Given that it’s going to be painted a dark colour I think the lines on the shiplap are pretty much going to disappear due to the dark color. They show up now because of course white shows every single bit of texture.

There's always Shadows

That’s a gorgeous arrangement; I love the Smokebush in it. Thanks for sharing it on my thread… Somehow I spaced out on the person who shared it so just giving you a heads up that I loved it! I wish I could grow viburnum here on my property but as yet it has not been successful.

Yes. Dark colors recede and so less shadows. Go for the darker fireplace wall and the shiplap. I think this is really coming along. As to rug, I think things might get too heavy with a deep color rug. A medium tone that works with new sofa is worth considering. The rug in Julie’s has other supporting features such as a lot of natural light, a high ceiling so the darker rug works well. Food for thought.

That makes sense, Flo. Thanks. Charcoal drapes, charcoal fireplace, floor to ceiling. Still a tv in the room. A lot of dark in a room with small windows.

Julie, thanks for telling me where I could find the rug. I'm reminding myself that my plan is to look locally first. Easier for me to try and return. I definitely want to experiment with different tones.

A win for Julie on the drapes, and a win for Flo on the shiplap. Wink.* Two wins for me! Lol.

*My emojis keep disappearing!

The winner is you dsimber. That’s the best.

Girl you are moving foward that is great! it will be lovely…any tone rug that you love will add interest and warmth and ground the space. Like I said Have Fun!🤗😉

The charcoal dominance on that wall, does make it like a feature wall, and cozy. It can work...I have done it in my place, in the winter, with small north facing windows. But drapes were still lighter weight. I switched, seasonally. Now, I prefer lighter all year. I found heavy look in summer bothered me. You don't want to be messing with drapes, so you may want to consider what you want, year round. You may not be concerned with seasonal mood in the room. I find I am, so needed to find what worked all year.

Drapes are far down the road though...lots of time to think about those! There is a big difference between a mock up and being IN the space. It isn't all visual.

Liasch you switch out drapes seasonly?

Julie, I have done so for years… but my drapes are rod pocket and I live in a small cottage style home so it’s not as bad as it sounds. And that’s only for the main living room. I have no window coverings in the kitchen because I don’t need them. I have craftsman style windows with muntins and no need for privacy.

…

I have heavier fabric drapes in the winter usually for drafts and lighter weight, more sheer in the summer.

I still switch out the drapes on the patio door; last winter I did not do the two north facing windows as well but that might change.

Bleeding Hearts. "The other pink flowers are Wood Cranesbill Geraniums." --Shannon O'Toomey. I.C. Garden Club

She certainly has a beautiful collection of vases. 🥰

And a very good eye for arranging…

How is the landscape design coming along?💐

edited:

Hi Glassy. Last week my landscape designer and I exchanged ideas several times via email. The plan from 2022 needed some modifications based on the fact that some [edit: native trees here in Iowa] have since developed problems. Namely, the river birch. [edit: This is why I must change my plan. I don't want to plant trees that have started having problems.] I don't recall if I've shared that.

Barring storms, the irrigation system will be installed this week.

What's going on in your world?

Ah yes, River Birches are susceptible to insects and disease. You will need proper treatments for these especially when getting established. They should replace them. Might be they got stressed during summer due to insufficient water, and that made them vulnerable to disease or insects. Be sure you check that out. Hoping weather holds so you can get that sprinkler system in. 🤞🏻

I am glad your irrigation system is getting installed this week. I wish we had one at our lake house. OH has been working hard to get grass established in the front yard in a certain are. I would not be surprised if there was a bunch of construction trash buried about a foot under the clay/dirt.🙄 This past week I have been able to get out and shop for a few piece of new clothes. I was able to bundle up 9 blouses to drop off at the donation center today. I also bought new shoes and flip flops for the pool. Last year I only got downstairs to the pool 3 or 4 times because it was so breathtaking hot! Last Saturday evening, friends invited us over for drinks/ happy hour. I asked if I could bring something and she didn’t reply. So I racked my brain. It was Derby Day! Run For The Roses! So I went to the grocery store and grab a bouquet of red roses. Then went to the thrift store a grab a gift vase.she was thrilled with the bouquet! I was happy for her. 😊 Today is my Newcomer’s luncheon where we give out scholarships to 5 seniors, and grants to several nonprofits.

I hope you have a lovely day!

Flo, I need to edit my last post when I have access to my MacBook. Sorry for the confusion. Any trees I’ve ever had on any property have been healthy. I’ve been fortunate! and want to keep it that way! Nothing was installed in 2022 because the weather delayed the schedule. Last year, I only had the front plan installed. So this, I hope, is finally the year for the backyard installation. When I wrote “some trees have since developed problems,” I meant that some trees IN GENERAL now have problems. I chose river birches on all three homes since the early 90s and never had a problem. Edit: [That they now suffer from Japanese beetles is disappointing.] I’m wondering if this will be true of all birches. The White Spire would have such natural appearance along the back property line beyond which is a wild area of grasses and wildflowers, then a tree-lined creek and the pond. Aspens would be beautiful, too. Has anyone had success with aspens in the Midwest? Our soil in Iowa is heavy clay in many areas.

