Dear Diary of a Mad Housewife

Dreaming in White

2012-02-27T23:45:00.002-03:00

source

Flowers

2012-02-25T08:53:00.004-03:00

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. ~Claude Monet

Tumblr

Freedom of Choice

2012-02-23T22:03:00.000-03:00

I love the way my legs look in high heels. I like how tall they make me feel.

I love the way I can walk all day in a pair of ballet flats. I like the way they look.

I am happy that I do not have to make a choice between one or the other !

This Picture is definitely worth 1,000 words

2012-02-22T16:12:00.001-03:00

Paper Birds

White & Natural Wood

2012-02-21T10:26:00.000-03:00

There comes a time when a person thinks, that living in a house has gotten to be boring, that an apartment might be fun.
Or a person living in an apartment, begins to dream of living in a house.
I have reached that point.
I live in a grand French style apartment in a fabulous city and I have daily dreams of living in a house out in the countryside .. or at least not in a big city.
I want gardens and skies and grass outside the door, not just down the block at the park.
These are my daydreams .....

My next home is going to have to have at least two of these important features.
White walls and wooden floors.

I have plenty of dark wood furniture so that will fit in nicely.

I am still torn over black and white floors, wood might win out on this one.

And we just happen to have several chandeliers !

White Bath

2012-02-18T13:15:00.001-03:00

Simple, Serene , Perfect

source :

Isn't it Romantic ?

2012-02-16T08:46:00.001-03:00

images: zsazsa bellagio, tumblr.com,

In My White Room

2012-02-15T17:48:00.000-03:00

source:

What is More Romantic than Paris ?

2012-02-14T08:35:00.026-03:00

Happy Valentines Day

Mellow Yellow

2012-02-13T10:53:00.000-03:00

Nothing like some bright Yellow to cheer a person up ! Happy Monday !

Dreaming of ....

2012-02-11T12:52:00.000-03:00

Living in a Cotswold Village ...

or ...A little house in the woods

Lavender growing in my garden

and a wonderful view, whatever time of year ~

Daydreams

2012-02-09T19:22:00.000-03:00

To live at the end of a winding road ,

in a little house with a picket fence, what could be more charming ?

At the end of the day, to fall asleep by the fire ..

and to wake in the morning to coffee in a sunlit room with green trees outside.

Wednesday .... I Want

2012-02-08T10:40:00.001-03:00

Pretty Things

2012-02-07T08:10:00.003-03:00

crushculdesac

etsy

Rouge

2012-02-04T14:46:00.000-03:00

Just a Touch of Red

all images : CelebHomes , VanityFair & Tumblr.com

Blanc

2012-02-03T09:09:00.002-03:00

I Heart This Room !

2012-01-31T15:45:00.000-03:00

Whether in a house or in an apartment, this is a lovely room. Full of light and interest and imagination.

New York Times

I'm In the Mood for Orange

2012-01-30T11:05:00.000-03:00

I have a nice Orange handbag.

I think I could live with that orange in my home.

In small doses.

White & Green

2012-01-29T09:40:00.000-03:00

It is Summer where I live and I am really drawn to these light rooms with just a touch of cool green. Even on grey winter day, this could cheer a person up.

source:tumblr

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

2012-01-28T09:01:00.000-03:00

A mirror can make all the difference in a room .

No matter which room ..

source :tumblr

Dear Seal

2012-01-27T23:15:00.000-03:00

Yes , you have a lovely voice.
But I have to say .... I think you are a total a**.

You were married 7 years and have 4 children.
When asked what went wrong .. you said ... "and then you grow apart..."
Sorry .. I have been married a lot longer than that and guess what ... you don't "just grow apart" ..
Explain that one to those children of yours.
You might have grown apart, but IT doesn't just happen.
But you know what ? I loved your voice.
I thought you were a great couple with Heidi Klum .. but ..
after this small amount of time , we have just grown apart.

A Good Book, A Good Meal

2012-01-23T10:56:00.000-03:00

This is just Brilliant ( in my opinion) ..
Dining rooms are often such a waste of space.
A Library is wonderful but sometimes a home doesn't have enough space, here is the answer !
This has gone into my files of What To Do In My Next Home ..

Bath time

2012-01-21T21:59:00.000-03:00

There is no need for words, this says it all.

tumblr.com

Dressing room dream

2012-01-18T21:34:00.000-03:00

My dream of a dressing room ..
I have the shoes, I have the shelves, why don't mine look like this ?

Brilliant! I can figure out something like this ..

The Glass shelving is brilliant. Mine aren't glass but I will make do.

