The Summer Porch

Mid Winter's Day

2012-02-28T00:43:00.001-05:00

"From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens: the garden outdoors, ~ the garden of pots, bowls and candles in the house, ~~ and the garden of the mind's eye." - Katherine S. White Hello everyone, Saturday we woke to a snow fall one of only three this season. I snapped the old mill we pass by everyday on

Something Sweet

2012-02-22T00:04:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying your week so far. Because we are not experiencing such a harsh winter this year, I do find these months are going by rather quickly. I've been visiting some of our local antique markets, and I'm always on the look out for vintage grain sacks to which I can't get enough of. However, I'm also partial to the antique cotton sugar bags. When I was a child my

My Funny Valentine

2012-02-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

My funny Valentine Sweet comic Valentine You make me smile with my heart Your looks are laughable Unphotographable Yet you're my favourite work of art Is your figure less than Greek Is your mouth a little weak When you open it to speak Are you smart? ~ But don't change a hair for me Not if you care for me Stay little Valentine stay Each day is Valentine's day Is your figure less than

White Eyes

2012-02-08T08:08:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone, I hope you're enjoying your week so far! Our weather has been fairly decent the last few days. With Valentine's day just around the corner I have been busy with orders & car pooling. :) Since spring is a few months away, tulips are some of the most alluring spring-blooming flowers. For me I love the delicate silk of the white tulip. I picked up a few bunches yesterday

Tea for Two

2012-01-27T17:01:00.001-05:00

Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea? How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea." ~ Sydney Smith, 1771-1845 Hello everyone, I hope you had a great week. Our weather has been mostly rainy. I wouldn't mind a little winter wonderland. Herbal teas, or infusions as they are often called, are made by steeping the fresh or dried

Collecting Things...

2012-01-19T08:54:00.006-05:00

Having a hobby helps to make you a more interesting person and gives you something fascinating to talk about so I've been told... As is maintaining a long-term interest in something that enthralls you. In my particular case, it's clay pots. :) Totally obsessed with these things. <!-- if (!gHideAds) { google_max_num_ads = '1'; } xchannels = ""; function google_ad_request_done(

A January Gardener

2012-01-13T18:54:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.It hardly feels like January with the mild temperatures and melting snow...but we know there are still plenty of cold days and nights ahead. This gets me thinking about my gardens and what they will hold this coming year! This week I did in fact start some herb

New Years' Wishes

2011-12-29T09:49:00.001-05:00

A new year is beginning to peak through, softly beautiful and different like new falling snow, each day unique and shaped just for you, Your life adding something as each day does grow.

Country Christmas

2011-12-15T08:23:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone I hope you're enjoying your week so far. 10 more days left until Christmas! Last week I did a post with more whites ( I love this look. ) My mother had that style down to a fine art...Considering her Swedish heritage. <3 I was born and raised here, so I consider myself eclectic where I mix them both. I love the fresh country look as well, it is in tune with nature which is right up

Simply Christmas

2011-12-06T07:40:00.001-05:00

Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given--when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes." ~ Joan Winmill Brown. Hello everyone! I love to reuse all the baubles that I

Sense of Thyme

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

During this time of year, we begin to sense a change in the air. The weather begins to change and some of us have snow in our yards. ( Not here yet. ) One gets the feeling that Christmas is in the air and it gives us a sense of expectancy. Seems that when the cold weather rolls around each year, we just assume Christmas is "right around the corner".

November Palette

2011-11-10T07:16:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year when everything turns grey, black, or tan and the clouds thicken and lower as the onset of winter approaches. Large wooden bowls filled with apples or nuts replace the floral decorations of summer. Color plays a vital role in influencing our moods and emotions. We've been fairly lucky this past week with a little sunshine and milder temperatures. I've been doing a little

Seasons

2011-11-03T08:34:00.013-04:00

"A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air."- Eric Sloane Welcome to November! I've been making the most of the daylight hours and preparing my gardens for next year. The

~ Spellbound ~

2011-10-27T07:09:00.072-04:00

In the witch's garden,The gate is open wide."Come inside," says the witch,'Dears, come inside.""No flowers in my garden,Nothing minty, nothing chivey.""Come inside, come inside,See my lovely poison ivy." By Lilian Moore (1909-2004) Saturday night my son will be throwing his first Halloween party. There will be approximately 15 kids coming. Not so bad! Their ages range between 16

