to enjoy their heady fragrance and simple, artless grace?
They arrange themselves, the little darlings. A pile of this --
-- trimmed of its lower leaves and plopped in a vessel --
drapes itself artistically in graceful swoops, and does this:
drapes itself artistically in graceful swoops, and does this:
Pair lilacs with a bit of old handmade lace, a classic Staffordshire china dog(a recent garage sale find), a tiny portrait of a child and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel,
and an ironstone plate laden with grapes and strawberries . . . .
And your Tabletop just says, "Spring!"***********************************************************************************
Now, a question: Do you have Sweet Spots in your house? Places where you love to perch for awhile, because you like what you see; you like the view? It just plain makes you happy?One of my favorite Sweet Spots in That Old House is in our Parlor.
This room is far from finished -- no rug, almost no artwork, but from my favorite
seat in the wing chair to the left of the fireplace, I just never get tired of seeing this:
This room is far from finished -- no rug, almost no artwork, but from my favorite
seat in the wing chair to the left of the fireplace, I just never get tired of seeing this:
I love looking out of the doorway, to the front hall -- the newel post, the stairs that have felt the tread of feet for nearly 180 years, the goofy old brass switch plate with the embossed eagle, the wide board floors . . . .
I look to my left, I see the fireplace:
The other wing chair:
And a peek into the dining room, where the clean plates from the most recent dinner party (in this case, this past Sunday evening's gathering of ten) are often waiting on the sideboard, all ready to be put away:
What are the Sweet Spots in your house?
***********************************************************************************
It's Tuesday, and I'm joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday, Tam at The Gypsy's Corner for Three Or More Tuesday, Diane at A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words for Second Time Around Tuesday, and Paula Grace at Paula Grace Designs for Timeless Tuesday. ***********************************************************************************
Three Or More Timeless Designs in this post, which are all Second-Time-Around-ers, are: Staffordshire dog, camelback sofa, wing chair and -- the best of all -- those old floors and stairs in the Parlor and front hall.
You can click on any highlighted word, above, or on any of the blog party logos, below, to visit the other participants and enjoy! -- Cass
It's funny... you can tell where people are in the country (USA) by their foilage. :) My lilacs have already bloomed and faded. :(
ReplyDeleteLouisville KY
My sweet spot is in my living room, nothing special, but it's MINE, and mine alone! And... I have a newly redone fireplace (all by my lonesome) It's home to me, and I love it!
Although... I might consider being adopted by you, so that I can also enjoy "your" sweet spot! Cause it is fabulous! Looking toward that staircase is breathtaking (for me). I remember when I first found your blog, I fell in love with your header(house) and I wrote you and asked you if it was where you live. :) I couldn't believe it was a HOME and not a stock photo!
i'm rambling now...
gail
Cass --
ReplyDeleteI love the lilacs and the dog and the picture . . . how sweet -- my Staffordshire spaniels are upstairs -- time, methinks, to bring them down!!! I have one that is very much like yours -- I think it is a single?
Our lilacs are gone but my MIL's white ones haven't started to fade yet and so I went over and brought home an armload -- the white are so sweet -- and before the house goes, I'm getting me a start of that white one -- at least one start!!!!! Perhaps two!
I'll have to think about my favorite spot -- perhaps it is one per room! I know that each room has a special spot! I do like yours -- what grand memories That Old House has!
My absolutely favorite flower and my mother's too. Maybe it is because of the gorgeous color of lavender or maybe the way they smell. They come in all shades of purple, white, and pink too. Heavenly. Your table is graced with the pretty vignette. Thank you for posting them.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Jeanne
Your shot of the lilacs on the table is purely art! I wish we could grow lilacs here -- I think it is too warm part of the year for them to proliferate like they do in other parts of the country. I planted two last year, forgot to water them, and you can guess the rest!
ReplyDeleteScribbler
http://scribbler-unfocused.typepad.com/
Your lilacs and the little dog, ironstone with fruit and tiny picture on the lace is absolutely stunning. What a perfect combination. Your home is so beautiful. I truly love the view from your chair. The floors, furniture and stairs are all breathtaking. So perfect. Thanks so much for joining the party. This is such wonderful eye candy. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteOh, you lucky ladies with lilacs! Yours are gorgeous, and together with the other elements, make a stunning tablescape. I like your "sweet spot," too -- the graceful curves of the sofa and the staircase are very appealing!
ReplyDeleteOh, my Cass- that is one SWEET spot! I'll have to think about mine- does it have to be in THIS house??
ReplyDeletexoxo Pattie
I love the smell of lilacs and always bring some in the house to enjoy! I wish they lasted longer when cut!
