I'm thinking about moving....

... all because of this magazine... (isn't that the cutest little Chip on the cover??)


The Summer 2008 issue of "allanimals" (published by the Humane Society of the United States) arrived in my mailbox last month, and while flipping through it, I found the home & garden that I was certain existed only in my dreams...


Isn't this the most peaceful painting? Heaven on earth! So thanks to the incredibly talented illustrator/artist, Andrew Hutchinson, I am packing my bags and I'm off to find this tranquil little piece of Eden... (Of course I'm only kidding, but I can still dream, right??)

Update to comments... Okay, you guys have got me in stitches! Truth be told, I could do without Mr. Slithers, too, but I'm going to pretend he's the nice 'garden variety' snake that is beneficial to a backyard and would never think of harming one of my Chips or Sammy Squirrels! Joanne, make up the spare bedroom for me... Since you already bought the place, I'm coming to visit!! And thank you for the animal lover/pet friendly comments! You're all my kind of people!!

Donna

Yippeeee! My gas stove is here!

I haven't had an oven in forever (at least it seems that way!)... I was able to use the burners on my old range, and I do have a microwave, but I really missed my oven!


So we finally bit the bullet and purchased a brand new Whirlpool range... What I really wanted was a smooth top electric burner stove... My friend has one and loves it!!! But alas... it would have cost way too much to have an electrician come and add a 220 breaker just so I can switch over from gas...


And white would have been my #1 choice, too, but we've switched over little by little from almond to bisque (so switching to white now would mean replacing all of my kitchen appliances!), and although bisque isn't a sparkling bright white, it at least looks like a creamy white...

I asked the installer/plumber what would happen to my old range once they carted it away and he told me that it would be recycled as scrap metal. Then he said, "As a matter of fact, if you buy a new car next year, you might end up driving around in your old stove!" We both had a good laugh over that!

So anyhow, let me fire up the oven and bake us a cake... Then we can all sit out on the deck, feed peanuts to the Sammy Squirrels and Chips, and watch the female hummer (who is still visiting the feeders even though it's gotten pretty cold these past few nights!)

Donna

PINK Saturday - Better late than never!

Who knew that cleaning out temporary Internet files would fix my picture posting problem!!

For PINK Saturday, I'd like to share my favorite hooked rug chair pads... I think they transitioned nicely from primitive to cottage!


I like to use these chair pads as 'doilies' or table covers. Spotty definitely prefers sitting on a nice, soft chair pad rather than the hard tabletop when he's "oh so busy" watching Sammy Squirrels and Chips out the window...


I also like to use a chair pad as a placemat for my vase of "fake" flowers on the dining room table (shhhh, don't tell HGTV - I think "fake" flowers was #1 on their list of the 25 biggest decorating mistakes!!!)...


Chair pads can make a nice 'backdrop' when photographing items to share on my blog :)


And, believe it or not, chair pads sometimes even get used on the chairs in our little cottage!

Be sure to stop by Beverly's "How Sweet The Sound" to see her pink Saturday post, as well as a list of all the bloggers participating in today's PINK Saturday!!!

Donna

Pink Saturday without pink...

Hopefully I'll be able to post photos soon so I can share my Pink Saturday items with you. There seems to be a glitch with blogspot and photos tonight.

But be sure to head over to How Sweet the Sound for a list of blogs participating in Pink Saturday... Hopefully they were all able to upload their photos!!

(Is anyone else having this problem, or is it just me??)

Donna

The Bewitching Mrs. B

Mrs. B (1976 - Sept. 1993)

I've received so many kind comments regarding my new fall banner (thank you!!)... Since I was participating in Cielo's "Enchanted Window" blog party this week, I thought it would be fun to use a window scene for my blog banner; and since Halloween is almost upon us, I decided to use one of my favorite photos of my beautiful Mrs. B, taken back in 1992 when she was about 16. (Can you tell we used to decorate big time for Halloween when the girls were younger?)

I got Mrs. B from a pet shelter in 1976. The information card on her cage stated that she would be put down the following day. I asked someone who worked there for more information on her and was told that she was supposed to have been put to sleep the previous week, but that one of the shelter staff asked that they give her one more week because she was so sweet. Apparently they were having a hard time finding her a home because:

1) they had tons of kittens available for adoption, and at about 6 months old, she was well past the "cute kitten" stage... - and -

2) black cats aren't adopted as quickly as other kitties because they are still (superstitiously) thought of as "bad luck" cats...

Well, Mrs. B came home with me that day and she was my faithful companion long before my hubby came on the scene and my girls came along... She was my affectionate, lap-sitting, double-pawed purring machine for 17 wonderful years... She was, and will always be, My Girl...

Update: If you are looking for a cat (including black cats), click on A Place to Bark and Meow - Bernie Berlin has some beautiful kitties up for adoption right now, including about a dozen black cats... And she echoes what I mentioned above, that they are harder to place... Take it from someone (me) who has owned black kitties - they are wonderful!!! As a matter of fact, in Britain and Japan, having a black cat cross your path, is considered good luck!!

Donna

My Enchanted Window...

