White Kitchen with A Dark Floor

This morning I'm liking this wonderful kitchen from ElleDecor. I love the width of the floorboards and the ebonized stain too. I don't know if I would have the nerve to ever go this dark but I think it looks very nice.

Happy Monday everyone. We are having a break from the heat today. It's only 75 degrees and the high is predicted to be 82. That sounds absolutely wonderful to me, but it's going to heat up again tomorrow. Maybe I'll get something done outside this morning in the way of weeding. See you later.

Goodnight Windmill

I don't see the moon so I'll say goodnight to the windmill. See you in the morning. We had a hard rain for about 15 minutes and it is a little cooler but a lot steamier. xo

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Say Yes To Thick Stone Walls

I like everything I see in this wonderful photo, especially the thick stone walls and completely exposed beamed ceiling.

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Laugh

Yes. Always laugh when you can.

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Moonlight Sailing

Wishing you smooth sailing wherever you go this weekend. Don't you absolutely love the stillness on the lake at sunset? ©MNFISH

Reflections in Germany

Burg Vischering Germany -- so beautiful and cool looking.

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Cupcake Break

Reach in and get your afternoon cupcake. It's time to take a break and eat something delicious and decadent. I think these toffee crunch cupcakes fit the bill, don't you? Enjoy. Are you having a nice weekend?

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Life's Little Instruction Book | Volume II, page 41

 

 

A page from a book written by a father to a son. Life doesn't come with an instruction book, so he wrote one.

A Dose of Pachyderm Love for A Saturday

We love elephants as much as we love England's royalty. This mother and child were photographed in Kenya by ©Eric Lafforgue

An Over The Top Kitchen

with a La Cornue, France range. Mega bucks. Do you think this is a real working kitchen or a trophy kitchen? I get the feeling from what I can see that you'd have do a lot of walking here. via House Beautiful.

A Shrine to Laundry

There are no words. This could be my favorite laundry room out of all I've ever posted. I'm picturing the clothes line and the cutting garden just outside this room.

UPDATE:  I found out this was The HGTV Green Home 2010 and I found a website with many more pictures of this wonderful home - HERE.

Old Book Wide Cotton Tape | Love.This

There are so many creative crafters out there. I love this cotton tape. I can think of so many ways to use it too. Old Book Wide Cotton Tape

World Globe Ice Cream Cone

Treat yourself to something cool today. I must tell you that I am absolutely loving the creamy lemon popsicles I blogged about recently. I've made them 5 times so far and today I'll use the 6th lemon for another batch. I have adjusted the recipe for my taste.

 

Creamy Lemon Popsicles Recipe
1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice The juice of one lemon (or lime) with pulp
2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel The zest on one lemon. Zest before juicing it.
pinch of salt not necessary
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Whisk sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in buttermilk.

Divide mixture among popsicle molds. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.

Here's how I make mine -- I just pour the buttermilk in a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup, add the sugar, stir until dissolved and then add the rest of the ingredients. I have a set of 6 tupperware popsicle molds and there is a little left over. I pour the extra into a heavy milk glass  cup. I run to the freezer often to stir the contents of the cup and have a bonus treat way before the popsicles have frozen completely. They are the most delicious and refreshing things for this kind of weather. I've experimented with other liquids. Once I used 3/4 cup of plain soy milk with 1/2 cup plain yogurt. That worked well too. I don't have any buttermilk so today I might try a batch with only soymilk and another batch with only yogurt. But wait...I only have one lemon so I may have to go out for more. I simply cannot be without these popsicles that delight my mouth with the perfect combination of sweet and sour. Enjoy.

Catherine in Trench and Red Scarf

Proof that it's not hot everywhere. She looks stunning in whatever she wears, doesn't she. Her taste is impeccable. And she always looks so happy.

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First Garden

at her first home.
So lovely!

Cats at Home

 

I absolutely love illustrations of animals doing people things in domestic surroundings. These cats have a real eye for interior design and they have such varied interests. I especially like the kitchen under the stairs; totally charming. This split level could work very nicely for people too. ©Franco Matticchio, illustration for "Gioia Casa" 2006 via Flickr.

Wheelin' Tortoise

A 12-year-old African spur-thighed tortoise shows off his new front "leg" at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. Gamera had to have his leg removed after an infection set in. To aid in the tortoise's recovery, doctors at WSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital replaced his leg with a small swiveling ball-type caster attached to its shell with an epoxy adhesive. AP Photo/BCU/WSU, Henry Moore, Jr.

The nearly teenage mutant turtle is particularly good at moving toward food, and has gained 3 pounds since the wheel was attached. He's getting around too since the caster-style appendage allows navigation on both flat and lumpy surfaces like lawns. The 23-pound tortoise was named Gamera after the giant flying turtle of the old Japanese monster movies. I love this happy story, don't you?

Heatwave Solution | Bulldog on Ice

If you see a pile of ice this week, jump in it. 

Newborn Baby Asian Elephant | You Will Love Her

Newborn female Asiatic Elephant (Elephas Maximus) calf born to Johti, a 44-year-old, at Ostrava’s Zoo in the Czech Republic. The calf was born on April 15. Photo by Joe Klamar - May 31, 2011

Asian elephants have a maximum recorded lifespan of 86 years. Story and more pictures available here.

Painted Porch Floor

I couldn't have done a better job myself laying out the diamonds on this painted porch floor. Whole white diamonds edge to edge and half black diamonds making the border. It takes a lot of math to figure out a pattern using only full diamonds and half diamonds. Very nice indeed.

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15th Century BOOK OF HOURS - Heart-Shaped When Opened

The little book of hours of Amiens Nicolas Blairie, carefully written on a thin Ruling rose, but modestly decorated with some original illuminations in ink (folio 29), has the curious shape of an almond when it is closed. When it opens, the two halves of the almond bloom to fit the contours of a heart, concrete evocation of the heart of the person praying the prayer that opens.

The Book of Hours was a devotional book popular in the later Middle Ages. It is the most common type of surviving medieval illuminated manuscript. Like every manuscript, each manuscript book of hours is unique in one way or another, but most contain a similar collection of texts, prayers and psalms, often with appropriate decorations, for Christian devotion. Illumination or decoration is minimal in many examples, often restricted to decorated capital letters at the start of psalms and other prayers, but books made for wealthy patrons may be extremely lavish, with full-page miniatures. BNF - L'Aventures des écritures. Matières et formes : Livre d’heures à l’usage d’Amiens

A Lovely

photo for you this morning. I'm running a little behind since I slept late and now I must get ready for a dental appointment. Routine cleaning...no worries. See you later.

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Virtual Bedroom for Tonight

How do you like tonight's virtual bedroom? It looks like a good one to sleep in with ice cold air conditioning. I might not open the windows the way I usually do. Are you holding up okay in this heat wave? So far, so good for me. I even managed a bit of yard work outside this afternoon. Sleep tight and I'll see you in the morning. xo

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Oriental Poppy | Papaver orientale

Hand colored engraving by William Curtis. London, 1788. From the collection of the Smithsonian Institution Library. 

Origin: The Mediterranean, Persia 
Class: Perennial 
Display period: May, June 
Height: 2-4 feet 
Environment: Sun

In Pursuit of The Perfect Bath

This one is certainly a contender. Don't you love the room and the simplicity of the furnishings in this bath?

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Snail Mail My Email | Try It.

This looks like fun. Will you do it? http://snailmailmyemail.org/index.html

Zucchini Fritters - Greek Style

Greek Style Zucchini Fritters
(makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:
2 cups zucchini (grated, and squeezed to drain)
1 handful fresh herbs (such as parsley, dill, mint; chopped)
2 green onions (chopped)
1/4 cup feta (crumbled)
1/2 cup flour (feel free to use whole wheat)
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons oil

Directions:
1. Mix the zucchini, herbs, green onion, feta, flour, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a pan.
3. Spoon the zucchini mixture into the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with Greek cucumber salad alongside.

Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber Salad)
(makes 4 appetizer sized servings)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or strained yogurt
1/2 cup cucumber (peeled, seeded, and shredded, squeezed and drained)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or mint (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 splash ouzo (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Mix everything and let chill in the fridge for an hour or more to let the flavours mingle.

Recipes found here. This is the perfect time of year for both.

Enjoy.

Pool of The Year

Have you ever seen a lovelier pool? I wish I knew more about it but I don't. Beautiful photograph too. I had a wonderful weekend...hope you did too. 
It's in Greece. Thanks Marcy and Pauline.

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The Fleeting Beach Sand Art of Jim Denevan

More photos here. When you have time check out the other links at the top of his website.

Jim Denevan makes temporary drawings on sand, earth and ice that are eventually erased by waves and weather. Absolutely amazing, wouldn't you agree?

Where Are The People?

I hope they are off somewhere in the yard playing a wicked game of croquet. Have a wonderful Sunday. It's a delightful morning here at my cottage. xo

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Goodnight Kisses

Goodnight kisses all around. I'm hitting the hay. via Baby Lions and Their Mothers.

I See The Moon

Don't forget to look at the moon before you go to bed tonight. This very moon was in the sky outside my bedroom window last night but I can never get my photos to look like this. It was the first night of the full moon and it was orange like a harvest moon too. I've had a great day so far today...hope you have too.

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