my favorite presents

Dan and I don't usually do gifts. We abide by the premise that we buy things we really want when we find them throughout the year, and then call them birthday, or Christmas, or Valentine's, etc. gifts. That way you always get what you want, and it takes the pressure off of the other person to surprise you with the perfect gift. Dan greatly appreciates this system;)!

Two days ago on our trip to Maine, I bought some things I had been wanting for a while! This beautiful muehlenbeckia caught my eye over a year ago, but we had just moved here (after giving away almost all of my houseplants from Dallas) and I honestly just didn't want the responsibility of a new plant. This past Spring we were trying to get into the house, and with all the boxes and unpacking to do I still didn't want to get the plant, yet... . Two days ago I decided the time was right and got it, and I have to say I am in love this plant. Just looking at it makes me happy! I love it's spirit, which is similar to my own gardening style- the juxtaposition of the wild chaos amid order (usually in the form of manicured boxwood borders, or in this case the topiary frame!) I found it at the beautiful Snug Harbor Farm in Kennebunk. This place is magical! There are peacocks, and fancy chickens and ponies walking around! I love nurseries and can easily say that this is my favorite one ever!

I also bought this fun candle holder at Antiques on Nine in Kennebunk. I have wanted it for a while, but when you unpack box after box of goodies, you realize you don't need anything. But hey, it was my birthday, which was the perfect rationalization to buy it anyway! I'll use it outside on one of the porches

Then, one of my favorite purchases of the day was these beautiful white sponges I found at the Crate & Barrel outlet! Yes, sponges can be beautiful! (it's the little things in life!!) I have never seen white sponges (and I'm a sponge girl) and when I found these biodegradable sponges I knew I would never look at a bright yellow sponge in my white Shaw sink again!!

postscript:

I want to thank everyone for your sweet, lovely well-wishes on my birthday/our anniversary post. We were so very touched by all of your comments.

Thank you so much!

for the love of a husband...

July 29th, 1988.

Twenty one years ago today I said "I do" to a very wonderful man.

We were married in the gardens at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel in beautiful Hood River, Oregon.

It was a very quiet, simple wedding...just the two of us and our parents.

I carried a bouquet of gardenias.

It was a perfect day.

Dan is....
my confidant, my hero, my cheerleader, my love, my secret keeper, my partner in crime, my reality-tv watching mate, my best friend, my lamp maker, my much better half, my reality check, my furniture waxer, my hero, my car washer, my soul mate, my gossip buddy , my antiques partner, my sounding board, my yard man , my chandelier wirer, my crush, my solve the world's problems adviser, my dog washer, my kind soul, my dragon slayer, my extra eye when antiquing, my personal dilemma solver, my gas tank filler upper-er, my 'yes' man, the president of my fan club, my doggie's daddy, my artist, my comedian, my joy, my picture hanger, my grounding rod, my heart, my personal driver, my coffee in the morning getter, my daily compliment giver, my ....................................................................
In essence, he is my everything, all rolled up into one human being!
Dan once gave me a card that I would like to give back to him, it read...
"To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world."

For those of you who don't personally know Dan, I thought this story, regarding the above photo , would give you a glimpse of the man who is my husband:

"It's summer several years ago, and we have escaped to Colorado to get out of the 102 degrees back in Dallas (and so Dan can go fly-fishing and I can sit by the river, read shelter magazines and drink wine!) It's a very cool day in Wagon Wheel Gap, Colorado and we head off on a drive up Pool Table Road- a curvy, gravel, forest service road. I was secretly looking for a large piece of forestwood to use as a dining table centerpiece. I turned my heated car seat on and enjoyed the view, mile upon mile (12 to be exact) I rejected piece after piece from my comfy, warm car seat. I then spotted the perfect piece of forestwood, but at this point was so comfy I didn't want to speak or get out of the car.......... Next morning, I wake up and am consumed with the thought that I HAVE TO HAVE THAT ONE PIECE OF FORESTWOOD--RIGHT NOW!!! I tell Dan I need to go back up the mountain (all 12 miles, thank you) to find that one piece. I assure him I know exactly where it was on the 12 miles!, and he, without objection at my far-fetched plan, obliges and off we go.

Now this day it was raining, so everything looks totally different. I keep telling Dan that I think it's at the "next turn", "okay, well, it will definitely be the next turn"... it was not. Never once does Dan lose patience with my silly plan, or query me on where the hell is that one log in this forest of logs.

