weekend happenings

For me, this first weekend of the year is all about relaxing as much as possible, so I’m taking a cue from these two adorable Labradors!

With the holidays behind us, I’ve been focusing on a few ways to relax, and one way is to unwind in the evening and catch up on “The Crown”. 

In fact I started just before Christmas on the very first episode, and I’m totally hooked! It's similar to Downton Abbey with the amazing sets and costumes, and the story is captivating!

Do you watch it?

I want to prepare myself for season three which debuts very soon, with a whole new cast, as the Queen Elizabeth’s timeline jumps ahead a few years.

I’m looking forward to more thrifting adventures in the new year. Just before the holidays, I found these two pretty little European paintings. 

The top one is my favorite and is so darling, It has just the right colors for my kitchen. I'm still trying to figure out just the right spot for it. I should probably display them together, what do you think?.

Anyhow, the top one is about 8 x 10 in size, and was only $8, while the other one was $10. You should have seen me at the thrift store when I spotted these... 

I hope no one was in my way, because I literally rushed over and quickly grabbed them and put them in my cart for safe keeping, haha.

Here's what I found at Roger’s Gardens this week

Over the last couple of months, with the cooler weather setting in, I’ve been spending more time in the garden freshening things up and planting a whole new section in the back where a fence was replace and plants were taken out.

So, my go to for inspiration is always Roger’s Gardens, although I do like Armstrong’s as well. I’ve planted quite a few little drifts of ornamental cabbage and kale recently. They come in the most divine greens and purples.

They're so perfect with all the herbs and succulents that we already have in the garden. 

The focal point of the new little garden area is a lemon tree, and the surrounding that I've planted several English style climbing roses,  and about eight pretty old-fashioned rose shrubs that will have beautiful romantic-style blooms and hopefully lots of heavenly fragrance too! 

They're all edged with some of my favorite herbs like rosemary, thyme, chives and sage.

Among the old-fashioned roses I planted like a Gertrude Jeckyll and several David Austin roses are two new Downton Abbey roses! This one's called Violet's Pride, named after Maggie Smith's hilarious character and...  

this one’s called Edith’s Darling, you can see the beautiful shape of these flowers here. I can’t wait ‘til I’m able to cut a fresh bouquet of them and bring them into the house!

We’re expecting some rain later today which all the plants will love, but for me that means it’s time to hunker down and get some stuff done at home.

I have all my Christmas décor on the dining room table right now ready to be boxed up, so putting it all away is next on my list!

Happy weekend!

ciao! fabiana

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photo of dogs from Country Living