Un peu de beauté pour votre journée ~

Here is a little beauty for your day...it certainly added some to mine!

 

The first of the Clematis to bloom; The blossoms are huge and in such lovely colors. So pretty and sadly I don't remember it's name: oh well.

 

 

I love Clematis but they do better for me in pots, some of them are getting quite large and scampering up the lattice in the gazebo and the climbing roses. In our climate we can cut them back after the initial spring bloom and they bloom again.

 

I however have never found the time to do it...but this year by hook or by crook I am going to!

 

Have a lovely bloom filled day!

Time to go to Bed ~

After a busy day it is always nice to look forward to slipping into my soft, comfy bed and relaxing with a book or two...or sometimes watching television. I love my bedroom, it is one of my favorite rooms in the house. Last night after working all day in the garden and a nice hot shower it sounded particularly appealing.

 

 

 

I like to keep a few flowers on the bedside table along with some books I am currently reading and a fragrant candle. This candle is Fig from Flora and Fauna, a really lovely fresh scent.

 

 And the roses...a David Austin introduction: Mary Rose. It is the rose that many years ago 

 started the  the interest in Austin roses in Southern California and in my opinion is still one of the best. All of the wonderful petals plus its amazing size and wonderful fragrance.

 

 

A few books, some lovely flowers,and the sweetness of fragrance in the air...come on Miss Twiggley it is time to go to bed!

 

 

 ~ Bonne nuit et doux rêves ~ 

 

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The Birthday Girl ~

It is Miss Twiggley's birthday, hard to believe but she is already a year old. I thought I would share the year in photos with you.

 

Here she is at three months old, the day I brought her home ~ how could anything be so adorable...

 

 

...taking a little snooze on a kitchen chair, still a tiny kitten

 

having a bit of teenage fun investigating...

...almost fully grown enjoying the sun in the entry hall window

 

A big girl now...I love how her nose is half black and half pink, she really does have remarable patterning.

 

 

In all of her glory ~ such a beauty!

 

 

I can't tell you how much fun, enjoyment and companionship Miss Twiggley has brought to me. I searched for over two years before I found her and it was well worth the wait.

 

Thank you once again Tracy for breeding such wonderful feline friends.

 

Meow

A Morning Treat ~

 

A friend is coming over this morning to see the garden, so I thought I would make us a little treat to have with a cup of coffee as we meander the garden. My favorite coffee cake is Merk's Coffee Cake, a vintage recipe from the first Los Angeles Times Cookbook.

 

 

 

It is so easy to make and is that perfect combination: brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon and 

butter ~ yum! The addition of sour cream in the batter gives a very light texture.

 

 

This makes a nice size cake and will stay fresh for several days...it even seems to improve with age.

 

Some things never seem to get old ~ Enjoy!

 

 

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Everything is Coming up Roses ~

As you can tell from my April header, everything is coming up roses...or so it seems; they are blooming throughout the garden in magnificent splendor. This morning I took the photo below of the two standard roses flanking the sundial in the little herb garden; the sun was just beginning to peek through. This is one of the main reasons I garden: for the love of roses...and other flowers of course. Roses however will always be my favorite, but if I could grow Peonies that just might be up for further debate.

 

 

What is your favorite flower? So many to choose from it is a difficult choice.

 

Thank you for visiting have a wonderful rosy day!

 

This post has been linked to: http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com.

 

Le Nouveau Projet ~ Pillows

Now that I am feeling better I am trying to finish up some projects; making pillows for the couch in the media/library is first on the list. This couch badly needs to be recovered but until a certain Miss Twiggley is completely trained to not scratch on the furniture (she is doing much better) it isn't going to happen. So for now I have covered it with various throws and even a table cloth...actually I rather like the casual look and it certainly is comfy, but it needs some accent pillows to tie it in with the rest of the room and add a bit of elegance.

 

I started out with these fabrics...I really like the drab green with the dragonfly burgundy pattern and the tone-on-tone gold stripe is perfect...

 

 

...but the checked fabric and tapestry fabric doesn't work with the toile in the drapes as well as this bold stripe and the addition of the needle point cat pillow.

The decorative cording and fringe were perfect ~ I love trim, the more the better!

 

  

 

Voila! I am finished. 

 

 

 Just what I wanted and very easy to do except for all the ruffles, I hate making ruffles but sometimes they are necessary to get the right look and on the gold pillows they were perfect.

 

Cozy, comfortable and Miss Twiggley proof, what more could I ask for.

Now what is left on the project list...oh yes! planting the vegetable garden.

 

 Thank you for visiting ~ Have a lovely day

 

 

Roses and Cherubs ~

 

In the past years I have shared my beautiful yellow Rosa banksiae Lutea, better known as Lady Banks rose with you, and it is indeed gorgeous again this year, but to mix it up a bit I thought that instead of repeating myself I would introduce another Lady Banks rose...this one is a sister to the yellow variety and is called: Rosa banksiae Alba Plena, the white variety and she is a beauty too. Here she is draped over my greenhouse with a little cherub and a Hop vine to keep her company.

 

 

The individual flowers are quite small, but much larger than the yellow Lady Banks, to me they resemble little powder puffs. Like her relative this rose is once blooming and has no fragrance, but I love its charming, rambling, old fashion quality

 

 

I have a real love for garden statues and especially cherubs, this little guy has been in my garden long enough to gain a rich patina

 

 

Soft, pretty colors ~ perfect for these lovely spring days.

 

Wishing you a day full of roses. 

 

Thank you for visiting. 

 

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