This "Anniversary Clock" was given to T.P.'s mother so it is very, very old, I have no idea how old. It still works although I don't keep it wound.
Like Alice in Wonderland my hare holds a pocket watch, one that belonged to my Granddaddy Tatlock. I appreciate all the memorabilia that is in my possession. It's a continuity of my family's life, their energy and it retains memory. I remember Granddaddy pulling out this watch and looking at it, he was always very gentle with it. Now it holds the patinaed polish from his hands.
This old sundial is in the herb garden balanced upon a nice weathered stone. I happened to glance at it the other day and determined that it was almost 1:00 according to the sundial. I checked the time and yep, it was correct! I didn't underestimate the ability of the sundial but rather my placing it accurately. Time. It slips away without notice, without fanfare or announcement. Like water through your fingers it's there and then.....it's not. You can't save it, you can't retrieve it, it truly is past and nothing will bring it back. It's true that as you get older it seems to go faster. Already right at March and it feels like it was just the new year. So I have vowed to make the most of it, to do what I consider important and worthwhile and to relish life. Don't think there are things I don't enjoy doing or there aren't moments I think I could live without! But they all contribute to the tapestry that makes up my journey and are significant in some way or other. Time sweet time. How I value you.
A pretty little feathered friend adorns this particular vintage purse. It's totally beaded with the same pattern on front and back.
Anything can be a container for shallow rooted succulents and sedum, even a great old stump. I'm always dragging hollow logs or lichen covered branches to the various gardens and finding just the right home for them. This particular "container garden" stands guard at the front entrance of the herb garden. It will be much more lush and green as Spring approaches but is starting to green out even now in the later part of February.
I loved it! It was my preferred outside playhouse. Whenever they were looking for me [which was often, I loved to have hidey holes] they could usually find me in my moss garden. I divided it up into rooms and fashioned furniture from twigs and decorated it with rose petals and whatever struck my fancy. I would play there for hours and hours, I loved my solitude and I was never bored. How could you be bored with an imagination? I never see a patch of green moss that it doesn't bring those memories back to me. I still have to bend down and touch it, always amazed at the softness of nature's velvet carpet.
This lovely garden ornament was given to me by Kimmie and I love it. It is made, obviously, from various pieces of vintage glassware and looks to me like a huge glass daffodil! The jonquils are just about to burst into bloom, I think they were appalled that they had competition!
I started off writing this blog as life after The Rose Garden. I had semi-retired, gotten involved in dog rescue, planned on gardening and doing a few "special orders" when the mood struck me. Well, so much for plans. First of all, rescue is a full time occupation. In any volunteer group there's going to be a few "worker bees". That's me, I'm a worker bee. [Are we surprised?] And I work at rescue. It's one of the most heartbreaking and yet rewarding ventures I've ever undertaken. We have a wonderful Adoption Coordinator and great members that I love but there is so much involved and it was taking my life over. I had lived a fairy tale with The Rose Garden and this new adventure was brutal. I decided I needed some fairy dust back in my life! So The Rose Garden is back. Sort of. There's a place of business around the Covington Square called Upscale Resale. There was a room upstairs that I really liked and asked to be told if it became available. It did, I have it, and it's a small Rose Garden now. Of course, it's totally different from having the shop here in the barn. You don't have the surrounding beauty of the gardens and the ambience and the history. But is there still magic? I think so. When you walk into the room you feel like you've escaped into another little world. For me it will be an outlet. Do I miss my original shop? Of course. I loved it with every breath of my being, it was my heart and soul. But there's a season for everything and I'm in the right place. Our little four legged creatures need me and I get much gratification from saving these loving companions. I will also get gratification from getting to create again and scattering that fairy dust.
I have had a black Cocker Spaniel all my life. I started out with Tippy. I was little and Daddy brought her home one night. It's one of my earliest memories--apparently some friend's dog had puppies and the friend offered Daddy the little female runt of the litter. I'm not sure Mother even knew he was bringing a puppy home, she seemed surprised as well. He pulled the truck in that night and in the darkness I couldn't see the wiggling black bundle in his arms. He came in the door and put her down and it was love at first sight. Totally. She was Mine. I had her until I started high school and I cry now thinking of her leaving us.
