make ichabod crane racing away,
by he has two big rollers,
and ichabod will just gallop
in the center of the stage,
but two grandchildren
will turn the rollers
and it will appear that
he's racing away
from the headless horseman.
That would be fun to do.
I want to do that.
[piano playing]
I think one of the most
important things
you can do
for your children
is to give them very happy
memories of their childhood,
and I feel I succeeded
very well in that point.
You can ask any one
of my children
and they'll agree with me.
[birds chirping]
Narrator: Everything in
Tasha Tudor's life has purpose.
Tasha grows many of her own
fruits and vegetables
and has an extensive
herb garden
situated on
the crest of a hill.
Tasha: I have chervil and...
Uh, thyme, tarragon.
They're down here.
And then we could put a few
sage leaves in, I guess.
Mm.
Well, my most favorite
is lavender and rosemary.
I love them.
But I like thyme, and I like
some are savory and dill.
I don't have any dill.
I've got to sow some.
Now, you don't need
to help, rebecca.
Now, come on. Rebecca.
Narrator: As well as using
the herbs in her cooking,
Tasha dries them for teas
and uses the oils
for ointments
and skin creams.
You know, garlic, chives,
they're good.
That ought to do it.
Now to get
that bird stuffed.
[piano playing]
Narrator: The kitchen
is the heart of Tasha's home,
and cooking is one of
her favorite occupations.
Tasha's scottish nanny dady
taught her to cook
at a young age,
and Tasha continued this
tradition with her own children.
Tasha has many old-fashioned
tools and utensils
in her kitchen.
One of her favorite possessions
is a tin kitchen,
which roasts chickens and
turkeys in front of the fire.
This is a tin kitchen,
exactly like the one I have
that belonged to
my great-grandmother,
which we just--we cook on.
But look at that.
Wonderful.
It was made by a man
in horseheads, new york.
And what a beautiful
job he did.
You see, you open it
and it sits in front
of the fire.
It's like a reflector oven.
And it's a truly--
it truly roasts something.
It doesn't bake it the way
one does in an oven.
You see, it lifts up in back
so you can baste it.
But anyway, there he is,
and then this has to go up.
This is a corgi foil.
'cause they get after
the drippings.
But they have everything.
It's a very well-equipped
kitchen.
I love little things.
Narrator: There are worlds
within worlds at corgi cottage,
and the distinction
between worlds
is not always
immediately obvious.
No, he definitely
needs oiling.
He whistles
and flutters his wings.
It's unbelievable.
And you see how tiny he is.
But I've got to take him
to new fame.
And look at his key
in the shape of a bird.
You see?
Isn't that nice?
I love him.
He's a real treasure.
Oh, there he goes. Look. See?
[tweeting]
He's actually moving.
Can you see him?
[chirping]
[whispering] All right.
Narrator: For those fortunate
enough to be invited
to corgi cottage,
a treat is in store.
The meals Tasha prepares are
reminiscent of childhood--
mashed potatoes,
roast chicken,
homemade goat's milk
ice cream.
We have probably all dreamed
of a grandmother
who would make such delicious
and comforting things.
Hello.
How are you?
All right.
Narrator: No matter
what she's doing,
Tasha's sense of fun
is close at hand.
One of her favorite pranks
is to pretend to serve
a live parrot to her guests,
to see how they'll react.
I can pick her up, too,
if you want to see her
do that.
Ohh...[clicks tongue]
He's an african fricassee.
He's very fat.
Look at that.
My, you'd be good eating.
This bird was cooked
in the tin kitchen
that's been in my family
for many generations,
and it's really good
cooked this way,
as you will discover
in a few minutes.
I'm not very good
at carving.
I'm good at hacking.
It seems to be
nice and tender.
[piano playing]
And my favorite book of all
the books I've ever done
is "Corgiville fair."
Narrator: The fair is one
of the most important events
in any rural community.
And in the book
"Corgiville fair,"
Tasha tells the story
of young caleb corgi's
bid to win the goat race.
Caleb has been training with his
beloved josephine for months.
But then along comes
edgar tomcat,
who is determined to ruin
caleb's chances of victory.
Edgar feeds cigars
to josephine
and gives caleb
a sleeping potion.
Caleb is out of the race.
But then along comes
the bogarts to save the day.
[crowd cheering]
"Corgiville fair"
Is a delightful
and entertaining tale,
but like all great
children's literature,
it is allegorical.
It is a story about
the importance of community,
tolerance, and good
overcoming evil.
Tasha: I'm working on a sequel
to "Corgiville fair,"
Called "The great
corgiville kidnapping,"
Which is really quite something.
It's a mystery story.
I wrote the story and
the pictures came secondarily,
which is curious, I think,
'cause I have trouble
with words.
Are you going to swim?
She always tries
to drink the pond.
But overall these are lovely.
She didn't go in
this morning.
All right.
You didn't go in swimming.
You didn't want
to go swimming?
Come on, come on, come on.
Look at the way
she sways her hips.
It's quite indecent.
Very alluring.
But I am addicted
to corgi dogs,
and I've had them
for a long time.
I think they're
the best dogs ever.
[whispering]
You're a nice dog.
Yes, you see me.
But I think it's because
my ancestors,
a lot of them,
came from wales.
Maybe I'm part corgi myself.
Now, this is
sandra amelia corgi.
Not made out of fur.
She's a very nice little dog.
She's interested
in drawing, as you see.
I very rarely am quite
satisfied in what I do.
Someday I'll really
astonish you.
