Vintage Wedding Gowns, Wallpaper and Hats

Two vintage wedding gowns were displayed in the master bedroom along with parts of the trousseau. These women must have been tiny and short because these gowns are very petite. I felt like an Amazon beside them and I'm 5' 4 3/4". Those shoes looked like children's shoes.

Original roses wallpaper adorns the walls in there. It would be absolutely something we would lust for today. Gorgeous.

Part of the bridal wear.

Lace curtains original to the home. Exquisite!

More original wallpaper. I just had to get pix of it because I know how hard it is to get vintage wallpaper today and a lot of crafters pay dear for it.

Looks like craftsman-type on this piece.

Just like toile we would use today.

Yes, this is a hat original to that era belonging to one of the women in the home.

Red velvet sofa holding bridal items and a antimacassar.

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Roses of Summer and Weeding

One saturday recently I decided to go out and tend my rose garden. I had bought some more hostas to plant under my office window because I love them so much. I think of them as elegance for my small garden.

Porch garden will be getting an update soon with weed fabric and some stones instead of bark. The desert wind blows them all over and when it rains they wash out. So we have a lawn care company coming soon to refurbish a few areas in front and some out back.

Under my office/computer room window. I planted the one in front that day and the green upright at the top of photo is a gift from a neighbor so it will remain. It's a very fragrant lily. The green shrubs will go.

I deadheaded today. I had 2 five gallon buckets of roses—all very beautiful and fragrant. I smelled every single bush I cut!

I think they make a beautiful photo. This garden is a mound in the middle of yard and will be refurbished also.

Another shot of my roses. Sob.......... I hate to cut them to throw away.

Front of office with the little window seat above the rock. Another hydrangea is peeking through the left top of the right hand shrub. And if you got that you're savvy! LOL

Okay, have I bored you to tears yet with this post of shrubs and flowers? I'm keeping that tall bush on the corner of the house because of its heights and lushness. It's not especially pretty but I need something there and it IS there.

I'm so proud of this photo I could just spit. I wanted a very close up picture of this rose. My camera is loved by me even more each time I use it and strive for "perfection"!

Same rose, farther shot.

More roses. The garden is certainly looking trashy now but you just wait. :-)

Pink petal path.

Other side of that small garden. I wish I knew someone getting married today; I'd donate the roses and petals to them to strew about the yard.

I may cry at the waste of all those gorgeous roses.

Yes, they are as gorgeous as they look and smell divine, chicks!

A perfect white rose in the garden.

Pink beauty sighing its last gasp. Pretty, even with the spots acknowledging its demise.

Another rose of a very soft pink and yellow saying its farewell in a couple of days.

This is my all-time favorite rose in the garden. Pink, of course.

Oooooh, if anyone wants to use these photos you certainly may use them for anything you might need, but I would appreciate a link back to my blog for it. It's fun and nice to share and I do this when I can also. I love finding new bloggers and appreciate each and everyone who visits me. Thank you.

Until next time. Au revoir.
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Random Thought:

When trimming the roses this day hubby told me I wasn't doing it properly and should just cut the buds. He took over from there and will probably not allow me to do it again. Am I smart or what?!?! Hmmmm??? Truly? I didn't even think about it while I was doing it, but it worked out well for me, huh? :-)

Footprints and Old Photos for Wordless Wednesday

Ardenwood Victorian Home 2

Let me begin by saying that the victorian home in this historical park was closed the day we were there. However, a caretaker saw us admiring the home and taking photographs. He then told us to go stand on the porch. We couldn't figure out why but then the front door opened and he gave us a private tour for about an hour. We were thrilled to have a personal tour and all of our questions answered. He was a sweetheart and showed great kindness to us and for that we are much appreciative.

But all the shades were down and it was very dark in there so these pictures were not taken under the best of circumstances so they are what they are and we thanked him profusely for the personal tour.
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Braiding their plants was something I'd never seen before but here is a picture of it in their front porch area.

This is the front. It's one of the first homes in that area to have electricity when it was originally built. The turret is mosaic just below the roof.

Close up of front balcony.

Gazebo I would love to have in my yard.

Roses in front porch garden.

Original settee in front parlor. That floor is parquet but each tiny piece is hand set in and nailed. Not like we get now but artisan perfect with each piece put in separately. Magnificent!

Turret windows in front room parlor.

Close up of original stained glass window.

Fireplace and original mantel in front parlor.

Family private parlor, which is akin to our family rooms today. Looks like they played a lot of games with that table and chairs so prominent in the room.

Original mantel and fireplace in family parlor.

Upstairs and just starting to go through that area.

More soon!
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Walking Through Ardenwood

A bit of eye candy for you today.

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During our most recent trip back to Calif. we toured Ardenwood in Fremont. It's an old historical farm donated to the state by a man named Patterson. The victorian home on it is just lovely and I'll have pix on that in a day or so and, although I'm not too keen on viewing historical places, this one was interesting and took our minds off the sadness we were experiencing. It actually was a lot of fun that day.

The door to the old servants quarters. It is now the home office.

Flowers were abundant around the home.

The old ice house.

Ferns were abundant all over the acreage.

My family. Son, Keith, still on crutches, daughter's son, Adam, 6'4" in white shirt, granddaughter, hubby looking at the trains and granddaughter's hubby in red shirt.

They had their own railroad side there with several cars still on the track but definitely not in use anymore.

A place to rest and reflect.

Path to a gazebo.

Desert plants and California live oaks, one of my favorite trees stand together on the land.

An allèe through the park.

And a peacock that allowed me to get so close I had to take its picture for my friend, Katie. Katieeeeeee, ya better look and comment on this dude, huney!!

More pictures of the actual house next time! We got a personal tour while there.
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Random Thought:

I cannot talk or text while hubby's driving because I'm the back seat driver and drivers aren't allowed to do that while driving. :-)