Summer is in full swing. With alternating downpour and incredibly hot sun, it feels like the tropics. Doesn’t it? I continue to struggle around the yard to cover gardens with hemlock mulch- the weeds are threatening to take over again so we’re covering as many as we can with a thick layer before the next rain.

Take a tour with me through what’s blooming in Litchfield. The day lilies are out- a fleeting sampling of different colors. I appreciate the stark white hydrangea. Will we see the violet purple blue this year? The lace cap hydrangea I relocated end of last summer are being stingy- I can’t blame them. But so many textures and colors in one. The tropical hibiscus however are right at home -rewarding us with constant blooms.

This is the time of year when I try to shoot early morning – if only to see the dew- who doesn’t crave water in any form this time of the year? Raspberry Hosta is a crowd pleaser with her constant state of water drops. Do you feel cooler with them next to you? I think so. All Paola Pillow covers are washable- clean, soft and refreshingly beautiful.

When I was looking for printers and fabrics, I almost decided to have stain repellent applied to the fabric. Boy am I glad I didn’t!!! If you wonder why or, wonder if fabric finishes are important to learn about, read on…a great blog by a couple of very knowledgeable sisters.

What do you think about opera? Ever been? Never wanted to? Listen up, open your mind for a bit. If you love music. If you adore the well -trained voice, you owe yourself a listen. La Traviata- The Fallen Woman.

Soon-to-be-lovers Violetta and Alfredo sing a duet called a “Brindisi” (a drinking song) in which Alfredo pledges his love for a woman he’s loved for many years from a distance because she’s a prostitute.

Another preposterous story from an Italian opera? Just another love story? You’ll see the romantic ancient buildings of Modena Italy appear and soon, two stunning voices- Luciano Pavarotti and Nuccia Focile. Listen to the music of love. And if you like- the translation. For myself, I’ve always been a huge fan of the opera. Ah well, either you are or you aren’t. Close your eyes. And just listen.

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