Keepin' it Rustic

I take a great deal of inspiration from DesignSponge.com and recently read a feature on fireplaces. I was surprised that many of the Interior Decorator photo worthy fireplaces are non-functional like ours. This is why I love DesignSponge - nothing has to be perfect, it just has to be well-designed and loved.

I dream of a functioning fireplace or woodstove, which would be BRILLIANT in our (chilly, high-ceilinged) living room. That project is a little daunting, however. We'd be looking at tearing out the wall, ripping out the coal chimney brick by brick, and installing either a woodstove or gas line. Although I prefer woodstoves, gas log fireplaces are actually pretty great, too. I used to scoff at them until I stayed at a place that had one. Honestly - they put out consistent heat and are super cozy.

In the meantime, we've kept the historically accurate mantle half-finished (full story on that here) and fitting of the period.

Fall Plantings: A few Natives

I usually think of Spring as the time to plant, but I read somewhere that Fall can also be good because you don't have to worry about watering new starts. This must apply only to hearty plants - probably not for annuals or something will freeze easily.

I planted these guys in September and they are still tiny, but hanging in there! The grass is from the Samara Restoration folks at Farmer's Market. This was part of their concept for a Rain Garden, using native plants that can help soak up the run-off and thrive in wet conditions. I've seen these grasses all over, mostly in the bottoms or forest edges. The little guys are Coral Bells propagated from other starts around the Manor.