Hi, again. I have just returned from a very big, long trip. I thought about this space and you often while I was gone. My days as a guest are coming to a close so I won’t possibly be able to share everything with you here. I intend to continue in my own space very soon. I do hope you will come visit me there when I open. I can’t thank Pia, the most gracious of hostesses, enough for giving me the opportunity to meet her readers and to share a bit of what inspires me. I have a couple of final posts coming up but I would like to say thank you now. Thank you for all of your lovely comments and encouraging words!

When we came to look at our current house I fell in love with three things. The antique shop next door,the curtains and the garden. Pia has already mentioned the antique store and I will show you more beautiful photos of that later…the curtains also deserve their own post. Today I want to show you the garden.

I have not had a garden since I was a kid and I have definitely never had a a magnolia tree. When I lived in LA I dreamt of stealthily climbing the magnolia trees at night when no one was watching, cutting branches to display in my house. Since I began posting here we have watched our magnolia tree bud, burst into bloom, and shower the ground with petals. My son calls it a cloud tree. Did you know “cloud trees” evolved before bees appeared and that specimens have been found dating back 95 million years, I pointed this out to the little guy and his first response was “Oh wow” but after some thought he said “don’t touch bees, they’ll bite you”. Words to live by.

Before we left for our recent travels, we planted seeds and sat on the branches of this tree, secretly snipping blossoms for the window sill. When the petals blanketed the ground, it looked like snow. We have watched ferns unfurl, roses bud and beans sprout…for every bean we planted, a “magic” bean went in his pocket. It’s amazing what you can do with a handful of magic beans…

written and photographed by riley salyards.

photographs by riley salyards.

all photographs by Riley Salyards.

While in Paris I stayed at my friend Juliette’s place. Entering the apartment, which was passed down from her grandmother, is like stepping into another time. Old bottles, baskets and bowls, furniture lovingly taken apart and re-upholstered by hand, everything tells a story. It is one of those places that forces you to stop and enjoy what is in front of you. I like the attention you have to give to old things and the intention that must go into caring for them. I found it impossible to be in a hurry. I did come away from this trip giving no small thanks for the time that modern appliances do afford me, but also refreshed from engaging in simple tasks without rushing on to the next thing. Juliette is woven through my life in many ways and I am continuously inspired by her space, her work and her way of being in the world. Soon I will share the history behind many of the objects you will see in the photos and introduce you to Juliette’s work. For now I offer you these photos.

Written by Riley Salyards.
Photographs by Riley Salyards.

I was in Paris last week with family,which is why I was not able to post here. Pia was kind enough to make excuses for me two weeks in a row! I did consider bringing my computer and posting while there, which makes me laugh now, thinking about how exhausted I was chasing a two year old around the city of lights.

I have lived in Paris before but I have never experienced it with – or like – a child. It was really special to see everything through fresh eyes: Chasing birds around Notre Dame crying “I’m gonna catch you birds”; the “tower” up in the sky; salted butter on “bread toast”; coconut ice cream on Ile Saint. Louis….lovely, all of it. The weather was my favorite kind – warm enough to wear a dress and cool enough to wear a light jacket with your sleeves rolled up. The trees were in full bloom and aside from getting hit very hard in the head with a soccer ball at the bottom of Sacre Coeur I had a delightful trip full of inspiration, food and great company.

This week I will be posting several little stories sketching a moment or a place that I loved….there were so many I would rather show you over several days then edit it down to one post. I hope you enjoy!
I would also like to echo Pia’s sentiments from earlier this week, “I love Amsterdam Too!!!!” The weather has been so perfect and I returned from Paris to a garden that has exploded into bloom…more of that to come next week.

Happy Spring.

Written by Riley Salyards.
Photographs by Riley Salyards.

a message from pia:

riley has been very busy with guests this past week (hmm how does it happen that my guest has guests?! that’s not supposed to happen!) and has been unable to post. However, she asked me to wish you all a big HAPPY EASTER! and she will back next week to post some more.

In the meantime I decided to post this photo she took some time ago. I love riley’s home, and this little vignette is one of my favourite places to sit and enjoy a cup of tea when I visit.

We miss you Riley! But are looking forward to playing with you next week here in the (blog)house. Until then, HAPPY EASTER!!!

xx

We are not in April yet, but the showers are definitely here arm in arm with March winds. When I first moved here I let the weather dictate my day, and that meant I stayed in A LOT. A year on and I have adapted a more local approach, which is to just get on with it, rain or shine. I am not sure my little guy appreciates this attitude as the wind and rain whip at his face on the back of the bike…but he does know the words rain, raining, wind, windy, sleet, raincoats, rains pants, rain boots, wet, puddles etc..etc.. so I guess it’s good for his vocabulary.

Yesterday, as he woke form his nap, I heard him shouting form the top of the stairs “Sun, come out!” in a very firm voice. The voice you mother might use when you were really in trouble… you know, when she called you by your full first name, all your middle names and your last name. He ran into my bedroom pulled the curtains open and again yelled at the sky ” Sun, come out”. I of course used this as an opportunity to sing “the sun will come out tomorrow” but he looked at me shook his head and said ” nee singing” so that was the end of that.

Down the stairs, two peanut butter toasts and a cup of tea later and guess who made a grand entrance and then lingered around to make everything more beautiful? There is something about the sun here and the way it cracks open the sky. It reminds me of the Leanard Cohen lyric, “there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”.

Maybe we should all start shouting what we want from the top of the stairs.

Written by Riley Salyards.
Photographs by Riley Salyards.