any day now

Meet John and Jessica.

John works for my husband, and as you can see, he is about to become a father.


It goes without saying that he's pretty excited to meet his new little girl.

I've known John for quite a while, but I just met his wife Jessica last week.


Could she be any cuter?

You won't believe this, but she is due Saturday.

As in, less than a week away.

As in, it should be a crime to look this good full term.


Her ankles are not swollen.

She does not waddle.

It does not take a forklift to get her off the ground.

It's impossible to hold a grudge though, because she is truly one of the sweetest things I have ever met.


John and Jessica were high school sweethearts and I'm guessing they won the cutest couple award.


If by some slight chance they didn't, I am officially awarding it now.


It's so exciting to think about how life is going to change in an instant for John and Jessica. A little girl that they have not yet met is going to rock their world.


Once their little pink bundle arrives, there will be a new star of the show.

A new center of their universe.


And how fun for me to be able to capture it all.


In a few weeks, we'll do all this again with an extra little person along for the ride.


Dear John and Jessica,

Congratulations! I can easily see you will be amazing parents. Enjoy these last few minutes together before your life changes forever in the best possible way. I had so much fun photographing this special time in your life, and I am so excited to meet your little princess.

Your friend and future baby holder,

Teresa

savannah

Before the details leave my brain forever, I want to share a few last photos of our visit to the South.


The last two days of our trip were spent in Savannah.


Beautiful Savannah.


Even the name is beautiful.


When I think of Savannah, two things immediately come to mind.

Paula Deen - her face was everywhere - and squares.

Savannah is designed with a beautiful park, or square, every few blocks. I believe there are twenty some squares in all. What a brilliant way to design a city.


Some have statues or fountains in the middle. Some are fancy, some simple.

All of them had people on park benches, pet owners taking a stroll, and tourists snapping pictures.

In between the squares were block after block of beautiful homes and Spanish moss draped trees.


I don't have nearly as many pictures of Savannah as I would like. By the time we got to day five of our trip, my forty pound camera bag had taught me a valuable life lesson and had basically killed my photo taking buzz.


While the azaleas were almost done in Savannah, we saw beautiful wisteria and this fun little shrub.


If this isn't called Bottle Brush Tree, it should be.

Savannah is also home to one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen, Forsyth Park.


My niece and I spent hours on a park bench there one afternoon, just visiting the day away.


We also enjoyed the beautiful drive to Tybee Island, and climbed the steps of the Tybee Lighthouse. It was hard to imagine the solitary life of the lighthouse keeper and his family. I thought these pictures, displayed in the house, were adorable.



For me, Savannah was very different from Charleston, but just as beautiful.

Dear South,

I want to be Southern.

Love,
Teresa

the herb garden

While we've been enjoying snow flurries and mornings in the looooow twenties, I know that there are parts of the country that are actually enjoying spring.

By the way, what's that like? I'd really like to know.

For those of you who are visiting your local nurseries and farmers markets, I thought I'd share a few of my favorites for the herb garden.

While the symmetrical design of my raised bed garden lends itself style wise to the title of herb garden, it's really more of a cutting garden with some herbs and veggies thrown in.

I happily make room for the most popular, well known and much used herbs.

Thyme...


Sage...


Various and assorted members of the mint family...


By the way, mint will absolutely take over your garden, so consider planting it in its own container. Seriously consider planting it in its own container. Consider yourself warned. Lots of considering here today.


Rosemary....


Dill...


There are more, but I either don't have pictures, or more likely, just can't think of what they are right now.

Now, for my failures. I cannot, under any circumstances, grow cilantro or basil that don't immediately look like plant death warmed over. They are just not happy at my house. After trying them for several years, I have finally thrown in the cilantro and basil towel. While they are both herbs I love, I simply focus on what herbs do well for me and buy those that don't at the farmers market or grocery store.

Actually, that's not totally true. I whine quite a bit about not having two of my very favorites right outside my back door, but for the sake of this post, I'll take the basil and cilantro high road.

Now, there are a few plants that might be a little harder to find, but for me, they are a true delight.

While most garden favorites are a visual treat, these little green guys cater to your sense of smell.

Scented Geranium...


There are many varieties out there, but Orange Fizz is my favorite. Simply brushing the plant as you walk by releases an explosion of orange scent. The flowers are quite small, but that's okay because you're buying this one for the perfume, not the bottle.

Pineapple mint...


Dreamy in iced tea, and it makes a very pretty garnish for desserts.

Pineapple sage...


