Evelyn Hall turns 120!

This is Evelyn Hall.

It is the finest example of Queen Anne architecture in Michigan.

(It's true; you can even check the sign).

And so, there was a lovely birthday party.

Complete with elegant decorations.

And sweet treats.

The finest people dressed in historic clothes

made history come alive for us.

And this fine lady served us lemonade.

Summer Cottage

Sister likes to sit on the hammock

at the cottage.

The swing is out of commission.

The porch floor is being painted (second coat),

if the blasted rain would stop!

-

This is our little cottage today.

Not much progress

(again: blasted rain)!

But I did plant the flower boxes.

Hmm, now that I look at it, the colors are a bit distorted.

Must be the shade.

You all remember that it is just a whisper shade of pink and forest green, right?

This is the charmer right next door.

This one is right across the street.

Next door (on the other side, where the hammock hangs)

is the butterscotch cottage

(nicknamed for its butterscotch color)

which is a bit neglected

and for sale.

That's all for today.

The hammock is calling 

and I just got the new Better Homes and Gardens.

Stratford

Cheers!

You've made it to Stratford.

What else can you do?

You can peruse the charming shops,

Feed the swans,

Snack on a tasty treat,

Chinese finger torture,

or just enjoy the local color.

Guess where've been...

Town Hall

Lovely river walk

Swans galore.

Theater

Stratford, Canada

where you can see the PLAY

(not the musical)

 Peter Pan

and the musical Evita.

We loved them both.

You will too.

Hero

While driving home yesterday,

we saw this poor turtle

trying to cross.

Sister fearlessly placed it 

on the other side of the road.

I was a little scared 

Look at that big mouth!

Here it is,

happy in a patch of clover.

See, you CAN find nature in the 'burbs.

The BIG Reveal

You have probably already heard...

we bought the most adorable

and tiniest cottage

in September.

So charming 

and old (built in 1888, I think)

and since the back of the cottage was sinking,

it made the most unique oval shaped pancakes.

Mr. insisted the foundation be re-built.

Then she got a paint job.

Here she is in early May...

you can see the criss-cross woodwork

highlighted in her new cream trim.

Her stairs have been widened

to make for a more gracious porch.

The green and pink stripes 

accentuate the porch.

(Can you see the fainter shade 

of green on the porch ceiling?)

Even the tiny little "teeth" 

above the window got the treatment.

If you look closely in this photo

you can see the furniture stacked

sky high in the living room.

We CAN'T wait to go.

Three more days of jail

 (school)

Do you think we will make it?

Nemisis

Last year this salvia was knee high 

I moved it and split it

into six nice plants.  

It is lovely.

But lonesome.

See this salvia?  Same plant.  

Someone thinks 

I am running a restaurant

and salvia is the special of the day.

Once I took a garden class

taught by THE MOST ADORABLE

grandfatherly man who doled out sage garden advice.

Someone in the class asked how to deal with bunnies.

He looked them straight in the eye and said

"Make stew".

I am starting to think Mrs. McGreggor 

was on to something.

So Superman fights his own brand of evil.

And I fight mine.

Meet my nemisis: