Monday, April 18, 2011

Images from the weekend

How was your weekend, my friends? I was saddened to see all the reports of the terrible weather through the States, especially those struck with tornadoes.

Our weather on Saturday was wicked but I felt safe in this old manor house with its thick stone walls. So while the winds howled all afternoon and through the night and the rain beat down and the thunder boomed, we were quite cozy inside. (George was wrapped up in a little ball sitting right next to me in the spot he stays when there’s a storm).

Here’s just a sampling of photos from the weekend.


DSC_0633 copy 2

Out the breakfast nook window Saturday morning.

It had just begun to rain.



DSC_0639 copy 2

Out the master bedroom window. You can’t tell by the photo, but it’s pouring.  My husband went out to cut lettuce from the garden for me because he forgot to bring some in before the rain began in earnest.

I am so demanding.


(No, I’m not. I told him to forget it, but he insisted).


DSC_0647 Nelly Nero - Vespa copy 2

Red-tailed hawk on Sunday morning.


DSC_0700 Shabby Suitcase - Nelly Nero copy 2

The dogwood tree by the house.

(The texture is from Florabella).


DSC_0577 Pump Me Up! - Nelly Nero copy 2

I love violets.


And shallow depth-of-field.


DSC_0578 Shabby Suitcase - Nelly Nero copy 2



DSC_0611 copy 2

I even got some work done. On Saturday while it rained, I did my ironing in the kitchen.

My sister, Char, loves to iron and I can really understand why.


DSC_0619 copy 2

It’s the soothing repetition – the smoothing out of all the wrinkles and imperfections.

It’s an act of putting everything in order.


DSC_0626 copy 2

And when everything’s in order – it feels like life is in order.

Hope your week is off to a good beginning.


Until tomorrow, my friends . . .
123 Signature

40 comments:

Low Tide High Style said...

Growing up I loved to iron, but now it has to be a very important event for me to iron something. Maybe that's why I don't go to very many important events! ;-)

I love the picture of the violets!

Kat :)

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Now I know why my life is not in order. I despise ironing!

Gorgeous photos, as always.

Deb said...

love your photos...I had a wonderful weekend...

Gone Country said...

Your comment about life being in order is so true! That's one thing I'm concentrating on this year... getting things in order!

Love the photos. I really like the one of the breakfast nook window!

I had a pretty rough weekend but with each passing hour I am getting better! Glad you guys were nice & cozy during the storm!

Cloudia said...

smoothing repetitions....like blogging?
(Successive approximations?)


BTW: we love anything about George :-)



Warm Aloha from Honolulu


Comfort Spiral

><}}(°>


><}}(°>

<°)}}><

TexWisGirl said...

oh i detest ironing! it's the WORST!!! i'm no good at it at all.

love the violet shot the best. i miss those blooms as i never see them here in texas...

Lisa said...

I to love the rain and the window.
Your weekend sounds like it was fun and relaxing all at the sametime. I used to love to iron but these day not so much. Just what needs too.
Lovely post Kate.

beth said...

so is it weird that i haven't ironed any of my clothes in like 4 years or so ?

i remember last year steaming a linen shirt, but other than that, i guess i'm a wrinkled mess....lol

actually have you ever used the spray downy wrinkle remover ? i have used that a few times and it's great for traveling....

i totally love the honesty in the window pane photo !

Kaycee said...

In my head, I have a list of things I wish I could do really well. One of them is take photos, but I just don't quite have the eye. Thanks for sharing yours with us!! Lovely!

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

The photos are lovely--such a beautiful place!
I love to iron also! It's peaceful and calming to me and I can think! Seems like women have always turned to handwork for much the same reason. Piecing and knitting together fragments and broken things to make something whole and complete--does that make sense?
Have a blessed Holy Week!
V

mrs mediocrity said...

So true. I spent the weekend getting my studio in order, and catching up on all the things that had gotten away from me. When I was young I used to iron my dad's work shirts for him. It is one of those tasks that you can enjoy. I feel the same way about sweeping.
And that hawk photo made me swoon.

Tiggeriffic said...

I was given the job of ironing when I was 9 years old. My mom had me iron the socks, underwear, sheets and my Dad"s white shirts that he wore to work. and everyone elses clothes that needed ironing.. The good ole days when everything was cotton.
Rain and snow is in our area and it's downright chilly.
Have a tiggeriffic day ~ ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Dawning Inspiration said...

You rocked that Violet and shallow depth of field shot...
love it!

Reena said...

Yes, what a wild and windy weekend. So much rain, it had to find its way into our basement. Not bad, but, then .. I can think of better things to worry about.
Ironing! OMG, I haven't done that for decades! When I was 10 or so, I had the honor of ironing the men's hankerchiefs of our farming family.
Love coming by and visiting you. Such a peaceful place.
Thank you, Kate.
Hope your week is terrific!
Reena

Devon said...

I just love your picture through the window... you have great vision in composition.. your shots just work beautifully.

I also enjoy the quiet stillness of ironing. It is almost meditative.

Kathryn Dyche said...

We had quite the thunder and lightening storm roll through here on Saturday too. Thankfully it cleared out by Sunday. As for ironing I hate it . . . want to do mine too?

Mental P Mama said...

My ironing basket's full. Come on up;)

Anonymous said...

