Thursday, April 3, 2014

Cottage Love


Yesterday I was finally feeling better and ventured out to mail a package, 
visit the market, and stop at the library.

It was a lovely, soft, spring day with filtered sunshine. 

Whenever I drive through my tiny town, I am always enchanted by the sweet little cottages. 

This town was founded on logging and coal mining at the turn of the last century. 

These sweet cottages are modest and small, but so charming. 

Come along with me and I will show you a few favorites!


This classic farmhouse style has lovely windows-the rectangular one of bottle stained glass. 

It was once part of a large farm, but the land was more valuable for building homes....


An ancient plum tree stands guard over a lovely yellow cottage. 
I love the little bump outs and the tiny panes in the front door. 

I can imagine a sweet bedroom under the eaves. 


This cottage on the corner also has a charming room under the eaves. 

The white picket fence and cherry tree caught my eye. 


If you can look past the recycling bins waiting for pick-up, this little charmer stole my heart. 

The tiny front porch with oval windowed door, and the little sun room brought back fond memories of my parent's very first home, which was also my first home. 

I have memories of sitting in a similar sun room with my Dear young Mother
 as she taught me to sew and where I learned the alphabet and colors. 

I can relive these moments when I see this cottage, 
complete with  the memory of a particular bird song that delighted my young ears. 

Sweet, sweet memories....


I don't know why this cottage has always captured my imagination.

Maybe it is the gorgeous blue, or the wood shingled roof. 

Or maybe the large brick chimney and picket fence. 

The tiny windows next to the chimney? 

Or the beautiful bay windows and covered porch?

All together, it reminds me of a story book cottage. 


This 100 year old cottage was once in a very bad state. 

I knew the woman who owned it and brought it back to life. 

I worked with her at a local diner - both young mothers 
looking to earn a few extra bucks to bring home to our families. 

Sadly, her husband died in an accident and she was left to raise two teenage boys. 

Not long after, a noble man from her church offered his hand in marriage. 

She asked me, 'Do you think I can marry a man that I don't love and make it work?'

My answer was, 'Maybe you can learn to love this man if he has good qualities and is kind.'

She married him, they finished the house, and not long afterwards they moved away. 

I often wonder if the marriage worked. 

She was beautiful, with long auburn hair, and a beautiful heart. 

I hope she found love....


This tiny charmer with its neat and tidy gardens overlooks my little mountain. 

A perfect little doll house! 


This is my idea of the perfect cottage. 

Picket fence, arbor, charming front porch, and look at that tree! 

My daughter's childhood friend lived here. 

It is just as charming inside as out.

Naturally, it resides on 'Cottage Street'! 


Also on Cottage Street, this lovely house of worship sits nestled among the cottages. 


Last, but not least, how beautiful is this little cottage, surrounded by spring's beauty? 


But I must bid the cottage tour goodbye and be on my way...

A stop at the post office and market and then ...


I pull up to the library with its beautiful blooming trees. 


It's pure joy walking under these blooming branches to get inside. 

I choose books on wildflower identification, Northwest gardening, 
bread baking, sewing purses, crochet, paper crafts, and of course, cottage decorating. 


I walk from the hushed, dim interior to the beautiful spring sunshine and make my way home.

This week I will be planting Sweet Peas - inspired by my painting that was once my Dear Mother's.

She loved this painting.

I hope to have my blue canning jars full to the brim....



Thank you, Dear Friends for coming along with me today.

I hope wherever you are, 
you are enjoying nature's beauty surrounding

the cottages of home. 
xoxo

Linking to:


http://www.underlockandkeyblog.com/search/label/floral%20friday


And Spring arose on the 
garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt
everywhere;

And each flower and herb
on Earth's dark breast

rose from the dreams of its
Wintry rest

- Percy Bysshe Shelley


61 comments:

  1. They are simular to the ones in New Zealand, they have lot's of great looking cottages there and of course the scenery is very pretty over there.
    Merle..........

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  2. these are sweet, quaint and loved places! i do hope you'll link in the good fences with this post as you've got several great fences throughout! :)

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  3. Oh I hope she found love too! And what a good answer you gave her! I will tell you what...I could live in any of those cottages! They are all stunning in their own unique ways! Your town is out of a story book! My goodness! And all of the blooms that you all have already is quite amazing to me! Pure awesome friend! Here is to a wonderful weekend! Nicole xoxo

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  4. Natures beauty is truly the best! Enjoyed looking at the gorgeous pictures in this post

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  5. I do like those sweet houses!

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  6. What a lovely cottage tour! I really enjoyed it as they are my favorite type of house, just right.
    Have a great evening.

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  7. such splendid little cottages! we have a number of them near our downtown area, would really like to live in one.

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  8. Cottages have such character! Very nice.

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  9. Hi. Thank you for taking us on a tour of the beautiful cottages in your town. Each one is charming and unique in its own way and the blossom trees are very pretty. They all look like they could tell stories.

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  10. Love the cottage tour. Thanks for sharing. Glad you're feeling better. Blessings!

