My Yellow House

february's beauty

2012-02-06T13:27:00.004-06:00

The cranes have migrated back, way too early

The bats are flying at night, no longer hibernating

The woodpecker wakes me up now at dawn

and my flower garden was starting to think it was May.

Though I was enjoying days with the warm afternoon sun, I'm really not in any hurry to speed time along. It goes by so fast as it is and I don't want to miss the beauty that February often brings.

and though I can hardly wait for the lilacs, the roses and the tulips to peek through the ground, I still look forward to a beautiful February snowfall.

How lovely to be woken up to the sound of snow falling. The snow was so bright, it lit up the room just as if the sun was streaming in.

Much of the last two days was spent making fires, eating pots of beans and chili and watching movies . . . .
the best parts of a snowed in weekend.

There was also endless shoveling, some jar re-organizing and a little picture taking.

I was starting to miss you winter!

dried flowers.....no?

2012-02-02T22:02:00.001-06:00

I love dried flowers . . . . always have and probably always will.

I surround myself and fill my home with things that I love, not because they are "in" . . . just because I find them pretty.

I overheard a funny conversation today between two ladies in a little boutique where I go to window shop.

It went something like this, "dried flowers are soooooooo out of style and soooooooo ugly."

"I'm glad that trend is over."

Really?

So, I thought I'd share some photos of the ugly flowers I have all around my out-of-style house! :)

and these are just on the first floor.

Happy Decorating . . . . with what you love

Sarah

my spaghetti memories

2012-01-31T19:27:00.000-06:00

Sometimes my memories come flooding back at the oddest times . . .
It's funny what the mind chooses to remember . . . . little moments of our past tucked away, to pull out and use whenever we need them.
And most often, the ones I least expect to, are the ones that comfort and strengthen me.

Spaghetti night is a perfect example . . . . . short story long . . . .

Until I was out of high school, my sister and I would spend the summers at our grandparent's houses. They lived in a small town in Illinois and the ride in from the St. Louis airport was always full of anticipation. One grandfather would point out familiar landmarks on the way in and the other grandfather would point out the same ones to us on the way back. and so it was, summer after summer.

The two sets of grandparents were as different as night and day, although in retrospect . . . I now find them very similar. The first part of our summers were spent at the country club, dinners at fancy restaurants where we quietly ate our shrimp cocktails while the adults drank their two "martinis on the rocks with an olive" and enjoyed watching soap operas in the afternoon with the nanny/housekeeper. It was divine. Of course I can't forget the snap-together pearl necklace I loved to wear, the larger than life portrait of my grandmother and the swivel chairs we sat in to play cards at night . . . . .

But after a few weeks, the switch happened and we would end up on the other side of town at the house on the lake, the house my grandfather built with his own hands. It was the first house on the lake, many many years ago, so the lot was fabulous and the dock was more fabulous. Many hours we spent in that water, exploring all the coves and the jumping from the hanging branches. My favorite was to hang upside down from the ladder by my knees and swing myself under the dock. I could hang out there for hours...or until my uncle, who was only a few years older than me, would torment me by pulling the ladder up or throwing things under the dock at me......of course, some of the afternoons were spent catching dinner with our makeshift canepoles. My grandmother only believed in fishing with a honest homemade cane pole, a craft she learned growing up with nothing.

But, on every first night at the house on the lake, we had spaghetti. I can still taste it....her 'secret' recipe.
These nights were special....the uncles came over and we dressed up the dining room table . . . usually with fantastic vintage garage sale dishes - the ones we all covet today. I don't know how spaghetti night really came to be such a tradition but I remember begging her to make it again before we left for the summer.
As I got older, I also begged her to tell me what the recipe was.
It wasn't until right before she passed away last year that she finally let go of that secret that I tried for nearly forty years to get.

Yes, I thought of all this while making my own spaghetti dinner tonight. Funny how those little moments of our past come flooding back into our present at the oddest times.

So hold on to your happy memories . . .
Sarah

By the way, I nearly laughed to tears when she told me her sauce was ragu from a can with a spoonful of sugar!

kitchen blues

2012-01-25T09:36:00.001-06:00

Good Morning! What a beautiful morning it is! My kitchen is glowing . . . .

Come on in . . . . I'm serving up some blue today.

One little find on a hidden shelf in an antique store and my all white shelves now have a different look.

A little bowl led to a little platter that led to a bigger platter that led to some linen and then a gift from a friend and now I have this . . . .

I've always had a fear of pattern and color. These are baby steps I guess, but you'll see the same thing if you look in my closet . . . rows of solids and always neutral. boring? safe? I guess. . . . but I'm comfortable with a little vintage pattern in my kitchen. Maybe it's the year I take some chances.

I'm actually cleaning in between taking pictures of pretty platters and teacups . . . there's going to be a dinner party later this week at my yellow house. I have some serious making up to do . . . a story I'll tell you later.

So . . . have a good day, enjoy what you have and embrace little changes. xo

Sarah

cozy day

2012-01-23T10:48:00.000-06:00

Good Morning!

It's dark and cold today . . . finally a taste of winter.

I'll be lucky if this post actually sticks . . . I haven't been able to read, comment or post for nearly three weeks now.

I'll be hanging out here all day with a fire, candles, some decorating books and my coffee....

and trying to figure out why blogger doesn't like me anymore. xo

Sarah

a little gray cupboard

2012-01-05T11:04:00.003-06:00

Happy Afternoon....I'm inviting you in today to take a peek at my first project of the new year.

It's not a big one but a little change goes a long way.

As with everything else in my home, it's all about being time worn and well loved.

If it's faded, chipped, scratched and mis-matched, it's welcome here.

I like everything to feel like it's been passed down to me . . . cherished more with time.

I painted over the grungy white with mistint paint (gray dove) from the habitat store and rubbed stain into the rough areas

I was talking with my friend Andrea the other night about being, or not being, sentimentally attached to the things we have in our homes. We were actually discussing how I wanted to get rid of my dining room table and how my husband is upset that I don't seem to care much that it was the table I grew up with. I don't know what it says about me but, except for a few special things, I could give it all away

tomorrow and be just fine.

Which made me think about the day I answered the ad for this cupboard. The gal told me that this cupboard was in her grandmother's home and wasn't sure she could part with it. So she put it in her garage for a couple of months to see if she would miss not seeing it everyday. It was still in her garage when I got there. . . . .

So, is it the item or the memory we're afraid to lose?

Sarah

so . . it's a new year

2011-12-30T21:11:00.002-06:00

Hello Hello Hello and Happy New Year!

I've been living a fabulous life this week after Christmas. No work, no real cooking, no obligations ... just enjoying time around the house. There's still a refrigerator full of leftovers and pastries galore so we'll live comfortably and cozy through the end of year.

This is actually one of my favorite times of the year . . . when all the holiday decorations are put away, except for the tree, yet there's still the feeling of something magical in the air. People are still in the spirit of giving and treats are still being baked and shared between neighbors.

Speaking of which . . . I have eaten way too many of these treats, compliments of my mother in law. Bite sized peach pies are now on my list to bake for friends next year.

So, with it being the beginning of a new year and all, I've been thinking about resolutions. The thing though about resolutions is that they are so resolute . . . and if this coming year is anything like the topsy turvy one we had around here in 2011, I can't afford to be resolute.

There are plenty of changes I would like to make in all areas of my life but I found it a little daunting when I was trying to list them all yesterday. So, I looked at all the ideas I had and decided to think for a few days of one main thought that would encompass them all. Honestly, this was daunting too but I came up with my 'slogan' for the new year.

be wise, be thoughtful, be Godly, be fearless and be happy.

I think I can fit every change, every idea and every plan into one of those words.

Those words are also a perfect match with my plans for this blog.

It doesn't seem like I've been writing here for two years . . . I was looking at my older posts and sure wish I could delete some of them, but I guess they're all part of the journey.

You all have been such a wonderful part of my life with your concerns and thoughtful comments, not to mention how much I've learned from reading your blogs so I'm really looking forward to a spectacular new year! I'll see how 'fearless' I can be going forward.

I wish you all the best in 2012!

Sarah

a Christmas thank you

2011-12-17T20:15:00.002-06:00

I've always wanted my home to be the one where everyone comes to celebrate and gather. My door has always been open . . . opening our home means opening our hearts and there's no better time to open our hearts than at Christmas.

So welcome . . .

It's very simple around here. I add one thing a day . . . I prefer to celebrate the season, not the holiday, so winter greens, twigs and pinecones are put into baskets as I find them. Dried flowers and berries you'll find all winter long here. I prefer to think of my one and only santa as the winter gift-bearer and I let my little birds take center stage.

I want to THANK YOU all who visit me, listen to me and share your thoughts with me. You all have been a tremendous gift.

We've had some difficult times this year in my yellow house and this little blog of mine and all of you have been a tremendous source of comfort and respite. I have some changes planned for the upcoming year and I hope that you will be a part of it.

I pray that you all have the most blessed and beautiful Christmas ever ~

Sarah

Giving Gifts

2011-12-06T12:00:00.001-06:00

Please do not come to my door with armfuls of store bought gifts wrapped in fancy paper and expensive bows.

I have everything I need and what I do want can't be bought.

Your time and your friendship doesn't cost a dime but is very valuable to me.

Because you mean so much to me, I'm giving you a gift that I made. I thought of you months ago when I put that first seed in the ground, when I tended to it all summer long as it grew along the garden fence.

I hope you don't mind that I didn't rush to the mall to find you the "perfect" gift . . .

I hope you know that I put more love and thought into this one for you.

enjoy the season ~

Sarah

one white tree

2011-12-03T19:03:00.007-06:00

I know my mother wanted it to be special for my sister and I. After the tree was up, I sat on her lap for hours, way past our bedtime. All the rooms were dark except for lots of little white lights shining on our new white Christmas tree.

