Peonies Nearing End of Their Season

Lovely Monet quote.

My drooping peonies after Sunday's hard rain. I cut back the ones that were beyond saving and this is what was left.

The white ones are singles and they weathered the storm much better than the pink mop heads.

I keep replacing the blooms one by one when they start to shrivel. They really are nice in the house when they get too heavy outside. How does your garden grow?

Good Morning from My Cottage

My pink peonies have too many petals to stand up to a hard rain like we had late Sunday. I pruned back all the ones that couldn't be saved yesterday. The singles in white held up pretty well. The singles in red did not.

My outside chore this week is hand-pulling weeds from my driveway. Not fun. I like doing it really late in the day since I'm not fond of direct sun. It is very pleasant outside today and I haven't had my central air on for quite a while. Now I'm off to see what kind of breakfast I can whip up. xo

History of Queen Elizabeth's Eight-Decade Love of Corgis

Ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth and her corgi Dookie at 145 Piccadilly, her childhood home in London, 1936. By Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Getty Images.

The Queen has kept corgis even longer than she has known her husband of 69 years, Prince Philip. In 1933, her parents, the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mum), acquired the royal family’s first corgi, named Dookie. On her 18th birthday, in 1944, Princess Elizabeth received a corgi of her own, named Susan, who tagged along on her honeymoon, three years later.
There is a delightful slideshow and more corgi history at Vanity Fair. I was quite surprised to learn that nobody else inherited her love for this breed. Others find them annoying to say the least.

Peonies in My Garden Before The Rain

The red ones and the white peonies are singles and can handle the rain pretty well.

The pink ones with more petals get very heavy when their heads fill up with water and they droop to the ground. The rain hasn't stopped yet and luckily I picked a big bouquet of pinks early this morning and they look lovely in the house. The lamb's-ears pictured here are volunteers that planted themselves. I like the contrast of their silver-gray foliage against the deep, dark green leaves of the peonies.

I've had a very enjoyable day being pretty lazy and it felt really good. I never feel guilty when I have an easy day, do you? I earned it! I just checked and there's absolutely nothing on TV tonight. I hope I can find something interesting to watch that I have saved to my DVR. I don't have any DVD discs from the library either. I'm sure I'll find something. Enjoy your evening. xo

My Peonies Are Amazing 2016

My peonies have never been taller or more beautiful.

It rained overnight and this morning the raindrops on the petals were quite lovely.

Shark Day at My Cottage

Did the title of this post get your attention? A few days ago, I washed and cleaned all the filters and the canister on my Shark Bagless Vacuum Cleaner and it was like new again. Yesterday, I decided to use it instead of my upright Hoover. Here is the end result in my living room. I have a hard time doing inside housework in the summer, do you? It's a necessary evil though! It was somehow quite satisfying to see all the dirt and dust I collected. I did a really thorough job in my living room and kitchen (moving furniture) but only gave a lick and a promise to the 2 bedrooms, bath, and entrance vestibule on my main floor. I had to empty the canister 3 times! My windows are all open and the outside dust is on its way inside but I don't care. I like being clean as a whistle once again. Doesn't it look nice? xo

Pansy Photo Turned Into An Etching

My pansies are still hanging in there in spite of the really hot weather we had recently. I even broke down and turned on my central air, and this is rare for me in May. Now it's pleasant again and I have gone back to open windows. I haven't used my iPhone app called Etchings lately but I enjoyed playing around with it this morning. I love the way the pansies turned out, don't you? I think the app turned my photo into an old hand colored engraving. xo

Queen Elizabeth II, Her Inner Majesty

I can't wait to read this article! Doesn't Queen Elizabeth II look beautiful surrounded by her favorite dogs? About those corgis: on the cover, the Queen poses with Holly (held) and, from left, Willow, Vulcan, and Candy. (The latter two are both dorgis—the crossbreed the Queen engineered when one of her corgis mated with a dachshund that belonged to her sister, Princess Margaret.) Photo for Vanity Fair by Annie Leibovitz. Full article here.

Dogs in Vintage Photographs

Happy Memorial Day! The Guardian has a delightful assortment of vintage dog photos for you to enjoy. Read the article and see the photos here.

My Kitchen Essentials, Within Reach

I love having these things on my kitchen counter in plain sight, within easy reach when I'm cooking or assembling my food. Left to right you will see: pepper grinder, balsamic vinegar, fine sea salt, himalayan pink salt, cinnamon in a salt shaker, seasoned salt next to that, red pepper flakes, and a sugar bowl filled with raw turbinado sugar. There's also a ginger grater and a milk glass container with my measuring spoons and a wooden honey dipper. Mixing bowls are underneath the splayed-leg stool in old red paint. I love my English china transferware sugar bowl covered with architectural engravings. I unearthed the massive pressed moulded glass shakers with pewter tops tucked in a corner of one of my kitchen cabinets recently. They are beyond fabulous with lots of trapped air bubbles. I had to soak the tops in a strong solution of Bragg's cider vinegar for days to get the corroded tops back to their original condition. I use the one for pepper for fine sea salt and the one with the larger holes for coarse pink salt. For me, things out of sight are also out of mind. I like to have my stuff where I can see it. So far this morning I have used the pink salt and ground pepper for my fried egg and a few shakes of ground cinnamon in my Greek yogurt. Enjoy your Sunday and the long Memorial Day weekend. See you later. xo

Atlanta Cottage: SOLD, Sight Unseen

This is a "leap of faith" story about q cottage in Atlanta, Georgia. The photo below is after the renovation!

