Have a Great Labor Day!

Daisies, Fern and Ivy
by Amy Newton
from an issue of Ladybug Cottage Companion

Have A Blessed Day

Zeb, two years

During my years as Nanny for three children we had many, many early mornings together, not all that joyful either (getting up early just does not get easier with practice). And so as their Mother left every weekday morning when children were cranky she called to us to have a blessed day.
I have thought yes, we should wish each other blessed days, not just to have a 'good day'.
So I wish you very blessed day!

Garden Bounty

The Townsleys, another generous couple from church has asked Mum and me if we would like to pick their garden while they spend a week visiting relatives in Colorado. They have a vegetable garden and apples and pears. I'll have to use the ladder to pick the fruit. Do you think I'll mind? You are right?

Feel Free To

If you would ever like to e-mail me, please don't hesitate. My personal e-mail is belloviolino@yahoo.com

Vintage Print
Title: She Reads a Letter Above a Vase of Blue Flowers
Artist: Armand Rapeno

Courtesy http://www.allposters.com

Wash Day, the Romance of Laundry

With our clothes dryer on the blink and forced to dry our clothes in the garage or across the couch or beds, I decided it was best to search for a more sane method of drying our laundry. At K-Mart I discovered a wooden clothes rack much like a scaffold and purchased two. It looks like one my Gramzie had years ago. Despite the inconvenience of the naughty dryer I am rather enjoying taking more time to launder.

Do you enjoy wash day?

Photo Courtesy
http://www.allposters.com

Fresh Apples

A couple from our church who grow apples has had an abundance this year and has kindly shared bushels with the church. This morning I arose at 6:00 and used the handy-all in-one apple peeler, corer, slicer from Pampered Chef to prepare them for stewing to make applesauce. Hmm... what a great aroma the finished product produces!

Picking Apples by Arthur John Esley
Courtesy http://www.allposters.com

Begininng to Like

Naked Ladies are growing on me, though I do think they would be more suited to a bed rather than used sporatically in one's lawn.




I've never had an affinity for potted plants covering pathways and porches, but I quite like this idea of using an arbor for displaying them. These plants are lovingly cared for, my hat is off to the gardener who keeps these watered through the hot summer. I just noticed they most likely water them with the inconspicuous 5 gallon bucket on the left. Ah ha!

What do you find successful when planted in pots?

Betty Gram's Nest

And a spot of heaven for guests.

A Dominican Butterfly

Whilst Miss Ladybug was in the Dominican Republic she could not help but notice a butterfly which was stepped upon, and soon to be completely demolished by foot traffic. She swept it up and naughtily smuggled it into the U.S. Upon consulting her Butterfly Encyclopedia, Miss Ladybug determined that it was a...

Dryas Julia, Julias native to zones 1-2. What a discovery!

A Walk About the Neighborhood

These two little cottages which share an expansive front lawn are being neglected. Don't you think English gardening would compliment them immensly?

Only a few streets away, this cottage stands upon an extremely manicured lawn and under a gloriously pruned oak tree.

Gardening Inspiration

Steve, a fellow OSU Master Gardener invited me to his backyard to view the arbor and pergola that he built from treated lumber. He says they are quite easy to assemble, and that the library is more than ready to have some real hard landscaping. I must continue my search for the most appropriate style for the library...


next spring will be here before we know it!

Betty Gram's Garden House Makeover

What is inside Betty Gram's whimsical house in her backyard under the shade trees?

Can you see?

Why gardening paraphanelia of course, and all in a jumble.

But after six hours things are tidied up. A wire tree holds small gardening shears, a wooden box houses bulbs, and seeds and a woven basket contains small pruners, clippers and scissors.

Betty Gram's Garden House is complete.

Bed #9

There once was a young lady, Miss Ladybug who wanted very much to help her community beautify. She wished quite often to sprinkle fairy dust around town and make gardens look just a wee bit better. And so when offered an opportunity by a local garden club to adopt a bed at the library ~

She sprang at the chance a designed a criss-cross with 75 glorious plants and nurtured them with 14 bags of cypress mulch.

The bed grew so quickly that many of the tendrils from the sweet potato vine needed to be snipped and the tops of the coleus needed to be pinched so their arms would branch out and fill the bed.

Branch out they did! Their colours blended just as Miss Ladybug had desired.

Home Journaling

Welcome to into the world of home scrap-booking. With so many mags coming my way from Betty Gram, I have an abundance of inspiration to use. Most photographs are either from Victoria's, Country Living, or Martha Stewart. Here you see my kitchen ideas. Blue?

Or cheerful Red?

I have a love affair with a dark apricot, so far I haven't been able to come up with a name that correctly describes this shade of delight. Any ideas?

Step into the Garden, please. The hydrangeas are in full bloom.

Come meander the pathways, under the rose arbor and sit for a spell by shade tree.

Pink blossoms plaster the back. Every time I find another little rose bouquet, it usually gets clipped and pasted here. What do you all include in your home journals?

Fashion Journaling

Please come in.

You may discover that I have a fettish for 1940's clothing. When viewing a movie of that era I can not help but to pull this journal from the shelf and sketch the scrumptious outfits. Here you see clothing snippets from J. Marco, Boden catalogs and sketches from The Magic of Ordinary Days.

Ready for Guests

When we are expecting guests at our home, I try to have fresh flower like these blue phlox to greet them in the bedroom and washroom (either by the lavatory or shower).