Let's Celebrate ~ and a gift to the winner!

Just realized, yesterday's post was my 100th.................definitely time for a little celebration!!!!!!!!

Where does time go? Just six months ago I had a great circle of friends, some from childhood and school days in England, some in other states who were once neighbors and now pen pals, some who have been my support group right here in Raleigh for the 30 years I've lived here. All my long time friends are precious but now I also have a second circle..........all of you, my great blog friends who have visited me often and left helpful, funny, and admiring comments. I am enjoying sharing my interests in decorating, gardening, cooking and traveling with each one of you. In turn, I'm thrilled to read about your interesting lives in so many different parts of the world, including the USA, Canada, S. America, British Isles, France, Germany, Holland, Australia, S. Africa, Morocco, and Scandinavia.

To celebrate, I would love to share these gifts with one of you. When you stop by this post leave me a comment and I'll put your name in the hat. Drawing will be held toward the end of August - kids will be in school, "dog days" will hopefully have cooled somewhat, thoughts of Fall will be starting, and new projects will beckon.

The parcel will include two October issues (1994/1996) of the original VICTORIA magazine to inspire you - a generous yard of an "almost vintage" English rose patterned polished cotton fabric (enough for a pillow) - a sweet little English bone china dish with painted roses - a dainty real vintage hankie - a vintage (1908) rose "penny post card" - some English tassel trim - and a French blank book to write down your inspirations for Fall decorating and art projects.

Will look forward to hearing from you and entering your name in the drawing.

"Oh Suzanna's, what treasures you have to share"

In my mind it's much cooler. I must tell myself this so I can go "treasure hunting" at SuzAnna's again - see those smiling gals at the bottom of my sidebar! The parking area is parched dry, the dust swirls up in pink clouds as you pull in, the sun beats down on the outdoor area crammed with garden treasures to delight the eye. A patio umbrella draped with netting sheltering vintage wicker chairs, a gigantic bird feeder handcrafted from old wood with tin ceiling tile for a roof - still waiting for the price to drop on that one, I want it! Tables, benches, shutters, doors, birdbaths, potting tables, planters......so much to see, too much to take in with the sun beating down. Let's quickly peek inside where, although still very warm, the fans are purring, ruffling the vintage gown hanging in the corner; making the birdcages sway gently above our heads, the gals offer chilled water, and the crystals dangling from the chandeliers make one anxious for a cool shower on returning home.

The white items look refreshing - cool metal, white roses, flowery china, old creamy vintage painted wood.

Singing the blues........thoughts of oceans, seasides, clear skies, swimming pools, deep lakes, ponds, ice cubes, tarnished silver and pewter. I need to snap up that cake plate when I return - hope it's still there.

Well yes, red is hardly cool on a 95 degree afternoon, but mixed with the brown transfer ware, pretty painted roses, and with a little old crystal thrown in, it works - and everything is lovely.

Away with that fur collar - faux I'm hoping - please hide it in the back room until the Fall, it's making me so hot just looking at it! But how about that fabulous dresser with the triple mirror, such vintage elegance, could work in the cottage guestroom don't you think?

My quick visit to SuzAnna's on Friday was not enough - must get back, perhaps this afternoon if I slap on some sunscreen, a hat, and can find my way through that swirling dust!

August in the Garden

Despite the torrid heat - here we have 100 degree days forecast for the entire week ahead - Nature still shines and sends us little gifts to decorate the parched garden. This dragonfly stopped by to rest on the rusty iron obelisk. Yesterday while watering, and without the camera unfortunately, I was surprised by a hummingbird who flew into the spray from my hose as if trying to cool off - then alighted on a branch right over my head and proceeded to do a mini preen before taking off. This was especially thrilling to me - it was a special gift to see the teeny weeny bird so close.

The flowers are struggling to survive. We water as often as possible by hand, the city only permits sprinklers three days a week now we're on restrictions. By the end of the sizzling afternoon the potted plants are drooping - a quick shower from the watering can perks them up and these beautiful colors - don't you just love pink and yellow together - glimmer as the sun drops lower in the sky.

This is a pretty verbena with mixed colors on each flower head - it seems to thrive in the sun.My hanging Boston Ferns are OK despite looking somewhat forlorn when I arrived home from the last trip! Trimmed off all the dry, burned fronds, soaked them well, then mist daily with a spray bottle - add a little Miracle Gro to the water - and I see some new growth starting.
Stopped at SuzAnna's Antiques yesterday (more pics later of that fabulous place) and was presented with this sweet wooden robin for my garden. He's minding the coleus and petunias, both still going strong as they love the heat.

So, it's still quite pretty out there and I'm grateful for all that Nature continues to give to make each day in the garden so beautiful.

Inspiration Friday ~~~~ Summer Dining

Dog days of Summer are here ~~~~ oppressive, humid, sticky ~~~~ just darned HOT!

