Heirlooms

The rhythms of becoming an heirloom are rough for some & smooth for others. I thought of this when I picked these heirloom tomatoes at the farmer’s market. When I arrived home, I felt that they deserved a nice rest in the soft lap of my grandmother’s bowl.

We spent our last summer evening appreciating much ~ along with a few heirlooms. As I was sitting in the cool grass with Granny’s bowl in my lap I was reminded of the cycles of life, of the rightness of change, loss & rebirth.

For the first time, I used my Great Grandmother’s paring knife that my cousin Kris sent to me. In her note she said ~ Grandmother Collier peeled a ‘million’ peaches for preserves and for pickling with this paring knife. She always liked a very sharp knife. The best part though ~ the soft and comfortable handle.

Isn’t it amazing how memories can unfold? Thank you Kris ~ I love it & you too!

Hope you’re all having a great weekend!

Keeping Tabs

Dear friends,

I've been keeping tabs on many of you and your wonderful blog stories while I've been away.

I've also started keeping tabs here at

The Lisa Porter Collection.

New tabs under my header include topics on Design, Photographers & Stylists, Gardens, Culinary, Shopping, Style, Art, Antiques, Mentions, and much Blog Love!

Pages for topics will allow for big beautiful photos and also make things much simpler @  Home.

Click below to find your favorites and discover some wonderful new ones!



 

 

There's lot's of

  and some very

I hope you'll stop by often and bear with me as I continue to tweak!

Also, a big Thank You from Gracie and our family for all your kind notes. Think she's gonna be OK!

One more thing...if something's not working or a link is missing please let me know.

Poetry & Gardening

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“Courtyards and boxwood and stonewalls and nepeta,

Agave and old barns and salvage antiqua

Formal and classic and playing with greens

These are a few of her favorite things.”

Mary Jasch

When I first read this poem I thought to myself…

These are a few of my favorite things & the poet must be a gardener as the two always seem to go hand in hand. 

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My intuition served me correctly…

Penned by freelance writer and photographer Mary Jasch, she is also the editor & publisher of DIG IT! magazine. 

Let me tell you that DIG IT! is more than just a garden full of pretty flowers.

 DIG IT! is a digital publication where avid gardeners delight in sharing their roots & gaining knowledge.  The contributing writers are horticulturists, conservationists, landscapers, artists, master & everyday gardeners!  It’s dog-eared with wonderful links – Also a newsletter & calendar of events for all of you gardening along the east coast. 

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Informative & resourceful yes!  Another appealing aspect is that it reads like a gardener’s journal as the magazine is enriched by and dedicated to the loving memories of Mary Jasch’s mother & grandmother. 

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At DIG IT! Mary also invites readers to put on their muck boots & join her at her blog where she tends to her own personal landscape. 

Whether it’s the gruesome task of pruning & plowing past a six-foot Rose of Sharon entwined in chain link or the sleepy-eyed luxury of picking early morning breakfast berries from her own backyard, she reflects in a melodious tone even while yanking a dead plant out of the soil! 

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The Grounds, a regular feature at DIG IT! is where I discovered that this writer, photographer, editor, publisher & gardener is also a poet!  In an article titled Her Favorite Things - Mary opens with her poem about designer & gardener Andrea Filippone is seen here at the entrance to her Orangerie. 

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The beautiful photographs you see throughout this story and the “Courtyards and boxwood” that she speaks of are in reference to the 19th-century homestead of Andrea Filippone & husband William Welch.  The “old barns and salvage antiqua” refer to their all-encompassing architecture, interior, and landscape design firm.  

Andrea Filippone & William Welch photographed by William Waldron for Elle Décor   

All beautifully settled together amongst the gentle hills of New Jersey horse country.

This is Tendenze Design.

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At the end of her poem,

Mary Jasch begins her narrative & leads readers on a prolific tour of the windswept estate.