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  11. I love the tour of all these cottages, very different from my country!!!
    Have a nice day! Hugs

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  12. The cottages are really wonderful and the blooming trees too.
    Thanks for sharing

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  13. What a charming town you live in! I loved the homes with the flowering trees and spring flowers. And the cherry blossoms at your library are amazing. Our neighbors have a trio that are putting on a show right now.

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  14. I have always small cottage type houses and in fact lived in one and raised my children there. Lived there for 36 years. I still miss it. Developers tore it down and and it the area is nothing but houses now. So thank you for the Cottage Lane tour. MB

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  15. Dearest Karen;
    What a beautiful quaint town you live♡♡♡ I enjoyed every places in your pictures. And the cherry blossoms at your library is SO wonderful and I'm really HAPPY you can enjoy cherry blossom blooming in your place♪♪♪ We are all enjoying them in Japan p;)

    Sending you Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

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  16. I love cottages - and these are so sweet! What a pretty town you live in - so much charm!

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  17. Wow! What a gorgeous tour of beautiful homes! You live in a very picturesque town, and obviously everyone has a real pride of ownership. The cottages are adorable and every one says "welcome". The blossom tress of course add to the charm. I loved the story of your friend, and I hope she is still happily married. Wendy x

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  18. Ah, that is a lovely painting! And not even done with 'Waterlogue.' :-) Enjoyed all the sweet homes. My grandparents lived in a house very much like the first and third ones. I've always liked those little bungalows from the 1940s. In a day of all the McMansions, it's a good reminder that large, happy families can be brought up in small square footage.

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  19. What a beautiful place! The blue house is just amazing!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  20. Charming, absolutely charming, dear Karen :) I fell in love with just about every cottage you shared, but the pale yellow one and soft green cottage won my heart :)

    The story about the woman was quite touching and my heart also hopes she found love. . .

    Once again, you have blessed us with beautiful photos. Happy weekend, friend!

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  21. Beautiful front yards and cute cottages. Also nice renovation.

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  22. Glad you are feeling better Karen. Lovely little cottages and gorgeous spring blooms.
    We had several inches of snow overnight. It would be beautiful if it was the first snow of the winter.

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  23. What a lovely walk!
    Nice to meet you
    Visiting you has been a pleasure

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  24. You always give the best tours. I'd be happy to live in any one of these charming little cottages. Thanks for sharing Karen.

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  25. I love little cottages and houses like this. They just seem so "home" don't they?

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  26. Hello Karen,
    What a beautiful place you have here. I am your newest follower, and look forward to returning quite often.
    The photo's of your town cottages were all just breath taking! The "perfect cottage" is where my heart will reside. I too love cottage country. With my husband being from Canada, we lived in a small "cottage" country town that had some beauties.
    Your blossoms were amazing!! I could smell their fragrance through the computer. :)
    And then, that place of worship, how beautiful was that.
    I truly enjoyed my first visit here! Just beautiful.
    Have a blessed day. Debbie

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  27. What lovely homes you are surrounded by, glad you were feeling brighter, the sunshine helps.

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  28. Hola Beatrice tu vives en un lugar muy bonito y se nota que por allla llego la primab¡vera... lindas fotos de ese arbol florido
    besos

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  29. Wow, you are so lucky to live in such a charming town. Lovely photos - I thoroughly enjoyed this post.

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  30. Hi Karen, I loved this tour of your area where you live and these beautiful cottages! I hope you enjoy your books from the library and have a nice weekend.
    Julie

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  31. Karen, domki i okolice są śliczne!! Wiesz, uwielbiam domy z ceglanymi kominami na zewnątrz.. sama kiedyś chciałabym taki mieć i np na zewnątrz dobudowałabym grilla.. Wspaniała wiosna u Ciebie, dziękuję za ten piękny spacer:)))
    Ślę buziaki ze słonecznej Polski!!

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  32. Oh Mrs Karen,
    My dream home is a cottage just like those you pushed my desire again :) My favorite in this post is you telling the story about that beautiful woman. I'm praying that she found God as she walks with that man.
    Thank you for sharing but you did you know, my most favorite house is yours :) that is one who always inspires my future home hehe.
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Blessing to you and your family.

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  33. Dearest Karen,
    What a joy was this post!
    This is the loveliest time of the year because never get those cottages a better framing with those pink or white blossoms on the trees.
    Enjoy it while it lasts! We had lovely days, also nice bright for doing my sewing. Got the two lap duvets done; it was quite a wrestle as the entire bulk had to get pushed under the machine... Needed 4 hands for evening it out at the bottom, tugging on the side underneath the machine's arch... and helping it pass over the transporter of the machine that had a hard time since the bulk did not let it do its thing.
    Got it done however and that's always a little victory in life; one more...
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  34. Hi Karen,

    It was lovely to discover your beautiful blog and I am now following.
    What an absolutely charming part of the world you live in - love all the gorgeous cottages and houses. Also how beautiful the flowering blossom trees are.
    Happy weekend
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  35. Hi Karen, You live in one of the beautiful places...I loved seeing these Gorgeous cottage's...the blossom trees by the library are wonderful...enjoy your books... Hugs May x x

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  36. Hi sweet friend! I just got back from a cruise, but I so enjoyed taking a tour of the cottages in your town. In my dreams, I live in a cozy, little cottage, much like the ones you've shown, and a sweet town like you live in. Enjoy your blessings. xo

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  37. What a lovely area!!! The cottages are sooo sweet!!!!
    Thank you for sharing
    and all the best for you
    Elisabeth

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  38. Oh what a lovely group of sweet cottages- I like the blue storybook home myself, but they are all gorgeous. Have a great weekend!

