Recap: Summer Vacation

Every summer, I like to spend at least a week at my parents house. Every year I pray for sun. And every year it rains.

The town my parents live in is swarmed with people during the summer months. We adopt something of a bunker mentality come August. My dad stocks up on wine, bottled water and local produce. My mom hits up the library for romantic comedies, often with a theme, for evening entertainment. This year's theme was Woody Allen. We rarely leave the premises, except for the occasional early morning or evening beach excursion. And we have a blast!

This year, we even started a vegetable garden in the yard so we could withstand the blockade for longer. Note: Viewer discretion advised. These chronological photos get pretty "Little Shop of Horrors" towards the end. We're still getting a handle on the whole pruning thing.

Three beds on the left for tomatoes, veggies, herbs and lettuce greens. Long bed on the right for flowers.

Opposite view of beds. Garden shed in background. Sign on the gate says, "The Early Bird Gets the Worm."

Heirloom tomatoes ripening on the vine.

Italian eggplant.

Almost there!

Little Shop of Horrors.

Scary.

This year, I hoped to multi-task relaxing with running errands beyond the walls of our fortress, so I planned to visit the week after Labor Day. Predictably, it rained. Looking on the bright side of life, the rain did contribute to my productivity on the errand front. Once I checked off the final item on my to-do list, I set out on a self-guided architectural walking tour of the area. Here some houses I'd happily move right on into:

And, of course, this house. Oh god, this house. I love this house. My parents love this house. Who doesn't love this house? We've eagerly watched every step of the building phase-- since the "For Sale" sign came down on the lot. I have no idea who owns it nor do I know who the architect is, but I feel such an inexplicable personal connection to it. I feel a part of it solely because my mom and I watched every phase of the construction process with mounting excitement.

Then, in the last 24 hours of my vacation, the sun miraculously showed its face. And it was glorious.

While at my parents, I took a few interior shots of the house. I understand that when you care about interior design, you never feel like your space is really "finished." Instead, we tend to dwell on the imperfections. I know I feel that way in my own space. But whenever my mom and I chat about how her house looks, I wish that for one day, she could see how it looks to everyone else. Or even just to me! To her, it's "dated", "frumpy" and in need of "sprucing up." To me, it's comfy, timeless, charming and filled with lovely memories.

Plus, four additional vignettes from my bedroom, including a money shot of a very lazy doggie at 11:30 a.m. on a Sunday (!). As the adage goes, "a tired dog is a happy dog." At the beach, Hektor is one very happy puppy.

Sources:

Top Left
1. Oil on cavas by Jim Gingrich
2. Vintage iron jack, Coastal Home
3. Teak 3-drawer dresser, Crate & Barrel - $1,299 at full price (purchased on sale)
4. Wicker hamper, Pottery Barn (No longer available)
5. Vintage vases

Top Right

1. Duvet cover,  WS Home (No longer available)

2. Petite Trellis Sky Matelasse Coverlet, Pine Cone Hill

3. Italian Hotel Stitch White Sheet Set, Restoration Hardware - $250

4. Hektor (No longer available)

Bottom Left

1. Oak Wishbone Chair, Fisher's Home Furnishings - $295

2. Rens Sheepskin, Ikea - $29.99

3. Orange alpaca throw blanket, Elementos Argentinos

4. Oblong driftwood lamp, West Elm (No longer available)

5. Desk is a salvaged farmhouse table

Bottom Right

1. 1930s Studio Task Table Lamp, Restoration Hardware - $189

2. Wicker basket, Pottery Barn (No longer available)

(See "Top Left" above for all other items)