Saturday, September 27, 2014

This & that

It is 11:14 a.m. EST, here at Plum Cottage, in s.e. Fl, it is 86 but with the humidity the real feel temp is 96. I think we’ve had rain just about every day for nearly two weeks.  Finally earlier this morning the sun came out and I thought now’s my chance, I need to mow. I didn’t get to last week, and rain is predicted every day up until the 9th. So, out I went, it felt good to be outdoors, it took me 45 minutes to mow. I am happy to have that done. I enjoy mowing, have since I lived at home and my sisters and I took turns mowing.  There are rain clouds gathering again.  The picture below are rain clouds from this morning. It did rain for maybe 5 minutes, then cleared and the sun came out.

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It’s been an indoor week needless to say. I’ve done some cleaning, still more to do.  I rearranged the mantle for fall, by putting out a cluster of alabaster grapes my dear husband had a friend of ours get when he went to Italy on leave. (This is while we were in Spain, while DH was in the US Navy.) The alabaster has been sprayed the reddish color. It does have a real grape vine section for the stem. I have different scented candles, pine, mulled cider, cupcake, Frangelico, and black cherry that I have sitting on the mantle too. Now that fall is here I feel like lighting candles to scent the room.

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This morning another needleworker showed her workspace on her blog and I was relieved. I’m not the only one with a messy work area. That inspired me to take pics of my space after working in here this week.  Here is my desk.

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This is beside my chair, containers of beads, books, stretcher, etc.

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Here is my work space, what a hoot! I need to clear it off, just so I can mess it up again.  I ordered 23 tubes of beads yesterday as they were 20% off, so now I’ll have a good selection of colors. I got the email notice while I was working on a beaded embroidered piece.  Smile

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I finished these two pieces. This coming week I want to get several pieces into my Etsy shop.  It’s been awhile since I last had anything in there for sale. Losing my ‘loving encourager’ has taken a toll on me in different areas of my life, that is for sure.

(Edited ~ 5:02 p.m. ~ I just got an email from a friend who is buying the ‘hope’ heart, so it won’t be going into my Etsy shop.)

Sold Smile

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Blooms at Plum Cottage.

Vanda ‘Miss Joachim’ with morning sunlight hitting them.

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This is a wonderful lavender, Lavendula ‘Pinnata’. This does very well in FL.  I love the scent. In the background is a bloom of ‘Rose de Rescht’.

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Blue Pea vine blooms on the back arbor.

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Here are yellow dwarf Poinciana blooms with morning rainclouds behind.

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The next three photos are of ‘Kathleen’ one of my favorite roses.

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Isn’t this little rose bud sweet?  I don’t know what kind of rose it is, but I am enjoying it.

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This is a full bloom from the same bush.

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‘Rose de Rescht’, what a wonderful scent. I love it. This is from my friend Deb and her hubby Charlie.

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This might be ‘Bon Silene’. I’ve still not tackled the west paths in the main garden. Maybe this coming week, in between rain and if it isn’t too hot out.

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‘Maman cochet’

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‘The Paul McCartney’ rose.

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One morning this week before the rain started, I felt like doing something different in the ‘creative’ dept. I had these bucket of brass pipes with two holes at one end, that a friend of ours had been going to make wind chimes with. He gave them to us before he passed away a few years ago. They went into our stash of things to do. Well, I got inspired to dig them out after listening to nice you-tube videos with wind chimes making their music. I also dug out a rusty gear DH had in his stash, which I wire brushed, then strung monofilament through the tubes and tied them onto the gear. There are 6 tubes. They sound wonderful.  I need to find a round wood piece to hit the pipes and a metal piece to catch the wind. So far I’ve not found what I wanted.

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That’s it for now. Enjoy your last weekend in September.

I’m off to take a nap.

FlowerLady

23 comments:

Nancy J said...

Your roses are beautiful, and the chimes will add so much to the lovely garden, being creative and inventive( is that a real word?) all adds to life's joy. Hugs, Jean.

Terra said...

I like your work area, it shows you have lots of creative ideas and potential. I am a bit jealous of your rain, we are in a drought here in California. I prefer our temperatures though.

organicgardendreams said...

Dear Lorraine, I loved to see some of your roses! ‘Kathleen’ is sooo... pretty and I adore the 'The Paul McCartney’ rose.
That is so cool that you made a wind chime out of recycled pieces from your stash. The rustic look is quite appealing to me and it fits perfectly into your garden. Wishing you a nice rest of the weekend!
Christina

Ruth Hiebert said...

