My view as I sat on the glider yesterday morning, chatting with my husband. Oh boy, was it humid out there! The healthy, lush look of the impatiens and the scaevola are a testament to Don’s diligent attention to watering while I was away. I gave him a schedule and he kept to it. In fact, he asked me if he could continue watering the plants because he likes it.
Umm….an emphatic yes!
He also swept up debris and hosed down the bluestone floor of the porch late in the day yesterday.
What a guy.
The container plants on the patio are doing just fine. They need a little watering here and there, but basically, they thrive without much attention.
The yarrow that self-seeded in the main garden bed a couple of years ago, was so top heavy that it had drooped down to the ground. So I got another one of the trellises from Lowe’s and tucked the yarrow into the openings. Much better. Love the height and graphic look it gives to the garden.
And the trellis is inexpensive and a good investment. I’ll use it again and again.
Coneflowers are about to open. I have them everywhere in the garden beds; easy maintenance, self-seeding, long-lasting. Last year (I guess I was bored that day) I counted the number of coneflowers and the final count was over 200. I imagine there will be even more this year.
I’ve done a little tweaking on the dollhouse.
Don once mentioned that I didn’t have enough artwork hanging on the walls of the bedroom. He’s got an eye, that one. I filed that observation away and recently took steps to remedy the situation.
I bought this framed Van Gogh print, “Starry Night #2 – Rhone River.” Caroline and I both love Van Gogh and the gold frame nicely echoes the metallic frame on the mirror. You’ll also see the silver double frame I bought in Chautauqua in its new home on the dresser.
I moved the smaller painting that had been on that wall over to its new position between the windows.
And I added one more new print:
“Moulin Rouge” by Toulouse Lautrec.
The cushions have been added to the wicker chair.
And someone is exploring his new home. Meet Boo. That was the name I had already picked out and then one of you – was it Nancy? – suggested that very same name in the comment section.
Ironically, I believe that’s one of Scout’s dog hairs to the right. (She’s already staked her claim on the dollhouse.)
Don got up before me (a very rare occurrence) and Scout is out on the porch with him. I miss that little scamp. We’ll have to make up for it with some tunnel time later in the day.
Happy Thursday.
We love Van Gogh, too. Starry Night is one of our favorites and it was Jordan’s, too.
Your mini VG looks perfect on the tiny wallpaper. I like it that Don takes interest in your
dollhouse. How sweet.
Your porch and garden are beautiful! Looks like a perfect place to read.
Have a sweet day!
You too, Becky! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Love, love, love your new additions to the dollhouse! Caroline must be very excited her little home is featured in a magazine!
She is excited! She talks about it all the time.
Your porch and garden look so lush and green. Love that blue stone. And the dollhouse is just picture perfect. Have a great day. Tammy
That bluestone porch was a big selling point for me when we first saw this house. I really love it.
Your flowers are so amazing this year. I love cone flowers and I must get some and add to my front planting bed. I like that they reseed themselves! The dollhouse looks fabulous with it’s new additions and tweaks! Can’t wait until you have time to work on the roof garden!
hugs,
Linda
I’m already starting, but I’m waiting on something that’s coming in the mail.
I love your new dollhouse additions, Claudia! Are you planning some photos for the double frame (which is so cute, by the way)? I’ve seen some online dollhouses that actually put real family images in frames. Not sure how you’d get them that small.
Yes, I am. Not sure how I’m going to do it yet, but I’d love to have small photos of my parents in the frame. Wish me luck!
The new additions to Caroline’s abode are lovely Claudia. One of my favorite Lautrec pieces. I can’t look too long or I will be swept away and I CANNOT have another hobby right now and I CANNOT afford to buy and then outfit a charming dollhouse…but it is so tempting…..
I wish our Coneflowers had come up this year…I brought seeds home from work and we put them in one of our gardens, but nothing! Will have to try again (funny – we have never had luck with them). Meanwhile, our apple tree is producing like never before. We actually have clusters of apples (7-10 together) – almost like grapes. We will be busy this fall making applesauce for sure!
Another blogger mentioned that her apple tree was producing apples like crazy. Congratulations!
I love that front porch!
I saw a dollhouse somewhere that used pretty postage stamps, framed with toothpicks, as art hanging on the walls.
Yes, there are sellers on Etsy that frame stamps for minis. One of them finds some incredibly beautiful stamps and, I might add, frames them beautifully, too!
I truly love your (Caroline’s) house. It just looks so comfortable. She is one lucky gal!
Eileen
She is! I hope she appreciates all the work I’ve done, Eileen! xo
The bluestone on your porch makes the perfect setting for your flowers. It looks like it would be cool to the touch in the humidity. Glad you got some welcome help in your watering…I think tending to such things is therapeutic! ;)
It is cool to the touch, thank goodness! Don thinks watering is very meditative.
What they say about habits must be true. Isn’t it 21 days that makes a habit? Don had just the right amount of time!! :-) Donnamae is right, it is therapeutic to tend to a garden. It needs us when Mother Nature is busy elsewhere, and that is a very good feeling, indeed.
