An Enchanted Cottage

Coming out of seclusion...

2011-12-12T21:02:00.000-05:00

Hello friends. I want to take a moment to thank everyone, from the bottom of my heart, for the lovely, heartfelt words of support at my dad's passing. I thought I would get back into the swing of things much sooner, but it has taken more time than I expected.

I have thrown myself into work, trying to keep busy and stay focused. If I'm busy, I don't have time to think. Blogging makes me think. I have to think about things to write about, usually what is going in in my small little life. Dad is always in my thoughts it seems, and it's just been too hard to put into words what I've been feeling.

I want to apologize about the "Bad Case of Blogger's Block" post that showed up in November on my blog. Can you believe that that was a post I actually started over a year ago when I couldn't think of anything to blog about? I grabbed some photos from my computer, intending to eventually making it a coherent post and I scheduled it to go live the following year. I then forgot all about it and because I haven't blogged since August, I didn't realize it had gone live in its rough, non-verbal state.

So what have I been doing? Dealing with guilt of my dad having been in a nursing home/rehab facility, a place he did not want to be. Wishing I had done many things differently. Revisiting so many things and wishing I could go back in time and do some things differently which (in my mind) may have changed the outcome. Stress eating. God, have I been stress eating. I will be getting rid of my Weight Loss log on the sidebar because I've regained all the weight I'd worked so hard to lose. If I ever feel up to starting the weight loss journey again, I'll start a new log on my sidebar.

I'm still wearing dad's blue shirt. The one everyone said was "his" color. They were right. It's a beautiful shade of pale blue. The rhinestone brooch was my addition. I can say without any hesitation that my dad never sported the brooch when he wore this shirt.

When I take a break from transcribing, the shops, and/or painting, I sometimes see these beauties in our neighborhood.

A friend called me last week to let me know they were in her yard, so you know I had to grab my camera and head down for a visit.

After having no tree at all last year, we decided to take a chance this year. Baby is as crazy as ever. We didn't put any of our breakable ornaments on the tree which was a smart move because she's constantly batting at everything and trying to climb up or through the tree.

She's a very mischievous little cat and I'm certain she thinks the tree was solely put up for her amusement.

I have a feeling she will miss it come January.

Sweet Jarrett is also enjoying the tree. I think all the critters are excited that Santa will be bringing them some treats. They've been very, very good this year (yes, even Baby).

Our little Tiger, now 18, spends most of her time on Amanda's bed, laying next to the heating vent in my office/studio, or watching the world go by outside her window... Santa knows her favorite treats are Temptations and I'm sure he'll be leaving her a few different flavors.

(Baby watching for Santa)

I doubt I will be back before the holidays so I want to take this time to once again thank you ALL for your kindness and to wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Donna

To my dad...

2011-08-26T15:37:00.004-04:00

May God hold you in the palm of His hand until we meet again...

On August 6th, Dad left us and went to rejoin my Mom.

To say he will be missed is such an understatement.

I don't think it has completely sunk in yet that he is gone.

I believe with all my heart that both Dad and Mom are together once again, happy and healthy...

I wish I had told you every single day that you were my hero. I hope that the many things I should have said, or didn't say, you can hear now with your heart as I whisper them to you in my nightly prayers.

You are my everything, Dad.

My sweet, kind, caring, gentle father.

I will always be your Little girl.

I would give anything to have you sitting here, once again, for supper. You are my inspiration to be a better person. I love you beyond words, Dad.
Until we meet again, I love you....

Donna Doo, Ducky, Your Little Girl

Thank you so much to everyone who said prayers and sent positive thoughts our way. It was so very appreciated. You are all in my thoughts and prayers today.

And then there was one...

2011-08-05T01:41:00.000-04:00

I tend to crave symmetry when it comes to decorating. The thing is, I love the look of items that are staggered, unbalanced, layered. But I always come back to my comfort zone, anchoring things on either end of a shelf, a mantel, or the top of a cabinet.

A few years ago when I came across this pair of lamps in a junktique shop, I was in heaven. Soft cottage blue with pink roses. I was in love. A pair. Two. Anchors. (Not to mention they were only $6 for the pair!)

For the past few years, those beautiful lamps have enjoyed a place of honor in our living room, framing the mirror on top of the pie safe.

And they survived a year with our wild and crazy Baby, who we adopted last August. But luck finally ran out for my sweet pair of vintage lamps. They are no longer a pair.

Hence the title, and then there was one. Just look at the gaping empty spot where that gorgeous lamp sat before crashing to the floor into hundreds of pieces.

Now to find a Baby-proof spot for the one remaining lamp.

The loud crash of the lamp did scare Baby. She ran into the family room and hid under the hassock. I'd like to say that this incident cured her of her wild antics, but I'm afraid she was up to her old tricks the very next day.

In my next post I'll share another treasured item that sadly didn't survive our crazy little Baby. I'm also linking to Cindy's My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.

Changing the subject a bit, I don't normally ask for favors, but my Dad is going through a very tough time right now and I would be so grateful for any prayers or good thoughts you could offer up on his behalf. Thank you all so much.

Donna

Bird Nest Love....

2011-07-31T02:20:00.000-04:00

"If I can stop one heart from breaking I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain." (Emily Dickinson)

I love birds... I love bird's nests... So you can imagine how thrilled I was to learn that I won a giveaway that Sharon from Corgis In My Garden had for one of her handmade bird's nest pendants!!

Just look at the pretty packaging it was attached to! A work of art in itself! (Perfect if you were to give one of these as a gift. Such a lovely presentation!)

Just look at this intricate, delicate silver nest! Isn't it beautiful???

Court was kind enough to model it for me so I could take pix (but she made me promise to crop the photos because she said she looked a fright - hardly! But a promise is a promise.)

I think it looks perfect on this simple silver choker. I'm also going to try it with a simple silver chain.

Sharon sells these beautiful nest pendants for $15 which includes shipping, so if you'd like to order one for yourself or for a friend, feel free to email her at: sharon.jett@comcast.net or visit Corgis In My Garden to contact her through her blog. And speaking of her blog, you must pop over to visit - you will fall in love with her sweet little Corgis! And you won't believe the recipe she just posted for Cold Oven Pound Cake... OMG, it looks SOOOO good!

Thank you, Sharon. I love my bird's nest pendant!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday. I'll be posting soon about some of Baby's latest escapades. She may be a cat, but she is definitely in the dog house!

Donna

Hummingbird Heaven...

2011-07-21T22:03:00.005-04:00

All critters and birds are welcome in our little backyard...

...and that definitely includes the tiniest visitors, our hummingbird friends.

I have four feeders in all. Two of the feeders hang from our swing set deck, one on each side.

I love sitting out here in the evenings because our little hummer(s) always hit at least one, if not both, of these feeders as they rotate around the yard about every 15 minutes or so.

It's a bit hard to see this little guy in the photos so I really cropped them.

But if you look close, you can see him enjoying his sugar water.

From the swing set deck, you can see across the yard to another hummingbird feeder that hangs from the mulberry tree.

And just look at that Lucifer Crocosmia in the foreground, now in full bloom. I have some very lazy hummers this year because they choose to fly right over those beautiful hummer flowers, preferring instead to plunk down at the various feeders!

(So far my Sammy Squirrels have left this window box alone. Remember last year when they dug out all my flowers so they could lay in the cool soil during an oppressive heat wave? Well, we're having another one of those heat waves, so the flowers may not last much longer!)

The white metal 'thing' that the feeder hangs from was a freebie from the dump several years ago. I had no idea what I was going to do with it when I brought it home, but it's the perfect place to hang the mulberry tree feeder.

I was able to get a picture of the female hummer at the mulberry feeder, but it was taken from over on the swing set deck with my zoom on, so again, I'm afraid the quality isn't so hot.

The last hummingbird feeder hangs from the old oak tree next to our deck.

This photo was actually taken last year. I was sitting on the deck right next to the feeder when this little gal came to eat so I was able to get some pretty decent photos of her.

I find myself changing the sugar water every other day in this oppressive weather. I found this great way to speed up the sugar water preparation (which is always 1 part sugar to 4 parts water).

