Happy September, friends! I really do believe time is passing at warp speed. My favorite season will be here soon. Today is not as hot, but is quite humid. In Virginia we will probably continue to experience warm weather throughout the new month though little changes are happening. Our Black Gum trees have been dropping colorful leaves for a while now. We also have a White Oak that drops its leaves when we experience dry weather. Thankfully we received over three inches of rain this week. Though it all came down rather quickly and we lost some to run off, it was good to get some moisture.
We are so fortunate to have butterflies visit us frequently! The Monarch (Danaus plexippus) thrills us particularly.
The Hummingbird Moth loves to visit our Buddleia as well.
Our old patio umbrella needed updating and we were able to find a cover for this one for half price at World Market.
The old one had a wonderful wooden skeleton that we could keep and just place the new cover on it. Works well and I'm pleased with it. Samuel said he liked the new Zebra umbrella when he first saw it!
The vinca has filled in nicely in the patio planter.
The rudbeckia has taken over the perennial bed in the back. I must speak to the gardener (me) about removing some of it as it seeds profusely!
My friend Cheryl at https://thinking-about-home.blogspot.com has the most lovely home decorating ideas along with her sweet wisdom. She recently posted about making a silhouette and also about one she had bought at an antique shop. She got me thinking about the silhouettes that I have of our two children. I told her I needed to go find them and bring them out into the light of day again. So eventually I found them in a mountain of framed photos of our children.
Grayden hung them beside the China cabinet in the living room. I'm so happy with them. Seeing their little profiles makes this Mama very happy!
The one of Noel was taken in Disneyland before her brother was born. They had an artist on Main Street USA that would do these if you could get your child to sit long enough!
Noel's is in a larger frame so we placed her on the bottom. We love seeing this as she loved to wear her hair in this fashion! He even included her eyelashes.
As you can see Grady's was done in Walt Disney World. I'm not sure of the date, but he is three years younger than Noel. I love seeing his profile as well and those eyelashes!
Did you ever get silhouettes done by these artists? I truly treasure them. Thank you Cheryl for reminding me of these precious times!
Thank you for reading a little of this and that, my friends! Have a happy week ahead.
Martha Ellen, Jess has that same black and white pattern on her outdoor chair pads, and she got them at World Market also! Your umbrella looks very nice. The vinca is thriving along the patio planter. Yes, I've seen these silhouettes before from Disneyland. I actually had a self portrait sketched at Disneyland when I was a young girl. These silhouettes of your son and daughter are treasures, Martha Ellen, and they look very nice hanging on the wall next to your cabinet. Grayden did a great job on that.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your "this and that" post, and they are truly some of my favorite blogger posts. And that butterfly is something else!
Happy September, dear friend.
~Sheri
Sheri that's neat that Jess has the same pattern on her chair pads! It's a small world for sure. I'd love to see your self portrait if you have it. Thank you for your sweet comments on my children's silhouettes. I'm happy that they have been rehung in our home. Happy September to you as well, dear friend!
DeleteDelightful series of photos Martha Ellen! Your home and garden with their delightful visitors are charming, and I am loving those silhouettes, really darling! Thank you for another wonderful post and Happy September my dear friend :)
ReplyDeleteYou are so kind, dear Denise. These over 50 year old silhouettes have made both Grayden and I very happy that they are hanging again. Where in the world does time go? Happy September to you dear friend!
DeleteMartha Ellen, I very rarely check my blog list these days, and I’m so very glad I did today! I’ve been missing you, and here you are! We never had those silhouettes of our three daughters, and I wish we had. I love yours! Sending hugs and rabbit, rabbit wishes to you!
ReplyDeleteNellie, it's so nice to hear from you. I've missed you as well. Posting here has been rather sparse these days. Sending hugs to you as well dear one!
DeleteSuch sweet silhouettes, Martha Ellen! I'm glad you were reminded of them. The zebra umbrella is great! Happy September to you!
ReplyDeleteEllen, I'm so glad Cheryl reminded me of them. Have a happy September!
DeleteIt’s great to see the Monarch. Sightings around here have been sparse this year. We have two pupae which should eclose any day now and we are looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteI will be waiting to see your photos of the two chrysalis! Exciting times ahead.
DeleteMy silhouette was done in Disneyland {FLA} in 1978, right after Thanksgiving and I was in a thrall of wonderment at the Christmas decorations. Where did those years go?
ReplyDeleteHumidity ~ ahhhh! The balmy days of a Virginia summer and early autumn. Yes, I remember them well!
Have a lovely September, my friend.
Oh Deb, if you have it I'd love it if you would share your silhouette from Disney. One year our family celebrated Christmas in Disney World and it was quite magical indeed.
DeleteHumidity has been quite relentless this summer in Virginia. Even with a little bit cooler temperatures it hangs around like a fog!
Have a happy September, my friend!
What a lovely post! I'm so very glad you got rain. When I was going through the basement after the mold, I found a couple silhouettes done of me as a child. They were in terrible condition by then -- not frameable, probably not even safe (moldy a bit!) but it was fun to see them again. I don't think I remember sitting for them, though I must have. But I do remember them hanging in our family home.
ReplyDeleteThat's so nice you were able to visit your silhouettes that were done as a child. It's too bad they were damaged. I hope you were able to still save them or at least take a photo of them, Jeanie. Years ago these hung in our dining room and then as we painted they were replaced by more current photos of the children. It's nice to have them back out.
DeleteMartha Ellen, I am so happy that you found these silhouettes of your children and have hung them! They are priceless . . . so much detail . . . and bring back such sweet memories for you! And now, you have reminded me that my first grade teacher did large silhouettes of everyone in our class to give to our parents. Mine is much to large to display, but now my wheels are spinning. I wonder if there is a way to replicate it, only in a smaller scale? I am going to mull that over . . .
ReplyDeleteHumidity indeed. It is so oppressive. Thankfully, it has decreased through the day today and I will accept that gladly as long as it lasts! I am so looking forward to fall!
I love your new umbrella cover! Wonderful that you could keep the wooden frame!
Cheryl, we were unaware that we could replace just the cover of this wooden framed umbrella. So it was a win win on this front.
ReplyDeleteI do hope you can reduce the size of your silhouette from first grade! That would really be a treasure to display. Thank you again for reminding me of our children's silhouettes.
I am enjoying the chill in the air this morning. Fall is knocking on the door!
Delightful post, Martha Ellen! Don’t have time to write more right now. But this was a very pleasant break with warm memories on a busy day! Happy Fall! 💞🌻🦋🍁
ReplyDeleteAn enjoyable post.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking lovely.
I do like the silhouettes and they do hang nicely beside your China cabinet.
September in my part of the UK has started very wet!
I'm hoping the weather improves a little for the weekend, but I'll have to wait and see.
Enjoy your September days.
All the best Jan
Jan, I think our weather will flip flop with yours this weekend. We are expecting some rain then, but this week has been lovely. I do hope your weekend is lovely as well, my friend. All the best to you!
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