Saturday 28 January 2012

Bienvenue - s'il vous plaît venez dans...


Hello dear friends!
Today I thought I would give
you a little peep
into my world.

It's Summer time here
on the other side of the world,
so I've hung a pretty
Summer garland on either side of
our front entrance!






I bought this lovely old

door sign the last time
I visited my daughter in France.
It says 'Welcome'.



My next visit will be in May/June
to meet my new GD
Jessie!!
and... hopefully I'll be
visiting a brocante or two
to find more treasures!

Just inside our front door
is a bookcase
and on the top shelf is an
old concertina book holder
(rather like bookends except
it has a base and expands)






I particularly love the ends

which are brass and quite ornate -
don't look too closely
as they desperately need a polish,
on second thoughts
I really love this old patina
so I won't be polishing them again!




I have my father to thank for this,
he was a bookish man
and spent a lifetime of collecting
books and bookcases!!
It is one of my
favourite things.


Above is this gorgeous old set of
Anthony Hope novels
which were also my fathers.
I particularly love that faded
pinky red colour -
sadly I haven't read
any of these titles... yet.

Like my father I've always
got a couple of books on the go.
I love history
and I must drive our
local librarians mad
as I'm always asking for
new titles!
(I wonder if they hide
when they see me coming?
it wouldn't surprise me)!!!

I have a huge stack of
books beside our bed
and another in our
living room - can you
relate to this?


As most of you who read
my blog are in the US or Europe
I thought I would give you a reminder
of the beautiful gifts of Summer,
hydrangea's from my garden.


Also in the bookends is
an old leather bound set of
A.A. Milnes - you can guess
where they came from!





Thank you all for popping in to see me

especially those of you who leave
comments.... love you!
A big welcome to my new followers
Jami and Tiff
Thank you for joining my blog.
Be kind to one another
Love and hugs
Shane x




28 comments:

  1. Dear Shane,
    I loved seeing little glimpses of your home. Oh we do love the same things! I love your books - I wish I had more books with beautiful spines. I have a set of children's classics that I bought at 'The Warehouse' of all places when I lived in NZ. I bought them just for the gold lettering on the spine because I knew they would look lovely on a bookcase! I especially love your garland. I needed a reminder of summer especially with the weather we are experiencing at the moment. If you watched your news last night you might have seen our floods. My MIL in Matarangi said they were on the 6 o clock news.
    Blessings to you. May/June will be here before you know it!

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  2. Merci Shane - A very welcoming post.
    Love your sign and that wonderful collection of books handed down from your Dad with that stunning bookcase!
    Hugs,
    Suzy

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  3. What a charming blog - so much inspiration I saw in just post! Off to do more peeking around!
    xoxo, tracie

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  4. Love your sign...beautiful collection...seize the day darling...love ...xxx...

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  5. I too love old books. The pinky red ones you have are great! Seeing the hydrangas makes me want to run outside barefoot...oh wait it is not summer here! Want to trade seasons?
    Deb

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  6. Your flowers are so lovely Shane, made me long for Summer!

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  7. What lovely old books! Thanks for the glimps of hydrangeas - mine are just twigs at the moment.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  8. Hi dear Shane, what a lovely post, as I here look out at snow, today!
    I love your books , especially the rosa ones- and such beautiful photoes you made,dear, with the fabolous hydrangea, and sweet garlands. Enjoy your summer.
    Hugs,Dorthe

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  9. What a beautiful bookholder, and I envy you your hydrangeas on this wet and windy day.

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  10. this is a very lovely peep to see for us and the wonderful vintage decorations

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  11. Wonderful with summerflowers.I already long for springtime.......
    Like you I have many beautiful books from my father. I don´t read them, but love to look at them.They are rarities nowadays.

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  12. Thank you for sharing your summertime beauty! There is too much ice and snow here.I love how you are displaying your beautiful books!

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  13. It's wonderful to know that it's summertime and flowers are blooming somewhere in the world. Here it's been pouring cold rain all day. Thanks for sharing.

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  14. Beautiful pretty post Shane, your photographs capture the summer perfectly.
    I so excited for you and your upcoming trip! Mx

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  15. Thanks for inviting me to come see your hydrangeas. I love them dried but much prefer them fresh like yours.
    Well Easter is just around the corner and we'll be bringing in the forced ones then.
    hugs
    Carole

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  16. Lovely post, Shane :) I like your summer garland.

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  17. Oh that's nice your daughter lives in France. Me too!And nice to bring some brocante things from France with you.
    Great you have such a lovely weather.

    Regards from South of France,

    Janny

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  18. Thank for giving us a little glimpse of your home. I am very happy to know that someone else suffers from piles of books too! I think I drive our library people nuts when I go into their on-line site and put holds on all sorts of books. They're constantly having to phone me to tell me to come & pick something up.

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  20. Hello! You have so beautiful and lovely blog! Many nice things.. photos.. And so lovely family!! Now I follow your blog! Have a happy day! Best regards Riitta Sinikka

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  21. Hello Shane, thanks for sharing all that beauty with us, such lovely treasures, have a wonderful week-end,hugs Robyn

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  22. Wow, so many lovely things. I am following you. Greetings from Rome!

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  23. ooo what a lovely post and visit with you dear Shane!

    Your hydrangeas are splendid...we are in the midst of a warm and mild winter...no flowers to be seen

    I marvel at us being under the same moon and the same sky...but totally different seasons!

    so glad we can visit virtually at least

    bet you're excited about your upcoming trip!

    such lovely books with extra meaning as well
    oxo

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  24. Lovely pictures and I really long for summertime when I see your beautiful hydrangeas..Victoria

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  25. Beautiful photos... winter has been kind this far... but the past couple of days have been true winter, cold, blowing snow, freezing ice ... it was wonderful to see your photos and enjoy them with my tea.

    Your Jessie is one blessed little girl,,, she is going to look so darling in those dresses and the baby shoes ... to know in later years..that you made them will definitely be an item she will treasure.. can't wait to see your finished product..blessings, xo HHL

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  26. What a beautiful peek! Those hydrangeas are gorgeous!! X

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  27. Thank you for your lovely comment on my blog, Berlin is great to visit we stay till tomorrow and then go back.
    You have spent a lovely time in france with your daughter...and this week you have some great trips...enjoy your week.....

    A big hug,
    ♥Eefie

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  28. What a lovely peek at your world -- love your beautiful blue wreath, and seeing hydrangeas again is indeed a joy! Merci!

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