Thursday, June 2, 2016

Real Life and The Little Things

It truly is the little things, isn't it?

They add up to create a space and a life that makes us happy. 


Nobody really lives in a perfect house. They may portray that on their blog, or on TV, but it's not real life. 

Nobody's house is clean all the time. It's just not possible. 

Real life is cobwebs, dust, and dog hair. 

Real life is cooking meals and washing dishes. 

Real life is taking out the garbage and going to the dump. 

Real life is dealing with piles of mail and paying the bills. 


But there are tiny moments of beauty to be found amidst all the "real life.' 

Stop and look around. See what you find. 

You may just surprise yourself and find yourself humming while you scrub the stove and wash the dishes. 

Because you are so blessed to have a warm, cozy home. 

And a tummy full of good food. 

And a loved pet who leaves toys and hair on everything. 

And a soft pillow to lay your head on at the end of a long day. 

So blessed. 

This is what inspired me so greatly the other morning I had to grab the camera. 

Welcome to the little things in my real life. 


The lilacs I cut and brought in from the yard. They sit in a lovely hand made glazed pitcher I bought years ago at a craft sale that I went to with my mom and my girls. 

They lasted about a day before wilting and I had to kill the bug that came in on them. 

But the scent filled the kitchen and my heart as well. 


This is where I stand to wash dishes. I look out at my herb garden on the deck, the side of my garage, and the woods beyond. 

The hummingbird visits me regularly while I'm elbow deep in bubbles. 


My kitchen door that I use as my main entrance. My house has no foyer, no main entry. No center hall with a table to throw your mail when you come home. No mudroom to strip off your wet coat, or remove your snowy boots. 

There's a boot tray by the door that I stub my toe on at least once a week. 

And I hung some hooks next to the pantry so my guests have a place to hang their jackets when they come in. 

I make do. 

But despite the drawbacks, this area makes me smile. 

The door is dressed very simply with a scarf I bought at a local festival, and I hung it with a few thumbtacks. 

The heart in the center is a metal mesh heart filled with cinnamon scented rose hips. I bought it many years ago at a garden show up north of here. 

And in the corner is a prosperity string. 


Made of what else but colorful chickens embellished with beads, bells, and sequins. 

How could you not smile looking at that every time you close the door? 


The dining room melts my heart regularly with all the sun that streams through the windows. It's lovely to have windows on two sides of a room, don't you think? 

The plants are so happy in here. As am I. 

The room is filled with second hand pieces, well worn and scarred with years of use. 

I bet they would have stories to tell. 


My living room is an odd shape, long and narrow with a path to the bedrooms and guest bath behind the two light colored chairs. 

It's certainly anything but a perfect layout, so I have tried to do the best I can to maximize seating and functionality in this room. 

The two leather chairs are used most often, and are the prime seats for watching TV. 

The two light colored chairs are rockers that swivel, so folks can swing around to watch TV. 

And if we have more people than that in the room, that means we are entertaining, and there's no way we're watching TV so it works out!


I have these nesting tables tucked against the wall to the right of the fireplace. They can be pulled out as needed to function in lieu of a coffee table. 

On top of the tables is a little vignette of some treasured items. 

The candle holder is new and was a gift from Mom and Dad. They lugged it back from Florida, where Mom found it at an outdoor sale and just knew I would love it. And I do! It's a beautiful glazed pottery, very colorful, and such a happy piece!

The glass dish is something I picked up many moons ago at an antique store. It holds a candle scented with Clementine and Mango. Perfect scents for summer. 

The little painting is something my sister brought me back from Prague about 15 years ago. 

They all keep company with a lush spider plant, grown from a tiny piece my best friend gave me about 10 years ago. 

A happy little vignette, indeed. Full of memories. 


The leather chairs are surrounded by books and magazines. What better place to cuddle up with a good book? 

The lamp in the center has such a lovely glow in the evenings. That lamp was a purchase from Overstock when I bought my house, and I adore it. 

There's nothing like the warm glow of a lamp seen through the windows at dusk. 


Although the wood stove insert is certainly not being used on these warm days, my fireplace is something I fell in love with instantly when I toured this house. 

