DARIA PEW

Roses et Clematite

2012-02-06T18:24:00.001-08:00

Roses et Clematite, a set by Daria Pew on Flickr.

LOVE LETTERS STRAIGHT FROM MY HEART ~~ LETTRES D'AMOUR DIRECTEMENT DE MON COEUR

2012-02-06T18:05:00.000-08:00

"You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love and love and love you." ~~ Pride and Prejudice

"I'm not alone in the night When I can have all the love you write." ~~ Love Letters Lyrics

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." ~ Antoine de Saint~Exupery

"Let's take a lover's vow and then seal it with a kiss." ~~ The Look of Love Lyrics

"I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss And a prince I'm hoping comes along with this." ~ Disney Lyrics

"Heaven is here, where Juliet lives;" ~~Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 3 Verona, Italy

Romeo and Juliet was based upon real lovers who lived in Verona, Italy in the year 1303.

"Doubt the stars are fire; Doubt that the Sun doth move; Doubt truth be a liar; But never doubt I love." ~~ Letters to Juliet

"I was you and never knew it." ~~ Rumi

SWEET DREAMS! FAIS DE BEAU REVES!

xo, Daria

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS ~ ARCHETYPES AND THE GODDESS

2012-01-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

RESOLUTIONS DU NOUVEL AN ~~ ARCHETYPES ET LA DEESSE

The Full Moon Rises Behind the Ancient Temple of Poseidon

When setting intentions for your New Year's Resolutions this year, consider using Archetypes. Ancient and universal, archetypes have been around since at least the time of Plato. But it was 20th century visionary Swiss psychologist Carl Jung who put archetypes on the map of modern consciousness.

In essence, most archetypes are psychological patterns derived from historical roles in life, such as the Mother, Father, Child, Gods, Goddess, Healer, Hero, King, Knight, Queen, etc.

Ribbons by Diana

I have given mythological names to my indoor/outdoor statuary: ~~

Aspire to Aphrodite The Goddess of Love

Emulate Athena the Goddess of Wisdom and Intelligence

Andromeda, not a Goddess but a Princess: ~~ After her death, she was placed in the sky as a constellation by the Goddess Athena.

Artemis Goddess of Hunting and the Wilderness

Artemis was and is to be known as one of the most powerful mistresses of magic.

Some of the many authors on the subject of archetypes are: ~~ Carl Jung, Deepak Chopra, Jean Houston, Carolyn Myss, and Roi Solberg. One of the most famous and loved author on the study of mythology, archetypes and comparative religion is Joseph Campbell { http://www.jcf.org/ } who is known for his quote ~~ "Follow Your Bliss."

Visionboards are also a simple yet powerful tool that activates the universal law of attraction to begin manifesting your dreams into reality.

"Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions." ~~ Albert Einstein

"Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls." ~~Joseph Campbell

SWEET DREAMS!

JOIE POUR LE MONDE ~~ JOY TO THE WORLD

2011-12-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME!

LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING!

AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING

MERRY CHRISTMAS! ~~ HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

SWEET BLESSINGS FOR 2012!!

AND SWEET DREAMS!!

GRATITUDE ~ A UNIVERSAL LAW!

2011-11-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

Developing an attitude of gratitude is one of the most critical issues that you can do to manifest far more blessings that you desire into your life.

According to this powerful universal law, you are continuously sending out vibrations into the Universe. These vibrations are in the form of your thoughts, feelings and emotions and they can be either positive or negative. The events, situations and circumstances that you attract in your life will often be in ideal alignment with the vibrations that you are emitting.

The Universe is Watching You and Your Thoughts!

When you are in a genuine state of gratitude, you will be resonating at a higher vibrational frequency because the vibration that you will be sending out will be one of acceptance and harmony. As a result, you will attract into your life many more situations and experiences to be grateful for. Expressing heartfelt gratitude for any circumstance projects a magnetic force that attracts to you a lot more of what you are expressing gratitude for.

According to Jack Canfield, "Being genuinely grateful for what is already current in your life will automatically and effortlessly attract far more very good into your life. These emotions are of the highest vibrational frequency, and by way of the Law of Attraction will attract even extra to be thankful for."

Be grateful for even the tough situations in your life because it is by means of these events that you have opportunities to grow. If you do not express gratitude for the tough situations in your life, you will be resisting and this resistance puts you in a lower vibrational frequency which only serves to attract to you far more difficult events, conditions and circumstances into your life.

Gratitude ~ It's in the palm of your hand; don't let it slip away....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! XO,

UN HALLOWEEN MAGIQUE

2011-10-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

THE MAGIC HALLOWEEN

All Halloween, the magic night...when folly reigns supreme,
The pumpkin heads are all alight, the stars are all agleam.

A MAGICAL HALLOWEEN ~ UN HALLOWEEN MAGIQUE

2011-10-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

CAN YOU FEEL THE MAGIC FLOATING IN THE AIR?

2011-09-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

It is all around us, everywhere....

Coming soon! Everyone needs a little magic and sparkle in their life!

SWEET DREAMS!