I must have been 10 ... it was year of the divorce. It was the year just the three of us picked out our Christmas tree. and it was white.

That night was different . . . all I remember her saying was that she wanted this Christmas to be special for us. So she got us a special tree. It was beautiful, but that white tree has always bothered me.

I don't remember anything else about that Christmas ...... just that white tree

and thirty years later, I still think about it, but only at Christmas time.

* * * * *

The trees are white today and they're just as beautiful as I remember one white tree being.

December 1

2011-11-30T19:18:00.008-06:00

It's 8 o'clock and I'm still sitting on the couch . . . I've been here for hours.

All the candles on the piano are almost burnt down and the one I lit this afternoon is still sending waves of apple pie scent from the kitchen. The windows are shaking a little from the wind that picks up when the sun sets. It's one of my favorite sounds...the whistling through the panes.

It used to drive me crazy, as did the creaking of the wood floors, but I wouldn't trade those familiar and comforting sounds for anything now.

From every window I can see Christmas lights twinkling outside. They look like a million stars shining through my windows.

Tomorrow is December 1st . . . a day of new beginnings, one of my favorite days of the year.

All the coziness and prettiness of winter can start now. The year is almost over, and it was what it was. But for this last month, I can rejoice in everything that's good about the season . . . .

like playing piano by candlelight . . . with twinkling stars shining through my windows on a cold dark night.

Happy December 1st!

hoping for noise

2011-11-23T05:47:00.002-06:00

It's been awfully quiet around here lately. The noise has vanished. There's no children anxiously awaiting holiday break...there's no fall programs at school to attend...there's no doors slamming or morning fights.

I like the quiet, I thrive in it, we're good friends . . . but not this kind of quiet. I'm frustrated because I can't make the noise come back to be thankful for the silence. They've taken their noise somewhere else, not fully realizing the loneliness they've left behind . . . the little knot in my stomach that rises up somedays when I walk into an empty room and realize it's still empty.

But, tomorrow there will be noise and games and stories. There is a comfortable and happy routine about Thanksgiving day at my inlaws that I hope to remember and keep tightly with me through the quiet days.

The boys are somewhere else today, but I hope they are anticipating the sounds of tomorrow just as much as I am.

Be thankful for all the things you have and the things you don't know you have.

Happy Thanksgiving ~

the end of fall at my yellow house

2011-11-21T12:38:00.012-06:00

Each season brings it's own beauty, but I don't think anything compares to the wonders of fall. Maybe it's because I love the muted colors, the warmth of fires and heavy sweaters, sitting on my front porch under a blanket with a hot cocoa, the sticks and pinecones in baskets around my home . . .

the golden piles of leaves dropped from my old trees.

My flower gardens and newly planted bulbs are tucked in under a blanket of these leaves, the garden is covered for next spring, the compost pile is full and there are 32 bags ready to be picked up. I cannot bag one more though...I hope they all catch a big wind and blow away naturally.

Someday I'll live in the country where I am not forced to bag up and discard one of the most beautiful parts of fall. I will live with golden leaves all over my land and love every minute of listening to them rustle under my feet as I walk.

For now, I live with them on the ground as long as I can.

Sarah

holiday madness

2011-11-15T12:23:00.008-06:00

It seems the madness has begun....and I have a bruised foot to prove it.

When I witness things that are so contrary to my own values and beliefs, I quietly tell myself how thankful I am that I live the way I do.

But watching someone step so hard on my foot that she left a bruise . . . as she spent over $3000 on plastic greenery, fake flowers and carts upon carts of other useless holiday decorations, about threw me over the edge.

I wonder if her home will be any cozier, warmer, happier than mine . . .

I don't think so.

I watched as she didn't smile once walking back and forth to the counter with her arms full of things I'm sure she hopes will make her holidays happy.

it made me sad.

my job at home

2011-11-08T09:56:00.002-06:00

After 16 days of working to prepare for the holiday rush, I finally have a day off. Although I'm thankful for my hours at the shop, I remind myself every morning that I had a full time job that I chose to quit for a quieter and calmer life. And though I was probably needed today, I chose to stay home.

I've worked corporate jobs and sold houses like nobody's business, but I have always felt like my real job is here at home, something I used to think I had to apologize for. In a family of overachievers, advanced degrees and workaholics, I didn't always think I measured up. Years and therapy taught me that everyone has a different calling in life and where I was meant to be wasn't where others were meant to be.

So now I'm more at peace with my place and myself and couldn't have picked a more perfect day to stay inside. I have the whole house to myself...which means the heat is on, too high for anyone else, a pie is baked, a project or two completed and a few quiet hours to enjoy before two hungry and cold men come through the door....which is actually my favorite time of the day.

It was about this time last year when my oldest son surprised me with a little bench that he found in a dumpster. And I remember thinking not only how handy it was going to be for seating at our family holiday gatherings, but how proud I was that he maybe really had learned something from me. Learned from all my talks about good things don't always cost money and true gifts come from the heart, not always having to be bought.

This weekend he brought me another little bench he found in a friend's garage. With a little paint and time, during my quiet day at home, I have another treasure that reminds me of why it was so important for my job to be at home.

"Gold and silver I have none, but worth millions is my son"

choosing love

2011-10-31T15:10:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I hear something that might not seem extraordinarily profound to the person speaking, but to me, I'm excited with the thought of something new to think about.

Usually they're fleeting moments, thrown into a conversation and have little to do with the conversation as a whole. The words echo in my mind and thoughts are racing as I mentally make note of how I can use them in a way that helps me grow and understand.

The other day at the flower shop, one of the girls I work with said three little words that put together, aren't little at all. She told me that she was going to be a grandmother. The whole situation is less than ideal, not the dream of a mother for her son, but when I asked her about those details she matter of factly said . . . .
"I choose love."

The situation is what it is.... So...love and acceptance or heartache and loathing are the choices.

Of course I was up all night thinking about what she said, and what I realized was, that I don't hold the cards for anyone's path in life. I am only a parent, a friend, a wife, a sister, a daughter . . . I can advise and help but I cannot force a path, that is not my place. I do not have the power to make what I dream of, the dreams of others.

What I do have the power over, is choosing to love the moment and those who are in it with me and accept circumstances for what they are. To choose not to critique the choices of others. To be more open to 'what is' rather than 'what if.' To know that my dreams and hopes, for all of us, are just that ... mine.
I choose to choose love also.

in the country good

2011-10-28T12:57:00.008-05:00

What was just supposed to be a romantic weekend to celebrate our anniversary, turned out to be so much more. I knew the moment we pulled out from the driveway that this trip away was going to be different . . . that it would change me in some way. I felt free and calm, young and happy, excited to be with my husband and away from the house. I haven't felt that way in a long time and I went with it, completely.

The road seemed to go to nowhere with cornfields as far as your eye could see. At home, you're lucky if you get to see a sliver of the sun setting....but on the backroads in Iowa, it spanned for miles it seemed. The clouds were swirling under a purple and orange mix and the cornstalks seemed to rise up to meet them. The silence was golden with only a hint of a whistle as the wind skipped across the tips of the stalks.

We stayed in a log cabin with 150 years of stories to be told. We ate, talked and slept by the fireplace. It was us, and the fields, the fire, the quiet, the stories, the history, the freedom . . . .

I felt like I was another person. . .a person who didn't feel the weight of so many problems on her shoulders. A person who was able, for once in a long time, to leave her real life behind and not look back. A person who appreciated every little thing that happened and drank in all the little details of each minute. A person who was struck by the beauty of it all - not just nature but the genuine thoughtfulness of other people. A person who forgot to pack clothes, smelled like campfire for days, drank too much champagne and was a little tired . . . but didn't care at all.

Every few minutes Chad would stoke the fire and the huge flames would heat the cabin again and all I could hear was the popping and crackling of the wood and the wonderful silence between us.

Maybe it's because I knew it was a special weekend for us, one that we so deserved, or maybe it was because I was treated like a queen by so many people who had a hand in making this trip so special . . .

or maybe it was just the simplicity of it all.

I folded all that contentment and peace right up and stuffed them into my bag to bring home.

Sarah

if you ever find yourself in Oakland, Iowa, you must visit the Big Grove Village bed and breakfast

a visit 18 years later

2011-10-17T10:59:00.003-05:00

The more things change, the more they stay the same. . . .and I was beside myself that it was still there

after 18 years. Oct. 16, 2011

a faded fall

2011-10-14T08:19:00.003-05:00

Fall is here in all her glory. Little white pumpkins are scattered around, on top of books and placed along the mantle. Jars are now filled with lavender and sedum as all the pastels from the garden have closed up.

Dressing in layers is the only way it works...sweaters in the morning, only to be shed in the afternoon and flannels are on immediately when the sun dips down. All flip flops will probably be hidden on the top shelf this weekend and the thermostat war has begun.

Blankets have been washed, fall pillows made and stacked near the fireplace next to some curly branches from the yard and the crockpot is back on the counter, permanently until spring.

In a few short minutes we'll be on the road for an exciting adventure. Lunch in small town cafes, treasure hunting in quaint antique shops, an anniversary stop in an old one room chapel and playing house in a 150 year old log cabin...that's the plan. Fingers are crossed that it goes just as I have played it out in my dreams for the past week . . . since the secret was leaked.

giving comfort

2011-10-11T06:37:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I get in the mood to spend the whole day in the kitchen . . . these are the days when I really enjoy the whole process of going through my cookbooks, preparing our meal and setting a pretty table with my collected dishes and linens.
I also love old fashioned comfort food. Some meals I only make when there's a chill in the air and I look forward to them all year. There's something so delicious about a hearty fall dinner, especially when the sun has already gone down in the evening and the candles are glowing again across the table.

