Porch with Fireplace

This is the perfect time of year for a porch like this. Bring on the hot chocolate, marshmallows on a stick, and hot spiced cider. via

Beautiful Brick Garden Path

Absolute perfection. All of it. The home, the roof, the rustic pergola, the fence/trellis, the garden gate, the brick paths, and the flowers. Found on Google Images

Clever Bedroom for Two Children

This bedroom fascinates me. There is so much to look at in a small space. Imagine getting two beds and two fabulous built in desks on one wall with bookcases and art galleries. Hat's off to the designer and the builder. I love it. Such a happy space for two lucky children. via

Simply Wonderful Kitchen

I love the raised fireplace, the farm table on an oriental rug, the industrial steel doors, the slate or soapstone countertop, the double farm sink and it all works just perfectly. via

Beautiful Basketweave Pie Crust

YUM ~ Peach and Blackberry Pie with a gorgeous crust! This really makes my mouth water. via

Cottage Chimney in Hertfordshire UK

The Old Forge Cottage in Hertfordshire England

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WOW. The other side has one too. Only in England. I would love to see the size of the open fires in this cottage! Enjoy the weekend and be safe if you are in Hurricane country. xo

Acorn Season

Acorn Season is here.

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I have seen green ones but no brown ones yet. I pruned my wisteria today and have decided it's a weed! Every year I cut it back severely and figure it will be dead the next year but that hasn't happened yet. Happy Friday and I hope you will be safe from Irma and recovering from Harvey this weekend. xo

Old Photos at My Cottage

I lugged the two bottom leather cases from a flea market in England back to my Bed and Breakfast and later to the airport. They are SO heavy. The top case is fitted with the most beautiful enameled glass toiletry containers and comb and brush sets.

Everything has been arranged except for the art and the sofa and the bookcase in the far corner. It's fun to see my room the way it looked around 5 years ago.

DIY Shelf Idea

There are no instructions but this shelf looks fairly simple for someone who is handy. Need one? Try making it yourself. I like it! via Painted or stained, it would be nice for a dorm room or off-campus apartment too. 

Unique Touches in a White Kitchen

Look at the strap hinges on the refrigerator door. The cabinet beside has rattail hinges like an old icebox. The hanging cupboard above makes this set up look like an old step-back cupboard. I love it all, don't you? I think it really is an old house -- just look at those wide floorboards. via

"The Tale of Pigling Bland" by Beatrix Potter

From 'The Tale of Pigling Bland' by Beatrix Potter. I have never seen this image or heard of this little piggie, have you? Lisa made a comment and said this one is Pig-wig  Thanks, Lisa.
I love the antiques in the drawing and want to know more about the Pig-wig in her nightgown. via Read more about the story here.

Save Our Planet

The wisdom of Calvin and Hobbes.

Framed 48 Star American Flag

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In 1912, two stars were added, representing Arizona and New Mexico, bringing the total number of stars on the American flag to 48, arranged in 6 rows of 8 stars each. There were thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies. This flag flew from 4 July, 1912, to 3 July, 1949.

Hope you are having a great Memorial Day!

Labor Day 2017

I like this graphic because it puts the symbols of manual labor in Labor Day.

In the early 1900s, Lewis Hine left his job as a schoolteacher to work as a photographer for the National Child Labor Committee, investigating and documenting child labor in the United States. As a sociologist, Hine was an early believer in the power of photography to document work conditions and help bring about change. He traveled the country, going to fields, factories, and mines -- sometimes working undercover -- to take pictures of kids as young as four years old being put to work. Be prepared to see some very powerful archival photos.

The Photos That Helped End Child Labor in the United States

My Sunday started out cold and rainy but it is bright, sunny, and very pleasant as I write this post at 5:00 in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of this long Labor Day weekend. xo

Welcome to the Lewis Hine Project ™, an amazing journey through 100 years of American history. From 1908 until 1924, Lewis Hine took over 5,000 photographs of American child laborers. His compelling pictures helped to persuade legislators and the general public to support laws prohibiting child labor. All the photos, with Mr. Hine’s captions, are posted on the Library of Congress website. Since 2005, I have been identifying the children, tracking down and interviewing living descendants, and writing stories about how the lives of these children turned out. 

You can see all those stories on this website.

Perfect Cottage Home

This is absolute perfection.

I couldn't ask for more, could you?

Have a great long Labor Day weekend.

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September Already?

I am not ready, are you?

