Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Buttonbush for the Polinators and Milkweed Caterpillars and More!

This is the first year my Buttonbush has bloomed. I planted it three or four years ago from three bare rooted native plants the Land Trust was giving away. It wasn't my first choice but I got there late. A friend recommended this as it would attract bees and butterflies. I babied the "sticks" and it took a couple of years before they looked like an actual shrub. This is the first year and the bush got buds that finally bloomed and it's glorious. It turned out to be my favorite plant and I am so glad I was late to the event. I had never heard of Buttonbush and now it is thriving in my yard. 

There are only a couple of blooms in this photo but now it is absolutely covered with them.

I have been enjoying the monarch caterpillars on my milkweed plants too. They seem to grow overnight. This is a fat one.

I photographed this rabbit on Saturday morning happily eating weeds in my driveway. It froze and let me photograph it and didn't move until I started walking. Friends with vegetable gardens don't like them but they don't bother me and they are welcome to my weeds. We have had more rain this year that any summer I can remember so the weeds have really taken over. I'll get them hacked down and mowed eventually.





The above three images are from one of my favorite books, The Cheerful Cherub by Rebecca McCann. It was published in 1928 and includes 101 favorite posts by her in that appeared in The Chicago Sun Times newspaper. Her original drawings and little poems featured The Cheerful Cherub and his little dog. She was only twenty years old and wise beyond her years, right? I'm trying to catch you up on the three I have put on my Instagram. Enjoy!

I finished this book last weekend and liked it a lot. It's about the early 1940s in NYC when penicillin was new and in short supply. You could die from a cat scratch or a skinned knee if you got an infection. It reads like a historical novel and is full of facts that were unknown to me with a little romance thrown in too. 

Have a great week. 
xo, Rosemary

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Bookshop with A Great Name

Wild and Homeless Books
Who could resist giving one a home?
Found here.


Cats and Books -- Love this!
Another image found on Tumblr attributed to Pinterest.
xo

Sunday, January 29, 2023

Bookshelves / Library in My Spare Room

These are all of my reference books in my dressing room. That's what I call my extra bedroom because it has a closet. I sleep in the back room that has an identical custom bookcase scaled down for the smaller space. I added both when renovating my cottage. On these shelves I have reference books on antiques, architectural reference books, gardening, birds, New Jersey. Many are broken down into categories like antique furniture, antique silver, antique houses, antique prints, etc. and many DIY books. I need to get in this room and rearrange a bit and return some books I pulled out so the remaining ones are currently leaning. You can never have too many books, can you? Have a great Sunday. xo


Saturday, January 28, 2023

New Rooms for Old Homes / Great Book

This is another favorite coffee table book that is in my collection and is currently off the shelf and at hand. 
NEW ROOMS FOR OLD HOUSES
Beautiful Additions for the Traditional Home
by Frank Shirley

Published by THE TAUNTON PRESS
"Inspiration for Hands-On Living"
All of the books by this publisher are wonderful.


Back cover. Mine has the dustjacket. 
The hardcover binding is plain.
Retail $40. My used copy from local bookshop $15.
Gold Seal on front dustjacket from
NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
















I did not know the term "monitors", did you? Such an interesting architectural detail for raising the roof and getting more light into a room without adding a skylight.




The pleasing addition is on the far right. Note slight color change in roofing material.







Have a great weekend. By now you know how to order used books, right?
xo

More about Monitors and Cupolas. Unknown left a comment about a monitor barn in Shelburne, Vermont. I couldn't find it but found a 1903 barn in Richmond, Vermont that was moved and beautifully restored with the monitor spanning the entire roof ridge and a cupola too! It's fabulous as is the article by KNOBB HILL JOINERY Preserving New England's architectural legacy for future generations with photographs of the entire process.

Read the article and see the amazing photos HERE
The barn is home to the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.
Isn't this barn beautiful? Everything old is new again.
xo




Friday, January 27, 2023

The Winter Garden / Great Book

What I'm reading now. One of my favorite gardening books.
THE WINTER GARDEN
Structure, planting and romance in the garden in winter.
Eluned Price
Photographs by Clive Nichols


















Author's dedication:

In memory of my beloved parents
Corinne and Justin Price
who taught me how to look

CONTENTS
Introduction
Structure in the Winter Garden
Planting in the Winter Garden
Romance in the Winter Garden
The Plant Directory
Index

Mine is a hardcover first edition published in 1996 with the destjacket. It's a large, beautiful book that is still available used. 
Search for it HERE and fill out form yourself. 
Search for used hardcover editions HERE with title and "hardcover" requested in search parameters.

xo

Sunday, July 24, 2022

Summer Garden Party


This Instagram photo is from a book by a Southern Author and interior designer that is coming out in a few days called Celebrating Home, A Time for Every Season by James T. Farmer III. It looks like a "must have" coffee table book, doesn't it? Click on the Instagram link to see more photos and follow him if you don't already. See a long list of his other books HEREEnjoy your Sunday. I'm doing another Open House today. xo

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Dachshund Love Posters




Both of these posters appeared on my Pinterest feed this morning. I will keep you posted on my vacuum cleaner repair later today.

xo

Friday, January 21, 2022

Free Online Book Borrowing Site


Open Library is an open, editable library catalog, 
building towards a web page for every book ever published.

Promise me you will click on this link. You will be blown away by the variety of books to borrow and read on your iPad, computer, laptop, phone, or Kindle. 


Browse by subjects using the above link. 


This is just a screenshot I made to make you smile. xo

Monday, March 29, 2021

Gallery Wall Over A Low Bookcase


I love the black wall for all the artwork and the low bookcases in white paint and topped with interesting things. via


Friday, March 26, 2021

Books and Bookshelves Quote


I made this graphic years ago and it remains a favorite.

Click photo to return to Home Page with all posts.

Friday, February 19, 2021

Library off Living Room

I adore the wide board floors with the beautiful patina. The library off the living room looks as if it has bookshelves on all the walls and that's a good thing because you can't have too many (books or shelves). via

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Night-Time Reading: Moley in the Library

"It’s not the sort of night for bed, anyhow.“  
Kenneth Grahame 
Night-Time Reading: Moley in the Library, inspired by Kenneth Grahame’s ‘The Wind In The Willows" illustration by Chris Dunn. via

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Low Bookcase: Art Display Wall Above

Low Bookcase with Art Gallery Above
I absolutely love this wall decor. The low bookcase, filled with coffee table books, acts as a wonderful display ledge too. The beautiful artwork above and beside just makes this room. I love it❤