Sprucing up the cottage...............

Today, despite this Labor Day holiday, I'm up early and I will be laboring, getting the cottage ready for good clean fun.  Well not actually fun.............more like just clean, as in new paint.  Yes, it's time again to clear off the porch, cut down the vines climbing up the posts - this breaks my heart as the jasmines have grown so well and looked so healthy this Summer despite the heat - shear off those gigantic hydrangeas, and give major haircuts to other larger shrubs in the front beds.  The area is looking sad and bare but I'm looking on the positive side. Perhaps all this barbering will rejuvenate the older plants, some fried to a crisp during this broiling Summer, give me a chance to amend the soil this Autumn, and hope for fresh new bloom next Spring.  The overgrown, blowzy, English garden look is history for a few years!  I'm telling myself it's all part of the push toward 'simplicity' both inside and outside the cottage..................

...................and as if that's not enough upheaval scheduled for the next two weeks, there's more!  Inside is getting a makeover too as tomorrow my painter will start removing the texture on the living room, kitchen, and entry hall ceilings, a messy job but it will look so much better once done.  Then he'll be painting the living room to lighten and freshen - changing the five year old pale sage 'Moselle' to Valspar's 'Bistro White'. 

I'm to be banned from the kitchen for a couple of days while it's wrapped in plastic - perhaps I'll have more time to blog and get caught up with you all.  I do know that we'll be heading to our favorite restaurants if we need nourishment!  I apologize for my lack of comments these past few weeks, I've been looking at your blog posts, but had little time to write most days.........life has been hectic all Summer, and it won't be slowing down for a while by looks of it!