2021 was a challenging year for all of us. But we have much to be grateful for. David and I have stayed well. David continues to work from home and I am happy to have him close by. Soapy is blessedly still with us but has gone blind in both eyes. He is in good spirits and eats well…especially loves treats of fresh banana slices!
Decorating my home and working in my garden areas gives me a creative and physical outlet that I am so grateful to have. I’ve taken enough pictures throughout this year to put together a year-long gallery of images of both the in- and out-of-doors.
I am also including a few pictures of my Ikebana arrangements when I have used floral materials from my yard. I am studying the Sogetsu School of Ikebana with my teacher Ilse Beunen via Zoom from Belgium…I am in my second year now.
Hope you will enjoy looking back over this year with me…
February 2021 – Valentine tree and decor…I left up the white tree from our 2020 Christmas and re-purposed it for Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s and Easter!February 2021 – More Valentine decor…love filling up the three tiered trayFebruary 2021 – Our Valentine’s dining table set for a special Valentine’s supperFebruary 2021 – A close up of the place setting for our Valentine’s tableMarch 2021 – St. Patrick’s Day tree and decorMarch 2021 – Sweet shamrock themed smalls fill the three tiered trayMarch 2021 – Shamrock themed teapots and spring tulips decorate the dining room tableMarch 2021 – A trio of Dresden porcelain lace shamrock lassies on a pretty elevated trayApril 2021 – The first of the daffodils for the spring seasonApril 2021 – Ikebana moribana (low vase) arrangement using yellow daffodils and forsythia branchesApril 2021 – Easter egg tree and decorApril 2021 – The three tiered tray all decked out for EasterMay 2021 – Both David and I celebrate our birthdays in May…my sister Liz made these delicious Almond Pound Cakes for our celebrationsMay 2021 – Looking out to the back yard – 12 newly planted David Austen Roses in right foregroundMay 2021 – Ikebana moribana (low vase) arrangement using pink Azalea blossoms and Crabapple branch from my gardenJune 2021 – The Siberian Iris showing up beautifully with their purple flowerheadsJune 2021 – Looking at the purple Siberian Iris patch from an opposite viewJune 2021 – Ikebana moribana (low vase) arrangement using Siberian Iris and Hosta leaves from my gardenJune 2021 – Beautiful “Crystal Fountain” clematis growing up the side fence by the back patioJuly 2021 – The front yard with roses, daisies and daylilies bloomingJuly 2021 – Looking into the back yard from the entrance gateJuly 2021 – “Supertunia Bubblegum” Petunia voluminous blooms cascading over the fenceJuly 2021 – Looking out to the back yard from the patio area…the David Austen rose bushes along with pots of flowers filling inJuly 2021 – A close up view of the orange “ditch” lilies – a faithful returning perennialJuly 2021 – Ikebana nageire (tall vase) arrangement using Stella de Oro daylilies and Hosta leaves from my gardenJuly 2021 -” Jackmanii” Clematis reaching up the back fence creating a gorgeous showing of blooms and colorAugust 2021 – I love the transformation of this back yard patio area since taking out the three overgrown cedar trees…pots of elephant ear plants and impatiens peak from behind the peacock chairs August 2021 – Pretty pots of mixed pink impatiens decorate the bright pink tea table setAugust 2021 – The Limelight Hydrangeas tall and magnificent across the back fenceAugust 2021 – The first of my dahlias to bloom…love this one with its rich yellow-orange colorSeptember 2021 – Decorating with a sunflower theme as we transition into autumnSeptember 2021 – Sweet little Soapy enjoying a nap on this sunflower themed pillowSeptember 2021 – The sunflower theme continues onto the front porchSeptember 2021 – Love the buffalo check tablecloth and sunflower table accentsOctober 2021 – Looking out to the back yard…the autumn season is definitely upon usOctober 2021 – Ikebana nageire (tall vase) “horizontal” arrangement using Crabapple branch, Hosta leaves and Limelight Hydrangea blossoms…all from my autumn gardenOctober 2021 – David and I carved pumpkins for Halloween…this is David’s jack-o-lanternOctober 2021 – Getting ready for Halloween nightOctober 2021 – The Halloween lights and decor at nightOctober 2021 – Ikebana nageire (tall vase) Halloween arrangement using oak leaves, old branches, sunflowers and small pumpkinsNovember 2021 – I started decorating for Christmas on November 1November 2021 – This year’s Christmas tree using colored lights and white ornaments. I used my green tree this Christmas…the white one is decorated at the Turner-Dodge House for their “Holiday Open House”December 2021 – The Turner-Dodge House did not have their Annual Festive of Trees this year but instead opted to do a smaller “Holiday Open House. I decorated the Music Room using my white Christmas tree and a peacock theme.December 2021 – The dining room table decorated for Christmas and my Christmas teapots on displayDecember 2021 – The Christmas dining room table illuminated at nightDecember 2021 – The front of the house all festive with the Christmas lights…even a layer of snow!December 2021 – The front porch lit up with its Christmas lightsDecember 2021 – The “Winter Solstice” luminarias…a neighborhood traditionDecember 2021 – My last Ikebana arrangement for 2021…flowers not from my garden…lesson was on creating “curved” lines
Thank You for looking back through 2021 with me to the change of decor and flowers through the seasons! Happy New Year 2022 Wishes!
Since my last two “Transitioning to Fall” posts I have made a few changes. First is the front porch…I ordered a mesh sunflower wreath from a vendor on Etsy. It arrived this week and I placed it over the wicker settee to add some additional sunflower decor. I had thought to make one myself…I watched several YouTube videos but decided it was easier to try to find one already made. This one from Etsy was priced reasonably and included shipping. I am totally happy with the wreath…its color, quality and design!
Second, I brought up my three-tiered tray from storage in the basement, placed it on the oak dresser in the living room and decorated it to compliment the early fall decor. I love playing with this tiered tray, changing its decorations for the holidays and seasons! I also added a second tall lamp with Edison light bulb purchased from Hobby Lobby. Both lamps were purchased during one of their recent 1/2-off lamp sales. The three miniature needlepoint samplers that were on this dresser I moved to another display location.
Next, our new kitchen cabinets arrived at 10;25am this past Thursday! They are sitting in the living room until installation which will be probably later this month. Just really happy they are here!
I needed to move the oak rocking chair and small side table to make room for the kitchen cabinet boxes in the living room. I placed chair and table in the TV room then decorated the side oak dresser to compliment the early fall decor theme. The orange agate lamp comes out of storage each year for the fall season. The felted sunflower is something I made in a workshop at a needlework shop in Howell MI many years ago. The materials were provided included the “bed spring” which is used as a “stem” for the sunflower.
A final note…about the “focus” of my pictures…I use a Nikon Coolpix point-&-shoot camera which does not produce a crisp focus picture most of the time, especially in lower light levels. David and I are both needing new I-Phones…and I have made the request that my new phone comes with a good camera! Any recommendations?!
Continuing with my transition to fall decor and focusing on a sunflower theme…the front porch got a make-over too. Hopefully the heat and mosquitoes will simmer down so I can sit outside and enjoy this lovely space…something I haven’t been able to do all summer! The black buffalo check is something new for me to use…I like it…and it will be good through Halloween. I put together the front door autumn leaf wreath…love the soft fall color palette!
At the end of this post I include a couple pictures from Monday’s Ikebana zoom class. This arrangement represents “Sogetsu Variation #6 – Horizontal Style – Nageire (tallvase)”. This lesson involved learning the hidden mechanics to allow the branches and flowers to spread horizontally from a tall vase. This design is meant to be seen equally from all sides making it suitable for a table arrangement. I originally made my design in a shorter tall vase but my teacher, Ilse Beunen, recommended ahigher vase because of the draping nature of the tropical pink Mandevilla vine flowers…so I remade it using my tallest vase. Ilse said my design needed a higher vase so the flowers could be viewed better from underneath when sitting at a table. Both the pink Mandevilla vine flowers and the pink Hydrangea blossoms are from my back yard garden.
After all this hot weather, the cooler temps of fall will be welcomed! I have enjoyed my garden areas this summer but it gets to a point the constant watering…and now mosquitoes…gets tiresome. And so it is with the interior summer decor…I want a change. I visited Hobby Lobby last week and spent some time walking around enjoying their fall decorations. I have plenty of my own fall stuff but some of their sunflower items inspired me to create a seasonal decor transition between summer and fall.
I bought a couple sunflower table cloths at Hobby Lobby…one to use on the dining room table and one to cut up into smaller runners to place on other furniture pieces. My miniature needlepoint samplers have been in storage (actually stacked in a corner of the bedroom) and I brought these out to place on display. I am quite happy with the new seasonal look!
For over 30 years Beulah Hargrove has operated her business, Grand Oak Herb Farm, located near Bancroft MI, offering afternoon and high teas, garden and floral workshops, a greenhouse nursery of organic plants, and lovely gift shop.
A few years ago Beulah decided she wanted to sit once in awhile and enjoy being “at tea”, and share fellowship with her guests instead of always being the one serving the teas. So she created the “Grand Oak Herb Farm Tea Society”.
For the Tea Society, Beulah offers the use of her family’s heirloom “tea barn”, provides the china teacups and hot herbal tea…free of charge. Those who come to the Tea Society bring a dish to share and take turns to host providing a theme, table decorations and tableware, and sometimes a program or project. David and I have been a part of the Tea Society since its beginning, hosting on several occasions over the years.
The last time the Tea Society met was November 2019 due to COVID-19. Last Saturday (August 21) twenty gathered, including Beulah, in the tea barn to enjoy a wide selection of tasty food provided by the attendees, and their fond fellowship. It was wonderful to be together again, enjoying Beulah’s gracious hospitality and the ambiance of Grand Oak Herb Farm.
Entrance sign along the main road The tea barn nestled among the trees at Grand Oak Herb Farm. This barn belonged to Beulah’s family on another property and was moved here for Beulah’s use and preservation.One of the several decorated tables for the Tea Society’s August gathering.,.decorations and tableware provided by one of the Tea Society attendeesEach table’s centerpiece highlighted a nautical-mermaid themeThe table David and I sat atA close-up of our table’s centerpieceThe inside of the tea barn…such a lovely setting for Beulah’s many functions…including the Tea SocietySoapy has been warmly welcomed and included to all of our Tea Society gatheringsDavid loves coming to the Tea Society gatherings…he so enjoys the food!Our food contribution was a tiered server of Roasted Grape Tomato-Pesto-Feta Cheese-Brioche Baguette CrostiniMy plate is filled with the wonderful assortment of food from the Tea Society attendees…both savory and sweet…including a homemade salsa from garden-grown tomatoes (in the foreground)After our Tea Society gathering a visit to Beulah’s Gift Shop is a mustThe inside of the beautiful Gift ShopThe Gift Shop is filled with vintage items, garden decorations, floral arrangements, assortment of potpourri, and Beulah[‘s own line of productsA parting view of the Grand Oak Herb Farm on a warm August afternoon
I became aware of a sunflower farm not too far from our home through posts made by Facebook friends who recently visited this special place. David had taken an afternoon off from work this past week so we gathered up Soapy and drove to the Munsell Sunflower Farm located just south of Fowlerville MI to see the sunflowers for ourselves. It was glorious…fields and fields of bright yellow sunflowers as far as our eyes could see!
Before we left, I cut a few sunflower stems (.50 per stem/honor system to pay in box provided) to take home and display on our dining room table…a beautiful reminder of a breathtaking late summer outing.
