My obsession with Tasha Tudor began only a little over a week ago. I’ve checked out just about every book from the library eager to learn more about her. I keep wondering how it is I never knew of her before—this woman I am now utterly fascinated with.
She was quite eccentric for her time, but the more I read about her the more I understand it is why she illustrated and wrote such sweet children’s books. She truly lived her stories in a sense and recreated them in her illustrations. She seemed to somewhat live in a world of fantasy of the life she envisioned she wanted hers to be.
She lived a self-sustaining life and died at the age of 92 in 2008. The photograph to the right is my favorite photo of her. She went barefoot often. Well as often as one can when you live in Vermont with the changing seasons. She had goats which she raised for goat cheese, chickens, fifty or more birds, doves, a cat, and corgi’s– having up to 13 or 14 at one time! Now change them to dachshunds and that would be right up my alley!
What fascinates me about her is how she lived a lifestyle of the 1830’s even though she lived in the 20th & 21st century. She was always seen in frocks of which she made 
herself, her hair tied back with a scarf and if she could help it, no shoes. She told people that she was the wife of a sea captain from the 1830’s and when she died she planned on going right back to the 1830’s. I have no doubt she did.
It is a lesson in living your truth and it’s why I know she intrigues me. She loved being surrounded by her stunning garden, her animals, her art, and nature… and she did just that. No matter what. She simply lived the life that made her feel best, though it was not always easy.
I’m so glad to have discovered her. She is a mentor I’ll never meet, but someone who will continue to inspire me. And I can’t wait to visit the museum dedicated to her, which just opened in 2010. Its only an hour from where we are staying in Vermont. I’d just have to say this was all meant to be.’.. and how I love when things like this happen.