My Spring Garden Update

Seems like my garden changes from day to day this time of year.

The tulips have faded already but my lilacs are at their peak.

Was it just last month this rustic arch looked like this?

Maybe it's because we had more rain and snow than normal this year

that my perennials are bigger than usual. 

This mugho pine is covered with new growth "candles."

Even the alliums are waist high!

This one exploded over night.

Bleeding Hearts are always a springtime favorite!

And don't forget Forget Me Nots!

Is it any wonder Spring is my favorite time of year in the garden?

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Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, A Delightsome Life, 

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, The Vintage Nest, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, 

Poofing the Pillows, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, 

French Country Cottage, Shabby Art Boutique, The Cottage Market, Designthusiasm,

Thoughts from Alice, Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings - the heart of your home,

Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, 

A Stroll Thru Life, Rose Chintz Cottage

Old Windows - The Soul of a House (Revised)

Hi Friends! I'm having some technology issues (grrr!) with my last post: Old Windows - The Soul of a House. I'm not receiving your comments, new subscriptions, etc. and some readers are not receiving email notifications that they have a new post to read. 

So, I'm re-publishing my last post as a new one, hoping that may fix these issues. 

My apologies if you've already read this post. But if you commented before, I'd love for you to comment again since that's my favorite thing about blogging. Thanks for your understanding.

I love old windows

especially those with chippy white paint, flaky as a steaming hot biscuit,

or glass that's pitted and cracked like a rusty wheelbarrow left out in the rain.

It's those scars that tell a story.

Every little line, each tiny imperfection, is what makes each window (or individual),

unique and perfect.

When the morning light streams through my old dining room window

it casts abstract patterns on the wall

that remind me of a French Impressionist painting.

Scattered throughout my home are several old window frames,

each different and each lovely, quietly telling their own stories.

One is a tiny mullioned window in my bedroom.

The glass is missing but the square shape makes up for it.

I bought it an antique store in the mountains years ago

and like to think it came out of a cabin tucked away in the mountains.

Inside the window frame are two equally tiny glass bottles 

with a sprig of flowers in each one.

Hanging the window by a ribbon instead of a nail gives it a romantic feel.

Another favorite window in a long rectangular one above my kitchen cupboards.

I found this one at the Paris Street Market in Littleton, Colorado.

The glass is intact and it's hanging from chains attached to the window hardware.

It makes a lovely backdrop for the collections on top of the cupboards.
I hope it once lived in a big old Victorian with lace curtains framing it.

In my office I have a stained-glass window resting atop a little armoire

(that's French for no closets!)

It's a small window just the right size for a small room

and the colors are bright green, red and yellow with contrasting dark leading.

Sometimes you need a perky window to brighten up a mostly-white room.

Where did this one come from?

Well, I got it at a yard sale but I imagine it was once in the front door of a little bungalow.

My most recent find was in the alley behind my house.

It was a larger window that was warped and bent like a fragile old lady.

We had to put a screw in her rib to keep her upright but she's found a home in my sunroom.

She seems to stand a little straighter when the afternoon sun shines through her

original glass panes and her thick paint reminds me of a sweet little grandma

with too much makeup on.

At night, with the twinkly lights on, I think she adds a lot of character to a new room.

They say your eyes are the windows to your soul.

But I say old windows are the soul of your house.

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.

Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the top right column of this page.

Linking with:
Between Naps on the Porch , Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Designthusiasm, Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, The Vintage Nest, Peonies and Orange Blossoms

Old Windows -- the Soul of a House

I love old windows

especially those with chippy white paint, flaky as a steaming hot biscuit,

or glass that's pitted and cracked like a rusty wheelbarrow left out in the rain.

It's those scars that tell a story.

Every little line, each tiny imperfection, is what makes each window (or individual), 

unique and perfect.

When the morning light streams through my old dining room window
it casts abstract patterns on the wall
that remind me of a French Impressionist painting.