SWEET PEAS ~ POIS DE SENTEUR ~ REINE DE LA PLANTE ANNUELLE DE JARDIN AND MINI~TUTORIAL ON SUMMER READING

2011-08-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

English gardeners have always understood their appeal, calling them the Queen of Annuals. Their fragrance is a lovely mix of honey and orange blossom, and their ruffled flowers look like butterflies.

Following are some of the photos of Sweet Peas from August in Maine.....and after that a mini-tutorial on summer reading.....

Johnny Townmouse with Sweet Peas in Pitcher.

These Sweet Peas are from Sweet Pea Gardens in Surry, Maine http://www.sweetpeagardens.com/ , an interesting site worth exploring. Johnny Townmouse is one of my collectibles for this summer from The Big Chicken Barn in Ellsworth, Maine http://www.bigchickenbarn.com/.

Sweet Peas Courtesy of Robert A. Taylor, Northeast Harbor, Maine.

Under the sweet peas I stood

And drew deep breaths, they smell so good.

Then, with strange enchanted eyes,

I saw them change to butterflies.

Sweet Pea Perfume Bottle from my collection.

Very rare Waverly Sweet Pea Doorstop http://www.frenchgardenhouse.com/.

Higher than the skylark sings
I saw their fluttering crimson wings
Leave their garden trellis bare
And fly into the upper air.

Standing in an elfin trance
Through the clouds I saw them glance...
Then I stretched my hands up high
And touched them in the distant sky.

At once the coloured wing came back
From wandering in the zodiac.
Under the sweet peas I stood
And drew deep breaths ~~ they smelled so good!

~~ Alfred Noyes (1860~1958) A Child's Vision

A VERY MINI TUTORIAL

I also found the above book at the Chicken Barn in Ellsworth, Maine one year. Alexandre Dumas (1802~1870) is one of my Very Favorite Authors known for the historical fiction such as The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers and La Reine Margot. Below are some photos of the book with a wonderful floral cover from Beth Neuman at http://www.tatteredvintage.etsy.com/.

The Queen's Necklace (Le Collier de la Reine) was made into the 2001 film The Affair of the Necklace starring Hilary Swank. The movie is nothing like the book.

MES JARDINS DE MES REVES ~~ ROSES DE MAI

2011-07-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

The end of the month of May and the beginning of June ~~ the time for the fragrance and spectacular sight of the roses blooming...For some reason the words Roses de Mai popped into my mind which led me to explore why. This is what I learned:

Rose de Mai

Rose de Mai led me to the 'Perfume Capital of the World' which began in the 16th century, the charming town of Grasse, France on the border of the Cote d'Azur and Provence surrounded by the Alpes Maritimes.

The floral endowment offers an incredible palette of colors and sweet smells all year round: mimosa in February, violettes in March, daffodils in April, orange blossoms and roses in May, tuberoses from June to September, jasmine (my favorite) from August to October and the prized aromatic lavender all summer long. Jasmine, a key ingredient of many perfumes, was brought to southern France by the Moors in the 16th century. Twenty-seven tons of jasmine are now harvested in Grasse annually.

The ancient and charming streets of Grasse.

There are numerous old 'parfumeries' in Grasse, such as Molinard http://www.molinard.com/, Fragonard http://www.fragonard.com/, and Galimard http://www.galimard.com/, each with tours and a museum.

Some of my favorite roses are the striped Gallicas:

Rosa Gallica Camaieux

Rosa Gallica Rosa Mundi

I also love the Moss roses:

My Tausendschon (Thousand Beauties)

Porcelain Wild Roses

Beautiful vintage music cover "To A Wild Rose"

Rabbit with Roses

Sweeet Dreams!

Faix de Beau Reves!

xo, Daria

FLEUR DE LIS

2011-05-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

I found the most fascinating information while researching Fleur de Lis and it is amazingly appropriate for Memorial Day! But first I would like to post photos of some wonderful French chairs I found at our local thrift shoppe and their makeovers with a Designer's Guild Fleur de Lis fabric.... As much as I love the all white belle blanc look, color always wins over for me. With these chair makeovers, I think I have a little of each....Chairs such as these were at least $400 each on line. My thrift shoppe chairs cost $25 to $50 each...a little paint and fabric go a long way.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

I would like to say Happy Memorial Day birthday to my dad (5/30/30 ~ 3/16/07) with a photo of his last birthday.....

and an earlier happy time........

So back to my timely research for a Memorial Day commemoration. I discovered some very wonderful and interesting facts.

Hedd Wyn (1887~1917), born Ellis Humphrey Evans, was a sheep farmer turned poet~soldier who was killed during the First World War. Evans ~ who chose Hedd Wyn ('white peace') as his pen name~ was born in Penlan, Trawsfynydd the eldest of eleven children, and lived for much of his life at Yr Ysgwrn, a hill farm east of Trawsfynydd. He began writing Welsh~language poetry at an early age; when aged 24 he was awarded a chair at Bala; others followed at Llanuwchllyn, Pwllheli and Fontardawe (the latter in 1915 with the First World War underway).

Wyn sat out the war for three years as a sheep farmer until he was called up for military service in 1917. Following a spell of training in Liverpool, Private Evans was dispatched for active service in Flanders and found himself stationed with his regiment at the Passchendaele offensive. It was at Pilckem Ridge that Wyn was killed during fighting in August 1917. Buried initially on the battlefield out of necessity, his body was subsequently moved to Artillery Wood cemetary following the armistice.

