Decisions, Decisions

Spending a small amount of money is so very hard. via

Cats Movin' On

Why are these two running away from home? What is in the little suitcases? Are they hitchhiking too? Maybe they are just going on a trip. How does this story end? Happily, I hope. via

Lovely dog portrait

I have some tall grass like this. I think I'll try to photograph Webster standing in it. Wish me luck. via

Outdoor Dining at its Best

This is absolute perfection. via

DIY Twig Coat Rack

Isn't this a great idea. There is no tutorial but it looks pretty simple to me. Great look for a rustic interior. via

Wild Looking Frog

What would you do if you came upon an Amazon Horned Frog? They are indiscriminate eaters and grow to be the size of a small plate. via National Geographic, photo by George Grall I love his markings and think he looks very sweet.

A Beautiful Pond

I photographed this pond at a friend's home recently. The room it overlooks get the sunrise and this iPhone photo was taken late in the afternoon as you can see from the shadows. We have been having some lovely blue skies lately that remind me of the September skies that are coming in another month. They are my favorite...I love white fluffy clouds. 

Keep Calm Rug ~ For the Athletes

So appropriate for the 2012 London Olympics. I'll take either color! Or one of each. Wouldn't it be nice to have a quote underfoot? I blogged this rug a long time ago and decided it was time to post it again for everyone participating in the Summer Games.

Wonderful Rabbit Sculpture

I love this sculpture by Olga Ziemska made of cut twig pieces, adhesive, enamel, and fiberglass.

Here is a close-up of the heartwood used as mosaic pieces.

This sculpture was created in 2011 and exhibited outdoors for the 7th Annual Public Art campaign celebrating the Chinese Lunar Year in Cleveland. Read more here.

My Replies Aren't Being Sent

If you haven't registered your email address on your Blogger profile I can no longer reply directly to you after you leave a comment. Those emails aren't going through and are being bounced back to me. From now on if your email address shows as: noreply-comment[at]blogger.com I will leave a reply in the comments section. xo, Rosemary

Leather Sofas for the Dogs

They could each have a sofa but they prefer to squeeze on one. Webster has a two-seater red one downstairs that he loves to stretch out on and he takes up the whole thing. These two labs are beautiful, aren't they and their owners must give them free run of the house. I'd love a tour. via

Tabitha Finds A Flower

She has been spending quite a lot of time in this spot watching the cleome volunteer get bigger. I just looked at the local weather report and we are supposed to have thunder showers for the next five days. It's much cooler and the A/C is off and all the windows are open. Everyone is happy to be able to hear the sounds of outside instead of being sealed in a refrigerator. Enjoy your Sunday and I'll see you later.

2 Deer with Antlers Visit My Cottage

Luckily my big Nikon with the telephoto lens was on the coffee table when I spotted these two deer near my cottage at dusk. I sneaked outside and they froze and posed very nicely for me. They are beauties, aren't they? The buck to the rear has a bigger rack. Now, back to the Olympics. See you tomorrow.

my photo

Have a Happy Weekend

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It's Not Easy Being Green - Chirp

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Portrait of the Racehorse Sedbury with a Groom

Painted by James Seymour (1702-1752) All eyes are on the sporting events in London for the next couple of weeks. Will you be watching? History of this wonderful painting here.

Big Round Bales of Hay

I stopped my car not far from my cottage to photograph these giant round hay bales in a big open field.

I was glad there was such a dramatic sky for the long shot. The field is protected open space. People use it to fly kites, operate model airplanes, and it's fun when they bring a few sheep and a herd dog to train.

my iPhone photos

Presenting Mr. Webster

Here is a photo of Webster hot off the press taken downstairs as he worriedly waited for me to fix his breakfast. My mom always keeps the red sofa made up as a bed for him in case he gets too hot upstairs if I don't have the A/C running. It's always cooler on her walk-out lower level. Plus someone might open the back door so he can scoot out and eat all the cat food. Happy Friday everyone.

Wonderful London Summer Olympics Poster

17 Days of Summer by Jordan Chueng. This poster is a masterpiece of graphic design.

Country Basketball Hoop

Remember when this type of basketball hoop was nailed over every garage or barn door? I think it looks so much better than the big plastic free-standing units that are everywhere now. Some things can't be improved upon, can they? I took this photo in the spring at an open house.

