Primulas: Brighten Your Table Instantly

I just wanted to take a minute to encourage you to buy primulas. They are an easy way to bring a happy touch into your home. On the West Coast, primulas have been available for a while now and they should start appearing at home improvement centers in the Midwest any time now. These happy-go-lucky plants are reasonable (often $1.25/plant) and they look so pretty in the center of the table.

I know that on the West Coast, these annuals are often planted in casual landscaping or in pots outdoors and have a long bloom time. I must confess that I do not buy them with the plan to keep them around. My wish is to enjoy them for 2-3 weeks of color and cheerful decoration. 

I brought out 4 neutral place mats, some bamboo-style silverware and 4 print napkins that my aunt gave me for Christmas. What makes the table look finished? 6 fresh primulas (still in their original plastic pots) resting on clear plastic saucers to protect the table. Voila!

Making A Home: Flowers Help Add Warmth

I am making a home in the Pacific Northwest. While I used to call our style "Swedish Beach House" (oval back dining chairs, plate racks with dishes, blue & white furniture), our new style is evolving into what I'm calling '"New Nordic" (birch and wood, neutrals, lots of light). I know it might seem silly, but naming  my design aesthetic amuses me.

So far, the furniture from our old house looks great in our new place. Some friends have visited and not even recognized it. The walls are neutral, the floors are dark wood or light carpeting. Slowly but surely, I am getting a handle on where I want the lamps and which decorative touches work. 

My favorite question so far has been "Are those flowers real?" 

Yes, flowers are my oxygen and I try to have some in the house each week. When the farmers markets are rocking from May 1 - Oct 1, its easy. After that, the grocery store will do. This image (a gentle dahlia bouquet) was taken in the end of September. A month has pasted, but somehow my roses still have blooms for me to snip! I'm loving this new climate.

I will show you vignettes around the house as I decorate this holiday season. I have so many bits and bobs I can't wait to see what fits where.

Richmond: Welcome Home

I think I would have an overwhelming sense of community, of belonging, if I walked out of my house every morning and could see this endless view of historic porches.  And the crisp American flag down the way clinches it.  This is a street that is proud to welcome you.

My dear friends have bought themselves a historic house in Richmond, Virginia and they are in love.  With each other, of course, but also with this little piece of Americana.

 

I was thrilled to "get a tour" of the house and admire the fresh paint, original fireplaces and all the touches they have done to make a house a home.  This little beauty will be 100 years old next year and she is darn lucky to have such devoted owners.  After a century of families, friends and folks living here, I can only imagine what she would say "if walls could talk" but I'm pretty sure it would be...Welcome Home. 

Goldfinch Feeder

My new bird feeder is worth it's weight in gold, if you'll pardon the pun.  It is specifically for goldfinch and for a mere $5 (complete with nyjer seed!), it is my best purchase in a long time.  I can sit in my office working away on my next book (yea!) and see these super sweet birds enjoying lunch.  
My parents gave me a goldfinch sack feeder a few years ago (which I hung in this same dogwood tree) and that is how I came to realize how much I enjoy birdwatching. The sack, however, was too fragile for the area I hang it.  The squirrels could jump/dangle and tear it open easily.  This plastic tube feeder hasn't been touched by the squirrels at all.  And it is not a "one time use" feeder.  I am happy to report that you can pull the top off and refill as needed.  I'll track down the brand (I bought it at Meijers, our local grocery superstore) and list it here soon.
Have you ever hung a goldfinch feeder?