September that year brought a posthumous award of the chair at the National Eisteddfod of Wales for his verse poem Yr Arwr ('The Hero'). Wyn had written the poem while serving in Flanders and completed it shortly before his death under the nom-de-plume of 'fleur~de~lis'. The chair itself was draped in black in memorial of Wyn following the announcement of his win and revelation of the author's actual identity.

A Welsh~language film based on Wyn's life was produced in 1992, Hedd Wynn.

Y Blotyn Du

Nid oes gennym hawl ar y ser,

Na'r lleuad hiraethus chwaith,

Na'r cwmwl o aur a ymylch

Yng nghanol y glesni maith.

Nid oes gennym hawl ar ddim byd,

Ond ar yr hen ddaear wyw;

A honno sy'n anhrefn i gyd

Yng nghanol gogoniant Duw

(English translation below by Jim Finnis)

The Black Spot

We have no right to the stars,

Nor the homesick moon,

Nor the clouds edged with gold

In the centre of the long blueness.

We have no right to anything

But the old and withered earth

That is all in chaos

At the centre of God's glory.

God Bless the millions who have lost their lives in war.

I found the above story while researching 'fleur de lis'. As I have said before, it is amazing what can be learned through the internet. Hedd Wynn's story is fascinating and incomprehensible to me. I found it on http://www.firstworldwar.com/.

Sweet Dreams!

L'AIR DU PRINTEMPS ~~ QUELQUES FLEURS

2011-04-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

Nothing reminds me more of spring than the sweet Wood Violet.

Computers and blogging continually amaze me. Being able to instantly research anything that pops into your mind is the purest form of bliss for me. While looking up Violets, I discovered that it is the state flower for Wisconsin. I wanted to post a couple of the photos from my collection of Violets, but also must say that spelling Violettes in the French way is also a joie!

Vera Violetta Di Parma

How do you select from 50 photos of Violettes? The above poster is hanging in my master bathroom. I wish I knew what the script says; I cannot make it out.....

I studied Porcelain painting for a little while. Below is a cachepot of violettes that was particularly simple for me to paint because it is just solid colors. The violettes are from Surrey Garden Greenhouse in Surrey, Maine. But I believe they originally came from Lyndon Lyon Greenhouse http://www.lyndonlyon.com/. My three favorite African Violets are Magic Charms, Kings Ransom and Rainy Day Lovin'.

African Violets were not always my favorite houseplant. But it is amazing what they are doing with them now. I now understand why they are edible!

Nippon Violettes

I love to collect all of my perfume samples in little containers such as this Nippon one above and the Mittertiech below.

My Grandmother's Mitterteich Bavaria Germany Violettes

My Grandmother inspired me to love beautiful old porcelain. She didn't have much but what she did have was very beautiful and inspiring. She was very creative in so many ways, generously giving with a beautiful soul.

Royal Austria Violettes

"Violets dim, yet sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes or Cytherea's breathe." ~~Shakespeare Winter's Tale

J. J. Grandville Print Les Fleurs Animees

Raynaud Yves De Lorme Candle

Sweet Dreams! ~~ Fais de Beau Reves! xo, Daria

PRINTEMPS ~~ SPRINGTIME IN PARIS

2011-03-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

LE MOIS DE LES FLEURS

2011 PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SHOW~SPRINGTIME IN PARIS

The magnificent entrance to the 2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show.

Valley Forge Flowers did all of the magical topiary carousel animals.

Attending the Preview Party helps PHS feed more than 1,000 families a week through the City Harvest Program!!

Some of the miniatures are so amazing that you do not realize that they really are miniatures in a photograph.

Attending the Preview Party also helps support Plant One Million, the nation's first multi-state mass scale tree planting in the Greater Philadelphia Region to restore the tree canopy.

The pressed flowers are also amazing every year.

One of the themes for the year was Fleur de Lis and done by Eighth and Ninth Grade students.

And the perfect pochette for the Flower Show entitled Summer Dance by Constance Muller! I found this wonderful evening bag at http://www.boutiquerochambeau.com/.

I am also very happy to say that I was the Very Lucky Winner this month of Suzanne MacCrone's {Italian Girl in Georgia} beautiful and artful photograph entitled "Paris Rose"! What appropriate timing and Thank You So Much Bella Suzanne! Please check out her wonderful blog and Etsy shop.

From Maleka in Suburban Square, Ardmore, this is the most unbelievably deliciously scented velvet rose sachet by Irene Hirose.

And a precious Daisy.

