Happy Mother's Day..

I don't know of too many (especially, female bloggers) who aren't writing about Mother's Day in some form or another....Remember, this started out as a "Design Blog", but has also been about life...mine, and those who are sharing this world with me.
This is an especially difficult weekend for me; my Mama's birthday would have been yesterday (she passed at 58, 25 years ago), and today is Mother's Day...A day doesn't go by that I don't think about her. She was beautiful in every way....as you can see...and I thank her for inheriting those legs.... We were poor...really "dirt poor"...literally, dirt floors (which were swept, sprinkled with water, and hand-made rag rugs covered most of them)...a "RC Cola" sign for a roof...we lived on Indian Land in Oklahoma...We never went hungry, were always clean..and we didn't have much, but as I got older, things improved..for awhile.
I don't want to bring out the violins, and play, "I've been traged", but merely paying tribute to a woman, who always worked..and after my father, a police officer, was shot in the line of duty, she went to work at the police station...later, the sheriff's office...
We always had books in the house, and paper in pencils.. both my sister and I loved to draw, and she encouraged and praised us- she was my best friend, my rock..my muse.

Babies are babies.....

And kids will be kids (this time, literally)..getting themselves into all kinds of situations...whereupon, the mama has to rescue them..I know mine did, many, many times..After which, they often need to rest....Thanks to all the Mamas..and rest in peace, dear Mama..I will always love you.

The Garden

Blogging takes alot of patience...I have no patience...but, I do want to share my wonderful friend's garden(s) with ya'll...Especially, since returning from my stay with them in Wisconsin, it is now in the 90's in Texas...All the green and harbingers of Spring up there are a respite from what promises to be a hot, dry, Summer...but, I still love Texas...

So, since I've shared Cam and Jim's home, I want to share their wonderful gardens...an acre over which they toil endlessly with love....(and Jim has a wicked aim with a stone...scaring the bunny that just ate their tulips away)..they do, however, usually catch and relocate..(except the deer)..

This is the view from my guest bedroom window...I love the birdbath from "Gatherings" in Madison, which is sadly, moving to New York..


The photo after this is also from the window...so much has happened already, and plenty more to come..wish I could see it. I am going to play, "One picture is worth a thousand words"; only commenting when it's necessary..enjoy...

Jim is an amazing metal sculptor...this mermaid is fantastic..and large..I shot in front of the bench to give you a sense of her "presence"...love her..

Jim is a wonder at building anything..he added this porch (as I explained in my previous post)..last summer...Here it is this Spring....Cam was going to put some lovely flowers in the pots for the shot, but we didn't get that far....still a bit early there..

Cam took this photograph (which I love) last winter...which is why I left Wisconsin (one of the reasons...)..Spring is wonderful...Winter (for me, at least) not so much...

I created this vignette, using the wonderful, Italian-inspired pottery, and the spring flowers...I can't wait to see the painting Cam will do from it.

I once contributed some photographs I took of Southern porches for a book called, "Out on the Porch", which celebrates the integral part porches has played in the South...Hey, porches are important in the North, as well. Love the color of these chairs.

I didn't get to stay long enough to see the lilacs in full bloom, nor smell their heady scent...I do miss my lilac bushes..

This is the back entrance to the house...Cam commented that she hadn't "dressed it out" yet, but I love it as it is...very Italian..

Jim built the arbor...it looks like gnomes went to work during the night...eventually, honeysuckle, which is already growing nearby, will cover it...just imagine the scent!
I love bleeding heart...I wanted to cut some and press it to bring home with me, but didn't have the heart to cut it up (no pun intended)

Perhaps Cam will grace us with photos of the garden as the season progresses??? Please and thankyou...

I Am Home Again....

This is Cam and Jim, and their rescued Pom, Maggie...they were the perfect hostess and host to me for a whole week, while I was in Madison, WI....We have been such good friends for years, but to have me feel so welcome for that week was such a treat!
Cam and I took long walks, talked, cooked, laughed, shopped, (and shopped), and sometimes, we were just quiet... This is my favorite photograph of Cam in her garden..being the "Italian Earth Mother/Goddess" (for she is truly beautiful outside and in), but, for some reason, I cannot get it any larger than this...try clicking on it..
Yesterday, I tried to put all the photos of both their wonderful farmhouse and their gardens, which are just coming into bloom, with a riot of tulips, lilac, and all the wonderful harbingers of Spring flowers...I don't know why, but lost it all..so today, I am going to just show their farmhouse...tomorrow perhaps, the gardens..

This is Jim at the head of the table, my husband, Bob is on the right, and our friend, Brent, is under the light...This was taken during one of their fabulous dinner parties...We all would take turns entertaining...getting all dressed up, and having great food, spirits, and lots of laughs...I do miss that so....

This is their farmhouse, which is now in an established neighborhood, but believed to be the original farmhouse for quite alot of property..now, they have an acre of beautiful gardens, and sit up on a hill, overlooking the street. Jim built this wonderful porch on last summer, and it so fits the personality of the house (and Jim's love of bright colors)...Cam is wonderful with color, as well, as she is a very talented artist, but left the porch to Jim....I felt a mixture of Tuscan Farmhouse, and Victorian...somehow, they pull this off with great ease.

These chairs welcome you to sit down and have a refreshing drink, or a piece of fruit....again, I love the colors...Keep in mind that in Wisconsin, many of the months are dark and dreary...so, a shot of color keeps up one's spirits.

The inside of their home is also a riot of color...but it works wonderfully..mixing kilims, bright florals for the window treatments, pillows, throws, tapestries, fabulous artwork (many paintings by Cam, and metal sculptures by Jim), crystals, collections of pottery, antiques, plants...and especially, the thing I covet most...Cam's armoire, which breaks down into seven pieces...It houses the television, stereo, and extensive music collection...

This is their dining room/library...I forgot to mention their collection of books...books everywhere..in the dining room/library, in Jim's study, in Cam's studio (she is also an accomplished calligrapher, in the guestroom I occupied (I wish I had photographed it - but once I plunked down all my bags and "stuff", it was too cluttered-It has William Morris wallcovering, and Jim matted and framed Latrec posters...one wall is mirror, an antique bed with beautiful linens, and the view from the window - I will reveal tomorrow).

Back to the dining room/library...it's off the hallway and stairs, which also have another William Morris wallcovering...Jim is amazingly talented in building, painting, wallcovering (Cam has her own set of talents...art, writing, gardening, too many to list)

It was so wonderful to see fresh tulips and spring flowers all through the house....We ate great meals at this table everynight...

The other side of the dining room is all antiques, crstal, paintings, plants, and fabulous red,patterned window treatments....

Back in the living room...more of Cam's work, along with work of friends....Everywhere one looks, there is color..there is art, and always something of interest..all juxtaposed with such flair.

Jim built this ottoman, and they had it upholstered by a fellow I used to use in my design business...it also houses all their Christmas ornaments...We enjoyed last Sunday morning, feet up, watching CBS Sunday Morning, having coffee, and reading the paper..they know how to relax.

It was all I could do not to grab dear, sweet Maggie, and run away with her...but, they wouldn't let me (nor would she)...Poor baby was in a puppie mill for years, in a box, and toothless...Cam and Jim rescued her, and with tenderness, love, and great care, turned her into the happy-go-lucky "Tiny Dancer" that she is today, eight years later....

Thanks so much to you -