That is indeed a very happy place and your colorful flowers love the attention from the sun, rain and you. The New England admonition of "Provide, provide" is in full swing for you, I bet: planning for fall and winter, canning veggies and fruit, and preparing for the holidays (yep, Halloween is coming sooner than expected followed by Thanksgiving and Christmas). This year, Hannukah begins on Thanksgiving, bringing another reason for gatherings of family and friends. Woohoo!

Hi Adrienne!

True indeed, harvest season is upon us and the nesting instinct is strong here in New England. We’ve got to prepare for hurricane season which begins in late September and long, cold winters that follow. I’m already dreaming of baking my first apple and pumpkin pies! Thanks for reading and the visit! xo Deb

Good Day from the Ozarks,
We too have noticed the change in the air here in Missouri, its come to us 3 times in August, so rare for these parts, we are usually hot and miserable, and over 100 outside.
But this year is so different, lots of rain came our way, which brought us lots of weeds and grass in our gardens, and many gifts of vegies too.
You can smell the change, the cooler winds, even colder nights, and sitting on the front porch is a real treat to watch it all arrive!
Hugs from the Ozarks, Diana, Noel, Mo

Hi Diana! Great you can get some porch sit’n in this month!

Enjoy! xo Deb

Thank you for sharing your garden and your thoughts. The zinnias are stunning. Iʻm not much of a gardener but Iʻm learning. My tomatoes are going gang busters now. I just have to keep my oldest wienerdog out of the garden. He eats green veggies! Each year I try to grow pumpkins for the grandkids. Mmmn, I see the little darlings start on the vine, then, whoosh, disappear. Just caught the little bugger snatching one! does any other sister have this problem?

I haven’t had much luck with pumpkins in my garden either so I’m not much help for you, but I love the image of your little wienerdog out in the garden munching away! Thanks for reading ! xo Deb

Your flower show was like a 4th of July display!

What a transformation that little butter yellow commode[?] underwent. She’s totally chic now.

Max is a Corgi cover-boy…so photogenic. ;o)

As always, your blog is a piece of sunshine.

Howdy Shery! So great to hear from you! I fell in love with my little yellow commode! It was hard to let her go! LOL I think we should start a magazine for max titled DQ… Dog’s Quarterly… after the well known GQ… Gentlemen’s Quarterly! LOL! Happy golden September to you my dear! xo Deb

Deb, Everything is just beautiful…I love love love the nightstand, it is going to really set things off at the Burlap and Bling, I know it won’t be there long before someone snatches it up..I am still going to come up that way visiting, maybe sometime next year, me and my sweetie will take a glamping trip that way.Love ya, keep that beautiful smile and Be Blessed! Neta

Howdy Neta! So great to hear from you… If you come glamping up our way, look into staying at the Bourne Scenic Park. It’s right along the Cape Cod Canal. Very pretty, with walking trails and access to Cape Cod if you are inclined to take a day trip! Keep me posted!!! Love ya, Deb

Those mutated zinnias really intrigued me. What fun

 Hi Kristy! It’s actually the dahlias that have the color mutation and the zinnia that looks like them! They are amazing aren’t they? Thanks for the note! xo Deb

Lovely! The beach house has more counter top than my house, ans is so sweet. I am going to do the shells on the window ledge in my bathroom (without the crab sign!). Thanks for sharing and the ideas. It was like taking a vacation.

Hi Karen,

So glad you came for a BEACH DAY and took home a little treasure or two! Happy decorating ( without the crab sign ) 🙂 xo Deb

Simply delightful, Deb! Love the bright colors and the new counter top your BIL made for you. Nice to have family participation!
I have a cross stitched sign in my travel trailer that says ‘KWITCHERBELLYAKIN’. Kind of along the lines of your CRAB sign! Chuckling!
This place is a treasure and should be loved and preserved…You are blessed…

Hi Jan! There is a cottage with a similar name to the one you mention above ( more R rated ) in our beach community… I always laugh when I drive by it. It’s so true.. What’s to complain about in a cottage by the sea? Thanks so much for reading and your note! xo Deb

WOW…your cottage kitchen is so fresh and cozy. What a breath of fresh air — just what I needed :o)

Hi Shery! I told Max all about Sally O Mally He wants permission to be " paw pals"!

