Aiken House & Gardens

More Transferware

2026-01-17T14:10:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

I am back with a few pics of some of my

transferware on this snowy afternoon.

This large platter came from an

antique shop in Quebec City.

This lovely brown and white antique platter

was a recent find at Coulson's in Summerside.

This collection of pretty blue and

white china came home with me

from the cottage.

I hope you are doing well.....can you

believe we are half way through January?

We have had more rain than snow so far

this month.

Take care,

Carolyn

2025-12-22T14:03:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone,

I am finally back with a few new pics....

if in fact anyone is still checking in!

We are doing our final Christmas

preparations here as we prepare

to host our Christmas dinner.

I took a these pics this morning

as the snow is falling here. It looks

like we will have a white Christmas.

Some homey wool mitts to

keep hands warm.

These teal green teacups remind

me of Christmas.

I hope you are enjoying this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas!

Carolyn

Garden Bouquets

2025-03-22T11:52:00.000-03:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all enjoying these early days

of spring. I am happy to see life in the garden

again as I do my daily rounds to see the what

has poked up overnight. I am amazed at how

quickly the snow left and daffodils,tulips and

some perennials are growing. Also, our pond

is rapidly opening up and our pair of Canada

Geese have returned. So much to look forward

too!

I am sharing some garden bouquets to brighten

your day.

Lupin bouquet

Therese Bugnet hardy roses

Who doesn't love a bouquet of roses even

if they are not from the garden.

Lilacs and tulips

soon it will be time for our lilacs

to bloom here again.

Lilacs and lupins make a pretty combo.

Peonies are an all time favorite.

Sunshine and daffodils

Lilacs and transferware

Wishing you all a happy spring!

Take care,

Carolyn

Random Garden Shots

2025-03-14T14:20:00.002-03:00

Hello everyone,

I am finally back again to share some past

beauty in the garden.

Spring is just around the corner so I have

been enjoying looking over the years of

some garden shots.

Going green here.

Breakfast in the terrace

A bit of shabby chic in the terrace

Just a bit of random shots that I took

in our garden over the years.

Right now we still have some snow but

I think it will be gone in the next few days,

so good things will be happening soon!

Hope you are doing well and

Thank you for stopping by.

Take care,

Carolyn

Winter White

2025-01-25T10:42:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone,

How are you? I know it has been a very

long time since I posted here so I

thought I would check in to let you

know I am still here.

I am doing a winter white theme here

today as it is a cold but sunny day here

with a good cover of sparkling white snow.

I am enjoying staying indoors by the fire today but

decided to look through my old photos for awhile.

The Boathouse in winter whites.

Drinking lots of tea today

I hope your winter is going well and

take good care of your selves!

Thank you for stopping in !

Carolyn

Red Roses Tea

2024-08-27T17:22:00.001-03:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you are having a great summer.

We have had a beautiful summer here

on the Island.

I decided to enjoy a little summer

tea on the porch today with a

bouquet of some of my red roses

from a large pot on the balcony.

A mix of red and white transferware with

a pretty handmade checked tablecloth

along with the red roses was perfect

for my tea time. I love that I could

admire the garden while enjoying my tea

and scones.

The antique tea pot was a thrift find.

I know it has been a long time since I

posted here even though I have been

taking photos.....you can check some

out on my Instagram by the same name

as my blog if you like.

I hope you enjoyed my summer tea

on the porch.

Enjoy the rest of your summer....it

is going by so quickly.

Thank you for stopping by!

Take care,

Carolyn

Pink Peonies in the Boathouse

2024-06-29T18:48:00.001-03:00

Happy Canada Day Weekend!

I enjoyed some time in our

little Boathouse today and

since the peonies are still

beautiful I picked a bouquet

to enjoy.

They look beautiful on the coffee

table in front of the nook.

Too soon the peonies will be done

for another year but I will enjoy

them while I can.

I hope you have a wonderful long weekend

and thank you for popping in today.

