Sunshine And Shadows

It's been awhile since shadows have appeared.
The ground has been covered in white, for most of it's January days.
The sun shining brightly gives hope of Spring day's ahead, and affords us a little well-deserved warmth on our faces.

Winter Dreams

Lilliput Lane : Double Cottage.
click to enlarge



" The cottage homes of England/By thousands on her plains."
~ Felicia Hermans

Goosey, Goosey, Gander

Earlier in the week, as snow lay freshly-fallen on the ground, I introduced Wilbur, the antique goose decoy given to us by our daughter as a Christmas gift.
I felt sorry for Wilbur he looked lonely and needed a mate, and so I took on the mission of finding him one.

Arriving from almost 1700 miles away in Wyoming, Wilbur's mate arrived today.

None the worse for her flight and eager to show off her fine plumage, meet Henrietta.

Wilbur is one happy goose.

As nightfall fell we had an unexpected visit from an old friend, Opie the Opossum. Forever foraging the cat food bowl , and taking his usual "Possum" stance as I clicked away with the camera.

Dulce Domum. "Sweet Home"

I seem to be in the midst of a hibernation, only roused on the days I need to meet my work obligation.
What is it about cold Winter days, that leave us wanting nothing more, than a cozy place to nest.
A place in front of the hearth, surrounded by teakettles singing on the hob, slippers warming by the fireside, and a portly cat purring at our side.
A time to daydream.

"What a ripping little house this is! Everything so handy! "

~Mole's house: Wind in the Willows

Run Afowl

An antique Canadian goose decoy, a surprise gift from my daughter at Christmas.
Sadly no mate was available, we're hoping he'll attract one.

Snowbound

Mother Nature left her calling card once again yesterday evening.
Within an hour of the snow falling, the landscape was completely transformed, the sky silenced.
With temperatures predicted below the freezing mark, it's a day of pot-roast simmering and nesting.

Oh, what a goodly and a glorious show;

The stately trees have decked themselves with white,

And stand transfigured in a robe of light;

Wearing for each lost leaf a flake of snow.

~ Richard Wilton (1827–1903)

The Legacy Continues

When one of my most favorite garden supply stores decided to close it's doors after almost thirty years of doing business, I was disappointed to say the least.

A weak economy was to blame.

Many of you may be familiar with Smith and Hawken, founded by Dave Smith and Paul Hawken in 1979 to provide gardeners with handcrafted tools from England.
Over the years, it became known as the gold standard in the industry.

While the original Smith & Hawken focused on high-end English gardening tools with a lifetime guarantee, later iterations of the company branched into outdoor living products such as furniture, fire pits, lighting, bird baths and garden decor.

Today, I welcomed an e-mail announcing that Target Stores have partnered with the Smith and Hawken brand, and will once again be carrying their line of products.

Quality crafted and timelessly designed garden supplies, they truly are essentials to any garden.

Now where did I put those Christmas gift cards ?

Parson's Retreat

click to enlarge

The Little Home

The little house is not too small
To shelter friends who come to call.
Though low the roof and small its space
It holds the Lord's abounding grace,
And every simple room may be
Endowed with happy memory.

The little house, severely plain,
A wealth of beauty may contain.
Within it those who dwell may find
High faith which makes for peace of mind,
And that sweet understanding which
Can make the poorest cottage rich.

The little house can hold all things
From which the soul's contentment springs.
'Tis not too small for love to grow,
For all the joys that mortals know,
For mirth and song and that delight
Which make the humblest dwelling bright.

Edgar A. Guest

Winter Rain

The weather has warmed.
The rain has washed away any signs of lingering snow and ice.
The Robins are feeding on earthworms, the ground once again soft and wet.
A dark and cozy Winter day, to be savored.

" The best kind of rain, of course, is a cozy rain.

This is the kind the anonymous medieval poet makes me remember, the rain that falls on a day when you'd just as soon stay in bed a little longer, write letters or read a good book by the fire, take early tea with hot scones and jam and look out the streaked window with complacency. "

~Susan Allen Toth, England For All Seasons

Queen And Country

On June 2 1953 upon the death of her father, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon and Pakistan as well as taking on the role of Head of the Commonwealth.
She was 25 years of age.

The Coronation of Her Majesty was held in the Abbey Church of St. Peter, Westminster, London.


These commemorative cups and saucers were just a few of the souvenirs available in celebration of the occasion, they are displayed with pride in my dining room cabinet.
They are marked with the official potters stamp, allowing the firing of these pieces specifically for the event.

The official date of Queen Elizabeth's accession was November 1952, and is inscribed on the underside of the teacup.