I never found said piece of perfect wood.... but at about mile 11, when even I was losing patience, I found this beautiful piece of forestwood that has bedecked our dining room table for years.

Every time I look at this beautiful piece of Colorado forestwood, I think of my sweet, sweet husband who "gets" me and my unusual decorating ways!

The only thing the man won't do for me is go fabric shopping with me....... that's when he turns into the husband sitting in the car outside of the store (you know the one!), but I'll give him his one ;););) fault!"

(be sure to note in the photo the rock embedded in the log!)

I wish my husband of twenty-one years (who reads my blog and checks for comments!) a very happy anniversary from your wife who adores you.

You are my heart.

postscript:

oh, I almost forgot;)...... it's my birthday too! At 28 young years of age I hated birthdays and decided that getting married on my birthday would make me like the day, and would give Dan only one day, combined, to remember!

For the record, he's never forgotten my birthday or our anniversary!! I'll do the math for you... I'm 49 !

We're off to Maine today! I see lobster in my future!!

Happy, happy today!

joan

what they don't tell you about polished nickel...

It spots.

(Well, maybe they told you, but somehow I missed out on the information!)

I love it, it's gorgeous, it's period to the house, but it gets water spots (and we don't even have hard water.)

My beautiful Perrin & Rowe faucet with spots.... I don't think so!

Luckily I found a thread on the subject, and someone said that the product Semichrome was recommended by their manufacturer. We just happen to have a tube as it is Dan's polish of choice when cleaning our hotel silver, or when he wants a deep, rich polish on sterling (otherwise we use Mrs. Wright's paste silver cleaner.)

Semichrome worked like magic, spots gone. I don't mind a little maintenance to get the look with polished nickel, but just thought you might want to know this if you have some and have spots, or are contemplating polished nickel faucets or hardware.

Update:

A reader suggested that I try Flitz Metal Cleaner and I must say I love this stuff!!  It works even better than the Semichrome and leaves a protective coating on the metal.  I use it every couple of months and don't have an issue with spotting anymore!

 

our tub moved to New York...

Today one of our antique cast iron claw foot tubs moved to New York.

No, it didn't just get tired of living in New Hampshire and decide that it would rather live in upstate New York...

Instead, when we redid the guest bath we made the room slightly smaller (which gave a few more feet to the adjacent master bath) and took out the iron tub and put in a marble and subway-tile shower. My new friend Melkorka, at The Little Big House, had made a post several months ago on iron tubs. She's redoing an antique Greek Revival, and I mentioned if she could use one we had one she could have.

Today she and her "crew" (her delightful parents, and cute & charming boyfriend) drove the 5 hours (one way) from their home to ours to pick it up! The tub (the claw feet had been removed for transport in the photo above) was very excited to be going to a new, happy home!

Melkorka was a doll, and it was a wonderful, fun afternoon!

A couple of newer pedestal sinks and mirrored medicine cabinets, several light fixtures and some bath hardware also sneaked into their car.... they must have wanted to go live in upstate NY too!!

Thank you to Temma for the beautiful, and ohmygosh-so-delicious blueberry pound cake that she made for us! Dan is on his second BIG piece as I type!


Update:
Here is Melkora's lovely post on her visit to our house!!

look what I found...

on etsy.

I've looked on etsy a few times, but never spent much time there, then my friend, Kathleen at House Things I Like (Musings from the House of Sand and Dog)- gotta love that description!, did a post of a nice etsy painting and it encouraged me to go and really look this time!

This little 12" x 12" lovely is what I found and bought (bought it on Friday and received it today, Monday, beautifully wrapped like a gift!) The artist is Jennifer Shears. It is entitled Evening Glow, and isn't it gorgeous?! It's style reminds me of one of my favorite contemporary artist, Wade Hoefer (husband to the wonderful California and Paris designer, Myra Hoefer.)

We love paintings, most of our collection are antique oil paintings, but old or new, as long as the painting has a soul! I think etsy is proof positive that no one should be without original art in their lives and homes!

This is Mavis...

or as the rest of the world recognizes- Venus de Milo without her head.

I should have known that immediately too, I mean - I took Art History at The University of Texas, and even made an A in the class, but somehow her true identity alluded me. To me she was just a beautiful vintage concrete garden statue that we found in Austin years ago. I fell for her sharp details and the folds in her garment, so delicate and refined for a concrete statue. We found the iron base at an estate sale in Dallas, it was in the backyard under some weeds and wasn't even for sale until we asked after it; I think we paid $6 for it. We had a square iron piece cut to fit the top so that Mavis could stand on the stand.

