Sunday, May 23, 2010

God's reward for living ...

through the winters in Ohio!



Heavenly Lily of the Valley
Transplanted for me by my sisters from
our mothers garden at our childhood home.


Exquisite little bells that bloom for
a few short weeks in May.





This is the view out my sewing room window.


My sister also shared her
Rhododendron
from my parents old home.




I set up the sofa table for dessert again.
If you remember, I had lilacs here last week.
Those are now done for the year.














We had dinner guests join us on Tuesday night.
I've been entertaining a LOT lately!
I hate to put away all my dishes so once they're clean,
I just set the table all over again.
I added silver chargers this time to give the
china a different look.

I cut some of my iris for the centerpiece to start
the evening, then switched to some lily of the valley
in a silver cup for the sake of easy conversation.



See my candle with all the French words?
I benchmarked the idea from Debbie
at Confessions of a Plate Addict.
Thanks Deb...I've done several sets already!


The reason you don't see any candles in the candle holders is
because I put mine in the freezer a few hours before
company arrives. It keeps them from dripping
during the dinner party.
Old Heloise trick that works!




Speaking of dripping...
even though it was HOT this weekend

(unheard of in Ohio in May!)
I got all my pots planted along with
16 tomato, 2 eggplant & 2 pepper plants.


I. AM. DONE!










I made a new cover for my bench cushion out of
damask-looking Sunbrella® fabric.

It was pretty sad before hand.






The peonies have just started to open so be sure to stop
by later this week to see some Nifty Thrifty Treasures
filled with PINK & PURPLE!


Thank you, Mary, for hosting

Mosaic Monday.

Please join Mary & others camera nuts at the





Little Red House


I'll also be joining Our Dear Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday


and

Our Dear Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday





Thanks for visiting & have a wonderful start to your week.

fondly,



Photobucket

35 comments:

  1. Hi, Rett,
    What a lovely post. The pictures are amazing. How great that you have some of your mom's flowers to enjoy. Your table is set so pretty, and your front door entry is so pretty with all the flowers.
    Great job, as usual.
    D

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  2. Hi Rett! It was a hot weekend, wasn't it? Your flowers look beautiful. I need to plant some Lily of the Valley. They're so delicate and pretty.

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  3. I'm so distracted with all the incredible blooms! First the peonies, then the lily-of-the-valley, on to rhododendrons, then iris...they are all gorgeous! And I love your new cushion!!! Have a wonderful week.

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  4. Hi Rett! Now this post was filled with so much beauty!! Each pictures just kept getting prettier and prettier!!

    I have been enjoying my Lily of the Valley as well. They were my grandma's favorite flower and she had a huge bed of them that ran around 3/4 of her house. She had dug out a bunch after she got married from her mother's house and planted them at her house. My mom dug up a bunch when I was a little girl and planted them at her home. A few years ago, I dug up a buch from my mom's and planted them here. So, my Lily of the Valley are 4 generations old and still growing strong!

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  5. Love that fabric on your bench and your flowers on your table are divine. Purple iris are the state flower of Tennessee so they always remind me of home! What a beautiful post!

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  6. So much to see and enjoy and be inspired by in this post!Well I sure could have used that tip about freezing the candles last night..drips all the way down my silver candles sticks..Grrr.
    Thank you for sharing images of your lovley home flowers and tablescapes!

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  7. Rett, I'm so happy you shared your lily of the valley. It is stunning and so are all the other blooms. Your pots look fabulous. I still have a few more to finish.
    Your table looks beautiful as usual. Glad to hear you had friends over. That must mean DH is feeling better. :-)
    Hope you have a terrific week. ~ Sarah

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  8. Beautiful blooms - your Lily of the Valley is gorgeous . I love my little patch - but am glad I have it surrounded by concrete or it would take over the entire front yard! Great cushion!

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  9. Hi Rett! Lovely post! I grew up in the mountains and we had similar flowers in our yard! So nice to see them again because it's just too darn hot for them here. Thanks for the tip on freezing candles! And I am so glad that you liked the frenchy candle idea! I have to control myself to keep from stamping them all! Happy week!...hugs...Debbie

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  10. Rett,

    The lily of the valley is one of my favorites. Your mosaics are perfect. Your home is beautiful.

    Carol

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  11. You've been busy! How special that you have plants from your parents house (really wish I had my Grandmom's rhubarb), and I love the new cushion on the bench!

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  12. I like to have small bouquets of fragrant lily-of-the-valley on my kitchen window sill to inhale as I'm working at the sink.
    Your black iron plant stand is really nice and has lots of colourful flowers on it.

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  13. Love all your flowers and lily of the valley is special to me as well -- and their bloom time is far too short!

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  14. Wow I love your bench cover. It surely would go with my lamp. I enjoyed visiting your blog and especially seeing the Lily of the Valley ... miss seeing that down here in the south.