Scattered throughout my home are several old window frames,
each different and each lovely, quietly telling their own stories. 

One is a tiny mullioned window in my bedroom.
The glass is missing but the shape makes up for it.

I bought it at an antique store in the mountains years ago 

and like to think it came out of a cabin tucked away in the mountains.

Inside the window frame are two equally tiny glass bottles with a sprig of flower in each one. 

Hanging the window by a ribbon instead of a nail gives it a romantic feel.

Another favorite window is a long rectangular one above my kitchen cupboards. 

I found this one at the Paris Street Market in Littleton, Colorado. 

The glass is intact and it's hanging from chains attached to the window hardware.

It makes a lovely backdrop for the collections on top of the cupboards. 

I hope it once lived in a big old Victorian with lace curtains framing it.

In my office I have a stained-glass window resting atop a little armoire 
(that's French for no closets!)

It's a small window just the right size for a small room 

and the colors are bright green, red and yellow with contrasting dark leading. 

Sometimes you need a perky window to brighten up a mostly white room.

Where did this one come from? 

Well, I got it at a yard sale but I imagine it was once in the front door of a little bungalow.

My most recent find was in the alley behind my house.

 It was a larger window that was warped and bent like a fragile old lady. 

We had to put a screw in her rib to keep her upright but she's found a home in my sunroom. 

She seems to stand a little straighter when the afternoon sun shines through her original glass panes and her thick paint reminds me of a sweet little grandma with too much makeup on.

At night, with the twinkly lights on, I think she adds a lot of character to a new room.

They say your eyes are the windows to your soul. 

But I say old windows are the soul of your house.

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the top right column of this page.

Linking with:
Designthusiasm, Thoughts from Alice, Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined,
Dwellings - the heart of your home, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House,
Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Bella Rosa Antiques,
Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, A Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, The Vintage Nest, Peonies and Orange Blossoms,
Poofing the Pillows, Rose Chintz Cottage, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme,
Charm of Home, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, The Cottage Market

My Garden Visits -- Could You Live in a Greenhouse?

Another wet, heavy snow forced me to bring the few plants
that I'd bought on a warm, sunny day inside so they wouldn't freeze overnight.

I know, I know.
We aren't supposed to plant annuals until mid-May but I just couldn't resist.

So, a small fold-up table by a south-facing window in the house

became my emergency greenhouse for a few days while the snow melted
and the temperatures slogged back up to a respectable number.

Seeing all those plants pushed together on that table made me think of being in a greenhouse, surrounded by buds ready to open and greenery spreading its leaves out to embrace the sun.

And I thought, wouldn't it be fun to live in a greenhouse?

Where, any time we felt like it, we could pluck a bloom at its peak to bring into the house,
plop it into an old bottle and display it on a table with vintage books.

Or enjoy the heady scent of herbs perfuming the air - rosemary, basil and thyme. 

And walk between the rows of wooden tables brimming with bright green leaves 

and familiar flowers and discovering new friends we didn't yet know.

It reminded me of when I volunteered in the garden department of the Denver Zoo. 

For a few hours a day I felt like I was living in a greenhouse 

and it made me feel very peaceful and dreamy. 

The air was warm and heavy with the smell of dirt and compost and tropical flowers. 

Volunteers zipped up and down the aisles with wheeled carts of big flats of plants

and I could almost hear the seedlings' high-pitched squeals of laughter.
Or was it the plant devas (fairies)?

Oh, to live in a greenhouse with abundant life all around would be a rich life indeed. 

I could definitely live in a greenhouse. How about you?

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the top right column of this page.


Linking with:
Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax,
A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, The Vintage Nest,
Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Poofing the Pillows, Adirondack Girl at Heart,
Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage,
The Cottage Market, Designthusiasm, Thoughts from Alice, Our Southern Home,
Rustic & Refined, Dwellings - the heart of your home, Between Naps on the Porch,
Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life

Adding a Little Bling to French Country with Silver

French Country design is known for its effortless blend of comfort and elegance,
featuring things with a timeworn patina, whether it's a painted cupboard or a hazy mirror.