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  39. Hi Karen,

    Just had to come back and say thank you for visiting me and following and I was happy to discover your blog. Also to take another look at all your gorgeous photos again, the beautiful cottages and lovely gardens. Thanks again.
    Hope you are having a lovely weekend
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  40. Hello Karen

    How lovely to find your beautiful blog - I found you via Floral Friday!

    I'm now following you so I won't miss any of your posts!

    These cottages are quite magical - your favorite is my fave too.
    As Merle said they are similar to the ones in New Zealand where I live, where after the 2nd World War there was a building boom and many were built along the Californian bungalow design.

    Those flowering blossom trees are divine!
    Wishing you a very happy and relaxing weekend!
    hugs
    Shane

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  41. Oh Karen, that blue cottage certainly looks as though it has a few stories to tell, so much character oozing from every inch! I am off to see my old cottage next week (unfortunately not under happy circumstances), but to relive some of the memories will be so comforting. It's lovely to see spring in your neck of the woods, the colours of this season are so fresh and inspiring. Take care. Chel x

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  42. Such lovely cottages! I've always like that style of homes. So cozy and charming. And those trees really are blooming! So beautiful. Things are starting to get back into the swing of things here and I just love seeing all the little pops of color!

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  43. Those cottages are so charming, Karen. If I ever moved back to town - IF - I would want to live in an old house, a cottage. They have history, and when moving, I feel more comfortable in a place that has already lived many lives. <3

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  44. All of these are so sweet, Karen! They remind me of the neighborhood I grew up in! :)

    I hope your little package arrived safely ~ please let me know if it hasn't, ok?

    xo,
    Lin

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  45. I am always enthralled by the beauty there, Karen...I hope to visit that area of the country someday! Thanks for sharing!

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  46. Hi Karen, those beautiful porches in the wooden cottages look so inviting! Such a wonderful tour you've had! The pastel colored houses with the blossoming fruit trees ... I'd love to walk along, and hear more stories from you!

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  47. Karen, that lovely ride! Beautiful houses, charm and delicacy with its colors and windows. I hope the girl is happy with her ​​husband, I think they lived happily.
    I'm glad to hear that you improved and brought us this wonderful post, thank you dear friend! I look at these houses and I want to see inside, I wonder
    Big kiss and a beautiful week for you.

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  48. What a charming little town you live in. Just look at your lovely weather too...pure joy. Sounds like you are enjoying the season. xo

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  49. Ι truly enjoyed this wonderful cottage tour and read the stories of the owners...Sometimes behind a beautiful house there are problems and unhappinness and the opposite.I always wonder how is the life of people who live in lovely homes...Thank you Karen, your area is really beautiful.

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  50. Thank you Beatrice
    You always are welcome
    Love

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  51. I have totally loved your cottage tour and the stories that you included about them. I just love little homes like this and the histories that they have. So glad that you are feeling better, and felt like getting out. looks so springy there. hugs to you from Texas Karen! Have a wonderful week

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  52. Preciosas fotos de todas esas casas, me han gustado muchísimo. Gracias por compartirlas.
    http://misojosasiloven.blogspot.com.es/

    Un saludo.

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  53. Oooooooo... I could move into that first cottage right now. Love it. Lovely photos.

    My first time here... so glad I found your site. I'm looking forward to getting to know you.

    Wishing you glimpses of heaven in unexpected places.....
    Brenda

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  54. I enjoyed walking by all of those cottages with you! Visiting via Sweetbriar Dreams.

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  55. Oh where to begin? Such a charming post! I love cottages too. My favs are the blue shingled one and the one with the white picket fence and blooming tree. So charming! Your mom's little painting is so sweet! What a beautiful little treasure.
    I am visiting from Chel's - happy to find you and now following.
    Hugs,
    Cecilia

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  56. Oh my goodness you have a lot of visitors today -- how wonderful that is - I am like number 59 when I started this comment wow wee! -- My favorite photo today is #9 -- beautiful...
    Hugs

    Ps -- My sweet friend - did you get my email notice - had to change it to livingwithchages@gmail.com

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  57. I really enjoyed walking with you and admiring all those darling cottages.

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  58. This post was filled with so many delights! What a sweet little town! I loved the blue house and the two smaller green ones, but they were all so wonderful. I miss these types of houses, as you can well understand! :-) The flowering tree is gorgeous! Happy Spring! And the painting your mother loved is wonderful. How sweet that you have memories of being in a cottage alcove learning your alphabet and colors and learning to sew! Sweet sweet times that truly formed who you are.

    Have you ever visited Nancy at A Joyful Cottage (see my sidebar)...You would love her blogs too!

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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