As I was cooking today, I was also thinking about the tradition of taking comfort food to those in need. There is a charming family who lives next door and happen to be going through a very scary time. There's not much I can do to help other than make sure they are fed....to prepare them some food and hope that with every bite, their fears and worry will ease a little. So I made soup for all of us, for warmth, contentment and hope.

Lima Bean and Vegetable Soup

* vegetable stock

* bag of lima beans (soaked and simmered for 8 hours)

* any fresh vegetables you like

* any spices . . . definately barley

* a little garlic

bring to a boil then simmer for a couple of hours or cook all day in the crock pot . . . enjoy with a huge warm chunk of bread!

'God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain...but he did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears and light for the way'

watching the days go by

2011-10-05T17:44:00.002-05:00

There's so many leaves, they've started to greet me at the front door . . . right side up and sitting perfect, like they know they'll soon be photographed. They must feel right at home on the weathered wood.

I could probably fill a few yard bags or more, but decided this year to enjoy them as long as I can as they cover my yard in a yellow blanket...plus, I love the sound of the leaves crunching as people walk by.

Since the plaid came back out for the season, it's definately more cozy watching people crunch through my leafy yard. To say we spend at least half our waking time at home on this porch might be an understatement. A wide front porch (with flaky weathered boards) is so quintessentially 'old house' to me . . . I start and end my day here.

When I was gone from blogging and my computer for the past two weeks, I was here.

watching the days go by ~

the big chill and apples

2011-09-15T13:23:00.002-05:00

I barely had one eye open and I knew today was going to be of a different sort. I was comfortable and toasty with the heated blanket on and Lola was curled up to my neck with just a paw stretched on the pillow. I could feel the chill on my face . . .

I closed my eyes and buried myself under the blankets for a few more minutes, hoping that someone would still be home and turn the heat on.

Rumor has it that it's going to get down into the 30s by the end of the week. I'd say fall has arrived around my corner of the midwest. It just snuck right in with it's breezy cool days and chilly nights, dropping a leaf or two in the yard as it took the last of my vegetables from the garden.

Fall isn't fall without fresh apples so I went to the farmers market down the street and brought a basket home.

I didn't have all the ingredients to bake a pie but I did slice and smother them with lots of caramel and nuts.

and set the rest in my favorite basket on the dining room table for a hint of fall decorating.

and right now I'm seriously contemplating making a fire.

"every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree"

exploring in the country

2011-09-05T20:25:00.004-05:00

Ok, it seems that having toast and jam for breakfast may not be the prelude to a really good day. In fact, I think I will forever equate homemade bread and jam with the worst migraine I have ever had....in my whole life. And the little stash that I had hidden away for mums and fresh apples from the farmer's market went to a shot in my arm.
That my friends, is how my highly anticipated "good friday" went. The weekend wasn't much better.

Let's fast forward to today ..... the day when fall arrived, in all her 61 degree glory.

I always look forward to the beginning of a new season and all the possibilities it brings. It's a time for changes, when you don't need to actually declare you're making them....they just evolve as the color of the leaves or the chill in the air.

There's no place better to see and feel the beauty of the changing seasons than in the country. I feel so completely at peace there. I love the sun on the fields, the houses we find that have a story but no one around to tell it, flowers that grow free and wild, friendly farmers that wave to you, the colors and the smells. . . .

My legs are tired from walking through fields of knee high weeds and my ankles are bitten as I spent the whole chilly day in the country ~

I'm embracing the changes as it looks like fall is here to stay.

toast and jam

2011-09-02T06:23:00.002-05:00

There isn't a doubt in my mind that today is going to be a good day. I usually reference the day by how my early morning goes. I'm up before the line of pink and orange is cast along the horizon and usually have put in a full morning before the sun even hits the tree line. It's my favorite time of the day . . . I awake to a quiet house, something I'm still getting used to. I'm not sure if I like it . . . I like the quiet but not the quietness. Have you ever noticed how loud silence can be sometimes . . . . .

I like that I finally get to eat my breakfast in peace. Breakfast with two big growing boys wasn't the most peaceful time of the day and I was usually so frazzled by the time they left that the last thing I wanted to do was regroup and eat something. Sometimes I long for those days back but then I have a morning like today and think, "are you crazy Sarah?!"

I hid the last of the homemade bread last night and opened the last jar of blueberry jam from my father's farm. I'd gladly share if anyone was home......

The sun is now at the top of the cherry trees, and by habit, that means it's time to get dressed and find something to do.

Good Morning!

"The moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours. No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen. And the fact that it practically always doesn't, matters not a jot. The possibility is always there."

quiet day

2011-08-29T17:06:00.004-05:00

I've walked by the chalkboard many times today and read the list of things to do each time I go by. Yet, there isn't a single checkmark. It's almost dinner time and all I've accomplished today is arranging a jar of flowers for my living room. I'm living off the slim pickings of what's left of the summer flowers, waiting impatiently for the mums and sedum to open. Daisies never disappoint . . . there's always a handful waiting to be cut and thrown into a jar.

I am going to make dinner, but unfortunately, that's not on the list...it doesn't count.

perfect evening

2011-08-21T13:32:00.002-05:00

You're only slightly wrong if you think all there is to Nebraska is rolling plains and cornfields.

You might be surprised to know that right in the middle of the corn is a lovely vineyard where the grapevines grow tall and the view is spectacular.

Surprise date nights are always the best . . . when work is forgotten early, we pack our biggest blanket and a picnic basket and head off in search of a place where we haven't explored before. Last night's date night seemed especially important since we've had so much on our minds this summer . . . we've stood together but not had time together.

We didn't even really talk . . . we enjoyed and savored every minute of just being there together, mixed in with people we didn't know, listening to an old time rock band, laying under the stars and sharing a bottle of wine. I don't even know what we could have talked about to make the night better.

"the night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand"

in the eye of the beholder...

2011-08-17T17:49:00.006-05:00

These are my views from my kitchen windows.

I work tirelessly in the flower garden and ignore the shed. But I love them the same.

Today I invited someone over to look at my yellow house . . . she definately did not see the same thing I see when I look at the peeling paint, old crooked doors, leaning steps and tangled plants of my pretend yellow barn.

I tried explaining the charm of an 1900 door, leaded glass paned windows, old clay pots and weathered watering cans that have been in the same spot for years. She wasn't getting it.

She was liking all the flowers though. Those can stay she said but my 'rickety' barn should go. . . it isn't worth a dime.
To me, it's worth many dimes.

Although the summer's been slow and uneventful around here, we've been up to some serious planning . . . the kind where our lives will be completely changed. The kind where I may be writing these posts from the countryside staring out my window at a real yellow barn.

well,

There's real plans and there's dreams.... I'm trying to weave them together. And I'm trying to do it before every sentimental bone in my body won't let me leave this house.

I want to do it because I have an aching feeling for change and wide open spaces and quietness.

And . . . I'm ready to be spontaneous and throw a little caution to the wind.

So in the meantime, I'll keep her barn advice in mind but you should have heard the comments regarding my "too specific country kitchen!"

Lucky for her I guess that if/when, I'll be taking my old stove with me. And maybe I'll put the cabinets back on the open shelves . . . maybe. :)

Sarah ~

hours in my kitchen

2011-08-12T09:31:00.005-05:00

My goodness, is it really already the second week of August....it's becoming a little scary how fast time does fly by. June was cold and rainy, July was gone in a blink and August seems to be sliding by just as fast.

Last night I sat on the front porch under a blanket . . .

Summer, where did you go?

I've diced more tomatoes than one girl ever should. I have more cuts, bruises and bites than should be allowed on one girl's arms. Shelves are stocked three jars deep with salsa, pickles, sauces and relishes and the cucumbers keep coming.

All in all, I've spent an enormous amount of time in the kitchen.

It's the first year of no kiddos going back to school so I'm spared from that rush. The mums and sedum are starting to bloom so it's official that fall is right around the corner. The family 'issue' is still lurking around but we're learning how to move it back to its respective place...far far back. And not even a vacation was taken.

On the boredom scale, I'd say it's been a high ten around here.

Maybe I'll plan a party . . . . when are you available?

raindrops are gently falling this morning ~

blessed

2011-08-01T21:53:00.009-05:00

I felt like a true farmer today . . . I braved the heat, the bees, the spiders and the tall weeds and remembered again why gardening is one of my biggest passions.

My basket overflowed with gifts that I planted and nurtured so that we can live more self-sustaining and healthier lives. We are dependant on our own hard work.

I weeded and picked for hours ... that tired to the bone feeling has settled in, but I feel good.

Vegetable baskets were given to the neighbors, cucumbers were sliced for pickling, tomatoes for canning and dinner prepared.

I'd say....I'm tremendously blessed.

Count your blessings ~ Sarah

my afternoon

2011-07-27T16:58:00.003-05:00

Life continues at a snail's pace here...I don't remember a quieter July.

The days are calm and still as they are long . . . and hot.

Today was all about sweat...an ugly but unavoidable truth.

I stopped at my first garage sale of the summer today. What kind of folks would willingly sit in a steamy garage on the hottest day of the year . . . smart people with good junk, they were. Red sold stickers were slapped on everything . . . everything but this crate which was filled with a million nails and wasn't technically for sale. Luckily I got the one family member hotter than me!
There was another sale down the street, but you know it's time to wrap it up when you're digging through your car for any old rag to wipe your hot little brow and your sundress is sticking to your legs. Thank goodness for the free lemonade.

Have a wonderful evening ~

july days

2011-07-21T05:38:00.002-05:00

These are the days I loved as a child...

when the scorching heat meant long days outside at the pool with friends, freckles and sun bleached hair.

Not a care in the world except making sure all your friends were ready to go and your towel was dry.

