around the shop

Our always changing shop is looking different almost everyday.  Here are some of the latest...

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How to Grow Curry Plant

Curry plant is a curious and interesting little herb that may not be in the top five or ten choices on your herb wish list but definitely deserves your consideration.

Fast Facts About Curry Plant

Helichrysum italicum or curry plant is a tender perennial. Outdoors, it does best in U.S. zones 8 to 11. It can't tolerate a hard frost. It prefers soil that drains well, full sun and warm conditions

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House Whisperer

I know some of you were surprised when I said we sold our home.  A lot of you have only known me since we were in that house.   Some of you know me from the beginning of my blog when I lived in a home previous to the one I just sold.

None (except for my family) have known me before that.

If you did, you would know that Mr. Comforts and I are House Whisperers.

House Whisperers or House Savers....we find houses that are sad, neglected or forlorn and purchase them.  House Whisperers are very different from house flippers.  House Whisperers don't just slap on a new coat of paint and throw in some new light fixtures.


(before picture of the house we had prior to the one we just sold)

(after picture)

House Whisperers listen to the house....decide what the house needs and fix it up.  I can truly hear the house's contented sigh when we are finished.  We live in the house while we are remodeling.  Then we live in it a few more years, tweaking it to make sure it is just right.

It is fun fixing up a house.  Every house is different.  Some are fancy, some are cozy and some are very simple.  We have remodeled a Victorian home in upstate NY,  a brand new builders grade home in Florida. A 1940's farmhouse in Tennessee, a condo in Florida, a ranch home in NC and the farmhouse style home here in NC that we just sold.

It is very hard, not to get attached to a home we remodel.  We put our hearts and souls into the homes.  I think that is why they sell so quickly.  This last home was only on the market 4 weeks before we got the offer.  The buyer's asked that we leave the lions head fountain in the back yard.  The wife had been looking for a studio and love the black and white harlequin floor.  Two of the things we just knew we needed to add to this home.


In my next post, I will tell you more about choices we make as House Whisperers and what our plans are next.
Welcome Home,
Penny

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House Whisperer

I know some of you were surprised when I said we sold our home.  A lot of you have only known me since we were in that house.   Some of you know me from the beginning of my blog when I lived in a home previous to the one I just sold.

None (except for my family) have known me before that.

If you did, you would know that Mr. Comforts and I are House Whisperers.

House Whisperers or House Savers....we find houses that are sad, neglected or forlorn and purchase them.  House Whisperers are very different from house flippers.  House Whisperers don't just slap on a new coat of paint and throw in some new light fixtures.


(before picture of the house we had prior to the one we just sold)

(after picture)

House Whisperers listen to the house....decide what the house needs and fix it up.  I can truly hear the house's contented sigh when we are finished.  We live in the house while we are remodeling.  Then we live in it a few more years, tweaking it to make sure it is just right.

It is fun fixing up a house.  Every house is different.  Some are fancy, some are cozy and some are very simple.  We have remodeled a Victorian home in upstate NY,  a brand new builders grade home in Florida. A 1940's farmhouse in Tennessee, a condo in Florida, a ranch home in NC and the farmhouse style home here in NC that we just sold.

It is very hard, not to get attached to a home we remodel.  We put our hearts and souls into the homes.  I think that is why they sell so quickly.  This last home was only on the market 4 weeks before we got the offer.  The buyer's asked that we leave the lions head fountain in the back yard.  The wife had been looking for a studio and love the black and white harlequin floor.  Two of the things we just knew we needed to add to this home.


In my next post, I will tell you more about choices we make as House Whisperers and what our plans are next.
Welcome Home,
Penny

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An update on Teddy and a recap on Easter......

