KLEENEX* TIME

 

Well, I'm back from a lovely Easter trip away to the ancestral home, and what a nice trip home it was. Very nice to have time off!! A delicious dinner was had at the Aunt and Uncle's home, a visit to the Capital Street Duo's one night to pick up my latest purchase( more to come) and time spent with my mother. Alas, there was a bit of sad news though, her lovely little companion and Buster's little half sister was put to rest before my arrival. My mother didn't tell me on the phone the night before my arrival, because she feared she would get too upset. And it was a bit tearful when Lady wasn't there to run around and greet me when I got there, her usual antics when I would arrive at the manor. Lady was a Sheltie/dachshund mix of 16 years!!! Always a gentle, sweet pup and so glamorous with her Ursula Andress locks...... And these pictures were only from two years ago, the family ages well....

 

My mother had Lady cremated and was given the ashes while I was there, but didn't know what to do them. We decided we would just keep them. But she wanted to do something special with them, instead of keeping them locked in a box, then it hit me we should spread them in a park....Lady loved her running the perimeter of a beautiful park. But where. My mother loved the idea. Then it hit us together......

 

 

Italian Lake  is a public park and one of the most beautiful parks in the Uptown area of the city of Harrisburg,Pennsylvania.

 

 

 The 9.5 acre park was restored to its mid-century grandeur in the 1980s when I was still living there. The lake is surrounded by antique-style streetlights, textured walkways, and formal gardens maintained in the Italian Renaissance-style. Features of the park include a beautiful Japanese-style bridge representing harmony between nature and man, swans were always attracted to this location,  and a stunning classical-style fountain designed with three muses of art, music and dance, entitle "Dance of Eternal Spring." Italian Lake was always one of my favorite spots to go to relax when I lived there, and it attracts both city residents and visitors to the area with its serene atmosphere and lush foliage. And if you read the inscription on the historical marker erected there, you’ll learn that this jewel was part of an overall plan initiated by the Harrisburg League of Municipal Improvements in 1901 called the City Beautiful Movement.

 

 

 In summer months there are numerous outdoor concerts held at the park.So I thought this would be the best place to spread Lady's ashes and return her to such a beautiful place to run eternally. She will enjoy beauty, birds, and beautiful music. After all, Lady always did love her self a beautiful park to run and let her beautiful hair blow in the breeze. It was a nice day.

 

Rest well little one.

Around the Pied de Terre

It's been a week since the holiday finery came down, and it is usually an all day process. And after all is packed away, and then deep cleaned, the place feels so much better and refreshed, although I do miss the glitter of the holidays just a bit. But then that's why I end up spray glittering the Lad!!! As you will see I can't stand vases, clocks, or mirrors! And the Mother even gave me two gorgeous tapestry pillows with peacocks on them. I do love myself some......never mind.

My weakness for wooden animals and hand molded pottery.......

My love for sea shells...collected in Rehoboth......

What's left of the tree, redesigned and thinned out.......

The Dame Courtney for Christmas gave me a beautiful collection of vintage bow ties, as she knows I love to wear them. So, I mixed some up with rolled ties in a bell jar, and some others in a shadow bow and mixed in with some photos of the Lad, family and friends.

Of course warm puppies always make at home warmer no? Buster is here with the Mother's dog Lady, and my Aunt's corgi, Lizabeth.

As much as the place looks empty now after the holiday finery came down, it's nice to have the place all re-arranged and back to normal.

It Was White After All

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas holiday! The Mistress got back yesterday and is happy to report had a wonderful time off. And was pleasantly surprised with a white Christmas Eve. Just enough to make it all look like a winter wonderland, including my scarf.....

Before heading to dinner at the Aunt and Uncle's place, where we would feast on Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, I always go for a walk with Buster and my Mother's dog, Lady. There is just something about a calm, quiet, walk on Christmas Eve, where everything for some reason seems right with the world. Even Buster enjoys the snow,  though he may need some walking goggles.

 

And how pretty and crystal like do the trees look?

 

 

Before heading back to the ancestral home, and after the dark set in I captured these pictures looking up into the woods, while the snow fell, with my flash. How cool and haunting all at once..........

 

The walk was quiet beautiful, but bitterly cold, one where it was hard to warm up again.

 

Later that night, and after the Aunt and Uncle's wonderful dinner it was time for their family recipe of the "special eggnog" laced with much Cognac. And that was what warmed me up ......finally... and more cups followed suit with the nog we got sent home with, back at the Mother's house with a peaceful view of her vase decked with holly!

It was another memorable Christmas Eve.

Buster's Dog Days of Summer

Well I hope everyone is enjoying this summer so far. Here at the Casa du Borghese Buster Bolfig Borghese has had a active time thus far, but now with the heat bearing down. much time is spent indoors , at the beach, or in water. He is a major water baby.

Buster loves the morning sun beam that comes in. He'll lay there to till it disappears. This look is ready for walk. So I took him since the house boys are always so busy...........

Buster knowing  he shouldn't be on the bed....

Now mind ya, Lady the Dog, my Mother's dog, knows better than too be on the bed. Isn't she adorable? She is a dachshund/sheltie mix and is 14 year old!!!!! I will say the bitches at the Casa age well.

Afternoon nap after swimming whilst away at the beach...

While eating around here, be prepared to be stared down till you give in......

Buster's friend Rocky, who I believe is some kind of bulldog.

Here is Buster and Lady together. Looks like Lady and the Tramp, no? Thing is Lady is a bull in a china shop, and eats her food in two seconds flat. On the other hand, Buster in very gentile and eat his food one niblet at a time and it takes him 20 minutes to eat.

I should give them a plate of pasta, don't you think, while I serenade them. well, lets not go nuts, I'll watch them whilst I have some gin!