Quick Hummer Solution: Put 1 cup water in saucepan. Put 1 cup sugar in saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. As soon as it starts to boil turn off the burner. Add 3 cups very cold water to the sugar solution and stir. And that's it! Now it still might need to cool down before you fill your feeders (I always check it with my finger to make sure it has cooled enough), but it's just ready so much quicker than having to boil the entire 4 parts of water and then having to wait for all 4 parts of water to cool!

Speaking of cool, I hope you are all taking it nice and slow. So much of the country is suffering from such extremely hot temperatures, as we are here in the northeast. So take it easy, everyone!

I'm linking up to Cindy (My Romantic Home) for Show & Tell Friday so be sure to stop by and visit her and everyone else!

Donna

Hearts are wild...

2011-07-14T22:12:00.000-04:00

The clematis that covers the arbor over our old garden gate...

... was in full bloom a couple of weeks ago.

Not only does the garden gate have a heart...

The clematis, with the way it cascades down from the arbor, also forms a freestyle heart.

The clematis over the garden gate has always thrived. I wish I could say the same for the clematis I planted on the posts of our swingset garden!

See the little area that's missing a portion of the picket at the bottom of the gate? That's Chip's personal gate, the one that he uses to run back and forth to his little 'home' after collecting his peanuts.

I love the way the heart cutout of the gate showed up in the shadow on the ground in this photo. I truly do "heart" my old weathered (very distressed) gate, my garden, and all the little creatures and birds that visit.

The weather was spectacular here today. It was a nice change from the muggy 90's we've had lately!

Wishing you "hearts" and beautiful summer days wherever you are! I'm hooking up to Cindy's Show & Tell Friday, so be sure to stop by and visit!

Donna

All birds welcome...

2011-07-07T22:26:00.002-04:00

"I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs."
(Joseph Addison, 1672-1719, English Essayist, Poet)
(Joseph Addison, you are a kindred spirit): Nothing attracts a wide variety of birds to our garden more than the abundance of fresh water we offer in our small backyard. A variety of birdbaths hang from trees, sit on stands or tables, or rest on the ground (after all, the Chipmunks, Squirrels, and other wildlife also need water). Let's take a little walk around and I'll show you.; This small bird bath (shown in the first photo) hangs from a tree next to our deck. In the photo above, a mourning dove was enjoying a cool drink during our hot weather.; Also on the deck, attached to a rail, is the heated birdbath. It gets plugged in during the winter months, providing fresh water all winter long.; I've had this tiny little shell birdbath longer than I can remember. It is chipped and doesn't hold much water, but it's a favorite of mine. And would you look at who is watching me take these photos!! This little bath sits on the "haunted" carpenter's bench on the deck.; The last birdbath on the deck is this fountain. They say the sound of running water attracts birds. I also love the sound of it.; See the little bubbler on top of the fountain, where the water runs out? I was absolutely mesmerized by Sharon Lovejoy's post showing a mama hummingbird laying on top of her fountain's bubbler! See for yourself! How I'd LOVE to find a hummer bathing on my bubbler!! Okay, let's head down into the backyard and I'll show you what we have down there.; This little mosaic birdbath sits on the ground in front of the swingset deck we built last year.; On the other side of the swingset deck, a makeshift birdbath sits on a wire table. I have several of these baths in the backyard.; Here's another one sitting on an old milk can on the patio.; These are inexpensive, $1.00 chip bowls from The Christmas Tree Shop. They are the perfect size for the birds and at that price, I can put them all over the yard!; Here's yet another one, sitting in a small concrete pedestal birdbath in between two of the paths we just put into the garden. The concrete developed a crack and doesn't hold water so the large hydrangea CTS bowl was the perfect solution.; Another source of running water is this small waterfall fountain on the backyard patio.; Now we're heading over to the cherry tree, where my beautiful vintage Mary garden statue watches over all the little creatures and birds who visit our yard. It seemed fitting to place this gorgeous blue and white bowl over by her.

I love the hand painted pink roses and sponged gold border. The birds love the generous size!

Hanging from the cherry tree is this small decorative bird bath.

The 'secret garden' bird bath is a favorite with the birds because it's a bit more secluded than some of the other baths...

... and this little gazing ball bath is a favorite with the many Chips who frequent our yard because it's low to the ground. They stand up on their little back legs and drink out of the bottom tier.

This is the ugliest bath in the yard (its twin sits in the front yard). So why do I keep them both? The birds all LOVE them. They seem to be the perfect size for small, medium, and large birds. They're just large plastic drip tray bases for huge planters. Maybe some day I'll try to do something decorative with them (yeah, right!)

Now we're heading toward the gate that leads to the front yard. This dove birdbath sits just inside the backyard next to the gate.

Bye Bye, Birdie! We're heading out front now!

Okay, so let's see what we have out here...

Right outside the gate, another of the CTS hydrangea bird baths sits on a table under the old window and flower box...

... while a little cherub birdbath hangs from the old stockade fence.

And we end our birdbath tour with the ugly twin that sits under the hoppa crab tree (which has started dropping leaves at an alarming rate with the 90+ degree temps we've been having lately!). So, I think 19 birdbaths should be enough to keep my little feathered and furry friends happy!!!

I'm linking to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday. Till next time, I hope you are all staying cool wherever you are!!!

Donna

How much is that kitty in the window...

2011-07-03T23:41:00.000-04:00

Baby, our little indoor kitty...

...loves to watch the world go by from the windows of our little 'cottage.'

After all, there are so many little critters and birds to watch...

While filling birdbaths out in the garden, I heard her meowing. Luckily I had my camera with me. She looked so cute sitting in the window.

These photos were taken about a month ago, right after I plunked some 6 packs of impatiens and vinca vine down on the birds' screen feeder outside the dining room window.

This photo was taken just a few days ago. The impatiens and vinca vine are growing nicely, and Baby has moved to the downstairs window to watch the world go by...

No matter where she looks...

.. there is always something to watch...

Even if it's just me!

I'll toss some peanuts out in a minute, Baby. That should get you some immediate chipmunk, squirrel, and blue jay action!

I'm linking up to Cindy's My Romantic Home Show & Tell Friday.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Donna

Serenity...

2011-06-23T21:22:00.001-04:00

"Leave room in your garden for angels to dance."

... and bunnies to frolic...

... and flowers to bloom...

Amen.

I'll be linking up to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday.
Wishing you all a lovely week, Donna

A Roswell update, and my sweet pet chipmunks

2011-06-16T23:00:00.002-04:00

Little by little the backyard is coming along...

Mulch is being spread and garden paths are being staked out (photo from 2 weeks ago)...

A few years back when we took down our old above ground pool, we were left with a crater that I nicknamed Roswell because it looked like a flying saucer had landed in our yard.

Here's the yard several years later, slowly but surely looking less like a crater and more like a garden-in-the-making (Photo from last night, after the gravel was put down in the pathways.)

Another photo from a few weeks ago, showing the paths without gravel. We held off working on this section of the garden until Mr. & Mrs. Wren and their babies moved out of the house pictured above (which has now happened).

There are still so many plants I want to add between the gravel paths...

.. but all in good time.

One of the highlights of working in the garden is being surrounded by the sweet little critters and birds who bless us with their presence. I always carry peanuts in my pocket when I'm watering and such, and that means that my Chips and the Bluejays (HUGE peanut fans) scurry around and/or watch from the trees for me to toss them some treats. Here are several 15 second clips taken over the past week or two of my garden friends.

Chip eating out of my hand.

Check out Chip's cute little tongue while he positions

the peanut in his cheek! haha

Chip literally leaping into my lap!

My smart little Chip!

A visit from Mr. Bluejay

Another Day, Another Chip...

I just can't get enough of my little Chips!

Hopefully I'll someday have the camera handy when there are 2 or 3 Chips visiting at the same time. It gets CRAZY as they chase each other around!

Please stop by to visit Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend :)

Donna

My summer oasis...

2011-06-06T02:08:00.002-04:00

This is where I head to relax and regroup...

It's my favorite place to hang out for a while on good days. It's an absolute necessity on bad days.