Bonsoir and Fais de Beau Reves! {Sweet Dreams!}

xo, Daria

L'AMOUR DE MON COEUR

2011-02-14T08:34:00.000-08:00

"TO BE PATIENT, SYMPATHETIC AND TENDER; TO LOOK FOR THE BUDDING FLOWER AND THE OPENING HEART; TO HOPE ALWAYS AND LOVE ALWAYS." ~~ HF AMIEL

A SINGLE ROSE PETAL

"THE ROSE AND THE THORN, AND SORROW AND GLADNESS ARE LINKED TOGETHER." ~~SAADI

TWO BLEEDING HEARTS
"TWO HEARTS, TWO LIPS, ONE HEART, ONE LOVE"

PARROT TULIP

"LOVE IS A PROMISE, LOVE IS A SOUVENIR, ONCE GIVEN NEVER FORGOTTEN, NEVER LET IT DISAPPEAR." ~~John Lennon

SOME OF MY FAVORITE VALENTINE COLLECTIBLES:

DAISIES

KEY TO MY HEART

http://www.groundstrike.com/

LOVES OF MY HEART: ~~

BUTTERCUP ON PEONIES

BLUEBELL ON AQUA TOILE WITH BUTTERFLIES

STAR ON PEONIES

"FOR IT WAS NOT INTO MY EAR YOU WHISPERED, BUT INTO MY HEART. IT WAS NOT MY LIPS YOU KISSED, BUT MY SOUL." ~~ Judy Garland

Future paintings? I hope so!

PEPE LE PEW AND PENELOPE PUSSYCAT

An afterthought: Pepe Le Pew's original name was Pepe Du Puis before he fled France and escaped to Wales around the time of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of the Hugeonots in August of 1572. Needless to say, Pepe Le Pew was a Hugeonot. In Wales, they changed the name to Pew. A wonderful historical movie depicting the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of the Huguenots is the 1994 film Queen Margot starring Isabelle Adjani and Daniel Autiel and was nominated for an Academy Award for Costume Design. The movie is taken from the book Queen Margot by Alexandre Dumas.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY AND SWEET DREAMS!
FAIS DE BEAU REVES!

Daria DuPuis

CHATEAU DE LES FEMMES ~ CHENONCEAU

2011-01-27T13:35:00.000-08:00

I was mesmerized the first time I saw a photo of Chenonceau. It was at Barnes and Noble and the photo was on a calendar of the Chateau of the Loire Valley. I was amazed that places like this existed and up to that point in my life I knew nothing about them! A couple of years or so after that, I was lucky enough to go and visit!

The Romantic Chenonceau built on the River Cher

It's also known as the Chateau de les Femmes for the strong feminine impression made by the many women inhabitants/owners.

Catherine Briconnet, Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Medici, Louise de Lorraine, Madame Dupin, Madame Pelouze

Chenonceau was mentioned originally in writings of the 11th century. Diane de Poitiers (DDP) was given the chateau by Henry II. Catherine de Medici (wife of Henry II) coveted Chenonceau and removed Diane after Henry's death. More information can be found on http://www.chenonceau.com/ and Wikipedia.

J'Adore the door!

Bedroom of the Queen ~~ J'Adore the Bed!

Chapel of Chenonceau

The private chapel was saved during the French Revolution by Madame Dupin who camouflaged its religious purpose by turning it into a wood storage area. In this photo, there are two beautiful bouquets of lavender sweet peas.

Amazing hydrangeas! All of the flowers are grown in the gardens on the property and the welcoming bouquets in every room are changed twice a week.

Poem from Henry to Diane

Once more a prince (oh, my only princess!)
My love for you will never cease
Resisting time and death
My faith has no need of a fortress,
A deep moat or fortified tower,
For you are my lady, queen and mistress
For whom my love will be eternal...
...Alas my Lord, how much I rue
The time I lost in my youth;
How often have I wished
To have Diane as my only love;
But I feared that such a goddess
Would not deign to stoop so low
To take notice of one, who
When denied her love,
Had no pleasure, joy, or happiness
Until the day she granted him leave
To Obey her commands.

And just a little side story. I found these wonderful earrings by Claire Pearse on Etsy. They were entitled Chenonceau.

The following is Claire's description: "Ah, the fairytale Chateaux, the beautiful French Renaissance ladies dressed for the opulent masquerade ball...So incredibly romantic, dramatic and desirable. These "Chenonceau" earrings are filled with an enchantingly beautiful collection of exquisite gems ~ sumptious and intense violet, golden champagne, peach and soft shades of lavender and lilac. These magical gems sway upon tumbling tendrils of Imperial Topaz and Pink Amethyst, etc., etc.

Sweet Dreams!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

2011-01-12T17:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to All and Best Wishes for a year filled with health, peace and happiness!

"O CHRISTMAS TREE"

2010-12-27T19:41:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year to reflect on light and to reflect your light!
"God's love light enters your open heart and is distributed by the grace of your noble thoughts, loving feelings, and acts of kindness." ~ Sri Gawn Tu Fahr

Thy Candles Shine Out Brightly!

Thou Tree Most Fair and Lovely!

Thy Leaves are Green Forever!

Brings To Us All Both Joy and Glee!

Good Will To Men and Peace On Earth!

Fall On Your Knees, Oh Hear the Angel Voices!

Gloria in Excelsis Deo!

Don't You Tell a Single Soul What I'm Going to Say;!

Tis the Season to be Jolly! Fa La La La La La La La La

Birds From the Woods In Wondrous Flight, Bethlehem Seek This Holy Night!

"Tell Us, Ye Birds, Why Come Ye Here, Into This Stable, Poor and Dear?"