“Walk through the archway of the barns, anchored with iron horse legs, and enter another world – beyond the threshold of Americana out front. A courtyard comes into view. Suddenly the barns morph into house with long stone steps across the front with rows of heuchera, boxwood and ivy rising, flanked with agave, elephant ears and hydrangea. This is a landscape to learn from.” Mary Jasch

 

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While writing this story a theme kept running through my mind. 

The woman who works with her hands is a laborer.  The woman who works with her head is a craftswoman.  The woman who works with her hands, her head, and her heart is an artist.

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Mary Jasch & Andrea Filippone are both hard-working & incredibly talented women, but it’s the way in which they weave their artistry not only into their own lives but the lives of others as well that inspires me to no end.

Thank you, ladies.

 

 

 

The May 2012 issue of Elle Décor featured a marvelous layout, photographed by William Waldron, on the bucolic country life of Andrea Filippone & William Welch.  

Clairebourne Antiques

Summertime has arrived in Kentucky & a day of antiquing is a great reason to get out of the garden!

Just down the road from where I live up on a hill is one of my favorite stops.

Clairebourne Antiques.

The quaint (1850) church that Clairebourne calls “home” was respectfully restored by owner Dennis Pigg. 

He prefers to call it, “A labor of love.”

I always drive by while running daily errands & I have to say that the temptation to drop in is always there. 

Especially when the doors are wide open & a truck is being unloaded!

I remember the first time I stepped inside. It hit me – the aroma of old furniture wax & the give of soft worn long-leaf pine floors that carried me from one room to the next. I wanted to move right in.

And the antiques!

Even though my grandmother taught me how to size up an antique from across the room, I was drawn in by the narrow pathways that soon had me winding through a variety of eras & styles. I love when shops are packed full! Getting up close, studying & touching such beautiful pieces is the best way to learn and find what you love.

 

At Clairebourne antique hunters will find the collection is varied yet somewhat focused.  It’s easy to imagine relationships between many of the pieces.

Early 20th century ladies’ secretary desks sit next to garden ornaments & equestrian-themed wares and that’s just on the main floor.

 

Quiet fans move the heavy air upstairs where one can truly appreciate the architectural elements of this fine old place. 

Lighting, trunks, books & beautifully preserved furniture all rest comfortably together beneath the massive framework.

                                                          

Another woman & I were both admiring these sconces from Portugal.

  My southern manners were telling me not to be “grabby” as she was simply admiring them.  In my heart, though they were already flanking an antique mirror in our master bedroom!  We exchanged pleasantries and then strolled about in opposite directions.

Dennis, the owner of Clairebourne came over to say hello & welcome me with a complimentary bottle of his favorite furniture polish. I told him that I was writing a story about antiquing in the Bluegrass. He was delighted to be included!  We enjoyed a brief conversation and he encouraged me to keep taking photographs & then excused himself to go tend to the other woman.

Turns out, she’s an antique dealer and she and her husband were buying a variety of beautiful antiques! 

I eventually made my way back over to the other side of the store to have another look at the sconces and they were gone. My heart sank. Just then I noticed the antique dealer approaching me!  She hesitated & then kindly told me that she was purchasing them.  My heart sank AGAIN!  I politely smiled & told her that they were indeed very special & to enjoy.

Dealer: “They are yours if you're still interested.”

Me:  Really?

Dealer: “I'll sell them to you for what I just paid for them.”

Me: Really?

Because of her intuition & generosity the sconces are now beautifully flanking the antique mirror!

I love them & am once again reminded that it’s just the way folks are around here.

Call it southern hospitality or Bluegrass pride.

The Fryers were happy to take a picture & Mr. was especially excited to be featured at The Lisa Porter Collection!

Thank you Clairebourne Antiques and Judy Fryer for a memorable day of antiquing in Kentucky!

If you’re in the area.

Clairebourne Antiques

4648 Nicholasville Rd.
Lexington, KY 40515
(859) 272-4648

Monday through Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM

 

FRYER ANTIQUES

(502) 229-7112

Happy hunting!

All photos, Lisa Porter