You know... I remember when I loved ironing too and I would iron all of Hubby's dress shirts for the week every Sunday night. I'm not sure what happened, but somewhere along the way I just started disliking it. I think he misses my Sunday evening act of love, the ironing of his shirts. Now he looks a bit rumpled going off to work.

Daryl said...

I dont iron, God created dry cleaners and my mom taught me to do the 'perm press' stuff separately and to hang them up right out of the dryer so no wrinkles .. I've trained Toonman to do the laundry, to not fold but to bring it upstairs for me to fold or hang ....

Saturday is was nasty .. Sunday was windy but far sunnier .. now its Monday which a cafeteria worker told me is one day closer to Friday .. I like that thinking ...

Country Gal said...

Your post and photos were just wonderful. Have a good day !

Tammy said...

We had lovely sun over the weekend so I did yard work. I also rearranged the furniture and hung new curtains! I had a great weekend. Your photos are so beautiful!

abb said...

Beautiful! However....my dryer is my ironing board...

thecatalanway said...

I love ironing too - but sometimes it means having to hoover the carpet first to remove the dog hairs so they won't get on the sheets. I like to sit while ironing and listen to the radio, perhaps with a cup of coffee by my side. I love your photo of the ironing board. It is like a painting - the little glimpse of a chair, the vegetables in the background and the rumpled clothes waiting to be ironed and made good. thanks Kate x

Jamie said...

Love the photos! Very relaxing and soothing images after having to see the stuff from Deltaville. I especially love the Hawk.

I like to iron but rarely have the time. But yes, it's the repetition and the back and forth motion- reminds me of rocking.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I love ironing too, particularly onb a cold day.

I can almost smell the violets in that photograph.

Sarah said...

I also learned to iron when I was a child, starting out with pillowcases and my Daddy's handkerchiefs. (Does anyone iron handkerchiefs anymore?) I didn't last long though - I dropped the iron too many times, and my Mom figured it was cheaper to have pay someone to do the ironing rather than a get a new floor!

I still like to iron pillowcases and especially napkins. I put Lavendar essential oil in the water I use for the steam, and it's a real Zen experience. It does bring conform and order into my life.

Carolynn Anctil said...

I used to love to iron as a kid. My mom would give me sheets & pillowcases to iron and I'd be happy as a clam. I loved the transformation from wrinkled to smooth & crisp and the delicious smell of clean laundry that wafted up with every pass of the iron.

Now...I hate ironing and have very few things in my closet that require it.

Tess Kincaid said...

I love violets, too. Your capture is marvelous.

LeAnn Knight said...

Gorgeous pictures!

Bluebird49 said...

You know I love the hawk--can't explain why I like a predator that the farmers detest! I like his "lone-ness" or something. And I loved the ironing pictures, although I do not love ironing. I guess I was not cut out to be a "house wife", although I have been one for 45 years this June 30th!

My weekend,. was filled with high fevers and lots of wheezing, but with antibiotics, I seem to be on the upswing.

Unknown said...

I love to iron and watch bad tv, LOVE it. That texture is fabulous on that picture of the dogwood.

ELK said...

so nice to spend time with you here among such lovely photos ..and even the every day ones!!

Chrissykat said...

Love the photo of the dogwood tree with the faint words in the background. It's very relaxing to look at. (can I end a sentence with "at"? I can't rememeber!) I do not care for ironing much but I must say, I do thoroughly enjoy vacuuming...nearly instant gratification!

GailO said...

This weekend was not the usual quiet one for me because we had the grandchildren for the whole weekend:) Today I am exhausted... I am trying to get back into posting so I can share the photos of the busy fun weekend we had. Even though I do not love ironing I do love your photos!

imquilternity said...

I l-o-v-e to iron. I iron lots of fabric, in addition to all of my husband's shirts and jeans (and mine too). It's so relaxing and peaceful and allows me time to quietly think. Plus, when people see my finished quilt tops they are always in awe...and I quietly tell them, "I use steam when I iron."

spindrift,maine said...

My mother used to iron everything that didn't run away from her first. She had one of those roller irons that she called a 'mangle'. She even did my father's skivvies on that thing. I also love the order that comes from ironing--I agree, it is one of those 'zen' activities. With miracle fabrics, however, I mostly dry in the dryer and hang up quickly. Love your breakfast window and your hawk. Beautiful post today, Kate!

Donna S. said...

I actually like to iron but get tired of it if I have too much. We are down in Daytona. Thursday & Friday were very windy. Today was wonderful. Cool in the shade, nice & warm in the sun!

Mary said...

Oh yes, there is something so soothing about ironing, not that I do too much of it... I always love the smell of freshly ironed shirts, though...

Lovely photos here -- so glad you made it through the storm ok. It was a nasty one, wasn't it?
xoxo

The JR said...

Beautiful pictures.

Lots of damage in MS.

Lili said...

I only love to iron when I'm sewing something, and then I must have scented linen water to iron with. And my items must be easy to iron...no ruffles or collars, but I love to flatten down seams and I love steam, scented steam. And I love those violets and the shallow depth-of-field of which I didn't know about before. I also enjoyed YOUR ironing pictures even though I don't enjoy ironing, except for the above stated exception of course. xo ~Lili