Now about that red bag on the right

source

Color and Light

2012-01-17T23:47:00.000-03:00

While the Plans are not actually spoken of as "real" and while we daydream and share ideas, it is not quite time to say it out loud.
That it is Time to make plans. For a new home. Full of Color and Light and Dreams Come True.

all images : Tumblr.com

Where I would like to live next .......

2012-01-11T22:36:00.000-03:00

Put this in the file of Where I would like to live next.

Where I would sleep in the grandest bed ...

and wake to hear only bird song and see the flowers in the garden ..

Design Daydreams

2012-01-08T15:23:00.005-03:00

I have been spending a lot of time going through design blogs and online magazines lately.

We are in the midst of a hot summer and I daydream of Other places and Other homes to decorate and enjoy.

These are a few images that have grabbed me for one reason or another.

Clean lines and no clutter and the light shade. Nothing fussy or contrived.

Except for those deer horns .. get over the antler phase already !

The light in the room, the shade over the table and those chairs .

The drama of it all.

Plus, I have those high ceilings and mouldings.

This would definitely work here.

A room full of books is beautiful, no matter the furnishings.

A view .. no other buildings in sight ... my dream these days.

Tucked into the woods ...

Tucked into a Tree ~

An old French window frame, now a Mirror in a home.

all images NYTimes.com

Lucky me ~

2012-01-07T10:30:00.001-03:00

There are some days that I can't get a thing done around here, that man is so crazy about me!

Lucky me ~

Hibernate

2012-01-06T00:38:00.003-03:00

It is Summer and it is hot.

In the 90's each day and there are no clouds, the sky is brilliant blue and a person can get a sunburn just walking to the market and back ..

While one might imagine a cold, wet, Winter day as being perfect to stay in, all cozy and warm and reading a book ... Here, Summer days are when I hibernate with my books.

A hammock in the living room might be fun.
Most often, I read in bed .. in the evenings, when all is quiet and I won't have to stop reading for any reason, like dinner or taking a walk .. just let me have a few hours of quiet reading time.
But during the day is good too.

A cozy chair, a big soft sofa and a good book and everything is pretty much perfect.

It will cool off, in a few months , and we will be out in the parks again, walking here and there, window shopping, neighborhood exploring, cafe sitting with friends .

But for now, we are hibernating .. a good book on a hot day is all we need.

Blue

2012-01-04T10:30:00.002-03:00

Blue is a sapphire sky, On a hot summer day,
It stimulates the senses, And lets you melt away.

Blue is the ocean, Deep and crystal clear,
It draws you in and reminds you, Of what you hold so dear.
Blue is a forget me not, Blowing in the wind,
It heals and protects you, Even when the lights are dim...

all images : tumblr.com

poem: "mary"

To the Market

2012-01-02T20:32:00.000-03:00

Don't ask me why but I felt very French today when I went shopping with my Market Basket.

Happy New Year !

2012-01-01T01:10:00.000-03:00

Dreamy

2011-12-30T16:38:00.000-03:00

I lie on the bed, imagining butterflies filling the room
or walking through a misty forest
Where the air is cold and fresh

but there is a light ahead, I will have to explore further ...

White Rooms

2011-12-29T16:39:00.003-03:00

It is Summer.

There is no avoiding the fact.

The days are hot and sunny.

Nights are comfortable for being outdoors but the air conditioning is needed.
I am spending quite a lot of time gathering photos of rooms that I would like to have .. to sleep in, to live in , to cook in.
I found a house in a real estate website and this would be the kitchen, After I take down all the ugly pine cupboards above the counters .. and paint everything white.

The house I found, has the possibilities of painted white floors too.

As the Summer continues to heat up, I will continue to dream of white rooms ~

Summer Whites

2011-12-27T15:59:00.003-03:00

It is Summer where I live.
White is the preferred color for clothing and furnishing.
Sinking into a soft white bed at night in an air conditioned room is a treat.
Clean white light spaces...
Soon enough cold weather will be back .. for now, we will enjoy the crisp Whites of Summer .

all images :tumblr

Happy Holidays !

2011-12-21T22:02:00.000-03:00

Taking a Holiday Break !

2011-12-17T22:57:00.001-03:00

See you after the Holidays !

Time

2011-12-15T17:10:00.000-03:00

“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.”

Henry Van Dyke

A Cottage

2011-12-12T19:00:00.000-03:00

The Holidays lead me to daydreaming of living in a cottage somewhere, where Winter and Christmas go together.

Where there are possibilities of a White Christmas.

I can drag up memories of New Years Eve parties long ago, when we would go outside at midnight to watch fireworks, freezing in the crystal clear, cold winter air.

Waking up on New Years Day .. late , cuddled in a nice, soft bed, full of big, fat comforters and pillows, to bright sunlight reflected on snow and nowhere we have to be but where we are .

