Giving Winter the brush.........

On Friday another vestige of Winter was banished from the cottage with the arrival of William, our chimney sweep - no top hat and tails, not armed with those Mary Poppins era brushes - just a very powerful vac, less romantic but probably cleaner and healthier for him........and us!

A clean safe chimney ~ a fresh hearth ready for Spring decor.

More Spring Cleaning to get done ~ but so hard to stay indoors when the garden calls.

The wood pile was topped up in Autumn and we used perhaps two thirds of the lovely burning seasoned oak - you can see there's enough leftover to provide a jungle gym for squirrels and a perching place for our garden birds, also a buffer from our neighbor's parked boat. Please move that monster to the lake, soon!

Weekend stop at the garden center.............my senses started reeling. So hard not to buy new plants when they all look so pretty and perfect. Due to our drought they are stocking loads of low moisture plants. We're allowed a little weekly watering time again but it's sensible to plant these offerings for future water conservation.

I did have to buy one plant which of course loves water, a Nikko Blue hydrangea. This was to replace the one by the front steps. That plant gave me literally hundreds of gorgeous blooms each Summer for over 12 years and then was zapped so hard by the late Spring frost last year it just couldn't revive so I dug it out. Hopefully this replacement will do well.

Low moisture plants I brought home and planted - fountain grass, creeping yarrow, pink sea thrift, a mini-leaved stachys I have not seen before - such tiny soft 'bunny ears'.

Update on the front porch Carolina Wrens:

We have four baby wrens in the nest by the front door! At first I could only see two so was quite surprised, and thrilled, when two more stuck out their little beaks crying for their parents to bring a snack. In this picture you can only see three clearly. The parents are very attentive all day long, flying back and forth with beetles, moths, small grubs. I hope so much that they all make it and if I've timed it correctly they will most likely fledge around Friday of this week.

I so hope these babies survive and grow into beautiful wrens like this. They are such chirpy fun little birds to have around the garden.

Join me on a garden stroll

It was wonderful to have so many of you visit the potting shed. Next time, when the pollen has eased up, let's plan tea in the gazebo. Being English, I have tea of every description to tempt your taste buds. However, being English and a transplanted 'quasi Yankee', I don't do iced tea so you Southern gals will have to forgive me. I can rustle up a pretty good tall chilled glass of lemonade though....................and if this sounds a bit early for you real Yankees, let me tell you it has reached 80 degrees here this week and working in the garden certainly required thirst quenching refreshment.

During a stroll around the garden in the late afternoon, I took these pictures. This gives you an idea of color already painting the landscape ~ amazing how these have all bloomed in the past week. Now you know why I'm giddy ~ it's from all the pollen. Worth a stuffy nose and itchy eyes though to see Nature's surprise art show ~ she even hangs some masterpieces on the fence ~ right in my back garden.

Those of you who have been kind enough to visit me over the past year are very familiar with my Victorian style gazebo..........and most likely tired of me showing it you! However, all my wonderful new visitors may like to see it too, so welcome to another favorite spot in my garden. This rustic addition was added along with a new enlarged deck just two Summers ago and I love it and make very good use of it. Thirty years of being eaten alive by every mosquito within a 20 mile radius made dining al fresco virtually impossible for me during Summer months. With a totally screened gazebo which seats four, my outdoor time has increased and I can enjoy early morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and even a nightcap.................or just sit for a while with a great book or my laptop, with very few itchy, pesky bites.

Looking across the front garden from the side arbor the lawn slopes down to the road ~ we are at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. The red leafed Japanese Maple was planted 5 years ago when just about 2 feet in height and has grown incredibly fast. Just beyond it is our mailbox where these Queen of the Night and Pink Impression tulips are in bloom, and the budding clematis is starting to climb the mailbox post.

...............and after circling back around the house I see my old wicker chair waiting in the late day sun, perhaps time now for that cup of Earl Grey. The brilliant bluebells are in their prime. I now only plant the Spanish bluebell which is tall and sturdy ~ lovely thick leaves which don't collapse on the ground like the English bluebell.

