Gosh! I am SO exited now! It’s arrived!

Did you feel that e-bay is the best place to do shopping? Did you ever spent way too much on e-bay and feel guilty? Oh, boy! I not allowed myself to do e-bay for the next month! But I’m not going to feel guilty for spending $9.99 this time. Look at this beautiful set of floral dishes from Czechoslovakia. I am SO excited to have it! They arrive Saturday morning when I was in Ann Arbor with my daughter and I was able to open them only Sunday. Stunning floral wave basket pattern - LOVE it!


And, of course, my husband made another apple pie. I can’t resist having slice of it (of course, using my new china). Double pleasure!

Apple Crisp day and Mr. Bunny in my garden

I should confess - these two bunnies not from my garden. I didn’t make this photos, I found them in Internet as a study for my gourds sketches. I just can’t resist showing them to others. Did you ever see anything more precious???
Still we have our bunny in the backyard, I just not first-class paparazzi, can’t catch him. I have more flowers this summer and he coming more often now. Sometimes he sits next to the German porcelain bunny, pretending to be my garden decoration. Sometimes he hiding behind raised bed with tomatoes, and run away as soon, as I stop looking at him. Hi is little shy fellow. I just hope one day he will move in my garden with all his family! I just didn't named him yet... Hmmm... Any suggestions?

We also will be happy to have family of hedgehogs - my daughter LOVED them. She has one many years ago and it was lot of fun to see them playing together. Except … Well, I should tell that hedgehogs extremely active at night and they making really loud noises. Sounds like you have a pony in the kitchen! We have tiny-miny apartment back to the “hedgehog time” and it was little too loud…

Talking about apple crisp – my husband baked it yesterday! Ne used apples from our dwarf and some old recipe from one of few hundred (no kidding! I am serious now!) cookbooks we have. Oh, boy! It was good! With glass of cold milk it disappeared in a blink of my eye! I should admit – my husband really good cook!

PS. Two new samplers on my wall! Both from goodwill – somebody’s trash are always my treasure!

Few more gourds and apples

We picked up last apples from our tiny tree. I still can't believe that our dwarf can produce so many apples!

And there are some more my gourds. I didn’t used varnish yet, so they look pale and light. I will do it tonight probably. Sorry I don’t have time to show more – next time!

I am so glad weekend is over!

I am so glad weekend is over! I think I little overworked in my garden. But it looks so much better now! I don’t think I am done yet – I still need to split some more plants. My hosta and shiatsu daises waiting to be replaced.

My garden growing every day! Look at the ivy! It came from my father-in-law, and did very poor before. But this year ivy decides to grew up and cover my ugly fence!

Also hydrangea planted last fall doing so well! I planted hydrangea and few bushes of roses and totally forgot to water it last fall, when my daughter was sick. Dispite neglection they not only survive but blooming all over! WOW!

Look at my English roses! And we harvest few bowls of apples from our dwarf apple three – can you believe that this 5 feet tall dwarf has more than 50 apples??? And they are not only delicious but also so beautiful – truly “apple of my eye!”

Sure – I did needlepoint every evening as usual. Finally I finished and framed bouquet of rouses. Now they bloomed in my bedroom. I also continue stitching next one - with peonies. One day I will run out of space on the wall!

I am glad it is Monday – I can have little rest from heavy gardening….. But I make some more plans for the next weekend….

That's why I don't have time to write...

Not only write but make photos also...
Shame on me! I gave away so many my crafts and always forgot to make photos… Good part – all my gourds, paints and needlework adapted by good people. I love to come at my friends homes and see my work. I feel so honored then!

I finished and framed this two few days ago.
Yesterday was looooong and little crazy day. Good one, in fact. Early morning I have time to clean our house (it is always little sloppy). Then Birthday girl asked me to drop her to the Panera. While she enjoyed chatting with friends, I drove to the goodvill. Gosh ! My lucky day! I bought few absolulely lovely bone china tea cups and sousers. Roses, roses and again roses!


New china match my rosy pitcher! Oh, I LOVE it!
Then came my sister-in-law and her hubby. He is THE Super Man! He installed security cameras in our house. Our property was vandalize few times lately and I getting too (is it right to use this world?) paranoid… Super handy-man Bobby install four cameras while I made lunch - so quick, I cant believe! It looks so simple when he did, but I newer will be able to do it - what a wonderful talent! I always admire people like a Bobby - crafty, hardworkind and very, very kind!
Sure I never have egough good time with my sis! Newer enough hugs… I wish one day we would live close to each other, and have more time to spend together. She has one of my samplers now, of course, with the bird and flowers! I started this sampler in her garden couple weeks ago, seating just in front of her beautiful garden house. What a good memories for both of us!
Finally, already after 10 pm watched old and good Russian movies with my birthday girl and I painted more gourds. I think she still remember few of this movies, it was fun to see her repeating some phrases. She has about 50 calls from her friends. Sure – she spent couple hours talking with her boy-friend.
She will back to Chicago tomorrow. I think my daughter in-love now... (ooops! My life in danger now!) I am so happy for her...
And there is one of my new gourds. With bunnies. I am in a "bunny mood" lately. I painted more yesterday, but I didn't make photo yet. Next time!

