I thought I Saw An Owl

I was working at the kitchen sink one morning this week and I was positive I saw an owl on one of the outside chairs but it turned out to be Mr. Squirrel.

Extraordinary Small Home | Innermost House

This tiny house called INNERMOST HOUSE is twelve feet by twelve feet in size. Do the math and that translates to 144 square feet. It has no electricity or power of any kind.

The five distinct rooms are heated by a fireplace in the living room, the heart of this house. All the firewood is free fruitwood prunings from local orchards. 

All of the books were carefully chosen over the years as contributing something essential to the Innermost Life. It is strange that it was not until they were displayed all together, illuminated by the fire at Innermost House, that the owners realized nearly every one was first written by firelight. 

Real wood, real plaster, real beeswax candles - the real things really do make a difference. Wonderful hand-crafted windows, woodwork, shelves were made by a master craftsman in Monterey, California.

I discovered this amazing story at The Tiny House Blog and it's a must-read for anyone wanting to simplify and/or downsize. There are more pictures to drool over. I loved it!!!!!! You will too. Enjoy.

Rijksmuseum ~ Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Rijksmuseum Research Library in Amsterdam has the largest art history library in the Netherlands. It has maintained a constant, high-standard acquisition policy since 1885 and contains approximately 250,000 volumes. The Rijksmuseum also plays an important international role in making Dutch art history available and disseminating it. via

A Garden and A Library

  

Well, almost everything. I might have to throw in a computer. Agreed? What else would you require? Maybe a cute little dog? How about this one?

   

Not A Castle But A Folly | Broadway Tower in The Cotswolds

On my first trip to England in 1974 I headed straight for Broadway in the Cotswolds. This structure is often called England's Smallest Castle, but the Broadway Tower is really a folly. You can get a commanding view of the surrounding countryside from the top. photo ©Al Cooper

In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs. In the original use of the word, these buildings had no other use, but from the 19th to 20th centuries the term was also applied to highly decorative buildings which had secondary practical functions such as housing, sheltering or business use.

Bluebells At Dawn

Here is a lovely spring scene to get your day off to a beautiful start. I've never seen so many bluebells completely carpeting a woodland floor, have you? ©Barry Wakelin

Stone Cottage with Lilacs

I found a delightful (English?) stone cottage with a beautiful garden and a blooming lilac to get you through the early March doldrums when everything is so unattractive. Spring is literally right around the corner. photo ©John Goad

Potted Bulbs on The Breakfast Table

Isn't this breakfast table in the Netherlands absolutely stunning with the addition of potted bulbs in full bloom? I ate my breakfast standing over the sink in a huge rush to meet an early morning customer before the office meeting. In my mind I was sitting at this table. Enjoy the lovely day.