Thanks for taking a stroll with me ~ as always I enjoy your company.


When the bright sunset fills

the silver woods with light, the green slope throws

It's shadows on the hollows of the hills

And wide the upland glows.

And when the eve is born

In the blue lake the sky, o'er-reaching far

Is hollowed out, and the moon dips her horn

And twinkles many a star.

Sweet April! ~ Many a thought

is wedded unto thee, as hearts are wed

Nor shall they fail, till to its' Autumn brought

Life's golden fruit is shed.

....................except from An April Day..........H.W. Longfellow

Puttering in the Potting Shed

I'm afraid Spring has made me giddy..............I feel the need to get out in the garden to see every little shoot emerge from the hard North Carolina clay soil, a miracle after the the long drought. I hasten from bed to bed in awe..................not just daffodils, tulips and azaleas are now in full bloom, but hostas are bursting through alongside Solomon's Seal, violets, and bluebells. Roses are climbing alongside golden flowered jasmine and bright pink honeysuckle, clematis are twining around the obelisks and buds are forming. Ivy and vinca creeping, no racing, everywhere, the hydrangeas have tiny buds already. Time has come to get out into the warm Spring air ~ the garden calls.

The center of my gardening world, my long wished for English potting shed. Built here for me several years ago, it has always been a special retreat in my back garden. When the builder left me with a basic shed I worked hard to make it mine. I painted it sage green with purple shutters. Inside I painted the floor and stencilled a 'rug' complete with sprays of roses. I hung my Mother's beautiful set of English Beswick china flying geese on the wall, and a metal chandelier from the ceiling.

The shelves are stocked with pots, garden hand tools hang from hooks, along with a plethora of odds and ends required for keeping up a garden.............twine, bamboo stakes, birdseed and watering cans. It stores Fall's dried gourds, Christmas wreaths, containers full of holiday lights, outdoor floods and drop cords, leftover tiles from the kitchen back splash, buckets and spades for the beach, bicycle pumps, brooms, a vintage clothes rack, a child's tiny table and chairs, a portable fan, a heater, Summer lanterns and candles, my necessary Barbour waxed jacket and clogs as the British always do a little gardening in the rain. And even with all this there is still room to move about - to actually pot up plants, or paint a pot.........to sit in an old wicker chair complete with flowery pillows and a dog-eared gardening book or magazine showing new ideas for one's little part of an acre.

I spent yesterday afternoon cleaning out the potting shed as it will soon be time to plant the seeds for the season. When you step inside the smell of warm earth envelopes you. Terra cotta pots tower in the corner, there are jars holding old seeds, the packets new ones. Time to buy potting soil to mix with the compost I've been preparing all Winter.



For where the old thick laurels grow, along the thin red wall,

You find the tool and potting sheds which are the heart of all.

......................Rudyard Kipling...................

So, if you stop by some day soon, I may not answer the front door bell. Just walk around to the back and you will find me in the potting shed.......it's the place where gardeners grow!

Do you have a sweet tooth?

In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania the Amish farming communities feed hungry tourists at several sit down family style restaurants. Also, many local markets such as this one in the township named Bird-in-Hand, offer baked specialties such as Shoofly Pie.

I've never tasted this Pennsylvania Dutch pie but do know you have to enjoy extremely sweet desserts to handle this molasses and sugar concoction. The 'wet bottom' version has a gooey molasses base and the entire pie is somewhat like a coffee cake. Anyone out there actually tried a slice? Would love to know what you thought of it.

The Amish farms dot the lush countryside of Lancaster County. We were a tad early in the season to see much growing. Fields had been plowed, and we did see pairs of horses or mules pulling plows, no mechanical tractors used here.

The farms are certainly beautiful. People were few, perhaps as it was a damp, drizzly day.
I was able to get dh to stop at one sprawling antiques mall as we left Lancaster County. I could have spent hours there as it was crammed ~ in a very neat and tidy way ~ with fabulous stuff. I had to be quick, sweeter things were calling both dh and granddaughter!

Passed up the gorgeous Mason's pink transferware above ~ being sold as a large set.
These Spode reproduction plates were lovely but too expensive.