The weather has been nothing short of spectacular lately. Maybe a tad on the chilly side, but you'll hear no complaints from me.

While picking up clothes at my father's house the other day to bring to the nursing home, I noticed that a bush my mom planted next to the house many years ago was in full bloom.

I snipped a few branches and when I got them home I placed them in a vase out on the patio table.

I'm grasping for anything tangible these days...Things connected to my mother... And still searching my heart and soul, and listening for answers to oh-so-many questions...

Clearly someone was listening and sent a sweet little hummingbird my way to bring a smile to my lips.

Times may be tough, but life is good. Thank you all, so very much, for your heartfelt comments and messages. You have no idea how much they mean to me.

I'm linking to Cindy at My Romantic Home's Show & Tell Friday. Be sure to stop by and visit her!

Donna

Vintage Cottage Bouquet...

2011-05-26T22:32:00.001-04:00

I've been in need of a bit of a pick-me-up lately. I ventured out to the front yard where my perennials are blooming and being outside for a few minutes, looking at the beautiful flowers, and listening to the birds chirping, really did help.

Lately, I've been feeling a lot like Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) in You've Got Mail (one of my favorite movies). In one scene, Kathleen wishes she could talk to her deceased mother about what to do with her failing bookstore...

KATHLEEN (talking to her aunt Birdie [Jean Stapleton] about what to do):
All this publicity and not one bit of difference? Oh Birdie, what am I going to do? What would Mom have done?
BIRDIE Let's ask her. (She opens the locket hanging around her neck. There's a picture of Kathleen's mother inside it. Birdie holds the locket up to her face).
BIRDIE Cecilia, what should we do? (Birdie holds the locket to her ear and listens. A pause).
KATHLEEN Birdie?
BIRDIE Shhhh. (after a beat, shrugs) She has no idea, but she thinks the window display is lovely.

I miss my mom so much. There are so many decisions to be made about Dad, and how I wish I could talk to her.

I snipped off some small sprigs from the garden and tried them in a few different vases; first a small green vase and then a vintage milk glass vase. They both looked good next to this old photo of my mom, circa 1930, when she was about 4 years old. Having this little bouquet next to my mom's photo really did brighten my spirits a bit.

And even though I can't hear my mom's voice, I do know that she is watching over us and that everything will be okay. But, oh, how I wish she were still here....

I hope you are all enjoying a beautiful spring. I finally planted some annuals in our windowboxes and clay pots today. After an unseasonably cold, rainy spring, we are finally getting beautiful weather. And believe me, in light of the latest weather patterns, I am not complaining about our cold, rainy spring or the frigid winter we had. My heart goes out to everyone in the areas that have been hit so hard by tornadoes, and my thoughts and prayers are with you...

Donna

I feel so blessed...

2011-05-16T12:04:00.000-04:00

Lyn, I will be writing to you, but I wanted to thank you immediately for the stunning tag you created and sent to me. I agree, this image is just beautiful - so serene... And the lace trim, rhinestone design, flowers, and silk ribbon you added are just perfect....

As you know, I love my Blessed Virgin Mary statues, busts, and planters, and your tag is such a beautiful addition to my collection.

Not only that, this tag arrived just when I needed a little lift. It's been very stressful to see all the changes my dad has been going through lately, and your sweet gift could not have arrived at a more perfect time.

Thank you so very much... I feel so blessed.

Donna

A stroll around the yard...

2011-05-13T17:53:00.001-04:00

It's been so beautiful lately, so I wandered around the yard and snapped some photos to share with you...

I know I showed you the hoppa crab trees from inside the other day, but I had to take a few more because they are just so beautiful.

I'm not sure if Mr. & Mrs. Wren have officially moved into this birdhouse yet. They have been checking it out, along with others in the backyard. I'll keep you posted.

Every year we toy with the idea of cutting off the lower branches to make mowing easier. But every year we expand the bark mulch a bit more because we just can't bring ourselves to cut them off.

As you can see, these were taken almost a week later than the previous... The blossoms are now a pale pink and have started dropping off the tree at at a furious rate, thereby carpeting the lawn in pink.

I love everything about these trees, including their gnarly branches.

Goodbye, sweet apple blossoms. I will look forward to seeing you again next year.

Adding to the pink show in the front yard is our bleeding heart. It is, by far, the fastest 'grower' in the yard. One day I will see tiny sprouts peeking out from the bark mulch...

... and in record time, the entire plant has skyrocketed out of the earth...

... covered with the most perfect little pink bleeding hearts.

I didn't plant these (that I remember!) but they pop up every spring, adding some much needed color to a far corner of the yard.

The honeysuckle is loaded with buds, which I'm sure the hummingbirds are keeping an eye on, just waiting for them to blossom!

This photo is from several weeks ago. I had just take the plastic off of my vintage Mary garden statue, and she clearly survived another cold winter. The cement paver should be replaced and the birdbath in the background (along with all the others) needed to be cleaned when this photo was taken (all the birdbaths have now been cleaned and the birds are happily bathing and drinking on a daily basis).

So thank you for peeking through the garden gate with me...

Now let's sit in the Adirondack chairs for a spell... This is the view, looking skyward. The birch tree leaves are just starting to open, giving it a lacy appearance.

Dad got home from the hospital/rehab yesterday, and life is changing for all of us... I promise I'll get around to visit you all soon. There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day lately.

I hope you're enjoying spring wherever you are!

I'm linking up to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home... Come join everyone!

Donna

It's a "We Love White" party - and you're invited!

2011-05-07T00:30:00.002-04:00

While visiting Donna at the beautiful Funky Junk Interiors earlier, I learned about a fantastic We Love White party being hosted by Marianne at Songbird, and everyone is invited!! Marianne is also having a giveaway at her beautiful blog (3 giveaways, in fact!!) so be sure to visit her to see why she loves white, and why all the other participating bloggers love white!

Anybody who visits my blog knows how much I love white! Over the past 6-7 years, we have transitioned from a darker, primitive decor (which I still do love!) to a lighter, brighter shabby cottage decor.

(click any photos to enlarge)

The dark pine trestle table that we've had for the past 21 years is always covered with white (or light) table coverings, and the dark bow back chairs were replaced by six white farmhouse chairs. I also painted our old primitive hutch white, giving it instant cottage charm (before & after photos).

All of our living room furniture was painted white as well, which really brightened up this small room. In addition, our 21-year old blue Sturbridge Plaid loveseat is concealed under a white slipcover. Color is easily added through the use of pillows and the vintage bedspread throws that cover our old, threadbare wing chair.

The same goes for the family room. The matching Sturbridge Plaid sofa is covered with a white slipcover and an equally old, threadbare wing chair is covered by a variety of spreads, just as in the living room. Having the white slipcovers, bookcases, and lamps allows me to easily switch accent colors.

Our teeny, tiny windowless kitchen was once a dungeon (before & after photos here)... but not anymore! It's amazing how a little white paint made this small room seem so much bigger! And our old brick fireplace, that hubby would not let me paint, is now hidden behind the new white fireplace cover he built (before & after photos here).

White lampshades, lace runners & table scarves, and pillow shams help make the small rooms in our little home seem so much brighter.

Vases filled with white buttons, white sparkly holiday decorations, pale white & pink pillowcase shams (used as curtains on our front doors), and a white church and tan angel keep the white theme going...

... while white cats (some real, some not) provide a little whimsy here, there, and everywhere.

Our Halloween decorations are light and bright rather than the standard orange and black...

... and white is the predominant color ...

... of all the Christmas decorations, too!

And as you can see, the white theme carries right through to the outside as well... There is white wicker patio furniture, our little white backyard shed, and the most beautiful WINTER white for several months out of the year (this is New England, after all!!!).

I hope you enjoyed these collages of Why I Love White! Now be sure to click the button below to head straight to Songbird's WE LOVE WHITE party!!

Have a beautiful weekend, everyone!

Donna

Pretty in Pink

2011-05-05T21:08:00.002-04:00

The view from our living room window...

is spectacular right now, thanks to our hoppa crab tree.

It's hard to believe it was only a little over a month ago, during our April 1st storm...

