Fences in France

I'm joining Mary's party

Thursday's Inspiration,

her prompt this week is "fence"
and
Friday's Fences

I enjoy photographing fences, 

doors, gates and windows.

This collection was

taken when I was in France

last year.

These last two photos were taken

in a beautiful park

in a small town in

Burgundy.

There was a little farmyard

section for the children,

so beautifully laid out.

I love donkeys but they 

always make me feel sad....

Only one more day of work this

week - thank goodness!!!

Can you tell I'm not used to it?!

I'm saving for my next trip

to France to see my little

granddaughters!

À bientôt

be kind to one another

hugs

Shane ♥

Umbrella magic....

I'm joining Mary for

Mosaic Monday.

Please pop over and meet

some other lovely bloggers.

We would love you to join us!

On a recent visit to my

local garden centre

I discovered this inspiring

display of pretty umbrellas

hanging from the ceiling!

Such cheerful designs

for a dreary rainy day,

don't you agree!

I just couldn't resist including
in my mosaic
the sweet bunnies, books and
my embroidery I must work
on over Easter!

Thank you so much dear friends

for popping in to my blog

and leaving such lovely comments!

I'm working over the next two

weeks, but I hope to visit you all

before the Easter break.

À bientôt

be kind to one another

hugs

Shane ♥

March Note Cards

Today I'm joining Vee of

A Haven for Vee

for her March

Note Card Party.

The idea is that we select four

images we have used

previously on our blog

that we think would make

a nice set of note cards.

I took these photos while

visiting open gardens

last Spring.

I hope you enjoy them!

Please pop over to Vee's

to see all the other note cards.

Maybe you would like

to join in the fun and show us

yours as well!

Thank you so much dear friends for the

kind comments you leave me.

À bientôt

be kind to one another

hugs

Shane ♥

As Autumn slowly arrives...

My cousin is a great gardener and

on Sunday she picked me 

a beautiful bouquet of colorful

dahlias from her flower garden.

They're loud , a bit brazen even

and these jewel coloured

blooms look totally wonderful

in my room.

They can't help but make one

feel

happy!

Not long ago dahlias were

out of fashion but recently

they've made made a comeback

and we all want them

in our gardens again!

Autumn is one of my favorite

times in the garden,

as everything is quieting down...

and I'm choosing bulbs to plant now

 for a magical display in

Spring.

I'm joining Mary for

Mosaic Monday

do pop over and join us.

À bientôt

be kind to one another

Shane ♥

A bouquet for my birthday tomorrow!

Laduree

Hello dear friends

today I'm joining Mary

for

Green Inspiration Thursday and

 Kathleen 

forSt. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl
(are you up to it)? and

Claudia
for
A Favorite Thing Saturday

With good Irish blood running

through my veins

I had to find a little

something from the

Emerald Isle too!

Wishing you all a very

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

on Sunday!!

Be kind to one another and

"may the luck of the Irish

be with you all"!

Shane ♥

French Creamy Whites

Don't you just love this

sweet little girl?

The gorgeous card is part

of a stunning giveaway

I was lucky to win over at

Pam's blog Simply Nordic Design

I've oohed and aahed at some
lovely garlands I've seen on blogs
and now I've got one of my own! 

An old book cover stamped

with the word France,

more french images and 

a vintage sheet music page.

Le Paris D'Aujourd'hui

Pam also included this amazing piece

of crocheted lace from her

collection...so yummy!

Merci Pam
I feel very spoilt!!

I'm linking to Becky at
Blissful Whites Wednesday

Thank you for your lovely comments.

À bientôt

be kind to one another

Shane ♥

Summer sunshine from my corner of the world....

I've written this post

especially for my friends

in colder climes.

From what I hear

you're all tired of snow

and just want Winter to disappear...

so I'm sending you some

Kiwi sunshine

from my summer garden

to brighten up your day!

and as a gentle reminder that your

Spring/Summer

will be with you soon!

I'm linking with Mary for

Mosaic Monday

Thank you all for visiting

and leaving such nice comments.

À bientôt

be kind to one another

Shane ♥

Wildflowers in France

A home needs books...

If you are a regular visitor

to my blog you will know I'm a

book lover.

I've also been lucky to inherit

some lovely old books from

my father 

a very dear bookish man!

Like this five volume set of

The History of England

by

Lord Macaulay

published in London in

1870.

Do you know, that while taking 

photographs for this post

I was leafing through the pages

and to my surprise I became
totally absorbed.

So I've started reading Volume I,
I love history

 but I had thought 

this tome would be too stuffy!

I'll let you know how I get on...

The covers of the books are old leather

and the pages are edged with

gold leaf.

"A room without
books is like a body
without a soul." 
Cicero

The image bottom right is
Lord Macaulay.

Today I'm linking to
Mary's - 'Inspiration Thursday' 
Debra's - 'Be Inspired Thursday' 
Bernideen's - 'Open House Thursday'
and
Claudia's - 'A favorite Thing Saturday'.


À bientôt

take care of one another

Shane ♥

I've been doubly Spoilt...

Look what arrived in the mail this week!

As part of Vicki's

Grow Your Blog Party

many bloggers offered

a Giveaway.

 A hand stitched envelope made by Wendy

What a lovely surprise when the very

talented Wendy of

appleapricot.blogspot.com

told me that I was the

winner of her Giveaway!

This beautiful ATC was her prize

Wendy really spoilt me because

also in her parcel was a 

lovely collection of lacey fabrics 

an old French postcard

(a girl can't have too many of these)!

some pretty rose themed papers

and a sweet collection

of buttons and butterflies.

THANK YOU SO MUCH WENDY!!

My second GYB win was from

Kerrie of

The Cross Stitching Librarian

I loved the card Kerrie sent me

of the old thatched cottage

by the stream

surrounded by daffodils!!!
Now that's a lovely Spring scene
for my friends who are
getting tired of all that SNOW!!!

This pretty cross stitch pattern

was Kerrie's prize
isn't it just lovely!

Once I've finished Jessie's

Christmas stocking

I'll make a start on the 

Victorian Christmas and I think

I will make it into a cushion

for the

Christmas Season!

THANK YOU SO MUCH

KERRIE!!

Today I'm linking to Claudia's

A Favorite Thing Saturday
and 

and also to Mary's

Mosaic Monday

Thank you all for your kind comments

about Barbara - she is now at

Peace.

À bientôt

be kind to one another

hugs

Shane ♥

A beautiful old vintage shawl

'Forget Me Not'.