Monday, March 31, 2008
The Journey is the Reward
Crowning Glory!
Before I leave you to go sit under my chandelier..............perhaps even sleep in the guest room tonight just to get the feel and pretend I'm back in France.............
................one more project I've just finished, the little toile pillow with the gorgeous looped ribbon trim that picks up the colors of the shutters.
I think I can now say the guest room makeover is completed.................and I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. Thanks for your patience and interest over the past 2 months ~ funny how these projects start out with a small idea such as "let's repaint the walls", and then just seem to grow ~ such fun.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Cottage Tulips
This old window frame.......................................
..............the really pretty switch plate which is next to it...........
These are two pots I decoupaged with copies of old tulip prints..................
.................and although I'm not a great lover of faux flowers, I have to admit the silk version of these pink beauties found at Pottery Barn a few years ago, are the closest I've seen to real - they look so much like my beautiful Pink Impressions from the garden!
Once the real ones are over I like to keep these on my hearth until Summer flowers bloom.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Pink Impressions
The old zinc capped canning jar, while holding wooden spools for future projects, has become a useful bookend.
Love, love these tulips, the clear colors, the smooth leaves and strong stems, the way they open and close with the light, and how they continue to grow after cutting once in water. Perhaps I should move to Holland ~ then I could hang out with sweet Heidi and, while sipping tea and becoming real friends instead of just long distance ones, could admire and sigh with joy at the acres of gorgeous tulips.
More tulips around the house another time.
Friday, March 28, 2008
French Breakfast
You leave them out on a baking sheet overnight, in the morning they are proofed and puffed - brush with beaten egg if desired (I did) - bake for 15 mins. and voila, light, crispy croissants to eat with nothing better than French strawberry preserves. Not for every day perhaps - altho' they don't seem to hurt the French - but great to have on hand for company or a weekend treat. I plan to have them on sunny Spring mornings when we can breakfast in the gazebo and share the crumbs with the birds.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wings and a Prayer
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Visitors at My Front Door
Below is a closeup of the nest - as you can see the entrance is somewhat sideways and mom and her eggs are way back to the left. I love these Wrens because they are fastidious in their nesting habits - I know from watching the kitchen window box families from other years. Sometimes dad takes over feeding the first brood while mom renests - having 2 and sometimes 3 broods a year. When the babies fly off and the nest is finished with, it is spotlessly clean - much different from the finches who leave their nests so dirty!
This photo is the Carolina Wren from the Birds of the Carolinas Field Guide by Stan Tekiela - a little book I refer to often when learning about the beautiful birds visiting my garden.
Hopefully we'll have a new family at the front door in a few weeks - I'll keep you up to date on the happenings and perhaps will be able to get a photo of the fledglings to share.
Monday, March 24, 2008
........the Primrose Path
Lead me down the primrose path any day!
On with the wellies (Wellington boots) as the fields were usually muddy from Spring rains. Tuck a handful of lengths of soft cotton string in a pocket. A glance at puffy clouds racing across the Southwest sky from the English Channel towards the tors of Dartmoor, showers later for sure.
Above, a page from the chapter MARCH in The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady ~ Edith Holden's amazing naturalist's diary written in 1906. She captured so well the beauty of the simple wild flowers such as primrose and violet.
Easter Garden
The garden surprised us with fresh violets............................................budding azaleas.......................
................the big Thrasher was back...............
.....................and, I don't have pictures, but must tell you how excited I was to see that Mrs. Carolina Wren picked the nest in the wall planter by the front door and has already laid two eggs today! Just hope she's not disturbed too much as we come and go.
I'm hoping your Easter was beautiful too.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Technicolor
I've never seen a frog such as this in my garden ~ perhaps it's time to construct a pond.......with a waterfall..........aquatic plants........and at this point in the conversation dh's eyes start rolling back and that pained look appears on his face!
This is a beautiful Mahonia............it brings tears to my eyes because the voles chewed through my beauty this past year after it had reached several feet in height......and then just toppled over one day. Perhaps a tropical dome in our back garden, on a vole proof concrete footing..............just kidding dear!
Friday, March 21, 2008
The Big Guys
Below is Wilhelm, known as Willy. He and his mate, she was not in the water on this day, are one of the positive zoo stories. This pair was actually rescued from a Mexican traveling circus. While performing in Puerto Rico it was discovered how abominably they were being housed (in tiny cages), underfed (they were extremely thin almost to the point of starved), and generally mistreated. The pair were taken from the circus and brought here to the NC Zoo where they are gradually gaining weight and of course now have a much more comfortable home where they can move about and swim.
This dear bear Willy put on quite a show for us - tossing balls with his head, lifting a huge plastic bucket on to a raft, swimming with a canvas strap, then springing out of the water and waiting for applause. It was obvious he still enjoyed performing - thank goodness it's under much better circumstances.
Unfortunately our plans to eat in 'Tuscany' following the zoo visit didn't work out as the restaurant only serves dinner Thursday, Friday and Saturday! We did meet the owner who allowed us inside to look around.........small, pretty, homey and definitely on the list when next in town later in the week. Instead we went to 'Capri', not as nice but still Italy, and who can go wrong with anything Italian!