Blue and White on a Kitchen Wall

Just my style! I love this kitchen wall and the artful arrangement of the owner's collection of blue and white Staffordshire serving pieces. The artwork is perfect and the Staffordshire figures add a bit of color and interest. The decorative shelf supports are lovely but don't compete with the wall arrangement thanks to the white paint. You have to look very carefully to see the subway tile backsplash. There is so much to absorb in this single photo found in Victoria Magazine. Enjoy looking and have a great weekend. xo

Cast Iron Chicken in Snow

A view from my pantry window this 20° Friday morning showing the long shadows of my cast iron chicken. It has been too cold for the melting of snow but some of it has evaporated and is leaning where the sun hits. I have finally learned, after owning my cottage since 2001, how to deal with the snow. Now I just take care of the accumulation in the wide entrance opposite my front door and let the other side of my semi-circular driveway melt on its own. 

"We are too soon old, and too late smart."

Today is International Women's Day. This link could keep me busy all day.

Battenberg Cake YUM

I have never heard of a Battenberg Cake, have you?

I think the green icing is marzipan. Double YUM.

I have seen photos of this cake with each square being a different color or two colors arranged in a checkerboard pattern. Plain white cake is fine with me.

Deer Sighting

Nothing exciting, just a deer walking by in my woods. She looks fat and healthy, doesn't she? This doe was walking with a group but they were too far apart from each other to get them all together.

Gardener's Hand Soap

I love this French handmade gardener's hand soap and the natural bristle nail brush in the background.  The soap dish looks like a hard rubber waterproof flower pot too. Gardening is currently on my mind even though any possibility of doing any digging in the dirt is buried under piles of snow at my cottage. 

I was just looking at my calendar trying to decide when to pay certain bills and I was shocked to see Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend on March 10th. WHY? I love the way the sun is behaving right now!!! See you later. xo

Big Snow Last Night

I took this photo around 10:30 this morning before starting my 3-hour shoveling marathon. The snow was much lovelier earlier with every tree branch covered. No more snow is in the forecast for at least another week, thankfully. Cold all week but 50° on Sunday. 

I still jumped rope 100 times, did my 25 sit ups and some stretching after I took a break and watched the climbing movie. See you tomorrow. xo

Oscar Winning Documentary on NatGeo Tonight

I watched the Oscars this year all the way to the finish and saw this film win Best Documentary Feature. The preview intrigued me as I am fearful of heights. I can't even climb a ladder to clean my first floor gutters much less scale a vertical rock with no rope. That's what Free Soloing is -- rock climbing without a rope. I don't expect many of you will be interested in this film but maybe you can share with someone who might enjoy a free showing. This documentary appeared in theaters in 2018. The photo above is a screen shot from my phone via my Verizon FiOS app. Your channel number for the National Geographic channel will probably be different. 

{ click photo to enlarge }

IMPORTANT: Set your DVR tonight for this -- the final episode of VICTORIA, Season 3 on PBS. I'm looking forward to seeing Albert's project: The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park for the Grand International Exhibition of 1851. I will be so sad to see this series go. This is the last season Albert was in every episode. Sniff. Sniff.

Saturday Morning Snowfall: My Cottage

I have yet to open my front door since the snow stopped a short while after I got up. This photo is the view from my bedroom window looking toward the well-plowed road. I am so happy I live on a County road that is plowed frequently!!! The melting has already begun but I'm going to wait until after lunch to start shoveling when it's even warmer. I think I got 4 or 5 inches. Not too bad. See you later. xo

March First: Lion or Lamb?

I really wasn't expecting to wake up to snow this morning, on the first day of March. I am calling this arrival a Lamb because all I have to do is shovel my front walk and clean off my car. No plowing is required on my circular driveway since I have 4-wheel drive. I might have to change this to Lion weather depending on the snow that's predicted for both days of the next two consecutive weekends. Fingers crossed. I usually depend on the sun to melt my balcony and my car but it will be hiding until Monday. Be safe wherever you are. xo

Vintage Laundry Sinks on Stands

I spotted these old porcelain beauties on cast iron stands at a Broker Open House earlier this week. I have a double porcelain sink in my own kitchen (click link to view) and would love to have these two for my finished basement. One for the laundry room and the other for the summer kitchen. I, personally, like having a laundry room in my basement. I have drying racks in the furnace room for the items I don't like to put in the dryer. Not pretty, but practical. I think one of the sinks above is being used as a drain for a dehumidifier. At one time the washer and dryer were down here but now they are upstairs in this antique house. I am probably the only real estate agent who toured this home and found beauty in the basement. Smile. xo

Wild Snowdrops

I saved this Instagram photo of naturalized snowdrops on the grounds of an English Manor House. Mine are just sending up their green shoots but it will be a while before they are mature enough to bloom. I brought them with me from my old house when I moved in my cottage. Snowdrops are my favorite harbingers of spring.

