One of the most eagerly-awaited design elements of the London 2012 Summer Olympics was launched on Friday - the pictograms. Read more and see a second version. 
I took these pictures yesterday to show the condition of my kitchen after working for 2 weeks with my carpenter/handyman around the cottage.
Every tool, rag, can of paint, etc. that I provided for various jobs ended up on my kitchen table. To eat lunch every day, we just shoved the stuff aside.
I have the weekend off and won't do much besides try to put everything away. He's coming back on Monday to help me put weather stripping on some exterior doors to make the house warmer. I've got a list going of other things I want to get done too.
We're on a roll and I can't let him go until the major things are done to get ready for winter. We are going to paint the exterior next spring. It feels so good to have accomplished so much in the past 2 weeks.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip at Balmoral. Her Royal Highness has instructed her police bodyguards to trade their gas-guzzling Range Rovers for black mountain bikes whenever possible.
The switch to bicycles is designed to reduce fuel consumption and establish a greener way of guarding the Royal Family during their summer break. The officers are pleased to be getting good workouts and saving fuel at the same time.
The Queen's company, The Crown Estate, has purchased the world's largest offshore wind turbine known as the Britannia project. The company is also involved in the development of offshore windfarms in Scottish waters. The experiment worked. Make it fun and more people will choose to get their exercise by walking up the stairs instead of using the escalator. Reminded me of Tom Hanks in the movie BIG playing that foot-operated piano keyboard.
Thanks for stopping by the cottage for a little fun today. ♥Rosemary
My leaves don't have this much color and have just started turning loose. Not enough to rake yet. I plan on doing a good mowing as soon as it is dry enough after today's predicted rain.
I got this miniature painted rocker at a house sale for almost no money several years ago. I love it.
I didn't get poison ivy even once this year and I'm so pleased. Maybe the horrible case I got 2 years ago helped build up my immunity. Hope so!
Webster would be right at home with this gang of tv-watching dogs. Of course he'd have to have a cusion and a blanket.
I scanned this image from one of my books and made this illustrated gardening quote by Rudyard Kipling a while back. I've been in a carpentry/painting mode lately and am quite glad I don't have to take care of any plants just now. My geraniums that were recently moved inside are just enough.
Hopefully you don't have to work since today is Columbus Day. I just woke up with nothing prepared so I'm sending you to History.com to learn all about this holiday. You'll be able to watch videos and click around to your heart's content if you are curious. My helper is already here and I haven't even had a cup of coffee. Home maintenance around the cottage is never done. Thanks for stopping by. ♥Rosemary
"I found a picture of this the other day while searching for photos from Kansas City and I knew I had to go photograph it myself. This is probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen. I live here and I've never heard of it before—it makes me wonder what other secrets my hometown might be hiding." Jonathan Moreau
What secrets are hiding in your hometown?
Some info from the kclibrary.org website about the books, an art piece called "Community Bookshelf"
"The Community Bookshelf is a striking feature of Kansas City's downtown. It runs along the south wall of the Central Library's parking garage on 10th Street between Wyandotte Street and Baltimore Avenue. The book spines, which measure approximately 25 feet by 9 feet, are made of signboard mylar. The shelf showcases 22 titles reflecting a wide variety of reading interests as suggested by Kansas City readers and then selected by The Kansas City Public Library Board of Trustees." See more photos in the following article: Read more about the features of this architectural wonder here.
Thanks for stopping by the cottage for a repeat performance. I published this post over a year ago and it remains popular. Those of you who haven't seen it should enjoy it. Make the most of the long weekend...I know I will. ♥Rosemary
It was too wet to paint my new fence yesterday. Today looks much better according to the weather report. We'll see how it shapes up after the morning mist burns off. I'm looking forward to opening that brand new can of white paint! This is my balcony earlier this summer.
It's Columbus Day Weekend and I hope you are going to spend some time in the country. The fall color is just beginning to pop at my house but it is in full swing as you drive farther north.
I love this open porch with the painted floor and the beautiful view. The benches are very special on either side of the farm table. The whole setting is very nice.
I've always loved this Picasso quote. I made this illustrated quote and published it on my blog earlier this year. Yesterday I helped put up a hand rail going up to the loft above my garage. I learned something new by helping the carpenter.
I took this photo of a maple leaf in full fall color with a black fleece blanket as the background. It's more fun to photograph the leaves that it is to rake them!
Wooden blocks with words of wisdom stamped on all sides. These would be fun to make out of scrap lumber.
This is what the fence looks like so far. There are no words that can express how hard and time consuming this task has been but I am very pleased with the results. It is just primed at this point. All the pickets had to be removed and 6" was cut off the bottom. The horizontal board (in plastic) is a nice save and I love the way it looks. The posts were originally encased in wood boxes with decorative elements at the top and bottom. The old pickets were set between the boxes which weren't holding up well either. I decided to put the nailers on top of the pressure treated posts that were under the boxes and attach the pickets on top with all the posts behind. My friend had to cut 8 new pickets because of the new arrangement. The finials are old turned door stops that I got at a flea market for $1.00 each. I love them. I've been at this job with my helper for a week now and we are almost finished. I had to do a lot by myself last weekend...washing all the boards with bleach and soapy water to get rid of the mildew plus sanding and priming. I've enjoyed every minute of it.
Here is an old photo showing the condition of the pickets before the extensive repairs began last week.
One of the geraniums I brought into the house to winter over is just putting out new blossoms. I do enjoy house plants this time of year. Six geraniums, 3 pink and 3 red plus my giant rosemary bush are just enough inside my cottage.
The metal table with a glass top was picked up from the curb. Really. My town's once a year trash day is a picker's delight. I got this from a house right around the corner. Isn't it perfect for my plants? Sometimes I can't believe my own luck.
Thanks for stopping by the cottage to look at a few of my photos. ♥Rosemary