Our Useful Porch: Living Room/School Room

I finally got the school room rearranged and organized for the start of the school year a couple weeks back and am making time to share them today.

For some reason, there is something about having a "new" room to go to that makes the first day of home-schooling seem more like a new place to be.

The new set-up gives useful separate areas for the different needs this porch room fills.

We moved the table up against the wall in front of the bright windows.

I love the long table: it offers a lot of elbow room.

The bottom was an outdoor table that the glass broke out of

and we found the wooden top to replace it on Craig's List.

On one end of the table I put needed supplies in separate containers...

and am hoping they will stay separated long enough to make the effort worth it.

 It seems I/we can keep things more organized when we have enough containers and storage spaces.

I especially like baskets because not only do they look quaint,

the handles make them easier for kids to carry.

A big basket of markers on the floor seems harder to lose than a generalized plastic box

(or maybe it just stands out to these eyes that seem to miss things that appear too ordinary...

"Scream at me, markers, where are you?")

 I have read over and over that if the artist in me ever wants to get much of my own projects accomplished, I need to set up a distinct place that is mine

and a distinct time to work there.

 At least with my easel and desk set up here, I can view the television to catch an evening movie while I work, or get a few strokes in at the easel while seat work is going on.

I like to repeat using some colors/boxes for storage.  Somehow, this makes me "feel" more organized;

but then allowing for some different basket containers makes it seem more inviting.

I also have found it helpful to keep a different child's books on different shelves.

My 5 year old's school books are on the second shelf,

my 7 year-old's school books are on the bottom shelf.

My supplies are on the very top and the first shelf holds some school games.

 I also think it's fun to employ old pieces of furniture to hold things.

 

The top part of this piece came out of our barn.

The bottom is a dresser that was missing the two large lower drawers.

Painting them the same color helped bring them together.

The large crate beside it holds my oldest daughter's school books.

 The top part holds my things: some of my favorite tea cups as well as sewing supplies and some ink supplies for artwork.

 The bottom behind the curtain holds some of my teacher books and art pads;

a fabric box full of extra reading to go with our year of schooling: 

one for my son and the other for my daughter.

 There are also my special art markers in a basket and a box tin full of CD's underneath the cupboard.

A smaller bookshelf hidden partially under my sewing machine cupboard has art supplies for the kids to use.

Isn't it a necessity to keep a good amount of green plants around to make it seem like the outdoors isn't too far away?
(Or to put it simply: I love plants!)

The other side of the room is set up for relaxing to read books, or watch a movie in the evening,

or, occasionally, to watch something educational.

I worried the fuzzy wool off-white rug would be hard to keep in this room,

but I took a risk and got it,
hoping it would make this part of the room feel more welcoming.

I am glad a fellow blogger gave the advice that stretching to take a small risk like this doesn't need to be such a scary thing to do; so I took a small bit of my kitchen money I had set aside
(and that was not going to happen this year),
and I bought a few rugs during a good sale at USA Rugs,
weighing in that the immediate warmth they would give to our home was worth the extra wait toward the kitchen.
  I have been so happy with the results).

My son's bearded dragon on the other side of the room enjoys having the constant flow of traffic throughout this room, I'm sure.

Now we can hit the books...

and paintbrushes!

Thanks for stopping in for our tour.

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Living Spaces in the Flower Gardens.

Hello!  Did you do anything creative this weekend?

I did a few things but mostly spent a lot of time catching up on housework...the plant sales and kept me so busy that my house was in desperate need of some drastic attention.  It feels great to have a good part of the house done but I still have a few areas I hope to finish this week.

It is so hard to be inside when the weather is perfect.  The sun shone all weekend and it was a perfect temperature of warm out.  I took a few pictures because it is incredible how a couple weeks can transform the gardens.

 

I have a few different types of allium, but these are my favorite.

The flowers are about 4 inches in diameter each.

I did spend some time to clean up the basement porch.

The winter woodpile by the door was finally used up as it has been such a cold spring.

I love how adding a few plants on the porch seems to extend the garden in.

I painted the long bench and the wooden bucket some cheerful colors.

I was going to separate this hosta I dug up from one of the gardens but ended up planting it into the bucket for now.

Perennials are my usual choice for plants, but this dainty purple plant was a gift to each of the ladies at our mother-daughter banquet so I potted it up and set it on the window sill...

as long as the curious cat doesn't knock it off.

It always seems that by the time I have caught up with the house and gardens,

a group has formed of new plants I want to put in.

(My husband and kids started the winter woodpile back where I had plants stocked for the sale just as soon as I got them moved back to the field again.  His work never ends).

I collect hostas; this one is called Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

There are hundreds of hosta varieties and they have great names and beautiful colorings and textures.