The metal candle holder on the left was a gift many years ago from my older sister. And it holds a candle purchased during a 'girls weekend' a number of years back, fond memories of a time spent with my sisters and my mom. 

The candelabra on the right sits in an empty champagne bottle. My sweetie brought the champagne back from France eons ago, long before he ever met me, and we drank it a few years back in celebration of a momentous occasion. 

Memories. 

Recently I found a small string of LED lights at Home Goods and put them up on the mantel. 

The glow from that little string of lights in the evenings is just wonderful. 

With or without a fire, this room is warm and cozy. 

49 comments:

  1. Right now I'm kind of in the middle of doing the living room. My sofa/chaise broke at one end from my constant sitting there when no one ever used the other end. So I had to break down and get another sofa. I love your home. Your plants look happy. I envy you the view as you wash dishes.
    Brenda

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    1. Oh boy, that stinks! Can't wait to see the reveal - your home always looks amazing!

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  2. Your home exudes cozy love; all must be blessed who enter, indeed, I feel blessed just visiting via your post. The "little things" are really great things because they add so MUCH joy, love, contentment, grace and blessings to our lives.

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  3. I second Thistle Cove Farm's comment. I just love everything you've shown us, about your home.

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    1. Awww, thanks, Phylis! At the moment it needs a good cleaning, but maybe tomorrow I'll get to that!

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  4. I love the things about your house that give you happiness. The lilacs must have smelled so heavenly. I am in love with the little painting from your sister. So pretty. You are right, I want to live life not be cleaning , sorting ,stacking, all the time. Yikes. What fun is that? Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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    1. Thanks, Susie - that painting is of a bridge in Prague, and my sister bought it when she was backpacking around Europe with my mom. What a great summer they had!

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  6. Everything looks so beautiful, as always. Hope you are doing well sweet friend. I'm trying to get back in the groove...lol. Love and hugs to you!!

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    1. You'll get there....and we'll all be here waiting for you when you're ready!

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  7. I am so happy to have found your blog and I have become a loyal follower in short order! You remind me to be grateful for all of the blessings in my life. I have deemed you the blogger with most gratitude! I look forward to every new post and the one today is especially lovely - thank you, thank you!

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    1. Thanks so much, Janice! That's awfully sweet of you!!!! I am grateful for wonderful readers like you who inspire me so much!

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  8. As always, I love seeing the inside of your pretty house and hearing about the details that make it "home" to you. I agree that it's the little things in a home that make it comfortable and full of love.

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    1. Thanks, sweet friend - now if only I had a cleaning woman who came about once a month to do the things I don't get to all the time....things would be perfect!

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  9. You have such a lovely, welcoming home...real life is what it's all about! Beautiful post!

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  10. I loved visiting you today, seeing all of the things that make up your home. It really is the little things that matter and, ironically, I have been working on a blog post about this very subject. I think we may be kindred spirits.

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    1. How lovely, Dayle - I can't wait to read it! And yes, perhaps we ARE kindred spirits!! :)

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  11. You are right, nobody's home is perfect all the time. But there are so many things that fill our hearts with joy. For me, it's the little things similar to what you have mentioned. In my entryway I have a vintage hexagon quilt on a small round table and a figurine of a mother and daughter sitting on a pink cake plate on top. It makes me smile every time I walk by!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  12. I home how homey your place is, and it is just the kind of home I myself would want if I was to purchase a house again.

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    1. Oh thank you so much! Sometimes renting is the way to go, at least for a while. I did it while I was going through a divorce. But I am very happy to be in my own home once more - it brings me peace to know this home is mine alone.

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  13. You DO have wonderful lighting in your beautiful home!! :)

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  14. You DO have wonderful lighting in your beautiful home!! :)

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  15. I love your house, Debbie, and all that makes it cozy and comfortable for you and your visitors. It's often the little things that makes our houses our home and carry so many memories! We have hummingbird feeders right outside our main window at home and one at our cottage where we can enjoy them! :)

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    1. Oh how lovely, Carol - and I'm sure you enjoy watching the hummers as much as I do!

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  16. You're right, no one's house is perfect. My favorite things in my living room (where I am right now) is a gallery wall of personal photos. And a big framed poster print of "It's a Wonderful Life", my hubs faborite movie.oh, and my deep red throw that I found on Amazon - warm and the perfect color! Love your blog. I find it so inspiring!

