Gates and Baubles

A great find  for the garden....an ancient  cast iron farm gate and old post to attach it to

We had to beat a few people to the shop to buy it !

A vintage mid century Wembley Ware pudding bowl

I found a big bag of old Christmas balls for 50c  and picked out the vintage  glass ones, still with their original wires, and chucked the modern plastic

My favourite find for 10c...a large sea shell  for my collection ...it's so pretty

In the garden this week

We had a nasty storm...so I rushed out and picked 3 vases of the last spring roses and it will be a few weeks now until  summer roses  with a few odd roses popping up

Morning after the storm

Vegetable garden

the  lawns have been fed with a high nitrogen feed

Linking up with 

The Dedicated House

Knick of Time
French Country Cottage
Ivy and Elephants
Shabby Art Boutique
Chic on a Shoestring
Country Farm Home
My Romantic Home
Sir thrift-a-lot
Rose Vignettes

Rooted in Thyme

The Charmed Home

Elizabeth & Co

Finding Fabulous

A Revisionary Life

Thoughts from Alice
Woman in Real Life

Denise inVA

A Book Story

This is one of my favourite finds in quite a long time...a 3 volume leather bound set, first edition 1803

These books were an amazing chance find. About a week ago we travelled to the Barossa Valley outside of historic town of Kapunda to a fabulous and enormous( the driveway was at least a mile) merino stud station called "Anlaby" built in 1839, which I am quite besotted with. It was owned by one  of the richest families in South Australia and all it's personal possessions were sold off and now it is being restored by the new owners. We bought a signed copy written by the new owner. We couldn't go inside as it was an open garden day but we pressed our noses on the leadlight glass and could see the beautiful panelled library....sighhhh......

Jump forward to this Sunday and to the Adelaide Hills and driving randomly around and we saw a collectables shop...couldn't find anything...walked out turned my head to the front window and spied some old books. If you have been following me for a while you know I love antique books. I purchased them and as the guy was wrapping them , he took off the tag to throw it away and I just caught the words....".from the original Anlaby Library"
 I can't believe it...what were the chances!!!

The restored head gardener's cottage .....I wish I had taken more pics of the property....the walled garden. the haha, the mushroom house,the conservatory...

gorgeous page edges

pull out illustrations

It has a plate in the front E. Powell

I read the first few pages of Volume 1 and the books to be published needed donations from wealthy people in 1799 e.g The Duchess of Devonshire and they are listed in the front and I found E. Powell listed

And published in 1803....to Australia.....a South Australian sheep station and now on my shelf!

In the garden this week

It is so hot the Spring roses are almost finished

ripening  nectarines,pears,apples,plums

Linking up with 

The Dedicated House

Knick of Time
French Country Cottage
Ivy and Elephants
Shabby Art Boutique
Chic on a Shoestring
My Romantic Home
Sir thrift-a-lot
Rose Vignettes

Rooted in Thyme

The Charmed Home

Elizabeth & Co

Finding Fabulous

Thoughts from Alice
Woman in Real Life

Denise inVA

Wall Art

We took a trip to our favourite country town places to find treasures this week. Mr VL fell in love with these 2 old paintings

They are oils on board, probably Victorian and have brass plaques " Evening in the Highlands and "Morning in the Highlands"They would of course have brown frames but at some stage been painted with a " French shutter" shade of blue.

We haven't put them up yet and still deciding where they will look best


 A year ago I fell in love with this heavy cast iron wreath to hang on a wall,
 from France which was too expensive ...it was on display again reduced by 70%

My other find was an Art Deco era Diana Ware glazed vase in the most gorgeous colour. It perfect for my pink roses

I also picked up a couple of goodies from the local charity shop

 A $2 cushion

Brand new shoes for Christmas day....$2

 roses massed along the back verandah

Green fields turning to gold

potatoes,rhubarb,tomatoes,beans,lettuce

heads down bum's up

The house is filled with fragrance

really Mum....another photo!

Linking up with 

The Dedicated House

Knick of Time
French Country Cottage
Ivy and Elephants
Shabby Art Boutique
Chic on a Shoestring
Country Farm Home
My Romantic Home
Sir thrift-a-lot
Rose Vignettes

Rooted in Thyme

The Charmed Home

Elizabeth & Co

Finding Fabulous

A Revisionary Life

Thoughts from Alice
Woman in Real Life

Denise inVA