Under a Blue Moon

Photo from Susan Branch

I can't remember when Susan Branch first entered my consciousness.  I just remember being utterly enchanted by her life and her books.  I think she was the original blogger – only on paper.  She had that same style of openness and sharing of her life that bloggers have. 

I felt invited into her world – like I could show up on her door step and she would welcome me in and whip up something wonderful for us to eat.  Then she would show me her latest watercolors for her upcoming cookbook.

One thing that has always stayed with me is my absolute lust for her little kitchen garden.  She had a teeny picture of it on the end paper in one of her books.  I have carried that picture in my mind for about 15 years now. 

It has always been my intention to have a kitchen garden, surrounded by a white picket fence just like that.  Now my intention is going to come into fruition. 

Our plan is to have the chicken Palais be one end of the garden.  There will be four raised beds with gravel paths between them.  We purposely centered the screen door on the chicken run so it would line up with the gravel path down the center of the garden.  

I am thinking that the space will be both a vegetable garden and a cut flower garden and I'm envisioning  a bucolic scene of chickens free ranging amongst the flowers and tomatoes, keeping the pest population down while simultaneously fertilizing the place (and in my fantasy they leave the vegetation alone…we'll see how that goes).

We hope to break ground this fall and get the fencing up and the beds laid.  I'll drag you all along in the process.

In the meantime I wholeheartedly recommend you pick up some of her books (okay – all).  They are the cookbooks in my collection that just fall open to well-loved, well-splattered recipes.

I did a little Antique Trove shopping on my lunch break yesterday.  I was in a white mood, evidently.

I don't know how to tell if milk glass is vintage or not.  Not that it really matters to me.  As long as I like the piece I don't care how old it is.  I just don't want to be paying vintage prices for something that is newer.  The cachepot was inexpensive and I love the lines of it so to me it was good buy.

The cut-work and lace dresser scarf was only $5.  It has a number of small holes in the fabric and in the lace which explains the price.  I tend to layer my white linens so the small holes won't be as evident.   I may end up dissecting the piece to use in other projects. 

My final purchase was a square pillow sham. Unfortunately you can't see the embroidery on it.  There are a few small, easily repairable holes in the crocheted part. 

I saw an exquisite Victorian child's wicker chair (chippy white paint) but it was missing some of the wicker detail along the top.  It was so shabby and beautiful I almost bought it to use as a photo prop.  If the missing part wasn't so obvious I would have bought it.  Of course it probably would have been about three times as much.

I also almost bought a vintage white slip.  It was in perfect condition and had that pleated chiffon hem detail that I love so much.  I bet it is one of those things that I kick myself for not buying. 

I may have to go back…

 

I was duped. 

Every couple of months I wander into our local Goodwill and browse the houseware aisles in case there is a treasure lurking amongst all the commemorative Kahlua mugs. 

Last week I found the sweetest sugar and creamer set.  It has a nice weight to it for a silver plated set.  I love the swirly detail on the handles.

And each piece was only $1.98.  The lids were taped on and they were quite tarnished but I loved the diminutive size of them so I took them to the counter and paid for them.

Oh for crying out loud.  There's Waldo again.  I forgot to jump out of the way when I took the picture and there I am in my sweaty gym clothes.

Do you notice anything else?  Look at the pretty finial on top of the sugar bowl.  And now let's take a look at the creamer….

The lids don't match.  I didn't notice when I was at Goodwill because the lids were taped down with a big piece of packing tape.  It wasn't until I got them home and was polishing them that I noticed that one of them has cheap, blobby looking finial.

This little set was going to be my first offering in my Etsy shop.  I want to sell vintage goods and I thought this would be the perfect start to my inventory.

Ah well. 

So let me be a cautionary tale to all of you.  Check your purchases carefully.  Even if they are only $1.98 
 

I am puppy sitting for the ever photogenic Remy.  His people are a much deserved few days away and I get to snuggle with Remy.  Other than wanting to chase Belle (who wants nothing to do with him) he is the perfect house guest. 

He is very busy when he is at our house.  There are squirrels that need barking at.  There are other dogs in the neighborhood that he is trying to communicate to.  I wonder if they understand each other? 

I took him out for a stroll on the property early Sunday morning.  He posed on the rock for about 1/8 of a second.

Whoops and then he's off.  Squirrel sighting!  He would much prefer to be off the leash but I'm just certain he'll take off running and I'll never see him again (not to mention the explaining I would have to do to his people…).

I keep meaning to do a post about the yard.  I wanted to do a short video and one of these days I will.  I'll take you all berry picking with me.  We have about 3 acres of blackberry bushes taking over the property.  In the meantime here's a shot from the fence along the road – looking towards the house.  That's our driveway and the big rock on the right is the one Remy was posing on.  We have these huge granite boulders all over the property.  One reason we didn't put a pool in.   They don't call it Granite Bay for nothing.

 
 

More handmade vintage loveliness.  This time coming all the way from Australia.  Mary from Scottish Nanna sent me a lovely embroidered tabletopper and two embroidered doilies. 

Thank you so much Mary – it was such an unexpected treat. I'm always just floored and a wee bit bewildered when someone, who has never met me in person, takes the time and effort to send me something – particularly something so 'me.'   I feel like Garth from Wayne's World "I'm not worthy…"

I love the bright colors in this - I had to get a bouquet of flowers that matched.  I searched all over for Batchelor Buttons but couldn't find any. 

We had a busy weekend.  Nicki came up for a couple of days and we drove to Murphys to visit Sara and pick up a certain little bundle of adorable puppiness.  We are pup sitting for a few days. 

Monday got here way too quickly.