Hi there, hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Easter and Passover weekend with their loved ones. I had my parents in town which was wonderful and though Teddy's presence was certainly missed we counted the blessing that he's alive and relatively well, recovering and under excellent care. The GREAT news is that he is likely coming home TOMORROW! We are very excited. He has made great progress over the last two days, and though he's a bit banged up, he has his energy and spirit back again.... a beautiful thing to see. He will still need to be seen/observed by the doctor every 3-4 days over the next 2 weeks to be watchful for infection but fingers crossed  he is officially in the healing/recovering stage and I know being back home is going to be a giant step for him in that direction. We cannot wait to lavish him with a wonderful meal and some new toys, plenty of attention and love. His sweet sunny disposition has won over the hearts of all those working with him and they have taken amazingly good care of him, but its time for him to be where he belongs.......home. I have said it already but I am compelled to say it again......I was telling my parents how completely overwhelmed by emotion I was at the outpouring of support and kindness from all my readers. I cannot tell you enough how reading through them was so uplifting and gave me  much needed positive energy, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. Though it wasn't exactly the weekend I had hoped for I did do my best to make things feel Easter like and springy and after getting such a good report, I think it put a little pep in our step for every member in my household so things started feeling a little more back to normal. Just a few flowery touches around the house.........
Also need to add how wonderful it felt to finally after 6 days,  sit down and write a normal post. I soooo missed being a part of blogland and look forward to catching up on all that's been happening with everyone over the next few days............

Love tulips in all their many colors........

Added some blue and white boxes

Love green apples in blue and white

Late day sun is my favorite.......

Teddy's "corner" waiting for him to back.............

White tulips........

I could live on this........give me antipasta and a fresh baguette.....I am good to go!

More white tulips

Added another vase with tulips to balance it out.......

And Easter morning.......

LOVE that fresh fruit is starting to get in season again......love the abundance of wonderful fresh fruit

Setting up for Easter breakfast, we were blessed with the most beautiful day!

White tulips add so much to a table.......

So that's a little recap on my weekend, it was low key, uplifting to get great news, wonderful to be with my family and above all a time to reflect on the blessings we have been given. One of which is my thanks for your many prayers and well wishes which I am confident helped Teddy to turn a corner and begin a full recovery. Thank you so very much! Wishing you a wonderful day.

There's "the man"!

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Spring Inspiration: Patio garden designs for apartment and backyard!

Spring has the quality of freshness and beauty! It is colorful and energetic and the ideal time to be outdoors. If you have been thinking about adding a garden to your patio, this post has some gorgeous designs to get you totally smitten!

Be it a small apartment balcony or a luxurious backyard patio space, make the most of the wonderful spring time and delight your senses with a fabulous garden. Enjoy an early morning breakfast or a romantic dinner in your own beautiful sensuous garden.

A select color theme and rustic appeal! Serene and stress free, unwind in your own oasis of spring bounty. Repurpose baskets, old crates, watering cans etc for this eclectic cottage style garden!

For a really small patio use contrast to work for you! Paint rails a neutral shade, and remember darker colors make patio look larger. Few bright colorful flowers will look clutter free. Perfect spot for conversation!!

Hang shelves from the rail, this way you can rotate the flowering pots! Use light weight pottery that can be moved easily. Make sure to leave the floor space open for patio furniture for you to sit back and enjoy!!

For those who love mature plants and topiary, this is a fabulous design. Add just a few mature plants for easy maintenance. Mix water saver in the soil for spring florals, to help retain moisture. Less of daily watering!

Choose your plants wisely! Consider the sun/shade, dimension of the patio, growth and maturity of the plants you are choosing. Visit local nurseries for suggestions. Use pottery of different heights to add more density and depth to your garden!

Mixing pots and urns of different size and shape can make for a very appealing look. Keep the color palette similar to avoid color clashes. The patio should look like a peaceful artistic adobe for your senses!

With the space constraint of a patio, boxes mounted on rails leave room for entertaining. Mix colorful spring flowers to brighten up the area, add small trees, bushes and create your own little zen world :c)

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Happy Easter from the Herb Gardener

I wanted to pop in and offer my best wishes for the day.  Even if you don't celebrate Easter, for many it's the real rather than the official start of spring.

In a surprising number of U.S. locales, the weather seems too good to be true this spring.  We are a few weeks away from the frost free date in my part of the Midwest, so I've held back from a big push in the garden.  I've been

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Easter Herb and Vegetable Tips

If you're preparing Easter dinner this year, here are some tips that will make the most of your ingredients and maybe give your menu a little added zip:


Herb conversion - If you're cooking with herbs and have some fresh varieties around, the conversion from fresh to dry is three to one. That means for every tablespoon of fresh herbs in a recipe, use 1 teaspoon of dry herbs. The flip side of

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