...that it looked like this!!!

Even the bird lamp birdies are enjoying the view!

It's hard to believe that when we bought these trees back in 1982 (we planted two in our yard)...

... they were so small ...

... that they both fit ...

... into the back of my VW bug convertible (with the top down, of course).

Spring was a long time in coming, but it was well worth the wait!!

I'm linking up to My Romantic Home's Show & Tell Friday. Be sure to stop by and see what everyone is sharing this week!
Also, I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit a lot of you lately. My dad has been in the hospital/nursing home/rehab for the past two weeks and I'm spending a lot of time there. Hopefully, if all goes well, he will be coming home some time next week and I'll have more time to get around and visit. Till then, I hope you are all enjoying spring wherever you are!!

Donna

A "tail" of two princesses...

2011-04-30T12:29:00.000-04:00

Baby was so excited when I told her we were going to get up very early to watch Kate and William get married!

Truth be told, Baby thinks of herself as a princess...

... probably because her every wish is our command!

So the morning of the wedding, I woke up Baby very early and we headed out to the family room.

Before long, Baby got down on the floor to watch.

I told her she would be able to see much better if she came up by me.

At first, Baby was glued to the television...

...but it wasn't long before her very early wake-up call got the best of her.

I promised to wake her when there were some closeups of Kate, as that's who she was most interested in.

She really did try her best to stay awake...

... but soon the angelic voices of the boys' choir lulled her to sleep.

Fast forward to some closeups of Kate. While I was "oohing" and "aahing" over how GORGEOUS she was, Baby seemed quite aloof. It turns out that Baby was expecting KATE to be a CAT (I mean the two words do sound quite similar, so when I kept telling her we were going to watch KATE get married, well, you can understand her confusion at seeing a human instead of a feline.)

Not to mention the fact that I was going on and on about how beautiful Kate looked and, well, I do believe someone's little nose was a bit out of joint since words like "beautiful" and "gorgeous" are usually directed towards her!

So for the rest of the wedding, while I couldn't take my eyes off the screen...

... Baby did her best...

... to come up with some super cute poses...

... to make sure some of the attention was once again directed towards her.

Oh, Baby, don't you know you'll always be our little Princess?

Silly girl!

Just one little piece of advice. If you ever want to find your own Prince Charming, you should probably do away with that pouty kitty scowl and SMILE :)

All kidding aside, I LOVED watching the Royal Wedding! I remember getting up in the wee hours of the morning to watch Princess Di get married as well. So cheers to the newlyweds! I wish you a lifetime of happiness, health, and love!

Donna

A bed of roses...

2011-04-28T17:39:00.002-04:00

The last time I showed you our bedroom, the bed itself was a rumpled mess (thanks to our Baby!!). I promised to share pictures when the bed is made and, as usual, Baby insisted on being in the photos (she's such a little ham!)

I have a couple of different coverlets or quilts for the bed and this is one of my favorites. Who can resist lush pink roses against a robin's egg blue background? Baby and I certainly can't!

The back set of pillows are covered with white eyelet shams...

... and the front pillows sport vintage Battenburg lace shams...

...with beautifully embroidered rosebuds.

A small accent pillow with roses and pink pom pom trim (from a little girl's department) sits between all the other pillows.

With it's 'sweet dreams' message, bluebird, and pink roses, I decided to indulge the 'little girl' in me.

I thought this photo of Baby was hilarious. To me, it looks like she is climbing out of a (non-existent) hole in the center of the bed!

So after all of the bed-making chores are done....

... it's time to relax and enjoy the long overdue delicious spring breeze coming in through the open bedroom window!

In my next post I'll share some thoughts we've been throwing around about how to give this "stuck in the 80's, half colonial/primitive, half shabby cottage" bedroom a much-needed facelift!

I'm linking up to My Romantic Home's Show & Tell Friday. Be sure to stop by and see what everyone is sharing this week!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Donna

Wishing you all...

2011-04-24T15:44:00.000-04:00

... a very Happy Easter.

(since it's way too early for impatiens here in New England, I'm cheating and using an old photo!)

Donna

This is my excuse...

2011-04-17T21:27:00.002-04:00

...for not making the bed every day.

There are actually many excuses:

1) I certainly can't disturb Her Highness during bath time...

2) And all that washing can wear a girl out. I have to let her be once the yawning starts...

3) ... because the yawning always lead to a cat nap, and how could I disturb her during that?

4) And cat naps always lead to full out "head tucked under the tail" deep sleep. I wouldn't think of disturbing her then!

5) Of course after waking, the stretching starts. Stretching is second only to sleeping in the cat kingdom, so I certainly can't disturb her then!

6) And after washing, yawning, napping, sleeping, and stretching, Baby likes to zone out and meditate for a while. I always let her have her space during that time.

7) And truth be told, sometimes it doesn't take more than a cute look for me to forget about making the bed...

But on those days when the bed is going to be made, and made now, this is her annoyed look because she knows she is going to be removed from her comfortable spot! Next time I'll show you what the bed looks like when it's finally made! And I'll bet you can guess who is right back up there as soon as I'm done!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Donna

A palette of green and peachy-pink...

2011-04-15T01:19:00.004-04:00

It was time to give the top of our little recycling center a little pizzazzzzz...

...for the spring.

It's a nice change from winter's white-on-white cat and battenburg lace runner.

The white cat hasn't gone far though. He now sits on the floor next to the recycling center.

I love the cover of this old 1913 Bobbsey Twins book. When I was a young, I could always count on a new BT book being under the tree each Christmas.

Although this one is titled The Bobbsey Twins at Snow Lodge, the illustration on the front cover is very spring-like.

I also added a few bells from my small collection. My favorite is the Carmel Junipero Serra Mission bell with the cross handle.

Once upon a time, little vases filled with creamy white buttons sat on the recycling center. That was BB (before Baby). I shudder to think of the mess she could make with hundreds upon hundreds of buttons scattered all over the floor...

I hope you are all enjoying Spring wherever you are. I'm loving the warmer temperatures we've been having! (Although this evening's weather forecast just predicted FROST for overnight and cold temperatures tomorrow... hardly spring-like, but at least it's not snow!!)

I'm linking to Show & Tell Friday at Cindy's My Romantic Home. Cindy posted a touching tribute to her mom this week, so be sure to stop by and visit her and all the other bloggers sharing something this week.

Donna

Finally!

2011-04-11T15:49:00.003-04:00

After many, many months...

of looking this way...

...and looking that way...

... of always sleeping...

... with one eye open...

of waiting, and waiting, and waiting...

...until you have no more "wait" left in you...

... of looking through...

... every window, for the smallest sign ...

...until you feel like climbing the walls ...

... or the windows ...

... because all you see is this.

F . I . N . A . L . L .Y

... beautiful, glorious ....

... S P R I N G ....

... has arrived in New England...

HAPPY SPRING, EVERYONE!!!!

Donna

Thrift Store Mantel Decor...

2011-04-07T02:24:00.001-04:00

I've been playing around with the mantel decor a bit and thought it might be fun to group several thrift store finds together...

There's a silver candleholder, some small shaker bottles, a white footed vase...

... and my favorite, the lady head planter vase on the end (found last year at a thrift store in Cambridge, MA). Although she's elegant just as she is, I wanted to try a few different looks on her...

Here she is modeling a bit of faux ivy....

... and here she is sporting a bird's nest to celebrate SPRING.

Decisions, decisions...

Although it's hardly spring-like, with it's black velvet brim, I kept coming back to this vintage hat with the delightful netting and rhinestone embellishment (picked up at yet another thrift store in Cambridge last year)...

So for the time being, Miss Lady Head Planter Vase will sport her black & white hat while sitting on the mantel among my other thrift store finds.

I'm linking up to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday, so be sure to stop over and see what everyone is sharing this week!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Donna

You can't fool Mother Nature...

2011-04-01T11:11:00.000-04:00

... but she can sure FOOL you!!!

I'd love to say this is an April Fool's Day gag post...

..but it's not! This is the view we woke to this morning.

It started late last night...

... with HUGE snowflakes falling from the heavens...

(even though in my photos they look like darts!)

