Pallet Garden Tool Organizer

I love this idea. Pallets are free and this photo makes me happy. My garden tools are organized in the vestibule but I could use something like this at my back door or in the barn/garage. Step by step instructions for making it here.

Here's another link from Country Living Magazine for you: 12 DIY Backyard Storage Ideas You Need to Try

Cottage Views and Flowers

My front yard after a recent mowing, I use my walk behind mower here. The area is too tight for my riding mower and when I try to use it here it blows clippings up against the house.

The back of my property after a mowing just before sundown, Needless to say, I use my Snapper riding mower back here.

A pale pink peony at the home of a friend. Mine are still in the bud stage.

She has lovely ferns too in her shade garden.

Please look at my instagram from time to time. It is so much easier than uploading photos to my blog. I know I have been neglecting it lately but I've been helping my friend of 43 years move from New Jersey. And I was burned out after my closing last Friday. Starting to feel almost normal again, but not quite. See you later xo.

SOLD

My closing on Friday was one of the smoothest ever. This is a quick view of the back of the house taken at the walk-thru. The other side is a u-shape around a courtyard. The earliest part of the house is pre-revolutionary. My buyers are happy and so am I. I have been playing catchup at my own house. I worked outside yesterday the whole day long trying to beat the rain and I did. A tire came off the hub on my riding mower and luckily the repair shop got one overnight and put it on while I waited on Saturday morning. There was one section of my back property on a slope that had not been mowed even once this year. The grass was really high but my Snapper handled it very nicely. I am always afraid I will tip over if I mow it sideways so I only mow downhill which takes much longer. Now I am back on track except for vacuuming inside which is on my short list.

Have a great Sunday and I'll see you later. xo

Seldom Seen Corner in My Living Room

My friend who is moving gave me a Blu-ray DVD player and I'm over the moon. Now I can watch discs from the library in my living room. I checked out House of Cards, UK edition but did not like it at all. It seemed too dated for me. I got the "real" Netflix version and am loving it. So far, I have watched Seasons 1 and 2.  Season 3 is on reserve and I should get it this week. I know I could subscribe to Netflix but as long as I can keep getting DVDs from the library, I'm ok with that. I am catching up on some movies I haven't seen too. I watched CHEF last week and loved it. 

I have a real estate closing Friday (hopefully) on my difficult transaction. Fingers crossed. See you later. xo

New Toolbox for My Gardening Tools

I pulled this cool aluminum box from a friend's dumpster. The men cleaning out her barns figured nobody would want it. Wrong! I made them put it in the back of my SUV.  It had some rust on the side handles and the steel piano hinge. No problem since I am the queen of cleaning and polishing.

I had this wooden base on casters in my attic. It was from my previous house and a previous life. Perfect fit too.

Here's an interior shot of the beginning stages of garden tool storage. Now I have all the things I need for my front garden right inside the front door. So handy. So happy.

Cool Sunday at My Cottage

Freshly picked lilies of the valley. It's amazing how two stems can fill the room with their intoxicating fragrance. This year my patch has finally started to multiply. So happy! I got this old hotel silver fish platter a long time ago at a church rummage sale. Isn't it fabulous?

Here's the desk area in my pantry. I had fun organizing it recently.

Another view of the pantry with the dutch door closed. This was the only spot in the house where my tall case clock would fit. My ceilings were too low in my living room. I actually love it in this spot and it 's the first thing that greets me each time I come home.

Enjoy your Sunday. It's very cool and the sky is full of clouds. Perfect weather for my afternoon real estate showing. My difficult transaction will be closing on Friday with any luck. Fingers crossed. It has been consuming me of late, so much so, I haven't been blogging each day as I normally do. I hope to get back on track and will try my best. xo

Nicely Landscaped Path and Entrance

I love this broken stone pathway with grass growing in between. I want to follow it and go in the French doors but there's a strawberry planter in the way. via

Wonderful Terrace and Pergola

These homeowners must be really excited about moving outside to enjoy their new living space designed by Crisp Architects. See more views of this country lane renovation here.

THE PRESENT ~ A Delightful Short Film

The Present from Jacob Frey on Vimeo.

I saw this on CBS Sunday Morning just now and loved it. Hope you do too. If you cannot see the video above, click here. It's very heartwarming!  Enjoy.

Happy Mother's Day

Nobody loves you like your mother! It's true. I was lucky to have mine for 70 years and I miss her every day. Give yours a kiss from me and enjoy your happy day. We still have rain but the sun is coming out around lunch time, just in time for outdoor celebrations. xo

Happy Friday Says The Lamb

Isn't he adorable? I love the curly fleece and that happy face. It's raining quite hard here at my cottage but I don't care. It's very chilly too, brrrr. Anyway, Happy Friday. xo via

My Living Room -- Back View + Balcony

I finally have a good photo with the green checked sofa, the French doors and my tiger maple corner cupboard. One of the days, you will have seen it all.

New House in London, Looks Old

New red brick country house with deliberate haphazard extensions and appearance. Des Ewing Residential Architects, London, UK. This is very impressive, isn't it? Doesn't look at all like a new house! via

Pansies in an Antique Planter

I had just moved this antique sewer tile planter from my back yard to the front when a friend stopped by with a small flat of pansies for me. Talk about perfect timing! Most of my gardening efforts lately have been devoted to hacking down multiflora, the most invasive, evil, non-native species ever. I go out with my boots, gloves, clippers and thick clothing for an hour or two after supper nightly. It's always something, isn't it? Have a great week. xo

My Cottage LR with Fireplace

Here is a view showing my fireplace. Hope I'm not boring you. Have a great weekend.

Wide Angle View of My Living Room

I got a new toy today, a clip-on wide angle lens. The main room of my cottage is the entire width of the house. The window in this view look out on the front yard. Behind the green checked sofa, there are two French doors leading out to the balcony and the rear of the property. You can't see my fireplace in this photo but you can see the side bricks. 

John Lennon said, "Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted time." That makes me feel better because I wasted a lot of time playing around with different lenses clipped over my iPhone camera.

My Cottage Bluebirds

I put these photos on Instagram yesterday. My bluebirds were extremely cooperative and posed nicely for me many times during the day. They never fail to thrill me either. Isn't that blue wonderful? See you later! xo

House Tour in Buckhead: Atlanta GA

Every house tells a story, and when a major renovation is part of the narrative, the tale can sometimes take a few dark twists and turns. Fortunately that proved to be anything but the case for a 1930s-era, Georgian-style beauty in Buckhead that underwent a yearlong makeover in the hands of architect William B. Litchfield and designer Jackye Lanham.

Article and 17-photo slideshow here. So nice!

Hammered Metal Kitchen Cabinets

Jean-Louis Deniot claims that he is always trying to achieve something magical. (Architectural Digest) This is quite evident in his interiors. A kitchen with hammered metal cabinets is a truly stylish and unexpected feature. Creating stylish interiors with layer upon layer of refinement and unique décor are Deniot’s trademark.
See more of his work here. Great portfolio!

Well, these cabinets certainly make a statement, don't they?

Tulips on Park Ave NYC

Some interesting facts about these yearly tulips:

This Spring the tulips are a sunny, yellow Darwin Hybrid called Golden Oxford – among the most weather resistant of all garden tulips with large flower heads and strong stems.

After the Tulips have finished, the Park Avenue Fund hosts a “Park Avenue Tulip Dig” – a longstanding tradition that allows members of the community to dig up the spent bulbs for future use in their own gardens.

How nice! via New York Social Diary