I wanted to do a little photo roundup of my year. I found pictures you've never seen and many you have. It's long so if you need a nap, now may be the time.
I reunited these 2 pieces of luggage. It really is a love story and one of patience. And you can read about it here.
In March I decided to veganize my wardrobe. We know how that worked out now. All three pairs of these shoes fell apart. I was especially sad to lose the Burberry Sandals on the right.
In April my son Alex started his own clothing business based on this striped sweater. He's still going strong.
The rose garden maintained its high achiever status this year.
Producing blooms like this. This photo makes me happy and sad. It reminds me of losing my dear friend Miss Doris this year. That mirror hung in her home and now in mine and is a daily reminder of her endless style and class.
Of course my trip of a lifetime. These blooms can only be from the 100th anniversary of the Chelsea Flower Show. How on earth I ever got so lucky...I'll never know. I look through my photos often and think back to all the amazing things I saw and the incredibly wonderful and sweet people I met. Soooooooososososoooooo lucky.
And then from England over to France. Paris, Provence and the French Riviera. Still cannot believe it was me who went for 21 days.
This vegan ceasar salad. The most popular recipe I've ever put on this blog.
This Trina Turk jacket that I got at the Goodwill for $5.99.
Which brings us to today. Larry bought me this top for my bday and I can't decide if I love it or hate it. It is silver brocade and has a v back with a bow. Why I didn't take a pic of the back...I don't know. Anyway it feels vintagey and at the same time space agey. This may be its only public outing ever.
Anyway that was a lot of my year.
I want to thank you again for reading along. This is the luckiest blog on the planet because of its faithful, interesting, loving, kind and smart readers. I really don't know how we both got so lucky.
I hope the new year brings us all good health, simplicity and a dash of style.
Lovely Janet. I still make the fabulous salad at least once a week!
ReplyDeleteHappy, happy new year!
S
xo
Dearest Janet, Good Morning and Happy New Years!!! I have to tell you that I feel like the lucky one here. There's so many things I admire about you ... thank you for your inspiration, your friendship, this wonderful blog, all the insight and advice over the years....
ReplyDeleteand I'm still looking forward to that glass of wine with you. ♥ I hope this year is an even better one for you. xo
Happy New One, though as we look back 2013 didn't treat you too badly did it?
ReplyDeleteHold on to the top, at some point it might seem like the most natural choice in your closet.
Sometimes I don't wear something new for about a year, then I live in it.
But we don't expect me to be sensible.
Much love to you. Glad to be along for the ride.
xo J
Thanks for the recap! I must make that Caesar salad. I love the top on you. It's fun! Also, thinking that bedding would be a nice update in my bedroom :) Happy New Year, Janet and thanks for the Gardener's Cottage.
ReplyDeleteSmooches Janet! You must mail me your address, it's horrific that you don't have a birthday card from me on your mantle!
ReplyDeleteMy email is down just now but the mister has promised to sort it at the weekend.
when you send the card send me a mantle too. i could really use a fireplace. :)))))
DeleteDear Janet, Your Paris photo reminds me of my one and only visit to Paris in 2002 (and Brugge, Belgium). Hopefully, it won't be our only trip there because I would love to see it all again with my daughter who is now 14. We are concentrating on paying off the mortgage and saving for retirement though, so another "trip of a lifetime" may not happen. Either way I am so grateful we got to do it the first time.
ReplyDeleteLove this recap Janet!!!! I love it all and I am still soooo happy you got to Europe this year - that still makes me smile!!!! Happy New Year Dear One!
ReplyDeleteGreat recap of 2013, Janet. Not sure if I'm reading this right, but is today your birthday? I think the silver top is interesting and looks nice on you.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and thanks for your always-interesting blog!
Claudia
Lovely recap Janet - and how is it that I didn't know your son had started a clothing business? Why don't you give us a link - I'm actually wearing a very similar top right now, and I'm sure I'll need to replace it sometime!
ReplyDeleteHere's wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year, thanks for all the wonderful, inspiring posts.
hi patricia. i will give a link when his site is up and running.
DeleteHi Janet,
ReplyDeleteLovely recap of the year. I just wanted to say that this is still my favorite blog. You inspire me and help me to stay on my vegan path. My main goal for 2014 is also to watch my finances and to continue to live simply and plant based. I love when you post recipes. The only thing that could be better is if you were on bloglovin! Happy New Year to you and your family.
Best wishes for the new year Janet and I hope that you had a very Happy Birthday celebrating you!
