a boat

via elizabeth blaylock

Up at 5:00 AM.

Too excited to sleep.

He's off to 'see a man about' a boat.

Actually, we're all going. I hope this is the one.

garden touring

The other night, my brother and his wife invited us for dinner. They just finished phase number two of their stellar garden installation. I took a few pictures, just for you.

Can you guess my sweet sister-in-law's favorite color?

 It's green. Like her thumb.

Girlfriend knows how to garden.

 Every square inch is meticulously manicured.

 A beautiful summer night... 

with one of our favorite families.

Love them.

the winner is....

Such sweet summer memories.

I absolutely loved reading all of the favorite summer memories everyone was kind enough to share for our recent 'Moda Home's Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread'  Give-Away. So many of you, included special time with Grandmothers and family, focusing on simple things. Important to keep in mind, as the grandest of plans often are fraught with needless complications. It's the little, 'every day things' that are memorable years down the road.

Using 'Violets are Blue' random number generator, 

the winner is... 

koralee said...

'Such joy...thanks for the chance to win my friend...such lovely treasures. My favourite summer memory....on my grandma's covered porch from sun up to sun down creating anything and everything...beads were always a BIG hit! xxoo'

Congratulations, Koralee,  Bluebird Notes.

daisy days

'See, the grass is full of stars,

Fallen in their brightness...'

'Hearts they have of shining gold,

Rays of shining whiteness.'

'Buttercups have honeyed hearts,

Bees they love the clover,

But I love the daisies' dance

All the meadow over.'

'Blow, O blow, you happy winds,

Singing summer's praises,

Up the field and down the field

A-Dancing with the daisies.'

~Marjorie Pickthall, Little Songs, A Book of Poems, 1908

May the sun shine brightly for you this weekend, my friends.
We've a birthday to celebrate and lots of cousins visiting from afar.
If you haven't already entered our give-away, what are you waiting for?

tiny swedish cottage

I'm dreaming of a tiny Swedish cottage by the sea...

400 square feet, to be exact.

Everything you need, absolutely diminutive in size.

 The cottage is on a darling little island an hour from Stockholm (by boat) called Resarö in the Stockholm Archipelago. With one store on the island, loads of cute cottages, and gardens, it sounds like my idea of heaven.

In just two weeks, we're making our annual trek to an island on the Great Lakes. I dream of buying a small cottage on the shore, splashing lots of white paint all over it, and making it our own. One day, it's going to happen.

via {frolic!}

Have you entered our give-away yet? 

I'm loving all of the sweet summer memories everyone is sharing, take a peek.

moda home give-away

 Severe heat and humidity rolled into town for the week.

In the house, blinds closed, air conditioning... on.
Cold drink in hand, I decided the July doldrums can only be alleviated with a colorful give-away.

So, I picked up some items from Moda Home's Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread line just for you...

Including, Nana's Sewing Box. Every sewer needs a sewing box. Why not a cute one, tricked out in a sweet calico and trimmed with rick-rack and buttons?

 Next, we have Nana's Crocheted Potholders, fun and functional, my favorite combination. In my opinion, they're a necessity in the kitchen.

 Last, but not least, a set of ten reproduction Floral Hankies. Perfect for making a hankie garland, framing in an embroidery hoop, wrapping party favors, or any project you can dream up. 

And yes, this is open to my international friends, too. We all need a little color in our life, especially at this time of year. To enter, leave a comment telling me a favorite summertime memory. If you're a follower, feel free to remind me, for a second chance. I'll randomly select the winner, Monday, July 25.

I'm crossing my fingers for you!

hydrangea heaven

 The weekend, at last.

 Time to walk in the garden, and assess the flower situation.

Lots of lime green, mixed with a little vibrant pink.

 Rainy days, cooler temperatures, yards of mulch, and organic fertilizer add up to blooms galore.

 We had a terrible storm on Monday, and many of my neighbors are still without power. Damaging winds downed many giant, century-old oak, maple, and elm trees.

We lost a tall pine. It could've been a lot worse.

 It could have damaged more of my hydrangeas. I lost only one.

I'm grateful. Is there anything worse in a garden, than one full of blooms, lying flat as a pancake?

The girls are feeling better, too. Thank you for all of your kind words and thoughts. You're the best.

Wishing you a peaceful, storm-free weekend with lots of sunshine.

I'm joining the fun at the following:

Common Ground,  French Country Cottage,  FishTale Cottage,

  At The Picket Fence,  and  My Romantic Home.

a happy day

Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect.

It means you've decided to look beyond the imperfections...

An absolutely beautiful day. Barely seventy degrees, with no humidity.

I talked Maggie and Mary Kate into swimming at the pool with Rosie. Gracie was at her golf and tennis camp (and showed up at the pool, with her camp girlfriends.) All four girls, laughing and happily splashing in the pool. While I read my book, sipped an ice cold Diet Coke, and admired their form off the diving board.

Finished Swamplandia, by Karen Russell (well written, quirky, but very sad), and started The Bride's House, by Sandra Dallas (love the vintage Colorado mining town setting).

And then came the stomach flu...

Ah, summer.

yard sale

I gathered items for weeks. Swept the garage, arranged tables, ironed outgrown dresses, displayed vintage rose patterned china, lemon oiled furniture, and organized the vintage Fisher Price. All in the name of a yard sale. The girls sold cans of ice cold lemonade, strawberry pop, ginger ale, cream soda, root beer, and bottles of water.

We had wonderful weather, my parents helped out, and the girls were happily busy. We met some delightful people who purchased lots of items. (Hello, cute family with the darling newborn twins.)  No takers on the vintage hand made wooden baby swing. I'm glad, because I really wasn't ready to see it go.

 The only downside, little Miss Rosie skipping on the brick driveway, tripped and fell flat on her face. Oh my, it wasn't good. Neither was the odd older man who, pointed his finger right in my face and said in a loud voice, 'it's all your fault, you shouldn't have let her wear those #*!? flip flops.'

I didn't give him a response, as I was rushing Rosie inside to clean up her little chin, nose, knees, and elbows. But I can think of a few things, I would've liked to have said. What would you have said?

All in all, it was a successful weekend. But, it'll be a good long while before I'm ready for another one.

cluckily

 Yesterday morning, when Rosie woke up, the first thing she started talking about was the weekend. The parties we went to, the parade we watched, the fun at the fair, the watermelon we ate, and the colorful fireworks. Although, she didn't manage to stay up for said fireworks. 

She then proceeded to tell us that cluckily, the Fourth happens every summer.

She was combining, clearly and luckily into a new word. I like that word.

Cluckily, when I stopped in at a vintage store recently, they had some little jadeite flowerpots from Ms. Martha Stewart's former Martha by Mail catalog. 

Oh yes, clearly I was lucky... cluckily.

Try using it on your family, and see if they notice. Mary Kate was the only one of mine, who astutely asked 'what on earth does cluckily mean?'