Beatrix Potter Stamps | Royal Mail

Hands down, the Royal Mail has the BEST stamps. I love these from The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. I pay almost all of my bills online but these stamps would make me want to mail something by snail mail. 

My Rainy Day

Here it is by popular demand -- a photo of today's rainy day. It has slacked up quite a bit but it's still coming down very softly. I must tell you that the only plants on the property that have actually thrived through my neglect during the long hot spell are the geraniums. They can withstand almost anything except extreme cold. They don't mind drought and heat at all. They might lose leaves and look to be on the brink of death but one drink of water brings them right back. I think they are the only plants I will even consider next year. They overwinter in the house very nicely too. Hooray for geraniums! The hummingbirds love the red ones.

my iPhone photo

Cottage with a Great Garden

Isn't this a great courtyard surrounded by thriving plantings? I wish I could see the inside of the cottage. I'm sure it's charming too.
It is just a little after 9:00am at my cottage and it's dark as pitch and pouring rain. I hope I don't have to go outside at all today. I need a rainy day. See you later.

Starfish on Rocky Beach

Starfish on a rocky beach under a beautiful sky. via I have a hard time believing starfish are real too. These beautiful rocks look as if they were all arranged by hand, don't they?

Mirror Twin Pups

Australian Cattle Dog pups by Warren Wills. They are mirror twins! They look very sweet, don't they? via

A symmetrical garden designed a Canadian landscape architecture firm, Janet Rosenberg + Associates. via I love this garden of green.

Amazing Sky

These clouds made me go outside and capture them just a few minutes ago. They were only up in the sky over my cottage for a fleeting moment at sunset. Goodnight. See you tomorrow.

Giant Fuzzy Moth

This was resting on the front door of my office this morning. I saw it but thought it was an early fall leaf. Someone told me it was a giant moth and it was. Doesn't it have great camouflage? This photo was snapped with my trusty iPhone. I love always having a camera in my pocket.

Seahorse Silhouette

I always have a hard time believing seahorses are real. In my mind they are in the same category as mermaids and unicorns. This one is beautiful, isn't it? via

If only

this were awaiting me at the end of this busy, busy day. Sigh. I could use a little Zen about now. via

Fabulous Living Room

I say YES to every single thing I see in this amazing room. It is perfect. via

8 Secrets to a Happy Kitchen

I didn't have to get any farther than the first photo in this interesting article. This dining area is perfect, isn't it?

Some Day

He was right.

Bee Quilt

It has been over a month since the beginning of the bee quilt. Hand printed bees on hand dyed fabric. Wonder how it's coming along? I love it so far! via

Restored Welsh Farm Without Electricity

This farmhouse bedroom in Wales looks charming doesn't it until you learn that this delightful renovation has no electricity...yet. It's off the grid.

Built in 1805, abandoned in 1948, and vacant for 40 years aside from providing shelter for sheep. The farmhouse and outbuildings were restored and the roof was recovered in thick local Welsh slate. Read full article and view lots more photographs here. Hackett Holland Ltd. Architect

Oak Leaves are Falling

I saw lots of oak leaves on the ground yesterday when I took Webster for his after-dinner walk. Most had teeny tiny acorns buds attached. This one landed on a sycamore leaf. The heavy rain we had all day on Friday is helping to re-green the lawn but unfortunately the only variety that has been reconstituted is the crabby kind. Crabgrass is my least favorite thing about the second half of summer.

Sweet Dreams

I'm quite sure Webster has this same dream every night and if it ever came true he would try to eat all of his biscuits at one sitting. Sweet dreams my friends. See you tomorrow. via

Have a Fun Weekend

Doing something like splashing your feet in the water would be a good start. via

I'm organizing EVERYTHING today

and this is what is going to happen to anything that gets in my way. Tabitha is hiding in her cat carrier (really) and Webster has a worried look on his face. How are you spending your Saturday? via

Giraffe Love

This wonderful photo by Mario Merino is appropriately entitled TENDERNESS. I never tire of mother and child animal photos, do you?