how romantic...

Couldn't we all just use some time out? Some time to call our own to relax, to remember, to forget, to indulge, to make peace or just plain escape...even if only for a few minutes?

Imagine...

a delivery of unexpected, "just because" flowers

morning tea or cappuccino and a lovely light breakfast

just sit for awhile, maybe read under the tree and enjoy the breeze

an hour of total bliss at the spa

can't get enough outdoor dining

relax in an outdoor bubblebath

a glass of wine by the roar of a wood burning fire

and to bed with the glow of candle light
(if you're really lucky the local hunky fireboy will come to blow out the candles)

Thank goodness Mr. vG & I have a three day holiday coming up...I haven't finalized any of the details as of yet...but I hope it goes something like this!

on franklin pond

I feel so fortunate to have this view from my backyard while still living in a subdivision. Franklin Pond is home to a pair of mating swans who have at least 4-6 cygnets each year. I love to sit out back with my glass of wine and listen to all the peaceful sounds of nature.

The duo have the most lovely call that echoes beautifully across the water...however, it's not so calming when they have their lovers quarrel in the early hours!! He's probably telling her she's got too much grass in the nest or something hehehhe.

This is the first May 2~4 long weekend I can remember where we all haven't been rained out!! I hope this is the beginning to an amazing week. Hope it's shining where you are!

the versatile blogger award...

I'm very honoured that Jamara from My North West Nest kindly passed this award to me! Thank you soo much Jamara. And now I'm to share 7 things about myself and pass this award on to 7 others.

here goes 7 quirky things about me:

1) I'm vertically challenged, ringing in at a whopping 5'2

2) Even though I'm well into my 30's, I still can't have my feet hang over the edge of my bed at night thanks to a certain horror flick...I don't watch scary stuff at all anymore!

3) To pass the time in the car when I was young, I'd jut my elbow out (just a little nudge so nobody else could really see me) in the spaces between trees or posts or signs that we pass by..does that make sense??? When there were alot of trees in a row, I looked like I was doing the funky chicken, uhhh I still do it today, weird??

4) I gave myself a hernia doing 500 sit ups

5) I have a space big enough to fit an extra toe between my big toe and my second toe on my right foot, does that mean you're really smart or something..don't answer that!

6) Until we bought our house now...I've moved every two years since I was 9.

7) I love to run...my escape from the world is my ipod (totally lovin Inna), my rbks' and the 55 minutes it takes me to run/walk my 9 km country route.

And that's me! Now to pass on the award, in no particular order....

1) Cappucino Cottage

2) Canadian Cottage

3) Home & Harmony

4) A Place for Us




5) All Things Related




6) My Repurposed Life




7) Peace Love Sweater

These gals provide me with loads of motivation, inspiration and an overload of eye candy! Pop over to visit them all! It's the Long Weekend here. Hope you are all enjoying yours.

: )

oatmeal nut bread

Nothing says "Good Morning" like the smell of freshly baked bread filling up the house. I've been waking up to that smell for about a year and a half now. And no I don't get up at the rise of dawn to endlessly knead. I use the timer on my bread maker and have it set so that we have a nice warm loaf waiting for us every other morning.

I switch every second day between Oatmeal Nut, 100% Whole Wheat and Cracked Wheat. Here is the Bread Machine Recipe for 1.5 lbs loaf setting...

Oatmeal Nut

1 1/3 lukewarm water
2 tbsp milk
1/ 1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp molasses
2 tbsp butter
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
1/3 cup oatmel, quick cooking
1 3/4 tsp yeast
Add Ingredient Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Directions:

1) Measure first 9 ingredients in the order listed
2) Select Grain Setting and 1.5 lb loaf setting
3) At "add ingredient beep", add nuts

Bon Appetite!

camera shy

I've always enjoyed picture taking. I've always wanted to be a good picture taker. I'm wondering, if I've always had the interest..why the heck have I never done anything about it?

I've recently been inspired to break out the camera, which I've named Pedro by the way...an extremely talented and sweet new friend Kimberly over at Mimi Charmante named her camera and I figure if Mr. vG names his vehicles than maybe there is something to it??? Well Pedro and I went out into my garden this morning to play.

How wonderful to meet my new flowered friends. The dishes can wait.... I think Nohl & I must have a picnic lunch today!

A little camera shy,

It'll be a slow process I know...

Happy Monday Ladies!

Nohl's Bedroom

A couple of months ago, I blogged about how I was going to makeover Nohl's room. Don't ask me why it took two months...I'm just slow that way. Mostly I think I kept making up my mind on a paint colour, then change it an hour later. Two weeks ago, I put my own foot down. Now it's almost complete. To see more of the before go here.

I'm waiting on a 1960's pull down map of Europe to hang on the wall in the picture below.

One of the first things I did was paint his bed frame out in Benjamin Moore's Hudson Bay Blue. Sorry some of the pictures are dark. The final wall paint, Gray Mist, is also from Benjamin Moore, and the wainscotting is Cloud White. I really love how bright and fresh his room feels now!

I found this hutchy thing and it was the most hideous bright blue I'd ever seen. Whoever painted it, just kept painting right over the hinges and latches. I scraped off the hinge/latch paint and sprayed them with flat black. I gave the whole thing a coat of paint and voila....something a little different than your typical bookshelf, and still low enough so he can access all his belongings.

I'd been saving this road atlas for years thinking I'd someday do something with it in one of the boys rooms. And so I tore some places of meaning for me out of the atlas and repurposed his old Ikea frames. Mr. vG and I honeymooned in Hawaii. Now everytime I see that map it's a reminder of one of the most special times in my life.

Hmmm well that's kinda creepy? and yet even this looked better than that builder glass plate that was there!

I'm not normally a huge ceiling fan fan, but despite having A/C, Nohl's room can get pretty stinkin hot in the summer. I thought this fixture from Rona was perfect. Doesnt' it almost looked like a little boat propeller?

Me and my Nohlly burger

we have a winner....

The time has come to pick a winner!!! But first I want to thank all of you, past friends and new friends, for joining me. And of course a big thank you to CSN for sponsoring.

What an exciting week! I had sooo much fun checking my email ...it was like checking my real mailbox only better because NO BILLS or junk mail, just nice mail...and all for me :)

I was going to have the electronic number generator select the winner, but my daughter Ava wanted to help out this morning.

So she went on her merry way writing down everyone's name and cut them all out carefully...

she picked out the hat to make the draw

and shuffled the names for hmmmm a good 5 minutes, and finally made the draw

and the winner is....

Carolyn from Aiken House & Gardens

Congratulations Carolyn!! I hope you enjoy the Perigord Goblets.

If you've never been to Carolyn's blog, you simply must have a visit. She has the most beautiful blog with the most beautiful pictures of her sweet home and amazing gardens on Prince Edward Island. And don't forget the tea!

Thanks again to all the lovely ladies for entering my giveaway. I hope to visit with you all very soon. Have a wonderful weekend.