I love Hydrangea ~

Here in the Northeast, we can have long winters.  Some, so stark that for nearly ten months out of a year, we have very little greenery.  Only when spring arrives, do buds begin and then we bloom again.

And boy, do we bloom!  Summer is such a gorgeous time of the year, with the green trees and all the flowers glowing with beauty.

And my favorite?  Hydrangea.  Especially the mopheads.  I think it's because they are so huge and expansive.

Here on my walk today, I find myself engulfed in some real beauties.


These are purple ones, kind of rare here I think.  Some are very deep purple too.

They were quiet stunning ~

 

 

 

I have a friend who has this large blue mophead in her yard.  It's lovely too.



 

 

 

 

 

And this pink one, so gorgeous.  Sometimes, there are no words.....

 

 

 

A handmade Quilt for my bedroom ~

 

 

 

I love quilts.  I love anything handmade, but I don't have much talent in the sewing department.  I can stitch a straight line, but that's pretty much it. 

But I have a very talented friend, who loves to sew and makes many quilts..  She even embroiders them and makes some as gifts for friends or family.  I asked her to help me with a quilt I wanted to make for my bedroom.  Which, by the way, said would be a cinch.  However, it was not a cinch for me.  As a matter of fact, it was tedious and yes I am going to say it, boring.  However, I had already bought all of the material and forged ahead with my friend's generous help.  In trade, I made her nice home cooked meals and desserts.

I love the quilt, it turned out beautifully.  But, I will never attempt to make another quilt, or sew anything else for that matter.  :)

Here is my one and only handmade quilt!  Thank you Laura for
your tireless efforts.


Each of the squares began as 3 foot long strips.  All need to be sewn together (this I did), and then cut into exact 10 x 10 squares (which I did not do).

 

After we laid them out, we decided they needed to be framed in an off white material, or it would not come together.  Needless to say, I was just the apprentice in all of this process.



When it was nearing the finish, Laura decided to add prairie points.  They added the perfect touch of uniqueness and a contemporary flair, which I loved. 

 

More visits to the Sea. Duxbury, Ma. ~

 

 

 

Duxbury ~

 

We are in our third week of a heat wave in Boston.  It's been in the 90's and there is no air to be found.  We call this weather, hazy, hot and humid.

 

 

So, instead of visiting my kitchen, I've been visiting the ocean, hoping for a cool breeze.  Alas, there are still no cool breezes to be found, but the places are truly beautiful and quaint.  Even in the fog.

 

 

 

Shops in these little New England towns are really neat and unique.



Some even have back porches with access to their boats.

 

And with a few short steps you can be at the ocean's edge and smell the wonderful salt air.  Even if there is no breeze, it's still gorgeous!

Visiting a friend who lives nearby is an added bonus.

 



 

 

And of course we ate lunch on the ocean, my friend and I.

 

 

She had these broiled scallops, which were divine.

 

 

 



 I had fish and chips, also scrumptious.

 

Harbors all around ~

The picture above is a shot that I took a couple of years ago from Scituate Harbor.  It's such a gorgeous place any time of the year.  But as you can see, it's certainly at it's best in the summer.


This is a picture of a the dock in Portsmouth Harbor.  Portsmouth is a working dock, not many luxury boats seen here.  I took this shot on picture perfect day. 

This is a picture I took last summer in Biddeford, Me.  It's at the pier in such a quaint New England town that I was lucky enough to visit.

I love living in Boston, so close to the ocean in the summer.  Most of my coastal visits are a short drive away.  But there are times when our weather is dismal, gray and cold.  And yes, even in the summer.  This is a picture that I took on Memorial Day and it sure looks foreboding.

This is a shot of the Boston skyline, as I was leaving Boston in May.  Sure made me want to leave, even if it was for a short time.  Do you blame me?

I love the waterfronts all around me....