A late breakfast and copious amounts of coffee ....

followed by an afternoon of listening to good music and reading a book .. while making plans for the New Year . . A trip perhaps ?

"If you treat people right .....

2011-12-11T22:45:00.002-03:00

Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.
But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.
He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.
“He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, ‘Here you go,’” Diaz says.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, “Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you’re going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm.”
The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, “like what’s going on here?” Diaz says. “He asked me, ‘Why are you doing this?’”
Diaz replied: “If you’re willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me … hey, you’re more than welcome.
“You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help,” Diaz says.
Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.
“The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi,” Diaz says. “The kid was like, ‘You know everybody here. Do you own this place?’”
“No, I just eat here a lot,” Diaz says he told the teen. “He says, ‘But you’re even nice to the dishwasher.’”
Diaz replied, “Well, haven’t you been taught you should be nice to everybody?”
“Yea, but I didn’t think people actually behaved that way,” the teen said.
Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. “He just had almost a sad face,” Diaz says.
The teen couldn’t answer Diaz — or he didn’t want to.
When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, “Look, I guess you’re going to have to pay for this bill ‘cause you have my money and I can’t pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I’ll gladly treat you.”
The teen “didn’t even think about it” and returned the wallet, Diaz says. “I gave him $20 … I figure maybe it’ll help him. I don’t know.”
Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen’s knife — “and he gave it to me.”
Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, “You’re the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch.”
“I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It’s as simple as it gets in this complicated world.”

the wise pickle

I heart Heart Home magazine !

2011-12-11T16:28:00.003-03:00

Heart Home Magazine

Enjoy ~

Christmas Sights and Sounds

2011-12-10T13:13:00.003-03:00

I have to find my Christmas sights and sounds online these days.
There are no trees or home decorations showing from the streets.
I have my own inside my home too.

But I miss taking those walks and admiring the lights and decorations on other homes, wreaths on doors, even music in stores.

all photos: Tumblr

Dreamy Holiday Time

2011-12-09T10:31:00.000-03:00

In my Dream city, I would have a view of the Eiffel Tower AND the River Seine.
I would enjoy baking and entertaining my friends, in my Dream Kitchen.
Especially at Holiday time ..
When it is best to stay inside, warm and cozy.
With family
And loved ones.

A Horse named Hope

2011-12-07T23:23:00.003-03:00

This horse is named Hope.

She was drowning in mud when they found her — lying in a ditch, shivering with cold and waiting to die. The barbed wire that entangled her was cutting into her flesh. She was starving, skeletal and helpless.
By the time a vet reached her, the two-year-old chestnut mare probably had only minutes to live. She was caked in filth and struggling to breathe.

She was so weak she could barely find the strength to lift her nostrils out of the water-filled gully that was about to become her miserable grave. It took a mechanical digger to hoist the young shire to safety — then a desperate, long-running battle to save her life.

When she stumbled to her feet for the first time after being transported to a sanctuary, the pathetic sight reduced some of her rescuers to tears. All through the night, they nursed her, fed her, even said a prayer for her.
The name they gave her was Hope. Charity, it transpired, would take far longer to come to her aid.

The young vet who organised Hope’s rescue was so appalled when the RSPCA refused to prosecute the owner that she paid £1,500 to buy the horse in an 11th-hour attempt to save it.

Then she started a Facebook campaign to highlight alleged cruelty to Hope and the plight of 17 other shires, in a bid to ‘shame’ the animal charity into action.
Last night — as the campaign attracted worldwide interest and nearly 5,000 followers — there were fears that other horses on the Lancashire farmland could die in filthy, freezing conditions unless the RSPCA steps in quickly.
The Hope’s Cause internet page was started by newly-qualified equine vet Vikki Fowler, who was called to the farm at Edgworth, near Bolton, after Hope was spotted on Monday last week, struggling at the bottom of a steep, muddy bank on land used for grazing by breeder Phil Davies, 64.
A passing van driver saw the horse was in distress and alerted st
aff at a nearby equestrian centre. Vikki was so disturbed by what she found, she immediately called the RSPCA.
Minutes from death: Exhausted Hope iwas found in a water-filled gully, her legs entangled in barbed wire

Hope had fallen on the bank after pushing through a fence to find water. Now she was trapped by barbed wire wrapped around her hind legs, pointing head first into the gully.

Vikki’s first thought was that the mare’s condition was so bad she would have to be put down. But in a delicate and difficult rescue operation, equestrian centre staff used wire cutters to free her before wrapping a sling around her and heaving her up the bank with the digger.
Yesterday Vikki, 25, said: ‘It was clear that she had given up. She had no energy to fight or even save herself from drowning. She was resigned, waiting to die.