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    1. That sounds so warm and welcoming - and It's A Wonderful Life is my favorite movie, too! Your hubby obviously has wonderful taste - :)

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  17. You have a very healthy attitude! We can either make ourselves sick by striving for perfection or make ourselves sour by coveting things that are just not going to happen. xoxo

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    1. My home will never be perfect, although my daughters do think I'm a bit anal about keeping it tidy.

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  18. I just lost the comment I posted, bummer! You have made your house into a home! No house is perfect, there is always something there that needs fixing, repairing or changing, but it is enjoying the little details of life that mean so much. I enjoyed your sharing of the beautiful things in your home that are special to you! :)

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    1. I hate when that happens! I do that all the time when working on my laptop - it's this dumb touch pad thing!! And yes, there are many things that need TLC....I have a long list on the fridge!

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  19. This post just makes me want to scream yes...yes and yes. It's so true. Sorry I haven't been by in a week or two. It's been raining non stop and we have satellite internet and the 2 don't mix.

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    1. Ahhhh, I used to have a sattelite dish in NYC back when they were 'new' and every time it rained I lost service. Now I have sattelite through Dish network and it's great, even in the rain! My internet on the other hand? Through Verizon, and it STINKS!!!!!

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  20. I love that your home brings you such great joy! It's wonderful to look around and see things that mean the most to you because of the memories attached or the sweet people that gave them to you, the treasures found in unexpected places and the bounty if beauty that nature provides. :)

    My favorite things in my home are pictures of the people I love, antique furniture that my hubby and I have found over the years, my collection of small figurines and lots of pig related things. I also enjoy the quilts and throws that my mother has so lovingly made, a needlepoint my grandmother was making as a wedding gift for me before she died and my step grandmother had finished for me by a good friend of my grandmother's, needlework pictures that my great grandmother did, some artwork that hung in my grandmother's home and another piece done by an artist that I knew growing up and who did gorgeous painting telling the history of Hawaii. I guess most of the things that I love have a sense of history or a familial attachment to them. :)

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    1. That sounds so wonderful, Debbie - I can see why you would treasure all those things! What lovely precious gifts you have been given!

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  21. Hummingbirds?? Lucky you!! I have always wanted to attract them to our yard, but we had cats for years. Sadly they are gone now, but maybe I can work on the hummingbirds.

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    1. Go for it, Kim - the red will fit right in with your beautiful home!

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  22. It all boils down to attitude! Some things we'd rather not experience, but being able to find things around that make you happy are key! You've created a warm and welcoming atmosphere in your home and I love that.

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    1. Thanks so much, Leigh - and you are right. Today I wrote a post about something I would definitely rather not deal with!!

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  23. I love your home and feel the love you have for it in every photo.

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    1. Thanks, Deb! I'm sure you're anxious to get your build finished so you can settle into your new home!

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  24. Thank you a million times over! I love your home! I think what I might love most are the sentiments, the gifts you treasure and display, the history of some of the furniture and the beautiful memories you're creating, especially for your girls!

    It's so true that no one's home is perfect all the time and I don't understand the constant buying and decorating that some do. I treasure any gift given to me and the most special are the things that someone has taken the time to make. I've not heard of a prosperity string...I need about 10 of them! :)

    Hummingbirds fascinate me and I so enjoy watching them. You have the perfect view! I had a wonderful and very loved duplex after a divorce. I had so much fun painting, hanging wallpaper, planting flowers, you name it! Sadly, the neighborhood began to change and not for the better so I felt it was better and safer to move. Right now I can't afford all the upkeep and my body doesn't permit me to climb up on the roof like I used to! :)

    You are truly blessed and I'm so glad!
    xo
    Pat

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    1. That's too bad, Pat. I'm sure it was hard to leave the home that you loved so much. However, your safety is definitely most important!

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  25. How true and it is great that you are enjoying all your things. Nancy

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    1. Isn't it wonderful to look around your home and see all the things that make you smile, Nancy?

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  26. A truly "lived in" house should be filled with things that bring joy, and yours more than meets the quota!

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