Gardening Bliss...

Hello ladies... have you seen this beautiful new magazine yet?... it is called "Gardens of Bliss" and is a special collectors issue from Victoria magazine... I pre~ordered mine over a month ago, and it has not arrived yet... but they are all over in the markets here, so I snatched one up... I am not a patient person when waiting for a beautiful magazine to get here!... it is overflowing with gorgeous blooms and gardens of all kinds...

I admit I have always bought tons of magazines... but I keep them and refer to them over and over again, so I feel like it is money well spent... since our weather here is still not really nice enough to do much in the gardens, what with rain and snow almost every day despite the warmer temperatures, I have been browsing through alot of my collection of garden and home magazines...I think this issue of Country Living Gardener from Summer 1995 has got to be my most favorite ever!...

Look at this precious kitty, yawning all stretched out on the beautiful old wooden fence in a field of poppies...loving the glorious sunshine... too cute!...

Another favorite is the August 1993 Country Living issue below... I miss the old Country Living magazines and still look at my original ones often... this issue is all about one of my favorite places on earth... Carmel, California...the homes and gardens featured here are just beautiful!... my friend Julie at A Vintage Chic lives close enough to drive to Carmel in about an hour and recently posted beautiful photos from there here... sigh...

I also spent hours sipping tea and pouring over this issue from September 1990 featuring magical gardens in the Pacific Northwest... I spent alot of time in the Pacific Northwest as I was growing up when my daddy who was a Colonel in the United States Army was stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington... what a beautiful state and the gardens are all so stunning...

Country Homes Country Gardens from Spring 1997...love, love love the stick fence!...

I also subscribed to Better Homes and Gardens Floral and Nature Crafts... I so wish they still published these beautiful magazines!... I am still inspired by them, and plan on crafting some of the beautiful things they have shown... these are from 1995 but the contents are still gorgeous today and will look as pretty in my country home today as the ones I crafted back then...


So, I will bide my time... trying to be patient (I said "trying") as I await the Spring days when I am out in my own gardens once more... in the meantime, the kettle is whistling on the stove... my tea is ready... so I will relax with my magazines and wait... not really so patiently... xoxo...

"Blooming Prairie"...

Hello ladies... in my post just prior to this one, I posted about what I think "Prairie Style" is and showed some photos of my bedroom that I call Prairie or Farmhouse style, and also of a pretty quilt set I had ordered recently... I loved this particular quilt because the gorgeous flowers that covered it reminded me of the Prairie...I really love how it looks on my bed in the photo below... as I wrote my post, my thoughts drifted off to my great~grandparents, who, as I stated in my previous post, homesteaded hundreds of acres on the New Mexico Prairie in the 1800's...there they spent their entire adult life, building a home and farming their land... and there is where my daddy grew up as well... mine is a close~knit family and I feel my family members who have passed on are always close by me, in my thoughts and in my heart...always watching over me with a love that has no boundaries...one of my most cherished heirlooms is a beautiful quilt my great~grandmother stitched entirely by hand which is well over a hundred years old now... I will show that in another post soon...

Can you imagine my surprise and delight today when my quilt arrived... not just because it arrived quickly, but because of the name of it... I had ordered it strictly by a catalog number... look what it is called!... "Blooming Prairie"... I couldn't believe it!...

Below is a photo of my beloved great~grandfather and great~grandmother on their Prairie... I love them so much and miss them so... perhaps they helped me choose this most special quilt?... knowing how much I would love the name when it arrived... and cherish happy memories of the two of them and my time spent with them... and their stories of life on their Prairie...

I like to think they did... I love you grandma and grandpa... xoxo...

"Prairie Style"... My Way...

It seems that the old saying "the more things change, the more they stay the same" still holds true... everywhere you look these days, you see "the Prairie Style" being shown... unless you are in your twenties, perhaps you too have been decorating this way for years, like me... whether you call it "Prairie", "Farmhouse" or just plain old "Country" style it is a way of life, a state of mind... that I believe is timeless... most everything in my home is the same we had over twenty five years ago at our little farmhouse I have posted about... with some new and vintage additions through the years... to me, the photo below is the epitome of this style... I took this photo last year for one of the Barn Chick blog parties I participated in...if I ever write a book, (which I may just do one day!)... this would be the cover... I love my old Levi jacket hanging from the wooden fencepost, the sagging barbed wire fence, the 100+ year old barn in the background, with the sprawling meadow of wildflowers in the front...this gorgeous spot is just down the lane from our home...

This lifestyle calls out to me in everything I do, from the clothes I wear, to my cottage gardens, to my Country~Farmhouse~Prairie home...

Since we were hit with another winter snowstorm yesterday, I spent the entire day Spring cleaning my bedroom... it looked so spankin' clean and pretty, I took some photos to post... especially so my niece in London (and my niece here) can see what I have been up to!... favorite country books from twenty five years ago... still referred to today... with a cute wire egg basket full of vintage doilies...