Oh I love seeing all the beautiful flowers. We have had it hot here the last week as well and I am ready for cooler weather.

crafty cat corner said...

Lorraine, you are not the only messy worker, I am continually clearing up only to make a real mess again its not a bad thing, just simply being creative.
Your hearts are gorgeous, I do hope they sell.
Hugs
Briony
x

L. D. said...

You have been so busy. Your bead work is so great to see. An artist with paint creates a masterpiece and immediately moves it away from the work place and hangs it in another beautiful room. You have to have your stuff out in order to work. The flowers, especially roses, are really looking good.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

I continue to be amazed
at your talent and beautiful roses.
Have a wonderful weekend..

Anonymous said...

I just love your mantle. Your entire cottage has such a cozy feel to it . . . even your "messy" work area.

I also love the vintage wind chimes you are making - those are right up my alley!

The rain has been glorious here in central Florida. My vegetable garden has had a great start thanks to the daily showers. Now, if we could just get the temps to drop a little (not to much though!). :-)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, FlowerLady.

Hugs,

eli

Julie said...

I sure hope you got a good nap after mowing! Love your area to create. If it wasn't messy it just wouldn't look right! Lol. It was great to have a sunny day!!!!! I made a new kitty and just posted it! A strawberry kitty! Love your needlework hearts, your lovely flowers! The grapes in your fall display are gorgeous!!!!! Happy fall to us, even though still so hot! A few more months to go for some cooler air!
Have a wonderful evening!!!!!

Marti said...

You take the best pictures! Your flowers are gorgeous as usual too. I didn't mind mowing the yard when I was young, but it really takes a toll on me now. I can't imagine doing it in the humidity you had today. I do like the look of a freshly mowed yard though.

lil red hen said...

I've just had another lovely visit at Plum Cottage, viewing your beautiful bead work and flowers. May I come again?

Gary said...

Good morning Lorraine,
Another lovely visit to Plum Cottage. You have such a warm and personal space, created by two obviously warm and personal people. A workspace isn't right without a bit of mess! Do take care.

Betty said...

I love your fall mantle, it is so pretty. We are having a drought here in WV, not a big one though. I posted about my sewing room and for now it is neat, but if you saw it last week it was not. Mine will stay neat for alittle while and than it will be messy again.

Rebecca said...

The roses & other flowers are SO delicate & beautiful...
I think you know how much I enjoy seeing personal spaces (interiors). The photo of your workspace shows it to be inspiring, warm, inviting.
Windchimes! Can't wait to see the finished product AND where you hang it ♥
How appropriate - that the "hope" heart has found a new home.

gld said...

Your work area made me smile. I say if a work area is too neat it hasn't been used!

Flowers are beautiful and so are your needlework pieces.

Sandra said...

What a pretty fall mantle, I love it :)

And way I see a workspace, is that it's the only place in the house allowed to get crazy because that is where creativity is flowing.

Hope you're having a great weekend.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

I always love seeing your cute little home --with all of your creative things to keep you busy--and with all of your beautiful plants and flowers outside...

Aren't roses just amazing? I love it when seeing them from buds 'til they completely die. So many different colors and looks...

Good luck with your Etsy shop sales. You do such gorgeous work.

Hugs,
Betsy

sweetbay said...

Beautiful shots of the butterfly pea and mystery rose!

Sally said...

You are a really creative lady! I love your bead work.
It's fun to see your "tropical" paradise....so different from what NE is like! Happy Gardening!

tina said...

You guys are lucky to be getting so much rain but the humidity of course is not so fun. Glad you got your lawn mowed. I too love to mow. Your work is so beautiful. And if your workspace works for you so what if it is messy (I don't really think it is). My desk is always a mess but it works for me. Have a great day!

M.K. said...

The chime looks beautiful! Can't wait to see it finished. And the grape cluster is so very nice! What a treasure to have for the autumn. I really love the photo of your work space with the window behind and lace, the warm light. It's lovely, and looks so creative. Keep making things!!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I love your creativity! That wind chime is really cool. I hope you find what you need to finish it.

Deb said...

A messy desk is the result of a creative mind. You fit in here with the rest of us creative people. The Hope heart is lovely as is the other one. As always thanks for sharing the garden photos, this year I lost my entire garden mid season so I enjoy seeing your flowers.