At that time we lived at the edge of town surrounded by long-gone farms. By 9am the crop dust was heavy and would blow to the east settling in the neighborhoods like a low lying cloud, resting on the roofs of the houses. Your only prayer was the pool and the firemen who kept the hydrants spraying long into the evenings.

Fast forward a few years . . . now I'm half dilerious by 9am when the temperature has already reached 91 degrees. Life slows immeasurably when the heat hovers at unbearable for days on end. And that memory of loving the dog days of summer is just that.....a memory.

You'll find me inside today with the vintage fan on high, living on ice cream and fresh strawberries.

and opening the side door only a crack . . . just wide enough to stick my arm out and turn on the sprinkler for my poor garden, that I pray survives!

It seems forever ago that I was wishing for warmer days - I'm almost tempted to start wishing for fall . . .
but that's probably because it's just the crack of dawn and I'm already hot and half dilerious.

how I grow

2011-07-12T09:51:00.006-05:00

One place that I find complete peace is when I am in my garden.

We are living in a state of wait around here. For what? It depends on who you ask, but it really is a ridiculous way to live.

When lives hang by the thread of the decisions of someone else, it's hard to concentrate on much else.

I've found that I have two choices as far as waiting is concerned . . . continue to be paralyzed by uncertainty or use this time to see how strong I really am.

Measuring my strength and courage has been hard to calculate ~ there's no magic chart to go by . . . no list to check off. I go by the small things that I'm able to accomplish.

I go to my garden where it's absolutely quiet. . .

Where I can say everything outloud to the plants that I want to say to others, but can't.

Where I can take out my frustrations with my shovel and it doesn't hurt anyone.

Where I can pray for hours.

Where I can clearly see and gather the results of my own hard work.

So as my garden grows....so do I.

the alley

2011-07-09T16:29:00.006-05:00

Summer has finally hit town and no rain for four days has been a blessing beyond belief. Now my breath just hangs in front of my face and my curls are tighter than ever, but not having an umbrella attached to my wrist is more than a relief.

I went down to Joe's alley again today to see what was happening. It's not really Joe's alley but he gets credit due to his shop is on the main corner which you have to pass to get to the real reason I like going. Like any good businessman, he makes you walk right through his pile of sort-of antiques and always tries to talk me into something. He's already got his eye on you before you've rounded the corner to his shop! But, he's part of the alley so I always make small talk with him. Remember this man....a true gentleman who I haven't seen since.

I don't really fit in or look like I belong but that's the goodness of it....I don't need to look the part...I feel like I belong.

and it's fun . . . it's a little bit of everything I always wanted to be.

And then there's mannequin lady who always goes out of her way to spend time with me. Of course, she talks with anyone and everyone but I like to think she remembers me when she tells me about her three girls...girls who are always dressed exquisitely from heels to hats. They never leave her car but she will roll down the window for them when she gets out to mingle with the other alley people. Never have I been allowed to take their picture...she tells me every single time I see her that "the girls aren't dressed for picture taking today."

It was peculiarly quiet there today. Strange, I thought, since we've all been couped up indoors for so long. I missed the music and the conversations, but it was still fun and

I rather liked having the whole alley to myself.

white bathroom

2011-06-08T18:18:00.005-05:00

Can anyone guess what this week is?

If you said, this is the week that Sarah's husband goes out of town and she works feverishly to get projects done, you would be correct.

Project 1 . . . to repaint and freshen up the bathroom.

I really wanted to go bold and bright, but as you can see . . . I didn't.

I am a neutral girl through and through....I can't live with bright colors, as much as I think I would like to. So, although it's not bold, it is brighter.

I'd like to add crown molding around the ceiling but that was something I couldn't tackle on my own without a truck or a saw, or the ability to measure. So I guess another nice evening on the porch is in order for a little persuasion .... this time, on your suggestion....I'll serve something stronger. :)

crocks and white flowers

2011-06-06T07:22:00.002-05:00

"All is quiet this morning and the chores are done...

So I planted more flowers before the rising sun."

Have a wonderful week!

Sarah

Go visit Jane and see more gorgeous flowers ~

drinks on the porch

2011-06-03T16:05:00.003-05:00

The weekend is here and

we're starting ours off early with drinks on the front porch...one of my favorite things to do.

We can sit for hours on this porch......

My husband will laugh at this setting when he comes outside. Not really laugh, but moreso chuckle and probably comment on whether I took pictures of it all.
I try to explain to him that it's the little things that make a big difference.
It takes no more effort to put pretty drinks on a tray with a handful of flowers, and

he laughs but I know he secretly likes pretty things. :)

So if you stop by, you'll know where to find us....just follow the scent of the rose bouquet.
This is my favorite summer drink ~ raspberry sparkling water with frozen fresh raspberries.

Until next time ~

the iris and the ammo caddy

2011-06-01T10:34:00.002-05:00

Good Morning!

June 1 . . . where does the time go? It seems to be flying by . . . . Here's what made me happy today.

Have you ever seen a more beautiful color?

I think peachy, corally, pinkish salmon is my new favorite color.

And, NO, I did not steal these from my neighbor...they came right out of my own garden. One little transplanted flower has spread all along the side of the garage and overnight surprised me with these.

I love how they have a feminine-vintage-romantic feel. And contrary to what anyone says...we all need feminine, vintage, romantic touches around the house.

and...we all need a little rustic for down home measure.

If you're really good and don't buy something the first time you see it but go back and it's still there ... it was meant to be yours . . . "Yes, Honey, I do need an old weathered dovetailed ammo caddy."

Enjoy those little things that you "just had to have."

Have a wonderful day ~

Sarah

2011-05-26T07:29:00.004-05:00

Hands down, more so than the pale pink rose . . . peonies are my favorite flower.

Every year I vow to plant my own bush
under my kitchen window
so I can pick bouquets whenever I desire ~

Mostly so I don't have to sneak through backyards at dawn with hidden scissors . . .

because you never know when your neighbor might be having coffee by her kitchen window admiring her own peony bush!

Some people are so gracious . . .

I got a handful of thefted flowers AND a cup of coffee!

Hope your day started off as lovely as mine ~

iron gates and secret gardens

2011-05-24T11:33:00.005-05:00

How I now long for an old garden hidden from view . . . holding stories, pleasures and sins of the past within it's gated walls.

How I now long for understated but elegant brick entrances and paths in my garden . . . bricks handmade by slaves so many years ago. Bricks so coveted now that laws have been made forbidding buildings made of "slave bricks" to be torn down.

How I long for ivy to grow wildly up the lanterns that casts a dim light upon my secret garden just as it did 100 years ago . . . lanterns that once told a town this was a house of prestige.

In the middle of my secret garden I long for an iron mermaid dancing on top of dolphins...a reminder of life by the sea.

How I long for trees that are centuries old and bend and twist every which way ~

I'll leave the light burning just in case you're walking by and wonder what's behind MY iron gates . . .

Sarah

a southern welcome

2011-05-23T06:48:00.005-05:00

Good Morning and hello! I'm back from the most wonderful trip I've ever taken.

Two weeks I've spent exploring and dreaming about places I long to be.

It was welcoming and inspiring...slow and quiet...beautiful and rich in history

I was completely drawn in ~

I realized, this is where I am meant to be.

a needed trip

2011-05-10T05:11:00.005-05:00

I'm heading down south for some Sarah time....

traveling the streets of Savannah, sitting on the shores of Charleston

and venturing up into the swamps of rural country to work on my family's blueberry farm.

I always miss home when I travel...these comfortable familiar corners of my life.
I'm a creature of too many habits and always find myself longing for my own space again.

I've left instructions....I know full well though that they will not be looked at until one hour before my arrival home, but that's okay. I can only imagine how life in our yellow house runs without me here but as long as we all have a wonderful time....I'll deal with the dust later. :)

SEE YOU SOON!

glimpses

2011-05-08T19:38:00.002-05:00

A few things have started to bloom in my gardens. . . it was the small beginnings that I caught glimpses of today ~

Hope everyone had a beautiful Mother's Day!

a Flora Doora

2011-05-04T18:07:00.004-05:00

Welcome Spring!

I'm celebrating the arrival of color, beauty and warmth with my new flora doora.

Do you have a flora doora?

I recently ordered this charming flower bag from Jane at

FLORA DOORA

She makes and sells them in her etsy shop...they are lined with plastic so they are perfect for flowers, branches, bird seed.....

Visit Jane . . . she'd love to make you a bag too!

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wildflowers in our hair ~

I dare you....

a window seat

2011-04-26T15:00:00.007-05:00

April showers and a damp chill in the air has kept me inside for yet another day. So I'm spending lazy days reading and napping and thinking . . .

I've been thinking about how I "live" in my home. This has certainly changed over the years but one thing remains constant . . . my home is very much lived in.

Here's my new favorite spot. All formality is gone from this area...gone are the formal pillows lined up like soldiers and in are comfy squishy pillows covered in pretty linen.

All of my favorite magazines and decorating books I gathered from different bookcases, my favorite blanket lays on top of it all and a pretty rose quilt for extra coziness.

I love that little stool I got several weeks ago . . . it's become an important part of my everyday life from holding feet to flowers to books. And I'm now carrying my flowers around in what once was my trash can in my office room. A dozen roses were on sale this weekend at walmart for $4 a dozen. I only wish I had grabbed several more . . .

Probably a little too girly for all the guys in this house but like everything, in the journey of making a comfortable home...it may change. But, this is how I'm "living" in this room now.

Have a wonderful evening!

the unmade bed

2011-04-17T10:27:00.003-05:00

"with afternoon comes...

the sleepy scene

of weary sunrays

resting on the bed unmade"

A pretty new headboard has taken it's place as the throne of the unmade bed . . . found laying against the side of an antique store long closed up, she fits in quite nicely I think. A good cleaning and some white paint has her looking like this has always been her proper place.

