Personal Home Library for One

Well, do you love this or what? It's called a reading nook in the MLS but I would call it a personal library for one, wouldn't you? The rest of the house is equally wonderful and I can't wait to tour it at the first open house. 

xo

My Kitchen and Presidents' Day

This is one of my favorite photos of my kitchen. A few things have changed -- there is now a microwave on the counter to the left of my tall case clock. The electrical outlet behind the artwork on an easel was faulty and I finally had an electrician fix it along with a few others outside a while back. My kitchen table was a mess all weekend but I finished my taxes and am in the process of clearing it off again. 

Washington’s Birthday by Charles Baugniet, 1878 

Indianapolis Museum of Art

Read an interesting article in this link 

WHY WE HONOR GEORGE WASHINGTON 

When I was in school, we celebrated George Washington's and Abraham Lincoln's birthdays separately but now they are grouped together for Presidents' Day in order to have a long weekend.

George Washington February 22, 1732

Abraham Lincoln February 12, 1809

Have a great Monday.

xo

Greenhouse in Winter

It should be waking up soon. One of my friends who had a greenhouse called hers an adult sandbox. This one is pretty wonderful, isn't it? Enjoy the rest of the weekend. xo

Found here.

My Deer is Back

My young 4-point buck is back to feed in yesterday's rain.

He is still on the lookout and seems nervous in this photo. This time he is alone. The last time he was with another male with a large rack and a female. I took both photos from the window over my kitchen sink.

Happy Friday. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

xo

Me & My Shadow + More Photos Outside My Cottage

Me and my shadow two days ago on an afternoon walk around my property. The sun was getting low and the sky was still blue. We have rain at the same time today ending at sunset. I had an outside inspection for a real estate customer and got it in before the rain started.

This is a photo using the wide angle lens on my iPhone.

This is the beginning of what I call the "way back".

This is my cottage from near the end of the way back.

The snowdrops are popping up along my brick wall.

Every year I transplant clumps and am always surprised when I see snowdrops thriving in a new location. It seems like Friday but it's only Thursday so enjoy what's left of the day.

xo

Starling Attack + Photos Around My Cottage

Wednesday morning at the bird feeder.

I finally have some blue sky with clouds photos. Lately i've had nothing but gray overcast ones that were too boring to post.

I love my antique cast iron green frog. He has a hole in his mouth to become a water feature/fountain but I have never used him as one.

Longer view showing actual size of my frog.

Here's hoping you are enjoying some sun and blue skies with clouds too. If not now, then sometime soon. I am enjoying them today but some rain is coming Thursday and Friday. xo

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

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

I love this little guy and post him every February 14th💘

xo

Bluebird Nest Building 30 Day Video

I couldn't post the live high speed video from Pinterest. It is so fascinating to watch the 30-day high speed action video and watch a bluebird build a nest building from start to finish, lay 4 eggs, see them hatch one by one, and be fed. I wanted to whet your appetite with these 4 screenshots. Watch the complete video HERE. Aren't nest box cams fantastic? This is the best one I have ever seen because it was so clear. I wish it were longer so we could watch the tiny ones grow and fledge. This inside view was a real treat for me and I hope for you too. xo

UPDATE: I had to remove a "dummy" house wren nest from my bluebird box this week. I am doing everything I possibly can this year to get bluebirds to have the opportunity to use my nesting box. Read an interesting article about this problem HERE and another article HERE. I have never had chickadees or other birds take over my box, only house wrens. They have the ability to nest almost anywhere so I don't feel guilty when I remove one of their dummy nests early in the year before the final nest is constructed for their eggs. The dummy nests are just a big pile of small sticks.

Bluebird Sighting This Morning

February is the month Eastern bluebirds start their search for a nesting spot. I looked out my bathroom window and saw one sitting atop my bluebird house this morning and I was thrilled. By the time I returned with my camera he was gone. This photo was one of my bluebirds that landed on my balcony railing and you can understand why I find them so thrilling, can't you. There is another photo of this handsome guy on an old blog post of mine HERE. Have a great Sunday.

xo

Best Dutch Door Ever

Yes, please. All the woodwork in my cottage is painted this no-color color and I love it. Isn't this Dutch door the best? The stonework is wonderful too. Teleport me there now so I can go inside. Happy Friday. I hope everyone has a great weekend. 

xo

 

House Finch

A male House Finch tucked himself into the spruce trees while the December 2022 arctic front moved in. He's beautiful and looks quite snug. ©riverwindphotography 

HOUSE FINCH

They are very plentiful at my feeder and I only have black oil sunflower seeds. They have a very distinctive beak to crack them open.

xo

My Jointed Harlequin Clown Pull Toy

Here he is in action. It wasn't easy taking this photo with one hand while pulling the string with the other. This toy is called a JUMPING JACK.

Still view. His head and hat are hand-carved wood. The body parts are jointed metal and everything is hand-painted. I have had him for ages and got him at a house contents sale (on the second day) in a condo that was for sale and under contract nearby. He was mixed up in a pile of kitchen utensils and I was surprised nobody had grabbed him. Lucky me.

xo

U P D A T E: This articulated toy is painted on the back!

Mama Pea left a comment I haven't even published yet asking me if I knew how old this toy might be. When I got up and turned it over to examine the overall condition I found out it was also painted on the back. I had completely forgotten this detail. The head is three dimensional and I love the expression on his face on the blue side. I think it is very old from early to mid 20th century. 

Thanks, Mama Pea (click on the link for her blog). You made me take a closer look and now this toy is twice as nice. 

Happy Thursday morning everyone.

xo

Geometric Shapes in My Morning Sky

View out my kitchen window early this morning. I walked past my closed Roman blinds in the living room and didn't see this amazing view until I reached the kitchen sink. I immediately went outside to get a larger view. 

