Summer-ing…

June 29, 2012 Amy11 Comments

It’s been an incredibly busy week. We are a household in chaos. Drama camp, Sewing camp, Vacation Bible School, two full time jobs….it’s depleted all of us. The children are fussy, the parents are fussy, the uncut grass is tall, the laundry is piled in a chair, and takeout reigns supreme.

But this morning, I had a few minutes…

To look around…to enjoy things that are beautiful today…in this moment…

The morning glories have overtaken my favorite birdhouse. I love the messy opulence of it…

The illusion of the trailing vines spilling onto the ground…as opposed to their herculean effort of reaching toward the sun.

Zinnias so bright and beautiful that I had to capture them, just for a moment.

And bring them inside with a little Lantana

and Lemon Balm….heady stuff!

Just a few minutes of peace and purpose, tucked in at the end of a flurry of summering.

I'm loving this!

I’m Loving This…

June 25, 2012 AmyLeave a comment

I love fragrance. I stock up twice a year, and I don’t necessarily economize. Because of this, there tends to be a bit of excitement when I make my semi-annual selections. And naturally, when I’m excited, I like to share!

Jo Malone Iris and lady Moore Cologne. Feminine and floral but deliciously different. I love the packaging as well-it’s what first caught my eye! Its’ light but lingering at the same time. Floral, almost powdery, but with a spicy edge.

Bulgari Omnia Crystalline-A mingling of lotus flowers, nashi and balsa wood. It’s floral, yes, but very light with a fruity edge to it. It makes for a great summer scent.

And I always come back to Estee Lauder. This time, I opted for Sensuous Nude-despite a very warm fragrance core, this scent is light and delicate. It’s described as a woody musk, but is fragranced with Bergamot, Rose and Jasmine petals. Wonderful!

Gardening

Miscellany… of the Horticultural Variety

May 25, 2012May 25, 2012 Amy3 Comments

Today, I’m missing my mom because I want to know what this is. So I’m in the market for a surrogate mom. Can anybody tell me what this is? They’re in my front garden beds and they’re beautiful and I love them and I want to know what to call them!

Most of the year, they just provide beautiful variegated foliage. Then in late spring, they put out these beautiful clusters in all shades from lavender to almost white. Again, I love them.

While on the subject of plants that I love-I LOVE HYDRANGEAS! My Hydrangeas are so beautiful right now.

They’re fascinating to me. The litmus paper of the horticultural world. I’m always amazed at the different shades from yard to yard and plant to plant. In fact, this year I’m amazed at the variation of shade I’m seeing in one plant.