August already...

Why it is always the same? Winter is way too long, and summer too short… Hundreds small and big things was done at home and thousands not yet. At least I have my camera back and now I can write in my blog again.
Thank you, all my dear friends! I newer meet you, but somehow you became my friends. I miss you. And I love you - even I newer meet you. I love the fact that you invited me in your home thru the screen of my laptop. I love to see you life, get involved in good and sometimes not so good things, what happened to you. I love to share my life same way with you and have few of yours kind and so precious to me comments. I hope all of you had good summer. All we need – little happiness, sun shine and love of good people around us. I hope you have it! My love to you!


I want to show you WHY I was so busy. My garden blooming as a crazy this you! I can’t believe I did it! There is a part in front of our house – looks like a jungles! Sure, my husband stays next to his favorite (well… It is only one we have!) apple tree. We have like three dozens of apples on this small thing.
























And there is my daughter with sweetest puppy in the world, named Sugar Dog! They are so in-love with each other! Tomorrow my Irka will have her 22nd birthday!!! I happends 15 minutes before midnight, 22 year ago, in a cold and rainy day. I try to hold on till 14th, but they squeezed her out. She has beautiful black eye (I mean brose!!!) and I never seen anything more fine-looking in my life. There she is!

New garden

My garden blooming, all home in flowers and I removed last few yards of lawn in front of house

Now it looks almost like real English garden – little too overgrowing, roses next to lavender, daisies mixed with lilies, tiny apple tree next to Russian Sage … I keep my windows open and fragrance of garden in every room now. All I want is to be outside and enjoy every second of summer… What a haven!
People walk and stop in front of house and looking on my flowers – I gently smile. Yes, it is my pride and joy! It makes me happy!

Some people stop to talk with me when I water my garden. Guy all covered in tattoo with dog, elderly lady, walking with her family, beautiful young women with gray hair from Baptist church next to us… Different people with same joy – bless all of you for the good words and kindness… My garden blooming because you like it!
But I also have small, secret garden now. Just for me…

I start to plant it last fall in a dumpy place, in the back yard, in a small area between two walls of our home and fence. There is no sun and almost no soil – rocks and clay only. Surprisingly, my secret garden this year became lovely and green. He happily answers with blooms for every minute I spent there. Wild daisies I picked up next to the dusty road last year became large and so bright; Black Eyed Susan from the same source reach 3 feet already; Yarrow and Tansy looks gigantic! Tiny bush of hydrangea (which didn’t like to be in front of house before!) became large and all covered in green flowers. Even Boston ivy start doing his job, covering quite an ugly fence…
This weekend I make new, tiny fairy's garden in the box for my friends, who have kids. Why not? I do believe in garden’s fairies….. Do you?

Cranbrook

Long weekend give us a wonderful opportunity to see Cranbrook – large private school in Bloomfield Hills, MI. I always impressed with system of education in US. People here used to complain about education - it is not perfect, it is expensive and not always most efficient. I can’t… I just wish more kids can afford it - it is wonderful school! Schools like Cranbrook provide amazing opportunity for kids to study art and science, and focused on future career. Never mind – Cranbrook have Academy of Art, contemporary Art Museum, House & Gardens, and natural history museum - and it is always open for public!

Founded by Detroit philanthropists George and Ellen Booth in 1904, Cranbrook campus features the work of world-renowned architects such as Eliel Saarinen, Albert Kahn, Steven Holl, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, Rafael Moneo, Peter Rose and sculptors Carl Milles, Marshall Fredericks and others. Critics have called Cranbrook "the most enchanted and enchanting setting in America" and in 1989, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

But best part for me is the gardens of Cranbrook! Oh, boy! I can spend hour and hours, walking thru the hills and searching for the new spots. There are two kinds of gardens in the campus. First – very formal, designed in strong geometrical patterns. Sculpture, fountains and architectural fragments boost the setting with large lawns, trees, and a lake stretching out beyond the fieldstone walls. But there are also small almost wild spots in between formal and glorious gardens. Tiny spot of lawn between trees, covered with wildflowers ~ Anemone, Banebarry, Bellwort, Bloodroot, Fawn Lily, Foamflower, Hepatica, Marsh Marigold, May Apple, Miterwort, Ragwort, Snakeroot, Solomon's Seal, Squirrel Corn, Trillium, Trout Lily, Wild Geranium, Wild Ginger, Wood Poppy, Wintergreen. They looks like nobody ewer planted it. They hide in the shadow of trees or proudly show in all glory on a top of hills… I can spend days and days to see it…
Only one part was sad – my camera didn’t behave well. The bright sunshine washed out all colors…. Well - there is a positive side of it. I can come back another day and make more photos!