Design

The photos are from the market in Hoi An, Vietnam, the market in Pisac, Peru, and a vegetable grower in his home garden near Hoi An. We have two farmer's markets in our immediate community now -- the one on campus is associated with the Student Organic Farm, and the other is in a small historic town nearby. Both are wonderful to have; I like to visit both, even though we don't exactly need many vegetables this time of the year. (We did a CSA share with the Student Farm for several seasons, before I realized that there was no way that the two of us could eat all those vegetables, in addition to what I was growing - and finally, the huge bunches of edamame two weeks in a row - in pods and on their stems in a giant bag, was the tipping point). And, they're really nice students, but they don't always know that the secret to delectable vegetables is to harvest them at the perfect time -- when they're young and tender, not when they're big, especially with squash an...

This is a lot of blue...but I like it! I would love to hide away behind those stunning curtains and fall asleep under the clear blue sky. What a retreat. - HouseBeautiful

I've grown basil for a long time, but never have been fully pleased with the results. Sometimes the plants would become large and woody, developing stronger flavors than were pleasing. Plants in containers always did better, probably because they remained well-watered. But, clearly, I needed to cut it back more severely, too (a recent article in Organic Gardening suggested cutting at 6 nodes down to keep flowering in check -- wow -- it really worked). An accidental experiment sowing a flat of older seeds has also been wildly successful,. Germination was unexpectedly high, and after transplanting as many as I could manage, I just started harvesting the basil like mesclun mix. Fabulous! The leaves are tender and delicious, and as I cut, growth just continues. I'm definitely going to continue doing summer plantings in flats on a regular basis.

I love all the different patterns used in this bedroom. I wouldn't think to mix them all together like this, but it works so well here. And how can I not mention that lovely blue tufted sofa staring right at me?! To die for!! - CountryHome

It's hard to imagine in mid-summer, when it's so hot and humid here, but I should already have stout brussels sprouts and broccoli seedlings ready to transplant if I want to attempt a fall crop. The seedlings that I have are pretty small, so I'll have to hope that they'll do OK. But, I have all the seeds I need to start sowing the last rows of summer beans and squash, and gradually work my way through the sequence of planting beets, carrots, kale, lettuce, peas and spinach (not necessarily in that order!) A friend was lamenting the absence of any tomato transplants for fall in our local big box garden centers. It's a pity since it would be a great time to put in a 'second shift of tomatoes' in our warm climate. For us, as odd as it seems in a rural area, either growing your own seedlings, or ordering transplants through mail order are the primary options, unless you manage to get some at a local farmer's market. I was delighted to read a By Design ...

I am loving the light in these beautiful photographs taken by Minneapolis photographer Karen Melvin . Karen is an advertising architectural photographer with a specialty in interior residential photography. After admiring her portfolio it is obvious she knows a thing or two about light..."how to use it, how to make it, and how to wait for it", she says. So much talent!

Everything was damp in the garden this morning, and there hadn't been any sign of rain when we went to bed. Woo-hoo! There was 4/10 of an inch in the rain gauge, and the main vegetable garden looked remarkably lush. The beans are flowering again, finally, after a bit of a heat break last week, too.

There are lots of wonderful native (Eastern U.S.) viburnums, along with interesting hybrids and Asian species. This cranberry viburnum ( Viburnum trilobum ) is striking right now.

If you haven't yet checked out the show Mad Men , you must! The 2nd season premiered last night and it certainly didn't disappoint. The costumes and sets in this show are amazing....so much of my beloved color everywhere! I'm always left drooling when I see the fabulous button-tufted turquoise headboard in Betty and Don's bedroom (which according to the set decorator Amy Wells is supposed to reflect Betty's high-class fantasies). In honor of that perfect piece of furniture, check out a few headboards I've found for my EverythingTurquoise shopping blog here , here and here ! -Photos courtesy of AMC Mad Men photo gallery .

Finally, a stray thunderstorm rained on our garden. The wind whipped the trees alarmingly and then the rain pelted down for 15 to 20 minutes. It was only about a quarter of an inch, but since we've barely had an inch over 2 1/2 months (our 'normal' is 4 inches/month), this is significant. After the rain, the light was wonderful, the plants perked up, and the clouds were tinged with color.

In a warm summer climate, with plenty of sun, tomatoes are almost a given in a vegetable garden. Even non-gardeners may stick one or two tomatoes in the ground, just to have some fresh ones. One of our neighbors has two staked tomato plants at the side of her house, in otherwise a sea of lawn. a 'Beefy Boy' Garden centers, nurseries, and local 'feed and seed' stores usually offer up the traditional hybrids: Big Boy, Better Boy, Roma, and Sweet 100, with some recent additions of Brandywine, Mortgage-lifter, and other well-known heirloom varieties. There are hundreds of different varieties of tomatoes , with varying levels of acid and sweet, shapes and sizes, colors, and stripes. I've grown different sorts from seeds, too, and tried unusual types bought at horticultural student plant sales, and have just about come to the notion that growing ONLY disease-resistant tomatoes in my Southern soil is productive, and any non-disease resistant (heirlooms) need to be in co...