Geraniums 1888

GERANIUMS

Childe Hassam

1888

via

Broker Open House Today

I have this circa 1835 renovation bookmarked for a broker open house tour today. Isn't it fabulous? Can't wait! All photos from GSMLS. All the other rooms are fabulous too. See you later. xo

Laundry Room in a Vintage House

A laundry room and mud room in an old house that was recently sold in my area. I loved it when I toured at a broker open house and I'm happy someone shared my taste and purchased it. Photo from GSMLS.

Spectacular Bathroom

Everything I see in this bathroom is wonderful. It ticks all the boxes, for sure! Simple, elegant, and luxurious. via

Kitchen with a Red AGA Range

This bright red AGA range is beautiful next to the gray custom cabinetry. I so wish I could see the rest of this kitchen! via

Jumping Rope is My New Exercise

I picked up this jump rope a week ago yesterday at a rummage sale. It's far from perfect but it has gotten me into jumping in my kitchen with the high ceiling. I have ordered a better one that is on the way and should arrive on Monday. I have been looking for a way to exercise without buying a machine or going to a gym. 

I did a lot of research before ordering my new rope and this is the best article I found. Here's the link: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/building-up-bones-with-a-little-bashing/
Be sure to read the comments too. They have as much information as the article.

Jumping rope is NOT bad for your knees. It's actually good for them. From everything I've read, it's the best exercise for your bones you can do. A really long time ago there was a program on PBS called "Bones for Life by Ruthy Alon". It was so interesting and informative. I wish I had recorded it because the DVD set sells for a whopping $300.00 and it is currently out of stock. She has her own channel on YouTube and you can watch her sessions free of charge. The one thing I remember from the PBS program was something you are supposed to do when you first get up in the morning to stimulate new bone growth. In bare feet, you are supposed to go up on your toes and go down hard on your heels. Do this at least five (5) times.

I started doing my situps again too. I don't do crunches. I just lie flat on the floor with my hands to my sides and go up to a sitting position and then down to touch my toes. I use nothing but my abdominal muscles and this made-up method works best for me. I am doing 25 repeats before retiring at night. I am not good at all with the rope I got last week but I am doing 100 jumps. So far, 22 consecutive jumps is the best I've done. I just keep counting (even my misses) until I reach 100. I am feeling so good and so much stronger, especially in my lower back. Will keep you posted on my progress. Time to jump now!!!! xo

UPDATE: Here's another great article written by a 91 year old woman who jumps rope.

Snow Melt Day

As you can see from the icicles on my balcony railing and the sheen on the tabletops, the sun is trying to burn through the clouds and the melting has already begun. By eleven o'clock this morning, the thermometer will be reading numbers in the 40° section. I always like for the sun to do the hard part before I go outside and deal with the small amount of snow on my front walk and front windshield. I did the hard part yesterday. Once again, I am happy to report another not-too-bad snowfall. I am so thankful too! I put this photo on my Instagram feed today. Enjoy your Thursday. xo

Cute Wallpaper in a Laundry Room

This post will be short and sweet. I'm pooped from shoveling. Not much snow and easy to get rid of but I did most of the driveway too. I photographed this wallpaper in a laundry room at a broker open house some time back. xo

Full Moon on my Tall Case Clock

I am so happy I looked at my calendar this morning and learned tonight was the full moon. I'm not that surprised because when I went to bed last night the moon was very bright. Luckily, I was able to move the moon dial on my tall case clock this morning. There is some sort of gear that locks it into position at certain times of the day but it was unlocked at 9:20 this morning. My kitchen has a low cathedral ceiling. My roofline is in sections and this was the lowest part of my attic and there was no way to stand up in any part of it. It just made good sense to incorporate it into my country kitchen at the time I was renovating 2002-2003. I had no idea the other ceilings in my cottage on the main floor with the one-room-wide living room, hallway to my two bedrooms, and full bath were 7'8" and my clock needs a full 8' to stand up with the center finial. This was the ONLY place to put it when I moved in and it turned out to be absolutely perfect. Isn't it funny how unplanned things sometimes turn out so well? See you later. xo

My Home Office in Pantry: Rearranged

Click on either photo to enlarge. When I sit at my drafting table under the window to work on my laptop and pay bills, I needed more room to spread out my papers, make entries in my check book and file the papers until they can go to the attic filing cabinet.