ReplyDeleteYour lilacs are gorgeous! My husband grew up with them and had always wanted to plant a few bushes but we have never gotten around to it. I love the older, established plants the best. How pretty they look cut and on your table.
ReplyDeleteYou have so many pretty spots in your house...so many neat rooms to sit in. I think you aren't the only one to be in love with That Old House!!
xoxo
Jane
What a lovely home with gorgeous sweet lilacs to accent & punctuate the beauty.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
TTFN ~ Hugs, Marydon
When I was young, growing up in Michigan, we would go visit my grandmother and bring home armfuls of Lilac blossoms. OH the smell alone was wonderful. And then to cut as many as we wanted, bliss. Thank you for the memory. Pat
ReplyDeleteAhhh, lilacs. One of my favorites as well as my Moms'. Brings back memories of me as a young child picking my Mom armloads of lilacs and than always arranging them in a white hobnail large vase and putting them in the center of our huge farm house kitchen table similiar to yours, but nearly as beautiful as yours is.
ReplyDeleteHere in MN, we still only have lilac buds and we anxiously await their blossoming. How fun it is to read your post and see glimpses of the beautiful bones of your very vintage home that you always dreamed of. So cool to see that dream realized each day.
Thanks for the recent visit to my blog.
Gretchen
Your home is just incredibly charming, love your spring lilacs, just beautiful. Your staircase is just awesome!
ReplyDeleteNancy
Oh Cass,
ReplyDeleteWhen i see lilacs, I come running! Our's aren't quite here yet, only the buds but I can hardly wait. Beautifully set table and beautiful home, I never tire of seeing!
Cindy
Can hardly wait until the lilacs bloom here, high up in the Rocky Mountains! Until then-I will continue to admire yours and keep looking for all the sweet spots!
ReplyDeleteI love every view I've ever seen of your house. EVERY STINKIN' ONE!!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite "sweet spot" here is the dining room - - - but I hardly ever go in there.
Very sad face.
My lilacs are white and are still babies, so I can't bring in huge bunches, but even a stem or two makes the house smell so good. I love your house. We had 6 years in a historic huge home (money pit)and loved taking it back to its original beauty. Then we moved!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit today. The sterling tray just came home with me from my parent's house. If you read back a few posts you will see that my mom is very ill, so the fact my dad told me to bring it home and "do something pretty with it" makes it even more special to me.
Sue
Your lilacs are beautiful! I always love seeing pics of your home. I have a couple of favorite places to sit. One is where I am right now. At the dining table, on the laptop and all can see out into my courtyard. Flowers in bloom, birds singing and the topiary lights just clicked on.
ReplyDeleteHave a great evening.
you say the room has "almost no artwork." it should have *no* artwork-- because the one painting hanging in it (of the San Antonio riverwalk) is mine! ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove,
- your daughter in California
Hey! Thanks for the kind comments. Stopped by your blog earlier today and meant to comment but got to reading your other posts, then veered off to another. Anyway, wanted to say, beautiful lilacs. I don't have those! They are gorgeous! I also have a very similar sweet spot inside that is one of my arm chairs beside the fireplace that overlooks the entire room. Looks towards the front door foyer, and then easily towards the back porch. It's my laptop chair! Outside my sweet spot is on the screen porch in my hammock under the ceiling fan on hot days and on one of my lounge chairs on the deck on nice weather days. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHello! What beautiful lilacs! Love everything you shared! Hmm? My sweet spot would be this wingback chair in our living room. I love love sitting here while i'm on my laptop or reading a book.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sandra
I'm loving the sweet spots!
ReplyDeleteI think i need to do a little more work on mine
still.
dena
sweet pickles and chocolate
My sweet spot depends on the time of day. When it is dark out in the middle of the night I like to sit in front of the living room window on the love seat and watch the world going by. You would be surprised how many people are out and about in the middle of the night.
ReplyDeleteCass I can smell those lilacs right through the internet.
You home is lovely, the vignette on your table is very pretty, but I couldn't help but notice the table itself!
ReplyDeleteYou are so fortunate to live where lilacs bloom, they are so lovely!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing the sweet spots in your home, so beautiful! Love the white settee!
Katherine
I love the "sweet spots" in your old house. The WIDE plank floors in your parlor are spectacular. Love them!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm was about to go pick dome lilacs and looked outside and it's dark! This blogging just steals the time doesn't it : ))
I just love Lilacs. The aroma floating from room to room is just so special.
ReplyDeleteI too think your wide plank floors are spectacular, such a beautiful old house you have, so much character and charm.
What a wonderful Spring table arrangement. I love lilacs. They are plentiful in Rochester, NY, my hometown. I love your old house. It has such character. Thanks for joining Timeless Tuesday!
ReplyDeletePaula Grace ~