In Praise of Fall Flowering Shrubs

I photographed this hydrangea today in the contrast of the noon-day sun and played around with it using one of my photography apps. It looks very old fashioned, doesn't it?

This is the same photo without any filters. 

Webster and I are going to bed very soon. I'm tempted to leave the dishes in the sink but I'll hate myself in the morning when I wake up and feel as if I'm a day behind before my feet hit the ground so here I go to the kitchen sink.

Goodnight.

Old Maps for Photo Corners

I love this idea of using old maps for scrapbooking. I always buy old atlases at house sales. via Martha Stewart

A Beautiful Succulent

I took this photo yesterday with my iPhone and did no processing whatsoever. This is straight out of the camera or should say straight out of the mobile phone. I love my iPhone 4S (new last year) and I can't imagine wanting to trade for another model anytime soon unless the camera were dramatically better. I use it more for the camera than for the phone part, but the latter has really increased my productivity with real estate. I saw some amazing homes today. I'm off to the dentist in a few....see you later.

A Stamp for Travelers and Stamp Collectors

Here is another etching I made from a photograph of a book cover using this app for iPhone and iPad. It's so much fun!

I overslept this morning and I already had this post ready to go. I have a zillion things to do today too.

Walk and feed a friends dogs before my office meeting, go on open house tours, open a house so an architect can take measurements, go to the dentist. Oh dear! I might not see you again until much later.

Webster is Tucking in Now

Snowhill Lavender Farm, Cotswolds UK

Could anything be more beautiful? It's in Broadway, one of my favorite spots in the Cotswolds. via

Gardening Motif Etching

I have so much outside work to do but decided to make a garden-motif etching instead. I love it and hope you do too. I have to put all of my watering cans in the garage soon so they don't collect water that expands when it freezes causing them to leak. I learned this the hard way.

Fabulous kitchen in a London townhouse designed by architect Philip Wagner via How great would it be to actually live in a townhouse anywhere, but especially in London?

WEBSTER SAYS GOODNIGHT

We are both pretty tuckered out from pulling up crabgrass this afternoon. I pulled and Webster hunted for snakes but he didn't find any. Goodnight from both of us. See you tomorrow.

Meet a Few of the Cake Ladies

‘Not even our husbands knew!’

This is a really amazing and uplifting story about a group of 9 women in West Tennessee who decided to iron their husband's shirts and use the laundry money for baking pound cakes for needy families. It WILL make you cry.

Read all about the women who have been secretly delivering cakes to underprivileged families for over 30 YEARS via the Positive Press Daily.

Marlo Thomas wrote an even longer version of this story here.

Shelf or Bracket Fungi Growing on Tree

I photographed this beautiful large fungi on the base of a tree yesterday. I don't know if all the rain we have had lately is responsible or not but I am always glad when I run across a giant grouping.

Dogs In and On the Car

This is one of my iPhone photos converted to an etching. I love the way it looks. Do your dogs like to ride in the car? It's Webster's favorite thing to do. Sometimes I just open the tailgate and let him take naps in the back. That's his second favorite thing to do. 

Potatoes for Saturday Supper

 

This is all we had for supper tonight. I left the skins on, cut them in half, and roasted these potatoes on top of the stove instead of baking them in the oven. They were delicious. We had a healthy quinoa salad with black beans and corn for lunch so these potatoes served with a little butter and sour cream were all we needed for the evening meal. 

I can't begin count the number of times I opened and closed the windows today and wiped off the window sills. We had so many short but heavy showers. It's a lot cooler too.

Goodnight everyone. See you tomorrow.

Outbuilding with Ivy and Without

I blogged about my friend's delightful outbuilding earlier in the spring (here's the post) and everyone wanted to see it again when the ivy had leaves. 

You can view the excellent bones of the building with the bare vines; that's one of my favorite things about late fall and winter when all the leaves are off the trees.

my photos

Lighthouse in Norway

An amazing tiny lighthouse on the island of Tjøme, Norway via

White on White Traditional Exterior

Traditional Exterior design by New York Architect Beinfield Architecture PC. I don't think I've ever seen white shutters on a white exterior but I think it looks beautiful here, don't you? via

Dachshund Bootscraper

Late afternoon shadow photographed with my iPhone at the home of a friend day before yesterday. We have gray skies here at the cottage and reports of thunder showers to come but it's not going to be as hot as it was yesterday.

Have a pleasant weekend!

