Thank You, Mrs. Jones

We take the same walk nearly every morning.

We walk out to the beach - Pierpont Elementary school sits on the ocean and today the kindergarten class was doing math on the beach.

Lulu plays on the beach.

We walk through the park

and finish our walk back home along the boulevard so that Lulu can dry off from her daily swim.

Today I remembered to take the camera along because I wanted to show you the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jones.

We walk past their home every day and just before Easter, 

this rusty old wheelbarrow was sitting in their driveway with a sign that read 'FREE'.

Mrs. Jones said there wasn't enough space for the wheelbarrow in their eclectic garden

full of cleverly designed sculptures.

So, the rusty wheelbarrow with the flat tire was taken to our house.

where it sat for a few weeks

until Steve drilled holes in the bottom for drainage and I planted flowers to create a wheelbarrow garden.

Thank you Mrs. Jones.

..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..

I am joining

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rooted in Thyme for Simple & Sweet Fridays

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson for Share Your Cup Thursday

Little Changes . . . Everywhere

My goal for today was to work in the garden all day long.

Well, Mother Nature put the kabosh on that - cold wind throughout the day and into the night - so instead of weeding and planting in the garden, I rearranged nearly every flat surface in the house.

Changes began in the entryway with pitchers replacing glass bottles on the cupboard.

An old stool, a biscuit tin and an April Cornell enamel bowl in a corner of the kitchen sport some of my favorite things - numbers, polka dots and checks.

Wire baskets replaced pitchers and bowls on the dining room shelf

while another shelf in the dining room got a simple update to blue and white.

The glass jars that were removed from the entryway found a new home on the mantel.

The fireplace screen was removed until fall and a basket of flowers fills in the hole.

My C collection was moved from the dining room to a side table in the living room.

The vignette on the cabinet in the hall has not changed for months so a new display was definitely in order.

I like the white objects in the foreground allowing Steve's painting of a Bleeker Street door to be the focal point.

I braved the wind (which is still howling at midnight) long enough to cut some roses from the garden.

To the casual observer, my house probably looks the same because the furniture rarely moves, but today, there were little changes . . . everywhere.

..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..

I am joining these fine ladies at

Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

Ivy and Elephants - What's It Wednesday

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Green Willow Pond - What We Accomplished Wednesday

Paris in a Cup

When I began my blog in January of 2012, I had no idea how blogging would affect my life.

I never dreamed that one day I would be having lunch in California with a blogging friend from Indiana.

I first "met" Patty of Patty's Pretty Things when she signed up for, and won, a giveaway on my blog.''

Patty requested a large black A for her pillow

We were partnered last fall ( she loves green and I love red) in the Chaotic Goddess Color Swap.

And, I was really excited when Patty told me that she was coming to California to participate in An Affaire at Downton in Los Angeles. 

via

She arrived a few days early so on Wednesday, I took a lovely drive along the coast through Malibu and Santa Monica to meet Patty in person.

    vintage shops - Venice Beach                 Old Helms Bakery Shops                     Old Towne Orange

I had given Patty a few choices of places to vist and she chose Old Towne Orange.

Great minds think alike because we both had done our research and picked Paris in a Cup as the place we wanted to eat - so Paris it was.

The environment was lovely,

the presentation was perfect

the food was delicious

and the conversation was non-stop.

With 100's of stores to choose from and a limited amount of time, we walked into Country Roads and spent almost our entire shopping time there.

Numerous vendors have filled their booths with eye catching displays.

We just peeked at the garden displays in the back.

I love the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint booth with the strips of paint colors on the walls.

These beachy pillows were calling my name.

Nearly every booth had a gorgeous quilt or two.

Oh, that ladder vignettte!

I thought of my friend Kathy of Kluless when I saw a booth with steampunk items.

These hearts are going onto my TO DO list - notice the knitted heart in the back.

With all the beautiful eye candy to absorb, I only bought only one thing.

A single little zinc pot was all I purchased at Country Roads.

It is a long drive, but I think I need to go back to buy a door or window, that ladder, definitely the gate and that really cute little zinc banner.

And, I almost forgot to show you the sweet little macaroon box that Patty brought me filled with a little nest pendant she made.

Thanks Patty for a fun day.

..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..