It's still hot in the afternoons, and humid (the thunderstorm buildup should drop rain right overhead, but is passing us by). But the evening was cool and pleasant, with less humidity -- my gardening assistant (having been a bear dog up in the mountains last night) is enjoying it.

Crape myrtles ( Lagerstroemia indica ) are everywhere in the Southern U.S.; they're used (overly so) as street trees, in home landscapes, in commercial landscapes, etc. Brought to the Carolinas by botanical explorer Andre Michaux, they're attractive in flower, have lovely bark and architectural shape, and are TOUGH. But, I've never thought too much about them, because I haven't see many insects or birds using the flowers or eating the fruits or seeds. They weren't high on my 'plants that work for a living' list. But checking plants near the potting bench this morning, I kept hearing a couple of hummingbirds twittering and whirring high up in the crape myrtle nearby. Were they eating small insects attracted to the flowers? Were they annoyed with me because I was near one of 'their' feeders? What's going on with crape myrtle flowers anyway? First I checked for nectar (none), then looked at some open flowers, and noticed a couple of honeybees c...

A goldfinch on the thistle feeder caught my eye from the study window. When I went outside, I heard a woodpecker up in the oak tree, and saw him finally. Then, he dropped down to get some suet. Then, looking back towards the feeders, I saw a male hummingbird, getting a long couple of swallows, then the male goldfinch back on the thistle feeder. Shortly after that, a female goldfinch came to the feeder, followed by another male. Then, they all flew off. It was a lovely way to spend a few minutes in the garden.

These images are from the super-stylish Condesa DF hotel in Mexico City. How can I not love all this turquoise?! Even their website makes my little heart pitter-patter. The white slipcovered furniture with the turquoise piping has to be one of my all-time favorites. So chic!! Thanks for the awesome tip Sandra M.!

A Robert McCloskey book that I loved as a child was Blueberries for Sal . Perhaps it's not a coincidence that I went blueberry and blackberry picking today!

I first heard the story on NPR ; a loan officer in Spokane, Washington, had noticed a female mallard, first with a nest, and then with a newly hatched group of ducklings on a second-story ledge outside his office window. He proceeded to catch them (after the first hit the sidewalk) as they jumped from the ledge to follow mom. He and his co-workers (with the help of a large copy paper box) then helped shepherd them several blocks to the Spokane River. A friend sent me the e-mail version, complete with lots of photos, written by the loan officer's sister with pictures from his colleagues. It reminded me of Make Way for Ducklings , a book that my sister and I loved as children, and that's now an enduring classic of children's literature. On a visit a few years ago to Boston, I saw this wonderful sculpture by Nancy Schön on Boston Commons, commemorating the book, and its author, Robert McCloskey.

I love this brilliant blue glass entryway that coco+kelley picked as this week's inspirational photo. You know you must be walking into an exceptional home when you're walking through a doorway like this. Thanks for the inspiration Cassandra! Visit coco+kelley for even more splendid entryways!

My mystery summer squash is probably an interloper, based on the composition of the Summer Squash mix packet from Gourmet Seeds that I recently received (from a second order). Even though the packet is labeled C. moschata , the variety list (Di Napoli, Romanesco, Rondi de Nice, Golden, and Bianco di Trieste) are largely C. pepo , I think. I recognize all of these, except for the 'Golden' in my satellite garden plants. But I think 'Golden' was replaced by a gourd, which is quite tasty when young, but is not happy in our summer heat (the leaves wilt dreadfully in the afternoon). Happily, I've been harvesting the other squash varieties, too, having the best summer squash harvest I've ever had (aside from the tromboncino squash, which is flourishing).

For the second day in a row, I've seen two small hawks in the woodsy neighborhood behind us. The houses are nestled into a forest of generally large oaks and hickories, punctuated by patches of lawn, and bisected by a dry creek streambed where water flow seems to have been diverted to the storm water easement. At the same spot, again this morning, the two hawks were swooping around from branch to branch, perhaps disturbed by my passing by. They were smallish hawks, about the size of a crow, and I'm thinking that they were Cooper's hawks , since sharp-shinned hawks are more the size of a jay. Both like to take feeder birds, so would have a good territory in the neighborhood. These two birds were the same size, so probably both male, maybe juvenile ? -- they certainly looked like this photo taken by David Faintinch . Later in the morning, from the back garden, a friend and I heard a barred owl calling from the same general area. We've had barred owls visit our yard b...

It is official: I am madly in love with Kathy Dalwood . Here are even more images from her online portfolio . I am loving the color palette of this gorgeous home, the use of wallpapers and paint, the pop of colors on the shelves of the bookcases...it is all completely divine.