Monday, August 12, 2013

ADORNMENT

"Ballerina" 
by Milton Greene

I read somewhere that when Marilyn Monroe dressed to go out
she dressed
and as she was leaving she looked in the mirror and the first thing she saw
she removed

I love junk
shabby chic too
lots of stuff
yard art
STUFF!
I am so seduced by it that I have acquired way too much
T.O.O. M.U.C.H.S.T.U.F.F.

822 is just not the kind of house that's suited to that style no matter how I adore it
and Mr. P.V. has to really whoa me back from filling each nook and cranny with some kind of
adornment

One thing all this construction and taught me is
~~patience~~

I am at the place where I want it all to be "just right"
including the flower beds
so I am willing to sit here and look at it empty for a while until it comes to me...
what needs to go in this space?

 trees?
a specimen tree?
shrubs?
roses?
some kind of statement of art?

The fire pit has been here since before fire pits were cool
it was covered by mounds of Virginia Creeper
does one need a fire pit AND a fireplace?
does this fire pit need to be surrounded with pea gravel or flagstone?
adirondack chairs or vintage wicker?
large sitting rocks?
nothing?


and now that the fence and gate are
"complete"
is it ok that this is all there is to it?

is the height and substance enough without massive hardware, finials and fancy corbels?

I'm kind of getting the hang of

finding elegance in
the simple
and the imperfect

I really need to look at the before photos more often to
appreciate how empty our palette is now









20 comments:

Marissa said...

I bet you are loving privacy now?..I too have lots of stuff and it makes me cringe at the sight of clutter. I am getting to the point where I am just going to trash it. LOL your garden grass is so green...

marcela cavaglieri said...

Patience is the number one condition when having a garden...that's why I don't have one!!! LOL!!!! Good luck, I'm sure you'll get it just right!

Marina in Blue said...

I like your fence very much and I don't know what you are going to do, but I trust you. I always have the intention of leaving some free space in walls for example. But..... so I'm afraid I'm not the person to advise you.

MARINA

Anonymous said...

I think looking back at photos is a great way to really "see". I do that with my art, your house to me should be filled quite full, with all your treasures, I really like the minimalist look but not in your home, you just have to many treasures!!!Please don't ever change,

Tina@WhatWeKeep said...

It will come in time, Grasshopper. ;)

Stacy CUrran said...

I'm sure you'll come up with the right thing. I am absolutely no help in that arena! What a long way you've come though!
Stacy

Unknown said...

Love that quote about Marilyn Monroe - if only more people did that.

As for your garden, I'm sure that the vision will come to you. Everything, everything you do is dressed just enough. Don't worry about overdoing it. Some of the most beautiful gardens out there look overdone if you look closely, but work as a whole.

Anajá Schmitz said...

Olá,
seu jardim está lindo, a cerca e o portão ficaram muito bonito. Que legal um lareira no jardim. Aqui também estou ajeitando o jardim, estamos podando alguma árvores, plantei muitas arvores perto da casa.
jos e tenha um ótimo dia.

Leslie said...

Patience is a tough lesson to learn. Fortunately as we mature, we generally get more patient! I too would rather sit and look at something empty rather spend on just anything to go in the space. I've made too many mistakes over time buying on impulse!! ..and we ALL end up with lots of STUFF:) I know how that is too and I'm trying to gradually de-clutter!

Julie Taylor and Danni Greenwalt said...

You have come so far...with the remodel and everything you have done...You will come up with something and it is going to look beautiful!

Karena said...

It is actually a cleansing and rewarding experience for me right now. I have thought about all of the mess my children will go through one day!
Just deciding to only keep the "things" and collections that mean the most to me. It is a weight lifted off my shoulders!

Xoxo
Karena
2013 Designer Series

podso said...

Your yard looks so nice and I love your fence and its gate!

Maureen Wyatt said...

I'm another one that would rather leave a space empty than rush to fill it with something I will regret. Too much stuff is taking up too much of me time so I had a garage sale where I gave most of the stuff away for free. I felt good and I never have to deal with any of it again!

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Good morning dearest Gina!!!! You know, I LOVE STUFF TOO. But over the last year, I have been purging my home of things that I really don't need to get the LOOK I really want. For me, that is an authentic French antique look but of the shabby gray kind. So I've given away certain things that once I removed them, a certain RELAXED elegance emerged from my home. We all need to find that in the pile of beautiful things we adore, but sometimes cannot house.

YOUR FENCE IS FABULOUS! And as time goes on, you will know what to plant. For now, sit back, and SEE WHAT ISN'T THERE....

Thank you for your visit and sweet words. Poetry is fantastic to try to write. Anita

Geneva said...

Your patience will definitely pay off. I've seen you do it before and you seem to always get it right in the end. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for letting us peek into your world ... (even when everything isn't quite the way you want it). You've made the journey so much fun for all of us!

Unknown said...

I have 6 acres, so there's just no way I can manicure it all, so I've learned to love it a bit rustic. You have a lovely 'stand' of grass! I say a few specimen trees? YOur fence is great! I don't know what grows in your climate but make them perennials so you don't have to replace many every year. I just put annuals around my close proximity, then I have Nandina, Maple Trees, Crepe Myrtles, lots of hosta, you get the picture. Wish I was there to help you! I love to get my hands in dirt!
xo Nancy

HolleyGarden said...

I'm thinking your garden should reflect your home - beautiful, and simply elegant. Look at photos of gardens you absolutely love, then incorporate that feel into your own garden. Have fun dreaming and planning!

carolyn bradford said...

Lately, all I can think about is getting rid of "stuff"! I'm surrounded by it all day at my shop and I don't want my home to look just like it! I want it to be peaceful and not have every nook and cranny filled with knick knacks! You are wise to take your time…even in the yard! You don't want to make expensive mistakes by just trying to "get it done!" Great post!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

It will likely come to you when you least expect it. That's how things usually happen it seems. I can't wait to see the result :)

Mr Paul said...

You'll have so much fun creating the garden, take one season at a time, its going to be beautiful!