The best of Summer

Hello everyone! Can you believe it’s July already? It seems like time is flying by. I’m truly enjoying the lovely weather we’ve been having.

One of our favorites things to do is to have dinner on the patio. I planted basil in our concrete planter boxes this year, instead of flowers, my herbs love it.

I used some of our homegrown garlic for the pesto…..I think the garlic blooms are so interesting. The pollinators do as well.

The hydrangeas are especially beautiful this summer. I think it’s due to all the rain we’ve been having.
Do you like fresh cut flowers?

Thanks everyone! I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July! We are having our fireworks tonight, due to the storms and rain last night.
I’m glad the dogs don’t mind loud noises.

(Hey guys if this post looks a little different, I’m trying to get Blogo to post and update…so basically this post has been an experiment, thanks again for hanging in there.)

Take care and let me know what you’ve been up to.

xo Mary

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~A few changes for the New Year~

The tree is down and put away with all signs of Christmas in the house completely gone.  The outside remains until after the New Year.

New Year's Resolutions?  I usually never make any because I don't follow through,  but this year I'm hoping will be different.  How about you?

I did actually accomplish one of the things that was on my list to do this year.  I've always wanted to paint the kitchen at the lake cottage white,  and since it was a very dreary, rainy week I thought it would be the perfect time to get it done.

I also found these old scales at one of the local antique shops.  They were a little "rusty" but they tell a story....right?

This was a find, an antique fly fisherman's basket.  I love it because it fits the theme of the lake cottage along with a great place to store our garbage bags.  I'm all about dual purpose things.

My sister in law spotted this old rake at a shop in downtown Paducah, I think it works perfectly for the wine glasses she gave me.

I tried taking photo's of the kitchen, but the lighting was still too dark due to all of the rain.  I'm definitely not complaining....praying for all of those that have had their homes destroyed by all of the tornadoes in Texas and various other places.  It's so sad, especially at this time of year.

Until next time....have a great week! 

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Visiting the Lake Cottage

Hello everyone!  I hope you had a nice 4th of July.  After the breast cancer cruise we came to the lake for a little relaxation and gardening. 

 

Albert has had a wonderful time.  We have taken him swimming almost daily, but we had to pass a few times because over the holiday weekend there’s been too many people.  He was so upset… I drove him down on his golf cart and someone was fishing where he always goes swimming, he looked at me and then at them…as if to say, why?

I spent a day just weeding my garden. 

The Hydrangea bushes are huge this year.  I think it’s because we have had so much rain. 

I usually try to dry some of them this time of year so they will have this beautiful blue color, but this fall they will be a richer color with more greens and purples. 

   .

Last October (10/16/12) I did a post on how to start Hydrangea’s from the mother plant, but for some reason I couldn’t get this link to work. So if you are interested in seeing how I transplant them,  go to my posts and type in this date and it should come up. 

The one above is one of the new one’s I planted last fall.  You can see it’s blooming and it’s a new plant.  They’re so easy to transplant.

I hope each of you are having a good summer where ever you are and thank you so much for stopping by.

Take care and I will see you soon!

Mary & Albert

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Spring Welcome Home

Hello friends,

I’m just checking in to say hello.

I hope you’re enjoying this lovely spring weather as much as I am.

This post is mostly photo’s of spring here in KY.

My little garden at the lake cottage.

It’s been so much fun photographing the pelicans this spring.

We have gardened, entertained, we visited Paducah’s quilt show, and took classes

for two days,

made a nautical beach bag…and much more…..

In fact….Albert and I are just plain tuckered out.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog,

I will be seeing you soon.

Take care and have wonderful week. Hugs!

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Happy New Year!

  

We’re spending a quiet New Years Eve at the lake cottage.

  I guess this is becoming a tradition since this has been our third New Year’s here.

After the hustle and bustle of Christmas I’m beginning

to look forward to the peacefulness  and serenity you will find here, especially during this time of year.

Remember the song home on the range where the deer and the antelope play? I’m changing it up

just a little….where the deer and the buffalo play.

We saw 50 or more buffalo as we were driving across Land between the Lakes today.

I wish I could have gotten a closer shot but there were too many briar patches to walk through.  

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a new lens for my camera.

I’ve been practicing today with vignettes, table settings and etc.

This old French linen tablecloth came from France.

I often wonder who owned this old table linen.  I bought a smaller one

that actually had my first and last initial hand embroidered on it.  Pretty amazing!

I’m so glad the husband learned how to make monkey fists in the Navy!

I love this old piece of drift wood.  Husband found this one floating on lake Barkley.  

I know less is more, but I always have a tendency to overdo vignettes.

I have two more sailboats in the making….one is going  

to a lucky reader of this blog. 

                                                                                                                                                          

    A special thanks to all of you for your encouragement

and inspiration during this past year.  

I hope you and yours, wherever you are, have a safe and happy New Year!

Here’s a toast and wish for you!

You’re one of Z-best!

See you in 2012!

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Vintage Nostalgia

 

A few whimsical touches to old vintage toys adds warmth and invites family home to take

pleasure in the traditions of years gone by.

 

 

Each Christmas we display this little 1946 Looky Fire Truck.

It was a Christmas gift to my husband when he was first born.

 

 

He was also firefighter for many years.

 

 

This is a 1946 Christmas stocking from Germany, it always takes center stage

on our mantel.  

 

 

Mantel Clock, early 1900’s, belonged to my husbands grandparents.

 

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt's “the man of the hour” clock,  dates back to 1933 and is also vintage.

 

 

This old clock was a $3.00 yard sale find and it works.

 

 

Here’s another vintage mantel clock that has a beautiful chime.

 

 

 

 

My collection of old vintage faded red books.

 

Our Christmas tree is finally decorated along with several strands of new lights.

Have you ever attempted to remove several hundred lights from an

eight foot prelit Christmas tree?  Me either…until today and it’s not fun. They all decided

to stop working at the same time.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend!

For more vintage inspiration ..stop by the following

 Common Ground vintage Friday Inspiration

French Country Cottage

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