Dining al fresco is hardly fun ~~~~ beating off mosquitoes, filling smoky citronella torches - do they really work? not in my garden I fear - exposed limbs covered in OFF, wiping one's delicate brow, whacking at flies who want to share the Summer salads and lemonade. But soon, very soon, all will change and we'll have a cool spell ~~~~ we WILL dine outside again, enjoying light luncheons, revelling in Tuscan style late evening dinners, laughing with friends, drinking red wine, and ending with iced Limoncello.

Here is my inspiration outdoor garden dining spot for today - looks so cool and inviting.

~~ Chilled soup ~~

Pea and mint risotto - another easy and delicious dish perfect for Summer.

Fresh fruits ~~~ a French style tarte ~~~ a lemon sponge ~~~ a taste of chocolate

~~ perfect desserts ~~

How sweet is this ~ I could easily end a lovely evening here.

Wherever you dine this weekend may it be enjoyable.

Fresh Blueberries ~~~~ Let's Bake

Today was very hot however baking still seemed the thing to do with that huge box of magnificent blueberries - they're showing up at bargain prices now. Walked early with DH then prepared the blueberry cobbler. Loved this new recipe from Cooks Illustrated - biscuits have a little crunch with the added cornmeal.

Also made a traditional Tuscan Bread Salad - had some Ciabatta to use up and plenty of just picked from the garden tomatoes and basil. Tossed with cubed fresh mozzarella, a little minced garlic, freshly ground pepper, pinch of sea salt, and good fruity olive oil. Chill and serve. So Italian!

This all came together as a great Summer lunch - DH, granddaughter and I moved it into the screened gazebo after taking these pics - needed the cool breeze of the life saving ceiling fan!

Yum, gotta add a scoop of French Vanilla ice cream of course!

Italian peasant salad and Southern fruit dessert - way to go on a 95 degree day in North Carolina!

History Lessons

Pleasant weekend trip to visit family in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and West Virginia, stopping in Harpers Ferry where history comes alive among the quaint buildings climbing up the hillside above the river. This small town witnessed the first successful American railroad, John Brown's attack on slavery, and the largest surrender of federal troops during the Civil War.

The heat was intense - the local population disrobed and headed for the Shenandoah River where they cooled their heels kayaking and tubing....................such sensible country folk. Appomattox Court House, Virginia - 1865 Civil War surrender site of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

The village, originally called Clover Hill, was a settlement of small houses around the Tavern which was the stopping off point on the main Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road.

The Plunkett-Meeks Store

The Woodson Law OfficeThe original Clover Hill Tavern
Beautiful Virginia countryside.

Inspiration Friday ~~~~~~~ Going Green

My harvest from the garden last evening...........the tomatoes are really coming in fast and furious now; the European cucumbers (two kinds - Holland and Pepinex) are fabulous; stringless, tender haricots verts still hanging in there and giving us so many wonderful meals - a little Italian parsley just snipped too. What more could one want for a fresh, garden grown, just picked, green supper.

Leaving early this morning for a weekend road trip to Virginia and W. Virginia ~ taking Jasmin along for a history lesson ~ Charlottesville, Monticello, Harper's Ferry, and will visit family in Grottoes, VA in the Shenandoah Valley. Hoping to find some cottagey shops along the way, perhaps pick up something quaint or interesting.....................far too long since I've had time to go treasure hunting.

Wonderful weekend to each of you - hope to catch up with everyone next week!

I've been tagged......

I've been tagged by Sue at Vintage to Victorian in Somerset, England (another beautiful Southwest county adjacent to my county of Devon) who has invited me to share eight random things you don't know about me. This is quite thought provoking - I think I'll make this one mainly about my younger years!

• I survived a bombing! Born at the end of WWII, as an infant I lived in my Grandmother's third floor flat. Being on the English Channel and close to Plymouth, an important naval shipyard, our town also was bombed on a few occasions. When the air raid siren sounded, Mum would carry me down to huddle under the stairs until the "all clear" sounded. There was a direct hit on our nearby church one Sunday - many children attending a class were killed - I was fortunate to be too young to attend Sunday School and remained safe that terrible day.
  
  
• Growing up in post war Britain in the 40's was tough, housing shortages, low wages, no luxuries for the average family...........but when I look back I had a wonderful simple childhood and I wouldn't change it at all. My family never had a car, we rode double decker buses everywhere. My town, a seaside resort known as "Queen of the English Riviera" had beautiful beaches and my home was a short walk from the countryside. In Summer I would get up before dawn and head to the fields with my Mum to pick wild mushrooms. I still love, love, love mushrooms. I think about those misty mornings every time I cook them.........walking up the lane, basket in one hand, Mum's hand in the other.
  