I have since given up my ritual of tightening and tucking and lining up perfect pillows.

It's now a comforting mess of white and lace . . .

In light of my good fortune, clean sheets, a quiet house and sunshine warmed pillows ... for the first time in a very long time, I took an afternoon nap.
It's now a permanent to-do on my weekend list!

Hope your weekend was just as warm and relaxing ~

the yellow house

2011-04-14T06:30:00.004-05:00

Good Morning!

Let's take a peek through the windows of my yellow house, shall we . . . .

Miss Sarah at Modern Country Style has invited us to a party, themed "how do you define your blog?"

I thought this was a good chance to think about where I've been and where I'm going with this little blog of mine.

I don't have a store, an etsy shop and I'm not moving or renovating so what you get with this blog is ME.

Me....rambling about this old house trying to find new ideas everyday on how to live beautifully and simply in a sometimes hectic world.

Everyday there's an opportunity to learn, to grow, to inspire, to help, to nourish, to share. . . . I get this from your blogs and my hope is that I can provide these as well.

Maybe you'll see something in my home that says, "that's me" or it will inspire you to start each day with flowers and matching china ~

Even if it's just showing how I constantly change the flowers in my favorite white pitcher.

Or, even if it's just showing how I change around my dining room buffet and play around with my mismatched garage sale china. Maybe you'll be inspired to use a delicate rose plate, just because it's pretty.

Nothing big usually goes on around here...a ruffle added now and then.

But it's the small things that make a warm and comfortable home and it's the small things that tie us all together.

I enjoying sharing my love of old books...and I know some of you love them too. I read them and stack them and should probably do a book review for those of you who read the old ones.

Maybe you've been inspired to do a long awaited project . . . it was only after seeing open cabinets and beadboard on other blogs that I decided to throw away those cabinet doors so I could look at my pretty dishes all day long. Maybe you just like hearing the stories of how I wait and wait for my husband to go out of town to do these projects. :)

And maybe you'll see a thrift store chair in a whole new light. Just maybe.....

I love to tell the tales of finding hidden treasures in our yard and how we share this home with the gentleman who built it 87 years ago ~ who doesn't love a good ghost story . . .

Gardening is a big part of our lives here on our little corner of the world....I got lots of emails when I did the post about rotating my seeds into buckets and I hope that my gardening trial and error helped you with your garden. Or at least, inspired you to try.

So I might not have a lot of big things to show and say but I hope that all my little things add up and add something to your day and your life.

We are all here together in this big world .... we might as well share each other, our thoughts, our inspirations, our knowledge and our friendships to make our time here more beautiful.

I guess that's the goal of my blog ~

now a rug

2011-04-10T16:25:00.004-05:00

Hello! I hope wherever you are, your weekend was as beautiful as mine was. The sky was blue, birds were chirping, flowers blossoming, raindrops and rainbows, dinner on the grill . . . .

It really couldn't have been any lovelier ~

I even finished a project that I wanted to share. Have you ever found something and knew exactly in your mind what you wanted to do with it? You can picture how it's going to look and you're not up to entertaining any other idea.

So it was with this scarf/wrap that I found last weekend for $1 at a garage sale.

With a little help from the nice lady at the fabric store ( she told me that her home is decorated in an "early goodwill style" so I knew she appreciated what I wanted to do ) and with some patience, it was a fairly easy project.

in case you get the urge to make your own pretty rug ~

I love it....I love how it's a little shabby, a little chic and really girly!

a chandelier

2011-03-31T06:56:00.001-05:00

Good Morning all you chandelier loving friends!

Granted . . . it's not tarnished and vintage or dripping with crystals like I would really love to have in my kitchen but I'll make do and maybe pretend.

I can't have anything heavy hanging from this ceiling, so for the past 11 years I had given up hope of having a beautiful chandelier glowing over my island.

I was visiting the habitat for humanity resale store last week for supplies to do a bathroom redo and found this chandelier in the free bin. It was ugly and I'm sure it's plastic, weighing nothing...that's why I could hang it.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how she turned out....

The point is....I now have a chandelier in my kitchen.

Is it just me or do you walk by and stare at projects you've done just because you're so pleased with how they turned out ~

May your journey be your joy ~

silver cakestands

2011-03-28T08:22:00.004-05:00

I see them in magazines.

I see them on your blogs.

Why am I not able to find one anywhere.

I had my decorating heart set on putting my cloches on silver stands. I was ranting this weekend about not being able to find any in all the antique stores I've been too, when my husband says, "why don't you make your own." Why didn't I think of that.

With my huge silver collection, I can have all the stands I want now!
So simple, so small but so satisfying.

about chairs

2011-03-24T09:35:00.004-05:00

Happy Friday!

Good Morning all!

Another week, another project and we seem to be all about chairs here lately. The new leather one, with its oversized brown curviness, has definately grown on me. I still give her dirty looks, but secretly, I have napped on her a few times. But, because I’m still working on getting my new kitchen sink, I quickly scoot over to the couch when I hear the work truck pull up outside and continue to play as if she's still a dark thorn in my decorating side.

To even things out, there's a new chair across the way...it's a chair stare-down. His might have more muscle but mine has carved roses and caning and a squishy cushion with just a hint of girly trim. And it's white.

This is how I found her. Actually "we" found her....I recently met Andrea, the gal behind the beautiful blog Faded Plains. Turns out that she lives nearby so we had lunch and went to a few junk shops...where we both spied this chair at the same time as we were leaving.

Everything was sewn together, filthy, stapled and stapled again...did I mention filthy. Once I got everything taken apart, it had to sit outside for two days to air out. Under the cushion I collected piles of pistachios, candy, wrappers, money and two pens. Seriously...who does that.

Here she is now almost all finished, well except for . . . .

A seamstress I am not. It's not perfect, in fact, the fabric on the cushion is just pinned underneath. It's either that or learn to how form a cushion and sew cording.

She's a charmer, that's for sure. But, she looked a little lonely (and leggy) just sitting at the edge of the rug across from “the other” chair....so I added the stool.

I found this on my second lunch and junking date with Andrea. Fortunately, it didn't require as much tlc and work as her partner did! and it didn't smell. A little white washing on the legs and she was good to go . . .

for feet or flowers.

That's what I've been up to .... we got 4 inches of snow last night so I guess I'm looking for another indoor project since I won't be working outside this weekend!

Have a beautiful weekend ~

compromise

2011-03-14T09:06:00.003-05:00

Good Morning!

Life and marriage is all about one big compromise ~ so I found out again.

While I was at the shop playing with the new spring flowers that arrived

my husband was up to some mischief at home.....

I'm very lucky, excluding painting the woodwork, my husband lets me do whatever I want in our home when it comes to decorating. He didn't say a word when I recently got rid of our couches and chair and left him with no where to sit. He didn't say a word last week when I brought home a chair that needs a lot of work but definately wasn't meant to be his new chair . . . now,

I had every intention on replacing his chair promptly, but obviously not prompt enough . . . I was waiting to find the perfect chair, but I suppose he was tired of waiting for somewhere to sit!

Unaware of his plans and too busy playing with tulips and roses . . . he was taking matters into his own hands ~

In an unbecoming moment this is what I said:

I am a vegan and this chair is all leather

It is not white, farmhouse, rustic or country

It is not the chair I want

However, after a bath and a few hours later, this is what I said:

You are not a vegan and I realize you do not share those same beliefs

I know you are tired of white

Style shouldn't matter when you have a bad knee and work 10 hours a day

You're right...it is our home

~ the spirit of compromise ~ and realizing our homes should reflect all of us who live in it.

It's growing on me and if I use this picture as inspiration . . . I kind of like it. But let's not tell my husband just yet, I think I'll play the compromising wife a little longer...I'm hoping to get a white porcelain kitchen sink out of this deal!

Life is best when you share the dream together ~

We did take a break from discussing this chair long enough for him to draw a number from the hat for the two decorating books from my collection.

MISS SANDRA from Musings from Harmonie House was the name drawn. Sandra, email me your address info and I will mail them right out to you. Thanks for helping me clean out my bookcases!

white spring mantel

2011-03-11T13:40:00.002-06:00

Happy Friday!

It's a lovely sunny springy today . . . I have the windows open and doing some fun projects around the house. While paint is drying, I'm cleaning and rearranging. It's always much more fun to do that when the sun is shining in and everything is bright.

I thought I'd share my mantel redo with you. If you remember, my inspiration was a page from the pottery barn catalogue that showed vintage mirrors, branches, candles and books.

I tried not to make it looked styled...more like I just set the things up there. I like when shelves have a collected look rather than arranged.

This mantle has always been hard to work with because it's so long but I've decided it's not worth worrying about...I'm just going to start placing things up there...pretty things I love to look at. Let them land where they will.

The little pair of birds I've had for years and years . . . I used them to hold down the pages of my wedding guest book.

All the candleholders were scattered in different rooms so I gathered them and painted them the same color. Except for the special book that the gentleman at the junk store gave me, whites and creams are mixed together . . . I love how it lightens all the wood and gives it a softer feel.

The glass champagne holder was a wedding gift from a dear friend and I love that I finally have found a use for it. I don't know why I've never used it to chill wine ... I was always saving it. I guess I was saving it until many years after when I decided to do a mantel redo and needed something pretty to hold branches ~

I'm working on another little project too which I thought would be an easy one, but I should have known better! I'll be wrestling with a new/old chair ~

I hope your weekend is relaxing, happy and a pretty one!

about books...vintage and others

2011-03-08T08:31:00.004-06:00

He fed his spirit with the bread of books ~

water and food for the body

love and passion for the soul

the well written word for the mind.