‘But as soon as she was lifted to standing she began to eat grass. It was clear that she wanted to live . . . so I decided to give her a chance.’

Once Hope had been hoisted to safety, the vet instructed Mr Davies to move her to a warm stable. But the horse was later seen slumped in a field.

Hope is now at least safe, but is still horrendously emaciated and caked in mud. Still pitifully weak, Hope’s legs give way as she struggled to stand.
She was moved to a paddock and lifted back on to her hooves by crane as concerned onlookers help out

Despite this, Vikki said, an RSPCA officer who inspected the animal said she was not in a desperate enough condition to warrant being taken away. Meanwhile, it would take six people four hours to wash the mud from her coat and coax her to stand unaided.

‘As soon as she was lifted to standing she began to eat grass. It was clear that she wanted to live… so I decided to give her a chance.’
The Facebook page says: ‘Hope was dramatically emaciated, with the outline of bones clearly defined, pelvis protruding, rib cage visible through her hide. She was so covered in thick wet mud it was impossible to tell what colour she was.’

Shire horses are known for their gentle temperament and are usually stocky, deep chested and proud. Hope was dejected and frightened, and spent her first night lying on a stable floor, too weak to get to her feet.

Concerned that Hope and other horses were being neglected or mistreated, Vikki set up the Facebook page to underline their plight. She alleged that some were kept in a field that was ‘nothing more than a swamp’.

She accused the owner of being ‘completely delusional about the harm these animals are in’, saying she believed 11 of the 17 were in a ‘critical condition’.

Some had ‘no shelter and no access to water’, she claimed. Of the owner she said: ‘He is given chance after chance by the RSPCA, but there comes a point when something has to be done.’

Finally on her feet, albeit a bit wobbly, Hope is carefully nursed back to something resembling full health

Desperate: Some of the 17 other Shire horses kept at the farm in Edgworth, near Bolton

The RSPCA confirmed yesterday that officers had visited the field ‘repeatedly’ over the past two years but had never found evidence to support suggestions a crime had been committed. Last week one horse was said to have been ‘lean’, but others all had food and water and were in good health.

Officers did express concern over their field, which, a spokeswoman said, ‘is not a suitable environment for these animals’.

Yesterday Mr Davies denied allegations of cruelty or neglect and described the reports as ‘all lies’. But last night — as the internet campaign continued to grow — the RSPCA agreed to intervene.

It gave Mr Davies 24 hours to move the horses to better accommodation. If he fails to find them a new home or refuses, the charity said, he could be prosecuted.

RSPCA regional superintendent Martin Marsh said two officers visited the farm yesterday and decided that three of the horses were lame and must be stabled immediately.

Shire hell: Phil Davies and some of his other horses in the field deemed merely ‘unsuitable’ by the RSPCA

‘Though the horses have been moved to an improved environment the owner has been advised that it isn’t good enough,’ he said.

‘The owner has been given the opportunity to sign the horses over to the RSPCA but does not wish to do so. We are therefore meeting with him again to discuss plans for moving them to somewhere more suitable.

‘We would like to assure people that where there is veterinary evidence that an animal is suffering and it is in the public interest to do so, the RSPCA will look to prosecute those responsible.’

Vikki said: ‘The reaction across the world is evidence that thousands of people are increasingly concerned about the RSPCA’s attitude to this tragedy.’

And Hope?

Yesterday — clean, standing unaided and scoffing bales of hay — she was virtually unrecognisable as the horse that was dragged from the mud. She is not out of danger yet, but experts believe she was saved just in time and can make a full recovery.

source: DailyMail.UK

Feeling Bookish ?

2011-12-07T10:33:00.000-03:00

If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.

Oscar Wilde
You cannot open a book without learning something.
confucious
I cannot live without books.
Thomas Jefferson
There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island.
Walt Disney

Day Dreams

2011-12-05T11:13:00.000-03:00

I am not sure which element in this photo appeals to me more.

The beautiful chair or that wonderful wardrobe behind it or the colors .. perhaps it is the sum of it all that is so appealing.
I am starved for the sight of green .. it is nearby but not seen from my windows.

I might have to break down one day and do something about that ..
I imagine sleeping here and waking to the sound of a deer , peeking in while we snooze.

Or a bear !

No ... most likely deer or squirrels would be the intruders .
How appealing to be able to slide the wall shut across the kitchen ...

"What kitchen ?" she asks. Let's go out to dinner " ...

Memories

2011-12-04T10:08:00.002-03:00

Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment

until it becomes a memory.

www.inspiration

A Change of View

2011-12-03T18:16:00.005-03:00

Our visitors are gone.

The house is so quiet ! So empty ..

I think it is a good time to do some re-decorating.

I can't sit around and feel the emptiness .. we have to change some things so it will feel right again !