Hope all is well on the ranch! xo Deb

Hey Deb! Thanks for the great pictures and blog….I felt like I was right back at home for a few minutes! Your cottage kitchen is adorable! I love your idea for the buffalo check in yellow for the lower cupboards. You will have to break out some of that Annie Sloan paint for some accents! Enjoy the rest of August. It was always my favorite time of summer.

Howdy Pam! Thanks my dear! Glad you enjoyed! I do have an idea or two for some AS accents too! My kitchen table chairs are natural wood.. Can’t have that! I’m thinking one of the deep blues would be pretty with my white distressed table! Wishing you a relaxing remainder of the summer! It’s been beautiful here on the shorelines! Hugs! Deb  

I die!!!! Beautiful, gorgeous gardens!!! Thank you so much for sharing. Truly inspiring…:)))

Love love your gardens!! Thanks for the fun beautiful tour.
I had my gardens on our garden club tour one year. So fun and I know how nervous it can make you. 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing!

Loved the etour of your gardens. You have a beautiful garden!

This is something I dream about doing… We’ve lived in our home for seven years now. It was an abandoned old farm house with most of the windows busted out, and not a garden to be found… not one!

Since then, my yard has been transformed… feel free to see much of it at the web site I gave. The project at hand is a new pond… then, then… I think I’ll be ready.

Thanks for sharing… so inspired.
Jean

Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful!!! Since you are a northern Nevada gal, you know how hard it is to have a lush garden, such as you have, in a dry climate. I live in So. Calif. and it is very difficult to get that bountiful, overwhelming effect that you can back east. Deb, your gardens are absolutely goregous! And that Max, what a cute little bug he is!

Oh how lovely! The music just made it like a dream. The lovely notes ended exactly at the end of the post. How awesome is that! Your music, gardens, chickens, spaces, shed, grass, trees, flowers, colors, words, everything is perfect. You amaze me!

Lovely garden tour. You’ve given me the inspiration to have my neighbors come visit our home and gardens – this is our 2nd summer working on our acre in Cape May – and altho the crab grass has taken over my raised flower bed – I’m now going out in the 90 degrees to attack it and whip the rest of the beds into shape! Thanks Deb. Joan Marie from Cape May NJ

Oh Deb, everything is gorgeous and I know you worked hard to get it picture perfect ready. You did good girl. I enjoyed the tour and yes the only thing better would have been to have been there sipping on that citrus water…mmmmm….mmmmm.ahhhh…so relaxing…lol..Love ya keep blogging stay Blessed!

Hello Miss Deb, you never cease to amaze me. If I can keep up with the lawn mowing and garden weeds I feel like I have accomplished something. Your garden is beautiful and inspiring. Wish our growing season was longer. It is mostly in baskets and raised beds. This year has been hot enough for the strawberries to grow. What I admire about you is is your willingness to continually try new things and it always turns out so nice. You go girl. Looking forward to your next post.
HugMerrilyn

Hey Deb! Your garden is a reflection of you…bright and colorful, with a generous dash of serenity. You have a great talent with design, both with the shape of the gardens and the mix of tall and lower plantings, and well as the color combinations. It shows that you have spent countless hours on your garden and the hard scape as well. Love, love, love the patio! Bravo girlfriend!

What a beautiful back yard. I’d love to sit with you some evening around your fire pot. I’ve never grown dahlias before. Looks like I’ll have to give them a try. Your photo tour made me feel like I was there. Wish I had been ;o)

Oh I loved your tour !! Such beautiful flowers and I loved all the raised gardens (I’m new to MaryJanesFarm – just received my first magazine and I’m in LOVE —) I can’t wait to follow your blog and your amazing back yard. How sweet to share a note card with your visitors too !!! Life certainly feels "right" in our garden…

Karen from the NC Coast

Welcome Karen! Thank you for the visit… So happy to have you here…! If you’re like I was when I saw my first MJF magazine I couldn’t put it down! I still feel that way after three years of subscribing! It’s more than a magazine. It’s pages filled with love and inspiration from cover to cover! I know you’ll enjoy all of the blogs! Each one is unique and uplifting! xo Deb

I LOVED your post…and especially all the photos. FanTabulous!! A 10!! I just wish I could step into each picture and share the walk with you.