As a newly claimed literature major, I walked into my first college class and this is what was written on the board. It was never erased and was passionately shouted out from my professor everytime he read from one of his favorite novels or a poem that he said, "touched him."

Everytime I read something that leaves me feeling circled in emotions, I see that chalkboard. I collect the classics, the old well worn copies that are muted from years of being held in someone else's hands . . .such as these three I found yesterday.

I don't hide them away...they all get read, they get stacked, things set upon them, and lay about where they may. The old hardback books are works of art really. Have you ever really looked at the bindings, the fonts, the print type, the delicate illustrations at the start of each new chapter...

Thankfully these beauties fit so lovely into my home ~

It was a thrifting day yesterday. I haven't been in a long time due to my desire to simplify my home but a home isn't a home unless you are surrounded by the things you love and make you whole.

Three worn books came in and nine other things went out. Nine other things that were just taking up space...not feeding my spirit at all.

So to pass the rainy afternooon away, I read some poems and found some awesome quotes and played around with where they might be placed.

On another book note, I have way too many decorating books...still. They are expensive, they are treasures, they are well loved but some just aren't me anymore. Some need to go to other homes.

Would you like two of them?

Why donate them when I know some of you may love to have them . . .leave me a comment and let me know! I'll have my husband pull a number out of the hat again next Tuesday.

(click on photos to enlarge)

They are Nell Hill's Decorating Secrets and Feather Your Nest both by Mary Carol Garrity.

Happy Reading, Happy Collecting and may you have something that fills your spirit!

cup of coffee

2011-03-04T16:35:00.005-06:00

happy Friday evening!

Grab a cup of coffee . . . while I'm on the topic.

Talk about coffee has come up more in my yellow house over the past six months than all the years combined that I've known my husband. We've never been coffee drinkers...in fact, I still have the same coffee pot that we got as a wedding present many years ago. It stays hidden in an upper cabinet and only comes out maybe three times a year....occasionally after shoveling snow and if a guest specifically requests a cup. That is until about six months ago when my husband started brewing large pots and experimenting with flavored creamers and syrups. Now there's a pot brewing almost everyday!

I may be a little obsessive or plain crazy but I find the coffee pot to be "visually unappealing." And not to mention the big production of getting the step stool to get it out and put it away again.

It's a joke now..."coffee again?" I guess it's become an acquired taste after 39 years.

My solution ~

his coffee, my tea, the boys' cocoa

I'll just hide the pot behind lots of pretty things ~
coffee anyone?

* * * * *

p.s. the term "visually unappealing" is a story in itself. Soon I will tell you a wonderfully hysterical tale of how the least likeliest person in the whole world said those words to me one summer afternoon.

Have a wonderful weekend!

sun today

2011-03-01T08:51:00.002-06:00

I had high hopes with the arrival of March

and was not disappointed this morning as I went from room to room

and saw the sun streaming in from every window.

Happy Spring!

farmer's market kitchen

2011-02-25T05:49:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday!

It seems I am drawn to kitchens that have big bowls of fruit and veggies on the counters, baskets on the island and laid about on casual family tables.

Last night I was looking through my way-too-big folder of favorite inspirations and rooms and noticed that many of the kitchen pictures have a distinct farmer's market look to them.

I can imagine it more in the summer when my garden is in full bloom . . . all the freshly picked veggies can stay in their picking baskets and fill the island shelf. I'll even hang my garden apron with my vintage ones.

In my kitchen dream world, I would love big country shelves along the wall - a little primitive, a little curvy. I would stack everything on them...pots and pans, serving dishes, cookbooks, baskets and jars, linens and my silver pieces too.

Until then . . . .

this is my modest attempt of a farmers market kitchen. This is my start...what I have after a trip to the market, tossing potatoes into a basket and rolling limes down the counter.

I picked out an apple tree this week to be planted this spring. The arborist told us that we should have two trees to ensure better fruiting so our neighbors are getting a different variety . . . hopefully, I'll be an apple-pickin gal very soon!

Of course I'll need an apple picking apron for the hook ~

Have a wonderful weekend!

old books and an old man story

2011-02-23T07:45:00.004-06:00

I was standing in the alley to Joe's shop . . .
where I met the nicest older gentleman yesterday...who did not want his picture taken. A man who gave me goosebumps.

We were talking about the "junk" that Joe collects and why he just lets it sit in this alley. He was on a hunt for an old radio and I was looking for a new book for my collection. We carried on for a bit until the wind in the alley tunnel got too cold. We walked and talked some more about old stuff and alleys until we each found our own aisles.

By chance, or not, we met up again at the counter with our radio and books. I paid, said my goodbyes and was ready to leave when this gentleman opened up the rickety old backpack he had and handed me a book from it.

"Maybe you'd like this one," he said. Of course I did, but kept telling him that I didn't want to take his book from him. Three of four times we did this until...

he said, "I can't read and can't find anyone to read it to me anymore."

Then he just waved me off and said he had to get downtown. And that's how I got my newest old book. . .

monday flowers

2011-02-14T16:32:00.002-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

How sweet that Valentine's Day has landed on Monday...perfect for a Monday flowers post.

We don't typically celebrate Valentine's Day at our yellow house, at least not in the traditional way. There are no gifts, last minute stops for flowers, store bought cards and the like. I would rather have an I Love You card any other day of the year besides today...a day when I don't expect it.

We are going out to dinner tonight though. Every couple of months we go to this very dark and quaint Italian restaurant to talk.

It's as charming as can be ~ the decor hasn't been updated since 1970 . . . everything is black and red, flocked and velvet, fake fountains hanging in birdcages, plastic ivy draped around the salad bar, oil lamps on the tables...we love it.

We spend the night talking about everything that's on our minds, from the bank account to our biggest dreams. We usually stay so long that they have to ask us to move to the bar.

The bar is another story....an older gentleman sings songs I've never heard before and if you don't drink wine, you're out of luck.

We leave with a better understanding of each other, ourselves and where in the heck we're headed!

Life is not perfect in this yellow house, in fact, we've had some huge hurdles to climb in the past several years, but tonight we'll pat ourselves on the back and make sure we're still on the together path.

Tulips were in the store today...

And Alstromeria...the spring goddess must be listening to my prayers...

A white pitcher with pink tulips has got to be the prettiest sight ever ~

I love the tulip because it's unassuming and simple .

I hope your day was filled with sweet things and lots of love ~

dried hydrangeas

2011-02-10T09:48:00.003-06:00

I know it's there....hidden under snow piles and icy paths, wrapped in chilly days and peeking behind gray clouds.

I'm looking for hints of spring anywhere I can.

Every corner of my home is getting lightened and brightened in anticipation.

I love hydrangeas almost as much as I love pink roses.

I have two small bushes in my garden that seem to be content staying small and not producing any flowers. I talk to them, feed them special food, do everything my trusty gardener at the nursery tells me to do but they still don't give me any flowers.

I beg them to give me just a few for my mantle but they seem content as they are.

Sometimes I'm lucky on my evening walks and my neighbors let me pick some of theirs.

Sometimes I splurge and buy some.

Or, as I did this week, I bought beautiful dried stems from a hydrangea farm... off ebay.

They are gorgeous and exactly what I wanted for my piano . . . one of my favorite places to decorate.

They arrived this morning...on the first day in awhile that the sun has been out .... I'm hoping it's a spring sign!

Enjoy your day!

monday flowers

2011-02-07T12:39:00.004-06:00

More flowers at my yellow house . . .

I'm joining Jane today for her Monday flower party.

"My inner eye sees past the snow, and in my mind, my garden grows"

As you can see, the sky is gray again...the sun hasn't peeked out all day...

and here I am . . . still dreaming of spring!

snowed in

2011-02-02T06:13:00.004-06:00

silent, soft and slow . . . . . descends the snow . . . . .

The storm has arrived. All I hear is the patter of ice hitting the front porch, the windows rattling and the wind howling. I did hear birds chirping earlier but I can't imagine how they're holding onto the branches in this fierce wind.
My laziness today will be free of guilt. Blueberry muffins were our first treat of the day. The rest of the day will be filled with a bubble bath, reading magazines, catching up with all your blogs, and lots of good cooking.
Days like this are a gift . . . slow down and enjoy them.

I thought I would share my recipe for blueberry muffins in case you are also stranded in your home and need a treat ~

1/4 c earth balance or soy margarine

1/2 c applesauce (mashed bananas works also)

1/2 tsp salt

1 c sugar

2 c flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c soymilk

2 c fresh blueberries (or any other berries you like)

nuts or cinnamon if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees - mix all ing. until moist - fill greased muffin cups half full and bake for 25 minutes

Hope you all are safe and warm and wherever you are, enjoy your day!

purple carnations

2011-01-31T16:50:00.002-06:00

Purple carnations would never be a flower that I normally would choose to have around my home.

After this week though I am comforted by them.

We've spent the past week in the small town in Illinois where my family is from...saying goodbye to my grandmother for the last time. It was sad but beautiful...and filled with her favorite flowers ~
purple carnations.

We took advantage of the extra days we had driving back and stopped at small towns along the way, scouring through antique stores and small downtown shops.

The shops had different things than I normally see here in Nebraska and I could have filled our truck three times over with treasures. I decided though that my trip was more about family and memories rather than shopping so all I bought was this huge transferware cup and saucer.

one small reminder of how special this past week was

I was at the grocery store stocking up for the big storm heading our way and for the first time, I noticed purple carnations in the flower section.

I think I like them.

* * *

Have you visited Jane at smallbutcharming . . . she's a sweet gal, has a wonderful blog and she's having a flower party!

Life should be back to normal this week...