Fine Art in The Kitchen

This is spectacular. I love everything I see in this kitchen detail. via

JOCKUM NORDSTRÖM in his studio

 

 

 

I'm always interested in seeing any successful artist's studio/workshop. I love the art table in this one. Look at it closely -- I think this could become a DIY project. Photos from here. More information about Swedish artist Jockum Nordström here. I think he needs a few more horizontal surfaces, don't you?

Trees

via

my photo

Log Cabin Gate

Nothing could be more perfect! via

Gandhi's Top 10

Great poster found here.

Lovely Reflection

I've always been fond of picture-in-a-picture photography. This is a very lovely reflection. via

Wild Grape Vines

It won't be long before these vines lose their leaves. There is a lot to be done outside to put everything to bed for a long winter's nap and I had better get started!!! I love the vein patterns on the back of these wild grape leaves. See you later.

A Bed of Impatiens

I photographed a bed of impatiens outside a store in a depressing strip mall recently. They were trying their hardest to beautify the place and they did. I took this photo with my iPhone and made it into an etching to tone it down a bit. That's the thing about annuals -- they aren't at all bashful about being all they can be!

Wow, What A Reading Room

Wow! This room has almost everything I require except for a small TV. Maybe one is tucked in the corner. It even has a black rotary phone. via

Transferware Plate - Three Views

I've always liked this brown and white transferware plate.

Here it is in as old etching.

I think it looks nice as a stamp too, don't you?

Pouring Rain

one minute, sun shining the next. We are getting the remnants of Isaac. The sun is now shining brightly on my deck minutes after taking this photo with my iPhone.

The Beautiful Cotswolds

A beautiful day in The Cotswolds (by darren-johnson) via

Charming Country Kitchen

Renovated 1890s cottage, Ohio. The Workshops of David T. Smith. I love the bucket bench island.

Wonderful Hallway with Stenciled Floor

Designer Karen Blake via

This is too beautiful for words. I hope this is a dry area and there is never a waterfall of rain coming down those steps. I adore the triple hoop back windsor bench and the old sign above it.

The Site of The Yellow Jacket Attack

Webster and I are avoiding this part of the woods in the "way back" from now on. We got lucky with our first attack of the killer yellow jackets but might not fare so well a second time.

my iPhone photo

Two Silhouettes

I slept late this morning and decided you all needed to see this again. It's from Masterpiece Silhouette Theatre.

Webster wanted me to post this one for him. See you later.

Webster and The Bees

When I was walking Webster after dinner yesterday at dusk he must have disturbed an underground bee's nest because he came out of the edge of the woods absolutely covered with these tiny bees or yellow jackets. Luckily I had on a long sleeved shirt and I immediately started knocking them off with my bare hands and then with a broken off tall weed covered with lots of small leaves; it was almost like a broom. One bee fell inside my tall Wellies and stung me on the ankle. I succeeded in getting almost all of the insects off of poor Webster and we headed home where I gave him two antihistamine tablets just in case he had a reaction. I have no idea how many stings he got but he must have been on fire. He panted heavily for hours and finally found the coolest spot in the house under my bed. By the time I turned off the light hours later his breathing had returned to normal and I was sure he was okay. Today he is fine. He was so brave...he never made a sound throughout the ordeal...not even a whimper.

I Love LEMON Anything . . .

And this Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake is no exception.

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1/3 cup Meyer lemon juice
(or 1/4 cup regular lemon juice)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar, for dusting
read directions here

Such A Perfect Porch

It won't be long now before we can sit on the porch and look at the fall foliage. This would be the perfect porch to sit and look and rock, wouldn't it? It has the most beautiful visual corridor. via

The History of Labor Day

Young Mill Worker in Alabama

In 2008 I put together a great History of Labor Day and I still like reading it and watching the video with historic footage. In case you missed it or want to refresh your memory, click here. 

We have a gloomy rainy day at my cottage. I hope your weather is better if you are going to a parade or having a picnic.

Natural Wood Kitchen

I think all of this natural wood is refreshing. I like the soapstone sink and counter tops too. They look nice with the stainless steel appliances. Two thumbs up! via

My 1922 Bronze Dog Medal

Below is a circa 1930 photo of Admiral Byrd receiving the "Bide-A-Wee" Medal in recognition of his humane treatment of animals.

Top photo is mine; bronze Bide-A-Wee medal circa 1922 from my personal collection. Read the history of Bide-A-Wee, founded in 1906 here.
Named for the Scottish expression “Stay a While,” the organization maintains facilities for rescue, adoption, training of pet owners in proper care of animals and even operates pet cemeteries.