You'll just have to trust me - they were big, gorgeous snowflakes!

And as SICK as I am of snow, the beauty of it always takes my breath away...

...with the view from each window...

..being more gorgeous than the last...

So we'll grin and bear it, once again....

... and admire the winter wonderland that Mother Nature dropped on our doorstep...

On this lovely, spring, April Fool's Day.

I can't get over the irony of that!

But HOPE springs eternal that Spring will be on it's merry way to New England in the very near future!!

Donna

The latest addition to my Mary collection...

2011-03-31T17:16:00.006-04:00

I have a soft spot for Mary...

...and a great fondness for statues of Mary.

It started with this 1960's ceramic Mary that belonged to my mom, that now hangs in my home.

I then found the most incredible vintage, chippy cement Mary statue for our garden.

There is also my ever-growing collection of vintage Madonna busts and planters.

So needless to say, when I came across this very old, chippy chalkware statue of Mary in a thrift store, I was absolutely smitten.

I'd never seen a piece quite like this before. In addition to Mary, there was an old, chippy chalkware statue of Jesus...

...both of them standing on a base with a Holy Water font, votive candleholder...

...and sweet chippy cherub between them.

It's just the most beautiful old statue and I am so grateful to have been in the right place at the right time to have found it.

And you just know that Miss Social Butterfly was overseeing every photo I took of this statue,...

... peering at me from behind the divider windows!

She never misses a trick,...

... always keeping an eye on what's going on, and this afternoon was no exception!

I'll be posting this over at Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday this week. Be sure to pop over and check out what everone else is sharing! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

(NOTE: I have NO clue what is going on with the layout here! It was fine when I typed it, and it's gone crazy. No matter how many times I edit it, it reverts back to this hodge podge! Hope you can make sens of this post! haha)

Donna

Birds of a feather...

2011-03-29T11:31:00.004-04:00

... flock together, and it appears that cats do the same thing.

Baby has some favorite places to relax. They're definitely not the most comfortable spots, but they all have one thing in common... cat statues!

Here she is practically falling off the edge of our small recycling center, but it doesn't seem to bother her because we have come to realize that Baby really enjoys the company of the many kitties who decorate our little cottage! She not only enjoys cuddling up with them...

... She also assumes their poses, which makes for some pretty cute photos!

It may start with a friendly conversation...

... or a bit of shyness as she gets to know the kitties...

...but before long, she has snuggled up next to her friends (in this case a cast iron cat, which can't be comfortable!)...

...and, as I mentioned before, assumed their poses.

Baby is a very social cat...

... and she really does enjoy hanging out with all of our cottage kitties.

I think I first noticed it last Halloween...

...when I snapped this photo of her posing with the black & white thrift store kitties.

All I know is that I believe she'd miss the kitties even more than I would (in my ongoing efforts to become more of a minimalist), so it's safe to say they are here to stay!

It's still unseasonably COLD here in New England, but the afternoons do warm up a bit. We'll take anything we can get at this point!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Donna

Thrift Store finds ... and our dog is famous!

2011-03-24T20:56:00.000-04:00

I was so happy to come across these Cath Kidston cannisters in a thrift store last year.

All of her designs are so cheerful, and I fell in love with the pink roses against the blue background on this Coffee & Tea set. Perfect for our little cottage kitchen!

Mr. J gets very excited when he sees me reach for the Coffee tin.

That's because it holds his treats rather than coffee!

Now take a good look at the sweet face on the Charlee Bear Dog Treat bag...

I think they borrowed sweet Mr. J for a photo shoot when I wasn't looking! Here he is doing his best impersonation of the dog on the bag!

Thankfully the snow we got overnight amounted to no more than a dusting. But with temperatures back down in the 30's for the next several days, we are wondering, "Will Spring ever arrive in New England?"

I'm linking up to Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday, so be sure to stop over and see what everyone is sharing this week!

Donna

Our little troll...a tribute to pound dogs

2011-03-22T20:33:00.008-04:00

A one-in-a-million dog who escaped being put to sleep by praying for her life.

Click Gizzy's photo to read her story.

Our Gizzy Girl

1992 (adopted 3/11/2000) - March 22, 2008

It's hard to believe it's been 3 years. The little girl with the huge presence; a heart, personality and attitude way bigger than her size. We miss you so much, our sweet Giz.

Love, Mommy

Click to view Shelter Dogs, one of my favorite commercials by Pedigree. Gizzy certainly had tales to tell and stories to write, as do all the wonderful shelter and pound dogs waiting for homes this very minute...

Spring is playing Hide & Seek...

2011-03-21T14:12:00.002-04:00

Spring, like Baby....

...is playing hide-and-seek with us here in New England.

We have been enjoying some sunny, 60+ degree days lately. We've even had the windows open a bit ... heavenly! But this is the view today, snowy and cold. (Hopefully we won't get more than 1-2 inches).

So I guess we're going to have to wait a while longer...

...and be content with little glimpses...

...here and there...

...until Spring decides...

...to come out of hiding and stay for a while! (Baby has been known to hide under or behind the shower curtain and "surprise" people who use the bathroom!)

But for now, she's going to have to be content watching the snowflakes fall behind closed windows. (I wonder how Mr. O'Malley feels about his urn being her favorite place to perch lately!)

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Donna

In defense of faux foliage and flowers...

2011-03-17T13:38:00.005-04:00

I know faux foliage and flowers have gotten a bad rap in some decorating circles, but I refuse to feel guilty about using them!

First of all, the foliage and flowers currently available are a far cry from the plastic arrangements that my mom was forced to choose from. The choices today are almost endless, and most of them are quite realistic.

They look good in everything from a vintage milk glass vase...

... to a distressed French bucket.

Unfortunately, my budget doesn't allow for vases of fresh flowers around my house on a weekly basis.

Faux is also great if you want a little something in a place that doesn't get natural light...

... like this vintage tin wastebasket down on the floor (strategically placed to hide the ugly electric outlet and cords behind it!). A real plant would never survive in this sunless spot.

Or maybe, like me, you don't have a green thumb.

I've had these paper roses for at least 10 years, and they look almost as good as the day I bought them.

The top of the TV hutch in the living room does not make for easy watering, so faux is the perfect choice.

These faux roses, ...

... a peachy-pink with violet edges, are my favorites.

...right down to the crackled vase filled with buttons that anchors the stems.

Pete the Parakeet certainly enjoys perching in a bit of faux ivy at the bottom of his cage.

And a small sprig of faux white lilacs peek out of the vintage kitty planter in my windowless kitchen (it's definitely a challenge to grow live plants without a window for light).

This family room window is one of Baby's favorite places to hang out.

She can knock this over without me worrying about water spillage.

Now these, I have to admit, are a bit tacky. They're a throwback to the 60's and 70's, but I couldn't resist them at a church thrift fair last year.

Two matching copper pots, overflowing with faux ivy. They're perfect on either side of yet another of my bird cages.

This old brass/copper/whatever vessel holds faux flowers in front of the family room slider.

The planter is cracked and would never hold water. Court bought it for me at a neighbor's yard sale when she was very young, so it is a prized possesion.

Tons of faux (lavender, ivy, grass, and boxwood) on top of the bookcases. Again, an impossible place to water real plants.

Faux ivy is the perfect hair style for Patience, ...

.. the former garden planter who now lives indoors.

An old, dented tin vase that I've had for at least 30 years...

...is filled with some old, dried flowers.

There's no chance of these being poisonous to Baby...

...who, as you can see, followed me around while I photographed all of our faux flowers this morning!

So due to any combination of the following: 1) cost, 2) lack of sunlight, 3) hard to reach spots, 4) my brown thumb, and 5) possibly poisonous to animals, real flowers and foliage aren't always practical for me. Therefore, faux will always have a place in our little cottage, with no apologies!

I'm linking up to Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday. Be sure to stop by!

And before I forget, Happy St. Patrick's day, everyone!

Donna

Instant nostalgia...

2011-03-12T15:21:00.006-05:00

Happiness is...

...doing some work in my studio/office, channel surfing, and unexpectedly coming across an I Love Lucy marathon on TV! (Right now on the Hallmark channel if anyone is interested!)

