Horse Trough Tub

This horse tough has been heavily enameled so it will never rust. I cannot tell whether or not it is galvanized metal but it probably is. I love it. Found here. The rest of the room is equally amazing.

Childhood Drawings Brought to Life

This post full of drawings like this will definitely make you smile. The dad who photoshopped them deserves a medal. see more here.

House All Lit Up at Dusk

This house looks like it's ready for autumn, doesn't it? Can you believe it is September eve? via

Getty Museum Challenge Favorite

This is one of my favorite look-alike photos from the Getty Museum Art Challenge on Instagram. It is a strangely wonderful reenactment of a famous painting. Can you see it too? Have a great weekend. xo

Famous Overstuffed Blueberry Muffins

These muffins are a clone of "The Famous Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins" — which were indeed famous up until the mid-1990s, when Jordan's, one of Boston's two iconic department stores (Filene's being the other) was absorbed by Macy's and effectively disappeared. These overstuffed muffins, with their signature sugary crown, were served in the Jordan Marsh dining room on the top floor of the store, where dedicated shoppers went to rest and compare purchases while sipping tea and enjoying a muffin — blueberry, of course. See recipe here. I always have a large bag of blueberries in my freezer. Enjoy. xo

Real Estate Staging Before and After

This is a before photo. The previous tenant was storing his furniture in the master bedroom and after one year he removed all of the furniture with almost no notice.

Being the resourceful person that I am, I remembered that my friend had a beautiful nickel silver king sized bed stored in her finished basement. She could not use it when she moved to her new house. In the flash of an eye, she and her husband delivered it and the rest is history. We already had the mattress and box spring and bedding which went together nicely the next day.

The sofa, leather chair and ottoman, and framed print were removed too. I was left with a completely empty room.

This beautiful sofa was in an upstairs bedroom where there were two sofas. I took the most beautiful one and it looks perfect between the twin built-in cupboards. I think the room looks nicer than before. There was a Victorian marble-top dresser in the spot where you see the black bench. This is an example of "A day in the life of the listing agent." The owners have no idea! I would have had to pay a stager a fortune. I researched buying a bed frame but they cost $275. So all of the above was $FREE. Click photos to enlarge.

Views of the empty bedroom.

The Wildflower Window

Can you even imagine being able to lean out your own window and pick flowers? via

True Secret of Happiness

The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.

After the Storm is Over

A cold front is on the way to cool things down for one single day, tomorrow. I'll take it because I have a day of errands already planned. I let my grass (and weeds) get ahead of me as I do every year and it has taken me three days to catch up. Two consecutive days and a break for rainy days. Today I finished and it looks as if I will have to repeat the process in just a few more days. I took this photo at 7:00 after a short, heavy rain. Be safe if bad weather is in your area. xo

Iced Coffee in a Mason Jar

 

This rich dark iced coffee with lots of milk or cream looks absolutely delicious. I am posting this photo because of the wide mouth mason jar. I recently found one that is perfect for making my morning smoothie. I had been using a blender but too much was left behind on the sides of the glass container and I had to figure out a better way. Now I dump all of my ingredients into my large mason jar and stick in my immersion blender and it works beautifully, even with frozen blueberries. Then I eat it with a spoon right out of the jar. I rinse off the blender and put it away and am left with only a mason jar and a spoon to wash. xo

Photo Removed

A new use for cabbages and what a great idea. The limelight hydrangeas are perfect against the green hollowed out cabbage right now. It doesn't have to be Easter or St. Patrick's Day, cabbages are inexpensive and available all year long. The rabbit pushing the wheelbarrow is perfect. Love it. xo

Photo removed per request of owner. Sorry!

Landscape: 'Duned', Zeeland, Netherlands By Nico Brons

Read this great article about a contest for iPhone photography. I love this one. Have a great weekend. xo

Still Curating My Living Room

I haven't posted any of my own photos lately so here is a section of my living room. I am still agonizing in my quest to get it perfect and I'm almost there. I have been way too busy trying to get a real estate listing back on the market after two rooms in the house were completely emptied out and guess who had to stage them? I ended up making them look better than they were before. I'll share the before and after photos soon. xo

Walls are Benjamin Moore BENNINGTON GRAY HC82

Stone Folly with A Beautiful Facade

This ancient Architectural Beauty is simply wonderful. I would love to see what's inside, wouldn't you? I tried to search the location but was unsuccessful so I am assuming it is in England. via

I was wrong. It is in France. Château de Corabœuf: a beautiful place to visit between Beaune and Nolay, to discover Burgundy off the beaten track. Read more about this beautiful place here. Thanks, Cathy!

