Three Busy Weeks

I shouldn't even bother to unpack in May. I just finished two road trips to Virginia, and I'm Virginia bound again next week for a business trip.

Road trip #1 was four wonderful days in the mountains with my friends. It's probably the most relaxing place I know. We went to the farmer's market and a wonderful art fair where I bought a mixed media art piece and a mug that still has my friend Sue rolling her eyes. It was hand painted with a sheep and the colors are great and it was soooo shiny!!!

I love this mug- it holds my whole pot of French Press coffee in the morning. And did I mention the sheep? White sheep and a black sheep.

My Girl Gladys at the mountains....still very shy, but getting better every time I see her. (Gladys has social anxiety.) This photo is not in great focus, but I love the pose. Is she not the cutest dog? Look at that face. And those ears. Silky ears. And look at those woods outside of the window. 

Next I went back to Virginia for the wedding of the daughter of some friends. It was held at the UVA Chapel and was absolutely breathtaking. I took a lot of photos but found that I had none of people once I got home. But I've got some great shots of the chapel. It's a beautiful Gothic structure, built in the early 1800's. 

The reception was held at Keswick Hall, a 5 star resort out in the countryside. A pricy place, but worth every penny if you are up for a little rest and relaxation in the countryside of Virginia.

This photo is taken from their website, because my photos were over exposed and under focused. Thinking you can learn to take photos on manual settings without practicing is not the best idea I've ever had.  Look at those grounds. Well, actually it overlooks a golf course. I'm not a golfer, but it was gorgeous. 

The next day I went to Monticello, the home Thomas Jefferson built in Charlottesville, VA. It was an amazing tour. He was a complex man. He built a complex home and had complex, conflicted views of slavery. He didn't believe a man could or should own another man, but he was afraid to free his slaves. He was as kind to his slaves as slavery could allow. He did not beat them or shackle them. But he owned them, he inventoried them and gifted his daughter with slaves at her marriage. Our tour guide, who was African American, said that it was not PC to speak of slavery either pro or con during his time. 

 His gardens, his writing, his books, his adapted inventions all show a man way ahead of his time. His private chamber consisted of his bedroom, his study and his library. It was all adjacent to his greenhouse.  His love of books, nature, writing and learning was in evidence everywhere I looked. 

It was a fabulous tour. I'm not much of a site seer, but this was well worth the price of the ticket, the shuttle ride to the top of the mountain and the waking. 

 Amazing gnarled tree at Monticello.

 Slave quarters. A family typically lived in a small one room area.

 Old time version of the cook top!

 Wine making at Monticello..... Thomas Jefferson loves his wine and tried to grow wine grapes in Virginia. He did not succeed, but others did later.

Meanwhile, back the the ranch...

The garden grows just fine without me...

It's good to be home this weekend, even if I am packing yet again. Today I indulged in a manicure, a very small amount of house work, listening to a book on tape while playing with some hand lettering techniques. 

What do you mean you are going away again? We are not amused.

Linens And Things

I am 99.9% done with a complete redo of my bedroom. I need one more day of weekend! No such luck.

I love the bedroom. It is restful and serene. I love the ivory with touches of gold here and there. I love being surrounded by lace and linens that Hannie, Mannie and Nora made over 100 years ago. I've always been so fascinated by these ancestors! I know they were very superstitious. A hat was NEVER to be put on a bed. I'm not sure what would happen, but it would be very, very bad! During a thunderstorm they gathered in a closet and said the Litany Of The Saints. In Latin. They must not have invented martinis yet! Ora pro nobis. And I am sure there were a few Mea Culpas thrown in for good measure.

Some of their lacework mounted on a surface over my bed. It still needs a frame- so this is a bit temporary and unfinished looking. The color on my walls photographed funny. It is actually a very rich neutral called Parchment. Not butter yellow as it looks here.

Tea cloth wrapped into a bolster pillow.

My grandmother's Christening gown, made by H,M&N.

New linen curtains with nice pin tuck detail. The mirror over the vanity needs hanging. 

Perfume bottles that belonged to Hannie, Mannie and Nora, plus a little cut glass vase with a sprig of lily of the valley from my garden.

I got a lot of garden work done this weekend too.....but first a look at my little lily of the valley spring in several surroundings.

I love container gardening...

Part of my shade garden area along with my dirty drought ridden bird bath. Yes, sadly, all the birds in my neighborhood are in dire need of a bath. It is my fault that they are dirty. Mea culpa. 

New hummingbird feeder. 

Part of patio area with new flowers. I still need to finish my cushions and a few other things in order to call the patio done. I need TWO more weekend days. 

And finally my one decorating dilemma in my bedroom. My treadmill sits in the corner. It is not pretty. It does fold up so doesn't take up a whole lot of space. I'm wondering if a small room screen would be better. I don't know. I think I just have to learn to live with it. I listened to a workshop about exercise this week that had some amazing statistics about how exercise affects the brain, wards off Alzheimers, Parkinisons, is good for ADD and thighs all at the same time. So maybe this little corner of the room isn't so ugly after all. The tablecloth hanging off the end of the treadmill is NOT doing a good job of hiding it.  I need to come to terms with the fact that I cannot hide it. I am going to bed now and ponder the question of how to make this corner attractive. I'll be back with a full report.