Take care,

Carolyn

Peony Time

2024-06-26T19:53:00.006-03:00

Peony Time

Hello everyone,

It has been a long time since I posted but

I wanted to share my peonies with you today.

Our garden is thriving with the heat and rain.

Our peonies are still blooming but

not for much longer.

I picked enough to make several bouquets.

Peonies and pretty china

I have many different varieties of peonies.

How is your garden doing?

Well, this is all for now but hopefully I

will pop back in again soon.

Take care,

Carolyn

Relax and Enjoy

2024-04-19T19:45:00.005-03:00

Hello everyone,

Spring is moving along here as the

garden is already giving us some

pretty blooms.

I will share some photos of it soon

but in the meantime lets relax

and enjoy some beauty.

Looking forward to dining outdoors again soon!

Picnic days are so relaxing!

Love hammock time on a sunny summer day.

The chaise in our sunroom is a good

place to enjoy tea time in early spring.

Spring time tea.

On a hot summer day the screened porch

is a good place to relax and enjoy

looking out over the garden.

Going green! I still love old wicker

in the garden....don't you?

Love being surrounded by flowers.

Hope to be back with some new pics

soon.

Thank you for visiting!

Carolyn

A Romantic Mix

2024-04-09T15:06:00.000-03:00

Hello everyone,

I am back today with a romantic mix

of some of my older photos from

around our home and garden.

On a beautiful sunny day in our garden

several years ago now....a bit of Victorian

beauty.

A romantic lunch on the dock by

our pond.

A pretty romantic tea in our sun room.

Our summer balcony

We are in the process of rebuilding the balcony

as after 26 years it needed to be replaced.

I am already dreaming of decorating it for

summer with potted plants again.

Spring bouquets

Our terrace with a romantic summer look

with an old iron bed and a vintage quilt.

Beautiful pink peonies set the stage

for a romantic tea.

Tea time

Do any of you remember this photo of our

Gardener's Cottage?

It has been featured in several magazines

over the years.

Another corner of the Gardener's Cottage.

Tea among the roses.

Our little Boathouse nook.

Time for tea before you go?

Thank you for your visit and

I hope you enjoyed a look at

the past. We are in our brown stage

right now here on the Island but

the grass is starting to green up

and so much beauty is awaiting

us....can't wait!

Take care,

Carolyn

Daffodil Beauty

2024-04-05T17:36:00.001-03:00

Hello everyone,

It has been awhile since I posted

once again but hopefully you

forgive me.

Spring is moving right along here but

we are not at this stage yet in our garden,

so these are all pics from previous years.

We do have a few bits of color in our garden

and the daffys are up several cm. but I will

have to be patient awhile longer for them to bloom.

Spring cheer

Yellow enamelware with a pretty bouquet.

Thank you for popping by today and I

hope you have a lovely weekend!

Take care,

Carolyn

A Beautiful New Garden Book and Spring!

2024-03-21T16:47:00.001-03:00

Hello everyone,

We made it to spring and it looks like an

earlier spring here than usual as our snow

is almost all gone and we have lots of life

in the garden already.

I love checking to see what is popping up

each day.

I was asked to do a review on this

beautiful new garden book~

Private Gardens of Philadelphia.

I snapped a few photos of some of the beautiful

gardens to share, but they don't do justice to the

real pics.

Many of the gardens remind me of a garden

you might see in England.

There are lots of beautiful gardens(over 300 pages) that

are featured with the history behind them.

I will be enjoying this book for many weeks

to come over a pot of tea.

I love this book and it makes me want to visit

Philadelphia some summer but in the meantime

it will sit on my coffee table so I can enjoy

anytime!

Although my daffodils are not blooming here

yet this spring they are definitely showing

promise as they came out from under the snow

already up a couple of inches.

Happy Spring!

Carolyn

In the Pink!

2024-02-24T16:22:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you are enjoying your weekend.

It turned out to be a snowy day here today

instead of the predicted rain.

I had friends for tea this week and before

setting up for them I played with my dishes

for awhile.

Roses linens & lace along with pretty china....

some of my favorite things.

