Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Beating the heat


"Summer has set in with its usual severity"

~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge



The part of the U.S. where I live
(upper south, Mississippi River Valley)
is being gripped by intense heat,
"dangerous heat," as proclaimed by
the National Weather Service.
We have heat indecies in excess of 110 degrees.
My garden is parched,
despite efforts to keep it watered.
All I am craving right now is some coolness,
some relief to just keep me going.
Recent issues of Country Living feature
some lovely coastal cottages that evoke
simplicity and ease.
Rooms all in white,
with a smattering of texture and a cool palette
let the landscape beyond
take center stage.




Rooms that whisper, rather than shout,
with icy colors,
help me to feel cooler on an
emotional level.



Subtle pattern play adds sweetness.





Soothing shades of aquamarine
evoke the cooling waters of the sea.




Uncluttered spaces feel well-ordered,
a welcome contrast to the chaotic
nature of the heat outside.





A blue painted floor feels at home
beside the sea.




A pale palette is perfect for every room
of the house, especially ones that generate heat
when in use.

Today my hubby and our carpenter friend

begin to rebuild the damaged outer wall

of our dining room and hopefully

start framing in the floor joists as well.

Time is of the essence, as my husband has his first

teacher meeting of the year this Friday

(eariler than ever before).

Ordinarily he would have done all the work himself,

but he was injured last year, and it seems

he will never recover full use of his shoulder,

even after a major surgery and

a year of physical therapy.

Life continually offers lessons

in patience and adaptation.

Hope you find ways to beat the heat

and enjoy whatever time is left before

the seasons change.

Until next time...

Anne

9 comments:

  1. Good Morning Anne,
    "Rooms that whisper, rather than shout"....I love that thought. That is going to formost on my mind from now on when I think about my home.
    I love each picture you've shown, especially the blue painted floor. I've always seen it in white but the blue is amazing. I can feel the calmness right through the picture.
    I'm glad work has started again in your dining room-I'm so anxious to see what you do with it.
    My husband was also in a bad accident and almost had to have his arm amputated...thankfully it didn't come to that but it sure has changed his spirit some. We've learned A LOT about patience but also about the power of togetherness and what's really important in life.
    Having a calm and comfortable home to escape to is one of them ~
    Keep cool and hope you are enjoying your summer - heat and all. :)
    Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ooh, I feel cooler just looking at these pictures...but I always wonder, how long would it stay white in my house?

    ReplyDelete
  3. hi anne,

    a friend just gave me that magazine and i love all the white rooms.

    we have had unseasonbly wonderful weather this summer. our summers are usually so hot. we've not had to use the air and that is a first for us. but we know it's coming.

    ~janet

    ReplyDelete
  4. I must say I love the heat if I am up north and can go in the lake, but in town, not so much. My poor old dog hates it.

    I love that first white room. So refreshing.

    Maybe you should buy a wading pool and lie in it. That's what my daughter did.

    Chania

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear Anne,
    Such cool and calming spaces and all beautiful. I love all white.We are in the market for a new sofa and, as much as I would love white, I know what we are like and often run in from gardening and flop down on the sofa so, I don't think that white is practical for our household !!
    Our garden is quite dry at the moment although we have had a few downfalls of rain over the last few days so it's all looking a little greener.
    I wish your husband well, Anne. Life really does throw things at us, doesn't it ? My friend told me that they are all lessons sent to us to learn from. I really hope that his shoulder heals more than expected.
    Try and keep cool !! XXXX

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am so sorry to hear about your husband's injury and slow recovery. Has he had acupuncture? Sometimes it can do wonders..

    The heat.. OMG I know how you feel. Sydney gets some 'dangerous' highs around Christmas and into January. It is draining and all I can think of then is how to stay cool and hydrated. The nights are the worst and the energy in and around the house feels so stale and uncomfortable.. Thinking of you and hoping there will be cooling winds and rain soon. xx

    I love these rooms and the way you call them 'rooms that whisper rather than shout' is so spot on. I love that phrase and will for sure tuck that away for use later. You write so beautifully Anne and I love coming here.

    Now, last but not least.. There is a little something on my blog for you. Pop on over and have a look.

    Hugs
    xx Charlotta

    ReplyDelete
  7. I so enjoyed all these cool pictures. Especially the white slipcovered sofas with roses in vases.

    I know what that heat is like. I lived in the mid-west for 18mos and took many family holidays to visit relatives in that humid summer heat. Mind you, this was back in the 70's with no a/c. How did people survive with no a/c?

    We have had one of the mildest summers ever. I am so thankful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for all your kind words and concern about my husband's shoulder injury. He was hurt in a physical altercation with an out-of-control student and actually broke the ball part of his shoulder joint, necessitating a partial joint replacement. He will never fully recover his strength, unfortunately. He has always been so incredibly strong, so this has been quite an adjustment for him. But also a lesson in learning to be gentle with one's body, not overusing or abusing joints and muscles, as he has done most of his life.

    The renovation is slow going. The room is an ungodly mess at present. I am not badly stressed about it though. Everything happens in its own time, including this project.

    By the way, it RAINED last night. What a relief!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lovely interior photos Anne!
    Hope your husband heals quickly.

    Stay cool!
    Pamela xo

    ReplyDelete

Your thoughts are always greatly appreciated. Thank you for visiting!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails