Late Summer At Home & Silly Tweets

Why the silly tweets? Because giggling is good medicine, and we sure need more joy, doncha know. Life is ever the strange, uncertain journey. (We have been around long enough to know Presidential election years hold uncertainty, but really?) Does a pervading sense of low grade anxiety even qualify as mental imbalance anymore since it is a sane response to the stimuli? Am I the only one who feels suspicious of those ‘sturdy and steady’ types? Seeing invitations for joy is a huge part of the journey where I live and breathe. If I don’t do the work of purifying the lens to see (isn’t that what all spiritual work is about?), it becomes easy to sink into despair. Let’s see what late summer at home looks like round these parts and giggle a little as we resist taking ourselves too seriously at all costs!

Late Summer at Home & Silly Tweets

French Courtyard & Gardens

(Below) Here’s how it started before we began trimming back the hedges to see the space we had to work with. We decided to cover this broken up cement with pea gravel to create a zen space.

And here it is now (a visiting place of deer, squirrels, neighborhood cats and bunnies):

It remains spare at this point, and in coming seasons, I may add containers with flowers but we are out in the wild with woodland creatures. No chance of it ever feeling less than lush with walls of live flowering dogwoods! Fortunately the place is also alive with butterflies and bees, and I love using it as a my own secret hideaway.

This is one end of the walled garden, and the other half has my old bench and chairs from our former courtyard.

Not bad at all! I put a fresh coat of paint on the old dining set and stenciled the seats (see more ideas for stenciling in THIS). Here’s a view of the hedged garden at the edge of our forest from my bathroom window:

There’s actually a lot of square footage in that courtyard (the tiny house we bought where our son lives would fit inside it!). So special and one of the features that set this property apart when we toured it.

Garden Highlights

Oh my late summer hydrangea!

They are turning rosy now which I also love. Here’s a view from our bedroom sitting area. The willow is nothing short of spectacular in every season.

My husband and I share responsibilities for the outdoors. He mows, and I do the weeding on weekends. It always feels like a privilege because even the weeds are healthy, lush, and evidence of the rich soil.

Here’s the creek running alongside the walking paths adjacent to the forest preserve we’re on:

Just the best peaceful soundtrack ever!

Beautiful Fresh Late Summer Finds

Amish-Made Broom (Millstream Home) from Aware House

I have always wanted a handmade broom, and my wish came true with the opportunity to test drive this one made by Amish makers in Pennsylvania.

This broom with natural corn bristles is offered by Millstream Home at Aware House, a new to me source for carefully curated and thoughtfully produced goods, manufactured with integrity and ethical business practices.

I don’t even mind leaving this beautifully crafted broom outside the utility closet!

Why Invest in a Well-Crafted Workhorse?

But what is the experience of using this broom? Top notch. Yesterday we pet sat for my favorite pretty pittie whose shedding is legendary. This morning I first vacuumed the kitchen thoroughly with the Dyson. Then I swept and was astonished at what was left behind! Sorry, but Old World corn bristles mean business! Plus, I live for unplugged wondrous spiritual practices such as sweeping in silence. LOVE THIS FIND FROM AWARE HOUSE SO MUCH!

Loom.ist Muslin Bath Robe from Aware House

Also from AWARE HOUSE? This amazing white muslin bath robe from Loom.ist:

Do you know this brand? Loom.ist is dedicated to creating change and beauty, ethically. Their robes and textiles are created by hand in Turkey.

All Loom.ist pieces are: crafted from natural fibers, hand-loomed in different regions of Turkey and transformed into fresh, timeless looks to reflect a casual lifestyle.

I loved this Turkish robe from the minute I unboxed it, and the quality is divine. (Thank you, Aware House for curating the BEST!). Just seeing it on my robe hook shifts me into a more relaxed mood since I’m forever a fan of casual, understated, cozy opulence!

20% off site wide at Aware House right now (or one time 20% off if you subscribe anytime!).

I’ll show you more of our bathroom soon in a refresh post.

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

French-y Stripe Washable Rug from My Magic Carpet

This image looks slightly Ai, but this is just how things look in our entry – electric outside and a bit moody and dramatic inside. The rug is my first washable rug – a 5×7 grey stripe (feels modern French to me) sent over by My Magic Carpet.

Do you live with washable rugs? Have they been a gamechanger for you? I think you’ll like the friendly price tag from My Magic Carpet, and I already have my eye on a couple other patterns.

These rugs are non-allergenic and made of stain-resistant 100% microfiber polyester. The underside has a waterproof inner liner and nonslip webbed back.

If you have pets or messy family members, what a lovely find. Simply throw them in any standard sized washer and dryer.

Of course there is more to show you but this is already getting long, and we need laughter too!

One-Off Funny Tweets

Did someone say sheets?

I’m shopping for sheets and a duvet at the moment…does the thought of autumn coming shift you into nesting mode too?

I have a small collection of 18th century French letters and documents, and you can start collecting too right here:

Never met a taco salad I didn’t like…you?

So true!

Well that’s slightly depressing!

Ridiculous Tweets & Quotes to Pin

Can’t stop thinking about how this gorgeous blue and white vessel sink shared in this story could inspire a whole bath design scheme!

Especially true for content creators and bloggers now that Ai has moved in!

Goodness, ‘caller ID’ sounds like a lifetime ago!

Late Summer Finds & Humor to PIN

And how is it possible 2020 was 4 years back? I’m thinking it held so much trauma for me personally that it will take more psychological work to dislodge it from my consciousness! Remember when we didn’t really need a daily planner in 2020? I love the stationery and planners from Rifle.

Hahahahahaha.

If that fanciful wallpaper thrilled you, make sure you don’t miss THIS STORY!

I liked these budget friendly blonde blinds I used in this dressing room enough to add them to other rooms. Now I’m thinking about more for our bedroom and bath…what do you think?

Time to Giggle & Savor Last Bits of Summer

I will never not giggle when I see that tweet…so true!

Please normalize everyone closing their eyes when I am driving in reverse too!

These Honeydew sheets are sooooooo good and my husband’s favorite (he sleeps hot).

Oh those family chat threads! Something always goes sideways!

I’m still trying to acclimate to all of the new acceptable modes of communication. There was a time I wasn’t crazy about talking on the phone…now what I wouldn’t give to have that opportunity back!

Can’t say enough about how this brand delivers!

And Cozy Earth! If you need a classic, high quality bath mat or linens or cozy things, you will love them.

I have reached the age where I also talk to inanimate objects and tell Alexa to shut up. I’m not proud of it. And we’re all just one weak moment away from an embarrassing viral TikTok moment. I feel as though my high tech husband has cameras everywhere so it’s like I went from pediatric paparazzi when my kids were young to George Orwell’s 1984.

Burritos are unsung heroes. Here’s a recipe to try:

I just love the sweetness in the tweet above.

Oh yes!

Good gracious, I hope you found a giggle or two and pin as many of these as possible!

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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