Gorgeous Vista

A delightful combination of manicured and natural. via

Have a great weekend! xo

An Amazing Kitchen / Family Room Renovation in Alexandria

I am just showing a few kitchen photos of a whole house renovation in Alexandria VA by Harry Braswell Inc. More photos here.

Here Comes The Weekend

via

I am so glad I don't live for the weekends any more as I did when I was young. Now I even like Mondays.

Sheep at Rest on A Stone Wall

A gorgeous photo of a sheep in repose. They know how to get comfy in the most unlikely places, for sure. I am beginning to think sheep enjoy finding odd places to enjoy the view and then wait for someone to walk by and so they can pose for a picture. I'm glad this scene didn't go unnoticed. via

Greek Yogurt Facial

This is my new beauty routine while I am having my morning coffee. The best thing about Greek yogurt is its thickness. You can keep piling it on your problem areas as a facial mask and it stays put and is not runny. For some reason, I have had bags under my eyes recently that I never had before. I have been eating power foods and making a real effort to get some extra sleep and those things are helping. I leave the yogurt on my face for as long as I can stand it and I am seeing fabulous results. I have tried raw honey too. And cold coffee because I've heard the caffein helps shrink your skin. Now I am off to the kitchen to make a smoothie using frozen organic blueberries, half a frozen banana, soy milk, Greek yogurt, and some cold chai tea. Yum. Today I am going to add a tablespoon of Avocado oil I got at Costco yesterday, and I might buzz in a little raw oatmeal too. Summertime and smoothies are perfect together. xo

It was delicious! Best one so far. I didn't add the oatmeal but used all of the other things I mentioned.

Webster on National Dog Day 2015

Did you know today was NATIONAL DOG DAY? Webster rescued me 13 years ago and neither of us ever looked back. I took his photo to celebrate our happy life together.

www.nationaldogday.com

Who cares?

Maybe dogs aren't so bad after all.

The two pics above were found here.

DON'T FORGET TO KISS YOUR DOG TODAY!

Colorful Beach Huts in South Africa

Colourful beach huts at Muizenberg beach in South Africa. via Aren't these wonderful? So simple and in an unspoiled setting too, with nothing between these changing rooms and the ocean except sand. Great photo.

A Hole in The Walled Garden

This would like going down the rabbit hole on a vertical level. It's much more interesting than a conventional shape would have been in this secret garden, right? via

London-Designed Kitchen Details Love

Berdoulat Architectural Design, additional portfolio photos here.

Gorgeous Setting for A Pool

This is absolutely stunning in every respect, isn't it? It's hard to imagine this lovely reflecting pool full of flotation devices but maybe, just maybe, this does happen and people actually use it for swimming. It's very restful just looking at it from a distance too. The whole landscape design is wonderful. via

Today is supposed to be the last hot day before a cool front moves in my area to lower the humidity. Can't wait. xo

A Note to My Readers

The Lake District - Beautiful England

View from Tilberthwaite quarry, Lake District, England by alastairgraham19

I have never been to the Lake District favored by Beatrix Potter. It looks like Mother Nature's wonderland in this photo, doesn't it? 

Beautiful Vegetable Gardens

It's rare to see such bountiful garden beds without a fence. How very wonderful! via

Roosevelt Mansion: The Laundry Room

These vintage images make me love my modern laundry room. Tour the rest of the mansion via "Know Your Roosevelts" @ Big Old Houses.

New Zealand: Many Porches Circa 1884

The Annandale Homestead in New Zealand was constructed in 1884 as a hotel by the Hay brothers. Recently Pattersons Architecture spent two years refurbishing the home from its derelict state to the former glory it once was. via

This photo is of the beautifully restored Annandale. Courtesy of TripAdvisor

Kitchen Cabinet Detail w/ Spice Rack and Chalk Board

I like the corner of this kitchen and would like to see more! This cabinet door probably stays open all the time, right? I think the things on the bottom shelf would bump into the lower spice shelf. How handy this must be to have all those little things and your favorite cookbooks in one place. Love it. via

Another Great Porch

This looks like a great place to gather and enjoy the outdoors without being in direct sun. Porches are nice in the evenings too, aren't they? Thankfully, our bug season is over and you can enjoy being outside once again without getting eaten alive. Have a great weekend. via

Wonderful Round Wood Stacker

This would be great on a covered porch. Shop here.

Spectacular Fall Topiary - Wales

A beautiful scene in the UK. I don't think we have this tree/shrub in the US. Isn't it spectacular? via

Zucchini Crescent Pie - Yum!

Is your garden overflowing with zucchini? Try this recipe and be glad.

This was a Pillsbury Bake Off winner in 1980 and the recipe is still going strong. One baker makes these changes: 

Try 1/2 teaspoon of herbs de Provence instead of the oregano and basil. It simplifies the recipe ever so slightly and adds a little flavor boost.

Substitute Parmesan for the mozzarella for a more savory pie.
Use whatever mustard you keep on hand - Dijon and even whole-ground mustard.
Feel free to make your own pie crust if you have a fail-proof recipe.

Original recipe:
2 tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Butter
4 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2 LAND O LAKES® Eggs, well beaten
2 cups shredded Muenster or mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 teaspoons yellow mustard

Heat oven to 375°F. In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and onions; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in parsley flakes, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil and oregano.
In large bowl, mix eggs and cheese. Add cooked vegetable mixture; stir gently to mix.
Separate dough into 8 triangles. Place in ungreased 10-inch glass pie plate, 12x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish or 11-inch quiche pan; press over bottom and up sides to form crust. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spread crust with mustard. Pour egg mixture evenly into crust-lined pie plate.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. If necessary, cover edge of crust with strips of foil during last 10 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Outdoor Dining in Tuscany

Wouldn't this be a delightful place to enjoy a meal? It takes a while, but you really can create some shade where there was none. via

Nantucket Staircase and Entrance Hall

Shall we go upstairs or down? This is a Nantucket house on Howard Street. via

Delightful Bedroom Wing

This stone wing is fabulous. I'll bet these people can't wait to wake up every morning and bound outside to greet the day. The rest of the house appears to be on a small scale and I'm sure it's very nice too. via

Simple Plantings

Simply beautiful too. via

Queen Anne's Lace

Such a lovely photo. Via

Queen Anne's Lace, also called "Wild Carrot," is a common plant in dry fields, ditches, and open areas. It was introduced from Europe, and the carrots that we eat today were once cultivated from this plant. I did not know that, did you? Info found here.

Webster Relaxing in My Garden

This is an old photo from June  2013. I had just put down a nice new layer of wood chips after weeding my front garden while the peonies were in full bloom. I have been weeding this area lately and am just about ready to spread some new chips. It's cool and shady there in the morning and blazing hot in the afternoon. Webster will supervise as he always does when I take on an outside task. Have a good week. xo

Tiny Wild Grapes

The wild grapes are beginning to form on all the grape vines. I have to admit, I've never gotten to taste one after all these years. The birds get them first and that's fine with me. I love that my property produces food for the birds with the wild grapes following the wild raspberries. The birds leave plenty of ripe berries for me simply because they are so plentiful. Enjoy this beautiful Sunday. xo

Splendid Place for A Hammock

Wow. This is a perfect place to wile away the weekend with a good book, isn't it? via