More Mason's below ~ would have loved these pieces, especially that gorgeous teapot, sugar and creamer.

Below are the few items I did bring home ~ just $9.00 for a dozen vintage VICTORIA magazines, none of which I already had. Two old yard sticks at $1.00 each ~ have you seen how they are using them to trim edges of furniture? A beautiful 1923 sepia graduation portrait of a young woman, Hattie Chalford Mason. A German postcard mailed in 1905 to an address on famous St. Charles Street, New Orleans ~ covered with signatures of many people for some reason. A small illustrated card of a sweet child and roses.

Below is what was calling those with a sweet tooth ~ Hershey's Chocolate World in Hershey, PA. The theme park had not yet opened for the season (thank goodness!) and the roller coasters were silent, however in Chocolate World we rode in a 'cocoa bean' through a simulated chocolate factory which was interesting and fun.

Hershey is a true 'company town' and has quite a history. Changes seem imminent however in the chocolate world, hundreds of employees recently laid off and much of the production going south of the border and maybe even to Switzerland. Changes so drastic that our hotel concierge told us "Mr. Milton Hershey must be turning in his grave".

Jasmin is smiling knowing she has a stash of Reese's Peanut Butter cups ready to enjoy as we took to the road again! Can you believe I managed to exit the huge candy shop in Chocolate World without anything. I admit I hesitated at the Cadbury bars, but as they're nowhere near as good as the real English made Cadbury bars ~ those of you who've visited the UK know what I mean ~ I was not tempted!

Historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Do you search along the roads for history? Do you seek out places where you can learn about the difficulties and sadness brought upon families who were struggling to start a new life of freedom and happiness in their often adopted country? If you travel with my dh you will get to see everything related to the history of this great country, and then some! Or, as traveling granddaughter Jasmin said, "not another battlefield granddad, please"!!!!

After visiting the battlefield in Fredericksburg, VA on the way to Washington, D.C., this road trip of 1,100 miles included a stop on our return journey to North Carolina in Gettysburg, PA. Founded in 1786, it was the site of the terrible three day Civil War Battle in July 1863.
Below, the historic Gettysburg Railway Station ~ President Abraham Lincoln arrived here on November 18, 1863 to dedicate the national cemetery.

Walking along the streets of this historic town, many of the old buildings had characteristics which caught my eye ~ this magnificent iron porch railing and matching decorative ends being my favorite.

As the house is so old - well here in the USA it is as we are still a young country - I can imagine this intricate ironwork would create another Gettysburg battle if ever up for sale! Can't you just see people frantically bidding on it at auction?

Looking toward Devil's Den on the Gettysburg Battlefield from Little Round Top

An important stop for us during the battlefield tour was here at the North Carolina State Monument on Seminary Ridge. This cast bronze sculpture is an impressive design by Gutzon Borglum, the Danish-American artist sculptor most famous for creating the monumental presidents' heads at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

With dramatic flair, Borglum made arrangements for an airplane to fly over the monument during the dedication ceremony on July 3, 1929, and during the unveiling, the plane scattered roses across the field as a salute to those many North Carolinians who had fought and died at Gettysburg.

My next post will conclude our trip and show some "sweeter" moments where the only battle was for chocolate and antiquities to bring home.

Traveling Friends

I'm back from a pleasant trip and will post a few more photos when I get them organized.

I have special friends who travel to very exotic places in the world ~ Africa on Safari, the Antarctic on board Russian ice breakers, tiny Easter Island and Tahiti in the wide Pacific Ocean, and so many other places few of us ever visit.

My dear Washington State friend Patti, and her dh, leave next weekend on another of their romantic trips, this time to Romania and Bulgaria. Names such as Bucharest and Sofia are familiar, but journeying into Transylvania to actually trek to Vlad Tepes - Dracula's castle - how thrilling that will be!

My 'bon voyage' card made with love and carrying best wishes to my dear friends as they fly away to experience and enjoy the sights and sounds of these exciting countries.

Have a fabulous vacation ~ I will be waiting to hear all about it.