  
• I was a Maypole dancer - not to be confused with a pole dancer!! This was an English Spring/Summer activity at my school where we rehearsed using the tall May pole erected in the center of the playground. We were really good dancing those intricate circles to traditional English country music, winding and weaving the colorful ribbons around the pole - then reversing to unwind. Guess one doesn't get dizzy as a child - can't imagine what twirling in hundreds of circles would do to me now! We performed at local garden fetes and country fairs and it was great fun.
  
• I went to an all girls Grammar School (that's equivalent to High School in the US) and had to wear typical English uniforms. This was not a private school! Winter was a navy blue gym slip similar to a pinafore dress here, navy blue knickers (no such things as panties then!) white blouse, navy/maroon striped school tie, wool blazer sporting the school crest on the pocket, and navy velour brimmed hat or a wool beret..........and of course the often required classic navy English gabardine raincoat, or mac (mackintosh) as we called it. Only black or brown shoes were allowed with white ankle socks until the 4th year when stockings were permitted. In Summer we changed to green and white striped dresses with a natural straw boater hat - anyone caught without the hat got a detention. On warm Spring and Summer days I would always try to grab a desk by the open French doors of the classroom, roll my socks down and stick my legs out to get a tan without a sock line around my ankles.
  


• Every Summer, during the school hols., I would ride the bus along the coast to stay with my cousin in Teignmouth, Devon for two weeks. Her house looked out over the seafront and beach. As young teens we would pretend to be French - dressing in the latest styles which included, at that time, black leather ballet shoes and a colorful cotton kerchief tied around our necks! We'd then hang out on the pier and when holidaymakers, usually from Northern England, asked us for directions or local information, we'd speak French or broken English to confuse them. WE thought we were so cool!!


• I never traveled to continental Europe until I had lived in the US several years - even though I lived on the very edge of the English Channel and France was almost visible on a clear day! Growing up I was told, "you live in the most beautiful place imaginable so why go anywhere else". Of course this was always followed by "we can't afford a trip abroad" which was true. My first view of Paris was when we left our little kids at Grandma's house in England and DH took me across the Channel for my first memorable weekend in the beautiful "City of Light".
  


• I climbed aboard my very first plane one week before my 19th B'day to come to work in Washington, D.C. for just one year. Here it is almost 45 years later and I'm still in the USA. My Mum always said she would never have let me go if she thought I'd never return to live in England!
  


• My very first trip back to England was to visit my family for Christmas in 1964. I sailed on the original Cunard Queen Mary which is now a floating resort in Long Beach, California, returning on the then brand new Holland America Line "Statendam". As much as I loved those transatlantic crossings I have never been on an ocean going liner since...............guess it's time to think about a cruise to somewhere, any suggestions?
  
  Well I guess that gives you a little insight into my early life. Have to admit being tagged does afford one the luxury of reminiscing. Having good memories, especially of one's childhood, is important, and these special times should always be written somewhere to share with future generations of one's family. My blog has become an important part of recording my history. I thank all of you for helping to make it so worthwhile by reading my posts and adding your great comments. You are all very special and have become part of my circle of friends - you too will be part of my history.
  
  

So, I now tag the following blog friends......................we know quite a lot of interesting things about your "now" so hopefully you will give us a little insight into your early days wherever they were - eight random things about your childhood or teens would be fun to hear about.............so wow us when you have time!

Peggy at Hidden Haven Homestead, Pat at Back Porch Musings, Linda at Frenchless in France, Marilyn at Ivy and Lace Cottage ...................and anyone else who would like to join the group!

Pleasures of Beach Living

If you really want to get away from it all, Bald Head Island, North Carolina is a great place to go. There are numerous places to rent from refurbished small historic cottages, once the homes of the lighthouse keepers and their families, to huge multimillion dollar houses perched at the edge of the dunes and beach, perfect for watching pelicans dive for their dinner.

Along the salt marsh are condominiums with spectacular sunrise views. So many interesting birds including Painted Buntings who come to feeders along with Cardinals and Cowbirds, and swooping quietly and gracefully across the core grass, white Ibis and Egrets, as well as Herons and gulls of all kinds.Below, the lighthouse keepers cottages complete with porch rockers - bring your chilled beverage of choice, watch the sun go down, then head quietly for the beach to watch the Loggerhead turtles hatch and make their way to the sea.

Stately homes of huge proportions right on the beach.


Theodosia's B&B, below, is situated on the marina. A ghost story is part of this establishment's charm. Theodosia Alston, wife of the Governor of South Carolina, on her way to visit her father in New York, disappeared from the ship The Patriot in 1813 after it was attacked by pirates. She is said to be often seen in a long flowing dress wandering the island.

At the end of a perfect Summer's day ~ supper on the beach................ .......................waiting for that spectacular sunset.