Loved this post. I wish I lived near the ocean. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos that inspire me to dream.

Deb, I loved reading your July Sparkles blog! We gather near the Pacific on the Rogue River bridge in Gold Beach, Oregon to view the fireworks over the water! It is so uplifting to watch from that vantage point. Freedom rings here.

Since I’m a city gal and farmgirl at heart, I will celebrate spring in a lavender sachet making class. We have fields of the lovely flowers and instead of making the trek to appreciate the work of the growers, we will save their wonderful scent in a sachet to tuck inside the pillowcase for better sleep. Ah!

Sounds divine Adrienne! I think my three favorite scents in the garden are Lavender, Peonies and Roses… and not in that order because I love them all the same!  Thanks for the note! xo Deb

What a lovely garden. I can see why you love summer. Enjoy!

Hi Daisy! Thanks for reading 🙂

xo Deb

Hi Deb!
Your garden is looking beautiful! And the chickens pic is adorable. I’m with you…I love the English style cutting garden. Love how your English Ivy looks…you’ve inspired me to get some this year!

Happy Summer to you and your family!

Hugs,
Nicole (Suburban Farmgirl)

Hey there sister! Good for you… the English Ivy grows sort of slow, but once it gets going it spreads very well… It adds  a lush feeling to those otherwise tall, bare, tree trunks..

Happy Summer to you and yours! xo Deb

Your post is great, but the greatest of all is Max! His smile is incredible. i want a Corgi so bad. One of these days!

Oh, you will love having a Corgi Louise Marie…They have so much personality, and love to give, and those smiles …. well…let’s just say I love my love-bug Maxi-do!

Thanks for the note! xo Deb

You should be a diagnostician. I definitely have farmgirlitis. Sooo many ideas I can’t focus or get them done fast enough. Thank you for sharing the beautiful picture of your mother-in-love.

Blessings,
Carol

You can relate?! Glad you enjoyed!

xo Deb

Good Morning from the Ozarks,
Every year we say we have enough raised beds, then I see yet another patch of
sunshine to make into another garden, and there it is! We have found that
the soil under a pile of wood makes the best gardens ever!
There’s enough gardens now to raise vegies enough to can for us every winter
and to share with whoever cannot garden, what a blessing to share!
Diana, Noel, MO.

Hello there Diana! So true… Yet, another infliction of Farmgirlitus… Is EVERY BARE PATCH OF GROUND A  POSSIBLE FUTURE GARDEN? Um, YES!!! So great you can grow and share your homegrown veggies… That soil under a pile of wood, where the earthworms gather would be perfect for garden beds…Makes perfect sense! Thanks so much for reading and sharing your " symptoms" too  xo Deb

Glad to know that I just have farmgirlitus! Every spring, I am wondering what is wrong with me, with my head spinning, and so much to do!!!!!!
Thank you for the inspirations..I am starting a large flower bed this year, and have my first chickens!
I will try your chalk paint idea on a bookcase, and maybe more! I always enjoy your blogs!!!

Awww, thanks so much Susan! Yep, it’s just farmgirlitus, nothing to worry about! It always does my heart good when I hear that someone is starting a new flower bed or casting a few zinnia seeds in a bare patch! Lots of new beginnings at your house this spring… Love it! What are you going to grow? And, what kind of chicks did you get? what color for your bookcase?  Do tell! xo Deb

Oh MY…your old china cabinet went from drabulous to FABULOUS. What a lovely updated look. She’s a fashionista.

I really like your old chicken feeder – planter idea. Photos of the finished article?? Did you put pansies in it??