The Prairie means many things to me... one of the main things I think of is the tall grasses and beautiful flowers... for now my flowers are faux... soon my vases will be filled with my own gorgeous blooms from my cottage garden...Penstemon and Coreopsis...purple Coneflower, stately Liatris and gorgeous Black~eyed Susans... and of course, my Bee Balm, love that!...

The Prairie sings a special song to me... not just about decorating, but about meadows and wildflowers... Red~tailed Hawks, brilliant yellow Goldfinches... a Meadowlark's song... have you ever heard a Meadowlark's song?... I surely hope so... it is so beautiful, and like no other... when Jack was a little boy growing up in Salt Lake City, when the Meadowlarks sang his grandmother used to tell him the Meadowlark was singing "Salt Lake City is a pretty little place"... as that is the melody you hear... I also love the distinct call of a Killdeer, which we see so often on our Nature walks... did you know a mama Killdeer will actually fake a broken wing and limp on the ground to draw predators away from her young?... our gentle breezes, swaying tall grass... fireflies and damselflies... the bullfrog's nightly chorus... to me, these things bring peace of mind and happiness that money just cannot buy...

I truly love looking at all of the beautiful all~white homes I see out there, so soothing and pretty, but as I have said before, they are just not me... I want lots of color in my home... the colors of Nature... so, I just ordered this beautiful quilt set... beautiful little "Prairie" flowers spilling all over it... I can hardly wait for it to arrive...

Touches of Nature fill the room...

To me, I think nothing is prettier than an old fruit jar filled with blooms... soon these faux hydrangeas will be replaced with Spring's early blossoms... most of my old blue jars were bought over twenty years ago... for about a dollar each back then... several were gifts from a neighbor who had them stored in her chicken coop... they are still plentiful today, however the prices have gone up, like everything else!...

A vintage straw hat with gorgeous old millinery flowers hangs on a wall...

During the 1800's, my great~grandfather (in the photo below) homesteaded hundreds of acres on the New Mexico Prairie... I was blessed that he and my great~grandmother lived to be almost a hundred years young and I treasure every moment with them that I had and love the stories they would tell...

The two paintings below hang in the bedroom as well... they are original water colors painted by famous New Mexico artist Charles S. Rawles and signed and dated 1927...they belonged to my great~grandparents then handed down through the generations to me...

A comfy corner to relax and daydream...

A beautiful handmade rag~rug I purchased on Ebay from an adorable ninety year young lady who made it over ten years ago... I think you can still see the rug... "someone" found it quite comfy and would not move!... tee hee hee... I love you Tessy!...

So, that's part of my "Prairie~Farmhouse~Country" style home... I want people to feel comfy and relaxed when they visit... put your feet up... sit a spell...


Y'all come back now, ya hear?... xoxo...

Vintage Cowgirl Boots...

I absolutely LOVE cowgirl boots, especially my beautiful vintage white ones... I am reposting a photo of them so my friend Rebecca of A Gathering Place can see how darling boots are as she mentioned in her post today she is thinking about getting a pair...


I have owned cowgirl boots all of my life... and they go so cute with just about anything, from jeans to a frilly dress to a prairie skirt... so Rebecca... you go girl!... I want to see you in some vintage cowgirl boots... there are even PINK ones!... xoxo...

Heartsease and Pansies...

Heartsease... what a beautiful name for these diminutive harbingers of Spring... today, I bought my first pot of them, the gorgeous purples ones I put in a galvanized bucket, along with a pot of purple and white Pansies on the step above...

"If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in Spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom" ~ Terri Guillemets

Today my soul is in bloom... wishing you a beautiful Spring day... xoxo...

KIDS !!! ...

"I want another treat mama... what do you mean I've had too many already today??? ...

Don't make me throw a tantrum!...

Okay, this is my VERY best tantrum!... now can I PLEASE have another treat???...


(I'm really a sweetheart... I just do this to get my mama's attention then I grin at her and get another treat anyway!)... woof woof "... Tessy

Welcoming Spring...

My calender says the first day of Spring is Sunday, March 20th... growing up, it was always on March 21st... I know not why the date was changed, but I will gladly take it a day earlier... in fact, I shall proclaim today the first day of Spring at Idyllhours!... the sun is shining, the sky is blue... the Robins are singing their beautiful song... my sweet violets are covered in teeny buds... I want to just sit and soak up all the beauty this day has to offer me... life is too short to let precious moments drift away...with all that is wrong with the world today, we must still take time to remember the good things as well... and count our many blessings... so, come celebrate with me!...

"The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day He created Spring"
~ Bern Williams

Happy Spring!... xoxo...

St. Patrick's Day...

