Happy weekend, my friends!
xx
Victoria
Picture by V.Zlotkowski
Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts
Friday, November 5, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
First fall decorations
This time of year lends itself so much for decorating and I always like to do it with something harvested, flowers from my garden, fruits and vegetables from the farm stand.
Candles make it warm and inviting, to sit and share a cup of tea!
As you can see I have been playing with my photo program on my new Mac! It's much fun!
Also today I found some great new books, fitting to my design philosophy to use things at hand, working with objects found in nature, the garden or around the house.
I will introduce them in the next few days on the Interior Design blog... I'll keep you posted!
Also as a little reminder, if you want separate updates from the design blog, please became a separate follower!
And just speaking of garden, look at this sweet visitor, even in the rain she came and ruffled her feathers, looking for last nectar! Perhaps click on the pictures so you can actually see the small hummingbird!
Much love to you all!
Victoria
Pictures by V.Zlotkowski
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Autumn
The last days have been filled with so many events, I had a hard time following up with the writing of my posts... My oldest son is visiting from Europe and I so enjoy to spend as much time as I can get with him and his darling girlfriend! Combine this with the regular school life and the needs of the other children we are more then busy and I have become a organizing juggler...
As you heard before my son has practically turned my old blog upside down and created what still seems like a little miracle. I have a professional blog now and it makes me very happy.
Yesterday was my birthday and I have been lucky enough to get my very own fantastic new Mac laptop. I am still in shock...This is wonderful, not only will my Mac 'baby' give me more options to work on my pictures and blogs, but I am mobile and this is great! I have never used Mac, always PC, it's time for something new!
Now I am getting lessons as how to use it, get to know so many ways of dealing with presentations and photos, I am afraid to forget half of it all, unless I keep on working on it! So, if I am not blogging as usual, it's for this reason...
Soon you will hopefully benefit from my newly aquired knowledge!
It's the first day of autumn, this makes me happy, I love this season, change is literally in the air and I love to slowly find coziness in the house.
Soon we can sit by a crackling fire and apple picking awaits us! There will be pumpkin soup and plum cakes, apple pies and spiced cider...We love to go for walks under the changing leaves and Indian summer is something we all look forward to every year!
I wish you a great beginning of the new season!
XX
Victoria
All pictures by V.Zlotkowski
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Lovely Cortona
A couple's retreat...Just when I thought, after seeing Arezzo, it could not get any better my husband (and I) had the idea to visit Cortona...alone!
This day was a precious gift to us. Isn't there anything sweeter than a few leisurely hours alone for a hardworking couple with children of a certain age and little time for themselves??? We are not blessed with any family back at home and time for just the two of us is very rare indeed.
We spent the day together, leaving everyone behind and took off to a mini road trip to Cortona, the old Etruscan city on the border to Umbria. We started early towards Arezzo, spend a delightful late morning shopping and sightseeing, had lunch in a tiny Osteria, hidden in a courtyard and covered in Wisteria, potted lemon trees - ripe with fruits - all around us.
We felt giddy with delight just to do as we pleased...
We walked hand in hand through a park, found an old, now overgrown Roman amphitheatre, later a fortress from the middle ages and then continued our journey towards Cortona...
Cortona hangs on high up on a steep hill side, but oh, it's a treasure to behold. A winding alpine road leads up to the first piazza, the views are amazing at every turn. The city is a fortified place, it's thick walls onces protected the inhabitants. Now we walked the steep narrow streets and marveled at every door, nook and cranny. The city is build up on top of itself. Houses from earlier centuries became the foundation of later ones. If only these walls could talk...The temperatures were soaring, but the city was shady and we stayed cool within.
The small city is a time capsule, now lively with artisans and craftsman and -woman. Handmade leather goods, handmade shoes, purses, bags and wallets are on display. The leather scent is so enticing...
I met a wonderful artist, she creates artful batics on larges linen strips, paints delightful pattern on linen dresses and her daughter creates colorful knitted coats and jackets. All this and more she sells at a small, but oh so seductively filled store. I could not resist and bought a lovely dress.
Finely woven linen can be found all over Tuscany, table clothes, hand towels and bedding... Thinking of my luggage allowance taking anything home was out of the question...(And the prices stopped me too, it's very expensive.)
We paused in a street cafe, watching the life around us going on....
Old man spending the afternoon over coffee and grappa, moms with two, three children in tow stopping by for ice cream...tourists making hard desicions as what to bring back home. We felt almost like locals.....
It was wonderful to stroll throught the steep lanes and alley ways, incredible vistas down the mountain and romantic corners wherever you turn.
The rooftops are centuries old, covered with the typical red roof bricks of the region.
Pottted plants, gardens and well taken care of old houses give this place a magical flair.
It is also a city of churches and cloisters, we counted at least 5 or 6 monasteries, all lived in and religious live is observed in a sweet and humble way. Many times have we stepped into a small chapel or larger church to discover an organist practicing, or a lovely solemn atmosphare, cool and spiritual.
Smallest chapels are lovingly decorated and fresh flowers and devotional candles burn under many altars.
The lovely terra cotta works of Andrea della Robbia can be found and works by many painters, today unknown.
We ended this glorious day at the terasse of a small hotel, having dinner just to ourselves, the lovely cusine of Tuscany and an incredible view down towards Umbria before us. Ahhhh.....
We returned home, filled with delicious impressions, memories and a glorious day just for the two of us...
This journey in Italy is coming to an end, come Saturday we will pack our bags and leave back to Germany, where the children and I'll stay with the older sons and a good friend in Berlin for a couple of days before returning home. My husband will be back in New York by Sunday night.
I can not put my emotions into words...
Ciao!
Victoria
All pictures taken by us...apart from the lovely work by Andrea della Robbia.(google image)
This day was a precious gift to us. Isn't there anything sweeter than a few leisurely hours alone for a hardworking couple with children of a certain age and little time for themselves??? We are not blessed with any family back at home and time for just the two of us is very rare indeed.
We spent the day together, leaving everyone behind and took off to a mini road trip to Cortona, the old Etruscan city on the border to Umbria. We started early towards Arezzo, spend a delightful late morning shopping and sightseeing, had lunch in a tiny Osteria, hidden in a courtyard and covered in Wisteria, potted lemon trees - ripe with fruits - all around us.
We felt giddy with delight just to do as we pleased...
We walked hand in hand through a park, found an old, now overgrown Roman amphitheatre, later a fortress from the middle ages and then continued our journey towards Cortona...
Cortona hangs on high up on a steep hill side, but oh, it's a treasure to behold. A winding alpine road leads up to the first piazza, the views are amazing at every turn. The city is a fortified place, it's thick walls onces protected the inhabitants. Now we walked the steep narrow streets and marveled at every door, nook and cranny. The city is build up on top of itself. Houses from earlier centuries became the foundation of later ones. If only these walls could talk...The temperatures were soaring, but the city was shady and we stayed cool within.
The small city is a time capsule, now lively with artisans and craftsman and -woman. Handmade leather goods, handmade shoes, purses, bags and wallets are on display. The leather scent is so enticing...
I met a wonderful artist, she creates artful batics on larges linen strips, paints delightful pattern on linen dresses and her daughter creates colorful knitted coats and jackets. All this and more she sells at a small, but oh so seductively filled store. I could not resist and bought a lovely dress.
Finely woven linen can be found all over Tuscany, table clothes, hand towels and bedding... Thinking of my luggage allowance taking anything home was out of the question...(And the prices stopped me too, it's very expensive.)
We paused in a street cafe, watching the life around us going on....
Old man spending the afternoon over coffee and grappa, moms with two, three children in tow stopping by for ice cream...tourists making hard desicions as what to bring back home. We felt almost like locals.....
It was wonderful to stroll throught the steep lanes and alley ways, incredible vistas down the mountain and romantic corners wherever you turn.
The rooftops are centuries old, covered with the typical red roof bricks of the region.
Pottted plants, gardens and well taken care of old houses give this place a magical flair.
It is also a city of churches and cloisters, we counted at least 5 or 6 monasteries, all lived in and religious live is observed in a sweet and humble way. Many times have we stepped into a small chapel or larger church to discover an organist practicing, or a lovely solemn atmosphare, cool and spiritual.
Smallest chapels are lovingly decorated and fresh flowers and devotional candles burn under many altars.
The lovely terra cotta works of Andrea della Robbia can be found and works by many painters, today unknown.
We ended this glorious day at the terasse of a small hotel, having dinner just to ourselves, the lovely cusine of Tuscany and an incredible view down towards Umbria before us. Ahhhh.....