Hi Shery, Love that…. drabulous to FABULOUS!  Max is standing behind my the ‘ finished article’ chicken feeder with pansies! 

 Loved your visit! 🙂 Pat Ribbon for me and tell her she’s a good girl! xo Deb  

Thank you for the lovely mini-vacation I experienced while reading your words and viewing your cottage scenes.

You’re welcome Becky! Thanks for coming along!

xo Deb  

Deb,

Wow, thanks for the brief time away!!! I remember all those lovely things when Bill and I visited years ago and can’t wait to bring the kids someday soon! I remember waffles at midnight and the kids catching prehistoric looking sea creatures in a net. Lobster cooked by Boz and the many friends who relaxed on the shore!!

Happy breezes!

Love, Cousin Teri

Hi Cousin Teri,

Oh, we have the best memories of your and Bills visit here too… Just think… next time you’ll have your three monkies with you! Can’t wait to show them all around and watch them in the tide pools… Love and miss you all!

xo Deb

Oh my gosh, Deb, I am soooo ready to move to the beach or just closer to the water so I can go more and relax. We are back home from Edisto, and I gotta tell ya, I didn’t want to come home. Reading Kim’s post about being an hour away in Oregon, brought back memories where Rob and I spent 11 mos there and we too were only an hour away, and we went every weekend. I know I am destined to be by the water and my day is coming, until then I will live it out through your blogs and your sharing of your little cottage with us. Love ya have a happy Memorial day, and be Blessed! Neta

Hi Neta! Yep, the pull of the sea is strong.. once you take a sip you’ll want the whole jug…I’m so happy I could bring a little of the seaside to you and Rob. Keep those dreams alive.. you’ll get there! 🙂 xo Deb

I love love lovvvvve it. So much green and lovely flowers. I was just perusing what flowers I would be planting this week when I got home. So, I really felt inspired to get going, after I do the inspirational rest. I must admit Bethel is nice weather today. I would love to come back with Michelle and visit the cottage. It all looks so beautiful and peaceful. Thanks for sharing your walk with us.
Hugs always,
Merrilyn

Howdy Merrilyn,

I’m happy to hear you are having nice weather and looking forward to some planting too. It does a farmgirl good to see the sun and get her hands dirty doesn’t it? Keep me posted on any travel plans to Plymouth! I look forward to seeing your both again!

Hugs to you and Michelle,

xo Deb

This is my first visit, inspired by Mary Jane’s Farm magazine and, it seems, kindred spirits….I am also a beach girl. We live in the Outer Banks of NC, in the maritime forest, in an areas where there are no paved roads. Our distance from the salt air and high winds of the oceanfront allows me to do some gardening. Our distance from a paved road make this gardening a life saver! I thought gardening impossible in the sand! But amend that sand and WOW! After four years of veggie gardening, I have decided to add chickens to our life. Three little "Easter Eggers" (a breed of chicken) are scheduled to arrive tomorrow! I look forward to reading your blog, which is a delight, and hearing about your farmgirl life on the beach in New England. I love your place and all of your photos. New England is so special, there is no place like it. Thanks for sharing.

Welcome Lynne! So nice of you to stop by and share your life with us…It sounds peaceful… Getting chickens will certainly add to your gardening life and they are great entertainment too. I have found gardening in New England ( compared to the high dessert where I learned to garden) a breeze! Look forward to hearing from you again! There’s’ so much to enjoy at MJF! Thanks so much for reading. xo Deb

You’re definitely getting the hang of boothin’! I would love to pop in. On a routine basis for sure. What cheer. And SASS! I’m sure Burlap and Bling is going to do very well. Thanks for the virtual tour. Loved it.

Thanks so much MJ! Let me know when you’re in town… ( grin )!

xo Deb

I don’t know whether your shoppe is more cute or clever, but it is wonderful. Congratulations and best wishes for a very happy and successful season with many sales to delighted customers.

