Tree frogs and the Sleeping Porch

Hello Everyone!

Today was a beautiful day here in the Cowichan Valley!! The sun actually came

out today and stayed!!! We reached a high of 18 degrees or if you could

say 66 F!

The tree frogs and Robins have

started to sing at 6am this week!

Please! Do you know how loud

tree frogs are?

That is all we hear from our

bedroom...

Speaking of bedrooms

because it was so beautiful and warm today

I

played around

with my

sleeping porch!

Here's a peek

so far...

More photos tomorrow so please come back!! Pamela xo

Painted Hall tree Stand ...

Happy Wednesday everyone! Awhile back i had transformed my old hall tree stand. It was a dark wood that i repainted creamy white. I thought i would share photos of it since many of you have not seen it. Here is the after...

Before...

This is the front foyer in our home...

I love my closet doors. They have that old french feel..

Another old mirror. This one is right by the door. Great for last minute primping

last chance to fix yourself before you go out the door...

If it's not Pilot on high guard barking her head off to let me know someone is

at the door these pottery chimes work great...

actually i prefer the sound of them to Pilot's bark of death...

So now i am off to party with these ladies...

Element Interiors ... Whassup Wednesdays

and

Savvy Southern Style...Wow us Wednesdays !

and

No Minimalist Here !

Come on over and have some fun!

Pamela xo

Spring with pink!

This morning when i awoke this is what i saw from my sleeping porch... A lovely burst of pink blossoms!! It's warming up too. Spring is here and time to lighten up the bedding. It also means putting away the heavy robe and bringing out my cotton ruffled one... My grandmother's pillow cases come out from the cedar chest to be switched with the heavy winter pillows... Away goes the heavy comforter for the light pink and white quilt...

The dresser gets a fresher look with my old embroidered

linen. On another note I wanted to share with you my old chest I have had for many

years. I almost parted with it when i moved. I am so happy i didn't. Birds seem

to be the latest craze in home decor... It fits right in.

Happy Spring Everyone!!

Pamela xo

End of Spring Break

It's starting to look like spring around here in the house...

Spring really begins in February on Vancouver Island. We are about 4 months ahead
of the rest of Canada. Maybe even more considering Eastern Canada was hit with another
ghastly snowstorm. My girlfriend posted about the snow on face book. I have to say
that cured my homesickness instantly!

My collection of bunnies are starting to come out of hiding. I love bunnies but
even more now that i have my son. He was born in the year of the Rabbit so
bunnies are very special now...hence the growing collection...



This pretty basket my son made me a few years ago for Easter. It is made from
string. I love it. Especially the blue lace he chose for the top...


Here in the Cowichan Valley where i live (not Vancouver ...everyone thinks Vancouver
is Vancouver Island...it's not. Vancouver is the mainland. ) the school board give
the kids two weeks for spring break.
I guess it is a mixed blessing especially if you are a working parent.

We did not go away this year. So yesterday I took Sam to the Royal BC Museum.
It was a wonderful day with so much to see and learn about...
Yes these are stuffed owls..beautiful..they had so many varieties of birds ...


We viewed Canada's claim to fame ...The famous Emily Carr...
her artwork is sensational...

Sam learning about bugs...when we got to the snake section

i disappeared...yuk!

After the Museum we went for lunch at a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant...

I think he had a fun day!

Tomorrow is his last day of Spring Break ...my last chance to try

and beat him to a game of chess...the kid's been creaming me at the game!!

Until next time...sending lots of green to my Eastern Canadian(and American) friends!!

Pamela xo

London House worth dreaming of!

Hello Everyone!!

Today is raining on the island but the birds are singing away as spring is finally here!

I just had to share these gorgeous images with you of this outstanding London

home. Everything in this home is chalky white and yet it feels to me so warm and

inviting. I am in love with this home!!





The home owner has impeccable taste. The detail is incredible. Everything

is perfectly balanced and matched...

The kitchen is very modern as you can tell from the other photos this is an

older home. I love this kitchen...

The bathroom is amazing...

What i love about this child`s room is the punches of colour used through her

dolls.

Another child`s room...

This must be the master bedroom.

Glenda from the gorgeous blog The Paper Mulberry kindly let me use these photos.

If you would LOVE to see more photos of this beautiful home please visit

Glenda`s blog ... The Paper Mulberry
and take a look around her blog while you are there. You won`t be disappointed!

Pamela xo

Love

My last post was about the two dogs in Japan. One was injured and the other one

stayed by his side. After i posted it i found out they were both rescued.

Thank God!