"THERE ARE TWO WAYS OF SPREADING LIGHT ~ TO BE THE CANDLE OR THE MIRROR THAT REFLECTS IT." ~ ~ Edith Wharton 1862~1937

"GRATITUDE IS THE FAIREST BLOSSOM WHICH SPRINGS FROM THE SOUL." ~ Henry Ward Beecher

2010-12-01T13:20:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful time of year this is! I love the change of seasons. I also believe that there is a reason why some people are so overwhelmingly blessed and others struggle ~ which we all know is a very complex and philosophical issue to say the least. The meaning of life and all of the questions that surround it is a fantastic and exciting subject, particularly with all of the advancements of quantum physics. How did Thanksgiving lead into this?

"Reflect each day on all you have to be grateful for and you will receive more to be grateful for." ~ C. Dane

Following are just a few of the things that I am grateful for this month:

I am grateful for all of my friends and in particular, Virginia who I hadn't seen for many years and because of Facebook we got in touch again. We had a wonderful trip to New York to see William Shakespeare's Broadway production of Merchant of Venice. Afterwards, we went to Sardi's where I had never been before, and Virginia unknowingly sat right under an early caricature of Al Pacino who played the role of Shylock in the Broadway production and in the movie.

I am really grateful for my comfy bed where I am blessed to be able to rest and sleep every night!

I am grateful for the beauty and the miracle of Gloxinia which is incomprehensible!!

I am grateful for my wonderful indoor winter garden which adds so much joy to my dining room.

There is so much to be grateful for, this blog is going to be longer than expected!

I am grateful for the bounty of our Thanksgiving table even before the dinner is upon it.

I am grateful for all of my pets and in particular our two new puppies, Daisy and Paris, sister and brother born June 22, 2010.

I am grateful for all of the beauty of the world and the people in it, and for soft candlelit evenings, but also for electricity and running water. I really do believe in reincarnation because for some strange reason I find myself saying alot of times while standing at a sink "Thank God for running water!"

I am grateful for my sweet vintage owl planter filled with gold alstroemeria and purple snapdragons; beautiful autumn colors. The owl symbolism is also meaningful to me and signifies insight, wisdom, and protection. And I am also grateful for the Villanova Garden Club's workshop on flower arranging on a candlestick.

I am lastly grateful that Deepak Chopra smiled in this photograph; it was questionable whether he would or not.

I am also grateful that I was able to attend this lecture that Transformations Holistic Learning Center presented last night. I am grateful for people like Deepak Chopra who share their study and research with the world to help us all learn and grow and expand beyond our limited five senses. It really is one of My Greatest Joys to study the Meaning of Life!

All Hallows Eve

2010-10-31T19:08:00.000-07:00

The gypsy is in!!

Have your fortune told...

SHE SAYS: VENUS is the key to an individual's financial, romantic, artistic and social activities. It rules the principle of attraction and the desire for things of refinement and beauty. Venus attracts money and possessions, people and partners. It rules the principle of love! It's sign and house position indicates how an individual attracts a romantic partner. Venus turned retrograde on October 8 in Scorpio and is retrograde until November 18. More information regarding VENUS can be found in the book PREDICTIVE ASTROLOGY by Frances Sakoian and Louis Acker, also http://www.cafeastrology.com/ and http://www.astrologycom.com/.

When the world is wrapped in slumber and the moon is sailing high, If you peep between the curtains, you will see witches flying by.

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, may luck be yours on Halloween!

L'Inspiration

2010-10-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

The past couple of days I've been looking for some inspiration and a couple of ideas came to mind ~ they just sprouted....

As I noticed with many blogging women, a lot of us really enjoy the Before and After, taking an old piece of furniture from a thrift shop or flea market and reviving it. A problem that I have had though ~~ is that I usually have revived it before I thought to take a Before photo.

I have a lovely room in my home which I call my sitting room ~~ but I rarely sit in there. So I made a resolution to try to spend some time in there. In order to spend time in the room, I thought I could do some needlepoint (therapy). I found a little table at the Thrift Shop for $5.00 which I thought I would redo and place in the sitting room and also put my needlepoint magnifying glass on the top of it. Following are the "Before and After" ~~ "Antes Y Despues" photos.

Before or Antes

This is not the true before photo because I had already painted it. It was originally brown wood. As you may notice, I had two ideas on how to paint it and went with the second one.

After or Despues

The fabric on the chair is Cherry Blossoms from Designer Guild and I love it. So I took some of the extra fabric and had a paper copy made out of it and added it under the glass top of the little end table. I also cut out some pieces of the cherry blossoms and decoupaged them on the front and sides of the table. The butterfly pulls on the drawer are from Anthropologie and inside the drawer I can keep all of my needlepoint supplies. I still need to do some touch ups on it and then add the magnifying glass and do the needlepoint!

Four other photos from the Sitting/Dressing Room:

And also a Goodbye Summer and Hello Autumn bouquet of anemones, dahlias and one hydrangea from the Garden.....!

