We did a fun little day trip to Point Pelee last week and I’m once again kicking myself for not getting out there more often. Actually there are so many places to go within an hour or so of here that seem so easy to get to once you’re there, but for some reason we just don’t make it happen often enough. Life, am I right? Anyway, Point Pelee is a national park and it’s the southernmost mainland point of Canada. It’s a peninsula sticking out into Lake Erie and you can actually go stand at the point and be on the most southern part of the country. It’s one of those things that so simple, and yet such a thrill at the same time. The whole area is a marsh and they also have a pretty amazing boardwalk system in the park that lets you walk right through it all. Anyway, a fun day trip and a must-see if you’re in the southwestern Ontario area!
Hydrangea confession: I nearly killed one of my hydrangeas this year. Over time, I’ve learned all the right things to do and I’ve even shared quite a few of my tips here on the blog. This year was extra harsh to one of my hydrangeas though. It got absolutely thrashed by a big wind storm early in the season and then with the heat and dryness that we experienced, and with where it’s planted, it really needed to be nursed back to health. And I just didn’t do that. Hydrangeas in general really love a lot of attention and I gave this one no special treatment at all, even though I knew it needed it. So as much as I like to share my favorite gardening tips and all my big successes, sometimes I still drop the ball and need to start from square one. Just a reminder that it happens to all of us. I’m going to trim it right back and see if I can heap all my love and attention on it for the next few months and see if it comes back happy next year, but there’s definitely a chance that I might need to dig it up and replace it next season. Oops.
While I’m updating you on all my plant babies, here’s a little fern update. This thing is massive. It’s ridiculous, almost, and I love it. August porch planters are one of life’s best little joys and it’s so satisfying to see them overflowing, but I always find ferns to be the most excitement-inducing because of all of my previous years of fern-killing. I can see the fronds peeking up from the front door window when I walk down the hallway, looking all lush and happy, and it’s just the best. If you missed it, I shared my tips on how to keep ferns alive successfully just a little while ago, here.
I abruptly changed my mind about my living room lamps. I found some classic gourd lamps that I loved a few months ago, and I still love them, but for some reason I just kept putting off ordering them. Then, one day I saw these and I just knew in the moment that they were the right choice for the room. When you know, you know. That rings true for life and for lighting choices as well. 🙂 Anyway, they’re the final-ish piece in the living room puzzle (for now) and I can’t wait to see how they look. I realized suddenly that this side of the room needed just a bit of black to balance everything out and I think these are going to be just right.
I love it here. It’s funny because I grew up in B.C., which is absolutely beautiful, and we’re actually going to be visiting there soon, but something about where we are right now just feels so much like home to me. I feel like I’m able to live all these little moments that just make life feel right. And it’s those little moments that really make up a life, isn’t it? I love the climate here and it just feels good to walk outside my door and check on my gardens, I love that we have so many beautiful lakes and beaches all around. We can go berry picking, and peach picking, and apple picking, and visit wineries, and do all these “typical” seasonal activities all throughout the year and it just makes me feel like I’m really not missing out on any of the things that I really want to be doing. We’re coming up on fall now, which might be my favorite season here. We have corn mazes and orchards to visit, and a town where everyone decorates for fall and halloween so beautifully. Anyway, just feeling really lucky to be here, and excited about what’s to come. 🙂
NEWS AND FINDS
-I finally updated my pancake syrup post! It seems like a silly thing, but a few years ago I shared a recipe for homemade pancake syrup that I thought was really clever. I just took the photos quickly and shared them because I just thought it would come in handy for someone, somewhere. Well, that recipe has turned out to be quite popular and gets a ton of traffic every weekend… and the lack of nice photos in it were really starting to bug me, since so many people were visiting it. So I finally took some new photos and added them in and I feel much better about it, knowing that we’re heading into “cozy season” and a lot of people are definitely going to be making some pancakes over the next few months. 🙂 You can get the recipe here. Save it on Pinterest in case you ever need it!
-It looks like people are starting to plan for their fall decor because this post about Dollar Store Fall Decor is starting to see a lot of pins over on Pinterest. I just looked over it and there really are a lot of great, affordable ideas in there from years past. The fun thing about fall decor is that it’s always pretty classic, so ideas don’t really go “out of style” as much with passing trends. I’m definitely looking forward to getting a few things out when our leaves start to change here, but that won’t be for another five or six weeks probably for us. We can still plan though!
-Speaking of fall, I found the best comfy little black dress for fall on Amazon! I saw someone share it a few weeks ago somewhere and they actually had it in XXS (and a lot of other sizes too), which is super rare for anything on Amazon, so I had to try it. Anyway, it fits true to size, and the fit is really stylish but also roomy, which will be perfect for when we’re at shoots this fall and I just want to be comfortable. The fabric is airy, but soft, so I think it should work well for all seasons if I add some tights underneath when it gets colder. Love a practical find like that!
-This is way too early, but you know I’m a planner, so I ordered a monogramed Halloween bag for Jack. I got one for Kennedy years ago and it’s created the best little Halloween tradition for us as she moved into the teenager years and stopped going out trick out treating. Now I just take her special Halloween bag every year and fill it up with treats and goodies, then leave it waiting for her on her bed when Jack goes out trick or treating, so she still gets to join in the fun. And it’s fun for me too. I’ve been meaning to get one for Jack for years too because I’ll definitely do that same thing for him as he gets older. Anyway, PBK has a great deal on this one classic style of monogramed Halloween bag right now, so it’s a great time to jump on it.
–This Aerie bag is a great “dupe” for the Lululemon belt bag which is always sold out and it’s about 1/2 of the price. I grabbed one for Kennedy because she wanted something simple to hold her phone, keys, money, etc. now that she’s driving and out in the world a bit more.
-So, this is absolutely insane. Have you seen that Ruggable is making washable furniture now? And it’s beautiful! It’s not available for shipping to Canada just yet, but it’s free to ship anywhere in the US! I’m particularly fond of this comfy looking lounge chair and this stunning Scandinavian inspired chair. These will be an absolute game changer just like their rugs have been for so many of us.
MORE RECENT POSTS
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- Easy Plant-Based Pancake Recipe
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- Five Things on a Friday 8/5/22
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Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.