Seeing is Believing

"You can not know yet, what you see is what you are looking at or what you are believing."


        William Faulkner,   Absalom, Absalom!



This is what I am looking at this sultry, summer evening..........

I'm believing that window is actually a pair of French doors leading out to a columned, weathered porch illuminated by moonlight.  There may even be the soft, sweet scent of Confederate Jasmine wafting, as best it can, through the thick night air.

Bourbon and Branch on the porch, accompanied by some great story telling.  May I just say that both my dad and his mother had an amazing gift for telling a story?  The big, belly laugh they shared was key.

This is some of the bar ware I was able to obtain from last weekend's flea market.  When it's 100 degrees, you don't even have to barter, people just want to sell their stuff and go home! I confess, it's not really Bourbon but iced tea - a Mad Men trick. Personally, Gin and Tonic is the way.  It's like summer in a glass!  Cheers, and try to savor the heat and languid atmosphere. We will have frigid temps and barren landscape before we know it.

Again with the Spray Paint!

Meet the Master Bath -

That's pretty much it, folks.  I'm sitting on the sink taking this photo.  Opposite this wall (immediately opposite this wall) is a commode, head-knocker and a teeny sink that butts up against the shower wall.

Obviously, something of weight was hung here prior to our arrival.  I find these scars very offensive.  I finally found a way to cheaply hang my latest art acquisition from Carol at My Painting Room  and get some aqua into the bathroom.

Imagine that, a white flower!  I love this painting of Queen Anne's Lace.  Please check out the rest of Carol's work here.

I had the frame already, a multiple-move survivor.  I can't believe we had an "estate sale"* and then another estate sale and I didn't put it in.  Well, it paid off as the only thing I had to buy to frame this little beauty was a can of spray paint!  O.K. maybe it's tacky to paint the cardboard that comes with the frame but if you squint your eyes, it looks like a really cool textured mat.  Or if you are near-sighted like me, no squinting required!  I would love to hang some lovely aqua fabric to hide the shower door but since there's not a light IN the shower, probably not a great idea.  I shave my legs using the braille method as it is.  Okay, enough whining!  I love it!  It's gorgeous and will be a happy sight to see instead of holes on a vanilla wall.  Happy Friday!



*I realize you usually need to be dead to call it an estate sale but the stuff that made it's way out of the door was not your average garage sale fare.  And may I just say thank you again to Sue, bi-lingual Sarah (boy did that come in handy) and Meredith, on-sight psychologist for holding my hand and making it happen!

You Say Geesha, I Say Gaysha.....

However you say it, I have long been intrigued with Geishas.  These prints hung in my room as a little girl. They were painted by my mother's best friend in high school,  who died of cancer at a very young age.  I am so proud to have these prints as works of art and as a symbol of their friendship.  I had them re-matted and framed a few years ago because I wanted them preserved forever.

In my younger days I professed a profound dislike of anything Oriental or Old West.  And here I am today, knee-deep in chinoiserie at "The Ranch."  Ain't life funny?  For an excellent read, if you have not already experienced it,  Memoirs of a Geisha.  It is one of my favorite books.  Another MAJOR favorite,  Lonesome Dove.  East meets West, Yin and Yang................opposites attract!

Happy snowy Sunday in July.

A Horse of a Different Color

I had a little art project requiring a little bit of spray paint.

With almost an entire can left over, I had a thought.  My horse of unnatural materials has really been bugging me lately.  I was going to paint him Turquoise once upon a time but, well, you know -

Olive Bright it is!!!!!!!

The 5 year old loves it.  He even gave me a big hug and said "Thank you Mommy!" when he saw the horse.

Green is his favorite color!

Others, however..............................

Not so much.  What do 17 yr. olds know anyway?  Oh that's right,

E V E R Y T H I N G!!!!!

My husband's response, "If it  makes you happy, I'm happy."  Damn straight!

I'm quite pleased.  It matches the drapes in the "Front" room that my mother would desperately like me to replace with solid white ones.  I do believe I mentioned we are polar opposites.  Since the financial debacle, I feel the need for happy colors in my home, so there you go.  That's my story.

THE   END

Playing House 1

 Renting The Ranch has been like playing house.  We are definitely in the midst of an interesting life adventure so getting to play house again is a consolation prize.  Design decisions are easier because there's no permanence to them.  Also, limited funding forces you to be more creative and that's always a good thing!  Limited funding also keeps you at home and if you are like me, things begin to move around.............okay, okay, let's say more than usual.

Buffet update:

BEFORE

AFTER

Sure, I just flip flopped the painting and the mirror and added more blue and white to the buffet BUT I like it better and it kept me occupied and entertained last night.  I still very much want to slip cover those wing backs in a white duck cloth or outdoor fabric (stains) and finish them off with a navy velvet pillow with a monogrammed center panel.  It's in my head, hopefully I can make it a reality.

Peace.

The Bistro Around The Corner

I'm not really sure why I am so enamored of viewing the Bistro through the Dining Nook pocket door but I am.  I unearthed some paintings that were being stored in the garage and was so happy to see them again.  They have a new home on this innocuous little wall.

p.s. I also unearthed the lost "20 odd" mint julep cups!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh happy day!

Happy 4th of July

Well, the iris looks more purple than blue here but the platter in the background IS blue.  Have a fun and safe 4th.

Sincerely,
D.B. at The Ranch