The thought has crossed our minds lately, of changing the home .. not just the interiors.

For now we are staying here, but there is that little idea at the back of our minds, a new place might be waiting in the future.

A place with views..

I often like to think of having a view similar to this .. but do I want to see more city views ? Or do I want to see green, woods, flowers and perhaps a deer or some small creature outside in my garden ?

Summer is here. We will enjoy the sunshine and warmth and special events that summer in the city brings, but that little thought of another place in another land remains.

A Pause

2011-11-19T18:13:00.002-03:00

Family will be arriving in the morning for a nice long visit.
I am overjoyed to be seeing them. I will not be blogging until they leave.
So hopefully you will still be here when I get back.
See you in 2 weeks !

Lonny

2011-11-19T10:17:00.001-03:00

Do you read Lonny?
For someone living at the Bottom of the World, I just thank heavens for online magazines !
It took a bit of adjustment but now I sit and enjoy "leafing" through the pages just as I used to when I got "real" magazines in the mail. Lonny is especially pretty, I think... don't you ?
Enjoy ~

You Make My Day ~

2011-11-17T21:06:00.001-03:00

Summer Whites

2011-11-17T17:18:00.003-03:00

Now that Summer is arriving with a flourish of bird song, flowers blooming and mini heat waves, I am turning towards the idea of White rooms.

I like them at any time of year but now they really are appealing !

A fireplace is always the best "accessory" in a room, isn't it ?

Whether lit or not, it holds candles, it supports mirrors and paintings.

I think I might look into having a mantle with no fireplace to go with it ..

or should I just move ?

There is always an option.

all images Tumblr.com

This morning

2011-11-15T00:05:00.000-03:00

I looked out the window ....
and decided to go for a drive ...
to look at the trees .
But then I woke up !
Remembering that it is Spring here, not Autumn, and there are flowers to be picked and sunshine to enjoy~

All images Tumblr.com

Musica for Mad Housewives

2011-11-14T13:22:00.001-03:00

Home

2011-11-12T22:21:00.003-03:00

I long as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself ..

Maya Angelou

Never get out of bed before noon.

charles bukowski

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

Buddha

Love begins by taking care of the closest ones - the ones at home.
Mother Therese

Antler decor

2011-11-11T18:06:00.000-03:00

See how much better they look on him than on your wall ?

Lovely things

2011-11-11T10:55:00.002-03:00

all images Tumblr

Miracles Happen

2011-11-10T13:12:00.004-03:00

This baby , in Somalia, was in a ward in Dadaab, the Worlds largest refugee camp.
The photo is from July, he was obviously close to death .
Here he is with his mother, plump and smiling and alive..
Thanks to the Aid group, International Rescue Committee, who helped save little baby Minhaj and they are working hard to save many others.

Babies, starving to death.
Thanks to Islamic insurgents, war and famine, the children and babies are the most vulnerable and die quietly and quickly with no food, no doctors and no help.

Tens of thousands of children died just this year.

The Islamist militias have forbidden aid agencies to come to try to help.

If you donate to any organizations, this is one to add to your list or if you rarely send donations, let this be one that you will give to.

Donate to the International Rescue Committee and save more babies.

Just being there ~

2011-11-08T00:31:00.004-03:00

tequilakist.tumblr
vinteriors blogspot.com
Tumblr
venusthemorningstar

I love the colors of the glass, the sofa in that wonderful light, white room and the house and gardens .. beautiful things on the table.

In whatever fashion you like, whether it is modern, eclectic or 17th century French, to surround yourself with objects and colors and gardens and rooms that please your eye , please your senses, is a little like heaven.

You can be happy just being there ..

LouLou De La Falaise

2011-11-06T07:28:00.003-03:00

Rest in Peace

The 19:57 from Euston

2011-11-05T11:05:00.001-03:00

Never say Romance is dead !!

In My White Room

2011-11-03T16:01:00.000-03:00

all images courtesy of

ZsaZsa Bellagio

The Milky Way - enjoy~

2011-11-03T10:25:00.000-03:00

Ever changing

2011-11-01T23:02:00.006-03:00

There are days that I cannot stand being in the city for another minute and all I can think of is country homes and villages where I can live out my days in a bit of peace and quiet.
I find myself spending too much time obsessing over wall paper for rooms in homes that I do not live in.. thinking Some Day ..
But all it takes is a photograph of a certain place that brings me back to thinking of how much of my furniture can I manage to get into the smallest apartment that I have ever lived in.
Then the sound of traffic reaches me as I sit here daydreaming about the most beautiful city in the world and I once again, imagine myself, sitting in a windowseat, gazing out into the gardens, listening to the sound of birds song.

photo source:Tumblr

Sleeping

2011-11-01T10:13:00.000-03:00

In my moments of dreaming about living Elsewhere and being among trees and open skies, I think having a place like this to sleep might be heavenly .. don't you think ?

source:lina bergroth

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T16:35:00.001-03:00

Tumblr

Home Fantasies

2011-10-29T10:31:00.003-03:00

For Some People .. Fall is in the air.