One orange cloud looks like a bird in flight. The long streaks are like strokes of a pen or paint brush. The sun was rising and it was very beautiful. I ate the last two slices of a cantaloupe to celebrate the orangishness of my morning.

Happy Tuesday morning. Hope you have a great day.

xo

Cold Weather Walk

Nothing earth shattering here. I walked around my property a couple of times on a single digit day and took off my mitten to take this photo. There's not much color around but I liked the slight movement going on with the vines and leaves in this photo. They are moving but the background is not. It's much warmer now and I'm grateful. I'm looking forward to Episode 5 of the three PBS programs I will be watching tonight. Enjoy your Sunday evening too.

xo

FABLE: KING LION AND THE BEETLE

FABLES Written & Illustrated by Arnold Lobel 1980

I found a great on-line biography of this author written by his daughter Adrianne Lobel with a delightful YouTube video about an unpublished work by her father that she illustrated and published. click link to read

Arnold Lobel ~ The life and literary works of American children's author and illustrator

text from the second photo

KING LION AND THE BEETLE

King Lion looked in the mirror. "What a beautiful and noble creature I am," he said. "I will go forth to show my devoted subjects that their leader is every inch a king!" The King put on his robes of state, his large jeweled crown, and all of his gold and silver medals. As he walked down the roads of his kingdom, everyone who saw him bowed to the ground. "Yes, yes," said King Lion, "I deserve this respect from my people, for truly I am every inch a king!" There was a tiny Beetle standing near the road. When the King saw him, he cried, "Beetle, I command you to bow low before me!" "Your Royal Majesty," said the Beetle, "I know that I am small, but if you look at me closely, you will see that I am making a bow." The King leaned over. "Beetle," he said, "you are so hard to see down there. I am still not sure that you are bowing." "Your Majesty, said the Beetle, "please look more closely. I assure you that I am indeed bowing." The King leaned over a little farther. Now the robes of state, the large jeweled crown, and all of the gold and silver medals had made King Lion very top-heavy. Suddenly he lost his balance and fell on his head. With a great roar, he rolled into a ditch at the side of the road. The frightened Beetle scurried away. From head to foot, every inch of King Lion was covered with wet mud. 

It is the high and mighty who have the longest distance to fall.

Have a great weekend.

xo

FABLE: The Ducks and The Fox

At times, a change of routine can be most helpful.

FABLES

Written & Illustrated by Arnold Lobel

1980

Have a great weekend

xo

I figured out how to copy text from a photo in case you are having trouble reading the photo. Let me know if this helps.

THE DUCKS AND THE FOX 

 Two Duck sisters were waddling down the road to the pond for their morning Swim. "This is a good road," said the first sister, "but I think, just for a change, we should find another route. 'There are many other roads that lead to the pond." "No," said the second sister, "I do not agree. I really do not want to try a new way. 'This road makes me feel comfortable. I am accustomed to it." One morning the Ducks met a Fox sitting on a fence along the road. "Good morning, ladies," said the Fox. "On your way to the pond, I suppose?" "Oh, yes," said the sisters, "we come along here every day." "Interesting, said the Fox with a toothy smile. When the sun came up the next morning, the first sister said, "We are sure to meet that Fox again if we go our usual way. I did not like his looks. Today is the day that we must find another road!" "You are being just plain silly," " said the second sister. "That Fox smiled at us. He seemed most gentlemanly." The two Ducks waddled down the same road to the pond. There was the Fox, sitting on the fence. This time he carried a sack. "Lovely ladies," ' said the Fox, "I was expecting you. I am glad that you have not disappointed me." Opening his sack, he jumped upon them. The sisters quacked and screamed. They flapped and flopped their wings. They flew home and bolted their door. The next morning, the two Ducks did not go out. They rested at home to quiet their nerves. On the following day they carefully searched for a new and different road. They found one, and it took them safely to the pond. 

At times, a change of routine can be most healthful

The Crocodile in the Bedroom

Moral of the Fable: 

Without a doubt, there is such a thing as too much order.

Three pages from one of my books.

FABLES

Written and Illustrated by

ARNOLD LOBEL

1980

My plan is to post one fable until I have shown you the entire book.

xo

Rabbit Rabbit -- Hello February

The phrase rabbit rabbit is a long-held superstition thought to bring about good luck. But it's not to be uttered just any old random day. If you say it on the first day of the month, before any other words come out of your mouth, then luck will be coming your way.

I have always loved this rabbit pattern in navy blue designed by William Morris in 1882.  I have seen the wallpaper but never the fabric. The pattern was a tribute to the Uncle Remus books, first published in 1881, and a favourite of the Morris family.

Earliest Published Nursery Rhymes Book c.1744

Mary Cooper, whose two-volume Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book (1744) is the first known nursery rhyme collection, featuring early versions of well-known classics like ‘Bah, bah, a black sheep’, ‘Hickory dickory dock’, ‘London Bridge is falling down’ and ‘Sing a song of sixpence’.

The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes (1765) has a good claim to be called the first children’s novel. It tells the story of a poor orphan, Margery, who makes a career for herself as a teacher before, like a less glamorous Cinderella (with no fairy godmother, balls to attend, or glass slipper), she marries the local landowner whom she has impressed by her honesty, hard work and good sense.

Isn't this a much better story than Cinderella?

Click to enlarge the images found in a great article 

ORIGINS OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE 

in the archives of The British Library

Enjoy.

xo

Carrots and Turnips are Fine

From the Jane Johnson's personal Manuscript Nursery Library

(c. 1740-1759) at Indiana University. All 438 items are hand drawn and colored for her son as teaching items. I love this one and wish I could see all the others.

click to enlarge

Photo Source

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