Autumn Still Life

2011-10-13T18:50:00.008-04:00

The calendar turns and the sun-baked fields of summer become the harvest of autumn. With my gardens winding down for another season, I'm indulging in all that my harvest has brought to me! With October well on it's way, acorns and pine cones are to autumn, what pebbles and shells are to summer. Amazes me how we are affected by each season. I'm in the process of making so many different things at

Serenity

2011-10-06T07:09:00.016-04:00

It was one of those fine October daysfree from summer's heat and hazebut not yet gripped by autumn It was one of those fine October days when the sky’s so clear you can see the moon through the atmosphere at midday It was one of those fine October days when the trees sport yellow and red instead of

Something White

2011-09-22T08:39:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the last few days of Summer. Today I would like to share with you a little of what I've been up to... These days I'm still picking and cleaning up some areas of my gardens. Today I’ve decided to take a look at decorating with white, by adding a delicate touch of color using my herbs. Mind you my whites will never be a "white white". Remember, I

~ September ~

2011-09-09T15:01:00.010-04:00

"By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer’s best of weather And autumn’s best of cheer." - Helen Hunt Jackson, September, 1830-1885 The other day I was asked what plant says summer. I said herbs tell me summer has arrived, but I'd have to say that sunflowers tell me that summer has peaked.

~ The Lasting Garden ~

2011-08-31T10:28:00.023-04:00

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" - William Shakespeare Fresh flowers & herbs are as fleeting as the summer season, but their beauty can be prolonged. Drying flowers extends the pleasures of a garden into all the months of the year. Almost any bloom can be preserved, but a special collection of annuals called everlastings are naturals for dried bouquets.~Hello everyone, I hope you

Splendor in the Garden

2011-08-11T10:43:00.001-04:00

All week long I've been out picking my herbs and flowers from the garden. Harvesting is one of the most satisfying things about growing herbs. Herbs are wonderful for adding fragrance in a flower bed. They also offer an amazing fragrance in your home for many months to come. Harvesting and drying herbs is an important part of my business. Anywhere from culinary to decorating. The

~ Summer Daze ~

2011-08-02T10:35:00.015-04:00

Our fondest thoughts of summer are captured by a wonderful old song by Nat King Cole: “Those Lazy Hazy Crazy days of Summer.” You'll wish that summer could always be here. I can hardly believe we are now into August. Summer will soon start to wind down. I want to capture every moment of it. When vacations begin there are no schedules, and there is a more relaxing time. A time for making summer

~ We are all Kreativ ~

2011-07-28T11:50:00.000-04:00

I recently received the Kreativ blogger award from Alice at Le Vrai Bonheur. Alice lives in France and has a wonderful blog that showcases her amazing decorating talent. If you haven't visited her blog, I highly recommend you do so. Thank you so much Alice for thinking of me. Here is where I slightly change the rules. :) I follow so many talented people out there and simply can not choose! I

Rosemary's Touch

2011-07-25T11:19:00.003-04:00

Regardless of the 120 degree heat of the last few days, I still love summer! I've been up early watering my gardens, so far so good. Because of the heat, soap making will have to be put on hold until the weather cools slightly. It's becoming impossible for curing. In my last post I talked about how much I love to have outdoor vingettes. Today I will share another one that is under our very

~ Romancing the Summer ~

2011-07-18T10:44:00.035-04:00

This is the time of year I'm in my element. I love the summer. Most things I do are based around this season. My business and especially my gardens. I'm up early these days out in my gardens also getting ready to open my shoppe for a couple of hours. The good thing about having a home-based business is setting your own hours. :) We are back for a bit after a wonderful vacation, and I have some

Paths...

2011-06-29T10:45:00.001-04:00

We all meet many different kinds of friends along the path of life, each adding color, joy and beauty to our days. There are friends who share our paths briefly at different points in our lives, while others stay close to us ... year after year. My life has been blessed by wonderful friends in it. They are the beautiful blossoms in my gardens.