Daffodils for You

Many of you already have daffodils. For those of you who don't (including me) here they are. This image would make a great screen saver for your computer, wouldn't it?

Green Tea Latte for St. Patrick's Day

*Matcha green tea and milk, lightly sweetened served over ice*

I'm having my morning coffee right now but if I were out and about I might consider stopping at Starbucks® for an iced green tea latte. It looks very refreshing, doesn't it? Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day.

Goodnight | Tucked in Tight

Piggie is out cold with all of his favorite toys and Webster's blanket. Actually the toys are Webster's too except for that pink thing that resembled a pig at one time. See you tomorrow.

Wooden Coat Hanger Clothes Dryer Conversion

Isn't this a great idea? Forget the cards...I'm going to hang socks and unmentionables on mine over the shower curtain rod. All you have to do is screw some "eyes" into a wooden hanger and thread them with twine that is looped through some wooden clothes pins. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for more of these at garage and estate sales. I think they would make great gifts, don't you? Everybody has to drip dry something every once in a while. via

The Little Prince Drawings on Automobile

I so love Le Petit Prince drawings on this little French automobile. ©Muddy LaBoue Le Petit Prince, published in 1943, is French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s most famous novella.

Piggie, The French Bulldog

He's still here. My puppy-sitting will be over this weekend and Piggie will be missed. He'll miss us too for sure. He and Webster have really bonded this time around and love to play together. This little dog has an appetite that won't quit and should be renamed Starvin' Marvin. The kitchen is his favorite place and he's ever hopeful for a pan to lick or a piece of food to fall on the floor. Webster lets him have first dibs on everything. They are very cute together. 

A Carpet of Spring Flowering Bulbs

Planting all of these bulbs must have been a labor of love. What a delightful reward each year it must be as these bulbs divide and the carpet gets thicker and thicker. ©Véronique Coutié It is dark, gloomy and raining pretty hard here at the cottage. This image really brightened my day and hopefully yours too.

Aga Love - Pictures of Beautiful Dream Kitchens

Designer Kitchens - Pictures of Beautiful Dream Kitchens - House Beautiful In a kitchen designed by Susan Tully, an Aga range works beautifully with the spare aesthetic. The simple black-and-white color scheme adds a nice touch. Don't you love the subway tile backsplash? Kitchen perfection!

Small Gallery Kitchen

I love this gallery kitchen or gallery in a galley kitchen. There is nothing on the walls but framed black and white photographs and cooking utensils. Nice!

Farmhouse Kitchen with Corner Windows

I love this kitchen with the deep farm sink and a corner window. The galvanized shelves are perfect for a window herb garden. It might be inconvenient having two separate faucets but what a pretty picture they make.

There was a heavy frost on the ground when I got up this morning but it melted as soon as the sun came out. I'm off to an office but I'll be baaaaack.

The Emotional Life of Chickens | A Great Story

My friend Victoria (The Queen Vee) sent me this wonderful story from The Telegraph one day last week. Did you know chickens are capable of empathy - not to mention jealousy, selfishness, love and lust? The article is about a rescued chicken and how she made herself popular after being adopted by a wonderful woman who named her Lucky. It is a short story all on one page and I promise you will love it. Read more...

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Cardinal in Flight

Isn't this an absolutely amazing photo of a beautiful cardinal in flight? via

The Lake District, England

Oh my goodness. Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? No wonder Beatrix Potter loved this region so much. Photo of Wasdale Head, UK by Michael. I love the caption he put below his photo on Flickr.

Rocks are banned.
Was the gate to keep the rocks out or the scenery in?

HaHa, good one Michael. Don't you know those rocks are just dying to get in?

Paper Mache Teacup Tower

I like these paper mache teacups that aren't trying to look like something they're  not. They are made of newsprint that shows through the thin colored wash. These would be wonderful filled with Easter grass and colored eggs. I think I'll go put on the kettle and have a cup of tea now. via

Blue and White Antiques Love

You know how much I love blue and white textiles. I have a blue and white checked wool blanket on my bed right now and I have blue and white curtains on the windows (see clickable photo in my sidebar). I own an antique spongeware pitcher like the one on the dry sink and I would dearly love to have that stunning gameboard. via

A Room with A Beautiful View

Webster woke me up at our regular time with very loud barking at an invisible intruder so my plan to get an extra hour of sleep went out the window this morning. 

Isn't this a wonderful image I found to start your Sunday? It's definitely a Room With A View. via

Hermès | The Story of the Kelly Bag | Download

Designed by Robert Dumas in the 1930s, the Kelly was simply unlike any other bag around. It was first called sac à courroie pour dames, meaning bag with straps for ladies.

How interesting. I learned lots of new things about the original Hermès Kelly Bag. Read more . . .

The bag became an overnight sensation after this photo appeared in Life Magazine in 1956. It wasn't officially renamed Kelly until 21 years later. Grace Kelly loved this bag and used the half-dozen in her collection to hide her pregnancy from the paparazzi. 

As you can see from this photo the bag did an excellent job for Princess Grace of Monaco, our American princess.

 Download your Kelly and make an origami paper version.

'Spring Forward' Tonight | Daylight Savings Time

Before you go to bed tonight you must remember to set your clocks ahead by one hour for daylight savings time. We will lose one hour of sleep but maybe our internal clocks will let us sleep an extra hour on Sunday morning. I hope so. Remember, SPRING FORWARD, Fall Back. This little ditty always helps me figure out which way to turn the dial.

I've been waiting for this date to fiddle with the clock in my car. The time is not correct and if I have to get out the dreaded manual I might as well kill two birds with one stone. I'll be fine until the fall when I have to set it back an hour. By then I will most certainly have forgotten how and will need to consult the manual once again. 

antique Swedish clocks: The Essence of The Good Life

Happy Reading Over The Weekend | Home Library

Don't you love this home library in a hallway? It's Saturday and there's no school so this little girl can read the day away. I'm planning on some outside spring cleanup. The sun is out and the temperature is rising. Enjoy your weekend whatever you do. 

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Knit The Royal Wedding

If you’re needled about not being invited to the royal wedding, don’t despair – for now you can knit yourself there. The designs are in a £9.99 book by Fiona Goble and the wool to create the 10-character set will cost around £80.

These include the bride and groom, the Queen and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. And, of course, the corgis. Other ‘characters’ include Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Harry. Each will take around five hours to make – if you know what you’re doing. The dogs are said to be the most difficult because of their short stubby legs.

More pictures, a wonderful article and instructions for ordering the book here. You'd better hurry because you don't have a lot of time to 'Knit Your Own Royal Wedding' and I hope you'll let me know if you do.

The Beautiful Gardens at Fontainebleau

Here is another fine photo by ©David Giral of the Gardens at Fontainebleau.  

The first thing I am going to do this morning is take my taxes to the post office and mail them to my accountant. I'm thrilled that I finally finished that dreaded yearly job yesterday. A big weight has been lifted from my shoulders allowing me to have a great weekend. It stopped raining too. Perfect!

Fontainebleau Castle Reflections

Fontainebleau Castle Reflections, Seine-et-Marne, France (Southeast of Paris) ©David Giral This beautiful HDR photograph was made using three different exposures.

Free Range Chickens

These chickens are beautiful, aren't they. I love that they aren't in a cage and can peck away wherever they like. That's a big tractor in the background so I hope they are careful. I always buy eggs from from free range hens. via