Vignettes d'Iles des Mont Desserts

2010-09-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of my summer every year is our Carriage Ride with a Champagne Picnic. We drive on the Carriage Roads of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in Acadia National Park on the Island of Mount Desert, the largest island off of the coast of Maine, discovered by Samuel de Champlain in 1604. With wonderful friends and two wonderful horses,Clancy and Topper, after climbing to the top of a peak and viewing the ocean and the beautiful vistas, we come down again and stop at the grassy knoll by the Boathouse at Little Long Pond and break out our picnic.

Every year the Friends of Acadia hold a fabulous Gala and Auction to fundraise and help support Acadia National Park and the carriage roads. I donated the beautiful Yves de Lorme pillow below:

I was also very inspired this year at my favorite garden center, Surrey Gardens, by the exquisite African Violets they were raising with the most wonderful names such as: King's Ransom, Magic Charms and Rainy Day Lovin'.

Another favorite thing to do is visit The Big Chicken Barn ~ http://www.bigchickenbarn.com/. Below are a couple of the things I found this year, but not the only things. I would like to "offer" these photos to the "women who blog" who continually inspire and astound me!

Every summer, we have some birthdays in Maine with flowers picked every year from our garden:

Some of my own Maine colors this year:

My Maine "sister" Lindy and I at the Gala/Auction for Acadia National Park (Cheers!~~Bon Chance!):

My Lady's Mantle collection below:

Home at last with Bluebell snuggling in.

Front Hall vignettes with Lilies:

Fais de Beaux Reves! (Sweet Dreams!) xo, DDP

MON REVE ET MA FANTAISIE

2010-07-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

You've got to have a dream

If you don't have a dream

How you gonna have a dream come true?

~~ South Pacific

My greatest dream along with a JILLION other people is to win the lottery! What I would love to do if I won the lottery is start my very own SPRINKLE TRUST. I am not sure if all would know what a sprinkle trust is so I did some research on~line to check into it. You can learn more about SPRINKLES at http://www.thewealthcounselor.com/. All of the winnings would be invested and the income from those investments would be "sprinkled" out to relatives, friends, loved ones, and my special charities at various times, (as long as those relatives, friends, loved ones, and special charities are signed up to follow my blog!) LOL.

So while meditating upon my Sprinkle Trust and deciding how I would disperse all of the money, the thought dawned on me that I ALREADY have something "LIKE" a sprinkle trust" in my miraculous garden. ~~~ Last autumn I "sprinkled" tiny tiny seeds ~~ and then I trusted!!

Digitalis Purpurea

Some stalks were Six Feet Tall!!

Under the right conditions they will naturalize.

Foxglove seeds are even tinier than mustard seeds.....

"The foxglove tall sheds it's loose purple bells

or in the gust,

Or when it bends beneath the upspringing lark,

Or mountain~finch alighting." ~~ S. T. Coleridge

Traditionally used by expert herbalists for medicinal purposes.

Digitalis is extremely poisonous and used as heart medicine to strengthen and regulate the heart.

Heart Chakra Sutras: Peace, Harmony, Laughter, Love

Digitalis Purpurea

There must have been at least 15 dozen foxglove that grew from just the sprinkling of the seeds~~!

Foxglove grow in partial shade in a well-drained, acidic soil rich in humus.

The name FOXGLOVE comes from the myth that foxes must have used the flowers to MAGICALLY sheath their paws as they stealthily made their nocturnal raids into poultry yards. They grew on the wooded hillside slopes that foxes chose for their dens. Digitalis literally translates to fingers. The foxglove flowers are the right size for you to slip your fingers into them.

I would also like to call attention to my favorite little "Puss in Boots". You can learn more about him at www.breteuil.fr/. From the Fairytales of Charles Perrault (one of the ministers of the Sun King), Puss in Boots has also taken up residence in the Chateau de Breteuil.

Fais de beaux reves!!! (Sweet Dreams)!!! xoxox, DDP

MYSTICAL & MAGICAL, TRAVELOGS & THE X AND O GARDEN

2010-06-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

The words Mystical and Magical have always been intriguing to me. So when I was 20~something and my cousin's calico cat had a beautiful litter of kittens, my first two kittens became Mystical and Magical.

I really feel parts of my life have also actually had a Mystical and Magical quality. Actually life is such a miracle so I am sure most people may see it in their own lives. So for Father's Day, I would like to tell a little story regarding the above. I have to do this.

The June before my Dad passed away, we were fortunate enough to be able to take him to the original town in Italy where his father had lived before he came to America alone when he was 12.
It kind of sounds like the story of the "Godfather". His name was Richard DeCesare which means "of Caesar".

Augustus Caesar Hotel in Capri.

Hotel Caruso in Ravello.

Hotel Caruso Ravello.

The November before my Dad passed away, he started for me what we called our X and O garden (the kiss (&) hug). The next spring I sprinkled all of his ashes under twelve roses that I planted in the X and (&) O Garden. Essentially, he unwittingly left us with a kiss and a hug.

Kiss

and~&~ ampersand;

Hug

It was the kind of man he was ~ very quiet, gentle and unassuming...and also smart with a sense of humor.

I always loved this poster and always felt it meant something in my life but I never understood what until 15 years after I bought it. It is entitled Wait For Me.

I loved it so much, I stumbled upon a man who built arbors like this and I faxed a photo of it to him to see if he could build it for us and he actually had the same poster hanging in his office.

