Friday, February 19, 2010

Mid-Winter Walk: Colors I Love


Yes, I'm afraid in these parts it is still very much mid-winter.  You can't tell from these photos, but just around a muddy bend the path turns to hard-packed snow and treacherous ice.  Not exactly Olympic trail kind of stuff, but it can certainly send you spout over teakettle.

I shot these photos because I adore the colors this time of year: bone and straw and faded lace.  I could decorate a whole house just in these shades.  Imagine coming home and feeling almost like you'd walked into a beautiful sepia photograph.  And I'd tuck little vases and jars of brightly-hued ranunculus and stock and roses just for punches of color in surprising spots: on the little plate shelf above the kitchen sink or on an old bamboo bookcase near the back stairs.

Ah, this is a week for daydreaming about old wooden floors and fresh-baked shortbread.  Sunlight is slanting through the windows with more zest, and the sunbeams in my house in late afternoon shimmer golden.  You see, there are some benefits to forgetting to dust the furniture; all those dust motes look so pretty when the light hits them.  Some call it dirt.  I call it atmosphere.

Wishing you a golden weekend.

41 comments:

  1. I love both of these beautiful photos Gigi! I too could decorating in these colours alone - they are so calming to me.

    We have had a lot of sun lately and although I love and crave the sunshine I don't like how it shows off can the abundant "atmosphere" around my home. I love your positive spin on dust - maybe I'll have to adjust my outlook!

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  2. Oh yes, those colors particularly in the second are gorgeous.

    Mmm shortbread and floorboards, girl after my own heart...and forgetting to dust...me too.

    Happy weekend my dear,
    xoxo

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  3. There's a whole lot of atmosphere in my high ceilinged house which unfortunately causes me to sneeze quite a bit.
    I adore those golden images, Gigi. Exquisite!

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  4. WONDERFUL PICTURES! I LOVE these. I could frame that second one, in a wodden frame painted white and then distressed. Just gorgeous.
    I am glad you know to appreciate this time of year, with it's humble muted colours. We'll have spring soon...but isn't so good to live in the moment, and enjoy it?
    Thank you for these beautiful images!
    xo

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  5. Catherine: Oh, I am so trying to put a positive spin on my laziness! You caught me. ; )

    DJ: Why do we live on opposite sides of the world? I know, know, know we'd have a ball together.

    Angie: Oh, yes! The sneezing. Me, too.

    Country Girl: Thanks, my friend. I was thinking about framing that second one myself. I've actually never framed a single one of my own pictures. Hmmmm . . . maybe it's time.

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  6. Great photos! Have a great weekend. Hope you get lots of sun!

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  7. You can come and decorate my house any day Gigi!! Just gorgeous. And I know I'm starting to bore myself saying the same thing every time, but these photos are STUNNING!!

    Atmosphere, I like that! Lots and lots of that here too. :-)

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  8. Dear Gigi,
    Your photographs are lovely. I think that every season has its own lovliness. Skeletal seed heads, dusting of snow, bare branches against a blue sky....all beautiful.
    Dusting is NOT my forte either. I can do it and, within 5 minutes it's all back !!
    You should definitely frame your photographs. I think that you should have a whole wall, dedicated to your work. It would look wonderful.. You could change the photographs according to the seasons. I love a wall of pictures or photographs, all in different vintage frames.
    Enjoy the mid-winter, Gigi and forget about the dusting. I do. Life's too short !!!! haha XXXX

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  9. Very beautiful! Oh, and my house has a similar "atmosphere"! Have you been to Great Meadows lately? We may be near there on Sunday!

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  10. These old hay colours are beautiful and you could almost feel a house decorated in them crackling underfoot. How about we all dedicate our blogs to 'before dusting' and 'after dusting' photos and show the world our immense dusting abilities? No takers? Ok, scrap that idea.

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  11. bone and straw and faded lace...Sounds like the title of a poem maybe? ;o) These are splendid photos, Gigi, very evocative. We had a BIG dump of snow through the night--tons of snow... Everything is white, gray, slate, stone...And very cold too...bbbrrr... We'll be semi-hibernating, cozy indoors this weekend! I see cake-baking, knitting, hubby playing music in our weekend future. Have a great one, my friend ((HUGS))

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  12. simply gorgeous Gigi!
    You certainly have a great set of eyes
    ~|~
    Lovely weekend dear!

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  13. What beautiful images you write, especially the 'sepia photograph house' with the surprising bits of color here and there. I often hear people complain that they can't wait for spring to come - and while I whole-heartedly understand the sentiment, it's also great to see each season appreciated for what it is, with its own colors and beauty.
    Wishing you a golden weekend too!

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  14. I too love these soft muted colours and the beautiful treasures that are found in winter gardens.
    Dust bunnies add character in my opinion. Happy Friday Gigi!

