Last weekend feels very far away today… Over the weekend, I split my time between working in the yard and working in the office… The yard work felt more productive and satisfying than my time spent in the office. The yard was mowed and I spent quite a bit of time working in the flower beds, getting them organized for the year.

And I planted our little memorial Tomato Patch, in honor of our passed away tomato eating dogs – Rocco, Coco and Chipper. Some of you may remember my posting about Chipper’s love for tomatoes and how much we enjoyed his last months last fall as he would wander through the tomato vines, grazing as he went…

One fringe benefit of my rooting about in the flower beds and edges of the yard is I find all sorts of orphan plants, shrubs and trees. Seedlings from our mature plants. Sally is always terrified that I will scurry about and plant the little things in places that will mess up the Master Plan for the yard. For me, it’s actually more about the excitement of the find. Let’s see what I found.

A small boxwood under the yews…

A young Kousa Dogwood growing in the old dog run…

Another boxwood? I’m not sure. I’ll let it grow and see what it turns in to…

A variegated lilly of the valley (bottom center) I rescued form beneath the spreading branches of a shrub in the front yard, along with another small flowering plant from my Mom’s garden back in upstate New York. (She’ll know exactly what it is.)

On Sunday, I moved the last of the European Ginger from one end of the yard to the other… Sounds productive, doesn’t it? By the time I get that done, it was beginning to drizzle. It felt so good, I stayed out and put in the tomato garden.

I added several eggplants, too. Mmmmm. Please excuse the mess. I haven’t gotten to edging things.

By days end, I really could have taken a good long soak in one of these tubs made by Bath in Wood Maine…

Or maybe this one?

Cote Sud,February/March 2012, photo, Bernard Touillon; designer, Francois Champsaur

Everyone have a great week!

Cheers,

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You know how much I love powder rooms if you’ve been reading our blog! I think they can be little jewels. Some powder rooms have enough space for both a small towel bar and a nice glass shelf, for little necessaries, or not-so-necessaries. Here is one we did recently with fun, fun, black and white wallpaper and a gorgeous shelf with escutcheions of white marble.

Here’s a close up of the shelf. Now, what to do with it? It will come in handy no matter what – just think of your guests and what they might need while visiting you – even if only for a dinner party.

Gorgeous marble and nickel escutcheons hold up this shelf

Do you remember my post about antique linens? Well, if you’ve inherited antique linens chances are that perhaps you have also inherited little dressing table items. Here are some from my grandmother and aunt. They would look adorable on a glass shelf in a powder room.

You could put cotton balls in the low jar, as I have, and cotton swabs in the tall jar. Or I have filled the taller jar with dried lavender flowers, which look so pretty. Or cranberries and little clippings of greenery for Christmas!

Silver Lid with Monogramming

The silver detail on the tall jar reminds me of Art Nouveau with their love of the morning glory flower. I also love the faceted crystal jar itself.

Here is a glass and nickel shelf that holds soap and hand towels in another of our recently finished powder rooms. We got this great small sink and stand combination, and faucets, from Designer Bath in Beverly, MA.  The stand was in mahogany, and we wanted black, so we had it refinished locally.

Glass shelf to left of sink is handy

Another shelf decoration that I like is this dried bunch of lavender flowers, tied with straw.

It stands up on its own and can act as a centerpiece on your bathroom shelf. No watering needed.  Just add some pretty towels and you are ready for your guests! And you can Wow them. You can make visting your powder room an EXPERIENCE to remember!

Best,