Patio Days

What I love most about summer are simple weekends on the patio. A patio feels like an entire new, fresh room to your house! Ballard designs has a great site full of amazing decorating ideas. I have a Ballard rug on our covered front porch that has stayed like new through several seasons. Their outdoor collection is just timeless.
 

Another Ballard idea: A simple table is transformed into stunning with the addition of this cloth. Their site has so many amazing entertaining gems!

On a recipe note: I was grilling sliders and crab cakes last night and made a great homemade remoulade sauce. Mixed together: 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard, smoked paprika to taste and a tablespoon of worcestershire. Super easy & yummy!

Patio Evenings

What a happy time! With all things royal this week....these great ceramic coasters completely jumped out at me. Love them.....so cute for the patio with a preppy chambray table cloth! Found this great set on Etsy...

I'm looking forward to girlfriends over for book club this weekend. I really like setting a great outdoor table. I've never been a huge fan of plastic dishware but I just came across this set of melamine plates from Pottery Barn and I love the glazed ceramic look they have to them. Very cute, unbreakable.....how fun!

Are you reading anything great right now? Yesterday, I started A Hundred Summers. The reviews have been terrific about this novel by Beatriz Williams... it takes place in 1930's New England and chronicles the life of two college friends.

July Planting

I'm still adding a bit to my herbs. As I come across new offerings at nurseries I'm potting them around our patio. I found a really unique lavender today that I was fortunate enough to grab the last one of. I have rosemary, lemon basil, cilantro and thyme. And some thriving tomatoes. My favorite though is still the orange mint. Perfect for iced tea and I have completely fallen in love with this beverage server...love the galvanized metal stand! Found it here at Pottery Barn.

 

Looks perfectly refereshing & hip!

My find of the day....pretty French Lavender. Smells amazing!

Midsummer Night's Dream

Okay....it's not nearly midsummer yet but this is just magical...how I would love this backyard! The last couple of days, I've been dodging raindrops and working on my potting station, plants and perennials. I'm dreaming of a cozy area with a vintage vibe...perfect for music and reading. What's on your playlist? I'm addicted to "Of Monsters and Men"...

Outdoor Days

Our summer here has started breezy and mild....I've so appreciated these days and evenings sitting outside with a light sweater & knitting. At night, on the patios, I love the coziness of outdoor candles! These are so great from Olive & Cocoa. The lichen moss and distressed wood add such great layers of texture and warmth.

I've been on a yarn hunt as of late. I found this fantastic Etsy shop, located in the UK, that creates stunning handspun yarn. The artist uses a huge array of natural fibers. Grey Bird Studio offers really unique yarn that is simply beautiful.

love the subtle hues spun throughout this yarn!

Outdoor Retreats

One of my favorite things about my home is that we have three areas to sit outside and enjoy a breezy day. Our front porch is covered and I love that during a big rainstorm. Our upper porch in the back of the house is pretty to have coffee after dinner. And our back patio is my work in progress to landscape. This patio was not there when we purchased the house six years ago. So, each year I add to the perennial flower bed a bit. Hostas are my favorite for their hardy abundance but I love adding color as well. 

I am not a fan of fencing so I love that, on all sides, ours are obscured by climbing vines and greenery. It adds a bit of privacy and looks really lush and pretty. 

This wall of crawling vine is my favorite. It stays vibrant nearly all year.