I’m back and ready to pick up where I left off.  Some of you read my post about (and were so supportive of) my hiatus from blogging [read: writers block].  Its surprising what a little mindless relaxation and rest from a hobby will do for you.  I was so touched by all of your kindness and encouragement. Thank you!  ♥ Karen

The Real Work

by Wendell Berry

It may be that when we no longer know what to do
we have come to our real work,

and that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey.

The mind that is not baffled is not employed.

The impeded stream is the one that sings.

 

Thank you, Anita of Castles, Crowns and Cottages, for the introduction to the above quote.  It truly made me feel better about writing and the ideas required to feel creative.

My vacation gave me time to ponder what I want the blog to be about and I’ve decided I really do enjoy writing about home interests.  Nothing all that deep, I’m more about the fluff of it all.   I tried imagining me writing about other topics but it always came back to the uncomplicated fact that when asked, “what interests you?” the answer was elementary.  Gardens (both working in and learning new things about);  my home (making the occasional improvements and tweaking, always tweaking, this and that);  and entertaining friends and family therein.  These are what brings me the most pleasure.  Simple, right?

So…for a new post after a long vacation I decided to share some inspiring garden rooms, as I refer to them.  Summer is near its end but here in Southern California we will suffer experience heat through September.

When I was growing up I don’t recall there being the vast array of options for creating rooms outdoors the way they exist today.  Did we have a patio?  Absolutely.  Did we have a table and seating for outdoor dining?  Yes, indeed.  My dad grilled all through the summer months.  But would you have looked at this space and imagined some of the additional comforts and decorative bits and pieces we now include in our ‘outdoor dining rooms’?  NO.

{T&G}

So, these are a few of my favorite dining spaces and a few outdoor living spaces as well.  I’ve included an image of my current patio and the newer pea gravel space under the cooling shade of two very large Ficus Benjamina trees.  (Are roots an issue? Yes they are.  My gardener takes great pains annually to cut off the roots that creep out from about a 5′ radius of the trees base and that seems to stem their destructive ways).  He also strongly recommends that we prune the 2 trees often, this gives them a reason to put new growth at the top, not at the roots.

So, without further ado…here are some wonderful outdoor spaces that can give us one last relaxing sigh as summer heads out and fall comes into focus.

{BHG}

{Libbey Ranch, Ojai}

{Enchanted Home}

{Emily Followill Photography}

{Providence Design}

{Enchanted Home}

{unknown}

Finally, truth be told, I wouldn’t mind this outdoor experience as well.  I know I’m being naive, I’ve never lived where it snows and I’ve been told by some with experience in such weather conditions, that it would only take one brutal winter in the east to cure me of the romantic notions I have about snow!

Do you have outdoor room(s) you enjoy during the warmer months of the year?