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  15. The front of the house looks wonderful, love the black urns with the pink petunia. The table is so pretty, the iris were the best. Take care.

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  16. Hi Rett,

    That's so special that you have flowers from your family home. We have a tradition in our family of sharing the maiden hair ferns from the house my grandpa grew up in. I still live in the same town and the ferns grow abundantly in my garden.

    Amanda

    P.S. Your photograph of the lilies of the valley is so crisp and gorgeous!

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  17. Rett,
    I love the new bench cushion! I also love all of your flowers - they are so pretty!
    Thanks for the nice comment on my front porch! The paint color I used for the bench is Antique Brass by Rustoleum. I was going to rub on a little black paint after, but I liked the way it looked.

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  18. Wow, You've been busy, Rett! Your front entry is so nice and welcoming and your flowers are just lovely. ove your table!...Christine

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  19. Love lilies of the valley! I have tried growing them, but our winters evidently are not cold enough! Hard to believe my peonies are long gone, and yours are just beginning to bloom. Thanks for sharing Spring in Ohio!

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  20. Hi Rett, what gorgeous pictures....just a feast for the eyes. The colors are simply stunning!!!!!!!

    Barb ♥

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  21. Oh, Rett... how wonderful to have Lily of the Valley! That is one of my favorite flowers, and to have that from your mother's yard is extra special. Loved seeing all of your flowers... they are GORGEOUS!

    And your table looks stunning. I know your company loves it. And the little bench looks so spiffy in its new dress. :-)

    It's hot here, too, and I want spring to come back!!!

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  22. Ooooooh! I love your lilies of the valley. And your table scapes are just gorgeous, too!

    Hope you have a beautiful (but not so hot) day!

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  23. What beautiful photographs; your flowers are amazing. I love those big urns on the front porch. I've been wanting some for years but can never make myself pay the high prices! :-)
    Great tablescape too; I love the white and silver and the delicate lily of the valley, so elegant. I liked it also with the iris; that unexpected pop of color.

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  24. Thanks for stopping by and the peony tips link, I'd like to try that too!

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  25. I don't know where to start. My eyes were bugging out of my head at all the ideas I saw. Your tables and arrangements lovely. Your front entrance said welcome,welcome,welcome. All so lovely. Valerie

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  26. Everything looks beautiful, Rett, from your front entry to your table set with Lenox china, to your lily of the valley! You are so creative and such a wonderful homemaker!
    Hugs and blessings, Beth

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  27. wow. that's what i call flower powered. very good!

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  28. Rett,
    Your flowers are simply breath taking! Each tablescape set up is splendid! I would love to come sit on the front porch with you and enjoy your flowers. How beautiful!
    Dee Dee

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  29. What a pretty table, Rett.
    I love the idea of you and your sister having those heirloom plants - I especially love the Lily of the Valley - that perfume!

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  30. I love the lilly of the valley. I so wish I could grow that plant here. My sister lives in Cleveland and calls it a weed!! And Peonies!! This was a lovely post.

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  31. Rhett-You DO deserve a reward for those winters. Isn't it nice to continue the legacy with your flowers? It makes them so special. I have the same damask pattern outside and lots of the same plants in my pots! You have wonderful taste :) I checked out the cakecentral site. Thanks for the tip!

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  32. What beautiful photos, Rett! Your home looks so lovely with all new the flowers and plants. The flowers from your childhood home are gorgeous. I wish we had flowers like that in south Florida! Those lily of the valley bells are so delicate and pretty!

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  33. Rett, How blessed you are to have plants from your childhood home! You have a garden of Eden inside and outside your house! Beautiful, beautiful flowers and pictures.
    I love the entrance to your home. What a lovely welcome for your guests.
    Yvonne

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  34. Hi Rett!!!
    Love the new white flowers, so great they are from family!!!!
    ANother dinner party Yeah for you, you are a GREAT Hostess!!!!I love your plants out front and that new cushion has inspired me, since I have not seen anything new at the home store I like, I may have my MOM make me 6 new cushion covers!!!!I will send her the fabric and size and she will love to have a new project to work on!!!!
    It was UNSEASONABLY COOL here this past weekend, but heating up again fast!!!!May reach 100 degrees again, did 1 day last week, but very unusaul for May, we usually have more then 10 by now, so far only 1
    today was quite cool!!!!
    lucky us!!!!
    hot for you though
    wow
    have a great week
    hugs,
    jamie

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  35. Rett, dropping back by to say thanks so much for remembering Mr. Magpie with birthday good wishes! We both truly appreciate it.

    Wishing you a very Happy Memorial Day in return!

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. I read them all & each one is so very special to me & I try really hard to return the visit!

fondly,
~Rett~