ReplyDeleteWe are the lucky ones! Thanks for all you do, and best wishes for a wonderful new year.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shot of you in Paris. Gorgeous roses and a lovely memory of your friend, Miss Doris. That is one amazing side to blogs; in their only little way they can keep those precious to us close and remembered. Sorry, not very eloquent but I'm sure you know what I mean!
ReplyDeleteHere's to many more of your wonderful posts and a fabulous 2014 to you and yours!
Z xx
i do know what you meant. :)
DeleteHappy Birthday Janet! The silver blouse looks so pretty on you, not everyone can wear silver but you sure can. Space-age Vintage, it sounds like a new category!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all of your wonderful blog posts this year. I've loved every word and picture!
1. You have style, class and creative talent - your blog is incredibly inspiring
ReplyDelete2. LOVE the Trina Turk
3. Keep Larry but rethink the silver blouse if YOU don't LOVE it....LIKE isn't good enough anymore
Cheri
I agree. Every piece must be multi-functional and I'm going to have to give this one some thought. I hate returning everything he ever gives me though. :)
DeleteI've told my well-meaning sweet husband in a gentle way....I don't like surprises...please don't SURPRISE me any more....keep it simple, just select ANY item on my ongoing "wish list" .....now that would be a SURPRISE I wouldn't have to return...finally, it's working for us both! I'm happy & his feelings aren't hurt.
DeleteI am a new reader to your lovely blog and want to wish you and yours a Happy New Year! :)
ReplyDeletethank you and welcome!
DeleteI love the purple gloves with the black outfit in Paris! ~Joy
ReplyDeletethose gloves saved my life on that cold trip!
DeleteIt's a really great photo. No mistaking where you are. Sigh; all so special. I want to go back there!!!
DeleteHappy New Year Janet!
ReplyDeleteyours has become my favorite blog. I could not resist. I just purchased the duvet and sham covers. have been coveting this look for a couple of years, love blue toille and the price was certainly right. right now cooking up a batch of your vegetable chili as it is a very cold night here in New York. for some reason the search feature on your blog hasn't been working for me, but it may just be my issue. but then I do get ideas scrolling through your food posts, your recipes are so accessible, not a lot of exotic ingredients. my dream is to visit Paris, have been to England and also Ireland, Scotland all of which I loved. maybe this year, or next.
Darby
the search bar is not working for me either. must be a blogger issue. hope it gets fixed soon. even i can't manage this blog without it.
Deletei hope you like the ikea set. it really is pretty and it gets lots of compliments. looks like it cost a lot more than $19.
The blouse just doesn't seem 'you.' Maybe it's the color. Gosh, hard though...don't want to make him feel badly. I only have known one guy in my entire life who could pick out good clothes for a woman; he would get more excited about it than she would...but, I mean, beautiful, tasteful cashmere sweater with a matching sheath; that kind of thing. He was like her 'dresser,' or stylist but instead he was the husband. Like I hinted, I think it was lost on her. Pity.
ReplyDeleteOh, that garden! I never, ever tire of looking at your photos of it. Just the right size although I'm sure it's a good bit of work for you. So tranquil and pretty; seems quiet and private. I'd previously enjoyed reading about the history of the gardener(s) and cottage pre-you. You are a good 'steward' of a loved property. We tried to do that, too, with the bungalow just sold...caretakers along the way of a perfect little place...
i agree. if the color was a soft champagne it would be perfect. :)
DeleteHappy Birthday and Happy New Year! It certainly was a fabulous trip and those purple gloves weren't they a godsend.
ReplyDeleteThat salad is one my lunchtime staples. Paula x
hi paula!!!
Deleteyes, omg those gloves thrown in as an afterthought saved my days there. so cold.
how are you? hope you are well and glad you like the salad. xo
Happy Birthday Janet!! I love reading your blog: Your roses are so beautiful: How do you care for them? Do you use a sestemic (sp?)?
ReplyDeletei've done a post on rose care somewhere on this blog! lol
Deletei feed them every 3 months during the growing season and deep water them 1xweek.
prune them back in january. i can do another post on that since now it is january...ok, i will!
I forgot to ask, will you be sharing Alex's website for the sweater? Thanks
ReplyDeletei'd love to share it but he's still building it. when it's finished i will!
DeleteJanet, you don't have to respond if it's too much over-sharing, but do you have a lot of kids? If I'd read you were a grandmother before, it flew out the side of my head. It's so weird; I don't associate you with kids. I feel like you and Larry are this young, adventurous couple, doing things like camping in the desert and building your gardener's cottage nest...more like age 30s or something. I don't know where I come up with these things. I think it's because you act, 'talk,' think/look so much younger than your age, although age is just a number and, of course, in reality, most of us don't really "know" you even if we feel like we do!.
