{Cotoneaster Lacteus | Colorful Berries for the Birds in Winter}

• Wintertime is the hardest period for birds to find food enough to feed on. 
• We have lots of provisions for the many bird varieties that live on our property. 
• After all, it is not for nothing that in August of 1997, we did receive Our Backyard Wildlife HABITAT Certificate; see link of post below. 
• That's why we also planted a huge shrub of Cotoneaster Lacteus or Pyracantha.

• Colorful Berries for the Birds

• Plenty of Cotoneaster Lacteus Berries to feast on for the birds... Shrub is also called 'Fire Thorn'...
• By the way, these berries are poisonous for humans!

• This is still only part of the entire shrub; it is huge. 
• Pine needles are hanging everywhere as there is a tall pine tree nearby.

• As printed in Southern Living magazine, listing several birds that feast on the Cotoneaster or Pyracantha. Here it are mainly the robins and the cedar waxwings that strip them in almost a day. See more links below with further info. 

• Do you have special berry producing shrubs for your birds in winter?

Related links:

{Birdie Berries in our Wood Garden} previous post by me
{Our Backyard Wildlife HABITAT Certificate from August 1997} previous post by me
Winter Ruby Red Berries from Southern Living Magazine with the above section: Do it for the Birds...
What a Bee Wants – Cotoneaster showing how early in the year the blossoms benefit the Bees.
Robins eating Cotoneaster berries in a day Youtube video showing Robins eat Cotoneaster berries in SC
Robins eating berries photo showing the Robins eating Cotoneaster berries
Cedar Waxwings eating berries feasting on the Pyracantha (fire thorn) in Dutch 'vuur doorn'... click previous & next image also for spectacular photos!
Northern Mockingbird pair - sharing Pyracantha berries Youtube video

{My Hand Knitted Leg Warmers Then and Now}

Let me show you some incredibly STRONG Hand Knitted Leg Warmers Then and Now... No kidding, there is a lapse of almost 28 years between getting them off my knitting needles and wearing them NOW. Are you ready?

Yes, this is ME wearing my hand knitted leg warmers; hot off the needles in March of 1985...

What do you think? Pretty close or not...

Now, let's move!

Same legs, same leg warmers but almost 28 years later!

Victoria from the blog Slightly Shabby asked: "I would love if you could do more posts on your diet and exercise, you have such a great figure! I was always very slim but now, in my mid 40's, I find myself struggling."

♥

Okay, I will show you some of my exercise... my diet I will address later.

I did it then...

And now...

By the way, I need another hair cut!

Oh, wait... we will get going, I will show you next!

Just a bit more than only turning around...

Twenty eight years in-between; that's not bad for 60+ or?

Ready...?

All the way to the floor... Keep your legs stretched!

Yes, I can still do that...!

Hurts like hell but never mind.

That's right; swing those legs (both of them!) all the way, past your ears to the floor and hold for 20 minutes.

I'm kidding; you cannot breathe that way...

Oh Lordy... I will probably never get straightened up again!

Yeah, big deal then; when I was 28 years younger and a LOT more flexible.

Hope you enjoyed this Then and Now series.

Now be careful, don't imitate me immediately; you might have to check with your doctor first!

Related link:

{Our Rose Suite's Little Room} previous post by me where Victoria asked the above quoted question in the comments... 

{Our Camellia Sinensis | Tea Plant}

At the moment our Camellia Sinensis | Tea Plant is blooming so pretty so I have to show you some pictures. When the sun is out in the morning those white flowers with their long orange colored stamens look so pretty. Camellias are evergreen shrubs so they have nice glossy green leaves all year. That's what we aimed for mainly when we designed our garden. Extending the 'green' season as much as we could. Making up for not living in the tropics anymore. Indeed, one gets spoiled easily and it is very hard to live through winter each year, even though our winters are very mild here in the southeast of the USA.

Lovely flower this Camellia Sinensis, or Tea  Plant!

