lots of gardening and one very hot dog

My garden finally looks like a true English garden. It took only  five or six years of hard labor, sweat and back pain. But this summer it looks  really good.  I can't see any soil under the plants. I am thrilled to see no weeds anymore. They probably still exists, but my flowers much bigger now.  Lots of gold and house finches as usual, lots of bunnies (monsters try to eat all my David Austin roses!)

So, there it is: My  Garden 2011

It is Logan  - my daughter's dog. He spent couple weeks  with us and became true michigander.  Finally learn how to walk in the yard without mom and dad. It take 3-4 days until he became so brave.  But look at him now! Happy face!

 I used  part of rotten bench to make Forth -of-July flag. Looks good!

He  even help Gordon to plant tomatoes. Of course, the most exiting part of summer vacation in Michigan for  him - sleeping in the shadow.  He prefer to do it in the air conditioned home, but I try to keep him outside as long as possible. 

 Yesterday I make six balls covered in beach glass and marbles. Glue gun such a  powerful tool in my opinion!

 Old clogs find new place as a planters on my fence

 Little nap after dog spa.

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!

What I dreaming about...

should admit – I am a Dreamer. Big one!

Every night, when I going to the bed I close my eyes and dream about… Ahh, I have so much to dream about!

I dream to travel – if you only know how much I would love to do it! The day I would win big lottery ticket I will pack small back pack and purchase dozens tickets to the any destination in the world. One problem – I always forgot to buy this lottery ticket! (Please, somebody, remind me!) Australian beaches called me! South of France and my favorite Normandy crying of me!

Cottages in Devonshire bagging me to see their beautiful gardens! Newer mind, thre are also New Zeeland, Alaska, Venezuela and my home – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia! I would love to do it!
I even made pajama’s bag for travel. And I almost newer used it. Only once I took it to my trip to Chicago last August.

It is SO wrong!

I made the bag from vintage ticking with roses, cotton for quilting, and, of course, some my cross-stitch.

Another my dream is to have house in the fields of lavender. I newer will tired from lavander-blue. I can close my eyes and picture my white dream home, surrounded by waves and fragrances of lavender. I imagine english roses, creeping to the wall; little white bistro table in the cool shadow of old three; small creek on the bottom of hill; cat sleeping on the window... And heavy forest surrounding my little farm.

Quiet, only sound of mucking bird from the sky…

I dream to write short novels, and it is only one of my dreams, which actually slowly coming thru. I write in Russian, and I am not bad at all! But I am dreaming (again!) to improve my English enough to be able to ....

I am hopeless dreamer…

But my biggest and only one really important dream is - I wish (oh, I wish it so hard!) my daughter will healthy and newer-ever sick again. I dream she will meet “the one and only”, married and (oh, I am so selfish!) will have kids. I would happy to read them Russian fairytales, teach them to paint. I would build tiny play house in my garden and let them have all puppies and kittens in the world. But I will OK if she only will healthy, that’s more then enough for me!

More snow today....

Tonight silent snow covered ground. I woke up and soft-blue light outside the window make me smile – I knew it suppose to be flurry!

Mild and soft, large snow flakes little by little floating down the sky and it become quiet – no sounds of birds today. The snow is fluffy and crisp, perfect day for taking cross country skiing or to walk at the forest.

I spotted bunnies’ footprint in the backyard, he coming often to my garden now, big lover of blueberries and cuts from apple tree. All summer he hides under the blooming bushes and pretend to be one of my garden decorations – he doesn’t move, no any motion, even his eyes not blinking. But in the moment, I turn my head out – he jumps and run out. Silly bunny! We don’t eat bunnies! We feed them!

My hardy rosemary fluffed up tiny leaves, and proudly shows new dress, designed by talented master - winter.

Even my Danish shoes on the porch have some fresh treat, little sparkle of white.

Winter again. I love you, winter!

Mr. White Vest

It was little more crazy week than usual. And it was gorgeous! What a shame to spend it at home - we went out, my husband took me for some antique shopping and lunch. I even worked in my garden, trimming old shrubs, raking leaves and soaking in the sun light. My entire body sore now, I think I overworked and overestimated my power. As usual. Funny part, it happens every spring, it is actually sign of spring to…
Today is cold and gray day again , they even promised more snow. But spring is coming! It is in the air already! I spotted five or six Canadian geese’s flying across the lake – they are back! Small gang of sparrows fighting around the bird fitter, making incredible beautiful to my ears noise. Our baby-squirrel ( we adopted him three or four years ago) not bagging for food anymore, but digging last survived bulbs of tulips from my garden and flirting with girls . It is spring!
New squirrel came for the lunch. He have an unusual coat, seems like he dressed in white vest. I think it is some cross-bread between black and gray. We named him Mr. White Vest and welcome him with few peanuts. And, most important, I almost finished another heart. I think I will stitch bunny in the middle, I don’t know yet! Or bird... Or rooster... Or letter "E"...

Snow, birds and needlepoint

We have more snow this week – it’s getting out control. And it is beautiful too. I know, we suppose to complain about cold, snow, darkness, bad driving and slippery roads. I can’t - I love winter. I adore waking up Saturday morning and feed birds and squirrels. Our back yard full of water and we can’t reach large bird feeder, so we just pull out of the garden house an old one and place it in front yard. I guess we are the most popular house on the street now! Hey! I love it!
Dozens and dozens birds left footprints on the snow. They eat it all in couple hours – poor creatures! They mast be really hungry. I will brave tomorrow - I will walk thru the snow and swampy ground of our backyard to poor more food at the biggest birdfeeder we have. Actually it is birdbath, but every winter it became a Mecca for local pigeons, doves, robins, and sparrows. Occasionally coming Blue Birds and couple of Red Cardinals – what a tropical colors on the white clouds of snow!
I also continue my next project – rework on wool canvas. As you can see, I almost finished it, but I am not sure what it will be finally. Canvas bag with toile inside layer and needle pointed pockets for flea market discoveries? Or I can simply frame it? I don’t know yet…


I posted photo of birds I found about year ago in the resale shop. They are so lovely, but I don’t know how you suppose to call them in English. Russian name is SNEGIRY, came from world SHEG – snow. They are one of my favorite birds…

Roses for my garden

It is time to plan my garden. I promised myself to do some research about English climbing roses for me garden and found absolutely stunning site of David Austin Roses at http://www.davidaustinroses.com/
Now it is time to choose what and where to plant this spring. I hope I can find right place for couple bushes of Crown Princess Margareta. Sometimes roses not doing too well on clay soil in my garden.