I have to tell you ~ those cute little cushions on the green wicker chair made me smile. Like Linda, I am looking forward to the roof top garden!!
Have a wonderful day!!
I’m plotting and planning that rooftop garden as I write this, Chris!
Nice additions to Caroline’s house. Watering plants can put one in a zen state. I hand water everything now, with the drought. Every drop of water is precious, so I can’t let any overrun onto the sidewalk when I water the lawn. Go, go make memories with Scout!
Did you ever get those thunderstorms, Wendy?
No thunderstorms, Claudia. I was not at home this afternoon and it rained where I was, but there is little indication of rain here at home. Now, the weather forecast is for some showers tonight. I’m holding off on the watering, hoping for some rain!
I like the new additions to the dollhouse very much, especially the little double frame and the cushions. I have a feeling the rooftop garden will echo your real life patio and garden – comfortable and very pretty.
I have some deep purple (almost black) wave petunias this year that have really taken off, although I am reduced to caring for them with “grey” water. No spring here – we have gone from minus 32 Celsius to plus 32 Celsius practically overnight. We are presently enveloped in haze of smoke from all the forest fires surrounding us. Pretty scary. Fingers crossed for rain..
Fingers crossed, indeed, Barbara. Forest fires are horrific things – I hope they are under control soon and that you get some relief from heat and smoke.
Hurrah for Don offering to continue watering the plants..I need to get my cone flowers in the ground this evening..The new dollhouse additions are all lovely..one of the biggest thrills of my life was my trip to NYC with the art department in college..I’ll never forget the moment I walked into the room at the museum and there hung Starry Night…that painting lights up the whole room..or maybe it just lit up my soul..If only Vincent could have know how much people would love and treasure his work in the future…Yes..it was me who suggested you name the pup Boo..knowing how much you love TKAMB it was the first thing that popped into my head…He looks so adorable in his new home!
Love Van Gogh’s paintings. I never get tired of gazing at them.
Is your second print Ely Cathedral, by Constable?. I can’t see enough detail to know for sure, but it certainly looks like it. If so, I only live a short distance from it, and it’s magnificent. If it’s something completely different then please put it down to old age and short sight. PS My last dog was called Boo, short for Bosen.
Gosh, I don’t know, Lesley. I bought it many years ago. It looks like a church spire and there are cows in the foreground. I looked up Constable’s paintings and couldn’t find this one, but I could be missing something. I’ll keep checking! Lucky you, living so near to such beauty.
“Boo” – a perfect name for that little guy. He and Scout will be good friends, I’m sure. And those cushions you got in Chautauqua are just right for the big green wicker chair. What an ideal place to spend a humid Summer afternoon. Chores done, comfortably-ensconced in the chair, feet up, with iced tea and of course, a riveting book. The only sounds in the area being birds, and the occasional jingle of the ice cubes – heavy contented sigh. Have a great Thursday…
Sounds good, doesn’t it? Up high, the sounds of the city in the background, but a bit muted. Caroline is very excited about her rooftop garden.
A big Hurray for Don. He has discovered the joys of watering your yard. I can still remember my Dad watering his fruit trees and flower beds. It is the little pleasures that mean so much.
I’m rather proud of him, Barbara!
Don did a great job with your flowers and plants. They look amazing! Love all the new touches to the dollhouse, Precious!!
Judy
The only thing he didn’t think to do – and to be fair, I forgot to put that on the list – was weed whack. But I’m not complaining!
Don was saving the weed-whacking for you, Claudia; he knows you love it.
How I love the stone of your porch!
Your doll house photos are always a major treat. Fascinating. I stare and stare at them!
My shepherd will never miss a chance to go out into the yard/outside with Daddy. But when I’m on the sofa in the house, she’s my bookend, banking close against me. She survived the fireworks on the 4th because, thankfully, people were smart due to drought here in SoCal. We had very few illegal fireworks this July (our town bans all fireworks, always, in any year) and people seemed to stick to the city-sanctioned event which was really more than enough for the celebration. We are too dry and crisp here for fire caused by illegal fireworks. Otherwise, had it been the norm of past years, with backyard firecrackers going off for days leading up to the holiday, my poor girl would have been a shaking mess, SO sensitive to big noise which is the way with some dear dogs.
Scoutie was that way for years until she lost most of her hearing. Collies are very sensitive to loud noises and she was no exception. I don’t miss her being upset, but I do miss her hearing ears,
Would love to have my porch furniture covered in that fabric–gorgeous! And Don!…how does
perfect get better!!
jane-in-tx
Lucky you to be doing some porch sitting. Here the mosquitos will carry you away this year from all the rain. I haven’t even been able to enjoy our porch.
WOW!!! does ANYBODY see this besides me???? In the first picture…right in the center, where the hanging impatients are with the green foliage in the background……It looks to be a fine oil painting!!! Really ,it does. The greenery and hanging plants are muted, looks like brush strokes. What a great shot of a nice corner.
I would say, the plant tender” did a great job.
I will also say, I would need that wicker chair for my room!!! Nice!!!
Addie