She sat in the pine straw for over an hour, then walked over to my container, helped herself and left without an apology. This week has Tuscany, London, Connecticut and a man in London full of wisdom
As I passed from the bedroom to the kitchen yesterday to make my drinking chocolate, I glanced out the back window and there she was. Not a baby bunny or a newborn fawn. A full grown doe, sitting calmly in the pine straw as if she owned the place, which at this point she may as well.
I watched her on and off for well over an hour. Made my chocolate, read my book, filled in my journal, and she never moved except to flick her ears when a utility vehicle passed on the cart path. She just sat there, taking a respite from the heat. Calm and entirely unbothered. Finally she stood up gracefully, walked over to one of my containers, helped herself to whatever she liked, and then walked away. As she left the yard she turned and looked back at me through the window. I cannot decide if that was a farewell or a warning.
As much as I do not appreciate what they do to the circle and the containers, I have to admit they are beautiful creatures. I genuinely enjoy watching them. Just not eating my flowers.
This morning we are off to the farmers market, then to the beach club and last a birthday dinner. A full, fun day ahead. Kim and I have lots to share this week. Let’s meander.
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Home Tours
Saturday morning would not be complete without a few home tours. This week is a mix of homes in Tuscany, London and Connecticut and I loved every single one.
Casavecchia is an 800-year-old villa in the hills of Tuscany that has been in the Roselli Cecconi family for generations, and Judi walks you through every room and tells you the story behind it. Original floors that still bounce underfoot. Rooms named after flowers. Paintings found in the attic. A watchtower built to spot invaders. A dog called Cosmo who greets everyone at the door. This is not the polished Tuscany of the brochures. It is a real family home, imperfect and alive, and it is one of the most beautiful things I have watched in months.
Leanne Kilroy’s Victorian home in north London is one I have shared before in a different video, and I am sharing it again because I learn something new every time I watch it. This one offers a different view of the house and the story of its updates. Once a boarding house, it has been thoughtfully adapted for family life by Leanne and her husband, three daughters and their cat Cato. Grand period features and proportions alongside personal touches and endearing imperfections. Four other home channels have featured this house and I understand why.
The Connecticut home of Ric and Stephanie Barbatelli on Homeworthy is the one I loved for its honesty. After years of searching they found their dream home and transformed it into a warm retreat filled with meaningful heirlooms and collected treasures. They hired a designer and pushed back on designs that did not feel right, which I respect enormously. The result is a home that feels genuinely theirs: Ric’s modern and colorful art, which he cheerfully admits is sometimes too large for the wall, Stephanie’s pug finds, and special pieces from his grandfather’s Milwaukee workshop. You know I have a soft spot for Milwaukee.
Inspiration
Speronella Marsh creates beautiful fabrics using repurposed vintage linen and traditional block printing. Each piece is handmade and thoughtful and the kind of thing that reminds you that slow, skilled making is its own form of beauty. Her website is worth a visit too.
Sam Boyette’s garden in Tennessee is a six-year project that began during the early days of Covid and has grown into something extraordinary: Japanese maples, conifers, a koi pond, all in Zone 7B. He made a short film about its story and I found it so moving.
One More Thing
Pour yourself a second cup for this one. Model Strangers is a channel by photographer Christopher Ward, who stops strangers on London streets and asks them the kind of questions most people never get asked. This week the stranger is Xavier, and the conversation that follows is the kind that stays with you for days. Ward says it is one of the most poignant conversations he has ever had. Xavier is full of wisdom, delivered with a quietness that is more powerful than any lecture or Ted Talk. I watched it twice and I am still thinking about it.
Last But Not Least
I know, I know, you are seeing Nordstrom sale posts everywhere and I was going to sit this one out. Until I started scrolling and found myself surrounded by plaid. If you are a fellow plaid devotee, and you know I am, I pulled together a few coats worth a look. Just in case the South decides to surprise us with something cool, cold or, dare I say it, a little snow this year.
Click the Images Below for Plaid Coats
Before you go, tell me: did you have any unexpected wildlife visitors this week? And what are your plans for the weekend?
Don’t forget to visit Kim at Northern California Style. We always have lots to share.
If you enjoyed this post, I would love it if you shared it. You can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.. I would love to have you along.
Have a wonderful weekend, friends.
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Weekend Meanderings No. 118 | Summer is Flying and I Am Not Ready
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I agree that deer are such magical creatures. I’m sorry they keep eating your plants! We have a nest of baby Bluebirds. They will be ready to fledge in just a couple of days! Every morning and evening we sit outside with coffee or a drink and watch the parents feed them. It is our wedding anniversary today and so we are celebrating with friends at a new to us French restaurant. Have a great weekend!
Fun post. We used to have deer eating our plants when we lived in Mammoth…with mixed feelings.
Ah, our wildlife event this week was a very large (they are always very large) bull snake lounging under the edge of the back porch. The dogs were frenzied, and we were on the verge. As it turns out, we left him alone, brought everyone inside and he disappeared later in the afternoon. Bull snakes are fine mousers, will happily eat baby bunnies too, and really do more good than harm, but they will stop your heart for a minute while you determine that they are not rattlers.
Hi Elizabeth! I do love seeing wildlife, but I have mixed feelings about deer since they can eat even a rose garden in one night, not to mention ticks.
I always love the home tours you find!
xx
As others have said already, I have mixed feelings about what seems to be abundance of deer everywhere! I think I appreciated them more when they were seen much less often. I’m sure that humans have once again mismanaged something that is now causing the displacement of them.
Thanks for all of the videos you featured in this post…..I’m looking forward to watching several of them!