This is a photo of our arbor (you can't see it very well from this side) and this garden Encloses The X and O Garden. What I believe is Ironic is that when my dad was ill, I said to him WAIT FOR US ~~ in Ravello. We'll meet you there one day!! Thus the title "WAIT FOR ME".

Ravello was SO beautiful.

I would like to add the poem my son wrote about his PopPop.

Forever

"When I was little

My best buddy was my Pop-pop

I always sat is his truck, right in the middle

He finished his work, I waited a while

And when he found me in his truck

He gave me a big smile

And we went inside to have a sandwich with a root beer

I always went to bed happy

After a day with Pop-pop, full of cheer.

When I was bigger

I helped him finish his gardening

He taught me how to be the best digger

We always had fun

He called me his lil' rascal

And when we were done

He would say he had to go

But little did I know he really meant

Forever.

For my dad on Father's Day, the lilacs that he planted for me.

The Bird of Time has but a little way to flutter ~~~ and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing.

~~Omar Khayaam

Decerio Swim Club 1957

La Posta Vecchia outside Rome June 2006

P.S. Happy Father's Day to my husband who had the generosity to allow me to take my family to Italy and inspires me to plant a garden of love.

"A MOMENT IN THE GARDEN"

2010-05-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

The beauty of my spring garden never ceases to amaze me! Each year I am surprised that it comes back the way it does after a long winter. I could go outside in the morning at 9:00 a.m. and become totally involved in pruning, weeding and dreaming. After what seems like an hour or two, it can be 4:00 in the afternoon! It is a total high on life. I began gardening by digging out lily of the valley and moving it around so that it could multiply in various locations. I quickly became obsessed with the miracle of nature. So as I sit down and take off my shoes, I would like to share some photos.....

A well known award winning landscaper recently said to me that my streetscape is one of the most successful he has ever seen!

My dream is to be able to publish a beautiful garden coffee~table book. Anybody have any suggestions on how to go about it?

A most amazing row of Wisteria!

And a most unbelievable tree peony blossom!

The following is a bouquet that I would like to offer to any mother who does not receive recognition this year!~~

With a poem by Emily Dickinson (1830~1886)

1924 Part Two: Nature

NATURE, the gentlest mother,

impatient of no child,

The feeblest or the waywardest,~~

Her admonition mild

In forest and the hill

By traveller is heard,

Restraining rampant squirrel

Or too impetuous bird.

How fair her conversation,

A summer afternoon,~~

Her household, her assembly;

And when the sun goes down

Her voice among the aisles

Incites the timid prayer

Of the minutest cricket,

The most unworthy flower.

When all the children sleep

She turns as long away

As will suffice to light her lamps;

Then, bending from the sky,

With infinite affection

And infiniter care,

Her golden finger on her lip,

Wills silence everywhere.

The more I read this poem, the more I love it. I was inspired to add this poem because the New York Botanical Garden is presenting a show along with The Poetry Society of America entitled Emily Dickinson: The Poetry of Flowers April 30 through June 13. You can tour Emily Dickinson's Victorian home recreated in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory with tulips, lilacs, lilies and more and discover the gardener who became the poet.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

PROJECT H.O.M.E. NONE OF US ARE HOME UNTIL ALL OF US ARE HOME

2010-04-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

It seems hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, most of us in the Northeast were blanketed in record snowfalls!!

It was shortly after this time that I was able to fulfill a dream of mine because of my friend, Jennifer McAleese. I have always wanted to be able to do something to help the homeless. Because Jennifer is involved with Project Home, she invited me to meet Sister Mary Scullion and take a brief tour of some of the Project H.O.M.E. locations. Project H.O.M.E. is the anacronym for Housing, Opportunities for Employment, Medical Care, Education. It empowers people to break the cycle of homelessness, address the structural causes of poverty, and attain their fullest potential as members of society.

As we drove into Philadelphia's Fairmount section on a very cold, damp and dreary day in March, we were very surprised and actually shocked as we passed a beautiful old mansion with a camelia in full bloom. It was astounding!

Project H.O.M.E. has developed a proven and effective program to assist persons in overcoming chronic homelessness. This "continuum of care" is carefully designed to deal with the complex issues of persons with special needs such as mental illness and addiction.

We met Randal Sykes, now a resident but formerly a homeless man. He also is an artist and with the help of Project H.O.M.E. he is able to even express his talents!! I have included two of his paintings here. Project H.O.M.E. occasionally has art exhibitions as fundraisers. I really like his colorful style!!

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do." ~ Pope John XXIII

We then visited the Honickman Learning Center and were amazed at the poster above created by Project H.O.M.E. children which seems to be honoring all women. What a beautiful piece of art!

HONOR A MOM THIS MOTHER'S DAY!

You can make a magnificently memorable gift this year in honor of or in memory of a special mother. You can give a gift of pleasure and fulfillment that can only be realized through the "grace" of a generous heart. Gifts will benefit mothers and families that live at Project H.O.M.E. residences!!

If interested you can explore Project H.O.M.E. at http://www.projecthome.org/.

