Garden Pinks

When I think of Pink, I think of Pink in my garden. I primarily have pink as the color of my flowers and with the weather warming up I begin to think what my yard looked like and what I am dreaming of over the next few months.

This is my backyard and my header. People always wonder if it is my yard...yes it is and I designed the bed under the oak tree for my Grandmothers ferns that originally came from 1515. And yes pink impatiens.

Pink geraniums

hang from the potting shed. A old wheelbarrow with pink petunias.

It won't be long till my peonies will be blooming! These are pink ones from 1515.

Then my zinnias and miniature hollyhocks will make a great garden bouquet. I miss my bouquets, I usually on my days off wander the yard and pick a bunch of what is blooming.

I will be able to sit on the front porch and enjoy the sunshine and flowers that surround me.

My pink geraniums on the front porch will be blooming. The flower boxes my mom had made for my Grandmother's front porch in the 1940's and even though my husband has had to put them back together them I treasure them so.

Now I think I may head out and see if I can find some pansies. I need some flowers bad!!

Have a great Saturday

Joining Beverly for Pink Saturday

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Happy St Patrick's Day!!!!

On Tuesday I had a St. Patty post but wanted to save my favorite decoration for the holiday, my vase.

Isn't she a pretty red headed lass? I imagine she looks like my GGGGGrandmother Elizabeth McMachen as a young woman.

It is basket shaped with alot of detail

Even the back is ornate

But the best part is what I payed for her a few years ago...$3!!

I left the price tag on because I did not think that I would remember. Don't worry it sits in the vase and you can not see it!

So she wishes you a VERY Happy St. Patricks Day!!

Joining Colorado Lady for VTT

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/2011/03/vintage-thingie-thursday-vintage_16.html

Aunt Annie

The woman i idolize is a woman I do not remember. However she touches my life almost on a daily basis, it is my Great Aunt Annie......why, do you ask?

Ever since I bought 1515, returning to my Grandparents home and the home my Dad grew up in has been a life changing event.  Days there center around family. I have told you how my cousins have unearthed things like pictures, bibles, letters you name it. We sometimes think we can tell you what they did every day of every year. I have been interested in genealogy since I was a child, and since my Mom died it is my passion as much as gardening and antiquing.

Today's events are a perfect example. I am sitting at the dining room table with a cousin, we have the same 3rd Great Grandfather and we met through Ancestory.com last year. We have a Galbreath reunion every year, this will be #105 and last year they attended and that is when we met. Their family moved to Kansas/Colorado at the turn of the century.

Here we are visiting the church my Grandmother attended as a young girl. We were going to go to another church until we found out the pastor was the best friend of my cousins ( from Colorado) voice coach! My other cousins who attend that church were surprised to see our family fill up a entire pew!

What we were doing at the the table today was reading my Aunt Annie's diaries that she wrote from 1900-1960's. She put every death, birth, family visit in those diaries. Along with that she spent from 1904 till her death discovering things about our family. We also have all her documentation on all her research, notebook after notebook.

Then I realized the anniversary of her death was today and the important even that shape our Mitchell line, happened today. The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was fought on our family land and propelled the move to the West and finally Illinois.  To me that is like Thomas Jefferson and John Adams dying on the 4th of July.

We owe all of our family history to her and she died on the anniversary of the most important event in our families life. I found that so profound.

Too many times I look up and saying "thank you Aunt Annie".

Because of someone I don't remember I know my Great Grandparents as Mama and Papa. I know the date that my Grandparents bought 1515. I know the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. And most of all I know, love and cherish cousins I did not know that existed who have enriched my life beyond all expectations.

Aunt Annie had no children, however she left a wonder legacy for her relatives and I thank her every day.

Friday is also her birthday and I am so glad she was born, to bring so much joy to my life.

Here's to you Aunt Annie, you live on and are thought about every day from many of us with love and gratitude for the love you showed for our family.



St Patrick Day Week

It is Saint Patrick Day Week, and I normally do not celebrate it.  Even though some of my family was born in Ireland in the late 1690's. I don't claim Irish heritage because they were of Scottish heritage, stopping over briefly prior to coming to America.

Here is the shelf under my staircase ready for March 17th with vintage postcards.

Some white tulips in my green and white ironstone pitcher.

On Thursday I will tell you more about the vase!

A Postcard I picked up in Paris a few years ago.

Have a great week, I am spending it with family from out of town....my Scottish Mitchell family that is!


Joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life!

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2011/03/56th-table-top-tuesday.html

Pink and Green Saturday

I was having trouble thinking about what to post. It should be easy right? Most of my house is green and pink...but nothing.

I am at 1515 this weekend and went to my friends antiques store...thank goodness!

She had a great USA pottery vase....mine for $8! And the little Irish Lade will be sent to my friend Patty because the little girl looks just like her! And Patty LOVES St Patty's day!!

The vase will be going back home to the garden cottage.

Have a very Happy Pink Saturday. I am looking forward to some cousins from Colorado tonight, so 1515 will be full of fun and laughter, just like it was so many years ago.

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

My little touch of Spring

After I took down my Valentines and before I put up my Easter, some areas are a little bare, which I don't mind. On top of my curio cabinet I usually put up a Lenox pitcher I got for my Mom because it had her favorite flower, a Iris on it. Being March and the month of St Patty's day I decided to put my forsythia blooms in something green.

Just one simple vase with forsythia

But when you look closer it is not just any vase.

It is a piece from my collection of depression ware known as "Dancing Girl" or "Cameo" depending on what you see when you look at the design. Which do you see?

I have a large collection that sits on top of my Dining Room Hutch. It all started with the pitcher my Grandmother always had in the refrigerator with ice tea in it. I never asked whether she got it at a movie or in a box of soap.

I kind of like how the forsythia looks in the vase.

Happy VTT!
joining http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/2011/03/vintage-thingie-thursday-vintage_09.html

Fresh Laundry

Spring Cleaning calls for fresh linens and washing everything.

The "back porch" at 1515 has been transformed since my Grandparents lived there to a wonderful large laundry room with great cabinets and counter space.

A great place to display old bread boxes and tin trays. Wanna grab a water from the old 7 up crate? Even a power strip for all of us to plug in our electronics. Of course I painted the walls a light yellow and have the same black and white tile floor that goes into the kitchen.

Also made a great place to set up for treats and drinks when we are having a family get together.

Don't you love the little girls doing their laundry? I got the print from Rebecca from Ella Mae's Barn Gathering. The washboard is vintage and hung on the wall in my Mom's laundry room.

The door to the water heater is a chalk board with hints for those guests staying at 1515 when I am not there. It really is like a family Bed/Breakfast.....ah well maybe just bed!

Vintage clothespin bag

The picnic basket and a vintage towel

The shelf was made for me by my painter who is very cleaver. All the items on the shelf have a story, the KFC is what we always brought Grandad for lunch, he always had Folger coffee, and the old pop bottles bring back memories.

Vintage match holder and laundry bag...I love the doggie!

This is my Grandad's railroad flashlight. My cousin Tom was so generous to bring it, he said "it always hung here by the back door so Grandpa could grab it as he went out the door". So it is back where it started.

The ice pick and tongs were my Grandad's also.

Sorry for the glare..but as you go out the back door there is a picture of my Grandmother in 1939 with her chin high coleus!! And they were right outside the back door.

Hope you enjoyed the little tour. It is nothing fancy but it is home!

Since there is a counter top featured I will join Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for
Table Top Tuesday!
http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2011/03/55th-table-top-tuesday.html