DeleteVicki you are funny!
DeleteI have 3 sons and one 7 yr old grandaughter. trust me...i'm old! lol
Janet, I think I have mentioned before that you and I are the same age...my husband just told me last night to stop saying "I'm old" or "at my age", etc. but then I caught him this morning saying it! So we decided one of our New Year resolutions is to stop it! As he said, we aren't THAT old. ;)
DeleteLinda
that's funny b/c we've had that conversation too. but it's hard not to say it when every time you get up from a seated position...something hurts. lol but i agree, we really aren't that old. :)
DeleteYeah, when did we all start describing ourselves as old? When did that become acceptable? My husband and I started in with that this past year and I've also said the same thing, "Why are we saying we're old; 50s aren't OLD, not in this day and age." Maybe you're onto something there with the creaky joints and, OMG, if I don't get sleep, I feel like I'm dead.
DeleteJanet, you're not old. I'm not old. So there.
Happy New Year Janet. Your blog is my fave. I must say, I make your granola every week and just made the Le Creuset bread this week - so easy and yum! Thanks for sharing - you are fab. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the silver top! Wasn't that trip wonderful?! xxx
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year and Happy Birthday Janet!
ReplyDeleteYour blog is a joy to read from the simple but very stylish home and outfits you show us to the very helpful vegan recipes. Helpful for me as I try to veganise our vegetarian -for-many-years diet - we have trouble giving up cheese!
Kind regards from a longtime reader in Sydney, Australia.
Dear Janet
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday and Happy New Year! Fingers crossed it's a lovely one for you and Larry and the family. Your house and garden look beautiful as usual. Hope you go ahead with creating a veggie garden. There's nothing like walking outside your back door and picking your own ripe tomatoes, basil, oregano, rocket, zucchinis etc, specially knowing there have been no nasty chemicals used, just good quality soil, cow manure, water, sunshine and tlc. They taste so much better than shop bought ones.
Though not your normal style (agree with other commenters, husbands aren't always best clothing selectors but important to deal with their gifts carefully and train them over the years), the silver top is fun - and sometimes can be good to get outside your go-to choices and try something different. As long as you feel confident and comfortable with how it looks.
Think sometimes it can be a mistake to purge too much. Being older and all, I remember my parents and MIL talking about the depression when they were children and how terrible it was. That generation of women learned from their mothers to be careful with money and to preserve clothes and household items, just in case. Sometimes they overdid it. But still I think there's basic good sense in hanging on to special classics and good quality things and not turfing them all out because you mightn't have worn them for a year or so. So much regret giving away my fabulous Mary Quant dresses and other designer things from that era. They were still in perfect condition. In a couple of years my dress conscious grand-daughters would have loved them.
Husband is now well-trained. Doesn't buy me clothes. Knows my fave things from him, including books, jewellery and scarves (chosen together) and beautiful garden things like lovely pot plants. My New Year gift from him is a gorgeous enormous hanging basket full of mixed flowers including white petunias, light pink nemesias and other deeper pink thingies. Love it! It's hanging not far from our glass back door where I can see it from the family room. It lights up my day!
The tour and all the wonderful people were the absolute best! So many happy memories. Pammie xxx
great advice pamela. i was just thinking yesterday about the day you and i walked to get postcards and the orange tulips for our room:). such wonderful memories....sigh.
DeleteHi pammie
DeleteGreat reply but I loved the top go forth adventure xx
My brother in law bought my sister the most horrendous dress for Christmas. She showed it to me when he went out so as not to offend him. I tried to find something nice to say about it but there was nothing I could say. We both laughed so much we had tears in our eyes. Luckliy he always keeps the receipts.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Janet! Thank you for sharing your kindness, generosity, and compassion with the world. I consider myself the one who is lucky to have found The Gardener's Cottage. You and your readers reached out to me when I lost my home due to a fire a year and a half ago-One little email checking on me, and hearts immediately extended their love. I will never forget that. You carry yourself with such grace.
ReplyDeleteThank you always for The Gardener's Cottage.
-Suzanne in Illinois
so good to hear from you suzanne. thanks and really you are my inspiration. :)
DeleteYear-end assessment of a life well-lived! Wishing you many more good things in the New Year, Janet.