THE 2010 PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SHOW

2010-03-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

The PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SHOW was wonderful this year as it always is. The theme this year was Passport to the World featuring gardens of India, Brazil, South Africa, Netherlands, United States and many more. And with spring arriving this weekend, I wanted to share some of the highlights for those who did not get the chance to see it.

I particularly loved this exhibit!.. It was a tiny mirrored room no more than 6'x6' at the most filled with orchids and roses and all set for a spectacular fantasy dinner party!

Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted the most wonderful photo of the life-size moss elephant draped in a floral blanket from the India exhibit which featured a traditional wedding scene in a flower filled garden. Evenings were enlivened with the exotic Bollywood dancers led by renowned choreographer Rujuta Vaidya who choreographed the Slumdog Millionaire dance sequence for the 2009 Academy Awards.

Following is the fabulous African Lion.....

And an African family:

W.B. Saul High School and Longwood Gardens presented Thru Her Gates, an exhibit that showcases the horticulture contributions made by the many generations that have entered America through her doors. The Villanova Garden Club (of which I am a member) awards a scholarship each yea to a student of W. B. Saul.

And Jane Pepper, PHS President who will be also enjoying her freedom after presiding over her final Flower Show before retiring this year...

Also love the pressed flowers:

Hanging bottles filled with delphinium and other flowers:

And Vandas:

I have many, many more photos but I suppose I must stop somewhere. I must say if you ever get the chance to see the show, take it. People come in from all over the world. There is also a large shopping area. Blogging lesson for today: take good notes for photos!!! Blogging is kind of like being a newspaper writer; you must have the proper information!!

GARDEN BEAUTY ~ A Breath of Spring

2010-03-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

She walks in Beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meets in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies. ~ Lord Byron

Hydrangeas are one of the many queens of the garden. I've been thinking of spring and also wanted to show an example of a painting and the live subject. These are actually two different bouquets from my garden though.

TOM BROKAW'S BOOMER$!

2010-03-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

I haven't been around lately because I have been working on finding "my voice". But it seems my voice has been found for me. On the heels of all the appearances that I have seen in the last day of Tom Brokaw on David Letterman and Regis and Kelly as publicity for his report on BOOMER$!, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and post the photo that I had taken last year WITH Tom Brokaw and my husband. This photo was taken at The Academy of Music 150th Anniversary Concert and Ball. Tom Brokaw was the Host. Rod Stewart was the Special Guest Artist. The distinguished honorary co-patrons were Mrs. Walter H. Annenberg and HRH Prince Charles. What an evening to remember!!! Always remember to bring your fork and a champagne glass wherever you go!!! P.S. Dress is Oscar de la Renta.....

MERCI BEAUCOUP!

2010-02-25T10:39:00.000-08:00

I AM SO GRATEFUL TO DAWN EDMONDSON A.K.A. THE FEATHERED NEST FOR RESPONDING TO MY QUESTION AND INTRODUCING ME ON HER BLOG. SHE RESTORED MY FAITH IN HUMANITY WITH HER GENEROSITY!! THE ATTACHED PHOTOS ARE MY THANK YOU TO DAWN AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE CHECKED OUT MY BLOG, AND ALL THE WONDERFUL COMMENTS AND ENCOURAGEMENT!!

Belated Valentine's Day

2010-02-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

Vintage Postcard

SPRINGTIME!!

2010-02-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

AMONG THE TREES IS A ROBIN'S NEST, AND IN THE NEST THREE EGGS REST.
AND IN EACH EGG - SHH!! YOU'LL BE HEARD!! THERE LIES ASLEEP A TINY BIRD!

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS FROM MY GARDEN LAST YEAR.

FROG WORLD - COLLECTION

2010-01-28T11:31:00.000-08:00

I decided that my blog will be about things that I love (je t'adore)(and a little bit of French). I would like to gradually share photos of things I collect. Today I am sharing FROGS. (Les Grenouille). I had seen a toad outside of our front door which inspired me to begin a frog area in my powder room inside the front door.

Front Hall Bird with Zinnias

2010-01-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

Today I would like to share with you photos of my wonderful vintage bird planter filled with deep pink zinnias from my garden this past autumn. I absolutely adore this bird planter and the zinnias. I refreshed it every week for a month or more.

BLUEBELLS AND BUTTERCUPS

2010-01-15T12:41:00.000-08:00

January 15, 2010

Today I am posting photos of my beautiful Ragdoll cats, Capricorn sisters Bluebell and Buttercup, born January 7, 2007. On this day they are busily working together to capture an invader.

2010-01-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

HELLO WORLD, I KNOW THE WORLD IS LISTENING AND WATCHING!!! I AM GOING TO POST SOME PHOTOS FROM MY CHRISTMAS PARTY OF 2008 FOR THE VILLANOVA GARDEN CLUB. I AM CONTINUING TO LEARN BLOGGING WITH THE HELP OF MY VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE TEACHER, KAREN. SO HERE WE GO!!!

Ongoing

2009-12-11T16:25:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not this is actually the third post of my ongoing blog & every day I am getting better and better! This is a photo of my BF the parrot in Key West earlier this year. It's so much fun making memories.

second try

2009-11-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

Blogging Class November 9, 2009

2009-11-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

Good evening. This is the beginning of a new world.....join me in my adventures.