I added a side table for a more efficient work space. It's an old cutting board attached to an antique adjustable wrought iron base on wheels found at a rummage sale years ago. It had been in use in my basement kitchen that is no longer in use since my mother passed. I got the brilliant idea to put it in the pantry for more horizontal space for my favorite things. I do best when everything is in plain sight rather than in drawers. There is a small separate bookcase that fits perfectly underneath to hold wire baskets for unpaid bills, etc. I am thrilled with the way it all worked out. I have played around in there for a couple of weeks and yesterday I finally declared it perfect.

Walking on Slippery Ice

I have blue skies and bright sun this morning but it's still below the freezing mark. I MUST go out and hack up my icy patches with a pick axe so they will hopefully melt later today. More snow is on the way overnight turning to rain Monday morning with temps in the 40s and that will be good. Hopefully all will melt before nightfall since it's going down to 18° and there will be more ice. Take care if you aren't as sure-footed as these penguins.
I thoroughly enjoyed the three-episode mini series on Penguins called SPY IN THE HUDDLE. I can't remember whether it was on NatGeo or BBC America. It's on Netflix now, so if you are a penguin fan, look for it and watch it. It is a fascinating series with an up-close look as spy cam decoys are set up in the penguin colonies. BBC photo above.

Trees with Long Shadows

I love this wonderful linocut by Australian artist, Anita Laurence, entitled Winter II. I have always thought it would be fun to learn this craft but sadly I am not at all artistic in this way. Have a great weekend. xo

New England Gambrel Roof Cottage with Plans

See the house plans for this vintage New England cottage with a Gambrel Roof and more small homes with this barn-style roof here and larger homes here.

Quilted Valentines

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

I love these quilted hearts made from an old red and white patchwork quilt. The blanket stitching around the edges is perfect. via
See all my previous posts about Valentine's Day here.

Leather Buttons

This is probably a tailor's sample but I love this idea. If you have buttons that are similar but the colors are different, why not use them on a garment you are sewing? Make the buttonholes in different colors too, to match the buttons. via
I have temps above freezing and the sun is shining brightly this morning but the sky will cloud over this afternoon. I must deal with my car's frozen front windshield and my front walk. Be careful if you have ice. xo

Egg Carton + Egg Shell Seed Starters

I must start saving my egg shells to use in the lid of the egg carton. I adore this idea for a DIY seed starting kit. Be sure to buy your eggs in paper cartons from now on. It is cold and wintery today with a mixture of rain and snow and slippery roads. A friend just called and she said she had to use her four-wheel drive to get home from an early morning appointment. I'm not going out at all except to walk to the mailbox once the mailman arrives late this afternoon. Be safe wherever you are. xo 

Beautiful Floral Wallpaper

Odessa Garden Damask wallpaper in white. A unique take on the classic damask, this contemporary wallpaper that features ornate flowers is a wonderful feature wall option. via

Available in black too. Details and ordering information here.

19th Century Handmade Southern Crafts: High Museum Atlanta Exhibit

Unknown African-American Maker: A North Carolina Quilted Bedcover, ca. 1875–1900, cotton top, linen back, and cotton stuffing. High Museum of Art, Atlanta; on view through August 4, 2019

HAND TO HAND: SOUTHERN CRAFT OF THE 19TH CENTURY 

Stoneware water cooler attributed to Thomas Chandler, Phoenix Factory, South Carolina, c. 1840. This photo is from an article in The Magazine Antiques about the High Museum exhibition. See more items and read the article here. 

I thought these wonderful images would be a good contribution to African-American History Month.

Pussy Willow Embroidery

Do you love pussy willows too? Isn't this embroidery lovely? There is a big tree near me and maybe the owners will let me cut some this spring. I would love to have a sweater embellished with this needlework. via

xo, Rosemary

Content in a Cottage

A secure blog established in 2008.

Overwintering Nasturtiums in my Attic

These two small pots of nasturtiums were dug up in the fall and they have continued to thrive in my cool attic all winter long. I never tire of looking at their bright green round leaves on red stems  and am quite amazed at how hardy they are for annuals. They ask for nothing but to be watered when they begin to dry out. I also pick off the yellow leaves. They bloomed for a long time in the fall too. From now on, I'm calling them tender perennials and I'm happy I'll have a couple of plants to put out in the spring instead of having to wait for my seeds to sprout. 

xo, Rosemary @ Content in a Cottage

Blueberry Pancakes on the Wood Stove

Blueberry pancakes cooked on a blue wood stove. Yum. I am sure they taste extra delicious cooked this way. I have bright sun and a high today of 43° but it feels warmer because of the sunshine. I understand the deep south is having a heatwave. Mother Nature always likes to tease us in February! xo, Rosemary @ Content in a Cottage