Most of the black teas are being harvested from this very Tea Plant!

This is the entire shrub and it is on the fence with our neighbors. We can view it from our kitchen bay window area.

There are still buds to open later... It keeps on pouring out tea roses!

One more with beautiful orange stamens and some budding siblings nearby.

Do you have such a Tea Plant?

Related links:

{Our Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant and Japanese Magnolia} previous post by me
{Camellia Debutante & Chocolate} previous post by me
{Our Camellia Nuccio's Gem & Christmas Angel Gift} previous post by me

{1925 Art Nouveau Silver Brooch with Roses}

For you again a special find from the Old World. This time it is a 1925 Art Nouveau Silver Brooch with Roses in very nice repousse work. It is 6.7cm x 2.4cm in size, or 2.6" x 0.9" and has a well functioning needle with secure lock. See last picture below. Again this is available at Spectrenoir.

Photo is taken outside on the balcony and the sun is a bit reflecting in the roses...

But at least you get to see the beautiful repousse silver work.

This one has less reflection from the sun... 

I admire those silver smiths how they can create such life-like roses with buds and leaves!

This is the reverse side of the brooch and you see the needle and its locking system.

To the left at the top, under the rim you can read the 800 silver mark.

One more 800 silver mark on the arch of the locking system.

{TIP For Kitchen Improvement}

Today I want to share with you a practical TIP For Kitchen Improvement. Above our Miele US oven we have still a rather deep cabinet, which was very hard to reach from the floor. Husband Pieter did add a 20" X 21" ROLL OUT DRAWER IN CHROME from Wayfair. Link you find below post. This works like a charm!

Above our Miele oven is this deep cabinet. It has another wooden shelf up high towards the back.

Now I just roll out this chrome drawer and can get to all the items I need.

Mainly oven proof French Pillivuyt items are nested in here...

Four sets are stacked in there; two deep and two wide and they still fit under the top shelf.

Lids can be stashed on the side.

There is even one Pillivuyt platter that fits underneath! It is an 8"x 8" serving platter.

Are you working with Roll Out Drawers in your Kitchen as well?

Related links:

• {Our Kitchen Improvements} previous post by me
• {More of Our Kitchen} previous post by me
• {Our White Ceramic Chandeliers from Italy} previous post by me
• {Giovanni Raspini Silver Christmas Balls} previous post by me
• {French Floral Pillow Set and our Gazebo} previous post by me
• {Our new IKEA Nordmyra Chairs} previous post by me
• {My Old-Time Spun Glass Halloween Ornaments} previous post by me
• Wayfair Roll Out Drawers in Chrome link for several sizes of roll out drawers

{Our Everblooming Japanese Honeysuckle | Lonicera japonica}

In our wood garden we have an Everblooming Japanese Honeysuckle or Lonicera japonica by its botanical name. Today I made another photo of its blooms. I've used them mid winter for table decoration in our small Delft White Picture Frame Vases for use as individual Place Settings. Link of previous posts with pictures, you find below post...

My husband Pieter did take this photo last year... This shows you the fragrant blooms of the Japanese Honeysuckle | Lonicera japonica.

It grows next to the gate, close to the road side. It always is full with blooms and it must be heaven for hummingbirds, during the season when they stay here. 

This photo I took on January 21, to show you it really is an everbloomer.

You also can see some berries, so birds must be able to feast on them in winter.

A blue wisteria vine is competing with the Japanese honeysuckle in last year's photo. 

Did you notice that the blooms are pure white when just opened and turning more yellow afterwards.

Do any of you have honeysuckle vines?

Or some other vine blooming right now...