We returned home, filled with delicious impressions, memories and a glorious day just for the two of us...
This journey in Italy is coming to an end, come Saturday we will pack our bags and leave back to Germany, where the children and I'll stay with the older sons and a good friend in Berlin for a couple of days before returning home. My husband will be back in New York by Sunday night.
I can not put my emotions into words...
Ciao!
Victoria
All pictures taken by us...apart from the lovely work by Andrea della Robbia.(google image)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Days and nights in Tuscany
Much life happens outdoors and we so enjoy exploring the places around us.
It is not just the small towns, but simply walking up the hill behind our house or the meadows, which have been cut and the fields have all been harvested and large rolls of aromatic hay are rolled up in huge bundles.
The white cows of Tuscany walking slowly in the evenings and we can hear their bells every night.
Just below the property is a large field, with a grove of trees. Every night a group of large deers appears. I captured these majestic animals, gracefully walking and grasing, not being really afraid, but watchful.
There is a trail going into the mountains and we have been trekking along for an hour and we perhaps could reach another hamlet, but the children are not used to such long walks and eventually we returned.
Around every bend we find something new, animals, vistas, stones and broken pottery!
I have picked greens and flowers along the path and the meadows. Its a paradise!
By now the house truly has our touch and we love sitting at night and watch the sunset. The house is perfectly suited for a larger family and cooking in this wonderful farmhouse kitchen is such a pleasure. At night we realize again and again how quiet it is up here, only the occasonal animal sound or the zicadas interrupt the silence. At night the sky gleams with millions of stars and we watch many shooting stars! And we share our wishes with the universe...
There is lots of room for everybody and everthing, a double stove provides ample space for preparing multi-course meals, we bake and we talk, eat and play games until late at night!
My little Ragazzo Italiano!
My oldest and his girl...
Well, we have made plans already to return here; we simply fell in love!
Soon more, there is much I want to show you! Today we are off to Arezzo, a wonderful town from ancient times with a church filled with the frescos of Piero della Francesca!
XX
Victoria
All pictures by V.Zlotkowski
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Birthday bash
June 17th is a special day, which my oldest son shares with an extraordinary group of people: Charles Eames, M.C.Escher, Igor Stravinsky, Ferdinand Freiligrath (among a few others, I guess...)
Happy Birthday, my love, your are in good company! They surely are an inspiration to you and with your artisic talent you fit in this line up....Franz List was so inspired by Freilgrath's poem
"O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst" and set it to music and composed the famous 'Liebestraeume #3.
Today this wonderful piece is dedicated to you, may you receive love and may you share your generous love always!
I am so happy today thinking of you and a little sad, since you are way to far and I miss you, as always...
We can't wait to see you so very soon, we all miss you and hope you will spend this day in great spirit! I am sure all around you will celebrate you as you deserve it!!!
We know you are in the last strenuous part of your studies for this semester and we hope you finish well and to your satisfaction (we have no doubt)!
Stay healthy and strong in this coming year and may your deepest dreams come true!
Many hugs and kisses for you today! Happy Birthday!
We all love you!
XX
~ Mama and the gang!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sunday beauty
The Gardener's Morning
The robin's song at daybreak
Is a clarion call to me. Get up and get out in the garden,
For the morning hours flee.
I cannot resist the summons,
What earnest gardener could?
For the golden hours of morning
Get into the gardener's blood.
The magic spell is upon me,
I'm glad that I did not wait;
For life's at its best in the morning,
As you pass through the garden gate.
- Howard Dolf
I took a turn in the garden this morning, just watching everything growing, passing, regrowing. The roses have outgrown me and I pick the fullest blossoms to bring inside...
I wish you a delightful Sunday!
XX
Victoria
The robin's song at daybreak
Is a clarion call to me. Get up and get out in the garden,
For the morning hours flee.
I cannot resist the summons,
What earnest gardener could?
For the golden hours of morning
Get into the gardener's blood.
The magic spell is upon me,
I'm glad that I did not wait;
For life's at its best in the morning,
As you pass through the garden gate.
- Howard Dolf
I took a turn in the garden this morning, just watching everything growing, passing, regrowing. The roses have outgrown me and I pick the fullest blossoms to bring inside...
I wish you a delightful Sunday!
XX
Victoria
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