Brimfield Antique Markets

A couple weeks ago my mom and I made our annual trip to the Brimfield Antique Markets in Brimfield, MA. It is a week long antiques fair that runs for about a mile down the main street. There are fields upon fields of antiques. Each vendor displays their booth as they see fit, some look like the trunk exploded and everything was left as it lay and others are carefully laid out like a shop. There is so much to see and such a variety of items. There are some new ones in the mix too so you have to know what you are looking at or accept that it is a reproduction and love it just the same. It was so hot we only got to stay for a few hours but we picked up lots of goodies and some Christmas presents too. I'll show you all the goods we got on Monday. I have something special planned for Photo Friday.

Also there are more photos over on A Roll a Week.

Mid-Week Daydream

I'm daydreaming about this cute little cottage in the woods today. It has the perfect little setting for a great weekend away. I love all the windows, especially the light coming in the dinning area. How great is that converted tool shed! It looks like a botanist's sanctuary.

(images from Metropolitan Home July/August 2003)

One of the classes I took this summer was an advanced Adobe Illustrator class. For one assignment we had to create a repeat pattern that could be used as either paper goods or on fabric. This is the pattern I created.

I thought it might be fun to give it to you as desktop wallpaper. You can download the picture here.

Quackin Grass Nursery

Sorry of the unexpected break. I just got so swamped in classes I didn't have the time to devote to No. 15. I have my last class of the semester tonight so things will definitely be calmer.

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of visiting this wonderful nursery in town. They are selling a lot of their plants off to go wholesale next year but the gardens are beautiful. One section is all cactus and succulent plants. It's like a little bit of the desert in New England. They you cross the drive to a complete shade sanctuary with this great little meditation garden. The sales area is in that great barn. They also have a great selection of hand made pots.

There are more pictures over on A Roll A Week.

Photo Friday

Happy Weekend!

My mom bought this hollyhock plant a while back at Harkness Park's Annual Flower sale. This week it is in full bloom. The blooms are just beautiful! I love the pale peach almost a blush color too.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

A touch of whimsy

Okay, I'm a sucker for animals in clothing. But really I do like these pillows from Utilitarian Franchise. The designs are collages from vintage illustrations and screen printed by hand onto the fabric. I think they are the perfect way to add a bit of whimsy to a room.

You can find all of their designs in their Etsy shop.

(images from Utilitarian Franchise Etsy shop)

Mid-Week Daydream

I'm daydreaming of this seaside home today. It is sits across the road from the ocean in Gothenburg, Sweden. Constructed of local stones with limestone floors, the current owners have give it new lime plaster and restored the woodwork. Most of the furnishings are flea market and scavenged pieces. I think it would be the perfect size for me.

...and the cool ocean breeze would feel really good today in this heat.

(images from Skona Hem)

Tasty Tuesday

Last week I mentioned trying to figure out a polenta dish for Tasty Tuesday but it has been way to hot to turn the oven on. Instead I made this salad the other night with some fresh peaches from the farmer's market.

Peach & Blue Cheese Salad

head of lettuce or field greens
1/2 English cucumber (thinly sliced and halved)
walnuts (I put a couple handfuls in but it's up to you)
fresh peaches (peeled and sliced into wedges)
blue cheese
raspberry vinaigrette dressing (I like Bolthouse Farm's Raspberry Merlot Olive Oil Vinaigrette )

This one is easy. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Crumble blue cheese on top. Dress with the raspberry vinaigrette. Great on a really hot night.

Photo Friday

Happy 4th of July!

and for my all friends abroad Happy Weekend!

RI Air Show

Last Sunday, Mark and I went to the Rhode Island Air Show at Quonset Air National Guard Base. I've never been to an air show before so I had no idea what to expect but it sounded fun. It was really fun!

I saw some incredible feats by the pilots. Who knew a helicopter could do flips? The helicopter pilot is the only one in the US certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to do this. They also had big carrier planes you could tour (first photo), stunt plane shows, military aircraft demonstrations and stunt parachuters. I believe the one above if from a group called the Black Daggers.

The shows end with a performance from the US Air Force Thunderbirds (last 4 photos). The show consists of six F-16 Fighting Falcons that do a series of formation acrobatics. The pilots are a select group of Airmen that represent the very best of the Air Force. The concentration of these guys is amazing - to stay in formation at all times or in demonstrations, such as having two planes fly directly at one an other and pull up just before a crash, is truly a challenge at the speed they are going.

I'm also glad to have finally been able to use the telephoto zoom lens I bought. Otherwise we would have a lot of photos with little specks of planes in them. Not quite as fun, hehe