Home Office with Murphy Bed: AWESOME!

It's a home office with storage for office supplies, right?

Wrong. It's a bedroom or guest room in disguise.

I couldn't love this more. I found it in my iPhone photos and I've been saving the photos for a long time and have no idea where I found them. Isn't this the best home office ever? xo
UPDATE: California Closets designed this room and there are other Murphy Bed Designs HERE.

Cutting the Cord: I did it!

My two year contract was up with Verizon and I absolutely could not get my monthly bill down to a reasonable amount so I decided to get rid of my landline and cable and have WiFi only. A wonderful supervisor helped me. I decided to buy a new router from them because they will stand behind it should I have problems plus on new contracts they have started charging $12 per monthly rental fee. The new router came in 2 days and I hooked it up my self easily. With this new system, I can always add on services if I change my mind or feel deprived but I don't think I ever will.

I returned all of my old equipment for my three television sets and my multi room DVR to UPS with my order number and they boxed and returned everything. This was very painless. Last September I purchased a new in the box indoor HDTV antenna. The box is pictured above. I paid $1.00 for it and it works! At Walmart, it costs around $18.00. I moved my kitchen TV to the attic where I have a wonderful work space and so far, this is the only TV that works in my home. I stream everything else to my iPad(s). I get all of the networks including PBS and so much more. The only thing I have sacrificed is Turner Classic Movies but I can live without it. It took me a while to find the perfect way to position the ears and the circle and the direction (towards NYC) for bringing in PBS. I was able to get all the other stations easily but I guess PBS was the farthest away. Now I get several PBS stations and I won't miss anything on Sunday nights. I even found a local TV guide on "nocable.org".

I have found Pluto.TV to be much better than I ever imagined for streaming movies ON DEMAND. I honestly didn't ever explore anything on Pluto other than live TV. The on demand movies are awesome and the two or three commercials are extremely short. REALLY. I watched a 2006 movie with Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson called "Last Chance Harvey" and it was wonderful. Pluto is a free streaming service for your computer, ipad, phone, and other devices too for android users. I don't have a password or anything. It's so easy. One of these days I will get a ROCU or other device so I can stream to my TV but for now I am fine. I actually love watching movies on my iPad in bed. You can pull up all the movies on your computer here. Look at the banner across the top to switch to "live tv". You will need to download the app from the APPLE APP STORE for iPhone or iPad. Or Google for android devices. If your devices are too old, you might not be able to get all the services available. On my iPad 3 I cannot get on demand movies, just live tv. On my new iPad 6th Generation I get everything and can use my Apple Pencil which is amazing. Later. Ask me questions. I shall try to answer. xo

This is a view from one of my attic windows this morning showing my beautiful geraniums. Sorry this is a little rushed. I haven't been present in your lives lately with all my tree work and more. Have a great weekend. I will try to fill in the details about cord cutting and let you know how it's working out for me. xo, Rosemary

Storm Damage and Frost on Leaves

This is a photo of the tall tree that snapped next door and fell my way. It missed my cast iron rooster or chicken, my birdbath and the brick wall cushioned the fall in such a way that absolutely nothing was damaged. It could have been so much worse. I can't complain and the added exercise I am getting from picking up sticks is sorely needed. 

I was on my second mug of coffee when I decided to go outside and snap these photos. I wish I had gone out while the water was boiling for my French Press to get more frost on these leaves. It was almost melted but you can see the outline on the center leaf. It was in the 20s but the bright sun felt warm. Have a great weekend. xo

Hello Novmber

I posted this image one year ago a tan color HERE. So far, I have posted January through November in Red. The description for the tan one at Harvard can be read here. 

We had a horrible rain and wind storm overnight and I woke up to a tall tree from my next door neighbor's property over the part of my driveway leading down to my red barn and the canopy of the tree with no leaves in my front garden. No damage was done and a tree person said my part of the cleanup will be very inexpensive. It was horrible just after midnight when I woke up to see what was happening outside. And then I heard the crash but could not determine the source. I slept soundly somehow and found the tree when I opened my front door. Power never went off and many people all around me had much worse damage. All that on Halloween night too. Yikes. Hope you didn't have any damage. xo

Royal Crest of a Bat

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY HALLOWEEN

This is an image I photographed from my Antiquarian Book: The Royal Book of Crests. This must have belonged to Count Dracula. Click to enlarge and print.

DIY Halloween Tablescape by David Stark Design

Click photo to enlarge.

Isn't this the best Halloween Table? If you like dark and moody, be sure to plant lots of gourds in your garden next year so you will have a good supply for almost no money. DIY instructions here. 

Open House w/ Open Fire, Goats & Scary Pepper

I did an open house on a rainy Sunday today with an open fire. The rain stopped and the sun came out and it ended up being a very nice day.

The goats photographed from the wrap around porch.

I found this hilarious photo on Instagram. @virgin_honey

Isn't it hilarious?

Have a great Halloween week. xo

Dining Room Gallery Wall

I always love looking at framed art and the way it's arranged in private homes. Tour the house above here.

Etchings Exhibit at the Met in NYC

This creepy 15th-16th century etching is entitled “Death and the Devil surprise two women.” The antiquarian print shows Death and the Devil interrupting the lives of two wealthy women. Daniel Hopfer, 1470?-1536, is the artist. This exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum on The Renaissance of Etching opens on October 23rd. 

More Information here.

Beautiful Marble Kitchen Detail

via This sink detail in a new kitchen is absolutely gorgeous! I love the brass faucets, the black (granite) sink and cabinets, the white Carrara marble countertops and the high marble walls.

Beautiful Chicken Family

I love this photo and wonder how many more chicks are hiding under the mother's feathers?. via Have a great Columbus Day Weekend!

Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem - Mouse House Interior

Yes, please. Sit me down in a comfy wing chair before an open fire on a snowy evening and bring me a pie. I am afraid of mice but not those from "Brambly Hedge" by Jill Barklem. Interior design by animals wearing clothes is one of my favorite things. via

The Garden Path by Frits Thaulow

via 

Frits Thaulow (Norwegian, 1847-1906), A Garden Path. Oil on canvas. This artist is new to me and I adore this painting. Click to enlarge.

Goats are the Kitchen Window View Over the Sink

I have a new listing down the street from my house and the people have 4 goats in their back yard. Who needs a TV in the kitchen when you have goats to amuse you? I took this photo at yesterday's Broker Open House.

Roger Rabbit Wearing A Sweater

It's jumper weather at my house too only we call them sweaters in America. via

Unreal Bird

This bird looks like a child's painting that was brought to life and I like it. It's so round, fluffy and colorful. It must be rare because I've never seen another. xo

OCTOBER, already?

I should have posted this yesterday but I hit the ground running and never stopped. I had my furnace checked out and serviced for the upcoming winter and my generator too. The service man came at 7:30 and I was shocked that my furnace came on when I set the thermostat to the heat setting. I still have my windows open and don't plan to have my radiators cranking for some time.

I am so enjoying my garden claw and the ease it has given me in pulling my tall weeds. It's rather like wrapping spaghetti around a fork. If you ever see one at a garage sale, grab it. It does take a bit of upper body strength, but I have plenty of that so it's not a problem. Men would probably like this tool too.

Climbing Nasturtiums at My Cottage

These climbing nasturtiums were planted from seeds in the ground in the spring.

I am so enjoying this riot of color right now.

Nasturtiums are tender perennials that didn't do much over the hot summer but are coming into their glory now that temps have cooled off. I am hoping they will reseed themselves but I will pick and save some seeds just in case. Please notice my newest (old) galvanized watering can far left. Thrift shop find for fifty cents but I paid them one dollar because I had no change. Love it. What you see above is very selective photography. My front garden bed is filled with weeds and I have just begun to tackle them. The annual firehouse sale and auction of donated stuff was Saturday and as you all know, it's my favorite day of the year. The very first thing I bought was a "Garden Claw" and it is a really wonderful addition to my gardening tool collection. I used it and filled up two dumper carts as soon as I got home. You don't have to bend over. It's a long rod with handle bars at the top and four long angled prongs at the bottom. You just push it in and twist and the weeds come right up. I am thrilled with it and inspired to get my front back in shape once again. It works in a gravel driveway too. Yay!!

xo, Rosemary

Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes Set to Music: Old Book

I found an old book at an estate sale that is full of pages like this, each one with an engraving. I cannot read music so I don't know if I would recognize the tune. I always liked the Crooked Man rhyme as a child. I don't remember the chair part of the Pussy Cat rhyme. The cat did a great service and the Queen never knew!

