Goodbye, my sweet little love...

As I write this, my thoughts are flooded with memories and my eyes with tears.  Yesterday, the spirit of my sweet little kitty, Tucker, was set free.  He graced my life for fifteen years and I can't imagine a day without him.  It's so hard for me to grasp that all of the special moments that we were meant to share that have come to a close.

I held his little body and whispered my goodbyes as he nuzzled his soft wispy face against mine.  I stroked my fingers over his little nose as he purred softly, and then...he was gone.  I am in a fog of sadness, my heart heavy with grief over the loss of the little creature that I'm certain God made especially for me.  I'll will forever treasure the time we had together.  Goodbye, my sweet boy, until we meet again, I send you my tearful hugs and kisses...and my love.

Tricia ♥

Limonata

When it comes to great packaging, I'm an easy mark.  Needless to say, when I saw these super cute little bottles of sparkling Italian lemonade, I knew I had to have them.  That they're something lemony makes them even more appealing to me.

To say I have a bit of a lemon addiction would be an understatement.  I'm constantly cutting and squeezing lemons into my soda, savoring every last drop...and probably wearing all the enamel off my teeth in the process :)  I shouldn't really be adding a smiley face to that, should I?

I thought I'd pair those little bottles of lemony goodness with some actual lemons for a few photos.  The lighting was so awful when I was taking these.  It was nice and sunny when I started gathering my items, but by the time I got everything ready it looked like it was going to start pouring and I had to hurry and slap them together.  You do what you can, I suppose.

I sure love these bottle caps...they seem kinda retro and summery all rolled into one.

So anyway, new subject.  I'm thinking of going up to the lake for the next few days...to clean.  Not looking forward to that, let me tell you.  I haven't been there in almost a year, but the men folk have.  I shudder to imagine what I'll find.  All I know is the tub better not be orange.  I got black and blue marks on my knees cleaning it last time.  I'm also praying that I don't encounter any wolf spiders.  Two words...super scary.

Happy thoughts from me to you!

xo Tricia

Hydrangeas in the Dining Room

Hello to you!  Hope you're having a good week.  Let me tell you, the weather here has been absolutely glorious.  I've been trying to spend more time outdoors, enjoying the sun and the last little bits of summer, just tending to my plants and such.  My hydrangeas are in bloom, so I'd thought I'd cut a few, style them up and take some photos in my dining room.

Oh, I just love hydrangeas!  When I bring them indoors, I always like mixing a few green blooms in with the white, even though they haven't fully flowered, since I like the contrast and the texture.  I decided that some pretty aqua-colored vintage jars would be perfect for my arrangements.

I've had this old trug, carrier or whatever you want to call it for ages.  I don't know why I never thought to use it in here before.  Sometimes I'm so blind.  Do you do that too?  You just get used to something being in a particular spot and never really notice it and it's other possible uses?  Anyway, it seems like the rustic look of the trug combined with the silverware and linens works well together, don't you think?

The vintage grain sack that usually hangs on the ladder was put away and replaced with one of my tablecloths instead for a nice little burst of color.  Feels lots better...not so drab.

Of course, the blueberries brighten up the room too.

Well, my lovelies, that's all I have for ya...I'm not feeling super chit-chatty today.  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

xo Tricia

I'm sharing my post at:

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday

Sweetie Pies and My Blog Anniversary

Hello, you.  Are you having a good weekend?  I thought I'd never get a post up today since I spent the better part of the afternoon making these little heart-shaped pies, or sweetie pies, as I like to call them.  Clever aren't I? 

I bought a pie mold from Williams-Sonoma a week or so ago and thought that today would be the day I'd whip up some super cute little cherry pies.  Let me just say that, number one...it didn't go that smoothly and number two...I'm not much of a baker.  The filling kept coming out of the pies, it looked like my hearts were bleeding.  Ugh, I was glad when it was all done.

Anyway, today's my one-year blog anniversary.  I just wanted to say that, for my sake at least.  So I can look back and say to myself, "Oh look, I made little bleeding cherry hearts, I mean, sweetie pies, that day."  :)

Speaking of sweetie pies, I just want to say thanks.  First, to you...all my new sweet friends who come to visit me here on my little bloggy space and share your thoughts and friendship.  I've loved getting to know you all over the past year.  ♥

Second, there's Sarah at Shabby Chic Interiors, a beautiful Italian blog.  She featured me about a month ago and put together some pretty collages with my photos.  I know a lot of you would love her style, so you may want to go and take a peek.

Lastly, one of my very best friends, Jo at Secret Garden Cottage, gave me a nice shout out the other day and I just want to say, "Right back at ya sister."  :)

Well, I hope you all have a great rest of the weekend.

Big hugs ♥ Tricia

A New Little Love

I have to tell you, I have a new love.  No, it's not a sweet someone or a cute furry little friend.  It's photographing food.  Ohhhh...love it!  So much so, that I just got a new book about food styling and photography the other day and I can't wait to devour all the words of wisdom it holds inside.

Today, I thought I'd combine my love of  food and flowers into a photo frenzy of pretty, purple profusion.  Try saying that three times fast :)  A few weeks ago, my Jackmanii clematis was laden with blooms...just look at them all. 

Wanting to make use of their prettiness, I paired them with some deliciously plump blueberries. Together, they felt so summery.  I took these photos when it was so hot, hot, hot outside and since the berries were frozen, they thawed out and got all nice and frosty in no time.

My sister, the baker extraordinaire, whipped up these yummy little blueberry-topped cheesecakes for birthday week.  It was my mom's, dad's and brother-in-law's birthdays, all just a few days apart.  I think I gained a few pounds on the day we celebrated, since she also made strawberry shortcake and chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches.  Sometimes I just can't control myself.

Don't they look delicious? 

(The photo above is my entry for the Crazy Days of Summer Photo Challenge)

Well, sweet friends, that's all I got for ya today.  Hope you're having a great week.

Until next time...

xo Tricia

I'm sharing my post at:

Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Crazy Days of Summer

A Peek at the Garden

Hello sweet friends.  Hope you're having a wonderful week.  I can't believe it's already August.  I'm trying to enjoy the last bits of summer that we have ahead and thinking back over how quickly the past few months have flown by.

I took a few photos at my parents' house the other day.  They have a wonderful flower garden and I thought I'd share it with you.

You'll find some pretty pastel pink coneflowers.

A weathered, cast-iron bird bath nestled amongst all the greenery.

A few pretty purple hosta blooms...swaying in the breeze.

Lots of fluffy white hydrangeas...

Some daylilies and astilbes...

and more coneflowers.

This last one is at my house...I was feeling a little left out.

Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the

 two most beautiful words in the English language.  ~ Henry James.

Hope you have a wonderful summer afternoon.

xo Tricia

Farm Fresh Eggs

Hello.  Happy Tuesday to you.  Don't you just love food fresh from the farm?  Me too...it seems so healthy and delicious.

Sadly, these little brown beauties aren't farm fresh.  I just thought it sounded much better than saying grocery store fresh eggs.  I'm sure you'd agree.  And really, this post isn't about food or farms...it's more about photos.  I thought I'd join in with the lovely Kim Klassen for Texture Tuesday again today.

Just a few snaps with one of her yummy textures layered on top...serendipity to be exact, in darker color mode in varying degrees of opacity.  That first photo has the most obviously.  I can't quite recall the exact recipe even though I just did it moments ago...sleepy that I am.

Hope you're having a wonderful week thus far.  I just figured out that I have to blog everyday this week.  My one year blog anniversary is coming up and I need to have an even number of posts.  Yes, I'm crazy like that ;)

xo Tricia