Winter Holds Us Close

Spring is here or should I say near?  It still feels and looks like winter around our place.  We are not alone, many areas are still in winter's icy grip!  Winter holds us close and does not want to let go! The remedy of course, is to dwell on all things Spring and stop looking out the window until all the now ugly, dirty, ice and snow melts away!

Don't be sad, look at these cute and pretty vintage things instead. If you'd like something cute of your very own, please visit the links attached to the images, all items are for sale in my Etsy shop.

I have my original copy of the Golden Egg Book from when I was a child, it is so cute! This is an even rarer copy with the yellow cover that I picked up at an estate sale.   A little bunny finds an egg and is very curious to find out what the heck is inside. Adorable illustrations!

The tea cup above has tiny yellow and pink tulips and lots of gold gilding! Fill with tea and honey, it's just the thing to drive away those early spring chills! Also works wonderfully for holding Easter candy, flowers or a votive candle!

This Vintage Lamb Lamp will add fun to your cottage decor.  I would love to keep him, but alas, I am trying to downsize! Working condition, but does not come with a lamp shade. 

While away the hours waiting for spring flowers by looking through this gorgeous wild flower book! And it makes a great gift too!

This adorable cheerful yellow Bunny was sold filled with Candy from Fanny Farmer! The candy is long gone! In this example I've added some faux flowers.

This is part of a great auction find. Books from the 1930's! The Bunnies book has some darling illustrations and is in really great condition for it's age! Who doesn't like looking at cute bunnies, especially when they aren't' chomping on your garden flowers!

Easter will be here soon and it looks like we might have more snow and rain! Hope wherever you are you have some warmer days ahead.  Don't give up hope, sooner or later spring will arrive!

Happy Easter and Happy Spring to You!

~~ Diane ~~

 

Back to Winter

I'm back with some photos of our recent vacation. I was in Florida with the husband for almost two weeks! Now most of you know I'm a home-body, so it was about 3 days too long for me! Anyway, it was a nice break from the never ending cold that has been Minnesota this year!

Fort Myers Beach

While we were gone the house/cat sitter got stuck shoveling snow twice! Hahaha! Don't worry, they were paid well for their troubles! Of course I had to spend a week cuddling and coddling the kitties, and a week doing laundry to catch up! Then a few more days to try and get my shop back on track, and finally I'm here writing this post!

It's always a shock returning back to the cold climate when you've been in such a tropical place. Florida was actually warmer than usual and was almost 90 degrees on some days. I hate to say it, but it was too hot for me! The beach lovers were flocking to the beach to lay there and cook themselves, but for me even with sunscreen, I can only tolerate about an hour before I start to burn. I spent most of the time in the shade after getting a bit pink on my shoulders from too much sun!

Lovers Key

We really had no agenda and just kind of drifted around the area and stopped in when we saw something we found interesting. Here's a pretty white sand beach on Lovers Key.


We did find a great natural area to explore and it was a wonderful walk on a raised wood walkway. The Six Miles Cypress Slough Preserve has a host of birds, plants and animals. We saw a few, but as I said, it was hot, so many of them were not out and about. We did see the cormorants, ibis and a fantastic owl, who posed for us!

Cormorant drying it's feathers, with a fish in it's bill, 6 mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Cypress Preserve

Owl at Cypress Preserve

White Ibis at Cypress Preserve

Shrimp & Grits, Doc Ford's Restaurant

We ate about as much seafood as we could stand! My favorite meal was the Shrimp & Grits from Doc Ford's restaurant on Sanibel Island! It was fantastic!

Pink Sitting room at Gasparilla Inn

One of the days we were there we drove up to Gasparilla Island.  My husband had been to a business meeting in this gorgeous old Florida hotel. He knew I would love to see the place and even though we weren't guests they let us check out the first floor and take pictures.  If I lived in Florida, this is how I would decorate my cottage! This was a favorite place of the Bush family, in particular George H.W. and Barbara. 

I loved everything about this place! The artwork which consisted of mainly natural things, like birds, fish etc. The calming mostly pastel and organic tones of the furniture and walls... the seashells and the real orchids..!  I noticed real orchids were in almost every room!

I loved the gorgeous seashell mirror! Notice those beautiful orchids! I could move right in and be very happy! It was nice to see how the 1% vacation! Actually, their prices are not that outrageous and for a very special occasion, I think it would be worth every penny to stay at this historic and fabulous inn!

Well, back to reality! Snow! We are starting to turn the corner though, and with warmer temperatures this week, a lot of that white stuff will be melting away. Spring will be here soon enough!

Thanks so much for stopping in to visit!  

~~ Diane ~~