The catmint is going strong with beautiful purple/lavender flowers. I have a lot of it in the big garden bed. It blooms from mid-spring to early summer. It’s usually full of the sound of buzzing bees.
My other spirea is now filling up with these beautiful pink blooms. It lives at the far end of the porch and shares that space with the Annabelle hydrangea. Both bushes, which I should have planted much further apart, are huge.
A gorgeous day yesterday and another one today. I did some weeding, and watering – outdoor and indoor plants – washed the sheets, vacuumed – that sort of thing. Today, Don is off to work at the Farmer’s Market. It’s been very slow, portrait-wise, for the past two days, so let’s hope today is more productive for him.
A couple of weeks ago, in anticipation of the sofa arrival, Don and I switched out some tables. Then, after seeing a photo of these chairs in my former apartment in Cambridge, he brought up the idea of using them in place of the four mismatched chairs we’d been using. I’ve been pushing for them to make an appearance in the kitchen for years, but he wasn’t interested before. This was good news!
We wanted cleaner lines in the kitchen. There’s a lot going on in there and we wanted to eliminate too much busy-ness. So, Don exchanged the four chairs for these two, which were living in our storage space.
You can’t tell from this photo, but they’re really beautiful. The wood is highly polished mahogany. I found them in a tiny little used furniture shop in Cambridge, MA, over 30 years ago. They used to be in the offices of Mass Mutual, an insurance company, and they have the metal tag on the back to prove it. I used them in my little dining area in the Cambridge kitchen.
Taking a picture of an old, darkish, snapshot is never easy!
I’ll try to get a good shot of one of the chairs today, so you can see the beautiful finish. When Don brought them back to the house, I spent the better part of an afternoon cleaning them. It’s so good to have them back! Since there’s rarely anyone but the two of us here, why not use them? And they’re incredibly comfortable. Since I will no longer let Don eat while sitting on the new sofa, we’re actually sitting at the table more often. The chairs, with a nice wide seat, are perfect for a big guy like Don. They’re substantial.
I was sitting in one of those chairs when my friend and colleague at Boston University, Annette, ran downstairs to comfort me when I told her that my brother had just died. Annette died last year – far too soon.
There are memories, both good and poignant, in those chairs.
Okay. We both woke up way too early today. Let’s just say it was before 5 am. I’m going to try to stay in the moment until I can sneak a nap in later in the day.
Happy Sunday.
The chairs are beautiful. So glad they are back in use. Yes, no eating on the new couch! Your flowers are so lovely. Wishing you a lovely day my friend. Thank you for the Birthday wishes. I’m going to make this year a good one if it kills me! Ha!
You do that! Blessings to you, my friend!
I’m enjoying seeing your cottage garden flowers. I miss my perennials so much, especially this time of year when my daisies would be so close to blooming. Florida tropical gardening is fun too, but it will never beat what you have.
I know. My sister does her best, but she’s not enamored of the tropical look. I felt the same way in when I was in San Diego.
I am enjoying your beautiful flower “portraits” very much. My daughter has recently caught the photography bug and would like to know the make and model of your camera, if you don’t mind. Do you use an additional lens for the closeups? I showed her some of your recent photos and she was in awe.
Although the photo of the spirea today was done with my iPhone!
I have a Canon. It’s part of the EOS series and it’s a 77D. Anything in the Rebel series is a good place to start. I’d love to have a macro lens one day, but right now I use the close-up (macro setting) on my regular lens. I’ve used Canons for years, but just upgraded to this particular camera last year. xo
Thank you so much!
xo
I love a nice sturdy chair that’s also good-looking! Moving daughter back to school for her summer session. Not looking forward to carting boxes in 90+ degree heat…
Oh boy! Stay hydrated, Wendy!
As has been this entire season, your blooming seems to be about 7-10 days ahead of us. My spirea is just forming the blossoms. The Bridal wreath is done, and the peonies finally opened yesterday. All about a week late. And after this spring we have had, I find it kind of remarkable that we are only about a week “behind”. I am hoping it means that everything will bloom and last longer this year!! We all deserve that.
Have a good Sunday. We have had some sun and some clouds, but no rain as of yet. The temps are lovely, and the longer we can keep the windows open and the AC off, it makes me very happy to hear the birds and not have the house closed up like winter time.
My other peony bush is now in full bud and one of the blooms opened today!
The chairs are wonderful and I’m glad they’ve made a return appearance, with memories and stories to tell, sweet and sad, both. And I like the idea of two. You can always haul out the others if you have a guest or two.
The catmint is lovely. I’ve never tried that but I think it might be added to the garden next year. Is it a perennial or annual?
It’s a perennial, Jeanie. I’ve had it in the garden for over 13 years.
We are planning the makings of a memorial garden in our backyard where Zippo is buried and we thought one of the plants we’d use is catmint. What does it look like when it’s done blooming – is it still pretty?
I love the kitchen chairs that Don got out of your storage space. You can tell just by looking at the chair that it is sturdy and well made: substantial, like you said.
Funny you should mention waking way too early. I have no idea what’s up with my body clock (menopause?)…I go to bed between 11 – 11:30 and I sleep well until about 4 a.m. From then on, all I do is toss and turn and only sleep in short bits here and there. It’s so frustrating!
It’s still pretty, but I usually cut it back later in the summer and cross my fingers hoping that it might bloom again.
Sleep problems are so frustrating. Sometimes I just wake up way too early. Then I’ll be fine for a while until I start not being able to get to sleep when I go to bed. There’s no rhyme or reason for me!
Who are the dancers in the black and white framed piece? Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire? And also who is the dance partner? Is it from a famous movie? I love it!!
It’s an old black and white photograph of a man and a woman dancing the jive. I bought it back then because it was so joyous! It’s from real life.
I really like those chairs…and they do look comfortable. It’s a more simplified look…and I like it.
Your flowers are beautiful. I went around the yard yesterday and took pics myself. I use them to compare from month to month, and year to year. My catmint has just started to bloom…so happy to see that. And, I’ve already started to pinch back some of my coleus to root, and make new plants. I’ve got a couple of bare spots and an empty pot I’d like to plant.
We are off to a graduation party this afternoon…hope the weather holds. Enjoy your day! ;)
Thank you, Donnamae. Hope the graduation party is fun!
I love the fact that there are memories in the chairs.
Thank you, Lindsey.
The chairs? A brilliant move, IMHO. They look both comfortable & correct – and there’s definitely a cleaner look to the space. And you know something? I think the desk chair in my very first classroom was an exact copy – psych! I remember it as comfy & a good SOLID piece of furniture. Quite heavy too – oak, I think. Love that photo of your old apartment with the Fiestaware wall. So cheery. Enjoy the fine weather – and your nap. My eyelids are getting a bit heavy too. All that fresh air I got earlier today…. 🤫
Yes, they’re quite heavy! Solid, clean lines, beautiful finish.
I miss that Fiesta! Every time I look at that photo, I sigh with regret.
Thanks, Janet.