Thank you for all your emails wondering where I was and if all was okay! They meant a lot to me!

from golden to gray

2011-01-18T16:08:00.002-06:00

The light streaming through my windows has instantly vanished. As I write this, almost in the blink of an eye, the skies have turned from a bright golden to a beautiful light gray. Snow is falling ever so gently. It's the peaceful kind of falling snow. . .where it looks like powder being sprinkled down from the sky, laying gently on the tree limbs. It's my favorite time...when the street lights come on and you can see the bright snow circling around the poles.

I spent my day inside. Had I known my chance to enjoy the sunshine would have been so short, I would have taken the liberty to spend a few minutes outside. I've had the winter blues and a walk around the block probably would have done my body and spirit some good. The previous snow was starting to melt and the anticipation of fixing my little garden shed and planting the first spring flowers was really starting to ease those blues away. Perhaps I should just calm myself, stare out the window at the latest wonder that mother nature has gifted us and realize that winter is still here for a couple more months. It's not going away just because I long to play outside.

I am blessed to have a husband who doesn't scoff when I decide on a whim at an auction that I want an old shabby stand for even more plants. I talk about simplyfing and ridding my home of useless things so I can live with open space, but I couldn't resist. It now graces my entryway. I had thoughts of stripping the horrible shade of avacado with gold accents but I wasn't ambitious enough to do that, so it got painted a lovely shade of gray.

My new year's promise to myself was to be more aware of beautiful things around me...I am learning everyday that nothing is too small to hold dear. When I think about the bigger picture of how this plant stand came to my yellow house, that's what is beautiful.

The skies are black now and the snow is still falling ~ good night.

pink roses

2011-01-11T16:14:00.001-06:00

Last week I was driving along country roads, walking in fields without a coat and today we are buried under several feet of snow. It's been gently falling for two days and though it's beautiful, it's relentless. I'm usually good with winter until about now, then I start to really get spring fever.

After a considerable amount of shoveling then sitting in front of the fire so my fingers could thaw, I finally made it out of my neighborhood and to the store to buy some flowers. I really need them to help me through the next couple of barren and chilly months.

It was definately not a day to be on the roads, but in the end it was worth it...all flowers were on sale today, so I grabbed the last two dozen pink roses...with which I have a little obsession.

It's amazing how flowers can brighten a room and a spirit. When the days are dark and bitterly cold, a touch of spring really lifts me up. A little pink went into each room and I feel so much better now.

I could live with very little as long as I have flowers in each room.

I'm going back to curl up in front of the fire now ~

Have a lovely day!

my crusty old shed

2011-01-09T16:24:00.001-06:00

For years I've looked out my kitchen windows at the little shed who begs to be more.
She's definately worse for the wear but she does have a charm to her.
I put the birdhouse up years ago, filled it with food and straw, in hopes that I could birdwatch as I did the dishes ... but it's been years since a bird has stopped by.
She's been hit by cars a time or two, she leans to the left a little too much, she has 84 years of paint caked on and I can only get in the door if I squeeze in sideways....
but I'm thinking she would be a delightful garden shed filled with plants and seedlings. With shelves of beautiful pots and vintage garden tools hanging, I could very easily lose myself in my very own potting shed dream ~

reality, if she makes it to spring.

the open road

2011-01-06T20:52:00.010-06:00

"Afoot and light-hearted, I took to the open road." (walt whitman)

Hello! I'm back from my holiday break rejuvenated and renewed. Ready for what ever opportunities and challenges await in the new year. More than ever, I am embracing life and all its blessings ... with wider warms and wider eyes.

I'm taking the good and the bad, rolling it all into a ball and bouncing it out of here. It's a new chance to be . . . more fun. relaxed. motivated. open. aware. spontaneous. passionate. dedicated. thoughtful. spirited. creative...

No sense in wasting time. I got right on being adventurous. When you have no plans and you're all alone, you're left with a lot of freedom to do whatever. Today that mean getting lost in one of my favorite daydreams. If you drive on this 5 mile stretch of country road, you can pretend any one of these beautiful farms are yours, all with your very own barn.

I wonder how many people drive down this road and see decay, rot and filth.

And I wonder how many people see timeless beauty and charm.

I've always pretended the red roofed barn was mine, until today when I noticed the brick silo behind this one.

See what I mean . . . wider eyes.

Happy New Year!

a midnight gift

2010-12-27T18:36:00.004-06:00

"higher and higher she rises with grace, shrouding the trees with a cloak of lace....

and so she sinks into horizons west,

content in the knowledge that we saw her best.

She'll return once more when the sky fades black,

and if you should whisper, she might whisper back."

Another beautiful gift that Mother Nature decided to bestow upon me ~

I hope, I believe, I pray this is the beginning of something great in the new year.

the Christmas table

2010-12-22T08:28:00.001-06:00

Welcome ~

It's decorated and ready for guests.
The angel has come in from the garden. I'm afraid what the harsh winters will do to her so I thought she could be our Christmas angel.

The dishes have been chosen and the table is ready to be set.

Everything is ready...just waiting on our guests.

Remember, my yellow house is always open . . .if you're in the area, come celebrate!

Cooking starts right after church on Christmas Eve - I've planned a smaller and more intimate dinner this year:

potato soup

baked eggplant and tomato casserole

spinach salad with dried cranberries and toasted walnuts

homemade bread

Nothing left to do but relax, celebrate and enjoy ~

I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

our magical leaf

2010-12-18T21:48:00.010-06:00

When you need a touch of wonder to pick you up . . . . just look down.

This magical leaf was caught in the snowfall last weekend. When the wind blows, the leaf spins around.

I've been watching it for 5 days now.

preparing

2010-12-16T15:03:00.000-06:00

Happy December 16th!

Time seems to be slipping away so I thought since it was cold and dark out today, it was the perfect day to play in the kitchen . . . preparing my gifts for friends and neighbors.

I like these gifts to be more personal so I usually give something I've made.

The last couple years I filled baskets with homemade jelly from my father's blueberry farm and baked each person a loaf of bread. My father hasn't felt well lately so although the blueberries got harvested, he hasn't been able to make big batches of jelly to send me.

Last year I also gave special people cuttings from my Christmas cactus plant that I've had for years. I actually received it as a gift from a dear friend about 10 years ago and have given many cuttings as gifts since. I started preparing around August so they would have time to root and grow, found cute pots and cups at different thrift stores and by the time Christmas was here, each person had their own pretty plant.

This year I'm baking. I love to get food as gifts...last year our neighbors gave us a huge pan of homemade cinnamon rolls and it was the perfect start to Christmas morning.

I made simple treats. Gifts don't have to be big and elaborate to be meaningful.

One of the best gifts I ever received was when my boys were 14 and 16...Nick gave me a coupon for family game night once a month...he would be home, attentive and play games all night. Matthew gave me a coupon that said he would make dinner and all the snacks and clean up after game night. It lasted for only 5 months but they were 5 great game nights.

So I'll package these treats up with a pretty bow and everyone will know I was thinking of them this holiday.

the family room ~ reflections

2010-12-15T11:47:00.003-06:00

Reflection

Good Morning! The sun just came up and it looks like we will finally have a bright day. I have a lot to do and blue skies and sun keep me motivated...

The early morning is my favorite time of the day and when I get the most accomplished really. However, today I've gotten a little off track...I was thinking about the wonderful night we had as a family last night which got me reflecting on this little family room of ours.

It's gone through many changes as has our family. It's a small room but has always lived large for us . . . it's been the gathering room for every special occassion, sleepovers, holidays, movie night, family talks. Many teenage boys have slept on the the couches, lots of snuggling on cold winter nights, bats have come down the chimney, windows have been broken by inside baseball practice, sometimes long nights of waiting for boys who forgot what time to be home ~

If these wall could talk, they would sure tell tales of all the wonderful times and memories that have been made in this room but also of the times that weren't so good. Each of these times have wormed in to shape the family we are today. Sometimes things don't go according to plan but it's nights like last night that keeping me moving forward and realizing that it's not my plan that we should be going by ~

A few years ago when my mother was visiting, she told me that my family room was the coziest room she's ever been in. I've always remembered that . . .

Last night my son's girlfriend came over for the first time and as she was leaving, she told me the same thing.

Happy Holidays from our family room to yours ~

pull up a bench

2010-12-11T22:10:00.002-06:00

It's cold and blustery tonight.

come sit by the fire

on my latest seating acquisition

that my son found on the curb

and so proudly surprised me with

~ one more person now has a place to sit ~

I love it when little hints of me shine through in my children

soon I'll have enough seating for all of you!

holiday seating

2010-12-01T07:45:00.001-06:00

I have an open door open heart policy at my house, especially during the holidays. I want everyone to feel that they are welcome to stop by and enjoy the season with us. So every year the crowd on Christmas day gets larger and larger . . . my husband's large family comes over, the boys invite their friends and neighbors stop by for hours.

This makes for a very festive and fun day but every year there never seems to be enough seating. That would be even more true this year since remember, I threw out my kitchen table and chairs! I like for each person to have their own place to eat, talk and feel comfortable. I don't like to see the musical chair game that usually get played.

So, in keeping with my promise to not concentrate on the small details but only on the real things that matter like the people, the time and the memories, I've made a list of things that I can leisurely do now to make sure those small details don't creep up. #1 Seating.

Ta Da.....I found these at the goodwill last week.

You'd think recovering them would be an easy job....except it wasn't! They were dark brown and filthy when I found them so I've painted, glazed, stapled and glued for 8 days to get them pretty for the Christmas guests. I'm sure that stretch of obsession broke one of my promises but that's okay...

Two more guests can now sit comfortably.

Happy December 1st!

a ghost story

2010-11-17T08:48:00.001-06:00

It's 5 am and here I am . . . .

It was the smell of heavy smoke that first awoke me at 2:43am. Cigar smoke . . . strong and close.

