Spring At the Farm

Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder.

That expression always makes me giggle.  I found a vintage book entitled, The Comic Dictionary, at my favorite thrift store and this is the first definition that made me laugh so I am sharing it with you in hopes that you might giggle a bit, too.

I have missed posting to you, but with my hectic show schedule this Spring I have been amiss in snapping shots and posting to you.  But, it's how we artists make our bread and butter.  Not our favorite thing to do as we would rather be in the studio creating, but it's nice to take a break to see familiar faces and exchange hugs.

After completing three shows over the past month, we escaped to the farm in the country.  I am a bit late planting my flower seeds but, I think we still managed to get them planted before the Spring rains and before our moderate weather comes to an end as Summer quickly approaches.

I found this lovely Santa Maria statuary at an estate sale and knew immediately that she would become a part of the family watching over my new flower garden.  I can see her from my studio windows when I look outside and she is a soothing presence watching over us.

Before I show you my new flower bed...I thought I would show you a few things inside the house that I think you might enjoy.

A simple arrangement in the foyer as you enter the house where I keep my boots... A child's black lacquered chair, a vintage physicians medical bag and two pencil sketches framed with white mats and black frames, all sitting on my primitive bench with the chippy blue surface.  On the floor to the left of the bench is a huge tin colander that I filled with old wallpaper brushes.

I will be adding white beadboard behind the bench with a shelf and vintage hooks that I have been collecting for the project.  I will then hang the vintage straw hats I have been collecting above the shelf on the wall.

A closer view of the child's black chair, leather physicians medical bag and pencil drawing of a Nun with a calm expression on her face and the sweetest eyes, don't you think?

A simple blue upholstered sofa and golden nesting tables from Italy all vintage pieces that I have brought to the farm from my travels here and there.  Beautiful deep blue Iris from my garden are sweetly tucked into a large vintage ironstone commode that makes a beautiful container for flowers from the garden.

The photo in the background is Solomon's Seal photographed by Laura Motush, a brilliant photographer from Arizona.  I have two of her photographs at the farm, the other is over the mantel in the living room.  They are beautiful and I never tire of gazing at them.

As you can tell, I enjoy pared down furnishings giving importance to the selected pieces in the room.  The rooms may seem a bit bare boned, but I love the feel of the space.  It's quiet and calming.

My vintage sundial in the garden with the lovely blue pottery surface that I adore sitting atop a stump from a fallen oak just makes me happy.  I have always wanted one for the garden, but never found one that I thought was just right, until I saw this one in an antique shop and knew that it would be perfect.

 I dream of seeing flowers swaying in the breeze with tiny butterflies dancing in the breeze above the flowers.  Of course, there will be a birdbath and a feeder for my feathered friends to enjoy.  I have anchored the planting with a couple of evergreens and added large rocks to keep the lawn mover away from the edges of the bed until my flowers bloom.  The small white squares here and there in the dirt was my way of keeping track of where I had planted seeds and where more were needed.

The beginnings of a flower garden that looks like bare dirt...a void in the green lawn.  I really don't see the void as it is already filled with masses of blossoms in my mind's eye.

In reality, I am not there to tend to my seedlings so not all of them will survive without a loving hand.  But, some will and those will become precious to me.  I hope to enjoy cut flower arrangements all Summer.

Soon I hope to have sweet strawflowers, alyssium, coneflowers, bell flowers, cleome, four o'clocks, bachelor's buttons, holyhocks, blooming roses, and more... I planted over 60 packets of seeds in this bed over the weekend.  I planted another 60 packets of zinnias in my front beds and about another 50 packets at my Dad's house in his beds.  I love planting flower seeds...it reminds me of my Grandma who always had the most magnificent flowers in her gardens.  It's one of the ways I honor her memory, she is always with me when I am in the garden.  Thanks, Grandma - I miss you.

We found the unusual rock behind my Santa Maria statue beside the barn this year when Dan was clearing the pasture.  They have been there since we purchased the farm a few years ago.  I'm not sure, but I think they may be from a cave... regardless, they are very unusual but I think they look great in my new flower bed.  Without a strong husband and our mule, they would still be buried in the grass beside the old barn in the pasture.  I do wonder where they came from...one of those mysteries that come with a new house.

My sister in law, Laurie recently found a buried brick path in a herring bone design at her new house...one of the mysteries that came with the house.

One of stones seems to have a natual cross on it's surface and I think it goes well with Santa Maria in my flower garden.  Of course, I took this as a blessing for my new flower bed that I had worked so hard in over the weekend.  I do feel blessed when I am in the country planting flowers at the farm.

I'd love to hear about your Spring flowers...what you are planting and what's in bloom.

Blessings and a Hug - Julie