Death by Chocolate!

CChocolate, chocolate and even more deep dark chocolate—that’s the best description of this mile-high dessert at the Cafe Rel in Franklin, North Carolina. I could not resist purchasing a slice of this deadly dessert and taking it home for later—or two or three laters—because there’s no way you could eat this triple chocolate wonder in one setting.

Twelve inch tall Death by Chocolate

Twelve-inch tall Death by Chocolate

 

Yes, please ... all of the desserts are decedent and delicious

Yes, please … all of the desserts are decedent and delicious

 

xo♥, Lissy

P.S. It was as delicious as it looks!

All photos by Lissy Parker for lissyparker.com. You are welcome to ‘borrow’ my photos—just please credit the source.

Fabulous Foxglove

FThese fabulous beauties are growing in my front garden. I can’t believe how spectacular the blooms are this year. One of my friends came to visit and stood next to the blooms—they were taller than she was! Enjoy these favorite Spring flowers!

These blooms are over five feet tall!

Blooms over five feet tall

I love this color combination

Love this color combination

 

Wish the hydrangea in the back were blooming too

Wish the hydrangea in the back were blooming, too!

 

Up close and personal

Up close and personal

 

Blooms, blooms and more blooms

Blooms, blooms and more blooms

 

Even my plain Jane mailbox looks fabulous

Even my plain Jane mailbox looks fabulous

Next year I will be planting more foxglove!

xo♥, Lissy

All photos by Lissy Parker for lissyparker.com. You are welcome to ‘borrow’ my photos—just please credit the source.

 

 

 

 

Countrty Estate in Blue

BLook what I found at on a recent lunch outing with friends. Juliska has added blue to their colorway for the Country Estate pattern. Now I’m loving the blue AND the charcoal gray—maybe there’s a color mix in my future. Find a wonderful collection of Country Estate at Erika Reade Ltd in Atlanta.

Blue and White—nothing better than this combination

Blue and White—nothing better than this combination

 

xo♥, Lissy

All photos by Lissy Parker for lissyparker.com. You are welcome to ‘borrow’ my photos—just please credit the source.

Oh, That Cherry Tree!

CI didn’t know the tree in front of my house was a cherry tree—until it bloomed. Oh, my goodness did it ever bloom! The luscious pink looks amazing against the newly painted house. I’ve never had a cherry tree before, and I’m just crazy happy with the clusters of blooms that make me smile every time I walk through the front entry.

Oh—and don’t miss the new boxwood plantings that finish the moss garden bed under the tree. I wish my cherry tree could bloom all Summer long. Plant one and smile!

My tree in full bloom ... looks stunning against the house

My tree in full bloom … looks stunning against the house

Clusters of pink against the Carolina blue sky

Clusters of pink against the Carolina blue sky

 

Pink, pink and more pink

Pink, pink and more pink

 

Cherry blossoms help decorate the delicious homemade rhubarb pie—thank you Keven

Cherry blossoms help decorate the delicious homemade rhubarb pie—thank you Keven

xo♥, Lissy

All photos by Lissy Parker for lissyparker.com. You are welcome to ‘borrow’ my photos—just please credit the source.

 

 

 

Psst … Look What I Found!

PA great thing happened last weekend while driving to the plant nursery with my neighbor. We spotted a garage sale while rounding a curve (and talking too fast), so we decided to stop on our way back from the nursery adventure. We filled my car from front to back with plants, plants and more plants—hostas, phlox, ferns, pinks, creeping jenny and everything else we could cram into the back of an SUV. Wouldn’t you know those plants didn’t deter our need to stop at the garage sale … especially because I  had eyed a wicker sofa and ‘J’ had spotted a set of outdoor dining chairs.

I struck gold that afternoon—an antique wicker sofa in almost perfect condition. ‘J’ wasn’t so lucky. The chairs of interest had the cushions permanently attached with no chance of recovering them—so they remained at the sale. The gentlemen were kind enough to follow me home in their pick-up and carry the sofa to my deck. I’ll update you soon on the color and the new cushion choices. I brake for garage sales!

Garage sale treasure—I think Janie likes it

Garage sale treasure—I think Janie likes it

 

xo♥, Lissy

All photos by Lissy Parker for lissyparker.com—you are welcome to ‘borrow’ my photos, just please credit the source.

Open those Shelves

OOpen shelving—are you crazy? I’ve heard that many times, but I love the way it looks and I love the way it works! These shelves are located right above the dishwasher and the silverware drawer, so putting up clean china and flatware is a breeze.

To quote Kathryn Ireland “Open shelving helps prevent hoarding,” and who needs hoarding? (Have you seen that show—so scary!) In my attempt not to become a hoarder, I have installed open shelving. That’s my story and I am stickin’ to it! David Petite, of The Cabinet Shop in Rosman, N.C., is a master at cabinet making and installation. Take a look at the beautiful results.

Beautiful tile wall with no shelving

Beautiful tile wall with no shelves

Needs help from this angle too

Needs help from this angle

The instillation ... David Petit and the crew measuring twice-cutting once. Love to quote Norm Abrams

The instillation … David Petit and the crew measuring twice-cutting once—I love to quote Norm Abrams

 

Perfection—let the styling begin

Perfection—let the styling begin

 

xo♥, Lissy

All photos by Lissy Parker for lissyparker.com.—you may ‘borrow’ my photos just please credit the source.

 

 

 

Boxwood and the old Chimney

BWhat do boxwood and the old chimney have in common? Well, they’re both featured in my new front-entry boxwood garden. We saved the stones from the old, non-working fireplace and used them to edge the new boxwood garden.

The original plan was to mass plant boxwood Belgian style–but we loved the moss under the cherry tree so much that we decided to work with it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! The large rocks were already in place and covered with beautiful moss. A few ferns will be added to the empty spaces and the moss will be encouraged to fill in with the help of a little Miracle Grow. We have a huge pile of stone leftover—next project, please!

Before the entry was bare and was edged in landscaping timbers—very boring

Before the entry was bare and was edged in landscaping timbers—very boring

 

Timbers-out, stone-in

Timbers-out, stone-in

 

The transformation begins—those Lilac topiary will get a new home too

The transformation begins—those Lilac topiary will get a new home too

 

The old fireplace stone will edge the beds

The old fireplace stone will edge the beds

 

What a transformation to the kitchen entry area

What a transformation to the kitchen entry area

 

Conical and round boxwood were added against the house wall

Conical and round boxwood were added against the house wall—stone looks great

The new boxwood and moss entry garden—glad we saved those stones

The new boxwood and moss entry garden—glad we saved those stones

By the way, those lilacs are getting a new home soon—think pergola!

xo♥, Lissy

All photos by Lissy Parker for lissyparker.com—you are welcome to ‘borrow’ them, just credit the source.