I laid in my bed absolutely still with my eyes shut, trying to pretend I was still asleep.....just in case there was someone in my house. All I could hear was my own heartbeat and the ticking of the clock. The silence was deafening and the smell was overwhelming.

Then I felt it. A tap on my shoulder.

Then I heard him.

"Listen."

"Listen, Shhhh, Listen."

"Listen."

Then the smoke was in my face.

I said a prayer and opened my eyes.

No one was there.

* * * * *

(if you would like to read my first story on our ghost, click HERE)

These are experiences we have come to live with. We accept but honestly do not understand. I guess is all part of loving an older home - accepting all the quirkiness about it.

However, explaining to others that I live with a ghost can sometimes be awkward and frustrating. Most people don't understand or believe, which had caused many an eyebrow to be raised when I tell stories of the ghost that lives with us in my yellow house.

Do you believe in ghosts?

still fall

2010-11-12T09:09:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday!

It seems like the slower I try to live my life, the faster the time goes.

I had every intent to enjoy fall as long as possible and delight in all the beauty that these few months offer.

Today, however, it is cold, windy and raining. Winter is lingering in the air.

My gardens have gone to sleep for the year but yesterday I did manage to find a few strong survivors to make my last bouquet of fresh flowers.

Along with piles of blankets, lots of candles and a big fire, I need fresh flowers in my home during the winter. I need them to remind me that spring will eventually come back around and all the chills will be worth it again.

Until the first big snowfall, I'm still going to consider it fall!

Have a warm and happy weekend ~

cherry pie memories

2010-10-28T18:33:00.004-05:00

I have many wonderful memories of my childhood . . . one being, cherry pie. It seemed like there was always one baking in my home . . . every Sunday dinner, every holiday and every special occasion. In fact, I never remember having a traditional birthday cake, my mother always made me a cherry pie.

I made my first fall cherry pie today and I'm patiently waiting for everyone else to get home!

I mix fresh cherries, sugar, earth balance, a little water and a little brandy to make the filling. Simmer it all until it thickens but don't stir so much that the cherries get smashed.

I always use my favorite pie plate ~ my favorite because of its color.

and I never forget my little black bird in the middle ~

Hope you are all having a beautiful fall ~

mixing plaids

2010-10-20T19:23:00.001-05:00

Did you all see my friend Janet's beautiful front porch this morning? It left me breathless and wanting desperately to recreate the look on my own front porch loveseat.

Until I saw her pictures, I would have never thought to mix plaids and vintage roses.

I seriously considered going on a hunt for the perfect rust and orange tartan blanket, faded rose fabric and an orange mum but decided to work with what I had. I pulled out the camping blankets, moved the red azalea to the porch and sewed up a pillow covering from an old sheet.

So, I didn't copy exactly but I love the look.

Even though I shy away from patterns inside my home, I definately see some creamy white and brown plaid making its way in.

Thanks Janet for the inspiration!

no words

2010-10-18T08:29:00.001-05:00

* * *

Maybe I should have better explained my definition of a pretty stem!

I didn't even have to say a word...when he saw mine, he knew.

October 16

2010-10-16T07:54:00.002-05:00

Lovers don't meet somewhere along the way,
They're in each other's souls from the beginning.

Many years ago on this date, I married my favorite man.

It was a casual day in the park. The trees were in full red and yellow bloom as we stood at the altar overlooking the river.

Mix in some years, a few kids, a house, lots of pets, crazy times and handfuls of love and here we are today...celebrating us at the pumpkin patch

We are two completely different souls but we are one.

Happy Anniversary to us!I had a wonderful, romantic, blessed day with my husband but there was one moment that was extra sweet ~

He stared at me so intently the whole time while I was talking to him

Then he leaned out and gave me a big kiss

Happy Sweetest Day!

fall leaves

2010-10-13T12:34:00.002-05:00

This is just one of the many priviledges of living in an older neighborhood with so many grand old trees.

In several weeks they will be bare and the neighborhood will look completely different, but in the meantime, I get to enjoy the sound of the leaves falling, the crunching sound as walkers kick them out of their way and the beautiful carpet of yellow and red.

Normally, I compost most of the leaves and cover my plants with them for the winter but sadly, there's just too many and I have to end up bagging some.

So, this is where I'll be today.

If you want to come help, I have hot tea and leftover chili. :)

fall weekend

2010-10-10T16:12:00.002-05:00

It was a perfect fall weekend ~

where there's no plans . . . just time.

I opened the windows wide and put some good music on

I cooked and baked . . .

and sang out loud.

and didn't care if anyone heard me!

We dined on 3 bean and corn chili, cornbread flowers and pumpkin cupcakes

~ extra time to be creative

the caged bird

2010-10-05T08:58:00.001-05:00

What could be sweeter than a little white bird who fills your home with song ~

but tell me....

will my caged bird sing out of happiness and fearlessness that his song will bring joy to our home. Will he delight in conversation of passersby and call this cage his own?

or

will my caged bird sing with a fearful trill, out of his narrow cage, dreaming of things unknown but longed for still...another breeze, soft trade winds through the sighing trees, floating downstream until the current ends; daring to claim the sky. Will his tune be heard singing of freedom?

I found this beautiful birdcage several months ago at an auction and bought it with every intention of getting a pretty little white bird who sings and chirps the day away. However, I've been having second thoughts and wondering if it's fair to keep a bird in a place where she cannot spread her wings and fly.

Really . . . am I making much ado about nothing?

my quiet chair

2010-10-04T09:51:00.004-05:00

When it gets busy inside and I need to escape for a few minutes

this is where I go.

Where do you go?

fall comfort

2010-10-02T07:28:00.001-05:00

The air is crisp and cool and the leaves are falling. It's definately fall around here. It's important to me that my home is warm, cozy and comfortable as we settle in for months to come.

Even with the changing seasons, I still want an uncluttered and light feel to my home.

Life changes around here when the chill sets in. It's all about warmth, coziness and slower days.

Snuggling up, hearty warm food simmering, fire crackling, candles burning.....

I'm never mentally ready for long cold days ~ sometimes it snows here in October and frost is in the forecast for this weekend so I feel it already. I feel the need to put on my flannel pjs and make a pot of chili.

Enjoy your weekend ~

little white pumpkins

2010-09-20T20:04:00.000-05:00

"Come said the wind to the leaves one day,

come o'er the meadows and we will play.

Put on your dresses of scarlet and gold,

for summer is gone

and the days grow cold."

Happy Fall~ author unknown

*******************************************************************************
I can't put away my sundresses yet, we're heading to Texas to visit The Alamo!
Hope my pumpkins survive while we're gone!

morning moments

2010-09-16T07:42:00.001-05:00

quiet morning moments

I noticed today how pretty they were

"Oh, with what freshness, what solemnity and beauty is each new day born ...
as if to say, thou hast one more chance" Harriet Beecher Stowe

my yellow house

2010-09-08T14:32:00.002-05:00

It has come to my attention from my good friend Janet that I have never showed a picture of my yellow house on any of my posts.

It's a prairie style four square built in 1927

The 3rd floor is the fourth bedroom. That room does not have air, hence the ugly unit. Once it gets cool, that ugly air unit comes right out and the beautiful arched - paned window goes right back in.

The triangle window is actually in a bedroom closet!

The area to the left that is boxed out is the window bench in the dining room.

You see that ugly screen door...it's the next thing on my list to replace.

Most importantly, all of my spirea bushes that were in front of those unruly sand cherry trees got a disease this spring and will be replaced later this fall. If I had the sole decision making power on this one, the trees would go ... however, they do make a pretty privacy wall when you sit on the front porch.

That's the yellow house on the corner ~

"Here lies the dreams, across the streets of life...in the yellow house" Rashkin

faded roses and herb vinegar

2010-08-30T16:03:00.001-05:00

The roses may be fading but with such warm days, it's hard to imagine that fall is right around the corner.

I spent the morning in my garden ... besides being next to the roses, I love to be in the area where all the herbs grow. They're planted in an old dog run behind the garage where they can grow literally wild. With the windows open and a gentle breeze, their fragrance can fill each room.

It's usually after watering and picking that I get a chance to catch up all your new posts. When I read Tracey's post this morning at French Larkspur, about making herbed vinegar, I knew what to do with all the thyme and basil that I picked this morning.

I used white vinegar, chopped thyme and basil, garlic chunks, salt, pepper and a dash of rice vinegar. I will also let mine sit in the windowsill for several weeks. (use a pretty old jar if you have one, it's so pretty sitting in the window)

I also gathered some vegetables to make one of my favorite summer salads.

Use all your favorites veggies and fresh herbs, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice and a drop or two of either rice or apple cider vinegar. I usually serve this over cold pasta or stuffed in a pita.

Hope you are enjoying summer's pleasures ~

musical cabinets ~ and a rocking chair too

2010-08-23T12:48:00.001-05:00

It's become a Sunday tradition.

Spending the afternoon at an auction.

It's our time...time to have fun, relax, explore new places and meet new people. I look forward to it all week.

We've become auction experts. I've learned . . . never show emotion towards the things I want - never make it known to anyone what you will be bidding on. I've learned to be the quiet person who stands in the back row and surprises everyone with my last second bid.

Sometimes there's nothing we want but end up spending the afternoon just watching the people. If ever you need or want to do a study in human/social behavior, an auction is a perfect place to go. You can roll up any stereotypical thoughts you may have into a big ball and throw it in the air...who will or won't, who can or can't, will surprise you.

I've learned willpower and constraint, but with that .....

sometimes, you find something you like better than what you bought the week before and the afternoon turns into how you can rationalize purchasing yet another antique cabinet!

But, to my luck and surprise, and just when I thought my husband was going to say this was another homemade piece of junk ~

he said to me that he likes this cabinet much better than the one I bought last week

So we stood in the back of the crowd....quietly waiting....until we put our hands up at $35!