Love Stamp Series Slideshow

Here is a nice little slideshow featuring a collection of LOVE STAMPS from previous years. I don't buy many stamps these days since I learned how to pay my bills online. I've shown my favorite one above. Love Stamp Series Slideshow

Dreaming of Tulips

"A Group of Tulips" from Robert Thornton's The Temple of Flora published in London in 1799. I scanned this image from the cover of one of my reference books on flower prints from 1799-1900. It's nice to think there are tulips beneath all of this snow that will be blooming in a couple of months. 

We had a rather balmy day yesterday with the thermometer hitting 60 degrees. It's cold again today though. I decided to tackle shoveling the snow from my balcony off the living room so I could get to the bird feeder. The snow was over a foot deep and it was wet and heavy because of the melting temperatures. It was a rather difficult task because I had to throw the snow over the railing and it was pretty strenuous. I did it ~ wonder woman that I am. Now I don't have to worry about the melting snow dripping through the floorboards on the patio below and freezing once again. One more job I can check off my list.

American Silver Nutmeg Grater

I've never seen an antique American Silver nutmeg grater in this classical urn form. From the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Details here. 

EAT MY WORDS ~ This Book Looks Good

"It’s a wonderful book which reaches far beyond recipes (or receipts as they were called long ago) and into the social lives of women, the struggle for equality in regards to learning how to read and write, and the struggle of women to become published authors." via

Travel Poster: Siena - Tuscany

A wonderful early travel poster circa 1910 promoting Italian tourism from the print collection of The Boston Public Library. Subject: Tuscany - Siena.

Vintage Bathroom

I love the tiled ceiling and double pedestal sink. This bathroom is timeless, isn't it?

A Valentine's Day Surprise

I hope there's a Valentine's Day surprise under your door today.

Sunflower Hearts

Happy Valentine's Day. I took this picture a several years ago and I still marvel at the heart-shaped stamens. This is an actual photo right out of the camera. I didn't even notice the heart shapes until I copied the photos to my computer or I would have taken more. I have never seen another sunflower like this either and I always look when they start to bloom. This one self-sowed and came up near the birdfeeder. Read a previous post about this flower.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

I'll have this song stuck in my head all day now. It's such a nice graphic, isn't it?

Giraffe Love

Too dear for words. I've always loved giraffes, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species. via

Pablo Picasso Illustrated Quote

I love this quote by Pablo Picasso and his self-portrait too. You can only learn something new by trying.

The Roofs of Paris 1886

Here is a wonderful image of Paris to brighten your Sunday.
Vincent-van-Gogh-The-Roofs-of-Paris-1886

A Beautiful Antique Valentine

Nothing store bought could ever compare to something hand made. I would love to see the inside of this beautiful antique valentine. Did you make yours yet?

via Two Straight Lines

Audubon's Tea by Kevin Sloan

An amazing and extremely imaginative work of art entitled Audubon's Tea by Kevin Sloan. The artist was recently featured in American Art Collector ~ read and see more.  

Owls Celebrating Valentine's Weekend

This happy owl couple is getting a jump on Valentine's Day weekend. Hope you are too. 

A Busy Mother Bird and Her Triplets

This busy mother bird needs help keeping the little ones fed, doesn't she? I love this photo.

Cottage Love

I magically woke up here this morning because I dreamed about England last night. Have a wonderful weekend. via 

Baby Goat in Snow with Sled

Hey, I'm just a kid. You should find a big goat to pull me in this sled. via Pixdaus

Designing a Winter Garden

I have always cut my echinacea down to the ground in the fall but now I see the beauty of leaving them untouched for the winter.

Piet Oudolf on Designing a Winter Garden Gardens in winter are typically deemed dormant, but Piet Oudolf believes that they shouldn’t be. Mr. Oudolf, who is Dutch, is the leading exemplar of the new Perennials Landscape Movement, which holds that plants should be chosen for shape and texture more than for color. See his SlideShow via NYTimes

One of Mr. Oudolf’s ideas is that a garden should be designed to have a life throughout the year, not just in the spring and summer. “The garden in winter is an emotional experience,” he said. “You think in terms of decay and disappearing and coming back. You feel the life cycle of nature."

"If you make a four-season garden you have to learn to accept decay and see the beauty of it. It’s about the texture and shape, the seed heads and the skeletons. So instead of using the scissors you use your eyes," said Mr. Oudolf.

Happy Friday

There is still plenty of time left in the day to try and get everything done all by yourself so you can have a great weekend.

Antique Milk Glass Hen on a Nest

This is a miniature Hen on a Nest that sits on my windowsill over the sink. Did you know that genuine milk glass has an orange peel color when you hold it up to the light? The sun was shining through this piece when I took the photograph. 

I am a good war chicken

I eat little and produce a lot

Je suis une brave poule de guerre

Je mange peu et produis beaucoup

Artist: G. Douanne, 1917 or 1918

Paris: Union Française; Comité National de Prévoyance et d'Economies. I saved this poster from World War I to go with my own little chicken.

Phoebe Howard - East Hampton Interior Design

Take a little break and view 50 photos featuring Phoebe Howard's lovely interiors in an East Hampton house.