Howdy Adrienne! Thanks a bunch! I’m hopeful for a busy season… we need the warm weather to bring out the shoppers here in New England! 🙂 Thanks so much for the visit! xo Deb

I love your shop….if I lived closer, I’d be there often. And all of your before and after pictures give me such good ideas. I use to be afraid of messing things up, but after seeing all the beautiful ways to re-use tired, worn out items, I’ve been doing some "jumping in" of my own lately. This weekend I’m turning an old, very boring tv cart into a glam nightstand for my teenage granddaughter.

That a girl Rebecca! Good for your for beating your fears back and letting the creative juices flow! Your glam nighstand sounds like a great project to let loose on! Thanks for your note! xo Deb

Deb, I am totally charmed by your shop, and I can’t wait to see it next month! You have great taste…love all of the china and lace, and the hankie display is soooo cute! I hope that you get lots of business during the summer tourist season, so that you can refill your stock with new burlap and bling!

Well, thank you Pam! What dates will you be here next month? Would love to meet you for tea downtown! xo Deb

Deb
your shop is great I have an Antique shop also,I love the idea for the hankie display,I’ve been in buiness for three years and this has been the best, I wish you so much Luck with your shop your going to Love Love Love it.if you want you can check me out on facebook under Farmtiques and Uniques. I’m so happy for you.Penny

Hi Penny! How wonderful for you!  You are so right. The longer I do it the more hooked I am getting on the whole experience. I will come see you on facebook… Thanks for inviting me and for the good wishes too! Happy Boothin’ as MJ says!

xo Deb

I am amazed at how the finish on your oak frames turned out. what was your method to refinish them. I have those same frames and want to just have an upscale yard sale. Those items I have would sell better if I did a little make over on them… very nice !!

Hi Deborah, I painted the oak frames with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, in OLD WHITE but you could get a similar finish by dry brushing an off white or linen color latex matt finishe paint, or even an acrylic craft paint in an antique white or color of your choice. Good luck with your frames and your " upscale " yard sale too!

xo Deb

It sounds like you had a wonderful time and I hope you’re able to visit again soon. I lived in Reno for 13 years and finished my education there. And started my teaching there at Truckee Meadows CC. I remember learning how to ride a motorcycle with my very patient friend and how we would ride together around Tahoe to "get the carbon out."

In June, I’ll be traveling to and from Fullerton in southern California by train to visit my sister and her family, our brother, and our cousin and his daughter from Atlanta who will be flying in that week. It should be a lot of fun reminiscing. Thank you for sharing your story!

Hi Adrienne!

We did! I attended TMCC in the mid 80’s for a couple of years while I was hairdressing. I know it well. 🙂 I wish you a wonderful trip with your family in California… I know you’ll soak up every minute! Xo Deb

Your comment,"The old friend I mentioned earlier is Lake Tahoe", grabbed me by the heartstrings. I also KNOW that feeling about a "place". When I lived in West Virginia in a little "hillside apartment"(back in my single days)I could climb a short distance uphill, through a little forested area, to a huge rock outcrop that overlooked part of the City of Charleston. On a cool Summer night the huge rock would still be warm from the sun. I don’t know if any other human knew of this place. I would sit there in the dark thrilled by the lights of the city, and dream of things to come or clear my mind to solve problems if any. I experienced a CALM that I have never known before or since. I miss that place, and loved it as though it were a long-lost friend. I think YOU understand perfectly.

I do, I do… So glad you have an old friend in nature too! Thanks so much for your note ! xo Deb

Deb….. my husband and I went through the entirety of your ol’ home state a couple of weeks ago! We used to live in Southern Idaho, but moved to Southern California 24 years ago. We have a daughter, (and her family) and other "relates" still there. We’ve been up and down your state hundereds of times! We zip through Las Vegas and end up going through Twin Falls on the way to our destination, Mountain Home. It can be somewhat boring, seeing as how we know every turn and dip in the road. But this last trip was a bit more unique, since we got in some weather. It was great!!! Black clouds, wind, snow…good stuff, that we don’t get to experience being way down south!!! Nevada can be desolate and tedious, but also vast and mysterious! Thanks for a great post and the photos were sublime!!! Oh and P.S. Please tell us how to pronounce "Nevada". Everyone I knows says "Nevahda", or something weird like that. Spent alot of time in that state and the locals NEVER call it "Nevahda"…like it’s something prissy! ick!

