Waiting for Irene

Today is prep day and it is the most beautiful morning ever with cloudless blue skies...what? This really must be the calm before the storm. I've been getting emails right and left sending me real time hurricane tracking software to download free and maps with evacuation routes. Thankfully my county is not even on the list. I am going down with the ship and staying put. I've been told there is no milk in the markets. I shopped 2 days ago so I am fine as long as we have power.

Stay safe and do everything you can to keep Irene from your door.

Kitchen with Blue and White Checked Curtains

I love the farm table with the marble top as the center island. The rest in black and white is fabulous and you know I like the checked curtains. I'll take it. via

Reading Books Makes You Better

Fine Art Flower Painting | Gerald A. Cooper

Gerald Cooper was a painter of landscapes, figurative and still life subjects. He lived in Chelsea, London in 1928, Wimbledon in 1933, and East Horsley, Surrey in 1940.

Cooper's still life paintings have become very popular since his work has been bought to the attention of the picture-buying public. His work is in the Dutch tradition of still life painting and the subjects are synonymous with the best of the early still life artists. Flowers, fruit, jugs, bowls and glass vases are visually effective tools for example, but he also used marble ledges and stone plinths sometimes draped, adding another dimension to these cleverly conceived images.

Cooper exhibited 9 pictures at the Royal Academy and 5 at The New English Art Club as well as exhibiting at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.

image

Pretty In Pink | Flower

Don't you absolutely love this spectacular image from Flower Garden?

Hummingbird Girl

Rick Beerhorst Hummingbird 2009. I think this painting is delightful, don't you?

Edward Gorey Bookplate | So True

I've always loved Edward Gorey and would love to visit the house and museum devoted to his life and works.

Another Awesome Mushroom at My Cottage

These mushrooms keep popping up here and there. Maybe the earthquake made this one emerge. I felt it just before 2:00 this afternoon here at the cottage and our local paper online reported that groceries fell off the shelves at Whole Foods. It made me feel momentarily dizzy. Hope everyone in Virginia is okay since it originated in Richmond. 

Homemade Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Ever since reading 'The Help' I've been hungry for some hot biscuits. I think I finally found the perfect recipe. I just took these out of the oven and my mother and I nearly finished them off. I have the worst oven in the world so I cooked them longer and next time I'm going to set my oven at 500 degrees. Chances are you have all the necessary ingredients on hand now so why don't you make some too. The photo above doesn't show all of them. Quote below by the author followed by the link for the recipe. I did not use my food processor. I cut the butter in with my pastry blender and did everything by hand. These were just as good as those I remember from my Southern childhood. I like my biscuits brown too.

"These biscuits are authentic - this recipe came from my Great-Great Grandmother, and was handed down to all the women in my family, and we are all Southern. I am the first one to commit the sin of using a food processor (lol) but I find it works very well. I would put these biscuits up against anyone's - they are perfect in every single way. I hope you all enjoy them. "  

Recipe here. A reader made these with gluten free flour and it worked perfectly.

Amazing Chalkboard Art

 

I am so impressed with the artistic talent of Dana Tanamachi and the amazing things she creates on chalkboards. I wonder if she has ever considered designing fonts too? When you open the link click on the first image and use the arrows to go forward. She designed the image I pictured above for a wedding reception.

Udderly Charming Creamer

This would make me smile every morning when I added the cream to my coffee. Lest we forget where milk really comes from.

image

Woody Allen illustrated quote

I scanned the drawing from an old magazine and added the text myself. Poor Woody.

Hidden Messages on US Dollar Bills

"Don't Tread On Me"

Click HERE to see 10 more hidden messages.

Map Creations Store Display

A store window display in Carmel CA uses paper maps to create unique kids' outfits including shoes. Read more . . .

Low Country Vista

Your instructions from me: Sit back, relax, and enjoy the last full week in August. Summer is almost over.

image

Mt. Kilimanjaro Elephant

An African elephant crossing the road with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background. Have you ever seen a lovelier photograph? ©Oleg Domalega

A Lovely Kitchen

 

I love the plank ceiling, the dark floor, and everything else I'm able to see too.

image

Topiary Garden in Shades of Green

Isn't this topiary garden in Thailand absolutely amazing? I should really clip my boxwood today while I'm inspired. It's nice and cool and overcast. I finished my book and it will feel good to get some exercise. Enjoy your Sunday.

One Year Ago Today
image

The Argument | Birds

Don't you wonder what this heated discussion is all about? I know I do.

image

Mosaic Elephant

Try to view some things a little differently this weekend.

image

Big Tall Mushroom at My Cottage

I ran back inside to get my camera after spotting this tall mushroom that came out of nowhere overnight. We had fierce storms yesterday afternoon with very heavy rain and boomers. All is well this morning with sun and cool temperatures.

One of my wonderful blog readers sent me her copy of THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett and I am halfway through it. It's the perfect book for summer reading, especially for a southerner. I'm so glad I haven't seen the movie yet. Thank you JudyMac. xo

Have a great weekend everyone.

God's Masterpiece by Timothy Faulkner

I'm so glad Tim had his camera handy to capture this wonderful photograph. Have a great weekend.

Beautiful Architecture | Perfect Symmetry

Isn't this little townhouse wonderfully inviting? 

image

Time to Say Goodnight

It is pitch black outside and I still have to take Webster and Piggy out for a short walk. Then I will call it an evening and jump into bed for a little TV time. I had a busy day and a birthday party this afternoon. Was fun. See you tomorrow.

image 

Morning Mist -- Somewhere

I'm feeling fall in the air here at the cottage and remembering spring.

image

Real Life Office

This looks like a real office to me instead of one that was staged. I have piles of stuff in mine too.

image

Kitchen Lust

Now you'll have to admit this is one fabulous kitchen, right?

image