Who is ready for Fall? Me! Fall is my favorite time of the year … cozy sweaters, fires in the fireplace, amazing leaves—I love it all. “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the Fall” to quote F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year! We really see and feel the seasons change up here in the North Carolina mountains—the leaves glow in jewel tones, the air has a slight chill and sweaters and jackets rule your wardrobe. My best friend this Fall is cashmere!

Who knew it would take

six weeks

Wow is the word I hear every time someone notices my window boxes. These charming boxes have performed better than anything I have ever planted! It’s the middle August and they are still striving and growing.

Bring a little drama into your house the easy way—trim your plants. My leggy overgrown purple smoke bushes were as tall as my house and needed a quick trim. As they hit the ground I realized I had a dramatic arrangement just begging to go in the house.

The hydrangea are ready to pop—greenhouse is just at the end of the porch.

Good bones are what everyone wants in a house or garden. You can always fix the ugly with a little lipstick, or stone in this instance. I am shocked at the difference this small change has made in my back garden.

Summer Afternoon … the two most beautiful words in the English language according to Henry James. Well, I agree with Henry—alfresco meals, lounge chairs, running water, freshly mowed grass and hammocks are all the best things about Summer.

Who needs a little table setting inspiration—ME. Sometimes I run out of ideas, or maybe I just run out of steam. I am trying to do a better job of the whole table setting thing … even if it is just for two. I could have one to seven at my table at any given time.