Here, Spring has sprung.

But I still daydream about being in a woodsy place in Autumn.

I wouldn't even mind the raking of the leaves ... my husband would do it .. I will watch.
This Place would do fine , I see room for a horse or chickens , definitely a dog or two.

I would walk around in riding boots all day and at night we would have dinner parties..
This pretty much sums up my Dream Kitchen.

Wherever I end up living next, there will be a version of this in my home.

It doesn't even have to be that big .. don't you love the little lamp on the counter?

I have Sofa Envy.
Anyone who is interested in visiting, this will be your bed .. your room .. your Nook. I will even keep the Teddy Bears there if you wish.

all images crush cul de sac

Beauty

2011-10-27T17:47:00.003-03:00

all images:Tumblr.com

Through The Window

2011-10-24T17:23:00.001-03:00

Strange things blow in through my window on the wings of the night wind and I don't worry about my destiny.

Carl Sandburg

source: Tumblr.com

Autumn

2011-10-23T11:27:00.002-03:00

“How beautifully leaves grow old.

How full of light and color are their last days.”

John Burrows

In My Imaginary House in the Country

2011-10-22T17:18:00.011-03:00

A direct result of living in a huge city, full of cars and people and dogs and noise, is that a person gets a longing to live in the country.

Full of trees and probably a few dogs and people but hopefully much less noise.

I would also enjoy seeing much more sky without a building in the way.. if there are trees in the way , well then, that is alright.

These thoughts drive me to daydreaming about the house that I like, found in an online real estate website, that has acres of land .. stone walls and charm.

Did I mention it is on 2 acres and as far as we can tell, there are no neighbors ?

Even if I don't want to be totally isolated, a house on an acre in the country would make me happy.

I have picked out the rooms and styles that I like.. ( today) .

I know I want to use a lot of white, so I can throw various colors in when I feel like it.

Christmas , I will bring out all the red , of course, my chandeliers will be Everywhere ! Summer will be pale blues and yellows.. that sort of thing.

A big bed in a bedroom with a fireplace would work for me.

Yes, I think this is a good plan so far. It is good to have plans !

images courtesy of the Tumblr.com

Blue

2011-10-20T17:59:00.002-03:00

The plaster walls ... I must have walls like these. Colored like this even .. perhaps.

Our walls need a paint job, in some rooms. There is the possiblity that a version of this room will end up in Buenos Aires..

The original room, above, is in New York .

This photo is courtesy of the New York Times.

Life is too short ....

2011-10-18T22:48:00.000-03:00

source:Tumblr.com

Would you rather ?

2011-10-17T16:04:00.004-03:00

I have been in the city too long. It has been too long since I have seen the ocean, heard, smelled , tasted the ocean.

I am living in a city that is located on a huge river. While I see it, I do not go out on it.
Leading me to believe that I need a swimming pool. Okay, not really, but a house on a lake, or up in Tigre where homes are on stilts and located on a Delta would be fine.

Would you rather live in a home near the water or a home near mountains and forests?

Have a Happy Weekend !

2011-10-15T11:03:00.001-03:00

See you Monday ~

Wise Words for the Day

2011-10-14T18:13:00.003-03:00

All the windows of my heart I open to the day.
He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.
I am not young but I feel young.

The day I feel old, I will go to bed and stay there.

J'aime la vie! I feel that to live is a wonderful thing.

Goethe

John Greenleaf Whittier

Coco Chanel

Start your day smiling and crying

2011-10-13T10:57:00.002-03:00

Bagging it

2011-10-11T18:26:00.002-03:00

I love the look of this bag .. it looks light and soft and will hold Everything.
I am not loving the idea of a Clutch, but it has a certain look for evening, no ?
I have an orange bag, I guess it would be only right if I had one in Red .. don't you agree?
There is nothing anyone can say about this bag that is negative, unless you prefer black, as I do. Even so ... I would not turn it down if it were a gift.

Sights That I Miss Sometimes

2011-10-10T16:15:00.004-03:00

It would involve a long trip and an overnight stay to see this.
While there is Autumn , of sorts, here in the city, this sort is an airplane flight away.
Yes, there are roses here. Somewhere ..

There is nothing like this anywhere ... but There ..

all images : Tumblr.com

White out

2011-10-08T16:36:00.004-03:00

I am finally admitting it. I have faced the truth. I cannot hide it any longer.
I am now a fan of all White homes. White walls, White furniture, even White floors ..
Now when I see a home that I like, I start imagining What If ..

What if the walls and floors were White ?

What if they painted everything White and just leave that Oriental rug there ?
I am now browsing real estate sites.

We won't discuss this at this time but I am seeing homes that I really like but there is always something wrong with the best of them.

But there is now a solution, so many times, to what is wrong ... that room needs to be White!

All the rooms need to be White!

I admit it and now I am happy with myself and all that White.

Source: Tumblr.com

Somewhere else ~

2011-10-07T10:31:00.003-03:00

It is Spring , where I live. Lazy summer nights in a garden are in the near future.
It is Autumn where you are. Crisp nights by a fire perhaps ? Warm sweaters and holiday plans ?
Flowers and trees are blooming, balcony gardens are thriving and the sun shines later and later as the days progress.
Our thoughts are turning towards Other Places where we might listen to the waves at night and walk on sand, see a place where tall buildings don't block your view.

Although there are some buildings that are welcome to block the view ..

Soon enough, it will be Autumn again, here, and I will once again be wishing I was Somewhere else, just for a few days even ..

ALL photos courtesy of Tumblr.

Magical

2011-10-05T00:18:00.001-03:00

Imagine, we were walking with our dog, in the park one evening when we heard this music. And there they were, standing by the Cemetery wall, playing this lovely music.
We sat on a bench and enjoyed the free concert.

As good as the music sounds recorded, it was magical that night, with the moon shining and the air soft and warm.
Aqualactica, playing Luna Zen

Autumn

2011-10-04T11:20:00.005-03:00

While we wait for Spring to arrive with some warmer temperatures , here are some of the reasons that Autumn is my favorite time of year.

White

2011-10-02T18:14:00.003-03:00

I am getting more and more interested in turning everything in my home ... White.

The Most I can do in the kitchen is have the walls painted, which I intend to do soon.

Perhaps some shelves somewhere with white things on them ..
I think taking the rug up and leaving the floors bare for the summer is a good idea.. with white linens on the bed, I can do that ! An armoire would be nice, but I am thinking more along the lines of antique mirror directly on the walls.
I know my husband will balk at some ideas but hopefully there will be enough that we can make some changes , lighten up the look of this old house, for the Summer at least.

What about you ?

Do you lighten/whiten up your home when warm weather comes along ?

Put away those winter covers and colours ?

With company coming, the timing is perfect ...

Summer Warmth

2011-09-30T23:27:00.002-03:00

Summer will be here before you know it.
Soaking in the bathtub, with the windows open ..
Climbing into bed, with the crisp white sheets and cool bare floors ..

I think am ready for it.

Antiquing

2011-09-29T19:29:00.003-03:00

We spent yesterday in a part of town where the streets are lined with antique stores.
We like this one especially.

It is more Alladins cave than a shop.

I always feel like there are magical things just around the corner .. behind a bookcase, under a table.

I have to go back soon, I want to see if I can find something to bring home with me .. that will fit in the door.
I spied a rocking chair that was one of a kind.
Mirrors of all sizes and shapes.
Rugs.
There will be something that I can't leave behind.
There always is ~

Toile

2011-09-28T11:10:00.001-03:00

Yesterday we went to a part of town that is full of antique shops.
This one particular shop is like Alladins Cave, crammed full of treasure.
3 treasures in particular grabbed my attention.
Where to put them ... hmmmm...

Remember !

2011-09-27T17:12:00.002-03:00

source : SecondStoryMan

Enjoy The Little Things In Life ....

2011-09-25T14:53:00.003-03:00

Some things you forget are not going to always be with you, won't always be the same.

Remember that everything changes and nothing lasts forever and enjoy every day as much as you can.

Spring is in the Air

2011-09-23T18:32:00.003-03:00

Everywhere you look, flowers are blooming, trees are bursting with green and birds are busy building nests and making lots of noise ... especially early in the mornings.

The Bicycle rentals have their stands everywhere.. people are out in the parks having picnics.

Spring is in the air ..

This is Boo

2011-09-22T17:26:00.001-03:00

there is a possibility that I will have a Boo in my life one day.

Dear Diary ...

2011-09-20T18:30:00.003-03:00

Dear Diary,

We went to the Flea Market today.

For once , I didn't see much that I wanted.

Well, maybe there was this one thing ..

Me-Spring, You-Fall

2011-09-19T17:28:00.006-03:00

This is me right now ... or where I am

This is you right now .. where you are .

as much as I appreciate Spring after a long , dreary, cold and sad winter, I still love Fall.

I think next year, I will fly to the Northern Hemisphere for the Autumn, treating ourselves to a Double Dose of Autumn.