Enjoy your Sunday. xo

Unseen Beatrix Potter drawings found inside books at Melford Hall Suffolk

Hooray for the cleaning lady who discovered these unseen drawings while she was dusting the books at Melford Hall, a stately mansion in Suffolk England. The delicate drawings depict scenes inside and outside Melford Hall, a Tudor mansion owned by relatives of Potter, whom she visited often between 1899 and 1938. Potter and her cousin Ethel Leech were very close, growing up together in Kensington. After Leech married Reverend Sir William Hyde Parker in 1890, Potter would often stay with her at Melford Hall. Read the entire article here. Old books hide many secrets, don't they? xo

Nice Laundry Room + My New Washer Update

I love this vintage sink between the washer and the dryer, don't you? I also like the marble countertops and backsplash. 

Now, back to my new Maytag top loading washing machine. When I first got it, I did four loads in a row in four days so I was pretty much caught up on my laundry. I did a mixed load yesterday because I didn't have enough for a white load by itself. I did 2 pairs of cotton slacks, 2 tee shirts, dishtowels, a small bathmat, one blouse, pajamas, underwear, and I can't remember what else. I watched a youtube tutorial about how to load the dry clothes. You aren't supposed to "wrap" a pair of long pants around the tub, but hold them up and drop them down. You are supposed to try to distribute the laundry evenly, so I did.

I used the "normal" setting that I knew to be a lot less water than I usually choose on the bulky/sheets setting.

I chose "light soil" and "warm water".

I did not want an extra rinse and I never do. I learned on the internet that if you turn the fabric softener dial, you will get more water even if you don't use fabric softener and I never do. My clothes weren't really dirty so I used the minimum amount of HE liquid laundry detergent (Tide Sensitive).

I set the timer on my phone for 45 minutes. I watched the beginning of the cycle. At first after the detergent was evenly dispensed in multiple squirts as the tub rotated and paused, the agitating began in not much water but the clothes were all wet. This was to get the concentrated water in all the clothes before the water was diluted. After a while more water was added and the agitating continued. Then I walked away and hoped for the best. 

I went down to the basement just before the 45 minutes was up and arrived at the very end of the spin cycle before the "done" light came on. The cycles using a big tub of water were over an hour so this was a shorter cycle and I liked that. I hung all my clothes outside in the sunshine and they were all clean so what can I say. Some days you just want a lot of water and some days you don't. Either way, your clothes will be clean so I am still over the moon with my new Maytag.

I love doing laundry now and don't put it off the way I used to. Another favorite thing is this vintage laundry basket with "make do" rope handles when the original ones broke. Another garage sale find, of course. 

Delightful Attic Bathroom

How much do I love what I can see of this attic bathroom? My research tells me it's a photo from a book by Tom Scheerer. Do love! xo

F. Scott Fitzgerald FALL QUOTE

I totally agree: "Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." F. Scott Fitzgerald. via

Beatrix Potter Red Squirrel Watercolor

So sweet.  This is another delightful watercolor that is new to me by our favorite artist, Beatrix Potter. via

Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar

This looks a lot like something from Alice in Wonderland, doesn't it? I photographed this Monarch butterfly caterpillar munching on one of my milkweed plants and I honestly did not know they had a head on both ends. No wonder they can defoliate a plant almost overnight. But the milkweed always bounces back and produces more leaves for these beautiful caterpillars. Shot with my iPhone.

Sharing is caring. 

Windsor Chair and Large Turkey Print

I love this windsor chair, copper planter and the turkey print too. The interior millwork is stunning, isn't it? This idea of hanging a piece of canvas instead of a framed print makes it easy to change the artwork with the seasons. via

The chair is an antique found by the interior designer, Douglas Herrin based out of Atlanta. Tour the entire home on Saint Simons Island, inside and out, HERE.