Colonial Christmas

I bought a fabulous book at a house sale over the weekend that was originally $60.00 and I got it for $7.00. I'm sure it's out of print -- American Home From Colonial Simplicity to the Modern Adventure by Wendell Garrett, David Larkin and Michael Webb. It's a big fat volume and I love leafing through it. I took this lovely photo with my iPhone. There will be more from time to time. I'm rushing around this morning because I have a helper coming and we are going to work outside all day long. See you later. 

William Morris Wallpaper

I love this pattern. Wallpaper by William Morris called “Marigold”. via

Spectacular Art Deco Owl

Wonderful Art Deco Owl above the door of the center reading room on the fifth floor, Library of Congress John Adams Building, Washington, D.C. Owls and libraries go together perfectly, don't they? via

Elegant Entrance

Isn't this the most elegant entrance you've seen in ages? It's an example of fine woodworking at its best.  via

Sleep

This is such a sweet peaceful photo. I'm on my way to clean the kitchen so I can get in bed and watch TV. See you tomorrow. via

Red Velvet Dog

Webster would never do anything like this at least I don't think he would. It appears to be all in a day's work for this hilarious dog. via Dog Shaming

Antiquarian Books Still Life

All of my favorite things in one photo that looks like a painting. via

Ivy Under Control

I'm sure there is a lot of clipping involved to keep this nice ivy arch maintained. The whole scene is perfectly lovely! via

Brooke Astor's Dog Paintings

Side staircase in the late Brooke Astor’s Westchester, NY estate, Holly Hill. I wonder if these wonderful dog paintings are in the auction on September 24 and 25? All copies of the Sotheby's printed catalog have been sold. I found a few of her dog items here. Photo above found here.

Beautiful Bookplate

Ex-libris by Alphonse Inoue designed for Yoshiki Yamamoto. Alphonse Inoue is the pseudonym of a Japanese artist, known for his sensuous bookplates. via

Morning Dew

This beautiful photo inspires me to keep weeding to make way for something beautiful. I wish I knew the name of this plant with leaves that capture the dew drops in such a lovely way. Happy Monday! via

Virginia Creeper

The Virginia Creeper vines are starting to turn red, a sure sign of autumn. I made a real dent in my weeding this weekend and did a big mowing from the road to the rear all yesterday afternoon. Weeding is being done piecemeal so I don't burn myself out. That job is somewhat demoralizing if you know what I mean.

my photo

floating Ivy

Look carefully and you will see the tiny roots on the ivy just waiting to attach to something. It is very determined!

my photo

Dog and Cat Sleeping

This is so adorable. I'll be jumping in bed when I finish this post. Goodnight Bloggerland. via

Life is Like a Camera

via

End of Summer Roses

I took this photo at dusk yesterday of the last roses of summer 2012 at a friend's house. They are going to be especially beautiful too. Have a nice weekend.

Beautiful Pair of Owls

I never get tired of seeing beautiful owls and these two are simply stunning. via

Dachshund Buried Alive

Have a fun weekend! via

A Fairytale Life

Hans Christian Andersen 1805-1875 via

Attic Office

I love all the little drawers in this delightful attic studio/office. So clean and simple and efficient. Wish I could see more. via

A New Purchase at My Cottage

I bought this three tiered stand from a private home recently with absolutely no idea of where it would end up here at the cottage. It turned out to be perfect in my bedroom and I love it. I keep all of my iPhone and iPad chargers and cords and earbuds in the drawer under the center shelf and so far the bottom drawer remains empty. It is a very handy piece of furniture that is appropriately scaled for the space. Actually it looks custom made, doesn't it?

Sorta, Kinda, Almost A Dutch Door

Can you even imagine having this door and a thatched roof as well? This isn't a dutch door but it has a hinged door within a door for peeking to see who is on the other side. It's pretty wonderful as is this straw cottage. via

Floating Daisies

I took one of my photos from this summer and somehow darkened the background without losing the two daisies and then cloned out the few blades of grass that remained to get these floating daisies. I'm sure I could never figure out what I did again....but I like the end result.

Boris the Cat

Meet Boris.

He is Piggy's cat.

I photographed him this afternoon. He has a new "Lion Cut". The gray fur you see on his chest in the top photo is very short. Some day soon I'll try to get his whole body. He looks really cute and he's huge. I'll find out the breed too.

Things to Love About Fall

via

Yet Another Dutch Door

I've never met a dutch door I didn't like. via

Nothing Changes

So true. via

In Praise of Fall Flowering Shrubs

I photographed this hydrangea today in the contrast of the noon-day sun and played around with it using one of my photography apps. It looks very old fashioned, doesn't it?

This is the same photo without any filters. 

Webster and I are going to bed very soon. I'm tempted to leave the dishes in the sink but I'll hate myself in the morning when I wake up and feel as if I'm a day behind before my feet hit the ground so here I go to the kitchen sink.

Goodnight.

Old Maps for Photo Corners

I love this idea of using old maps for scrapbooking. I always buy old atlases at house sales. via Martha Stewart

A Beautiful Succulent

I took this photo yesterday with my iPhone and did no processing whatsoever. This is straight out of the camera or should say straight out of the mobile phone. I love my iPhone 4S (new last year) and I can't imagine wanting to trade for another model anytime soon unless the camera were dramatically better. I use it more for the camera than for the phone part, but the latter has really increased my productivity with real estate. I saw some amazing homes today. I'm off to the dentist in a few....see you later.

A Stamp for Travelers and Stamp Collectors

Here is another etching I made from a photograph of a book cover using this app for iPhone and iPad. It's so much fun!

I overslept this morning and I already had this post ready to go. I have a zillion things to do today too.

Walk and feed a friends dogs before my office meeting, go on open house tours, open a house so an architect can take measurements, go to the dentist. Oh dear! I might not see you again until much later.

Webster is Tucking in Now

Snowhill Lavender Farm, Cotswolds UK

Could anything be more beautiful? It's in Broadway, one of my favorite spots in the Cotswolds. via

Gardening Motif Etching

I have so much outside work to do but decided to make a garden-motif etching instead. I love it and hope you do too. I have to put all of my watering cans in the garage soon so they don't collect water that expands when it freezes causing them to leak. I learned this the hard way.

Fabulous kitchen in a London townhouse designed by architect Philip Wagner via How great would it be to actually live in a townhouse anywhere, but especially in London?

WEBSTER SAYS GOODNIGHT

We are both pretty tuckered out from pulling up crabgrass this afternoon. I pulled and Webster hunted for snakes but he didn't find any. Goodnight from both of us. See you tomorrow.

Meet a Few of the Cake Ladies

‘Not even our husbands knew!’

This is a really amazing and uplifting story about a group of 9 women in West Tennessee who decided to iron their husband's shirts and use the laundry money for baking pound cakes for needy families. It WILL make you cry.

Read all about the women who have been secretly delivering cakes to underprivileged families for over 30 YEARS via the Positive Press Daily.

Marlo Thomas wrote an even longer version of this story here.

Shelf or Bracket Fungi Growing on Tree

I photographed this beautiful large fungi on the base of a tree yesterday. I don't know if all the rain we have had lately is responsible or not but I am always glad when I run across a giant grouping.

Dogs In and On the Car

This is one of my iPhone photos converted to an etching. I love the way it looks. Do your dogs like to ride in the car? It's Webster's favorite thing to do. Sometimes I just open the tailgate and let him take naps in the back. That's his second favorite thing to do.