I Love Your Place

I love your place.  I know this even though I've stepped but not one toe in to your home.  I also know I love your garden, like your home, whether it be small and unassuming or grand and expressive.  I know this because you LIVE there!


I've never not loved the places that people dwell. There's a story to each one.  That special something that always tantalizes my senses.  Weird?, maybe, but absolutely true.  I've found beauty in the humblest of places and awe in the grandest of architecture and I love them both.  I love without prejudice both porcelain and reclaimed brick. Oak banistered stairways and creaky old wooden steps. Vaulted ceilings and cubby holes. Marble floors and polished cracked cement. 


But there is one element that truly brings life to any dwelling. People.  It's the folks that make a house a home and despite the myriad of materials  that make up the shelter,  they are the ones who unbeknownst to themselves transpose warmth and meaning to the place they call home.  


That's what I love most, the way a house no matter how simple or grand is just a house until someone who LIVES there makes it a home.  


I hope you enjoy the following sweet tribute.


Best springtime wishes,


Betty
(your cottage woman) 

Via Katie Hutchison Studio

Cottage Snippets

Raise your hand if you're lower back has a twinge in it lately?  Knees a little stiff? Undetermined scratches about your forearms? Mmm hmmm. Isn't it glorious!  In my neck of the woods Spring has made it's long awaited for and perturbing belated arrival.  


The bod is going through those little adjustments to much more activity. But the sun on my back, the birds, the blossoms and delightful scents, the deep rich soil.  Hello heaven!  Now is the time of rampant activity that makes it difficult to pause and share but we must, eh?  


A few snippets of life at the cottage:

In all her gnarly quaintness my rosemary has produced the tenderest new shoots that have been the perfect seasoning for steamed new potatoes. 

I was excited to see my loving care of a mere shoot of Paeonia Obovata (woodland Peony) come forth this spring under my Douglas fir trees. 

I got this sweetie from Arbutus Garden Arts who are local Northwest Native growers who live right in the middle of their exquisite  woodland  garden.   When I pencil in their biannual tour of the gardens I am never disappointed.  

The winding drive and forest canopy that lead to their garden quench my thirst for the hidden, deep wonders of the forest. I could go on about this gem but I may have a new post about this wonderful garden and caretakers soon!

photo by "Norm Jacobs, Arbutus Garden Arts"

Psst...  are you expecting? Don't you think Paeonia would be the perfect name for a baby girl? maybe? just a little? Moving on.

One last snippet of a sublime cottage moment.  Young Wyatt jamming with his Grandpa.  The name Wyatt is nice, I adore Wyatt, and I think I've finally reconciled myself to him not being named CEDAR! 

"Lost in the forest, I broke off a dark twig

and lifted it's whisper to my thirsty lips:

maybe it was the voice of the rain crying."

~Pablo Neruda

The Cottage

Welcome to Panther Creek Cottage, our home sweet  home for pert near 30 years. You might remember earlier my sharing about the bones of  her being and our country lives on this sweet homestead.  But now there are a few changes coming  to our humble abode and our souls very soon.  As of this writing we have prepared the site of a small addition to her right.  Even though our sweet cottage suits us well we have found family gatherings a bit tight.  Now we dig family togetherness and all, little ones teetering on our knees as we gather around the small round kitchen table at Thanksgiving.  But it's a little harder when they become teens! So a little more elbow room if you please.


I'm feeling slightly apprehensive (okay lots to be exact) about tending to  farm chores, the gardening and remodeling simultaneously, but many hands should lighten the load.  And we're feeling excited, and a little nostalgic of days gone by all at the same time. I'll  keep you posted of progress!  My mind right  now is  full of wonderful notions destined for humdinger status. I don't know if any them will come to fruition, but the creativity of the places I've been to lately on the web will keep me humming happily along as we boldly proceed in this new adventure at the cottage.  The links to each of them can be found in the right hand column under "Where I've been hanging lately", and the following a few words about each to set you on your way.


Alabama Chanin ~ A lifestyle company focused on slow design and sustainability.  Their products  are organic, mostly clothing, and each one a piece of art.  Single pieces are designed and produced by multiple artisans supporting the livelihoods of more than one individual.  I love the concept and the intricate details and style of clothing.


Cellar Ridge Custom Homes ~ Cellar Ridge is a local company.  I've been to a few seminars   they have offered on sustainable home building and a peek into their construction processes for energy efficiency.  The sturdy cottages they are presently building of course caught my eye.  Check out the Britton Cottage to satisfy dreams of bigger living on a small scale. BTW, their homes have that quintessential Pacific Northwest flavor I dearly love.


Cing-spots Appaloosas ~ Whoa! Back up a minute you say.  Neigh, Cing-spots (seeing spots!, very clever and fitting) is one of may favorite blogs for farm and country home inspiration.  And I might add registers cottage status to my thinking.  If it's the beauty of nature, sewing gingham country kitchen curtains, or the real life goings on in the mind of a pony? My heart is there! And not just because Lorie happens to be one of my dearest friends.


Soule Mama ~ This homesteading family, well, do I need say more about what draws my heart here? The life, the photos, the simplicity, the inspiration!  Amanda is one creative mama.


Thoughts of Grace ~  The well in which I am frequently drinking from.  I've found busy hands and peace of heart knitted together here by this mama and Grandma and I don't even know her name.  I kinda like that.  Thanks for the daily affirmation that firstly, I am a child of God. 


Dreamland ~  There's just something about freehand writing that has always inspired me.  I'm a self-acclaimed doodling queen so Gina's artwork of lettering in the form of inspiring quotes filled my creative tank to overflowing.  Here's a small sampling of her awesomeness!


And a sweet little click to tweet!

via Dreamland

Wishing you much spring time happiness.