Howdy Victoria! You have covered some ground girl! You are so right about Nevada being desolate and tedious but also vast and mysterious especially on long drives.. Nothing but wide-open and sagebrush for hundreds of miles. It’s funny what you miss when you don’t have it 🙂 … We are socked in amongst the trees here in New England but I’ve grown to love the ‘ hug ‘ they provide throughout the seasons. The only time we can see for miles is on the shorelines… I’ll take it though! 🙂 Glad you got some weather to mix things up this time around!

Now for the correct pronunciation of my home state…Is everyone listening?

Good! It’s NevAda  ( short sound for a  )

I remember attending a John Gorka concert in Nevada. The artist was from New Jersey… He stepped on stage and said hello Nevahda and the enire audience shouted back at him… It’s NevAda!!!!!!!! LOL!

Thanks for the note! xo Deb

Deb, you share your adventures so well. Makes me feel like I was right there seeing it all with you. When we lived in Sacramento we made several trips to Nevada. There is nothing better then visiting family. That was a lot of seeing for one week. You guys were really rockin. You really captured the wonderful feeling of a loving family. Can’t wait for your next adventure.
Hugs to you.
Merrilyn

Hello my sister in Alaska!  Can you believe we just lived ‘over the hill’ from eachother once upon a time? Small world isn’t it? Thanks so much for the kind words and always great to hear from you! Hope all is well with you and yours…

hugs!xo Deb

Adorable pics! And story. Happy Easter Deb.

Thank you, MaryJane. Happy Easter to all on the farm!

xo Deb

Oh what a wonderful time you must have – great memories. It is sunny here today – Good Friday but to have wind and snow by Sunday – long winter this year but we sure can use the moisture. So our egg hunt may have to be inside and that is always fun trying to find the extra eggs hidden. To God be the glory. Happy Spring

Happy Spring Joan! We have sunshine today as well…Your egg hunt sounds like it will be fun and mysterious too! Blessings! xo Deb

Looks like my grandchildren will be hunting egg indoors this year too. But no matter, they always have fun. For me I was hoping most of the snow would be gone. Its always so nice to see the flowers poking their heads up. Last fall I planted a ton of daffodils and cant wait to see how many make it. I can just imagine the smell of fresh cut grass. Oh, spring hurry and get here. Have loads of fun at your hunt and get together. Looks like a blast.
Hugs to you and your family.
Merrilyn

Hi Merrilyn,

Seeing the first blooms of spring is always a welcomed sight. We’ve had crocus up for a while but they keep getting buried in snow! Enjoy your grands and being home…I bet they are happy to have you back! Sending love and Easter Blessings!xo Deb

Hi Deb,
We’re ready for spring here in NE Tenn too (near VA/NC). We’re still getting snow and freezing temps. Yes, my two chic ladies chat with me too (one sings a lot). We have four new chics to add to the brood as soon as they are a bit older (new ones are real pets already). Spring should be here soon and I have lots of things to plant in the garden.
Hope you have fun at the Easter egg hunt.
Marcie

Hi Marcie,

Oh darned snow! I’m ready for gardening too, but it’s been so cold I still have flower beds to rake and cut back from last year… Soon! I did see pansies at the local hardware store last week. Another sign…Happy Easter! xo Deb

Pink & blue lobster pot buoy? Really????? Looks like yours was green & orange! Better luck this year! Great article! XOXO

Hahahaha!!! You are an evil treasure hunt planner!!!

xoxo

I’m sorry Old Man Winter has played such cruel tricks on you! He swoops through here for a day or two, then sends Spring back. Hopefully, the frost will end soon! Remind me of these cool days in July and August!

Nancy from Live a Savory Life

So true Nancy! We’ll be begging for cooler days in July and August!

Thanks so much for the note! xo Deb