In all the many drawings
I've done,
there are about 5
that I'm really proud of.
It's like hunting
the pot of gold
at the end of the rainbow.
You never quite get there.
["Simple gifts" Playing]
Narrator: Tasha has not just
been successful
at creating a remarkable
private life,
she has had extraordinary
success in the outside world.
Tasha has illustrated
more than 87 books
and received many awards,
including the regina medal
and caldecott honors.
She has also published
a cookbook
and is the subject
of 3 well-known books
about her way of life.
Tasha is beloved by hundreds
of thousands of fans
and regularly travels
around the country
giving talks about
her life and work.
Tasha's magic kingdom does not
just exist at corgi cottage.
She takes the magic with her
wherever she goes.
Tasha: Well, I never thought
I'd be successful.
Because I was always known
as poor rasmus' daughter.
They thought I was going to be
a big problem,
which I probably was to them.
I never got through
the eighth grade, though.
I was a despair
and the teachers
gave me up
as a lost cause.
So I'm frightfully pleased
that I've succeeded,
because one usually
has to die to succeed.
I know I lead two lives,
you see--
there's granny who lives here,
and then there's Tasha Tudor
who people seem to think
is quite glamorous,
but that's dandy with me.
I hope they continue.
[piano playing]
Narrator: Rituals play
an important role
in Tasha's life.
[indistinct chatter]
Narrator: Even simple
everyday occurrences
like afternoon tea
are moments to be savored.
Life is unhurried
at corgi cottage.
Nothing seems rushed.
Yet Tasha is one of
the most productive people
you will ever meet.
Tasha is also a great
creator of traditions.
Birthdays are very special
events at corgi cottage.
For the children,
Tasha created
flotillas of birthday cakes
in a nearby stream,
and even the dogs
get a hamburger cake.
[wind whistling]
[piano playing "God rest you,
merry gentlemen"]
Christmas is perhaps the most
magical time of year
at corgi cottage.
Tasha has illustrated
many classic christmas stories,
like "The night before
christmas,"
And her christmas cards
and advent calendars
are traditions
in their own right.
"Christmas eve
was a magical time.
"When dark fell, we stepped
into the starlit night
"To follow a winding path
lighted by candles
"To an enchanting creche
in the woods.
"And on christmas night,
"We had the loveliest
celebration of the year,
"With a beautiful tree
and a shine of candles
to remind us of peace on earth
and loving-kindness."
[piano playing]
Tasha: Oh, that rain's so nice.
Just what the garden ordered.
Doesn't it smell good?
Narrator: Someone once wrote
about Tasha's father,
"He is one of the most
charming men of this world,
"But with all his brilliance,
he is a child,
and that is part
of his charm."
Cynics among us may look
at the world Tasha has created
with skepticism
and accuse Tasha
of escaping from reality
by creating an imaginary world.
Tasha: Come on, dogs,
want to go pond?
Narrator: But Tasha is not
escaping from reality.
Rather, she is choosing
to create the world
the way she imagines it.
Tasha: I've always lived
in a world of imagination.
Maybe it's because
I'm a coward
and hide my head
in the sand
and don't want to see
the real world.
I don't know.
But I can assure you,
it's a very delightful
way to live.
I'm an eternal optimist.
I've never had a headache,
and I've never felt depressed.
I mean, my children say,
"Mummy, you've had such a
hard life."
But that's nonsense.
My whole life
has been a vacation.
And I thoroughly enjoyed
every minute of it.
As oscar wilde said,
"We're all in the gutter,
but a few of us
are looking at the stars."
And I think
it pays to look at the stars.
I'm really not afraid
of anything
that I can think of,
'cause I can handle a gun,
and I'm quite self-sufficient.
I have a bad reputation
that way.
And I'm not even afraid
of dying.
I think it must be
quite exciting, really,
because I have no--i have
no regrets, in other words.
When I die, I'm going
right back to the 1830s,
which was a delightful period
in my past life.
I'm quite certain that
I lived in the 1830s.
I've never been regressed,
and that interests me
because several
of my friends have
and they all want
to go back
to grecian or egyptian days
and be priestesses
or princesses,
but I would just like
to go back
to being a sea captain's wife
in ipswich in--
from 1800 to 1840.
And I really wouldn't
go back to youth for anything.
Mr. Shaw was quite right
when he said,
"Youth is wasted on youth."
Because when you get older,
you enjoy things more intensely.
And in spite of forgetting
where I put my glasses
the last time I sat down,
I'm having the time
of my life, I can assure you.
That meant to be a rabbit
and it's a mouse.
Narrator: Tasha's philosophy
of taking pleasure
in the simple
joys of life
is beautifully summed up
in one of her favorite poems
by evelyn underhill.
"I come in the little things,
"Saith the lord,
"Yea, on the glancing wing
of eager birds,
"The softly pattering feet
of furred and gentle beasts.
"I come in the little things,
saith the lord,
"Not borne on the morning's
wings of majesty,
"But I have set my feet amidst
the delicate and bladed wheat.
I come in the little things,
saith the lord."
Taking pleasure
in simple things.
Being connected to nature.
Celebrating everyday life.
These are the things that
Tasha Tudor reminds us of.
She shows us
what is possible
if we put our hearts
and imaginations to work.
[meow]
It's all finished.
But fairy tale endings
often happen.
That's a good dog.
[kissing sounds]
I mean, look
at the success I've had,
and I never thought
I'd had it,
but I always was determined,
and I was always looking
for the pot of gold
and the end of the rainbow,
and I think I've
more or less found it.
[chicken clucking]