The cuttings we took from the plant we overwintered are looking pretty good. Later in the summer, it gets a very bright red flower. It smells just like a fresh pineapple and is tied with the Orange Fizz geranium as my favorite garden smeller.

And finally, curry.


This year is only the second time I've come across this plant, and I just love it. I know most people are either lovers or haters of curry, but if your a lover, keep your eye out for this fun little addition to the garden. It smells amazingly just like curry. Hence the name I would imagine. There's debate as to whether this plant is edible or not, so I just enjoy it for its aroma. Yum.

As I show friends around the herb garden, I am constantly picking leaves, practically stuffing them up my guests nose, and saying...."Guess what this is. What's it smell like? Guess! No, just guess! Come on, guess! It'll be fun!"

My friends love it. I can tell.

So, enough about my garden. What herbs make your summer life complete? I would love to hear. I can talk/write/listen/read about plants forever. Please share your favorites with the rest of the class.

charleston, how do i love thee?

Let me count the ways.

This city has been on my go-to list for quite a while, and it did not disappoint.

I honestly don't even know where to begin or how to group the photos.

Should I group by color?


By street?


I wonder what my hubby will say when I tell him I think we should replace our paved driveway with cobbles.

Actually, I don't wonder at all. I'm pretty sure I know.


Should I group my photos by paths, drives and alleys that run perpendicular to the sidewalk where I am standing?


Or perhaps by really cool stuff growing up, out of, or all over even cooler stuff.


Speaking of growing things, more than a few houses had this lovely feature.


I wonder what my hubby will say when I tell him I want our wooden steps replaced with brick steps so I can grow perfectly manicured greenery along the risers.

Pretty sure I know the answer to that one, too.

Should I group by houses with an extra splash of personality?


Or by houses with owners who don't like tourists?


How about by amazingly gorgeous and grand houses.


Or perhaps by houses that are not quite so grand, but still beautiful in their own right.


Then, of course, we have the gardens.


When we visited the plantation, we were told we were there on the peak azalea weekend. We certainly couldn't have planned that if we'd tried.


Charleston was beautiful. Every single house and garden was a treat to see. I would have thought there would be a clunker or two, here and there, but not so.

My very favorite part of Charleston, and what I will remember most, has to be the windowboxes.


In fact, one day I may go back and photograph a book entitled, "The Windowboxes of Charleston".

Would you buy a book like that?

Yeah, me neither.


They were all quite different, yet equally appealing.


Usually, I'm drawn to colorful flower displays, but for some reason, this was one of my very favorites. The creamy white brick, combined with the black shutters, different shades of green and chartreuse, (I am not normally a fan of chartreuse in the garden), just made for a striking combination.


Whew! Is anyone still with me?

We spent at least a part of three different days walking miles through the streets of Charleston.

We also spent at least a part of three different days trying out various and assorted ice cream flavors. My favorite by far was the Coconut from Kilwin's. It was amazing. Apparently, Kilwin's is a chain, but alas, not one is to be found in my neck of the woods.

So sad.

All I can say to wrap up this photo tour is, if architecture, history, gardens, churches, quaintness, grandness, and beautiful agedness is up your alley, then Charleston is the place for you.

Charleston.....I will be back!

a four part story

Part One:

I love, love, love old windows.

I collect old windows.

I have quite a few old windows displayed in my home in various and assorted ways.

I have even more old windows living in the barn.


Part Two:

Last year, I found this calendar by Cavallini & Co.


I thought it would be fun to frame the pictures and put them in the greenhouse. It quickly became apparent that the high humidity level would not be kind to any sort of paper product, so the calendar found it's way to a shelf and spent the winter out of sight and out of mind.


Part Three:

Many months ago, while strolling through the archives of one of my very favorite blogging friends, I came upon this post featuring the very clever and fun idea of using an old window as a multi-picture frame. For quite some time, I've had my eye on the frame idea in this picture, but loved the old window idea even better. I filed it away in the fine mesh sieve that is my brain, otherwise known as the great idea graveyard.


Part Four:

About a month ago I came across one of my favorite barn exiled windows, and all of a sudden the stars aligned, the light bulb went on, and a project was born.


I have to say, the majority of my projects never make it to completion, but this one was quick and fun, my favorite kind of project, and I love how it turned out.

I love this combo too, so I'll be on the lookout for another triple window that will fit the bill.


Now, the fact that I don't have a specific spot to hang my new creation is a minor detail that I suppose will have to make for Part Five of this story. And it goes without saying that I am totally ignoring the fact that I spent the winter getting rid of absolutely everything that doesn't have a place in my home.

Totally ignoring that fact.

Totally.