One of my teddies for sale on Ebay

While I have no interest in this teddy, I commend the seller for having taken excellent care of the bear, he looks as lovely as the day I made him. Also, her photographs of him are wonderful. Take a look!

Spring has sprung, Teddies at auction, "Ma seule raison d'être!"

There was an notice on the doll collecting board for an auction coming up shortly. A googly eyed bear stole my heart. I stole some screen shots, but the photos are protected from being pinned and "stolen" so I was only able to get a few measly shots. I've been missing the bear world, it's kindness and creativity.

Here is the bear:

 Don't you adore her face? Her body was a cloth one with her paws being mohair. A close up below:

I love her pink frock as well. This reminds me when I dressed one of my new old fashioned stick bears in adorable faded pink doll dresses. Google "Chiswick Auction" if you want to look at the catalog yourself.

Do you ever google yourself? I did, and it led me to an old friend: 

I made this guy many years ago. I took him to one of my first bear shows. He didn't sell then, but he did catch the eye of a fellow "artist." Very soon after a bear appeared on the cover of a magazine, with a copy of his hat! I was shocked at the brazen theft of my design. Unfortunately copy is not flattery. It's theft. I learned a lesson from this experience. I choose to now release new designs to publishers first, then take the bear on the road, or put him up on my website. 

I was sure glad to see this guy again, I had such a love affair with clowns. And I love using bits of flotsam and jetsam, old wool and different colors for paw pads. This bear was my stick bear look, and it  still is a favorite design.

I have news: I'm riding again! I have a lovely mare named Charity. She is dainty and sweet, with a backwards question mark blaze on her face, and two little "bobby socks" on her hind legs. She's very sensitive, learns quickly, and has already, in just a few short weeks made progress under saddle.

Here she was enjoying her dinner last night:

I recently had to take some little French girls to the farm with me, because their host family became ill. Since they were both keen riders, they each got to ride her. It was so fun to see them on her, they were both kind and Charity did well with them. Here's a look:

A relaxed trot.

   A satisfied smile:

The girls were so tiny we had to double the stirrup leathers around my stirrup irons many times!

It was a fun day. Today you'll find me at the barn again. Were you horse crazy as a girl? The rider above told me her horses were "Ma seule raison d'être!" ( My only reason for existing )

I was just as passionate as she, at 12 years old. Horses really do make life worth living!

Look what they've done to my song!

This recently showed up on ebay, an old friend. However, I didn't mean for the body to show and the bows on the ears and shocking pink collar were not done by me!

No, "look what they've done to my bunny!" I must say that this costume job can't be attributed to me.

While I can't control what people do to my things once I have sold them, it concerns me that others may believe that this was my hand that did this. Here is the original design. Which do you prefer? Does it matter to you, all you artists out there when someone alters your work?

I just wish they would say they changed the costumes if they resell. I much prefer my own muted colors on this fellow. And he looks much better dressed as a boy.

The backyard of the elegant garden house

 The owners experimented with tropical themes. While not for everyone, I admired their bold adventuresome designs.

 They took great care with different textures and shapes of foliage.

 The original chain link fence!

 It's hard to capture just how grand this house is. This photo shows just how thirsty the grass is. And it is no doubt a water guzzling time consuming chore to maintain.

 You can see where the chain link is, here to the left.

 A pair of pots containing some type of pine trees at the back border. It's an entrance to a secret garden? Or just a clever illusion to something beckoning from beyond ? It was clever.

 The side yard shade was a welcome respite from the sun. The guy in the green shirt was one of several workers watering that day. I can't help but wonder what Pam Pennick, the author of "Lawn Gone" would think of this expanse of lawn and expense!

 A clever entrance, or shortcut to the back patio. It seems smallish, yet gives intimacy to this huge yard.

 I think this is the best photo I took of the patio. It's stunning. Click on it!

I think this is all the photos I took of the garden house. What a wonder it was. It was definitely a favorite on the tour. I still have a few houses from 2012 to cover, so stay tuned.

Wonderful Canadian Blog

Sorry, désolée, it's in French, but the photos are great. I found this potager garden from a link from Mavis's garden.

Botanical gardens Greenhouse St. Louis

The brick floors and walk ways were easy on the eye and the feet. The little trickling fountain surrounded by ferns was a favorite place.

As a child a friend moved to Arizona and she mailed me some of these little cacti.
This is a reflecting pool. Too early for water lillies.
This building looks impressive from a distance.
It is surprisingly intimate inside.

I love this place beyond reason.

Missouri Botanical gardens is simply amazing. This greenhouse is surrounded by lily ponds, or reflecting pools. The succulents and cacti inside are diverse. Some are potted and some are installed in dirt beds. The photos are from last spring. So long ago, I need to go back for the tulips again this year.

Flashback to gardens visited last summer

I took too many photos. I always do. Right now I am taking too many of my adorable students! I am surrounded by such exuberance daily. Now that the weekend is here, I can reflect in the calm and quiet and what I am really wanting to see is green. Trees, shrubs, and leaves, and oh how about some moss? Let's see what I dig up. Here goes.

 

 First we're back at the elegant garden house. Lighted topiary in the dining room, before stepping outside to hear the delightful dripping and trickling fountain.

 This was a very tall vase on the floor. It echoed the architecture.

 This succulent was huge.

The tablescapes were vignettes of little pots and adorable tiny things. This is what I'd like to do today, find some green and put it under glass.