Blue Cabinetry

I love the hanging corner cupboard. Is this a butler's pantry or a kitchen, or a mud room?I can/t really tell. via

Best Kitchen Ever

The airy kitchen opens to a sitting room and hearth with windows that overlook the Potomac. Read and See More: Inside A West Virginia Time Piece via Garden and Gun.

Gorgeous Bedroom

I absolutely cannot wait to jump into my own bed after a day of constant running around and accomplishing quite a lot. Tired. via

Blueberry Cherry Patriotic Pie

Blueberries and Dark Sweet Cherries are still in season so why not bake this pie for Memorial Day? Vanilla ice cream would complete the red, white, and blue flag theme. Just a thought! via

When A Dog Needs a Friend

The cat comes to the rescue. 

Click here for more photos that will make you smile.

The Meaning of Life

The meanng of life is to find your gift.

The purpose of life is to give it away.

William Shakespeare

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Pantry Entrance Display

Sometimes you just want to display your favorite things, and this is a wonderful way to do it. Love the sliding pocket doors into the pantry. via

National Dog Day 2017

I am one day late but still want to celebrate National Dog Day with this delightful photo. via Read about this worthy holiday celebrating all dogs here.

Blue Door and More

There is so much interest in this single photo, isn't there? Click here and keep clicking the arrows to see more fabulous doorways. Have a great Sunday tomorrow. Goodnight. xo

Kitchen Details: Butcher Block and A Window Seat

This is definitely not a trophy kitchen, right? Looks lived in and loved. via

Cat and Mouse Animated Gif

I can't stop watching this. Enjoy!

found on Google Images

Wonderful Outdoor Shower

I love outdoor showers and this one is really unique and quite wonderful. Showering outside is truly one of life's simple pleasures. via

Overgrown Potting Shed

This is a little overgrown but still charming. I have to do one more weeding in my own garden and then I am going to pile on the woodchips and kiss it goodbye until spring. photo source

Fabulous greenhouse/orangerie

This small greenhouse/orangerie is full of wonderful things to lust over. The terra cotta pots from England are of special interest to me. via

Vintage Kitchen Stove to Love

You know I love this!

Now I want to see the rest of this kitchen.

If I find it, I will add the link.

Happy Tuesday.

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Lakeside Cottage in Belgium built on a budget

De Rosee Sa are a hands-on London architecture and design practice. Led by husband-and-wife duo, Max De Rosee and Claire Sa, they recently completed a lakeside cabin for De Rosee’s parents that the team not only designed but also built themselves. What’s more, De Rosee’s environmentalist father milled the wood himself from trees on the property that had been felled in a storm several years earlier. Total budget: £25,000 ($36,281)—it pays to have an architect in the family.

See many more pics (outside and inside) here and learn about the "stain" used to darken and seal the clapboard😊😊😊

Courtyard Garden w/ Raised Beds

I love this kitchen and herb garden close to the house, don't you? via SPECIAL NOTE: Please keep your pets inside during the total eclipse tomorrow. They don't know not to look at the sun.

Endeavour, Season 4 on Sunday night August 20th

I usually wait until the last minute to notify you of something new coming on PBS.  Endeavour, Season 4 is on tomorrow night. So happy.

The 4th series begins in the summer of 1967, with barely a fortnight having passed since the events of the Series 3 finale. We find Oxford’s finest picking up the pieces of their lives, both personal and professional. As Thursday and wife, Win, struggle to process the departure of both their daughter Joan and son, Sam, who has joined the army, Endeavour waits nervously to hear the result of his Sergeant’s exam. Throwing himself into his work to mask the heartache of Joan leaving, Endeavour is quickly consumed by his duties with an array of new, perplexing cases landing on his desk. 

read more

Another Great Covered Doorway

This arched canopy over the door would certainly do a great job of protecting you from the rain while you look for your keys. I also like the understated light fixture and the small ledges that were built for the beautiful zinc planters. via

Beautiful Vintage Bathroom: A Classic

These black and white bathrooms never go out of style. Everything old is new again. The stately mansion sold right away to some very lucky buyers with great taste. 

via GSMLS

This is the epitome of an English Country Garden.

Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden, from the archives of Country Life, by Judith B. Tankard (May 2011). photo source

Life's Reset Button

I found this on my phone and I don't know where it came from but I absolutely love it.

New "old" Farmhouse w/ Extraordinary Gardens

Want to see more?

How about the interior of the house?

More photos of the outside too?

If the answer is YES, click HERE.

Chicken Shaming Pics -- So Funny

To see many more photos of chickens wearing signs, click here. After the link opens, if you have trouble reading the last two, click on the individual photo to enlarge.