Now, flash forward about a year... Dan and I are in the Louvre in Paris, and we are walking down the long corridor toward the Sully wing, and there forty feet ahead of us, straight away, is

the Venus de Milo.

Dan and I, at the same moment, have the same realization and turn to each other and simultaneously (and loudly) exclaim.......
"It's MAAAY- VIS!!"

I'm sure we sounded like the biggest country bumpkins! The French were thinking "silly Americans..."Mavis stands at the entrance into the Reading Room which is directly behind the living room,and her cousin Venus is still at the Louvre.

come along with us on our walk!

I thought you might like to come along on our walk this morning!
It's a gorgeous sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. It is 75 degrees and the high today is supposed to be 79.
(note: that is said with a wee tinge of guilt and a wee bit of gloat for my Southern peeps!)

We live in what is referred to as the town center. Not to be confused with the center of town. In New England the "center" is generally the original or oldest, historic part of the town. Often times the "downtown" was relocated when the railroad came along. For example, our downtown is a mile down the hill from us.

When we were looking at houses we would always consider "where do we walk the dog?," as a daily dog-walk is a constant in our lives! One of the many things we loved about our house was that there were many directions that we could go, and with all of the quiet roads and antique homes every way proved a beautiful walk. The walk today is 3-miles. It's basically one big circle. This walk is on the road- most of the walk is paved, but there is a stretch where we are on a dirt road. (There are many off-road trails around us and sometimes we walk those too.)
So put on your tennies and grab your sunglasses, here we go....

(photos are in exact order as we see them on our walk)


starting off down our driveway

our beehives at the end of the drive (disclaimer: landscaping is next year!) we'll turn left and head south to start the walk

ella taking the lead


this estate is a summer house for some lucky family


the carriage house that goes with the summer house


antique farmhouse


beautiful pink roses growing on the stone wall


this is Mr. B's house. he's 90 years old- still drives. he's the sweetest, most engaging elderly man; we love chatting with him when we see him on our walk


one of the many trails in the area. some days this is one of our walks


the road to the girl scout camp that is at the bottom of our road


antique farmhouse


hidden reproduction cape


love this house! it's circa 1791. they have the most beautiful grounds


old church which is now a home


the building on the left was once the meeting house. it is now a children's summer playhouse. the congregational church, circa 1763, is on the right


close up of the congregational church. the original town pound is to the right of the church. it's a square stoned-wall fence structure that would house lost or run-away animals. generally the owner would have to pay a fine to retrieve their animal


our town police officer stopped to say hi! turns out he's an ex-pat texan too!


sadly this is the best photo I could get of this house, circa 1850,- it is a really wonderful and has a great view of the mountains


this house, circa 1850, is one of my favorites


the yellow house, circa 1800. you can be my neighbor, this house is for sale! they just lowered the price to $990k


the yellow house's barn


a golfing green open to neighbors

charming antique cape. sadly they lost their huge tree next to the house as you can see from the shadows on the roof... no leaves

oh wait, I lied, "this" is my favorite house!!

this is the center's tennis club. there are two clay courts. the setting almost makes me want to take up tennis

a country auction house. we've never been, as we've yet to see it open

dan & ella setting the pace

antique homestead, circa 1812

this house is a bed & breakfast

this antique cape, circa 1811, is called the daffodil house as in the spring 5,000 yellow daffodils bloom on the property

charming home that belongs to a new friend


antique granite road marker

oh wait.... this one IS my favorite house! it is circa 1819 and there is a cemetery on the hill above the house and a well-known ghost lives there. a group from harvard has even been out to study the ghost! this is where we start on the dirt road

and just a few yards up we come to this! it's our town reservoir

to put it into perspective, this pond is a 10 minute walk from our house


mama & baby ducks enjoying the sun

ella: city dog turned country dog!

love this tree and it's roots

no, that's not an alligator coming out of the tree, it's a tree fungus! don't miss the one growing at the base of the tree- cuz I'm not; I'm watching them!

a small stream

moose (the big horse) and cj (the pony)


finally home. that's one tired pup! the only thing that got her back was the promise of "puppy popsicles" aka ice cubes!

Hope you enjoyed the walk!
Now go take a nap on the sofa... that's what Ella's doing!