Indoor Garden

My indoor gardening skills pretty much stink in the winter. I don't know why but, I just let my plants to fend for themselves once the weather turns cold. Winter blahs I guess.
I don't have anything special . Some thyme and other herbs in the kitchen, then it's just philodendrons , ferns and the like with the exception of my begonias. er, um, what WERE my begonias.
I was disappointed with myself when I discovered I'd let this guy go. He is one of my Rex begonias and, when healthy ,(& the plant has more than one lonely leaf on it !), it is  spectacular crimson red due to the fine wooly red hairs that cover it. I am going to try and nurse him back. He was a bushy thing last summer *sigh*
This little fella has managed to do only tiny bit better. He is also a Rex but a different type. His leaves will continue to curl around on themselves, forming a nautilus like spiral. He gets a bronze tint to his leaves. I had the begonias out in my studio room and forgot all about them. They've been by the cold window and without water for to long. Time to see how much green is left in me wee Scotch-Irish thumb.

me & my cameras

This is what I do late at night, sick & in bed, can't sleep, can't breathe, can't swallow. 

view from my balcony

I'm under the weather, which isn't all that good itself. Cold and white is the forecast today in my little part of Pennsylvania. As for me ; Achy, sneezy, coughing and germ infested.  Can't keep anything down. I opened the doors to the balcony just to let some fresh, frozen air in. It is still snowing. The dogs went out on the balcony, shook their heads in disbelief, came back in and laid down. More orange tea, please.

paper weight fantasy

I made this paperweight from a heavy vintage glass ashtray and clippings from vintage books.
My imagination filled with an idea of an explorer, a botanist, in the 1800's who sets out in search of unfounded herbs & plants that may be useful in curing plagues and other illnesses.
He ventures deep into thick, humid fauna of the South and in his search catches a glimpse of a being unknown, a woodland fairy darting about the camp.
He journals about this alien sighting and he himself becomes plagued, haunted if you will, by the sight of her for the rest of his days.
I had fun making this piece and although I wanted to keep it as natural as possible in it's images, I did add small amounts of glitter and a vintage rhinestone or two for fantasies sake. The enigmatic fairy is dressed in shells and her wings are real feathers. The back was filled after images were cut and pasted, then heavy cardboard covered with old barkcloth leaf fabric was affixed to the back for a "no scratch" surface.

~spring in my step~

Some multifab vintage goodies I purchased from Doe Hill Decor recently.
I thought these pieces would look ideal with my white wicker furniture on the porch of my periwinkle colored cottage.
It's a spring thing.
And for Lynn of Life at Cedar Hill, as promised, the proof our ducky planters were separated immediately upon hatching!

Pretty Pasta

I pulled out a bag of pretty pasta from the cupboard tonight and made my favorite simple but delicious quick pasta dish.
               Some feta cheese, real butter, whole garlic, extra virgin olive oil,(evoo) & spices to taste.
Boiled & drained the pasta. Melted down the butter and added finely chopped garlic til infused then whisked in some evoo. Drizzled the butter mixture over top of pasta. Coarsely crumbled handfuls of feta cheese to crown the heap and then gently tossed altogether. This butter & oil sauce is perfect because not only does it have super flavor but it allows you the colorful eye candy of the rainbow pasta. You know what ? It was so divine it was gone before I thought to snap a picture of the finished dish! Oh well, it was good to the proverbial last bite.

Freezing rain here today

Freezing rain here today. It is coming down steadily & entombs the white snow under it's slick crust. Its just as well. Sunday is laundry day here at the cottage so I wont be tempted to procrastinate the chore due to good weather. Hamlet has been keeping close vigil over the Amyrillis progress.
Laundry awaits to be carried down to the old cellar for washing
My favorite oil painting here in the cottage. It best describes the current surroundings.