Related links:
{Delft White Picture Frame Vase} previous post by me
{6694 Filets & Rubans - 6 Antique French Christofle Louis XVI Knife Rests} | previous post by me
{Antique Christofle Napkin Ring and Timbale, Goblet in Box} previous post by me
Japanese Honeysuckle Lonicera japonica link with more info

{Our Rose Suite's Little Room}

There is one more little room in Our Rose Suite to show... That is the Toilet. So let's have a peak in there. Again built in-between two pillars that are under the house. We utilized the space as economically as possible. Only in June, at Costco in Miami, we found out that there are also toilets that are flush against the wall. Would have been great for us than, in order to save some more space!

Basket with towels and mini books.

The Dutch tiltle reads: Vriendschap is geluk hebben - Friendship is being lucky.

Toilet...

That's our Little Room...

The faucet and vanity shelf got carried home in a suitcase from The Netherlands.

Both items are Danish, Damixa like our entire home.

The little white trashcan we found in Germany...

Shelving system is following an idea we picked up at the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta.

You can read about that: {2 Ideas picked up at the Grand Hyatt, Atlanta}

You also get to see our Danish, Damixa toilet roll holder if you click the above link.

That's it!

Related links:
{Our Rose Suit Hallway} previous post by me
{Welcome to Our Rose Suite - Entrance} previous post by me
{Our Rose Suite Kitchenette} previous post by me

{Our Rose Suite Living Room} previous post by me
{Our Rose Suite Bedroom} previous post by me
{The Construction of Our Rose Suite - Part II} previous post by me
{The Construction of Our Rose Suite - Part I} previous post by me
{Our Rose Suite with Angels + a REQUEST} previous post by me

{835 Vintage Silver Raphael Angel Pendant on Black Raspini Necklace}

Unique 835 Vintage Silver with beautiful Raphael Angel Pendant on Black Caoutchouc Necklace from Giovanni Raspini, Italy with 925 silver lobster clasp. This item is available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique Mariette's Back to Basics.

Ruby Lane does also have some of these vintage 'Raphael' Angel Pendants, see link below post.

You can see the 925 and ★132 AR, Raspini Arezzo silver marks.

Showing the entire 16½" or 42 cm Black Giovanni Raspini, Italy Caoutchouc Necklace...

The pendant is showing the 835 silver mark.

Sorry, sold out...

{Thanks Karen; I made Your Butternut Squash Soup!}

Reading blogs is rewarding in many ways and we learn each time from other talented ladies. One I admire is Karen from the blog Beatrice Euphemie. Just recently, on January 11, she posted a delicious and healthy Butternut Squash Soup recipe that she had made for her husband and herself. Karen is not only an excellent and captivating writer, but a great cook and handy with needle and thread as well. We all can learn from role models like her! So we did buy at Trader Joe's in Atlanta, Butternut Squash, already diced and also the low sodium chicken stock and I made the soup myself at home. Just have a look at how it turned out. Below my post you find Karen's recipe in the link to her blog post about it.

Served in our French Pillivuyt soup cups & saucers 

Ramekin for butter is also French Pillivuyt

Like Karen, I did not use heavy cream either... keeping it low cholesterol. 

I did not bake my own bread, this is Costco's whole grain Artisan bread, see link below post about: {How to get a FLATTER TUMMY}

Hand  crocheted placemats are made by me...

Butter knife and soup spoons are Bridal Rose by Alvin and will be available at Replacements Ltd., see link below post. I did find mine at eBay over the years...

Carved Flameless Wax Roses are with battery.

Had to take those photos outside as it is too dark inside the house for nice photos.

Besides, in our bay window we do have those small window inserts and it does cast a shadow in that shape... A big open window would work far better. But our windows do look romantic and Victorian.

But this soup is delicious I can tell you! Worthwhile trying and getting over to Karen's blog post below...

Are you a soup person for winter time?

Related links:
Butternut Squash Soup by Karen from Beatrice Euphemie
{My Lace Crocheted Placemats} Previous post by me with Lentil Soup recipe
Pillivuyt French oven proof table ware
{How to get a FLATTER TUMMY} Previous post by me with Costco whole grain Artisan bread
Bridal Rose by Alvin silver table ware at Replacements Ltd.