When the author heard about a dilapidated cottage overtaken by weeds and kudzu in an Atlanta neighborhood, she knew it would become her her family’s home. So she bought it—sight unseen. Is your interest peaked yet? Read the complete story here. There are some interior photos too.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Winnie the Pooh and The Queen

The Queen isn't the only one having a 90th birthday this year. She's sharing it with Winnie the Pooh who was also born in 1926 and a brand new tale is being released to mark the occasion. Prince George and Princess Charlotte will be happy about that! via People Magazine.

Pallet Garden Tool Organizer

I love this idea. Pallets are free and this photo makes me happy. My garden tools are organized in the vestibule but I could use something like this at my back door or in the barn/garage. Step by step instructions for making it here.

Here's another link from Country Living Magazine for you: 12 DIY Backyard Storage Ideas You Need to Try

Cottage Views and Flowers

My front yard after a recent mowing, I use my walk behind mower here. The area is too tight for my riding mower and when I try to use it here it blows clippings up against the house.

The back of my property after a mowing just before sundown, Needless to say, I use my Snapper riding mower back here.

A pale pink peony at the home of a friend. Mine are still in the bud stage.

She has lovely ferns too in her shade garden.

Please look at my instagram from time to time. It is so much easier than uploading photos to my blog. I know I have been neglecting it lately but I've been helping my friend of 43 years move from New Jersey. And I was burned out after my closing last Friday. Starting to feel almost normal again, but not quite. See you later xo.

SOLD

My closing on Friday was one of the smoothest ever. This is a quick view of the back of the house taken at the walk-thru. The other side is a u-shape around a courtyard. The earliest part of the house is pre-revolutionary. My buyers are happy and so am I. I have been playing catchup at my own house. I worked outside yesterday the whole day long trying to beat the rain and I did. A tire came off the hub on my riding mower and luckily the repair shop got one overnight and put it on while I waited on Saturday morning. There was one section of my back property on a slope that had not been mowed even once this year. The grass was really high but my Snapper handled it very nicely. I am always afraid I will tip over if I mow it sideways so I only mow downhill which takes much longer. Now I am back on track except for vacuuming inside which is on my short list.

Have a great Sunday and I'll see you later. xo

Seldom Seen Corner in My Living Room

My friend who is moving gave me a Blu-ray DVD player and I'm over the moon. Now I can watch discs from the library in my living room. I checked out House of Cards, UK edition but did not like it at all. It seemed too dated for me. I got the "real" Netflix version and am loving it. So far, I have watched Seasons 1 and 2.  Season 3 is on reserve and I should get it this week. I know I could subscribe to Netflix but as long as I can keep getting DVDs from the library, I'm ok with that. I am catching up on some movies I haven't seen too. I watched CHEF last week and loved it. 

I have a real estate closing Friday (hopefully) on my difficult transaction. Fingers crossed. See you later. xo

New Toolbox for My Gardening Tools

I pulled this cool aluminum box from a friend's dumpster. The men cleaning out her barns figured nobody would want it. Wrong! I made them put it in the back of my SUV.  It had some rust on the side handles and the steel piano hinge. No problem since I am the queen of cleaning and polishing.

I had this wooden base on casters in my attic. It was from my previous house and a previous life. Perfect fit too.

Here's an interior shot of the beginning stages of garden tool storage. Now I have all the things I need for my front garden right inside the front door. So handy. So happy.

Cool Sunday at My Cottage

Freshly picked lilies of the valley. It's amazing how two stems can fill the room with their intoxicating fragrance. This year my patch has finally started to multiply. So happy! I got this old hotel silver fish platter a long time ago at a church rummage sale. Isn't it fabulous?

Here's the desk area in my pantry. I had fun organizing it recently.

Another view of the pantry with the dutch door closed. This was the only spot in the house where my tall case clock would fit. My ceilings were too low in my living room. I actually love it in this spot and it 's the first thing that greets me each time I come home.

Enjoy your Sunday. It's very cool and the sky is full of clouds. Perfect weather for my afternoon real estate showing. My difficult transaction will be closing on Friday with any luck. Fingers crossed. It has been consuming me of late, so much so, I haven't been blogging each day as I normally do. I hope to get back on track and will try my best. xo

Nicely Landscaped Path and Entrance

I love this broken stone pathway with grass growing in between. I want to follow it and go in the French doors but there's a strawberry planter in the way. via

Wonderful Terrace and Pergola

These homeowners must be really excited about moving outside to enjoy their new living space designed by Crisp Architects. See more views of this country lane renovation here.

