Swede

Daily Beauty: Love These Terms

 

Her name is No Down Payment.  Great terms. Lovely lady.

Bearded Iris. Usually blooms in May -- wayyyyyyyyy early this year.

Love the apricot colored ruffles.  Reminds me of organdy fabric.

Deliciously beautiful.

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

Beauty in the Garden: Iris

 

This week's surprise in the garden.

Miss Raspberry Ruffles.  This is the earliest it has ever bloomed.

Bearded Iris.

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

 

Books: What do they say about you?

 

Well, if what you read says something about you, then I've got a one-track mind about Swedish decor and Swedish antiques.

Mr. Swede is building a new bookcase for all my design books in the master bedroom.  I've been begging for the bookcase for a long time.  Like two years!  He cut some boards last week. 

Summer

Photo: Swede

 

Daily Thing of Beauty: Antique Iron Console

 

It has been awhile since I've talked about furniture or my love of white. This iron console is one of the pieces of furniture in the house that I did not design for Swede Collection.  It is a piece of iron from a balcony railing that came out of a turn of the century theatre building in New York City.  The reason I know it is an interior railing is that it is finished on both sides to be visible in an open area. It is not an outside window balcony salvaged and made into a table. I see quite a few of those. It clearly has never been outside. The iron is extremely detailed with the winged figures sitting on nautilus curves, grape vines, and torches on both ends. It takes four men to lift it so I guess it won't be going anywhere. It is my understanding that the salvage company had three sections.  I know where two are and the third supposedly was bought by someone in the music industry in Nashville who removed the beige marble and replaced it with black.  I never would have done that unless the marble was broken.  It is one of my very favorite items in the house and I find it strange that guests never look at it or mention it. It will be one of the very last pieces I part with before my coffin is nailed shut.  Love, love, love it.  Why don't craftspeople make things like this anymore?

This is where the photo on the top left in my blog header came from.  I change the display on top frequently.  Here is my love of white coral and white Hydrangeas with some mercury glass.

Summer

Photo: Swede

 

Daily Beauty: Garden Surprise Today

 

Looking from my kitchen window into the garden this morning, I couldn't imagine what was purple in the back flowerbed.  So I had to go investigate. 

What a surprise! This must be the earliest the Iris have ever bloomed.

How nice there is this promise of more to come.

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

Daily Dose of Beauty: Blue Sky and Camellias

 

As an original content blogger, I try to capture something beautiful every day to enrich life for myself and others. Today's photo captures an almost cloudless sky as a background to the red Camellias in my raised flowerbed. The angled shot up towards the sky worked out nicely.

I'm working in the flowerbeds and reworking the potted containers.  Mr. Swede helped me bring home from Lowe's a truckload of soil conditioners and mulch and he repotted the Kimberly Queen ferns on the patio.  Hope you are enjoying a nice Spring weekend.

Summer

Photo: Swede

Surprise For A Great Blog Follower

 

For you, dear Maureen

Maureen has been following my blog from New York since the beginning. I couldn't ask for a more supportive lovely lady to encourage me. Her daughter and I have the same name. Here is a digital bouquet of Godetia for you, Maureen.  Hope you had a fabulous birthday yesterday!

PS: We are now the same age!

Summer

Photo: Swede

 

Happy Birthday To My Father-In-Law, Dick

 

Today, my FIL in Seattle is 83 years young.

Daffodils from our yard.  Have a very fun day, Dick.

Summer

Photo: Swede

Daily Beauty: Easter Wreath

 

I got ahead of a holiday for once. Usually I am way behind. Two weeks ago, I decided to put an Easter wreath on the door and plant Pansies in the containers.  With Easter more than a month away in April, I had more time to enjoy my work.

Lots of purples and only a little of yellow since it is not a color I enjoy.

Here is a close up so you can see the Easter eggs and other details.  The purple Clematis garland worked out wonderfully for this wreath. All supplies from Michael's.

I always have plants in the two containers on the front pillars. I filled these with Pansies which will last until June when I replace them with Summer flowers.

And here is another container on the side of the house near the garage.

Here is a sweet lilac colored Pansey face for you.

And a cute white and purple one.

I hope you all are getting some Spring weather where you are by now.

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

Daily Thing of Beauty: Okame Cherry Trees

 

We planted two Okame Cherry trees in the greenbelt behind our house probably 9/10 years ago.  They are the first Cherry trees to bloom in the spring. Our Yoshino Cherries come afterwards.

The blossoms only last a week before all the petals fall to the ground. A very short bloom time, so I have to capture them quickly.

Very delicate pale pink blossoms which appear before the tree leafs out.

Summer

Photos: Swede 

 

Daily Beauty: Conversation With Mother Nature

 

Dear Mother Nature:  Thank you for the brown fur coat that kept me warm all winter.

It kept the chilly winds away.

And protected me from the cold dark nights.

You have brought us Spring weather and the time has come.

It is time for me to take my furry brown jacket off.

And show the world what hides inside. I will lay the brown stole on the bench when the dance begins.

I want to wear my pretty pink dress.

My pretty pink ballerina dress.

I will show my pure beauty.

And be the fairest princess at the ball.

In such a lovely gown.

Alas, the prince has asked me to dance while the orchestra plays The Miracle of Life.

Summer

Photo Credits: Swede: Tulip Magnolias