My summer style

It all started with a paisley fabric.

In the process of renovating our dining room,

I have gone through another round of

purging, minimizing, and down-scaling

possessions.

I stumbled across a super soft paisley linen shirt

in the closet that no longer fit my husband,

and rather than donate it, I decided to use it

to cover a pillow.

From this pillow, a palette was born--
time-worn reds, robin's egg blues, and loads
of ever-present white.





I "shopped" in various rooms around the house
to find things that fit.
Accents from the garden always add a
touch of life and color.





Lanterns and pale blue stones
evoke a maritime sensibility.





Fern fronds bring some height to groupings
and are a reflection of my love of nature.






The tray contains all the elements I seek--
honesty of material, simplicity of design,
and odes to both the summer garden and light.





Max, my male tabby, desperately wanted
some attention while I was taking photos.
Look at that expression!
He is quite hard to resist.





Even the cover of the latest issue of
Cottages & Bungalows fits the scheme.

I noticed many posts featuring red, white, and blue
around the 4th of July holiday.
At that point in time, my inspiration had not yet hit.
As you all know, the muse comes when she is ready,
and takes her own sweet time!

Happy Sunday, dear friends!

I hope you are enjoying the weekend.

Thanks so much for all the wonderful and

encouraging comments.

I appreciate each and every one!!

(Please pardon the test spacing.

Sometimes blogger does its own thing,

regardless of how hard I try

to exert my will)

Until next time...

Anne

Thoughts of summer

"In summer, the song sings itself"

~ William Carlos Williams

To honor this most carefree season

I am taking some tips from

style maven and "good things" expert,

Martha Stewart.

Throw open the doors,

letting air and light

infuse a home with freshness

Hang mosquito netting

from the rafters

to make slumbers

flow like dreams

Display gifts from nature,

remnants of days at the sea shore,

alongside cast-off items found

while treasure hunting




Sometimes the most important things

in life are a porch swing and a tall glass

of iced tea

Lines blurred between the out-of-doors and in

keep us connected to

the cycles and seasons of nature's dance





Fresh-cut flowers are instant room

and mood brighteners

Sunshine does a waltz across bare floors

There is nothing better than a handsome man

who has a way with food and decor.

Free-flowing arrangements are the most

welcoming and inviting.

I hope you take some time to enjoy the season.

Until next time...

Anne

All images courtesy of Martha Stewart

My favorite summertime read

"The sky is flesh.

The great blue belly arches

above the water and bends down

behind the line of the horizon.

It's a sight that has exhausted its magnificence

for me over the years,

but now I seem to be seeing it for the first time..."




image via flickr (crazyhorse)


So begins the book I Was Amelia Earheart

by Jane Mendelsohn,

a story I turn to as the heat of summer

slams into this part of the country like a

merciless wave.




image via flickr (drp)


From the opening sentence I was hooked.

The book tells the rest of her story,

the one not reported in the papers or

on the radio.





image via flickr (ecstaticist)

"More and more now, I remember things.

Images, my life, the sky...

Whether life is more real than death, I don't know.

What I know is that the life I have lived since I died

feels more real to me than the one I lived before..."

This book has the languid pace of a humid summer day.

The lyrical prose is to be savored slowly,

allowed to percolate into one's consciousness

like the residue of a dream.

There is a seasonal pattern to my reading,

which I have gradually come to realize over the years.

This book is one I turn to only in high summer,

and it has become a launching pad for my latest reverie.

Until next time...
Anne

Summer's simple pleasures

Nothing tugs at my heart

quite like white roses

in old glass bottles.

The beauty of simplicity

is what I most crave in my life.

There is a purity of being that comes

when form and function unite.

And the moment I become

aware and appreciative

of this unity,

all is right with my world.

Happy 4th of July!

Until next time...

Anne