THE PRESENT ~ A Delightful Short Film

The Present from Jacob Frey on Vimeo.

I saw this on CBS Sunday Morning just now and loved it. Hope you do too. If you cannot see the video above, click here. It's very heartwarming!  Enjoy.

Happy Mother's Day

Nobody loves you like your mother! It's true. I was lucky to have mine for 70 years and I miss her every day. Give yours a kiss from me and enjoy your happy day. We still have rain but the sun is coming out around lunch time, just in time for outdoor celebrations. xo

Happy Friday Says The Lamb

Isn't he adorable? I love the curly fleece and that happy face. It's raining quite hard here at my cottage but I don't care. It's very chilly too, brrrr. Anyway, Happy Friday. xo via

My Living Room -- Back View + Balcony

I finally have a good photo with the green checked sofa, the French doors and my tiger maple corner cupboard. One of the days, you will have seen it all.

New House in London, Looks Old

New red brick country house with deliberate haphazard extensions and appearance. Des Ewing Residential Architects, London, UK. This is very impressive, isn't it? Doesn't look at all like a new house! via

Pansies in an Antique Planter

I had just moved this antique sewer tile planter from my back yard to the front when a friend stopped by with a small flat of pansies for me. Talk about perfect timing! Most of my gardening efforts lately have been devoted to hacking down multiflora, the most invasive, evil, non-native species ever. I go out with my boots, gloves, clippers and thick clothing for an hour or two after supper nightly. It's always something, isn't it? Have a great week. xo

My Cottage LR with Fireplace

Here is a view showing my fireplace. Hope I'm not boring you. Have a great weekend.

Wide Angle View of My Living Room

I got a new toy today, a clip-on wide angle lens. The main room of my cottage is the entire width of the house. The window in this view look out on the front yard. Behind the green checked sofa, there are two French doors leading out to the balcony and the rear of the property. You can't see my fireplace in this photo but you can see the side bricks. 

John Lennon said, "Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted time." That makes me feel better because I wasted a lot of time playing around with different lenses clipped over my iPhone camera.

My Cottage Bluebirds

I put these photos on Instagram yesterday. My bluebirds were extremely cooperative and posed nicely for me many times during the day. They never fail to thrill me either. Isn't that blue wonderful? See you later! xo

House Tour in Buckhead: Atlanta GA

Every house tells a story, and when a major renovation is part of the narrative, the tale can sometimes take a few dark twists and turns. Fortunately that proved to be anything but the case for a 1930s-era, Georgian-style beauty in Buckhead that underwent a yearlong makeover in the hands of architect William B. Litchfield and designer Jackye Lanham.

Article and 17-photo slideshow here. So nice!

Hammered Metal Kitchen Cabinets

Jean-Louis Deniot claims that he is always trying to achieve something magical. (Architectural Digest) This is quite evident in his interiors. A kitchen with hammered metal cabinets is a truly stylish and unexpected feature. Creating stylish interiors with layer upon layer of refinement and unique décor are Deniot’s trademark.
See more of his work here. Great portfolio!

Well, these cabinets certainly make a statement, don't they?

Tulips on Park Ave NYC

Some interesting facts about these yearly tulips:

This Spring the tulips are a sunny, yellow Darwin Hybrid called Golden Oxford – among the most weather resistant of all garden tulips with large flower heads and strong stems.

After the Tulips have finished, the Park Avenue Fund hosts a “Park Avenue Tulip Dig” – a longstanding tradition that allows members of the community to dig up the spent bulbs for future use in their own gardens.

How nice! via New York Social Diary

Mosaic Tile Floor with Birds

This is spectacular, isn't it? Wish I could see the whole thing. What a work of art! Hope you are having a great weekend. Most but not all of my trees are budding and the spring green is beautiful. I cleaned my deck yesterday and it looks almost brand new. I forced all of the dirt from between the joints with a screw driver and blew it away with my power leaf blower. Then I squirted with the jet selection of my hose sprayer and wet everything down. Then I mopped it with a foaming oxy-deck cleaner and scrubbed it with a stiff broom. It was fun playing in the water and the end result is very satisfying. I didn't clean it at all last year and it really needed it. That and hacking away at overgrown multiflora were my two accomplishments yesterday. Today I've just been enjoying the weather and not much else. xo

Photo Source

The Queen with her Grands

Taken by renowned American photographer Annie Leibovitz at Windsor Castle last month, these remarkable pictures have been released to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday today. This photo shows Her Majesty surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Another photo on The Daily Mail identifies the children. Read all about the 90th Birthday of our favorite Queen here and view more photos too. Doesn't she look great? Love her.

Exceptional Kitchen

Swoon.

This kitchen is gorgeous!

I have looked and looked and wouldn't change a thing.

Miniature Basket of Vegetables

Look at the push pin beside the small silver basket for scale. The handmade ceramic vegetables are very realistic. This is one of my favorite finds recently snagged at an estate sale. Don't you love it?

I am off to mow the front yard before it gets too hot. It is supposed to reach 81° today. The sun is still in the back so I think I will be okay.