A Country Girl At Heart ♥ ...

~ Grazing an August pasture~
***
On Saturday, we spent the day at our good friend's farm. It was a beautiful day, and while hot and humid in the city, the air in the country was cool and refreshing.
The garden was set up with long tables covered with vintage cloths and jars filled with freshly picked flowers overlooking corn covered fields ~ I love the country ambiance!
The majority of our meal came from their farm ~ plump field tomatoes in oil/vinegar and basil, sliced potatoes and onions, salad greens, rocket, endive, frisee and homemade bread ~ a vegetarians delight :-) The desert bar was equally delicious with homemade treats and fresh fruit and because it was our hostess' birthday ... carrot cake!
I live in the city ... but I really am a country girl at heart ♥
***

Tasha Tudor Day ...

I subscribed to Tasha Tudor's "Early Bird Post" ages ago. Being a long time admirer of Tasha's artwork and lifestyle, it is always a joy to find the "Early Bird Post" in my e-mail box once a month letting me know of upcoming events and happenings.

Early this week, my "Early Bird Post" spoke of celebrations of what would have been Tasha's 95th Birthday and included a link to Clarise's blog Storybook Woods. I had participated in Clarise's Tasha Tudor Day on my older blog two years ago & wrote posts on my admiration.
Tasha Tudor created a life she loved and shared snippets of it with the world through her art work. Her gentle style depicted her love of dogs, nature, flowers & I especially loved how she framed many of her pictures with little sketches surrounding the artwork itself ~ a picture within a picture.

I thought of her when I would sit and sketch and write little story books for my own children when they were little. Remembering that had it not been for persistence (visiting every publisher in New York personally and being rejected) her first book Pumpkin Moonshine may never have been published :-)

Over the years, my collection of Tasha Tudor books has grown. I am always looking to add to it and on occasion I have found a book I already own but purchased it again knowing I could share it with someone else :-)

Looking forward to visiting the links at Storybook Woods today and reading what other bloggers are sharing on Tasha Tudor Day ♥

***

"Life isn't long enough to do all you could accomplish.

And what a privilege to be alive.

In spite of all the pollutions and horrors, how beautiful this world is.

Supposing you only saw the stars once every year.

Think what you would think.

The wonder of it!"

~Tasha Tudor~

Thankful {things I love} Thursday...

YOU'VE GOT MAIL!

***

What a wonderful thing is the mail,

capable of conveying

across continents

a warm

human

hand-clasp

~Unknown~
***

Spotted this lovely mailbox on a drive in the country yesterday afternoon. It was one in a row of mailboxes but the only one that indicated "You've got mail" ♥

One Word A Week Wednesday...

33/52

ART

***

Life is the art

of drawing without

an eraser

~John W Gardner~

34/52

FRAGRANCE

***

To be overcome

by the fragrance of flowers

is a delectable form

of defeat

~Beverly Nichols~

Since I was away last week (and without a computer) , today's O.W.A.W.W. post includes last weeks word too :-)

Our Hibiscus is in full bloom & providing most of the colour in the garden as most of our other plants are spent. Each year the blooms seem to get bigger and bigger!

On The Road Again ...

See you in a week! :-)

***

I travel

not to go anywhere,

but to go.

I travel for travels sake.

The great affair

is to move.

~Robert Louis Stevenson~

One Word A Week Wednesday...

Knowing how much I love letters & numbers written on pottery etc... my daughter found this wonderful hand for me a while ago. I have it displayed on a book shelf in the kitchen & it makes the perfect recipe holder :-)
Well loved recipes that I will never part with even though I know them by heart...
some of my older recipe books have little scribbles and drawings on them ... notes written by my children while they helped me bake ...
those are my favourites ♥

32/52

Taste

***

When baking

follow directions.

When cooking

go by your own taste.

~Laiko Bahrs~

Summertime ...

Summertime

and the livin' is easy ...

{photo of my clothesline using texture by Kim Klassen}

I am thankful

for a lawn that needs mowing

windows that need cleaning

and gutters that need fixing

because it means

I have a home.

I am thankful

for the pile of laundry

and ironing

because it means

my loved ones

are nearby.

~Nancie J Carmody~
***

Boats, Birds, Butterflies & Blooms ...

Summer Vacation has "officially" begun ...

We took a 2 hr cruise ...

and enjoyed the views from a 100 year old vessel ...

when we stepped off the ferry, we stopped for lunch, then walked around the island and

took LOTS of photos :-)

So occupied in sipping up the moisture from the Butterfly bush

I was able to take many photos of the Red Admiral Butterfly .

Then the Red Spotted Purple landed on the hydrangea...

Such a pretty butterfly ...

and beautiful gardens ...

"Just living is not enough" said the butterfly

"One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower"

~Hans Christian Anderson~
Happy August!