fun in the shade

the heat wave here in the pacific northwest has me thinking about shade{s}. in celebration of summertime sun and the ever-evolving lamp-shade, here are some bright ideas to contemplate {preferrably while sipping iced-tea}:
my uber-talented friend, jordan ferney, just posted about this adorable & lovely way to create some extra shade at an outdoor party....clip-on umbrellas! as you know well by now, i adore all kinds of umbrellas, with a passion. so i'm extremely excited to learn about this new clipable kind. insta-addition to my wish list! you can buy them here, and you can see the rest of jordan's post here.



storage, display & lighting all in one ~ brilliant shades by pottery barn. even though you could buy them for about $99, it would be a fairly simple d.i.y. project too: just take almost any lampshade and hand-sew the cloths pins to it with an extra large needle using tight criss-cross stitches. what a bright idea!


if you've got a need for more shade for your patio or yard, for a construction project, then these awesome shade sails are for you! they can be stretched between trees, posts and buildings from the d-ring at each corner. the seamless extra wide fabric these are made from comes in seven colors. the same site also provides photos of residential installations, sample layouts and sells the installation hardware.


ok, these are kinda kitschy. but i think they could be a great smile-inducing addition to the right space....maybe in a pool-house bathroom, at a beach cafe or in a kids bedroom at a beach house? designed by toby sanders and found at his website: tobyhouse.

these beautiful copper shades are created in colorado by artist uriah beuller. found at parasoleil , they are made of pattern-cut copper in a 36”x 96” size, though custom panels can be made, too. and even better, the panels are green-certified with 90% recycled content... parasoleil has a choice of several patterns that can be cut into the panels, creating shadows and light in outdoor spaces. the copper material is low-maintenance for outdoors, as it will patina and last a lifetime without corroding.

strawberry tales

we've been picking a lot of strawberries around here ~ and eating them hand over fist! there are few better flavors in this world than a fresh picked organic strawberry.

alesia is now 9 months old and strawberries have become her favorite food. although seen here she's trying out a leaf, believe me she eats tons of the berries too.
this is about 14 pounds of strawberries ~ and we picked this many two different times. the first 14 went by way too fast so we just had to go back for more. now we've got yummy jams and bags full of whole berries in the freezer to remind us of early summer deliciousness when it's cold and grey.

alesia just loves being outside {she joins me in our gardens almost every day for sunshine playtimes} and she had a ball at the strawberry fields. as you can see, she's very fair skinned {just like her mama}. i try to keep hats on her, but now she pulls them off immediately, so i slather her head in sunscreen too. i must tell you i am a very lucky lady ~ alesia is one fantastic dream baby. she has a wonderful sense of humor and even though she's teething she is always an absolute pleasure to have around.

and the fruits of our labor ~ if you can even call it labor. we actually loved every minute of it. especially the snacking!
these wonderful strawberry adventures were had at the greengable gardens outside philomath oregon {right near mary's river grange}. their strawberry season is short and sweet. very sweet. so if you're in the area it's definitely worth the visit!

the selby

todd selby brings quirky creative fun & startling awareness of his subjects into the art of photography. he shows vibrant moods of interesting artist folk in their creative spaces. . . .and the inspiration that springs forth is insatiable.

his site is here

and here are just a few of my faves from it:

flower sense

the fabrics & textiles diva, tricia guild {also of designer’s guild fame}, explores the transformative power of blossoms in her new book flower sense. loaded with candy-colored photographs and innovative ideas for displaying flowers and plants in color-saturated city rooms, vintage environments, modern spaces and country settings, the book reflects guild’s vibrant and romantic approach to design. there’s a section on versatile and accessible arrangements for parties, as well as a practical chapter devoted to proper flower care and preparation for long lasting arrangements. i just love how well she blends contemporary with romantic!

{photos by james merrell, found on elle decoration}

buon weekend

i hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with happy adventures! here's a hint as to what mine will entail....but don't worry, i'm just the designated driver. ;o)

{top two photos by me in sonoma; last photo from the far niente website of the oldest known bottle of wine in california}

gone fishsin'

if you're ever wanting some new unique, well-made housewares {and, really who isn't?} then i've got just the place for you to visit: fishs eddy

their name is respectfully borrowed from a small hamlet in upstate new york ~ and their commitment to classic style and quality with artful twists makes their entire shop a charm filled delight.

monday wish list

some things i'm wishing for this bright sunny monday......

1. a lovely garden with a cute old wooden potting table

2. a green milk glass adjustable height pendant light

3. a porch swing on the inside of my house

4. a spa tub to soak in with an incredible view

5. to continue being myself and living my life with joy, strength, and a sense of awe, no matter what comes my way.

and to balance out the wishes, there's also gratitude to express.... to all the amazing friends, near & far, who are being so supportive and enthusiastic as i embark on a very human journey of unexpected motherhood. yesterday was my first mommy-to-be day, and it was pure joy from beginning to end. and of course i couldn't let a moment pass to appreciate my own amazing mama ~ i truly hope i can be half the inspiring woman that she is.

ranunculus reverence

as romantic as roses or peonies, but not nearly as commonplace, ranunculus are among my most favorite flowers. they are the many-petaled glorious beauties of spring ~ so this is certainly the time of year to give them some full attention.
brilliantly colored flowers on strong stems are ranunculus' chief attraction, and they are indeed special. they most often come in multiple layers of delicate, crepe paper thin petals ~ looking like an origami masterwork.

ranunculus (r. asiaticus) excel in southern and western gardens, and make terrific container plants everywhere. i have planted several in pots on my deck and although the wind is giving them a beating, they are still standing strong. they also make long-lasting cut flowers {up to 7 days once cut} and open a whole array of creative options for arrangements. bulbs are widely available in fall at retail nurseries in mild-winter climates, or in fall and early spring from mail-order catalogs. you can purchase seeds of certain varieties or even some that have already started at a nursery.

i was intrigued to find out the roots of the name, being as how ranunculus is kind of an odd word, so i dug out of stearn's dictionary of plant names that in latin "rana" means frog and ranunculus is a small frog. but the flower doesn't resemble a frog at all. so how could the two have been connected? i haven't found a reasonable explanation {yet} but here's one interesting connection that i like from the story of the asian prince:

'in fairy tales frogs are apt to change into princes and it was an asian prince in just such a story who gave his name to this flower, which grows naturally in swampy ground. the prince was so good-looking that he was loved by everyone. he also had a beautiful voice but this was his undoing. he loved the open country and sang delightful songs in the presence of nymphs. he did not have the courage to declare his love to them and this haunted him so much that he died. after his death he was changed into the flower with delicate tissuey petals which bears his name.'

according to the victorian language of flowers, a bouquet of ranunculus means "i am dazzled by your charms"

well, dear ranunculus, i am dazzled by your charms, most profoundly. and to you dear blogging friends: what are some of your favorite flowers?