Giveaway time almost here....

Don't forget.....................I'll be drawing the name of the winner of my little anniversary (three years - 800 posts) giveaway gift tomorrow. Please leave a comment on my February 18 post if you would like your name added.

Celebration Giveaway

I can't believe it!

I've just reached my 500th blog post.

What a ride this has been and what a lot of wonderful new friends I've gathered around me along the way! Thanks so much for taking the time to visit, read, and leave your much appreciated comments on my blog. Some of you I've had the great pleasure of meeting in person here in the USA, and overseas in France last October. Perhaps on my next trip home to England in the Spring I will meet more blog friends. To those who've taken the time to share their stories and interests with me for almost two years, thank you. For those who've become new visitors to Across the Pond recently, a hearty welcome and please keep coming back as I just love to hear from everyone.
In two years of blogging my list of friends around the world has grown by leaps and bounds. I try very hard to keep up with everyone, but I have to admit it's difficult.......I must get some sleep now and then! If I've missed leaving YOU a comment lately please forgive me.........and then tell me how to get more hours into my day!

Above, Court China made in England by William Lowe from 1874-1931. This china is translucent and delicate, the pattern colors are dark blue and rust with gilt trim. I inherited part of a tea service from my Mother including the teapot, cream and sugar pots, two cups and saucers and two plates. Imagine my delight when, last Summer, I found several more matching cups, saucers and plates at SuzAnna's Antiques here in town!

William Lowe's trade journal advertisement of 1875

Being born and raised in England I do of course love all things English. Two favorites have to be a good cup of tea and the scenic English countryside.

To thank you for your friendship, I'm happy to share some small British treasures. These will include an antique Court China cup and saucer, the backstamp dates it between 1874 and 1912; a rose pink Irish linen tea table cloth and serviettes; a box of Harrods excellent English Breakfast teabags; and a lovely book about the Cotswolds featuring John Tookey's watercolor paintings. I may also tuck in a little surprise ~ who knows what I might discover just for you in the next couple of weeks!

All will be carefully packed and mailed from my cottage to the winner in early February.

To enter this giveaway celebrating my 500th post, leave a comment on this post only by Saturday, January 31. The winner's name will be drawn February 2 ~ Groundhog Day!!

....and the winner is..............

We were up bright and early this morning...........things were happening around the cottage which was washed with heavy rain last night. The garden looks fresh and shiny clean, the plants and shrubs have gulped down gallons of the 'good stuff' that only comes in the form of Nature's own elixir, water from the heavens!

But on to the fun stuff as promised................as dh sipped his big morning mug of coffee, and our granddaughter Jasmin woofed down oatmeal and waffles (she spent the night here), I presented my trusty garden hat filled with the names of those of you who entered the giveaway to celebrate my 300th post. Jasmin of course got to do the honors.

Drum roll please...........and the winner of this neat book is JANET at Housepeepers . If you don't know Janet be sure to visit her, she will have you laughing instantly!

Congratulations Janet - please e-mail me with your mailing address (and full name) - I'll get the book in the post next week.

After all that excitement, a huge truck arrived bearing the ten - yes 10 - cubic yards of cypress playground chips we'd ordered. They promised "the small truck" because we have trees overhanging the driveway and we dislike the free trimming a big truck does. Guess someone goofed there! Anyway, they were unloaded at the top of the driveway and the guy drove off with twigs and leaves waving from his truck - only one rather large branch was broken off thank goodness. Here's Jasmin getting ready to leave for school - you can see just a small portion of the chips.........................so guess what dh and I are doing now? More on that later.



Many thanks for taking time to enter the giveaway and for leaving your very kind comments. I enjoy sharing many aspects of my life with each of you. I hope to keep my blog interesting so you will return often - that way I, in turn, get to visit with you in so many exciting and beautiful places around the world.

Celebrating Three Hundred Posts!

ometimes, when I come across something I really love, I like to buy two, one to keep and the other to give to a special person. Here is one of those little finds worth sharing. This wonderful book, written and beautifully illustrated by Abbie Zabar, allows one to share an entire gardening year on her New York city rooftop. She proves one doesn't always need acreage to grow a garden. Abbie also shares wonderful quotations, written in her own handwriting. This is a little gem both for dedicated gardeners and for lovers of gentle books and charming art.

This book can come to sit on your bookshelf or bedside table. Or, it can be gently tossed on the wicker chair or porch swing, ready to be picked up and a few pages read as you enjoy a cool drink on a hot, lazy Summer's day. To celebrate my three hundredth blog post, and the joy of knowing many of you for well over a year, I would love to read a comment from each of you, toss your name in my Spring gardening hat, then draw a winner.

Leave your comment on this post only please by this Thursday evening. I'll have dh pick a name on Friday morning.........he enjoys that part!

"As for rosemarie, I lette it runne all over my garden walls, not onlie because my bees love it, but because it is the herb sacred to remembrance and to friends.

......................Thomas More, English Statesman, 16th. Century

Call for Entries

Don't forget, if you haven't entered the drawing for my one year blog anniversary giveaway, please leave your name on my February 10 post. I will be picking the name of the winner the evening of February 27. ~ I could be writing your name here ~

~ so please enter ~

Edited - 2/26/08

As my post for the giveaway tomorrow has dropped off, you can leave a comment here and I will still add your name. Drawing for the winner will be tomorrow, Wednesday.

Anniversary Giveaway!

Today, while stopping to look for Spring..................it's out there, hiding under dry oak leaves, small bulbs pushing slowly and gently, readying themselves to shoot through the earth............I suddenly remembered that February 27 is not far off!

Where has the time gone? Almost an entire year has passed by while I've been busy blogging! I've made so many new and wonderful friends around the world. I'm grateful for all the comments left, personal stories shared, decorating and art tutorials generously given...........and the pleasure of just getting to know you, wherever you may live.

**** Time for a Giveaway ****

To celebrate this past year and the start of another, I am sharing some gifts with you.

A copy of Rachel Ashwell's beautiful book Shabby Chic. Full of wonderful photos of her home in California, flea market hunting, her decorating projects, and the story of how she built her successful business, anyone who loves to decorate their home using flea market finds and turning them into elegant painted treasures will love this book.

The cover of a lovely journal will inspire you to dream of Tuscany and perhaps plan a trip to Italy ~ you will love it there. Along with these books will be a folder crammed with Italian writing papers, scrapbooking odds and ends, elegant cards of John William Waterhouse romantic paintings.......and perhaps some extra surprises if I can squeeze them into the mailing box!

To enter the drawing for the gift package please leave a comment on this post only. I will draw the winner the evening of February 27, my anniversary date.

Again, thank you for stopping by ~ it really is such a pleasure knowing you, and Good Luck, anyone can be the winner here!