Chalk a Doodle

Ever since hanging our wine rack and clock, we've been looking for the perfect piece to fill the hole above the light switch. We found it this weekend at Pride's in Westport - a little slate rooster chalkboard. Roosters are good luck in the kitchen, and I like that this one is simple and clean, plus having a little space to write messages is fun. So here's our little friend in his home.

Happy Memorial Day!

Reading Corner

For as long as we've lived here (that's three years as of this month - so hard to believe!) we've wanted the corner of our living room to be a perfect reading corner. We bought a chaise lounge and tucked it next to the fireplace, next to two bright windows, but it's always been missing something.

And that something is . . . . light! Shortly after our kitchen remodel, we got a gift card in the mail from Restoration Hardware, completely unexpected. I called them and was informed that when we exchanged some items, we were credited an incorrect amount. They discovered this during a sales audit, and mailed me the difference. 

 So in late march I purchased the light, only to find out it was on backorder. Fast forward two months (if only I could have fast forwarded!) and the light finally arrived. So, after three years we finally had our reading corner.

We love the clean lines and the contrast of the dark metal with the smooth white glass shade, and it looks great with a little edison bulb glowing. It lights up our little corner perfectly - time to find a glass of wine and a good book!

Spring Harvest

I had this afternoon off, so I spent it in the garden. We've been really rainy the last few days, so everything out there is blooming and growing very quickly. I brought in our biggest harvest so far this year - some green beans, peas, strawberries and our first pepper. (The beer was for hydration).

Overall, the garden has been fantastic this year. It's been a warm, sunny spring with lots of rain, and on by my third time around I had learned a lot about planting in a small space. I couldn't be happier with the results. We're eating lots of strawberries (I'm beginning to freeze some of them), and we've had lots of onions and lettuce so far.

Our tomatoes and peppers are covered in flowers and buds, so those should be good for eating very soon. Our beets and carrots are also getting close. As far as the potatoes go, I have no clue how to tell if they're ready. I'll have to figure that one out . . . . 

The flower gardens are also filling in. This one in the backyard was planted last summer, but we rearranged it this summer to add a weeping cherry tree. If you squint you might be able to see it. Someday it will provide great shade and privacy. 

This is the bed I planted along the side of our porch earlier this year (shown here). It's quickly filling in and is currently bright with lily blooms. 

And here are a few more garden shots, just for the fun of it. Can you find the ant?