I've seen every single episode more times than I can count, and I never, ever get tired of them. My mom loved I Love Lucy and I have the fondest memories of watching it with her! It immediately transports me back to this simpler, less hectic era. Instant nostalgia.

Hope you're all enjoying your Saturday afternoons!

Donna

Christmas in March...

2011-03-10T21:00:00.002-05:00

This is our Christmas cactus right now...

...happily budding and blooming in the living room window.

This was it on Dec. 22nd, just before Christmas.

It was also budding and blooming back then.

That got me to wondering if I had a Christmas cactus...

...or an Easter cactus.

It's now sitting in a western exposure window, whereas at Christmastime, it was in the southern exposure dining room window (it had to be moved because the dining room window, with it's screen feeder, became Baby's bird viewing area).

So I decided to do a little on-line research...

... and I was correct. I definitely have a Christmas cactus.

Why it has started blooming again is beyond me, but I'm thrilled because it is so beautiful.

Here is an excellent article showing side-by-side photos and outlining the differences between a Christmas cactus and an Easter cactus, just in case any of you might have the same question.

I'm linking up to Show & Tell Friday at Cindy's My Romantic Home. Be sure to pop over to see what everyone is sharing this week!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Donna

Our sofa has spring fever...

2011-03-08T12:48:00.004-05:00

.. just like me!

Yes, it is definitely time for a burst of springtime color in our little cottage! My poor old slipcovers have seen better days (pulled and pilled by little kitty claws), therefore I like to conceal the damage under quilts!

So off came the old quilt used this past winter (a more subdued floral that looked great during the winter moths)...

... and out came the thrift store baby quilt I scored several years ago, because I am ready for some serious springtime color!

Bright blooms dot the pink and white striped background, and the border has a sweet sunny yellow striped ruffle...

...while the reverse side sports a soft green & white pattern pattern.

Now I should have stopped there with the flowers, but I couldn't. So my Rachel Ashwell hydrangea pillow sits in one corner of the sofa...

...and a pair of robins egg floral pillows sit on the opposite side. Yup, we are officially ready and waiting for spring, and flowers, and WARM weather, to finally make an appearance in our neck of the woods! And after three long months, the bare ground is finally visible beneath the melting snow! I think that's reason enough for a major celebration and explosion of flowers!

Hope you are all having a lovely week!

Donna

Please don't eat the daisies...

2011-03-03T21:46:00.002-05:00

I am craving spring. I thought I might hasten its arrival (at least in my mind) with some daisies from the grocery store.

Is anything more charming than cut flowers in vintage milk glass vases? With any luck, I hoped they would last at least a week.

Luck just ran out.

Little Miss Curious doesn't miss a trick, or anything new brought into the house.

Baby, you can sniff and admire them to your heart's content, but...

...Please Don't Eat The Daisies!

I actually removed the daisies right after taking these photos because I couldn't remember if they were poisonous to cats or not. So I checked this ASPCA Toxic/Non-Toxic plant list and was horrified to find that daisies are toxic to cats. Needless to say, the daisies are gone.

We are going to hit the 50's and 60's this weekend in New England. Finally. I hope you all enjoy glorious weekends!

I'm linking up to Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday. Be sure to pop on over to see Cindy's beautiful table settings and to visit everyone else participating in Show & Tell this week!

Donna

Catching up, a new camera, and a lovely award

2011-02-24T21:10:00.000-05:00

It has been quite a while since I posted. I am still not completely over my bronchitis, although I am up and about once again, thankfully, rather than flat on my back on the sofa.

I had an opportunity to try out my new camera recently.

Baby, sunning in front of the living room window, was a more than willing subject.

Yes, I dropped my old Lexmark point & shoot and it would no longer do anything for me. It wouldn't even open. A sad day, indeed.

How I'd love to buy a "bells & whistles" camera and get really creative...

... but, alas, my budget only allowed for another inexpensive "point & shoot."

One of my girls has a Canon Power Shot and she loves it. (Another plus, I figured she could show me how to use it, which was a big bonus since I hate reading instruction manuals!)

So I'm now the proud owner of a 12.1 megapixel Canon Power Shot SD1300. And I really do like it!

The sun was very bright behind Baby when I shot these photos...

... so I picked up a lot of cool reflections.

One thing I've noticed already is that this camera has a better stabilizer than my last one. I don't have the steadiest hands, and I'm getting a lot less "blurry" photos with the Canon.

Of course I have to admit that Baby was as still as a statue for most of these photos.

Quite 'out of character' for our crazy little ball of fur!

But even the best photo shoots last only so long...

And Baby let me know she'd had enough as she had more important things to tend to (i.e. her daily grooming).

So she turned her back on me and that was that.

Along other lines, I have been sooooo tardy in acknowledging the lovely Stylish Blogger Award that Laurie from Heaven's Walk bestowed upon my blog. Thank you, Laurie!! You must pay her a visit! You will just love her blog, filled with an abudance of charm, style, and love. Her house is 2-die-4 and you'll flip for all the projects she shares (like her recent Paris Flower Market bucket!), Not to mention, she has the most gorgeous fur babies! Again, Laurie, thank you so much!

The rules state that I am supposed to share 7 things about myself. Because I am sooooooooooo boring, I am going to link back to a post from 2009 where I shared 7 things about myself (because they are all still true! hahaha). So if you'd like, you can click here to read 7 things about me in my "More than you ever wanted to know about me!" post! I'm also supposed to pass this along to 15 other bloggers, but I'm going to open it up to anybody who would like to join in the fun because you're all stylish bloggers!!!

And last, but not least, here's to warm weather arriving. We've had some teaser days in the high 40's/low 50's, but then it drops back down into the 20's. I will be SO happy when spring truly does show up on my doorstep! Stay warm during these last few weeks of winter weather!!

I'm also linking up to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday. Cindy always shares something amazing, and you'll also find a list of many other bloggers participating in Show & Tell, so be sure to hop on over!

Donna

Romeow and Juliet...

2011-02-14T15:22:00.007-05:00

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?"

(click to enlarge any photos)

A Valentine love story, played out in photos, with a pane of glass separating the two potential lovers...

It was a frigid Saturday morning when Juliet first spotted Romeo sitting on the balcony outside her window.

It didn't take long for him to come closer, unable to resist her feminine feline charms.

Baby... I mean Juliet, tried prying open the door.

Not having any luck, she called in reinforcements to help...

..unaware that I had already bribed Mr. J with a dog biscuit to act as a chaperone, keeping the ill-fated lovers apart.

After hours (and I do mean HOURS), Romeow finally gave up and sought greener pastures (good luck with that in this New England winter, Romeow)... In reality, I only thought Romeo had gone. But about an hour later when I opened the slider to let Mr. J outside to do his business, Romeo appeared out of nowhere and ran lickety-split into our house! Now Romeo is no stranger to our yard. I think he spends more time here than he does at his own home. We have an abundance of little chipmunks, squirrels and birds because we feed them, and unfortunately Romeo and his brother, who are outdoor kitties, find our yard very enticing (grrrrrr). Because it was so bitter cold and because Romeo did run into our house (which he has never done before), I put on my jacket and carried him home to his rightful owners, where hopefully he will stay and live happily ever after.

I have been flat on my back for 9+ days with the nastiest case of bronchitis ever, therefore I haven't been posting or visiting anyone, I'm sorry to say. Back when I was a smoker (I quit on July 4, 1994, my Independence day), I would get bronchitis and/or pneumonia quite regularly. Happily, since quitting, I've rarely gotten either.

Wishing you all a wonderful week. I, for one, am hoping to feel good enough to get out and take Mr. J for a walk later this week as it is going to hit FIFTY DEGREES here in New England - a true heat wave after our bitter cold winter!

Enjoy the week, everyone!

