Sunsets for Rafał

Our family is mourning the loss of Rafał. Much more than just a cousin to my husband, Rafał was usually referred to by Marcin as his brother. With both of their fathers being brothers and both of their mothers being sisters, they shared a unique lineage as well as other physical and emotional characteristics.


These beautiful photos of Lake Sinclair in Michigan were taken by a childhood friend, Dave Denner. Dave is one of those rare folks who actually appreciate the best that his physical surroundings has to offer. He captures the stillness . .  the quietness . . . the beauty . . . of the water that I miss so much.


So, I dedicate this post of the water that I miss so much to the man that we shall miss so much more. Rafał, you left us much too soon, my friend.




Thank you, Dave.

Sunday Love

I cannot help but just love puppies!

{via}

Worn Wood

I find the worn wood in these spaces most attractive.

The shower is open in the bathroom. Notice that the center "dovetail" of the wood flooris the drain ~ awesome. Via Mell Lawrence Architects.

Via This Pretty Space

Sleeping Outside . . . Sort of

Smack in the middle of summer and it is hot! With the days reaching the high 90's, the evenings are a welcome relief. I would like this "almost outdoor" room at my house. Except I wonder if the mountain lions and bears would come to visit? Perhaps that is what the cross is for.

{Via}

Horse Comfort

I've been missing. It's been about two and a half weeks since I've last posted. We had a great three weeks in Poland and The Czech Republic and I will be posting more about our trip soon.


But, right now I am recuperating from my foot surgery three days ago and have not had much energy. So, I am just posting images of one of my favorite animals; horses. They are magnificent creatures. I love their look, the gear, the riding clothes . . . even the smell. My husband says that I lose all sense of design and taste when it comes to horses. The tackiest painting will look wonderful to me if it has a horse on it. He has more than once stopped me from making a bad purchase! But, I think the first set of images from photographer, Ditte Isager, are gorgeous. I think my sense of design and taste are still intact. What do you think?

Photos via Ditte Isager

The next prints are available through My Sparrow. I found them through the elegant blog, Greige.

Big, bold, black & white and I love it! Robert Dutesco's over sized print via Elle Decor.

The Mountains of Southeastern, Poland

Our trip to the mountains was supposed to be filled with hours of hiking amongst the old hills. The rain had other ideas for us. Looking for alternative excursions, we drove through many tiny towns (much of this region has two people per square kilometer compared to the Polish average of 120 per square kilometer) visiting a church and an old flour mill in Czarna, then on to the dam in the lakes district.

Our first stop was the small, wooden, Greek Orthodox church. It still had the original icons (religious paintings on wood) as a large part of the alter that were in incredible condition. Over many years the church was very tolerant, welcoming many Christian religions to worship together.

The church bells were typically located outside on the ground.

Detail of the interior wood walls. They glowed.

The next photos of the lakes district are not over exposed or unclear. It's the rain that is "clouding" over. This morning, you could see the rain as "waves" in the sky. Most of the day, it was a constant heavy mist. Later, when you thought it just couldn't rain anymore, it rained harder.

This is Embroidery

Amazing works from Daniel Kornrumpf. His embroidered pieces look like oil pastels. How much harder must it be to draw in thread?

Daniel Kornrumpf via The Diversion Project.

Warsaw Safe House

Safe House's aim was to create a two-level “fortress” that would provide a high level of security for the owners. Which is why the house features movable concrete walls that can pretty much isolate the entire residence when the owners are away. Located in Warsaw, Poland, Safe House was designed by Kwk Promes Architects. Contrary to the imposing impression the solid mass offers, floor to ceiling window provide a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape ~ while open, of course, to enjoy or view the elements. 

Gray Days

A gray day here in Poland. We're still trying to adjust to the time difference and catch up on the lack of sleep. But, gray is not all that bad. In fact, it's one of my favorite shades.  These are some miscellaneous shots of gray interiors. Where I got them, I don't even know (sorry). Except one.

via Architectural Digest

Okay, so this is a black and white photo - but, I saw the original color and it was very muted and gray.

Detail or shoe at Marc O'Polo

After four plane rides, one final two hour trek via car, and 28 hours of traveling we finally arrived in Lublin, Poland, the hometown of my husband. The trip was rather trying. Besides delayed landings, missed connections, and the Amsterdam airport's general state of confusion, there was one pleasant surprise.  The Munich airport, an unexpected addition to our travels, was clearly laid out, beautiful and modern, with great shopping and food. With time to spare, I walked around checking out all of the shops and menus at a leisurely pace. 

Shoes and boots at Navy Boot. Too bad we don't have any in the states.

Cool displays at Max Mara

Fun books to doodle along with by Japanese author, Taro Gomi. To check out more  on these books, go here.

The food looked amazing. No fast food here; fresh salads and organic choices abound.