Antique House with Fall Mums

I have always loved center chimney colonials.

This one looks spectacular all decked out for Fall.

via

17th Century Welsh Cottage in The Cotswolds Restoration

No, this isn't the original kitchen sink. 

It was purchased on Ebay.

The living room is perfection, isn't it?

The perfect cottage garden was created for this 17thC cottage.

This article in House & Garden UK is a fascinating read about the authentic restoration. I learned a lot too. New stone floors and new wood floors were made to look old by rubbing in layers of wood ash and linseed oil. I need to read the article again and see what other tips I can absorb. Enjoy.

xo

Frog Scholar Illustration

FROG SCHOLAR

Found on the artist's page here.

The botanical illustration is quite lovely too.

XO

Almost Time to Store The Watering Cans

I caught up on my mowing over the last three days and it felt good to be outside and working hard. September days are so nice and I want to do some more serious weeding in the front and call it done until next spring. The geraniums that are looking so lovely outside will have to be potted for overwintering in the house. Getting things done before gloves and mittens are needed is my goal. I will be watching, with saddness, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II tomorrow on BritBox (on a continuous loop all day) saying a final goodbye.😢 

xo

image source

 

Last Night it Dipped into The Low Forties

Isn't this the perfect description for the upcoming fall season?

via

life starts

all over

again

when it

gets crisp

in the fall

f. scott fitzgerald

xo

Beautiful Cat in The Fall

Such a beautiful pose for this lovely cat.

Found here.

xo

Public Garden on the Welsh Border

Bryan’s Ground, a public garden in Herefordshire on the Welsh border. See many more lovely photos here.

xo

UPDATE: More information about the history here with more photos and visiting information. It's REALLY interesting and worthy of a blog post all by itself. Be sure and visit.

Princess Anne at 70: A Documentary

PART ONE ~ PRINCESS ANNE AT 70

I was astonished at how busy Princess Anne was every day during her mother, Queen Elizabeth II's, later years. She was honestly on the road from dawn until dark most days. This documentary was on PBS and has been added to YouTube for your viewing pleasure. Her children are lovely and she has a very supportive and nice looking husband. I was glad to learn she has a happy family.

PART TWO ~ PRINCESS ANNE AT 70

PART THREE ~ PRINCESS ANNE AT 70

I hope you enjoyed learning about the devoted daughter of Elizabeth and Philip. One can only imagine the sorrow in her heart this week. xo

Cat's Face ~ Perfectly Framed

This cat has chosen the best part of this fence to perfectly frame her face. I love this photo and the tabby cat too. xo 

via

My Amaryllis Bloomed

This was a gift several years ago and it didn't do well in my house during the winter because I keep my house too cold. It's still in the florist pot and I've always overwintered it and this year it has a double bloom. This is the perfect time for it to be in my house too, long before it's time to turn on the heat. I didn't do anything special to it except water it. I was shocked to see it come alive again and the blooms are spectacular. Hope you are having a great weekend. xo

Stirring Speech by King Charles III

I thought King Charles II's 9 minute speech was quite wonderful. Especially the last line. 

"May 'flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest'." 

That was the perfect Shakespeare quote for his Darling Mama.

They truly enjoyed each other's company.

Read the article in THE MIRROR here entitled: Soul-stirring meaning behind King Charles' 'flights of angels' line for the Queen in his speech. Long live the King.

Last Photo of Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 6, 2022.
JANE BARLOW - WPA POOL/GETTY

I thought she looked so lovely in her Scottish plaid pleated kilt and powder blue cardigan. And now, only two days later, she is gone. This is her last photo after she met with the new Prime Minister. She truly worked as she promised, all of her long life. Photo from his article. I watched her coronation in 1952 and have admired her ever since and will miss her.

xo

Some Beautiful Sheep

Isn't this a handsome group of sheep? via

I love their white faces.

Another busy day regrouping.

xo

Clouds Reimagined

There is a new one every day! So fun♡

I just found this Instagram @adailycloud 

See them all here. You're welcome.

xo

September Clouds

The white fluffy clouds that you see in September are right on time and I love them. I took this photo late in the day on Sunday and I'm glad I did because today is overcast with rain coming tonight and for the next two days. I hope you are having a nice Labor Day weekend. xo

Final Photo Showing Chairs at My Front Door

I promise this is the last photo!

I bought these chairs last winter on the first day I was able to get out of my driveway after a blizzard. The patina of the heavy metal matches my lighting fixtures. They are so much better than the old shutters were flanking my front door. I gave them a good coat of lemon oil for protection from the upcoming winter weather. The seats are basket weave woven.

Enjoy your Sunday. xo

Fence Finial + Before & After House Paint Pics

Remember my post about finding three Artichoke finials at an estate sale? Now I can finally use them. I had to "doctor" this photo and remove all the color because they are not wood and the color is yellowish. I will probably paint them when I touch up some of the fence posts and pickets with a small brush. I put one on each side of the gate and one on the corner. I am so excited about finally being able to use them.

Eileen in Fla. made a special request to see a photo of my house in a BEFORE photo because she can't remember what it looked like in order to appreciate the transformation. 

Well, here goes.

I wish I had chosen white with black shutters 20 years ago when I restored my cottage but as the old Amish saying goes, "We are too soon old and too late smart."

I forgot to mention I removed the full length shutters on either side of my front door and I like it so much better without them. (The painters were happy too!)

xo

Some Gorgeous Hollyhocks + Hornets

Is there anything lovelier than hollyhocks up against a wall?

I think not.

Every year I wish I had these summer flowers but I'm glad this was not the year to try them because of the dry month of August. My dahlias don't have a single bud. The ones they had dried up. They are very tall and healthy looking though. I don't like having to dig them up in the fall either. I have been trying to get my life back but hornets have invaded my kitchen. I found their entry point on Tuesday and sealed it up. I have been sucking them up with the crevice tool on my vacuum cleaner and today I think I've finally gotten most of them. Tuesday after the painters left and Wednesday they were terrible but I never gave up. I turned the air conditioning on and they thought it was winter and gravitated to the warm window glass and were rather sluggish and easy to catch. I didn't get stung either. It's always something, right?

Hollyhock photos here and more for you to drool over.

xo

Crocheted Cat Hammock and Goodbye August

I love the expression on this cat's face. He seems to be taking for granted his owner crocheted him this wonderful hammock. I have always liked these smoky gray cats. Photo found here.

It's hard to believe August is only a few hours away from the end, isn't it? It was hot and dry but I got a lot done and once September rolls around the days literally fly by. See you next month. 

xo

My Newly Painted Cottage: So Happy♡

I was at the paint store this morning at 7am because today was the last day my painters would be here. We moved mountains getting ready for their departure and it all worked like clockwork. I am so proud of the end result. While the helper primed and stained the outside boards surrounding my balcony, the main painter and I hung the shutters and afterwards he went around and touched up this and that. The sky with big fluffy clouds really cooperated to set off this photo, didn't it? I absolutely love the black shutters and the black front door. My handyman suggested this and I will be forever thankful. It has transformed by cottage into a classic. The wing to the left doesn't show but it has a newly painted picket fence and my bedroom that sits back behind it. It's impossible to show the entire front in one photo. Needless to say I am glad it's all over but I will miss all the excitement of this transformation as I helped right along with the workers to move the project along. I have skills that had been dormant for a long and it was great to see how capable I really am. I honestly could not be happier.

♡xo♡