ROMEO CLARIFICATION: I just wanted to clarify some Romeo facts. Romeo lives a few doors down from us and is a well fed kitty. He is not forced to be an "outdoor only" kitty (that would be too cruel, especially in our area during wintertime). Rather he is a kitty who is allowed to roam free whenever his little heart desires (which happens to be a LOT, with one of his favorite places being our yard). I just didn't want anyone to think he was being forced to live outside. His owners were there when I brought him home, so clearly he could have headed home whenever he wanted. And Sharon, we have talked about how we would love to keep him for our own, too. He is a gorgeous, affectionate kitty and we'd love to have him join our indoor only gang, but I'm afraid we would be charged with cat-napping :(

Donna

Winter Valances...

2011-02-03T10:33:00.003-05:00

As much as I have had it with winter, I have to admit that I'm smitten with the beautiful snowscapes we see through our windows. I've always loved to "bring the outside in," so most of our windows have simple decorative valances rather than full window treatments.
(click to enlarge any photos)

Baby had been perched on the windowsill, looking out at the snow falling. Of course by the time I got back with my camera, she had moved to the chair. We purchased the valances in this room back in 1989, which is when the family room was added.

No valance on the slider, but another beautiful view of the snow from this angle. These tab top panels match the valance in the previous photo (they're also 22 years old!).

I love the battenburg lace trim on our dining room valance. It looks like intricate snowflakes to me. I think I got this valance about 8 years ago. I recently purchased a couple of more just like it for an upcoming project that I'll share soon!

This lace valance has been hanging in our living room so long that I don't even remember when I purchased it. It's probably been there at least 12 to 15 years because I purchased it during my primitive decor phase. It transitioned beautifully to the cottage decor we now have.

Nature has also been busy hanging valances on practically every house in New England it seems!

Everywhere you look, icicle valances are hanging from rooftops.

I pray that when they start melting, people aren't affected by roof leaks, but I'm afraid many will be.

We've knocked down the ones we can reach, and the ones on the side of the house where Mr. J goes in and out. We sure wouldn't want one falling on him!

But some are just too difficult to reach right now, like these outside our bedroom window.

Finally! The sun is out today after 2 back-to-back snowstorms. But they are predicting another snowstorm for Saturday that might give us at least 6" more...

I don't know how much more we can take! As you can see, the snow is already up to the flowerboxes on our backyard shed! (Sammy, in the foreground, was happily muching on birdseed in the screen feeder when I snapped this photo this morning.)

I'm sorry I haven't visited many of you in the past week but I will visit soon. Dad had a bad reaction to a routine surgery and we have been very busy this past week. On the plus side, it looks like things are slowly getting back to normal, and for that we are very grateful.

I'm linking to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home, so be sure to stop by and add your own post and/or visit all the other participating bloggers!

Stay WARM everyone!!!

Donna

Whiteout conditions. Counting the days....

2011-02-01T11:33:00.008-05:00

...until this view...

(click to enlarge photos)

... through our dining room window...

...is once again this view... green. warm. inviting. And I'm not the only one dreaming of spring's arrival...

This is Sammy, about an hour ago, munching on the peanuts that were thrown his way.

Of course after a meal of peanuts, a long sip of water hits the spot.

Poor little Sammy, all covered in snow. We are in the middle of yet another snowstorm today. By nightfall tomorrow, we will have an additonal 20" on top of what we already have.

This photo was taken last week (excuse the bunched up window runner, courtesy of Baby). Sammy was eating at the window box (you can see his bushy tail) while the mourning doves enjoyed the birdbath.

The doves treat it as a steambath...

Yes, they do drink from it (as a matter of fact, it needs to be filled right now)...

But mostly it's the social gathering spot (along the same lines as the office water cooler), and a very warm place to gather on cold winter days...

I snapped these photos this morning, while running errands.

The lady standing in the road up ahead was having trouble getting her pickup truck up this slight incline.

If I could, I wouldn't venture out again until April. New England + snow + driving = no fun.

So be careful, everyone. And, "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy ride!" (to borrow a slightly altered line from Bette Davis in All About Eve!)

I'm linking up to the gorgeous Faded Charm for this week's White Wednesday. Pop over and see the gorgeous old mirror she transformed, and to find a list of all the other bloggers participating in White Wednesday!

Donna

The beauty of a candlelit power outage...

2011-01-27T21:00:00.008-05:00

Can you tell by the title that I'm really trying to look for the positive in the midst of our nasty winter? New England has been hit hard by multiple snowstorms in rapid succession, but thankfully we've suffered through only one short power outage. BB (before blogging), I'd never have picked up my camera to shoot the following pics, but blogging has allowed me to see things in a whole new light. Literally. So here's what a power outage looks like in our little cottage.

(click any photos to enlarge)

A small votive sits in a chippy religious statue on the dining room half wall. Being chalkware, it's very heavy so Baby isn't able to knock it off (yet).

The scrollwork of the fire screen, silhouetted against the candles that sit inside the fireplace.

Another old chalkware statue, a grey & white kitty, rests on the hearth.

Candlelight illuminates the cherub faces on the cactus planter.

Prisms dance around the candlelight in this beautiful candleholder, a gift from my good friend, Jill.

A small votive surrounded by button jars, a white bird, and my vintage rose lamp.

One of the two prism'd fleur-de-lis candleholders that flank the fireplace. These were one of my first purchases when I switched over from a primitive to cottage decor about 7-8 years ago.

A small Mary statue...

...and a small St. Theresa planter stand guard at the "parakeet cage" on top of the jelly cupboard in a corner of the dining room.

The variety of small votives gave off just enough light to keep us from bumping into - or tripping over - things while the lights were out. Thankfully, the power was restored just as it was starting to get quite chilly in the house. The other morning it was 8 below when we woke! And we were hit with another snowstorm last night (over 12" of snow), so I'll post photos of that soon! Come on, spring! We are sooooooo ready!

I'm linking up to Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home so be sure to stop by and see Cindy and all the other bloggers sharing participating this week!

Donna

Cottage Garden Window Box - Summer vs. Winter, Flowers Vs. Squirrels

2011-01-20T21:01:00.001-05:00

The cottage garden windowbox that is attached to our dining room window...

(Summer 2010)

...isn't really a windowbox at all.

(Summer 2009)

Because once the flowers have succumbed to autumn's first frost, the flowerbox reverts back to its true purpose...

...as a screen feeder that holds a bounty of food for the birds and wildlife that visit us throughout the cold New England winter.

Little Sammy, a young squirrel, has been a regular visitor these days, much to Baby's delight.

Whenever Baby hears Sammy at the feeder, she bolts from wherever she is, leaps into the bay window, and with ears flattened to her head, she prepares for her sneak attack.

Sammy, who seems to have more going on upstairs that our Baby does sometimes, knows right off the bat that the pane of glass between them is his safety net, so he doesn't even flinch when she bounces off the window...

Eventually Baby also realizes there's no way she's getting through the glass pane that separates them.

Of course that doesn't stop her from licking her chops, just thinking about how good Sammy would taste for supper.

"Say what????" says Sammy!

Just kidding. I think Baby would love to just play with Sammy...

...which is music to his little ears.

And after Sammy's belly is full, Baby bids him "adieu,"...

...and Sammy scampers back across the yard to his nest (which this year is a birdhouse in the corner of the backyard, shared by he and several of his siblings.)

And while all this activity is going on at one end of the house, down at the other end our sweet Tiger (who at 17 is past her huntress days), prefers to seek out her flannel penguin bed..

...which is butted up against the heating vent in my office. It is her favorite place to sleep in the winter months because it's so nice and toasty warm...

Sweet little Tiger, you are one smart kitty!

We are due for yet ANOTHER winter storm tomorrow. Spring cannot come soon enough for me (or Tiger!)!!!

I'm linking up to Show & Tell Friday this week. Be sure to visit Cindy at My Romantic Home to see everybody's Show & Tell blogposts!!!

Have a great weekend, everyone! And stay warm!

Donna

The Blizzard and the Flu arrived at the same time...

2011-01-13T10:32:00.006-05:00

Court and I have been struck by the nasty flu bug (and a cold for me, as well)... but I had to grab the camera and take a few shots of the beautiful blizzard while it was still "picture postcard white."

It seems that Mr. J loves to bury his little muzzle in the snowbanks whenever he goes out. Is he too cute or what?

