Katharine C: Four Mad Hatters, an Alice, a Queen (and a dormouse in a teapot)

From the tip of her head to her white socks - Jan was Alice

In celebration of the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll in 2015 (it was published in 1865),  Karen hosted the Book Group at her home in the Antigone for a Tea, and readings from the Alice in Wonderland and Alice through the Looking Glass books.

The group had been invited to dress up in any of the characters - no one came as the dormouse, (try explaining that on the Tramway on any day other than Hallowe'en) but Peggy arrived with a soft toy dormouse in a teapot - see his long tail below. 

Clearly the books have had a big impact on this group - Denise pointed out that Lewis Carroll had an understanding of quantum mechanics earlier than Albert Einstein.  (This was something that escaped me when I was a small girl reading the books, so thank you to Denise for her reading of this section of the book and for telling us this).

Denise, Katharine J and Susan

Jan as Alice in Wonderland

Peggy & her dormouse

 

Alice (Jan);  Mad Hatter (Maggie);  The Red Queen (Anne)

Financieres and scones

Katharine J, Mad Hatters Peggy, Katharine C, Maggie & Karen, Alice (Jan), Denise and Red Queen Anne (Photographer: Susan Rey)

Four mad hatters ...... see a pattern there?

A wonderful afternoon - many thanks to Karen for hosting, and to everyone for their contributions to a delicious Tea (chocolate cake, warm apple crumble, scones and butter, chocolate and kiwi tart)  - Anne brought her wonderful financieres in a square tin (see photo above) but what you can't see is that the tin has the names of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the side.  I'd say that this was a thoroughly English Tea afternoon - except that Maggie brought us all the words to the White Rabbit, Grace Slick's song sung by Jefferson Airplane, which we all sang.  The song utilizes imagery found in the fantasy works of Lewis Carroll, such as changing size after taking pills or drinking an unknown liquid. Slick had stated the composition was intended to be a slap to parents who would read their children such novels, and then wonder why their children would later use drugs. (Well, you can't beat a good rationalisation).  Characters Slick referenced include Alice, the hookah-smoking caterpillar, the White Knight, the Red Queen, and the Dormouse.^[8]
  
Poor old Lewis Carroll must have been turning in his grave ever since.



Photo credits:  Katharine C and Susan Reyniers