Sounds good to me ~

Everywhere we go there are birds building nests and making a racket, there are flowers popping out of plants that I had no idea even flowered and I didn't have to wear a coat for 2 days now !

Good things come to those who wait ... or some such nonsense.

Happy Fall !

or Spring if you are way down here in the Southern Hemisphere ~
photos: Tumblr.com

The Dreams of a City Girl

2011-09-16T23:57:00.017-03:00

Driving down the lane, the house is hidden, set into the trees with gardens surrounding it .
Charm abounds..
Come in and stay for a while,
there will be much eating and drinking and talking to do ...
Chats around the kitchen table in the morning, over coffee..
After enjoying a good nights sleep ..

All photos from Tumblr.com

The Skin You're In

2011-09-14T15:53:00.002-03:00

Every year, I go to the dermatologist.
This year is no different.
Last year , was different.

I had skin cancer.

On my leg, my thigh to be precise.

Almost the same spot on that leg as the previous skin cancer I had on the other leg, in 1996.
Both have been taken care of and I am fine and the scars are more "interesting" than ugly and I don't really care because Skin Cancer is really ugly.
And it is fairly easy not to get it.

But as in my case, being blonde/blue-eyed/raised in the South and having lived in Hawaii and California and unfortunately being one of those people who is fair skinned but tans easily ..

I baked myself as a kid, never used sun block and now ( as are millions of other people ) I am paying for it.

So read this and take this tiny bit of caution away with you ...

No matter how old/young you are, wear sunblock or stay out of the sun.

That means your children too.

No matter how dark or fair you are .. remember, Bob Marley died from a Melanoma skin cancer.

So the doctor looks me over and tells me I am fine.
But I am too thin.

Boing !! when was the last time that happened to you ??
I was so surprised, I just looked at her and wondered, did this mean I have to take medicine ? will it bother my skin ?
Actually, being too thin will bother your skin.

It gets all loose and wrinkly and foldy .. from not being plumped up with the proper fats and things that belong in there.

Things that are missing when you don't eat properly.
I don't eat properly.

I drink gallons of coffee with a lot of sugar in it and I mostly only eat once a day and that isn't much.
I am not hungry these days.
I am sad these days.
But when I get happy again, someday, watch out .. I will be eating my way across the city/country/continent !!

If you have any none meat recipes for someone with a lack of appetite, here is where you get to post them.
I will try them and I will let you know how they worked out.

Or I will write to you privately and fuss at you because I will be all plump and round and my clothes won't fit ~

Spring

2011-09-13T11:09:00.003-03:00

It looks like Spring is here.

Flowers and buds are bursting everywhere.

The gardens are swept clean of the winters detrius and color is showing again.
I hear and see the birds, I am watching for a butterfly. Sooner or later, there will be a few.

I look forward to seeing the hummingbirds. A rare sight but so wonderful when you see them!

Spring in Argentina, not bad.

Getting the Urge

2011-09-11T23:16:00.008-03:00

I'm getting that urge to move again.

I want a new home to renovate .. new rooms to decorate .. new places to explore.

Right now I am doing it all online, looking, daydreaming, making lists.

There are a few Big Questions though ... like ..

Where do I want to live ?

Which continent ?

City or Country ?

I have gotten to the point where my only real decision is that IF I were to live in another country, say in Europe, it would be an apartment in Paris.

Otherwise .....

I am liking the idea of a small-ish house in a country-like setting or the woods .. not too far from a big city .. really big , as in New York City.
There is always the option of moving from this apartment here into another one but that just doesn't have the same exciting feeling to it .. know what I mean ?

Flash !

2011-09-11T16:58:00.006-03:00

Liverpool Street Station

I know, everyone has seen this already ... but I like it.

I wish I had been there ~

Let's go ...

2011-09-09T17:08:00.003-03:00

I can have my bags packed in a jiffy ! Just let me know what season to look forward to.
Summer is expected here soon. Although I don't have a garden of my own, there are parks that are very close and grass and trees to take advantage of .. but these days, I am wishing to find myself in a new place, where there are no sad memories to stir up.
I will be happy to do some shopping and have just the right outfit for the city or country that I will visit.
A train ride might be fun ...
But an airplane would take me across the seas and farther.. yes, I think we need an airplane.
I will sit here and wait. ...

Source : the Amazing blog brown dress with white dots

Buenos Aires Design Center

2011-09-08T15:50:00.004-03:00

Walking through the Design Center yesterday, I found the sofa I want. Never mind that ours is only 4 years old. This one is Velvet ( ours is chenille) and the color is better and it has more seating room. Therefore I see no reason why I should not sell our old one and buy this one .

Do you?