I hope you enjoy the rest of

your weekend and thank you

visiting!

Take care,

Carolyn

Romantic Pink Tea Time

2024-02-15T15:46:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you had a romantic

Valentine's Day!

I had hoped to post this yesterday

but the day went by too quickly.

I gathered up some of my favorites

from previous years.

I had planned a Valentine's Day tea

here with friends but the weather

was calling for a stormy day

so I postponed for a week.

Some of you might remember this

pretty teapot that my husband

surprised me with on Valentine's

Day several years ago.

A Shelley teacup from my Aunt.

I do love my pink vintage

china.

Thank you for joining me for

my romantic pink tea today!

Take care,

Carolyn

Winter White

2024-01-31T13:44:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone,

I hope your winter is going well.

Can you believe we are already

saying goodbye to January?

So far winter has been kind to

us here on the Island.

On a nice sunny winter day is lovely

out in our little sunroom so it is a

perfect place to enjoy a cup of

tea and a book.

I also enjoy the view out over

the garden even in winter.

A pretty green and white transferware

cup of tea awaits and you can choose

a book to enjoy!

I am enjoying seeing the days

getting longer and the sun

is getting stronger....spring

before we know it!!!

Thank you for visiting today.

Take care,

Carolyn

A Mix of Blue and White

2024-01-25T06:30:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone,

How are you doing....well I hope.

Today, I have a mix of blue & white

share. I tried not to make it all about

my blue and white china but I confess

lots of blue and white china pics kept

popping up on me.

I love my Spode china above.

Tea in bed anyone?

A blue and white tablescape with

the rose hedge all out in bloom.

Tea party time!

Blue and white hydrangeas look

so pretty on this tablescape.

A summer tea on the porch

Is there anything prettier than a

blue and white tablescape?

A softer shade of blue and white

Tea time in the garden terrace

Cottage blue & white

Ocean Song Cottage

Relaxation time

Back to the garden for tea time.

Ocean Song Cottage blues.

I am not sure what my next theme

is but I have a list to work through.

Thank you for visiting,

Carolyn

A Look Back at the Garden

2024-01-22T06:30:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone,

I really enjoy looking back at our garden

over previous years in the winter.

I hope you will enjoy a stroll through as

well.

This is shot from the balcony looking down

to the west in late spring/early summer.

A border in June.

I always loved this arbor that my husband built

several years ago.....sadly when Fiona whipped

through a couple of years ago it was demolished

but my husband has built another one without

the gate......but coming soon!

The garden is so colorful in August.

Lilacs are always a favorite.

As are peonies and roses.

A misty morn in the garden

I am looking forward to getting

back out there but first I will

enjoy winter!

Lilac time

Alliums are so pretty and so easy to

care for as they spread around the garden.

I have thousands more pics of the garden

but I am sure you have had enough for one day!

Take care,

Carolyn

Cosy Winter Tea Times

2024-01-19T06:30:00.005-04:00

Hello everyone,

I hope your week is going well.

I am back with my cosy winter

tea theme as promised.

My red and white transferware is a favorite.

Blue and white transferware is

also at the top of my list of

favorites.

A little variation with hot cocoa

in a copper mug.

This photo was taken in the Boathouse

nook.

Tea time treats by the

fireside is so cosy!

Sugar cookies and tea

Over the holidays I have enjoyed

some sweet treats but now I am

trying to cut back on the sugar

once again for a healthier

life style.

Well, that is my theme for today.

I think some garden photos from

the past will be my next theme in

a couple of days.

Thank you for visiting!

Carolyn

Pretty Flower Garden Bouquets

2024-01-17T11:11:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone,

Today, I am enjoying going back and looking

at some of my old photos and I decided to

do some different themes for a few weeks.

I hope you will enjoy them!

Therse Bugnet roses

Yellow enamelware and daffodils

look like spring!

Tulips are a favorite bouquet...

love that we can but them now

in our local stores.

