May Flowers and Blogging

Hello my friends. I have missed you tremendously. I must admit that a somewhat trying year so far has tempted me to eliminate something from my life that was turning from a pleasure into a guilt-inducing, unfinished item on my never ending “to do” list. The longer I avoided opening the dashboard of my blog, the harder it was to…

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Christmas Shopping With My Traveling Tote

Hello friends of the Traveling Tote Adventures!  Since last we met I understand that my tote, Miss Rosie, took the opportunity to tell you of our summer travels (here)!  She was so pleased with herself that she then retired for the winter to a life of rest and leisure, and my other totes, Miss Posie and Dot, joined me for…

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Lights and Bulbs

I’d like to start with a very big THANK YOU to all of my blogging friends who sent well wishes, comments, emails and even birthday cards (I LOVE to get real mail!) to help me make the leap from 59 to 60!  It was truly painless and actually quite enjoyable, as we spent a little vacation time with family and…

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Doing White Right

My house is colorful.  I have blue, green, purple, pink, some red … and I’m always attracted to color, whether it is bold and bright or peaceful pastel.  Not that I don’t enjoy reading all the white, chippy blogs and admire the talent it takes to pull together a look using only textures!  But I was content to admire from afar and…

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Wandering Around Weatherstone

I was sure my friends would be tired of seeing posts of Weatherstone, Carolyne Roehm’s lovely house in Connecticut, but so many requests for more photos have come along that I decided to take you for a last little “wander” through the grounds.  Walls, fences, and vistas are so glorious!  Please sit back and imagine strolling about this lovely property.…

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Tales of the Traveling Totes: Snow and Sand

~~ covered bridge with ice on mill pond ~~ Old Sturbridge Village ~~ It’s June and during the last month we’ve had a few trips to the seaside for rejuvenating infusions of salty air, so when I opened my files of Traveling Tote photos I was surprised to find that this session of outings began with a cold, snowy day, just three…

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Carolyne Roehm: On Weatherstone’s Porch

Carolyne Roehm has several delightful homes and judging from her books and website I know I could move into any one of them and be very happy.  That’s not going to happen, but when I had the pleasure of visiting Weatherstone, her home in Sharon, CT, for the fundraising event, Trade Secrets, I couldn’t decide whether to focus on the gorgeous…

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Carolyne Roehm’s Potting Shed

“It’s as simple as this: a garden is like love.  As with amour, a garden is a place you venture into with hope, energy, excitement, enchantment, and the greatest of expectations.”   — Carolyne Roehm, At Home in the Garden Yes, I did venture forth on Sunday with such feelings as I visited Carolyne Roehm‘s Connecticut estate, Weatherstone, as part of the…

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Trade Secrets: Secret Gardens

Spring has sprung here in the Northeast and that is good news for all secret garden lovers!  The northwest corner of Connecticut, known to the world as Litchfield County, is full of exquisite homes of all styles tucked into the hillsides: small cottages with cottage gardens to match, farmhouses with orchards and fields, and stately colonials with elegant spaces to rest…

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Hope Springs Eternal

The first day of Spring, 2016 ~~ growing up in our house we celebrated it on March 21, my dad’s and my grandmother’s birthday!  (imagine getting your first baby (named William) as a birthday present!)   In the eyes of my grandmother my dad, even fully grown, was her baby boy and he always tolerated her motherly attentions, which I constantly remind…

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