ReplyDeleteJanet, love reading all your blog. I admire your simplicity. I've purged a lot but not as much as you. I live on a ranch and need work clothes and nice clothes. I don't have many nice as I've trimmed down to only classics that never tire or wear out. While I'm not vegan, I am veggie based. We grow all our food. I love fish so I'm not giving that up. Don't eat any meat. Doesn't settle well.
ReplyDeleteI won't give an opinion unless asked but I want to chime in on this one. That silver top doesn't fit you well. The color is fine, the fit not so good. It's bulky where we ladies don't want bulk. The drape isn't there and it looks inflated. Tell hubby you just can't imagine getting enough use to justify the cost. Have him return it with you and let him help you chose another. When he sees you light up with something you like, he will be fine with the return. Not meant to be mean spirited. Just honest opinion. In my career, I did makeovers and dressed people in their look.
thanks hilary. i appreciate your honesty. the picture really doesn't do the top justice but i agree with you and also it isn't multi functional enough for me. i'm being super super picky about what is in my closet and i'm afraid this just won't make the cut. again...thanks!
DeleteWow, I liked this reader's comment; really constructive, and how not to upset the hubby, too. Solution-oriented! I'd also thought the top looked a bit bulky, even on oh-so-slim Janet, although I bet the back of it is quite pretty.
Deleteadding my two cents. the top is pretty on it's own, fabric is lovely but as Hilary stated it just has no drape. I cant imagine it would be flattering to anyone, actually. I certainly can see why your husband would chose it though.
ReplyDeleteDarby
Lucky indeed. Always love reading your blog posts!
ReplyDeleteHappy new year, Janet!
Tanja
Hi Janet,
ReplyDeleteI just saw your prior post and I am in the midst of getting rid of some things too. I look around my house and wonder how do two people accumulate so much stuff?
I have to agree with the other comments, Larry chose a beautiful top but it does make your little body look bigger, at least in the picture anyway...awhile back I purchased a mother of the bride dress, loved it but not on me. (daughter agreed it made me look thick) A little more searching and I found the perfect dress that flatters my body so much more. I knew from my daughter and husband's reaction when I tried it on that it was THE one. :) Also if I am afraid I won't wear a particular article of clothing often enough, I try to calculate the cost per wear. Sometimes that is enough for me.
Happy Birthday and Happy New Year!
Linda
xo
Oops meant to say newest post! :/
ReplyDeleteLinda
A lovely round up of your year. I love the look of your Trina Turk jacket but sorry Larry, I agree with others that the silver top doesn't flatter.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a wonderful 2014.
I luff
ReplyDeleteBefore I even got to the text under the last picture of you in that brocade blouse, I thought to myself "that blouse looks fantastic on her." Brocade is not supposed to "drape" -- it's a fabric with body that stands on its own. The texture is really interesting, and the blouson shape looks very good on you. You are very slim, and that shows in the tighter-fitting t-shirts you wear at other times, but this blouse creates a little bit of mystery. I also like that it's pretty plain -- I bet the bow on the back provides just the right bit of detail. Hurray for Larry!
ReplyDeleteyou know you are right too sisty. it is a stiffer fabric and looks quite rich in person. i really think the photo doesn't do the blouse justice. and i really am trying to get away from the too tight look....so....i'm still on the fence. lol
DeleteIt looks like it might be fantastic if it were slightly tailored (fitted) especially through the underbust/ribcage area. For your body shape, (my two cents worth as a seamstress) , experiment a bit with a gentle curve inwards at the side seams. If there are princess seams down the front bustline - even better to tailor to follow your natural curves without being tight. Also, have the seamstress fit the sleeves slightly narrower. You might love it. And if not, you won't be out much. This is one of those vintagey remake garments that are difficult for companies to provide in today's market because "the look" was always done to fit individual bodies, never meant to be adapted to any sort of mass marketing. Thus, that tug of appeal you have for it.
DeleteAre you kidding me? If I could pull off the tight stuff, I'd do it! Go girl; you've got the figure; enjoy it!
DeleteWear the top with a short flowey skirt and a long necklace.
ReplyDeleteLarry likes your back, I am guessing : )
The color looks good on you.
Ann
Wendy was right; you really have a beautiful home and gardens. Bravo on the TT jacket!
ReplyDeletethank you mr gsl.
DeleteLove the top xo
ReplyDeletethanks abbey. :)
DeleteI love this kind of post! I love the top! I love this blog that I keep coming back to years aftr years since 2011. It feels like a companion in good and bad moments, a safe heaven where I can go and always find joy, peace, elegance and grace. A place of respite for my soul...
ReplyDelete