Roses and tea

Beautiful color

Of course, I love my lilac bouquets

A pretty teacup and a small

bouquet of hydrangeas

A bouquet of viburnum snowballs and allium Sensation

Lots of beautiful lilacs

Beautiful roses

spring flowers from our garden

A beautiful big bouquet of peonies

I hope these bouquets bring you

a little joy on this winter day!

I am thinking cozy winter teas

will be my next theme.

If you have a request for

a particular theme please

leave me a comment and

I will do my best!

Take care,

Carolyn

Green and White Transferware

2024-01-16T16:09:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone,

On this snowy winter day I thought

it would be a good day to showcase

some of my green and white transferware.

I have collected transferware in

all colors for a number of years now.

I find my little treasures at yardsales,

thrift stores or antique shops.

I usually find them one or two pieces

at a time.

I will share some of my other collections

at a later date.

I hope your winter is going well so far.

Thank you for visiting me today!

Take care,

Carolyn

Beautiful Reflections

2024-01-09T10:31:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone,

On this beautiful sunny winter day we are

preparing for a couple of winter storms headed

our way. Hoping we don't lose power but preparing

just in case. So far, we haven't really has much winter

yet so we can't complain.

My theme today though is all about peaceful

reflections.

Mahone Bay ,Nova Scotia

Still sharing Mahone Bay as it

was so beautiful early one winter

morning on a little holiday there.

Back to our own pond reflections.

Lighthouse reflection on

the North Shore PEI

above and below.

A lighthouse in Charlottetown

I enjoy relaxing by the pond

Our little Boathouse

An autumn reflection

A frosty morn reflection

Hope you enjoyed my reflections!

Now, I should make a batch or two of

scones in case we lose power tomorrow.

Thank you for visiting me today,

Take care,

Carolyn

Peaceful Interludes

2024-01-04T17:11:00.007-04:00

Hello everyone,

I am happy you stopped by today!

With the business of the holidays

over I am enjoying some peaceful

interludes in my day.

I love transferware

Hot cocoa , a good book and some

indoor plants

In the winter I love to relax with a good book

and a cup of tea by the fire.....what about

you?

Take care,

Carolyn

Happy New Year!

2024-01-02T10:35:00.007-04:00

Happy New Year!

I would like to wish you all a

wonderful New Year and hope

you will be richly blessed in

2024!

We had snow a few days ago so it was time

to go for a winter drive to enjoy the

beauty .

I took along a few fixings for a winter picnic.

Love these pretty plaids against the

background of snow and a

beautiful view.

I am happy to be back blogging and

plan to post on a semi regular basis.

You can also follow me on IG with

the same name as my blog.

The sun just came out here so it is

time for my walk and then a cup of

hot cocoa.

Thank you to all of you who pop in for a visit.

Blessings,

Carolyn

Winter White

2023-12-30T11:28:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone,

With a New Year rapidly approaching I

am hoping for peace in our troubled

world.

I confess that most of these photos were

taken in previous winters .

Our Gardener's Cottage nestled in snow.

Our Boathouse nook again.

Down by the pond.

This shot was taken in November of this year

but the mild weather since then has long

since melted.

I love a snowy Boathouse picture!

A little corner in Ocean Song Cottage.

Some more shots from our November snow.

I hope you are enjoying the beauty of nature

wherever you are!

Thanks for your visit,

Carolyn

Touches of Red and White at Christmas

2023-12-29T11:03:00.006-04:00

Hello everyone!

I hope you are enjoying some relaxation

after the busyness of the past few weeks.

I love using my red and white transferware all

year but especially at Christmas.

An outdoor winter picnic from

a past winter.

Love using plaids/tartans in winter

Gingerbread treats are a favorite.

Cosy fireside tea times are a winter time

treat.

A small sample of my red and white transferware.

We have done a kitchen makeover since this pic

was taken. I will share pics soon.

I have a small collection of enamelware

One of my favorite Boathouse nook shots

We have no snow right now but I think some is on

the way. I hope we can go for a little drive to enjoy

the Christmas lights this evening with some fluffy

white snow .Soon, they will be gone for another year.

Thank you for visiting !

Take care,

Carolyn