Sweet Bathroom

I really like this sweet bath, don't you?
The free-standing cabinets are especially nice.
I like the sink cabinetry too. And the window mirror.
Very nice indeed. Agreed? via

Busy as A Bee

I am still as busy as a bee around the house and in the garage. I know you are tired of hearing about it but I must keep at it while the spirit moves me. I'm quite sure I am not alone. It's time to put summer away and prepare for fall and winter just like the animals do. 

I scanned this image from The Royal Book of Crests, one of my favorite antiquarian books in my own collection.

Home Library with Fireplace

Yes please. I'd like a fire today while I sit and read. A cold front came in and it's very chilly and windy. via

Wonderful Potting Bench

This would certainly come in handy for all of your potting endeavors. The big industrial wheels make this bench very useful since you can roll it around where needed. I like the galvanized top too. I put all of my watering cans away yesterday since my garage now has some extra room.

Much of the junk I put out at the road yesterday afternoon has already disappeared. Hooray. via

Botanical Wall in Spanish Summer House

I've always loved framed botanical studies and this collection in a Spanish summer house is especially attractive. Click here to see the rest of the house and be prepared to fall in love.

Hanging Out the Clothes

It's always a wonderful day when you can hang out the clothes. I did a white load today and they dried very nicely in the sun. I worked some more on cleaning out the garage too. I put another pile out at the curb for trash day a week from Monday. Webster supervised and was so happy being outside all afternoon. It was after 8pm before we all had dinner. A very productive day indeed.

This illustration is a scan I made from one of my antiquarian books:

R. Caldecott's Picture Book (No. 2) ~ The Queen of Hearts

These Chairs are Reserved

Get your own chairs.
These are saved.
via

Life's Little Instruction Book | Volume II, page 45

We love to be told what to do, don't we? 

Medieval Houses in Sarlat, Périgord France

Medieval houses in France. Because modern history has largely passed it by, Sarlat has remained preserved and one of the towns most representative of 14th century France. via It looks wonderful, doesn't it?

Fantasy Cottage Ready for Halloween

Found on Flickr. Original drawing by cottagelover1953 and these are her words:

"I know it is nuts...but each summer at the onset of hot weather I dream a bit of October weather and fat, sassy pumpkins. Can't help myself. This is the latest in my Retro Storybook Cottage series inspired by vintage book and deco era ephemera."

Vermont Children Walk Over A Mountain to School

It may be weeks before storm-damaged roads are fixed in Vermont. Until then, there is the path. Students in Vermont can honestly say they had to journey through a forest and across a mountain to get to school every day. Read more about the resiliency of Vermonters in this wonderful article in the New York Times.

This is my favorite part of the article - Don't you love Riley and his mother too?

It was raining and muddy. Several of the girls, including Charlotte Tyler, a kindergartner, wore pretty boots, but not Riley, who said all he needed was sneakers. “If you walk around the house, the mud just wears off,” he said.

Hen Adopts Ducklings

Come on in guys, there's always room for one more.
via Pixdaus

Wall of Authors

I love this wall and the rest of the delightful room too. If you were an art lover you could stencil the names of artists you admire.  via

Checking Out the Chicks with A Trunk to Beak Kiss

Isn't this just the sweetest photo you've ever seen? We can learn so much from animals about trying to get along in spite of our differences and we should. via

Transparent Sleeper Cabin - Finland

Now this is what I call camping. Wouldn't this be a nice place to bed down and dream away the hours until sunrise?

Flag Covered Inn 9-11 Memorial

The 18th century Parrot Mill Inn Chatham New Jersey draped in American flags to pay tribute to September 11.  Read more. . .

A Somber Day Tomorrow

A nice graphic for an awful day.

Weekend in a Pleasant Valley

I hope you are able to enjoy some beauty this weekend as a welcome relief from two weeks of hard work. I cleaned out my garage yesterday and Webster's new occupation is sitting at the window watching people pick through our stuff out by the road and haul it away. The town's annual pickup is two weeks from Monday and hopefully there won't be much left by then. xo

Perfect Farmhouse Porch

Sonoma California contemporary farmhouse porch designed by Walker Warner Architects. You'll love the rest of the house too. Have a great weekend.

Save Your Hollyhock Seeds

Don't forget to save those dried hollyhock pods in your seed saving envelopes. Click on the link (and keep scrolling down) to choose and print the free patterns I've created for you over the years.

Dutch Door Kitchen

I have a thing for dutch doors and I really like this one with the small window in the top part. This kitchen with the sloped plank ceiling and the window walls is simply wonderful and I could spend many happy hours in there cooking away. 

I though it was time to change the subject. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Happy Friday.

Fabulous Library -- Somewhere

I would dearly love to know more about this amazing library. I've tried researching the photo but can't find out a thing. I'll update the post if I ever find more information. Be safe until we are out of this dreadful pattern of tropical storms in the east. 

Bone Dry This Morning

I am thrilled to report that my utility room on the lower level is  bone dry this morning after a night of rain. I found some little 'sand bags' in the attic yesterday that I got at a tag sale. They are actually draft dodgers for under the door. I positioned them outside where I thought the water was entering. My trench across the street is a small stream so it is working too. All in all I'm very happy and now I can concentrate on other things. Thanks for all of your comments offering encouragement. 

I love this southern house in Washington Virginia designed to catch the breeze found here.

I Do Love A Good Trench

Some might view this as a bike path but to me it's a beautiful trench. I was out again today perfecting my trench on the other side of the road with my pickaxe and my bathtub is completely full of wet muddy clothes. I have to say I am feeling very good physically after all my hard work dealing with the water in the basement and on the road. Instead of going to the gym people should do some manual labor. Thanks for all of your concern. Last night's ordeal was nothing like Irene Sunday and I think the worst is over. xo
via

Natural Disasters

A farmer and his two sons during a dust storm in Cimarron County, Oklahoma, 1936. Photo: Arthur Rothstein.

Natural disasters are nothing new. Picture this with water and it pretty much sums up my plight here at the cottage. I was outside in the dark across the street swinging the broad side of a pickaxe trying to create a trench to reroute the water coming over the road from the steep slope and paved driveway across from me. Then it was down to the basement to keep the water contained in the utility room with portable pumps and my trusty shop vac. I am happy to say I was successful.

A county engineer with the road department will be coming by soon to view my situation and hopefully come up with a solution. This is the first time I have had water in the cottage since I bought it in 2001. Fingers crossed.

Regards, Superwoman.

Water Over The Dam on Irene Sunday

This is the waterfall around the corner from me near Piggy's house. I found the photo on the Chatham Patch. Now do you understand why I am upset by even a little rain? The grass you see on the left is normally an open field. A quiet country road is under the red truck. Click here to view the lake behind the waterfall.

This is a photo of a local dog swimming through the parking lot of the Minisink Swim Club in Chatham. I hope he was just going for a recreational dog paddle without a membership badge and got ashore safely.

Fresh Acorns

We are in a dreadful weather pattern in the east, aren't we? Three solid days of rain are predicted. So far, so good after it started last night. Rain doesn't make for a restful night for me if you know what I mean.

I'm looking forward to getting some acorns from the way back but I'll have to get down there early in the day before the wild turkeys eat them. via