all the pretty flowers..

“We are like roses that have never bothered to bloom when we should have bloomed and it is as if the sun has become disgusted with waiting”

    ―  Bukowski

August already?

This spring and summer has seriously flown by, and produced some of the prettiest flowers I've seen in a long time! I'm thinking it's the milder heat, last summer was such a scorcher they even canceled fireworks because all of the grass was so dry.
 Here is a collection of some favorites this season, most are from my yard!

Luke's grandfather recently left him this old butcher block table that he made himself, along with some pretty gnarly antique butcher knives. The cleaver is horror movie material.

 Ferdinand, my vintage bull cookie jar, made his home amongst the flowers for a while.

We have rows of red orange tulips(pecan/maple syrup scented) in the front of our house, one of my favorite flowers. They always remind me of my grandpa O'Malley's old stone farm cottage. The smell is the most memorable part. I love things that can take me back to a moment in time. I think photographs and sensory memory are the closest to time travel I can get.

I can't believe how old Z's getting, we think she's around 10!

Another favorite, peonies!
The first time I saw a real life peony was in Portland, Oregon a few years ago. We visited the Chinese gardens at the very best time, peony fest! I was surrounded by so many different varieties and perfect specimens, heavenly. I took a million photos to remember but I knew I had to grow some for myself.
 (I'll never forget the pale purple roses at the international rose test garden either)
After being re rooted for a move and spending a few years reestablishing itself this is the very first year my plant's had more than one bloom.
 They were amazing!

Lumen is the most curious cat! 

Pretty purslane, it's edible too!

The multiple never ending blooms of irises and gladiolus amaze me.

I've been concentrating on the kitchen reno mostly, doing the things I've been putting off. There were a few days that I stayed up all night knocking four inches of unsalvageable masonry off one of the walls, exposing some pretty perfect old brick! These walls are triple brick, it's pretty interesting to see the inner workings..how does all of this stay together?!
It's a collection over 10 years in the making, finally getting a proper display! These are progress photos, I'm working out what I want where. I still need to finish and seal the exposed brick. And a million other little things, but it's coming together!

  I always slow down a bit when it gets really hot and it puts me a little behind in general. I can't complain though because my favorite season is just around the corner. I love when the weather cools down. We live in a 150+ yr old historic home with no central heat or air! In the Midwest. Only a few window units to get us through while we're renovating. It actually hasn't been unbearably hot this year, no 100 degree days lasting all week this time around! Yet. I'm working in the studio now trying to fix my broken fan..this old house.

Happy Wednesday!

fresh

the world isn't in your books and maps...

it's out there

Luke and I had two glorious consecutive days off this week. We didn't make any plans, just adventured. Which meant walking to Main St. to explore our favorite dusty thrift shop and lugging a bunch of stuff back home. Should have thought about that part haha. The weather was incredible, sunny and 60! Love when that happens. Isn't it the worst when it rains on your day off, and all you want to do is go outside? The next day was gloomy and rainy so we had Mexican and margaritas and slipped into our historic 'Lincoln' theater for an early afternoon Hobbit fest. Popcorn with real butter, strawberry Twizzlers too! He's a Sno-Caps kinda guy. We read the entire book out loud before bed a few years ago(Luke's idea) so we were excited to see it. In line I realized we were surrounded by the white haired crew..and told him," This is it, we're officially old people" haha

fresh tech

We've been using Luke's Christmas present daily, this little Mr. Coffee espresso machine is just right..and a steal for under 40! mmm foam.

He surprised me after the holidays with a record player I've been mentioning for the longest..his dad's 1970's setup was always on the fritz, and never played my thrifted records. This one is the perfect teal, and converts my tunes to mp3's..love it so far! He's pretty great too, and lets me sleep in and wake up to the smell of lattes and cinnamon rolls.

 it folds up..fits right in with my vintage blue suitcase collection

bar cart 

Finally got a smartphone, I've been waiting forever! Fairly certain that I'm the last one on the planet to join the cool crowd. I don't know what to do with myself, new technology! haha I was really sad without an instagram, and a good cell camera. 

Caved and got hulu plus. We're totally caught up on Parks and Rec and I've already made my way through New Girl,Merlin,Portlandia,Once Upon a Time..working on Downton Abbey now. I 've been missing all of my favorites, I need my stories! We used to love watching masterpiece classics on PBS every Sunday. I'm horrible at watching shows in real time.They have a bunch of criterion classics too, and french new wave.

Let's just say I've been watching a lot..but I always have my hands busy working on a project. And I've got plenty.

I was pondering what my New Year's goals should be, I always set them too lofty. Thinking simple this year..

Peter LaFleur: I found that if you have a goal, that you might not reach it. But if you don't have one, then you are never disappointed. And I got to tell you it feels phenomenal.

-dodgeball(haha)

Like keep plants alive.

This orchid is my pride and joy right now. Even my succulents and ivy have shriveled up into pitiful little things. Yes, succulents. The plants that can't be killed. haha

This beauty has been alive for a few months now, and has even bloomed more flowers. That never happens.
'Grow where you are planted'

My mantra right now.

We're learning how to crochet together, I need help. I always pick up hobbies and get frustrated and forget them. He's just better at stuff like this.

Someone was over recently and said "It's like going down the rabbit hole when I come to your house,  You're usually in some weird outfit,with the hair..you're sort of ordinary today" haha! That's about right.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

girl

THERE is something in the autumn that is native to my blood—
Touch of manner, hint of mood;
And my heart is like a rhyme,
With the yellow and the purple and the crimson keeping time.
The scarlet of the maples can shake me like a cry	5
Of bugles going by.
And my lonely spirit thrills
To see the frosty asters like a smoke upon the hills.
There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir;
We must rise and follow her,	10
When from every hill of flame
She calls and calls each vagabond by name. -a vagabond song Bliss Carman. 1861 ♥ A favorite, written around the same time our house was built! The wind is rattling these old bones and whipping the forlorn leaves around..along with the first flurries of snow, a white Christmas perhaps? My girl..the first antique photo/frame I ever bought. This old girl's made it through a lot. It's the kind of eerie old photo whose eyes seem to follow your every move. Perfect colors and a Tambourine in hand. I like to pretend she's my long lost great grandma.(dad was adopted in Chicago and I always wondered about genealogy)  Her music making hangs over my old record player and stand. I've been working on my mantle, I like to change it up with the seasons. The weather outside is frightful..these make me dream of pretty places. summer sounds and beekeeper bookmarks comfy/cozy wearing my warmest over the knee sweater socks and oversized wool..so warm. This old cardigan follows me everywhere, vintage Irish wool with perfect little grandma pockets-homes of Donegal "MacGintys BallyBofey" teal is having a moment in my life right now.. I'm working on painting a few more little accents, put those alleyway saves to good use haha Hope you're staying warm! update: I finally got the chance to get a look at my ancestor's genetic makeup..because we're living in the future(nearly 2020) and this technology is almost as cool as flying cars. My dna traveled a long way on its journey to me. (these are the origins of my parents) Basque Country Cameroon/Congo/Southern Bantu Fennoscandia France India Ireland Orkney Islands (Scotland) Peru Pima(Sonora) Sardinia Siberia Tuva