What better way to incorporate this aged beauty than with old silver.

Just look at the gorgeous detail on the edge of this silver tray. 

I'm no expert on silver but I know what I like. 

I've recently started adding to my silver collection

 and I find I love the sparkle it adds to a room of soft muted colors. 

This beautiful water pitcher is a perfect vase to hold dried hydrangeas on my mantle.

The wonderful thing about silver is it can look as if it's been passed down for generations 

(if you let it tarnish) or like it's shiny and new (if you polish it). 

Either way, it adds depth and beauty to your rooms.

I actually enjoy polishing my silver and watching the gleaming shine reveal itself  as 

I wipe off the black tarnish. Cheap plastic gloves will protect your hands from turning black too. 

I found this out the hard way.

Most of my silver pieces are actually silver plate -- a thin coating of silver fused to a metal, 

usually copper or nickel underneath. Silver plate is less expensive than sterling silver.

I like to tuck silver candlesticks in here and there and mix in sugar bowls with old books.

One of my favorite silver pieces is this little creamer I found at Goodwill for a couple of dollars. 

I couldn't even see the design when I bought it, it was so tarnished.

What a joy it was to discover an "S" monogram, which happens to be my last name.

I also adore this large loving cup. It's engraved "Coors Handicap 1961." 

A yard sale bargain, I let this piece tarnish lightly because I prefer the nostalgic feel it evokes.

These little stemmed dishes are very inexpensive at thrift stores or estate sales 

and are great to hold all kinds of things like a candle or these old doorknobs.

I bought this charming toast holder at a London flea market years ago. 

Now it holds bills to pay or I'll be toast!!

A reproduction Sheffield, England silver shell makes a unique spoon rest on the stove.

In the bedroom, I display silver items such as a small covered dish (for earrings maybe?), 

an ornate butler's dust pan and brush to sweep away crumbs on the dining table, 

and a silver-colored Avon jar embossed with a woman's head. 

I know it's not real silver but thought she was so pretty.

Pretty vintage silver adds a bit of bling to muted palettes 

and seems to bring reflected moonlight into your rooms.

Here's a detail of the dust pan. Too lovely for crumbs!

Cool to the touch, old silver adds warm provincial charm to any room.

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) at the top right column of this page.

Linking with:
Designthusiasm, Thoughts from Alice, Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings-the heart of your home, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, A Stroll Thru Life, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, The Vintage Nest, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Poofing the Pillows, Rose Chintz Cottage, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, The Cottage Market

My Garden Visits -- First Signs of Spring

Spring arrived officially about a month ago but we are just now seeing 

the first true signs of Spring in soft pinks, bold reds and yellows, and pure whites. 

Spring is my favorite season in the garden.
Here's an overall look at the back yard as Spring begins to touch the landscape. 

Parts of my garden that look rather plain in the summer have come alive with Spring color. 

The last of the snow (I hope) has melted, 

bringing down a carpet of pink crabapple blossoms on the garden path. 

These Angelique tulips are some of my favorites with their soft pink blush.

Although the outside of a double tulip is breathtaking in itself . . .

. . . sometimes the inside of a tulip steals the show.

Nearby, rock walls look more striking next to gold allysum and blue forget-me-nots. 

Out front, blankets of white candytuft greet visitors.

And you just can't beat red tulips for drama whether they're flirting with passersby
in front of my white fence . . .

or cozying up to a bleached juniper branch in the garden.

But despite all of this delicious Spring beauty, 

some visitors to my garden think nothing can beat that first bath of the season.

Ahhh.

Linking with:  Poofing the Pillows, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, A Delightsome Life, The Vintage Nest, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, The Cottage Market, Shabby Fu Fu, Thoughts from Alice, Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings-the heart of your home, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life