Rustic New Bathroom with Stone Wall

I love the idea of this dry stacked stone wall, weathered barn board door and flooring, and the overall feel of  this bathroom. It looks to be low upkeep but I wonder; would spiders start living in the wall? I would take the chance rather than fill in the spaces with mortar. The old lumber used for the lintel over the window and the ceiling beams complete the wonderful craftsmanship. via

Attic Bedroom Renovation

This is a carriage house renovation. Don't you love the simplicity of this all white attic bedroom with two built-in beds? The large window should keep it nice and cool in the summer. Speaking of cool, I have had to pull up a blanket the past two nights. I never sleep with the central air running, but love having my windows open. via

Hollyhocks: So Beautiful

Hollyhocks. Marblehead. 2016. Source: rickinmar

I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful stand of these loveliest of all old-fashioned flowers.

Twin Lambs with Black Faces

Cutest way to start your Monday. I love their dear faces and fluffy fleece. via

Another Lawn in the Wild

Another wonderfully wild lawn to swoon over. via

Another Forever House

Another timeless home built to last. via

Dibs: Favorite Spot to Sit

 

Dibs! Don't you know everyone wants to sit in this spot on the porch? via

Cottage in Summer

I love the overhead fans on the porch. This cottage is all decked out for summertime living, isn't it? via

Pine Cones in Bloom

via

The pinecones, just beginning to open and still in an immature state are beautiful, aren't they?

Tub with a View

Yes, please. This looks like a delightful spot to soak and take in the view. via

Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed

 

I took this photo yesterday and happily my iPhone did a great job. This milkweed plant is very popular with all sorts of insects and butterflies. The plant has multiplied over the years and now it is a great companion for the limelight hydrangea next to it. As I have explained in the past, it is a volunteer that planted itself in the exact spot where it could thrive. See you later. xo

Perfect House for These Times

This would be the perfect place to ride out this pandemic, wouldn't it? I love the lookout tower! via

Stone Cottage w/ Garden

Absolute perfection. I wouldn't change a thing except the occupant. Teleport me there now. via

This Quote is Me!

I do this all the time. via

Bookplate: Birds Books Flowers

"No wealthy monarch can possess

 A greater store of golden hours

 Than can be found in happiness

 Of birds and books and flowers"

I bought a collection of antiquarian books years ago and this bookplate was in all the gardening books and this miniature book too. I love the sentiment, don't you?

Root Ball from Downed Tree

I won't bore you with more photos but wanted you to see the root ball of my black walnut that blew over on Tuesday. My street has power but many people still do not. I have not driven my car since Monday so I really have no idea what's going on anywhere but my own home. It was truly a fast and furious storm. I hope a big cleanup is planned because I'm going to need it. Enjoy your weekend and be safe. xo

Storm Damage at My Cottage

Tree work done yesterday.

What a day. I got tree men to stop at my house quite by accident. The tree that was uprooted and over the road blocked them from going to another job so their supervisor said they could cut up the tree that was tangled in the power lines. This huge old black walnut held its ground until the very last instant. They could not understand why it would not let go. They had the other end cradled in a sort of rope hammock so it would not bounce back and sever the wires. They connected the rope to another higher tree in the woods to absorb the shock. The whole crew worked tirelessly and did a super job except for the debris cleanup on the street which I had to do as best I could with no leaf blower. I did the minimum work on the street and then concentrated on my own yard. I worked for 3 hours piling branches at road's edge cut side out for County cleanup later. The tree was in County owned parkland. I have been trying for almost 20 years to have them cut it down but all they would do was assure me the tree would not hit my cottage. Instead it disrupted power on my street for going on 5 days. The linemen are coming next to deal with the power lines. I am thankful for my generator and for being a strong, independent woman! The other side of my back driveway to the right of this photo does not show. Picture with your mind's eye lots of cut logs in front of my grove of spruce trees and a leaning telephone pole with twisted and sagging lines. See you later. xo UPDATE: Power restored Friday night at 9PM. So happy! This is the longest period I have been without power since I got my generator. I felt sorry for the people in the dark for 4-1/2 days and used my electricity sparingly. Winter without power is much worse than summer with its long days.

Walled Entrance with Blue Doors

I always love the old walled entrances that have remained untouched. This one with the beautiful double doors with applied decoration in old blue paint is especially wonderful. via