[Edit: Both river birch and aspens are native to Iowa.]

The sprinkler system is being installed as I write!

Glassy, I’m envious of the community social life you have! Taking roses to your hosts on Derby Day was a great idea. Did your horse win???

Aspen are a favourite but short lived. I still let them grow. Forty years, I won’t be here.

However there’s nothing to equal the sound… So it’s a trade-off.

YAY on the sprinklers! How many days for install?

Look into trees/shrubs/perennials that are native to your area, then consider a particular plant’s needs for moisture,light, soil type etc. Your landscape crew should be able to make appropriate suggestions

Pat, I’ve done the research. DNR, state extension office, etc. Landscaper has even more info re: local issues with specific trees that they no longer recommend for this area. My challenge is finding trees that won’t eventually be too large for my lot.

Pat, planting native is a great idea…and it’s turning into an actual movement. I don’t know if this organization exists in the USA but it’s happening here in Canada.

I did a 10 year plan for one of our homes and planted 2 trees among my plantings that would be removed at about the 10 year point. This gave me time for the slower growing species to mature and it worked out really well. We ended up selling before the 10 year point but I gave my plan to the new owners and they carried it further. So that might be something to consider.

Kcooz, the crew finished yesterday. I’ll be ready when a hot, dry spell occurs!

Hi dsimber..finally have my living room sofa info for you…I miss spoke that sofa is a Sherrill not Bernhardt..sorry one of my guest beds was Bernhardt and it was on the same furniture order as the sofa.

Thank you, Julie!

Yay for the irrigation! We had a Sherrill and a Bernhardt in the past. Both were great sofas.

Yesterday at our New comers Luncheon, we do a $5.00, 50/50 fundraiser. Winner gets $100.00. I won! As they walked towards me, I stood up and told them to put it into the scholarship fund. Then the whole room broke into applause! I was so surprised, and I immediately sat back down. But we gave out 12 $1,000.00 scholarships to students in our 5 high schools. Then we gave 5 donations to local charities. We prefer to concentrate on scholarship rather than donations, as they have more resources than the students.

Wow Gls! That is amazing! Congrats on the winnings and bless your heart on the donation! That was the nicest thing I’ve heard in a long time. Scholarships are the best idea. I’m super happy to hear about such a generous group of people doing such a wonderful thing! Hopefully when I get retired I’ll be able to find a group of folks like you have become to know. He’ll probably be gone by then and I’ll have to volunteer or get involved in something that is good 💗

Kudos, Glassy, for your involvement in an organization that gives scholarships and also donates to local charities. Thanks for sharing that.

That’s so lovely Gls! Win win win! Love that!

Great story…thanks for sharing Gls…a scholarship like that can mean sooo much to a student ask me how I know! A $500 scholarship started me on my teaching career and artist’s path. It was a big deal. Kudos to your group, and to you for your donation 😘🌹🌹🥂

Shannon O'Toomey

April 24

Shannon O'Toomey

April 21

Happy Sunday!My Quail Daffodils are always the very last to open, and they’ve opened! If you’re looking to have several weeks of daffodils, these are a good season-extender, they bloom later than other daffodils. I’ll post a picture of them in situ, in the comments, they have naturalized faster than any other variety I have. They’re also noted to be the longest lasting bloomers.

Their so beautiful!🥰

I love daffodils!! What beautiful displays. But my heart is with Lilacs!! Love that picture or vase too. Very special!

Wow!

Smell of lilacs my favorite childhood memory. We have never gotten it together to plant a bush here.

Love the lilacs too! growing up we had one side of the yard lined with lilac bushes and the back was a long row of concord grape vines.

My grandmother had two huge lilac bushes on either side of the path to the fields behind her house where she picked all her berries for her wine. I too will never forget their fullness and beauty and fragrance. I so wish they could grow here but it gets too hot for them. Those bushes were probably 15 or more feet high!

I love my lilac bushes especially this time of year

Beautiful kjoy!!!

Kjoy wow I can smell them from here!🤗

So pretty, Kkoy! Seems that lilacs were widely used when some of us were still in our childhood homes. Nostalgia. They formed a fence above our backyard terraces at the first home we bought. I haven’t had them for a couple of decades. But YS and DIL just bought a bush last week.

I had three lilac bushes at our patio home in Missouri. Two purple and one white. My sister bought our patio home, and routinely sends me pictures of the flowers and shrubs we plants. 😢😢