Baby, who is strictly an indoor kitty, was allowed a closely supervised visit to the deck so she could experience snow for the first time. We thought she would immediately head for the house at the first feel of this cold, wet stuff....

But she did not want to come in. She absolutely loved every minute of being out in it, digging and jumping and just taking in the beauty of it all!

The bird feeder when I got up the morning of the blizzard...

I don't think even the heartiest of birds are going to be able to dig down through that to reach the seed. After taking this photo I brushed it off and the feathered friends arrived in minutes.

The deck chairs don't look very inviting right now. At least not to this non-snow lover.

We won't be eating on the deck for quite some time I'm afraid.

But oh, how beautiful it is.

However, if this is the last snow of the season, I can't say I'll be sorry.

Perfect weather for hunkering down and taking a long winter's nap, especially when you're feeling under the weather.

Now to go take some Flu & Cold medicine...

Hope you are all warm and feeling good wherever you are...

Donna

Why are there so many songs about rainbows...

2011-01-07T00:18:00.004-05:00

... and what's on the other side?

(click any photos to enlarge)

Probably because they are so beautiful! I've written about the rainbows that dance around our cottage before, but I couldn't help grabbing my camera and capturing them once again to share with you.

The living room prisms throw rainbows...

... in the entryway...

... and on the bird lamp. Both the base...

and the shade.

They also dance down the hallway walls.

The dining room prisms make rainbows dance...

... across the tile backsplash, the white cabinets...

...and the paper towels in the kitchen.

Rainbows decorate the ceiling...

...and the divider windows (right in front of the old cutting board behind the swan above the family room slider).

Rainbows provide a bit of much needed color by the white-on-white-on-white cat/beadboard/recycling center.

And finally, the prisms that hang in front of our family room slider....

...decorate Patience's lampshade hat...

...and the wall behind her....

...while rainbows dance around the girls' baby pictures (hard to believe they're now 21 and 25!)...

...and the family room closets...

I do believe I'll be hanging some prisms in the bedrooms at some point so I can enjoy even more rainbows dancing around the cottage. Can you ever have too many? I don't think so!

I'm linking up to Cindy's Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home. Be sure to hop over to see what everyone is sharing this week!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, full of sunshine and rainbows!!!

Donna

Eat, Play, Sleep . The life of our cottage cat

2011-01-05T16:53:00.001-05:00

Baby's days consist of eating, playing, and sleeping (primarily eating and playing, although sleeping is gaining in popularity as she leaves kittenhood behind)...

Here she is in her favorite spot, the dining room window (i.e., the bird & squirrel viewing area).

She is the first cat I've ever owned who loooooves to lay on their back... She lays and waits, and waits, and waits some more for someone to come along at the feeder outside....

But she sometimes falls asleep while waiting (clearly tuckered out from all of these daily antics!)

"Baby! Wake up!!"

"Don't fall asleep now! You have company!"

"Sammy Squirrel has come to pay you a visit!"

Baby, Baby, Baby... What would you do without me?

I'm linking up to White Wednesday at the beautiful Faded Charm this week. Be sure to follow the link to visit all the beautiful White Wednesday posts!!

Donna

White on white on white....

2010-12-28T23:32:00.000-05:00

...against white.

I can't decide if the abundance of white in our home is because I am afraid of color...

...or because I love the simplicity of various shades of white. I suspect it is a bit of both.

A perfect example is the white ceramic cat on a white battenburg runner on a white recycling center against a white beadboard panelled wall....

... with a white applique on the recycling center, of course!

Wouldn't all of this white look striking against a robin's egg blue wall? Or what if the wall stayed white, but I painted the recycling center my favorite shade of peachy-pink! Oh dear... just trying to decide between those those two options is making my head spin, which is probably why everything always stays white!

I'm linking up to Faded Charm for White Wednesday this week. Be sure to pop over and see all the bloggers sharing their White Wednesday posts!

Donna

The White Stuff = Hunkering Down... and a Big Thank You

2010-12-27T12:04:00.005-05:00

Well, although the blizzard arrived and it's still snowing, blowing, and drifting...
(click any photos to enlarge)

...it could have been a LOT worse! The first thing I did this morning (after taking this photo) was to push the snow off the top of the bird feeder and fill it with lots of seed for our feathered friends!

Remember the welcome bunny I showed you in yesterday's post, taken after our December 22nd mini-snowfall?

Here he is this morning! The bunny and poinsettias are hardly recognizable under the blanket of white!
The following photos were taken from about the same vantage point as the photos in yesterday's blogpost, but there's a lot more snow today!

I haven't ventured outside yet this morning, so this photo was taken with me hanging out the dining room window, but it's the back garden gate and arbor that you saw yesterday. I can still make out the gate's "heart" in the center of the wreath... I love this old gate!

In yesterday's photo, the whole picket fence in front of the shed was showing. Now just the tippety top of the pickets are peekng through the snow! Oh, and the birdbath that is attached to the deck railing on the left? I highly recommend a heated birdbath to anyone who lives in a New England-like climate. The birds LOVE it! As you can see, the snow has melted into the middle of it, and the birds and squirrels use this all winter long, when all other sources of water are frozen solid. The mourning doves also use it as a steam bath. Flocks of them like to gather around it and warm themselves... too cute!

And right before Christmas I made one last dash to the Post Office, and just look at the beautiful surprise that was waiting for me!! (I was so anxious to open it when I got home that I forgot to take photos of how beautifully it was wrapped!)

My beautiful friend Claudia, from Mockingbird Hill Cottage, sent me one of her handmade fabric hearts, made with two coordinating red and cream fabrics! I LOVE it! It is just so beautiful, Claudia, thank you! And look at how classy her Moo Minicards are! Add to that the handwritten note stamped with the bird and mhc... It was all so very special, and such a sweet surprise!!! You know what else it was?....................................Baby-proof!!!!

There's nothing like hunkering down when a blizzard is wreaking havoc outside your home, and who knows better how to hunker down than a kitty?

Sleeping Beauty was the perfect backdrop to show off my beautiful new heart!

Baby and I thank you, Claudia! And to anyone living through c-o-l-d winter weather, I'm wishing you cozy winter days!................ Donna

To Susan who asked about where to purchase heated bird baths... I purchased mine years ago at a local Wild Birds Unlimited (or similar) bird store. If you can't find a heated bird bath locally, there's a wide variety on-line to choose from:

If you don't have an outlet to plug in a heated bird bath, here are some that are solar powered:

http://www.google.com/#q=solar+heated+bird+bath&hl=en&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbs=shop:1&tbo=u&ei=SDcZTcGvEIP7lwePjoW_Cw&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CD8QrQQwAA&biw=1348&bih=699&fp=c5de9f7a219740fb

Here are some you can purchase on-line from Wild Birds Unlimited:

http://www.shopwbu.com/products/category/567.0.1.1.42047.0.0.0.0

And here are some from CSNStores.com:

http://www.csnstores.com/asp/keyword.asp?keyword=heated+birdbath&command=dosearch&matchtype=3&keywordvalue=heated+birdbath

And just some in general from a Google search:

http://www.google.com/search?q=heated+bird+baths&hl=en&sa=G&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbs=shop:1&tbo=u&ei=3DgZTcL2JsSBlAet9ezTCw&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CFIQrQQwAg

The storm before the storm....

2010-12-26T16:12:00.005-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!! We had a small, quiet, lovely one here. Luckily, for all those who traveled on Christmas day, the blizzard didn't arrive here in New England until today.

This was the small snowstorm that arrived a few days before Christmas.

(click to enlarge any photos)

It was just a teaser of what was headed our way.

Our two "welcome" bunnies....

...may have snow to the top of their ears before this next storm is through.

We are officially under "blizzard conditions" until Monday evening at 6 p.m.

All of these photos were taken on December 22nd.

And although it didn't amount to much, this snowfall was enough to give us a beautiful White Christmas.

I'll try to take photos from these same vantage points...

...once the blizzard has moved out.

I am so ready for spring!

Donna

Merry Christmas...

2010-12-24T18:32:00.002-05:00

...to you all! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas day, filled with love and laughter!

With all my best wishes ,

Donna