Cottage in the Woods

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The bothy in Rackwick Bay, Orkney

Burnside Cottage

So pretty in Scotland

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Dreamy rustic cottage interior

I have so much to share from my very Happy hiatus, but I'm not quite ready. There are some technical difficulties in downloading my photos onto my Mac (apparently, I have way more photos than my little computer has room for... oh, bother!). So, while I am figuring all that out, I'll share a few posts that have been waiting patiently in draft form for their day in the limelight. Enjoy-

Everything in this room from MagzMagz makes me drool! So cozy!

This bedroom is pretty dreamy too...

Hangleton Medieval Cottage in Sussex

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a fairy tale cottage

Can't tell if it's "real", but it still looks like a very Happy place. 

Gardener's Cottage in Ireland

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Dreamy stone cottage

I'd daydream below the willow tree, and warm up inside with a cup of tea!

The Forgotten Garden

Here goes another one of my half-assed book reviews...

Let me start with this horrible fact about myself: I judge books by their covers. I always have. Luckily for me, lots of different kinds of covers appeal to me, so I am tempted to pick up even the single-colored generic looking titles. This book, however, The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, caught my eye because I am currently head-over-heels obsessed with cottages. Double points if they are made of stone. Triple points if they are seculded in their own magical garden. And that's what was on the cover of this hefty paperback. So I bought it. Not ever having heard of it, and without any idea as to what story it held inside it's lovely cover.

And sometimes, things are just meant to be. I was supposed to read this book at the very time that I did. I'm not saying that this is the most fantastic book I have ever read in my life-- but it had a significant meaning to me (a strange, almost spooky coincidence that would not add to the book for anyone but me, I imagine). And that made it an extra-special read.

The story was a good one. It was full of secrets and twists-- most of which were pretty predictable, but figuring them out before the author lays it down is half the fun. I enjoyed the multi-generational perspective and developed a substantial girl crush on who I consider to be the main character (Eliza). Course, I think that was what the author intended, as almost every charater in the book loved her as well... almost everyone.

This book reminded me a lot of the last book I read, The Thirteenth Tale. In fact, I predict that in a few years when I look back on either book I will get the two confused. If this sort of thing happens to you too, and you want to read both books, I'd recommend spacing them out a bit. Like The Thirteenth Tale, much of The Forgotten Garden takes place on a huge English estate. This one, Blackhurst Manor, is in far better repair than the one from the other story, and sits on the coast of Cornwall. The estate, and the gardens (especially the part of the estate that is depicted on that cover I raved about earlier) are really more like characters than setting. They had just as much influence and charisma as the people in the tale, and were described with such loving detail throughout the ages that I felt present while reading.

For anyone interested in reading the book, or if you already have and you just want a bit more (I get that way a lot with books, I am hungry for more story, even after it's all said and done) I recommend visiting the author's page (or the Authoress, I guess I should call her). It's gives little tidbits as to what the story is about (since I realize I have not spoke of plot at all) and you can listen to her read the first chapter. There are lots of other fun links... like to the real-life estate that inspired Morton to create Blackhurst. It's called Heligan, and I just found out that it allows visitors, so I think I have my next dream vacation all planned out. In fact, the place looks so awesome, I might have to give it its own Happy post.

I was here in my dream last night...

Oh! What adventures I had in this lovely stone cottage with the mysterious overgrown garden!

Farm sinks

Santa Barbara & the White Jasmine Inn

I am spoiled. And graduating has made me realize just how much. I've got flowers, gifts, cards, and so many good wishes! And this weekend, Matty whisked me away to Santa Barbara for a beautiful and relaxing celebration for the two of us. It was so lovely! I forget how picturesque our neighbor to the North is! We stayed at a wonderfully quaint bed and breakfast called the White Jasmine Inn, that had a flower garden that just don't quit! 

After our train ride (yep, we took the Surfrider there and the Starlight Express back) we enjoyed all that Santa Barbara had to offer.

Like the sea birds!

And the pier - only in california would they have to post this sign :)

And the fields by the beach were covered by these busy fellas!

We walked around an art fair (I got a photograph of a frog for my wall of whimsy)

And checked out the beachiness of it all...

This is where we stayed. and I am warning you, there are a LOT of pictures of the flowers!

While we were waiting to check in, Matt had to play with all the antiques in the sitting room!

Our room was called the hideaway- quaint, private and with a wonderful whirlpool tub!

Excuse us...

The gardens were full of fun, weathered items-

and we loved it.

we ventured into downtown, and Matt had to play with all the statues. Did I mention Matt is very playful?!  :)

We wandered into the James Joyce Irish pub, because I liked the name-

and we were treated to the best Irish folk band! Dannstair.

We had dinner and went back to our hideaway and took the most bubbly bubble bath in the world. Seriously, the bubbles were at least 2 feet thick. The jets really make quite a lather! (The pictures of that are not blog material ;) Then we enjoyed a bottle of wine next to the fireplace in our room!

The next morning, we had a great breakfast (future blog post!). The White Jasmine Inn brings you a basket to your room, we decided to enjoy ours in the garden with the bids. 

And I couldn't stop taking pictures of the flower garden-

I made friends with a bee!

We ventured back into town, and checked out this lovely theater-

And did a little shopping- I liked these owl candles!

nifty thrift shop.

I bought this needlepoint pillow, Matt thought it was very Granny-ish.

We rented a surrey and took a ride all along the coastal path (another future post), and checked out  the bird refuge (and another future post!), before heading to the harbor -

I played with this ship's wheel and got bird poop on my hand.

Matt and I decided that out of all the boats in the harbor, we would want this one!

We walked along the beach.  I saw a crab claw. I hoped that the crab grew another.

I made Matt pose with this whale. He didn't really want to. I told him I was going to post it here and he wasn't really thrilled. 

He was alright posing for this one, but I didn't tell him I was going to post it. I couldn't resist... this picture has it all: muscles, maps, pelican, bike & beach- how much more Californian can you get?!

We started to rethink which boat we said we wanted...

And then we headed back to la la land on the train. What a wonderful weekend trip away! Thanks darlin'! You are an awesome whisker awayer!