This Week at a Glance

I’m thinking about fall, but not ready to act on it yet.

I know it’s coming. The sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is telling me so, and so are the mums. But as long as the zinnias are still blooming and the garden is still this full of color, I’m holding onto summer indoors and out for as long as I possibly can.

No pumpkins yet. No cozy plaid throw. Just flowers on the kitchen table and the windows open.

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Around the Cottage

The kitchen is one of my favorite places to be right now.

I’ve been bringing in armfuls of flowers all week – zinnias, statice, a few dahlias.

And they’ve been landing everywhere… the kitchen table, the counter, the windowsill.

Late summer in a vase is hard to beat.

One thing I’ve been loving lately is our larger island, which we had custom built last year.

It doesn’t have quite the story the old one did. The original was a vintage find with a lot of character and history, and a butcher block top from a Dunkin Donuts going out of business.

But it’s an absolute dream for cooking and making sourdough bread.

The workspace it gives me has genuinely changed how I use the kitchen. Some upgrades are just practical, and this was one of them.

The open shelving still has its vintage ironstone collection, but the brown-and-white transferware will be taking its place soon.

The turquoise hutch is doing what it always does, and the eating area is bright and full of late summer light.

I’m not styling for fall. This is just everyday life at the cottage at the end of August, and I think that’s worth showing too.

In the Garden

Not a lot has changed from last week, which in August feels like its own kind of good news.

The garden is holding on beautifully.

The cottage garden paths look lush and full, and the views out towards the bay are as good as they’ve been all summer.

The black-eyed Susans are as fabulous as ever, and probably the strongest presence in the cottage garden these days.

And then there are the sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ right alongside these bright yellow blooms, and one of my favorite combinations in the whole garden.

The cream panicle hydrangeas are making their slow and gorgeous turn, and soon they will be drying inside our cottage.

The coneflower and blazing star combination is gorgeous as ever, but I am seeing some serious fading in other areas of the garden. So enjoy them this week.

The zinnias and sunflowers in the cut flower garden are still producing blooms.

I’m waiting on the purple asters. They’re coming, and when they arrive, the garden will have one more moment before the season really starts to turn. I’ll be watching for them.

On the Blog This Week

Coming Up Next Week

Next week I’m finally sharing the living room. It’s still very much summer in there… flowers everywhere, no fall in sight, and I can’t wait to show you.

Lots more Ollie pictures to come too. He’s been very photogenic lately.

Until next time,