Blog header photo is mine taken a couple years ago here at home. - Photos posted on my blog are mine unless stated otherwise. BH

Friday, September 30, 2011

Late October at Maymont

Maymont is a wonderful place to be in late Autumn.   I never shared my photos here when Steve and I took his brother and sister in law from Florida last year for a visit  mid October.   They enjoyed touring the Dooley mansion and grounds with us.   We like showing our company  around  Richmond and surrounding counties,  lots here to see.     It became overcast and was  misting from time to time.   Doesn't bother me much as I like walking in the rain under an umbrella.     
Some lovely fall flowers on our walk


nice gazebo to sit and rest on the walk


Massive Oaks and other trees on the property

Italian gardens

The roses showing off  before the winter sets in.  

We took this walk to the Japanese garden

Reflections


Calming , soothing



soothing sound of raindrops hitting the water
Waters edge at the Japanese garden



Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Maryland trip , a crafty store and sunset over Solomans Island

Nice little over night stay in Maryland.   Saw some  Amish farms.  Lots of farmland and horses.   Good to get away and not think about anything but what we are doing at the moment.    I could have stayed on the road and traveled forever,  of course I wasn't the one driving.  I am sure Steve thinks different.
I have many pictures of barns and I will add this one to the collection

The Apple Basket, I hope to visit at Christmas.  I was told there are decorated Christmas trees everywhere in the house.      They are on facebook also
 
wreath on the door of the w.c.

I didn't get the whole picture here
It is an old purse holding the items shown

They had plenty of these,   I really like them

An old picture for sale,   I just couldnt' get over the flower spray she is holding

Buggy for sale in front yard
Steve bought a raven,   I will post his picture tomorrow,  I will have to set him on my mantle with some other decorations. 
 Lastly a beautiful ending of the sunset over Solomans Island in Maryland

Sunday, September 25, 2011

painting

I finally finished painting my dining room,   need to get some art or something to make the area a little brighter. The windmill painting is not doing much for  it.   I wanted to change out the drapes but wasn't in the mood for spending more change for new ones,  so I just raised the valence and the curtains are supposed to be dry cleaned.   I instead wiped the dust and few stains with this window cleaner,  yep that's right, window cleaner.  It did work and worked really well.

all white walls




















not to sure about the color at this point
I can live with it.

I hung the valence higher and I think it looks better.

I will have to get a  frame for the painting
Love the table being so shiny. 
I need to polish more often

Friday, September 23, 2011

flowers and glass

On a previous post my grandson and I visited gardens that had glass sculpture among the plantings..    I have started collecting these water balls so I could put some glass in my garden too.  Not as fancy as the blown glass in the garden at Ginter  but it's still glass and I like it,  I want to find some brighter colors maybe.

Last year I visited Monticello and purchased seeds that were harvested from the plantings there.   This one I like is called the Prickly Poppy - grown in Jefferson's garden.
I hope more will come up next year from the seed maybe dropped from this plant.



June  18 1767  - Jefferson recorded in his garden book that Argemone  put out one flower at his Shadwell garden.      Mexican Argemone grows two feet and has delicate looking pale lemon flowers.
The leaves are prickly and are striped.
Looks like an alien face on the bud ready to open

this tea rose is prettiest now in the fall ,  must like the cooler weather.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

A windmill and a few other things

Steve and I were out shopping last Sunday and while out - popped in "Through the Garden Gate".   Lots of booths with vintage items,  too numerous to mention.   Steve found two paintings,  one he likes of the sea and one for me of a windmill.  I have always liked pictures and paintings of old windmills.   Don't know a thing about the painter of the piece or where or when it was painted,  we know we like it and purchased it.

Love the cool blue colors and movement in the trees



can't make out the name either

   Also,  these 4 corn plates or holders,  stoneware I think.       Like corn on the cob but not on the little plastic cob holders.   These will stay warmer also.
we like the weathered frame on this one



found these two mags.  1957 and 58
I read them and now not sure what to do with them
$2. 00 a piece

Sunday, September 4, 2011

autumn beauty

I guess besides springtime, the autumnal time of year runs a close first for being my favorite season
The cold months can be miserable at times,  I really don't think I would want to live without the four seasons like we have here in Virginia.   Not yet any way,  I may change my mind as I get older.
On my walk around the yard,  I took some pictures of flowers that are giving a beautiful end of season flowering
I don't recall the name of this one,   I bought it late and didn't know it would bloom

.   A showy plant with beautiful purple pink color of leaves
can always count on this one to grow and bloom nicely no matter what the weather,
mom always called it moss rose,  the portulaca

geranium fizzling out

my favorite hibiscus,  I believe I heard it called swamp hibiscus (not sure of that )

potato vine with a puny geranium

one lonesome bloom on the hydrangea bush

purple basil grows very large and so fragrant

I cut the petunias back very often,   keeps them lush and not so leggy.  They grow back over night it seems
There is basil in pot with them

Love this tea rose.   The color of it shimmers in the light, my favorite

This rose is the prettiest in spring and now autumn,  it is  monthly rose but is not this pretty in summer

keeping the  trimming up to force a shape
I dug this one up from under a bush that sprouted new growth
hope it continues to thrive

time to plant some mums