Talk about spunk. Here is another look at an article from British Country Living magazine. This is a small boathouse Paula Hamilton found on the Thames. It was built in the 19th century (incredible isn't it) and was basically empty when she found it. She had to remodel three times due to flooding (even more incredible) before she found a company to make the place watertight. She put in terracotta tile floors with pumps built in under them. The company also put in sumps and pumps that come on automatically and installed floodgates in the front which are locked into place in event of a flood and seal on either side with an inflatable membrane. Sound like something CD could do Deb? This gal has nerves of steel. Click on the first two pics to enlarge and see the mother swan and her cygnets. Also, the tiny windows at the top of the boathouse. Looks like a little corner of heaven, doesn't it. 
I found this beautiful magazine last week and I am still perusing it. Such beautiful pictures. It is the British version of COUNTRY LIVING. The magazine is large and likewise the photos are grand. The pages are so thick, I kept looking to see if I had turned two pages at once. I love that old papered chest in the bottom pic as well as everything else in the pics. There are many more beautiful articles too. I just had to share this one with you. 
Most of you know I love birds. One Birdie, the red lored amazon, is sitting behind me as I speak, trying to break the hair clasp out of my ponytail. No romantic interpretations there. I think bluebirds are used decoratively more than most birds. I guess because they are so pretty. In fact, they are quite shy. Rarely do you see them at the feeder, preferring instead to eat bugs and such from the field. Nevertheless, they are beautiful and worth a watch. Here are a few bluebird things I have. Notice the small plastic potted plant thingamajigs. Perhaps they were for a teeny potted vine. 
I've been away this week and here is the reason. Oliver Deacon made an unexpected arrival a week early. He weighed in a 8 lbs. and is a very beautiful little boy. So tiny. I forgot how tiny they are. He's a good boy and we love him dearly. Sister Isobel is staring a lot at him; she's noticed he is nursing and his poopie diaper. Other than that, she's off to dance and play. At 20 months she doesn't have time for her little brother. What a joy grand children are. More pics later. My battery went out on my camera.
I posted some time ago, that I had made a paper art sculpture of a horse. This piece is life-sized and is a yearling with a young crow hanging on its mane. Both are unhappy about this. I have had a professional pic of this done but couldn't get the negative or original pic so I am showing you my own pics of the duo. I could scarcely get it all in the pic so you'll just have to follow the pic puzzle, bad lighting and all. You can just imagine having this in your dining room.
Way back, when I started buying and selling old stuff, I purchased many pieces of old luggage. I had good intentions. I was going to decorate and install new fabrics and bric-a-brac inside. Good intentions I said. It took far longer than I had anticipated and I don't sew. I have finally, after more than a decade, gotten rid of most of that baggage. These are a few that I have left. I painted them and added old repro decals. I also painted a string of pearls, a necktie and an old brassiere coming out of the pieces, like someone was in a big hurry to leave.
If you see this out in the woods or around trees in shady places, carry it home and transplant to your garden. Just kidding! I took this pic for my fellow bloggers who have allergic reactions to poison ivy. Where I live, it grows like kudzu. It took me a couple of years to finally identify it. But, besides growing on the ground, it also vines up in the trees. And don't think rubbing up against it is the only way to suffer it. You can get the oil off of your dogs or cats, shoes, clothes, the leafless stems in winter, the smoke when it is burning, and if you mow over it with a lawn mower, it floats in the air for a while. I have gotten it all of these ways at one time or another. I have had it everywhere imaginable and it is a pain. It can also leave scars if you get enough on you.
Just remember leaves of three.
When we go to Tulsa to visit our daughters and Izzy, we have this little house where we stay. I decorate it in mostly all things old and in the living room, summer colors and English chintz (pastels and such). Also, notice the wicker. The only problem with that is in winter. I fix that by not changing the decor seasonally. I wonder if it's just me, but as I get older, I tend not to change things around.
Some of you will wince, but I painted the middle cabinet white. I rarely ever paint over wood, but this piece was a deep dark color. It pained me to paint it, but I did. I do love painted pieces, but ones that have already been painted and have a patina; ones that are chippy and/or distressed. This house was built in the 30's and had the same owners for all the years in its existence before I bought it.
I found this little slide at the flea market. A dealer was using it to display stuff on. It's only about 4 feet high; just high enough for my baby granddaughter. The slides they made when I was young last a lot longer than the plastic ones made today. It is just the cutest.
Here is Teddy again, in the cat bird seat. He is the best cat around. Has it all.
This is Midge. She is one of MeanMom's. She is the only girl cat that comes in the house.
Here is Midge when she was tiny. Boo and Teddy let her climb all over them; withstand her constant kitten things that she does. She now flips around and play fights with them and is nearly as big as they are.
Midge tries to play with Emmy and Sister, but they are wary of her kind of playing. So, they let her sleep with them instead.
And here is MeanMom the feral cat that took over our garage. She has had about 5 litters of kittens in our garage. I started working on her about 6 months ago and finally got her tame enough to let me pet her. She loves the petting, but doesn't know whether to bite and scratch between tickles. Last week, she slapped my glasses off. Is that where they got 'scratch your eyes out'?Finally, I got her in a cage and she got spayed yesterday. What a commotion. Try putting a wild cat in a cage. When I got her to the vet, they were trying to figure how to get her out of the cage, even talked about snaring her. I made a quick retreat. I figured she wouldn't ever trust me again, but this morning she wanted a tickle. Wonder if she'll still rule the garage and its surroundings. My weenies are afraid of her.
Finally, it isn't all fun and games living with my pets. I have to cover my new Ethan Allen sectional with sheets and towels (good thing it didn't come with plastic). They bring in all kinds of creatures - salamanders, lizards, frogs, butterflies, rats and last week, a blue bird and a cardinal. And, this window in my guest room is no more. Midge knocked it to the floor last week. The animals cost me a fortune and are more trouble than they are worth. That's not even including Birdie, who is biting my back as I type this. Even with all the trouble my animals cause me, I can't imagine my life without them.