The lovely Cielo at The House in the Roses has organized an "Enchanted Window" party for today, September 8th... You must visit her blog to see all the spectacular photos of 'enchanted windows' that she has posted! Thank you, Cielo! This was so much fun!

I've actually posted about this window before, but I thought I'd share it again as it is one of my favorites...


When we had a family room put on the back of our split level "cottage" back in 1989, a window seat was a must! An old white bedspread that my mom used in the 60's is wrapped around the large pillow that serves as the seat, and a collection of chenille pillows rest against the sides and back of the seat. I've always thought windowseats were so cozy and inviting, perhaps because of this windowseat...



... where, as a 7 year old, I would sit and watch the world go by. My sister and I were fortunate to revisit our childhood apartment a few years ago when, on a whim, we drove past the old place while driving my daughter back to college in Boston. As luck (fate) would have it, the apartment was vacant with a "For Rent" sign out front... The owner of the house graciously allowed us to go in and reminisce, which is when I took this photo... It may be 49 years later, but in my mind's eye, my sister and I are carefree children again... my mother is still with us, and is setting dinner on the formal dining table she loved, which was centered in this very room. Dad is once again a young man and will be pulling into the driveway any minute... and I, with legs curled up under me and my chin resting on the windowsill, am once again that daydreaming 7 year old... It is most definitely an enchanted window... Donna

Repurposed Cigar Box... Pink, of course!!

A few years ago my daughter, Amanda, vacationed on Cape Cod and brought me back a hand painted souvenir from a cute little shop in downtown Hyannis...


The artist had transformed an old old cigar box into a shabby work of art...


The box has a dimensional hand-painted rose on the lid...


...and through the painted strips, you can still see the original embossed writing on the sides of the box (Rothschild Baccarat)...


This beautiful gift sits in a vanity tray (that I painted pink), on top of the bookcase in my office....


... centered between a pair of white iron lamps with pink pleated fabric shades (a great vintage store find!!!)...

Be sure to check out everybody else's "Pink Saturday" posts at Beverly's beautiful blog, How Sweet The Sound!


Donna

Thievery through a pet door...

(click photo to play video)

To all my blogging friends... do NOT put your good mats (in my case, my vintage chenille scatter rugs) in front of a pet door!!!

(No, this isn't my house... just a cute video I found on-line that I couldn't resist sharing with you!!!)

Donna

Strolling through the Back Bay

Luckily Court isn't on the other side of the country because we forgot a few 'college dorm' items at home (but that's okay... it gave me another chance to see her tonight!!) This time, my sister and I took a little walk through the Back Bay after having dinner with Courtney... So come along if you'd like.... I just can't get enough of these beautiful old homes, brick sidewalks, and tree lined streets!

The sun was setting as I took most of these photos, so I apologize for the quality of some...


The doors are all so beautiful, all so unique!


Intricate wrought iron gates and railings are everywhere...


It was dark enough that foyer and front porch lights were being turned on as we walked around...


Beautiful staircases lead to the front doors of most of the homes...


I love the tall, oversized windows in so many of the homes...


Many of the doors are painted black, which is so striking...


There are so many carved and intricate details on the homes...


This little tree is in a courtyard between two sets of entryways... This is one...


And this is the other...


Each home has its own distinct personality...


Another beautiful wrought iron fence...

This front entryway and courtyard were so pretty... I love all the glass around the entryway...

Even the simplest of fences look elegant...

I'll bet there's a beautiful view from the rooftop garden of this home...

This home had beautiful vines climbing up to the second story...

This courtyard had beautiful roses in bloom... My photo does not do it justice.

I just loved this garden and fence...

So many beautiful old homes in Boston....

But it really is starting to get dark...

So it's time to make our way back to the car and bid farewell to Boston for now... But we will be back soon... Of that I am certain...

Donna

Boston: Student Move-In Day

Labor Day weekend marks the return of college students to Boston, and that's where we spent Monday afternoon... getting Court settled in her dorm room and then taking a little stroll around her new neighborhood...


Not having seen her actual dorm building before today, we were thrilled to find that she'd be living in this beautiful brick Victorian townhouse in Boston's Back Bay...


Everything about the building was just perfect!


We were very organized this year and Court was unpacked in no time...


Here are she and Amanda right before we headed out to do some exploring...


This is what Courtney gets to look at while going to sleep each night... a gorgeous, huge medallion on the ceiling of her room... Nope, they definitely don't make houses the way they used to!!!


We walked down Commonwealth Ave., which I think is one of the prettiest streets in Boston...


The center of the divided street is lined with walkways, trees, and benches - great for people watching (or working on a school paper!!!)


Commonwealth Ave is lined with the most elegant homes, each with a distinctive facade and garden area... I loved the intricate front door and unusual awning in front of this home...


The gardens, wrought iron gates, and green patina of this second story bay window were spectacular!


Every house has the lushest gardens and/or window boxes...


Every wrought iron fence is a work of art in itself. Each one is a bit different... I think someday I want to try to photograph all of the different styles...


But these are all the photos I got today... The girls were anxious to get to the Boston Public Gardens and grab a bite to eat, and I was holding us up by "oohing" and "aaaahing" and taking pictures every step along the way!!

So next time, I may just take off on my own and get some great photos to share with you! I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Donna