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  15. Beautiful! It's not easy to stay in the moment this time of year. Thanks for reminding me there is beauty in every season.

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  16. Beautiful photos as usual, Gigi...Jackie is right you should have a whole wall dedicated to your photos!

    Now you have me dreaming of fresh baked shortbread....yum!!!

    I usually have a bit of atmosphere around the house too....life is far too short to be without it...haha..!!

    Have a wonderful weekend, lovely Gigi! xxoo :)

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  17. hi gigi
    i have a house and garden full of dried flowers and herbs. they re too pretty to let go of

    have a good weekend
    ~laura

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  18. That is a great take on dust! I can handle it in the air, but on my dark brown table tops...it drives me crazy!

    I love shades of brown, taupe and cream. I also need some unexpected color mixed in.

    Have a good weekend!

    Sue

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  19. beauty... that's what i will call these.
    xo

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  20. What gorgeous pictures and such lovely words!

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  21. gigi ...there is so much texture to see in these two..it causes more study when the color is muted...really lovely atmosphere

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  22. Gigi - your photos are just beautiful! No further description of winter is required - you've captured it perfectly in your photos and gorgeous words. Also, I enjoyed your last post so much - I loved your description of what everyone was doing out there in blogland! Hope you have a lovely weekend! Leigh

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  23. Gigi, is that a FIELD OF SUNFLOWERS? And methinks wild asters in the second picture? Lucky duck. I'll take a longer winter if it means fields of sunflowers in the summer.

    I'm behind on blog-reading too; it's a busy time of year. We all love you so much. xoxo.

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  24. My mother-n-law always tells me she doesn't like to dust because 'dust bunnies' are her friends! Good excuse, non?

    Immediately shared these images with Sean, he loves these colors too!

    Happy weekend to you and your sepia colored world!
    ~Melissa

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  25. :) love that last line..atmosphere indeed.

    and funny enough, i just coveted a coverlet at west elm that was the dried straw color - they called it horseradish.

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  26. Oh-your wonderful photos brings back good memories from Tuscany, Italy. I think it must be the Sunflower and the colors :-)

    I hope you feel ok, and wish you a great weekend.
    Hugs from MiaNostalgia

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  27. "Bone and straw and faded lace"- exquisite. Lovely photos, Gigi! Made my day. xo GG

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  28. You are beautiful!
    love Johnny

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  29. i am so with you gigi, about loving these colours ...
    completely.
    i find them to be rich in tones and gentleness ...
    and you brought such a smile to my face with your words about the dust ... i too have this thing about the dust and light ... it kinda shows in some of my photos and i like to think of it as 'texture' ... ;)
    if i was to have dusted, how would i have seen the perfect heart that i discovered traced into the piano the day after valentines when our son was entertaining his sweetie with some ivory tickling ... sigh.
    and still giggling about 'spout over tea kettle' ...
    you are such a joy ...
    thank you,
    prairiegirl
    xo

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  30. loving that faded linen and lace..baking shortbread and dust motes ( i have plenty of these!!)....i went spout over teakettle yesterday...very muddy jeans to wash.......over here we say something much less elegant!!!....have a lovely weekend..xx

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  31. I love your description - bone, straw and faded lace. I could decorate a whole house like that too! And would definitely frame the second image - adore it. Autumn is my favourite time of year with Winter being a close second xo Louise

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  32. Always love to catch up with you. I know what you mean by being busy. Hope the writing is treating you well dear friend. I've been wondering how it been going since you quit your job. I've been spending more time trying to change gears as well, and it feels great. I spent all last Monday on the holiday working on query letters, and agent research. Aww the dream begins. Hope you are doing well.

    Love,
    nicolette

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  33. So beautiful. Your spring is yet to appear! Here we are greening up. The sky is alternately grey and brilliant blue.

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  34. i don't know what to say...so beautiful..i am speechless......

    you can write, my friend...oh, yes you can!

    sending love,
    kary

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  35. I am catching up too Gigi...and I find your words and your photos golden...I will now only be calling my dust motes atmosphere:)...and you would feel at home here in my mostly old lace colored living room...

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  36. That is a great palette. Only a hint of accent colour is needed. I'll choose purples and reds. :)
    Dust used to bother me. Used to. xoxo

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  37. bone and straw and faded lace

    I love that you call the faded colors of winter by such lovely names. Your words paint the world more beautiful. With you, even dust is magical. sigh.

    Oh, thank you, my friend, for sharing your magic. I needed it tonight. I needed it.

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  38. These are beautiful. You can come decorate my house, I'll supply the dust!

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  39. Oh I love that. Atmosphere.
    You are simply delighful Gigi.
    :)

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  40. What beautiful photographs, especially the second one. Beautiful prose as well.

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