Cherry Blossoms ~ Washington, D.C.

Hello from Washington, D.C. A few pictures taken yesterday.

When I emigrated from England to the United States, my first home was Washington, D.C. Arriving late on an October night in the nation's Capital, my first glimpse of the Washington Monument was the next morning. Looking from my window, there it stood just a few blocks away, a sight I grew to enjoy and never tired of. Later I would climb to the top and take in that gorgeous view of the Capitol, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Reflecting Pool, Smithsonian Museum etc., amazed that I, young English woman had 'crossed the pond' from my little seaside home and was living in such a beautiful city.

Washington Monument ~ April 2, 2008

Arlington National Cemetery ~ visiting here was both sad (we attended a burial) and amazingly peaceful and beautiful in Spring.

Looking toward the Lincoln Memorial From Arlington.
The Cherry Blossom Festival is in full swing ~ and the sights have been beautiful.

The Journey is the Reward

A magnificent French staircase similar to the one in my brother's village home in Southwest France.

I'll be gone for about a week ~ on Spring Break!

Up and down the stairs today as we ready and pack for a trip North. First stop Washington, D.C. where we'll be attending a military burial at Arlington National Cemetery for a very dear friend who passed away last week.

Following that we head to Bucks County, Pennsylvania to visit family ~ my mother-in-law who will be celebrating her ninetieth birthday soon, and dh's sister and her great family.

The original door and hardware to my brother's house ~ the key to the castle.

We'll be locking up our home with something much less romantic!

Perhaps some 'post cards from the edge' if I have time, if not I'll catch up on my return.

Always remember - LET THE JOURNEY BE THE REWARD.

Wren Update: Today it's rained nonstop ~ great because we've been in a drought. Checked the wrens' nest on the porch and saw not only mom sitting on her eggs, but dad was squeezed in there also. Such a sweet surprise ~ guess he wanted a warm dry spot to hang out!

Crowning Glory!

Ooooh, I'm so excited.

Friends who joined me for the guest room makeover in February, will recall how much I wanted to remove the huge white ceiling fan/globe light hanging in the center of this small room above the bed. The French inspired redo just cried out for an elegant, romantic, vintage chandelier to finish off the room and make it comfortable for guests............and me when sitting at the secretary of course! It was a bit of a battle with dh. He was concerned the loss of a fan would make the room too hot in Summer ~ we do have central a/c ~ and that an old fixture could be a fire hazard. Well we've overcome the negative and here to accentuate the positive is my beautiful chandelier ~ just hung today thanks to my daughter's boyfriend who is an electrician.

My great gals at SuzAnna's found this vintage chandelier for me and allowed me to bring it home to try. Being as our ceilings are low it was hard finding a fixture shallow enough, however this one with several links removed from the chain was perfect. The five lights are sufficient and by installing the dimmer switch at the wall it can be adjusted which is nice for a bedroom. I decided to buy it, took it to a lighting shop, had it rewired to be sure it was safe, and they also secured all the crystals. They told me it a was a great piece with nice details on the cast brass, very good crystals, and candle holders (cream touched with gold edges) in perfect condition.

I also bought a medallion for the ceiling which I painted pale cream to match the candle holders - it was stark white and looked far too new on the ceiling.

Just discovered it's really difficult to photograph lighted chandeliers ~ glare on the ceiling casts strange shadows ~ but I think you can get an idea as to the effect this little beauty has on this room. I am so thrilled ~ thanks dh, you're the best! If it's too hot in Summer I see they have the neatest looking table top fans now, quite elegant, I even spied a very French looking one at Homegoods last week!



Before I leave you to go sit under my chandelier..............perhaps even sleep in the guest room tonight just to get the feel and pretend I'm back in France.............

................one more project I've just finished, the little toile pillow with the gorgeous looped ribbon trim that picks up the colors of the shutters.

I think I can now say the guest room makeover is completed.................and I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. Thanks for your patience and interest over the past 2 months ~ funny how these projects start out with a small idea such as "let's repaint the walls", and then just seem to grow ~ such fun.