Jack is Irish, so we celebrate St. Patrick's Day in a big way at our home... dinner is all planned out for Thursday... corned beef, cabbage and sweet red new potatoes... mmmm... grey poupon for the corned beef, sour cream and home~grown chives for the new potatoes and red wine vinegar for the cabbage... then of course, Irish coffee for dessert... our once a year treat as, other than an occasional glass of wine, we do not drink... but St. Patrick's Day is a day of celebration... of all things Irish... a day to honor and remember Jack's Irish heritage... I absolutely love everything Irish and the beautiful folklore that surrounds the Emerald Isle... I love stories about "the wee folk" and the gorgeous Irish countryside they inhabit...

An Irish Prayer

"May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for every prayer."

Happy St. Patrick's Day!... xoxo...

Where the Fairytale Begins...

As I was picking out beautiful songs for my playlist, I came across the first one playing now called "Where the Fairytale Begins"... where DO fairytales begin?... for me, they began many, many years ago... when a much, much younger Julie Marie lived an enchantingly beautiful childhood in a fairytale~like setting in my quaint little town of Bountiful... my sisters and I were encouraged to let our imaginations take flight and our thoughts and dreams carry us where they may...


Our days were filled with searching for magical four~leaf clovers, making beautiful garlands to wear in our hair out of sweet clover blossoms or pretty marigolds... heaven~scented sachets out of fallen rose petals from mama's rose garden... listening for the soft laughter of flower fairies as dusk began to fall... we truly lived a magical life back then... with our unlimited imaginations filling our days with memories to cherish our lifetime... fireflies and fairy dust... hollyhock dolls and snapdragon bouquets... I am quite certain, yes, infact I know without a doubt that the flower fairies dwelled amongst the delphiniums and larkspurs in our cottage garden... so, I began to write stories and poems about them... one day, perhaps I shall post my favorite one... I have always loved to write about the things that make my heart sing, and I wrote a beautiful little poem called "Fairies in the Moonlight"... I won a first place at my school when I was thirteen years old for it... yes, one day soon, I shall post it... but for now, you may click here to read a pretty fairy poem I wrote just last year and posted last May... I hope you too will let your imaginations soar and your dreams take flight... Believe in fairytales... they really can come true!... xoxo...

Bunny Hop...

What a delightfully enchanting day this has turned out to be!... the sun is shining, the day is warm... there really IS a feeling of Spring in the air today!... my heart is happy!...

Morning coffee in my beautiful roses cup, my almost~finished afghan I am crocheting in the oh~so~softest ever yarn...baby tears thriving in the early morning dappled sunlight filtering in through my front window... life is good!... as you can see, I am probably the only person in blogland who has not painted all of my furniture white... but, oooh, I love my natural woods!...

My trusty watchdog Tessy standing guard over our home... as I await a special package that is to be delivered to me today from a most special friend... Tessy!... you are supposed to be STANDING guard!... oooh... the postman just came... Tessy!... dogs are supposed to bark and chase the postman, what's up?... she has "Spring Fever" she tells me as she stretches out as long as she can in the morning sunlight we both delight in!...

Inside my package were two absolutely beautiful treasures I ordered a while back from my dear friend Rebecca at A Gathering Place... Rebecca's work is so exquisite and I felt so lucky that I was able order before she sold out!... As you know, I LOVE bunnies... and I LOVE roses... so put the two together and I am in HEAVEN!... Rebecca added the most luscious vintage millinery flowers to Miss Bunny and a teeny little silver heart around her neck...

My gorgeous Easter egg is the most scrumptious color of blue!... also adorned in vintage millinery flowers and a teeny little silver butterfly... Besides being a beautiful painter, Rebecca is also a fabulous seamstress and created this beautiful egg out of velvet and vintage finery... I love them Rebecca!... and I do believe they shall stay out all year long...

My treasures along with the beautiful day put me in such a deliriously happy mood, I began to decorate more... the stunning rose eggs were a gift to me last year from another dear friend, Celeste, of Celestina Marie Designs... don't they just make you happy!...

I have collected bunnies, chicks, eggs and such most of my life, so when Spring and Easter come around, it is sort of a bunny~wonderland trail around here...

I also collect books about bunnies, like "Let's Have Tea Together" by my favorite, Susan Wheeler...

Cupcakes are a must around here with tea...



LOVE these precious little chicks!...

Some days my hair looks just like hers!...

"In your Easter bonnet... with all the frills upon it"...

Hey!... you're not a bunny!... but you're so darn cute!...

Pretty little Easter baskets sitting in a row...

Today I visited my friend El at her shop Madeleine L'Amour... I bought these darling little baskets there then filled them myself...


These are for "the girls" in my life...one will be going "Across the Pond" to Filly and Ellie in London, one to Liz and one to my sister Jill... Hope you enjoyed my little "Bunny Hop"!... I know I did!... hop, hop hop!... xoxo...