I try to limit myself to just a handful of new varieties each year.  As they grow, I separate them and plant them into three different gardens and then I can dig one up and every year or so to have the extras to sell at my plant sale.

(This lets me feel like my collection pays for itself...eventually.

I enjoy collecting something that stays outside and becomes beautiful without my having to dust it or vacuum around it; and the fact that it grows and can be shared makes it even better).

This year I chose Queen of the Seas, Popcorn, Northern Exposure, Miss Suzie, Ripple Effect,

and Ulysses S. Grant.
See what I mean?  They have fun names, don't you think?

Of course, simple blooms like that of the Cornflower are sweet to see.

The Bridal Veil Spirea is in full bloom right now.  The scent of it takes me back to my grandmother's when I was a child.

This is what the gardens look like most of the time in the spring.

I found some dwarf wisteria shoots in the place where I had moved it from and dug them up to see how they would do.

Unfortunately, my walkways are seldom tidy.

Chickens and ducks seem to like the gardens as much as I do,

no matter how much I try to shoo them out.  I kept them penned up until the plant sales were done

and it just seems hard to keep them penned all season with all the thousands of bugs to catch and the green grass to nibble on,
so I try to work with it.

It's hard to believe how much has grown since my earlier post on this flower bed >HERE<.

My plans now are to extend the garden below, clear the center of it, and make an area for our picnic table so we can spend time eating outside this summer.

I would love for my husband to build a support system over it for the wisteria to grow on,
but that may have to wait until the wood is done and the hay fields are mowed and the barns are cleaned out...

Still, it is fun to imagine what I want this place to become.

Until next time, I'll try to finish up the bee picture I mentioned in the last post.
It might be a struggle to stay focused with the blooms calling to me outside,
but I'll get to it!

(Viburnum Doublefile)


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Longwood Gardens: A Vacation of Beauty.

 Today I am taking a break from painting ideas to revisit a favorite place.

Kelly's Korner is having a blog party of sharing favorite vacation places.

Living on a farm limits us from taking many over night vacation trips,

so we usually find enjoyable day trips instead.

My favorite day trip vacation is definitely the Longwood Gardens.

I would love to spend a good amount of time there painting the beautiful plants and landscaping.

The topiary gardens are impressive.

There are so many great places to walk:

 many gardens have structures and sculptures that take one to another era.

Wouldn't she be fun to sketch?

 We visited the gardens in the fall and at Christmas time.

 Both visits had beautiful sights.

Fall was a perfect time to stroll and see the colors.

 The kids enjoyed the outdoor train garden.

There was something about this garden that made me think of the ocean...

wild but beautiful.

 There is a grand conservatory for viewing spectacular indoor gardens.

Of course, the flowers change during the different seasons.

 For example, this was in the middle corridor in the fall.

The flooring is covered with water and visitors can walk around it.

 This was the same corridor at Christmas time.

 The grand Christmas display looks all ready for a fine Christmas feast.

Doesn't this area look like a medieval castle?

At Christmas there was a grand tree in the side room.

An indoor waterway garden spans the center of the main building.

 Off to one wing, a children's garden is full of fountain fun:

 

the kids enjoyed trying to catch the unpredictable spurts of water

and wandering through the child-centered displays.

 Different displays and moods are created with different flowers and foliage.

 My son was excited when we found the pitcher plant, sundew plants, and venus fly trap garden.

 During the Christmas display, ornaments, stars, and lights were everywhere...

even in the rose room.

Of course, Christmas tree displays made of every assortment were magnificent as well.

In one of the houses at the gardens, there was an intricate display in miniature.

Doesn't every girl dream of having a dollhouse with this kind of detail?

 The outside gardens were more enjoyable during our fall visit,
not so cold for walking.

The kids loved the tree houses...

 as well as the hike through the meadow.

 I was disappointed these Italian gardens with fountains were turned off for the season.

 but they were still beautiful.

One of my favorite parts of the day was the extensive walking we did,
the peaceful beauty of God's creation all around.

 We ended the day watching the musical water fountain.

At Christmas, we viewed the musical water garden in the dark,

and it was magical.

I am so thankful these gardens have been maintained and preserved for present day enjoyment.
(Thank you also to my sister-in-law and brother-in-law and family for the tickets for the visits.  How fantastic!)

If you ever have the chance to visit, dress for walking and you will have a memorable day of vacation.

(If I get the chance to visit again, I will take my better camera and know the pictures will be that much better...and this is just a sampling of the gardens.  There is so much more there to see.

Also, if you happen to eat at the dining area, the cream of mushroom soup is just incredible!)

If you would like to read the history of the gardens, you can enjoy that aspect of it at this link: 

http://longwoodgardens.org/history

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