Master Gardener

A couple of years ago, I bought a bag of dahlia tubers at Home Depot. Then I put them on the back porch and there they sat for the next year.

This spring, after noticing that they had grown green shoots right in the bag, I decided to plant them in a pot on my deck. And they grew!

And they flowered. But I didn't stake them carefully, and the first bud to open was blooming with it's face on the deck. So I cut it and brought it inside.

And spent a half hour taking photos of it. Because that's what I do. ;)

Other than that, it's been a whirlwind week. I'm thinking I may take next week off from posting, to see of I can get a handle on all the things that I need to do around here. I'll see you In September. :)

Playing Photographer

I spent yesterday afternoon taking pictures of my niece for my portrait photography class. My job was made so much easier by the fact that she is just so darn beautiful. :)

I had so much fun doing this. I can't wait to find more models! In the meantime, I will visit everyone's mosaics today. Sorry I haven't gotten around to all of you yet, but I was playing photographer. ;)

Mosaic Monday: Summer Green

This has been a very green summer here in New Jersey. Usually at this point in August, all the grass is looking rather burnt, and the leaves on the trees start to look a bit dusty. But we've had over 24 inches of rain in the last three months, and everything is green.

Really green.

We've been trying our best to take advantage of the beautiful scenery, and walk as much as possible. There are several really wonderful parks near our home, and also trails through some nature sanctuaries. And even a walk around the corner boasts some lovely sights, such as the grass-covered path, above.

And I've also been trying my best to keep from complaining about the weather, which has been a tad bit... shall we say... humid. Oh yeah, the grass is green, and the rest of us are all growing mold.

But I'm not going to complain. ;)

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:

1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net. I can't wait to see your mosaics! Here is Mr. Linky:

Who Are You?

I've been taking a photography course for the past few weeks. One of the first assignments was to take a self-portrait.

You have no idea how many images went in the trash before I came up with one that was, well, not too horrible. :)

But mainly I'm posting this because I've been wondering lately who is this woman I see in the mirror, and where is she headed?

Oh, and how did I get to be so old?!

Anybody else feeling this way?

*****

Please join me for Mosaic Monday. Mr. Linky should be up by 8:30pm Sunday. I look forward to seeing your mosaics. :)

Just Popping In To Say Hi

Very busy day today, but I just thought I'd take a moment to show you this plate that I got at my favorite thrift store on Friday. They are closed for the summer, but they always have a one-day sale in August, just to whet your appetite for all the new things that will be offered in the fall.

And at $4., this little beauty from Czechoslovakia had me drooling. ;)

Have a beautiful day, dear bloggers! Mine will be filled with getting a recalcitrant car to the service station, getting my son to the train, and getting my daughter to soccer tryouts. Oh, and if you can, please say a prayer for my father-in-law, who is very ill.

I hope to be posting again on Friday or Saturday, when things will be a little calmer... :)

Mosaic Monday: My Special Space

First of all, happy birthday to my wonderful husband, the love of my life. :)

I've been taking a photography course given by a blogging friend recently. One of the assignments is to make a space in your house empty of mess, to be filled with your favorite things -- the sort of things you save through the years to remind you of happy times. To build a place of peace and happiness.

So I decided to make a mosaic of my space: There are photos of my wedding day and of my kids when they were little. There is a box with a carved dog on top that belonged to my grandfather, and my father's books. There is my mother's turquoise bracelet, that I still wear almost every day. A mother's day card from my daughter is here, as well as some fossils and shells we have collected over the years. All these things remind me of happy times in my life.

What would be in your space?

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:

1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net. I can't wait to see your mosaics! Here is Mr. Linky:

Tablescape Thursday: Plain and Simple

A bouquet of queen anne's lace was the inspiration for this simple trayscape. The fields around our Little Red House are filled with the flowers right now, and I couldn't resist picking some.

I love the simplicity of this country bouquet in it's clear glass antique bottle.

A simple vintage embroidered napkin is paired with a bone-handled knife and German silver spoon. All from area thrift stores and antique shops.

A Waterford goblet in the Donegal pattern is part of our wedding crystal. And gosh, do I need to wash it!

The simple white plate is by American Atelier at Home. I am really craving simplicity these days -- getting a little tired of anything too colorful or fancy.

And what could be simpler than these beautiful gifts from the sea?

Many thanks to the fabulous Susan, of Between Naps on the Porch, for making Tablescape Thursday such a fun time for all! Visit Susan for lots more wonderful tablescapes.

Mosaic Monday: Summertime

Oh boy, summer is finally coming to New Jersey. As I type this on Sunday night, Monday's temperatures are predicted to be around 96 degrees, and super muggy. Those cool, rainy days are starting to look really good right about now. :)

Summer, to me, means wildflowers in the meadows around our home -- queen anne's lace and goldenrod and wild black-eyed susans. It means going to the farm stand for local corn and Jersey tomatoes (the best in the world, I'll have you know!) and stopping to say "hi" to the chickens. It means long rambles under the hot sun, and pretty cottage gardens filled with flowers.

Yes, life in summer is just a bowl full of cherries. ;)

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:

1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net. I can't wait to see your mosaics! Here is Mr. Linky:

It's The Little Things

I've been resting my achy typing fingers lately, and focusing my lens on the little things. A drop of dew that clings to the grass,

the tiny florets of Queen Anne's Lace, (aren't they beautiful?),

this small pink cuphea blossom dancing on it's delicate stem,

and the magical spider's webs that appeared one morning on the dew-drenched lawn. What amazing beauty can be found when we just take some time to really look closely at things.

It's the little things. :)

*********

I hope you will consider joining the fun at Mosaic Monday this week. Mr. Linky will be up (hopefully) by 8:30pm Sunday. Hope to see your link there. :)

A Great Big Smile Just For You

A great big thank you to all who participated in Mosaic Monday. Although I could not leave comments for all of you, I really enjoyed seeing all your wonderful mosaics! What a pool of talented bloggers we have here -- you guys are the best. :)

These Black-Eyed Susans are in a pot on my deck. I never used to like yellow flowers. I was a very snobbish English country style gardener with all pastel blooms. But with years comes wisdom -- now I'm happy with whatever wants to grow for me. :)

Tell me, what are your favorite flowers, or colors in the garden? What grows well for you? What is your go-to garden flower?

Mosaic Monday: Flower Favorites

Welcome to another Mosaic Monday. I'm cheating a little here -- letting Big Huge Labs create a mosaic automatically from my set of flower favorites on flickr. Two reasons for this:

1. it's pouring rain here -- very heavy thunderstorms -- and I need to see some pretty flowers

2. it's pouring rain here and my fingers are still achy, so the less I type, the better.

So please forgive me if I do not leave a comment on your mosaic this week. I will definitely visit you all, but I just can't type that much. :(

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:

1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate Mr. Linky box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net. I can't wait to see your mosaics! Here is Mr. Linky: