Kitchen Inspired by A French Bakery

From House Beautiful: A lovely kitchen in Tennessee inspired by a French Bakery. It's lovely. I got my mowing done and I'm tired. Can't wait to jump between the sheets and watch TV. I'm sure I won't be able to stay awake for any of my shows so I'll probably watch something I've already recorded. Image Source

My Riding Mower is Fixed

I just talked to the man at the mower repair shop and he told me I got lucky. There was only one bolt holding on the blade and he fixed everything for me. I guess it wasn't meant for me to be able to remove the dead battery, right? Today is going to be nice for mowing and blowing leaves before tomorrow's rain. I'm so happy!

Got My Haircut Today

Before via

After. I like it. As you can see from the before photo, it was long overdue.

Webster is lonesome!

I had to break down and have my riding mower picked up yesterday for a minor tuneup. I talked them into just putting in a new battery, changing the oil, and sharpening the blade. If it starts up after they switch the battery they will proceed with the other two things and bring it back tomorrow. Cross your fingers for me. After the man picked it up, I decided to use my walk behind power mower in the way-way back of my property. I let Webster outside to wait and watch me as he always does but it didn't work. The new owners of an old house diagonally across the street from me have workmen every day. They had to drill a new well and now they are putting in a new heating/cooling system. Their historic house never had air conditioning. I was about half finished with my hand mowing when I saw a young man approaching. He said he was busy working on the HVAC system when Webster appeared and started licking him. Poor thing. I had to stop my mower and walk all the way up to the front and put him back in the house. He's so lonesome now that our contractors have finished. He can see the heating men's vans and pickup trucks from the living room window where his bed is located. I feel so sorry for him and I know how he feels because I miss our workers too. I have become obsessed with wrapping things up before the cold weather and I never did wash my windows. Today I am determined to do the kitchen window over my sink and the two French doors in the living room. I can do those easily from the deck while the weather is still mild. That will change any day now. See you later. Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to work I go.

The Cats of Downton Tabby

Season 4 begins January 5th.

Downton Tabby, read more . . . 

Living Room at My Cottage

I did some Tabitha-approved rearranging last week. She's having a hard time deciding which sofa cushion is her favorite. I got rid of my large coffee table full of books (and junk) and put some low tables in front of "my" sofa. I'm liking this mix a lot even though the low tables are mid-century modern. I put a high tea table between the sofas and I love the way the lamp light shines on my antiquarian books in the glass front case in the corner. The mid-century tables used to be there and the lamp was much lower. I can easily move the low tables out of the way now when I need more room. I really need to get back on a new routine with my hula hoop for the winter. 

This cushion seems to be winning.

Another Great Bathroom

I like this bathroom a lot. I've always liked floating toilets because cleaning the floor would be a snap and this one doesn't have a tank so there's nothing to sweat when the a/c isn't on in the summer. How does it work? Beats me. The white floor with black diamonds is timeless. The shelves complete the picture. I'll take it. via

A Found Bird's Nest with Eggs

This nest with two unhatched eggs was inside one of my Williamsburg Pottery Bird Bottles that I recently took down and cleaned out prior to having my cottage painted. It's like a little work of art, isn't it? I don't know why this nest was abandoned before the eggs hatched. The tiny birds used it constantly over the summer.

This photo is from Colonial Williamsburg where these bird bottles are still being sold. Order here. The house wrens love them. I put two on the front of my house on either end under the eaves. I still have one to hang on the back of the house near my bedroom window so I can wake up to their delightful singing from early spring and all summer long. Listen to them sing here. They raise multiple families and the parents are tireless workers. They love to perch on the wisteria and sing their little hearts out as they dart in and out of the bottle looking for insects to feed their young.