But that story made me think of my own dog Pilot.

Her best friend is our neighbour's dog Shep. She truly loves him.

We hike together a few times every week.

Some days Shep is busy so Pilot and i walk alone. But every time we walk by Sheps long

driveway Pilot starts dancing in the air!! She bucks like a deer and starts screaming...

really German Shepherds are very vocal dogs. She just goes crazy looking for her Shep.

It is a wonder he likes her though. She is half is size but bosses him around...and poor Shep just takes it every time...

Pilot and Shep...

It just amazes me all the time how animals just like us are capable of

loving each other...

Happy first day of Spring Everyone!!
Pamela xo

Bloggers Day of Silence

Pamela xo

Pets of Japan

This morning my son was watching videos on his Ipod...there is never anything on television
so he usually researches things or watches funny videos. He likes to learn..actually he
thrives on it.

Sam studied Japan this year at school. He loved it and learned so much.

This morning he was very sad on the brink of tears. He was watching a video of a dog
who refused to leave another dog that had broken his leg. These two dogs were just
friends.

This got to me being a huge animal lover. It is so horrendous what these people
are going through.. it has even affected their beloved pets. When disasters happen
we don't always realise it is not only the people who suffer but their beloved pets.

We can all relate to the pain
and horror we would feel seeing our pets hurt...
Please not only keep the people of Japan in your prayers but pray for their
beloved pets as well. And if you can make a donation please do..

I am sure the people of Japan will thank you for it.

Pamela xo

Swedish grey painted table

The painting bug has really gotten me! Nothing seems to be safe around here...

I have had this maple table for a few years now. It was my parents table when they

got married. That would put the table at least fifty years old!



I painted it the same colour as my island a Swedish grey colour.



At first I was going to paint the table white but changed my mind.

I am really liking the greys now.








Naturally I forgot to take a before photo. I found this photo from a few years

back of the table. You don't see all of it but it shows the colour of the wood before.



After my parents had it for many years it got passed on to my brother and his family.
That's where it took a real beating. My brother has three kids and they love hockey

(hope they are not reading this post!) and I swear they played it on this table!!

All the years my parents had it not a scratch could be found but as soon as it

went to my older brother well it got a lot of loving' put into it!!



So it when it passed to me I knew it had to be painted or refinished.

The maple colour was too dated for me so I opted to paint it!




The colour matches perfectly with the dining room chandelier too.

Here's another photo of the island in the same colour...

My blue glasses look lovely against the grey...

Ready for an elegant lunch...

Today I'm joining the fun over at Kim's Savvy Southern Style

for Wow us Wednesday's!!

And also come over to Elements Interior for Whassup Wednesday!

Come on over and have some fun!!

Pamela xo

Around the bedroom

Happy Monday everyone! It has been a very horrific few days for Japan and
hopefully like me you are all sending prayers and loving thoughts.
It does seem trivia to be posting about a bedroom but I always believe the best
we can do is to send positive , happy and loving thoughts.

The town North of us had to close down their school and stay on high alert.
A town my husband grew up fishing in. Scary to think we are not immune to
nature's wrath.

I really do believe in the power of prayer and everyday I have

prayed for the people of Japan...

We still have to carry on with our lives but we keep the people of Japan

in our hearts.

We must still love and laugh and enjoy things that make our heart's sing...

The house in the rose is having a link party today...SHOW OFF YOUR COTTAGE MONDAY

I'm taking my little blog over there so please join me in the fun!

Until next time...Sending prayers and much love to Japan
Pamela xo

Something about shoes....hmm...

What girl doesn't love shoes??

I love shoes..

I

heart

shoes

.I could spend all day in shoe stores..

One rule of thumb when shopping or just gazing in shoe stores...

Do not bring your

husband and son. They don't get it. All your hear is?.."Are they practical"

or "Mom, how many pairs of shoes do you need?" ...

We live in an area that has the most fab shoes stores!! It is a dream come true

for me! .

Shoes for the serious shoe fetish!!

I seriously need a pair of these... now that I'm on the West Coast I have

to have a pair of rain boots...but not any rain boots...

Love these.. I won't even tell you the price...

So what did my husband say when I pointed these babies out to him

"Are they practical?" ...he says to me as it is down pouring outside the store

and he even had to run back to the truck to get my umbrella!!!

Next time I head to the city I'll be leaving them both behind

or maybe I will just drop them off at Future Shop...and they can

find something that's practical!

Sending heartfelt prayers to Japan...thank God here on Vancouver Island we
were untouched even though we had strong alert warnings all morning.

Pamela xo