I am studying Sogetsu Ikebana with Ilse Beunen (Belgium) via Zoom. Besides the formal study lessons, Ilse offers “workshops” with a particular theme also via Zoom to participants from all around the world. I have joined several of these workshops even though I am still very much a “novice” Ikebana student. The skill and creativity of most of the workshop participants is amazing and I love seeing their work.
Here are my arrangements for Ilse’s Spring and Summer workshops that I was a part of.
“Inspired by Easter” – a workshop incorporating egg(s) as a part of our design
For my design I chose to use an ostrich egg as my vase which I purchased through a vendor on Amazon, the blue pottery stand I found at EtsyTo hold water I needed to seal the ostrich egg with a sealant spray since it was porous, the blue hydrangea blossoms were cut from an Easter hydrangea plant, then I added curly willow for interest and height
“Inspired by Nature” – a workshop incorporating nature in some way in our design
I created my own nature-themed vase using Campbell’s soup cans and bark piecesMy floral materials consisted of crabapple branches and grape hyacinth blossoms from my yardI cut openings into two soup cans, glued them together to create the “vase”I covered and glued the cans with pieces of barkI used a kenzan inside the bark covered soup cans to hold the fresh materials. The “vase” was not as watertight as I hoped but it worked well enough.
“Inspired by a Bird’s Nest” – a workshop creating a feeling of a bird’s nest but not simulating one exactly in our arrangement
Hosta leaves created my “bird’s nest”, the Siberian Iris represented baby birds flying from the nestMy Siberian Iris patch showing up this past Spring in all its glory along with the many Hosta plants
“Inspired by Abstract Art” – a workshop reflecting a vision of abstract art in our design
After looking at images of abstract art on the Internet, I was inspired by a “black and white” theme and the geometric shape of circlesWhite hydrangea blossoms with deep red roses are held in place with a kenzan. Black and white painted embroidery hoops are glued together to create their interlacing shape. A curly willow stick is painted to compliment the overall color scheme and bring height interest to the design.
“Inspired by the Color Green” – a workshop using only fresh green materials in our design
I used several types of ornamental grasses growing in my garden this summer to create this green-only Moribana upright design with kenzan Zebra Grass, Prince Tut plumes, Hakonechloa Macra and one more grass than I have forgotten its name
“Inspired by Weeds” – a workshop incorporating weeds in the design
I needed to use “weeds” somehow in my arrangement. The best I found were spent flower stalks of “ditch” lilies that I have in my garden. I used the flower stalks to create structure and a framework for the gorgeous yellow-orange dahlia blossoms that are starting to bloom in my garden.This is a side view to see the tall bud stem in the back. In Ikebana this is called the “depth” branch”. It is meant to take the eye to back of the arrangement. I used my shallow black vase with a black kenzan for this Moribana arrangement.
This wraps up the workshop offerings for Spring and Summer. In September Ilse will offer a new selection for Fall and Winter. Looking forward to joining in!
The stone marker for our Mother’s grave was finally placed last week. We had ordered it soon after Mom’s passing in February but it took all this time for the special granite stone we had chosen to arrived from India. Kevin, owner of Royal Monument in Springport MI, did an exceptional job with the ordering of our selected granite and the engraving work of the design we worked with him to create. The porcelain heart-shaped picture of our Mom as a young woman will forever remind us of her young-at-heart spirit.
On Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 2:30pm, the Sweet Shalom Tea Room served its last formal Tea and we were there. After 20 years of providing so many special tea experiences, each month a different theme and selection of savory and sweet food offerings, owners Sara Velasquez and Chris Kruse are finally going to take a break and put their feet up so to speak. They deserve it!
Sweet Shalom Tea Room Co-Owners…Chris Kruse and Sara Velasquez
I admit my emotions are teary. Going to Sweet Shalom has been our special outing each month for more years than we can remember. Even during COVID when Sweet Shalom was serving their teas as take-outs only, we were there enjoying the boxed savories and sweets with hot tea in our van in their back parking lot.
One last look at the Sweet Shalom Tea Room. The house has sold and a new business will move in.
I think Sara and Chris know how much David and I love them, and how deeply appreciative we are of their friendship, hospitality and inclusive natures. So it is with David and my heartfelt fondness that we wish you all the best as you venture into the next chapter of your lives. As Bob Hope famously said…“Thanks for the memories!”
Here is the final formal tea at Sweet Shalom Tea Room…the theme “This Old House”.
My personalized menu with its theme “This Old House” featuring the yellow farmhouse that is the Sweet Shalom Tea RoomOur beautiful table for twoThe pretty floral centerpieceDavid looking over his menuPot of Hot Tea and Cream Scones with Butter and Lemon CurdMy scone lathered up with butter and lemon curdAlong with a cup of hot black teaSavory Summer Garden Vegetable PieTiered server of bite sized savories and sweetsLower tiered plate of savories…Angelique Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches, Broccoli Snaps, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, Stuffed Baby TomatoesTop tier of sweets…Peanut Butter Cookies and Decadent Fudge TartsMy plate of the tiered server offeringsFinial dessert…Kashmir Cream with CherriesSweet Shalom Co-Owner Sara Velasquez giving her final program…talking about the house that was home to the Tea RoomA special presentation and gift given to Sweet Shalom Co-Owners Sara Velasquez and Chris Kruse…a celestial star named in their honor!A last look at the front main room of the Sweet Shalom Tea Room after the last guests have goneThe beautifully decorated fireplace mantle which complimented each month’s themePurchases of a pretty Sadler teapot and an assortment of favorite Harney & Sons Teas (Paris, Boston and Selah) as parting mementoes from the Sweet Shalom Gift Shop
Yesterday (Saturday, August 7, 2021) David, Soapy and I traveled to Flushing, MI to enjoy a take-out meal from Homeboy Barbeque. This was our second visit to date. Our first visit was on David’s birthday…May 28, 2021. That day was unseasonably cold and blustery…both of us needing our winter jacket and hooded sweatshirt. Saturday was just the opposite…beautiful with warm temperatures in the mid-80’s and sunny skies.
The roadside sign of Homeboy Barbeque in Flushing, MI
We decided to have a tailgate picnic at Homeboy so we loaded the van with table and chairs, along with tablecloth, plates, napkins and utensils. We had ordered in advance our selections and all was ready when we arrived at 2:30pm.
Our table full of good eats!
We ordered the “Family Special” which included two BBQ Half-Chickens, a full Rack of BBQ Ribs, three large sides…Southern Slaw, Redskin Potato Salad, and their competition winning BBQ Baked Beans, Cornbread and Chocolate Brownies. We ate only a portion of all this food knowing we would be bringing most home to enjoy for more meals. I brought cold packs to preserve the food.
Soapy and I enjoying our tailgate picnic! My picnic plate full of delicious eats…I could not eat it all so it got packed up and brought home.
The food is absolutely delicious! The chicken is the most tender chicken I have ever tasted. The ribs meaty. All the sides very good. David particularly enjoyed the BBQ Baked Beans…definitely a winner!
Soapy teased for his “fair share” of chicken. David giving him pieces with no BBQ sauce on them.
After we finished our tailgate picnic at Homeboy Barbeque, we drove west to St. John’s, MI to the Phillips Cider Mill for fresh Michigan peaches. First week of August is the first week of peach season!
The outside entrance to Phillips Cider Mill just off of I-127 north of St. John’s, MIRacks of freshly picked peaches from their orchardsDavid and I shared a tall refreshing cup of Apple Cider Slushy. Brain -freeze alert…sip slowly!!We brought home a quart package each of the three currently available free-stone peach varieties… Red Star, Lucky 13, and Red Haven.
