Summer Sunday Stroll

Today I am joining The Tablescaper for Summer Sundays. I'll be taking you on the first part of a tour of my neighborhood. Bentley and I live in the North End Historic District, and specifically the Hyde Park Historic District. My neighborhood was one of the earliest developments in Boise, Idaho. Several years ago it was given the Historic District status to preserve our heritage. A few years ago Cottage Living Magazine (while it was still in print) named The North End one of the ten best cottage communities in the US. Here is our little shopping district.

We have cute little antique shops like this one. Dee Dee has owned Forget-Me-Knot Antiques for many years now and she has a great sense of style.

This shop belongs to my friend Janice. Blue Moon Antiques has beautiful vintage linens, trims and sewing notions along with other cottage essentials.

Goody's Ice Cream and Candies is a favorite. It's quiet right now on a Sunday morning, but in a few hours the patio will be overflowing!

Their handmade candies are yummy and the interior is just as you would imagine a vintage ice cream parlor should be.

Here is our used book shop and it is also our local little post office. At one point the US Postal Service wanted to eliminate this postal sub station, but we all protested and thankfully here it remains.

This barber shop has been in continual service since the 1950's and has not changed a bit!! I could just imagine Sheriff Taylor and Barney getting their hair cut here!

Urban Revival is a spot for picking up gently used clothing and accessories. Finally we have the Sun Ray Cafe. This place gets packed in the afternoons and weekends and is a favorite with cyclists stopping back for some refreshment after a ride in the foothills.

Thanks for taking this first part of out tour. On Part Two I will show you the cottage where Bentley was born, Amy's Garden and lots of the charming cottages and porches of the North End.

Yes Bentley, we are going to show everyone the adorable little Cape Cod Cottage where you were born!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Cool Pink!!

It's July and the temps are high!! Kids just have the right idea ... head for the fountain, especially if you are a girl and you are wearing pink of course!! I just love how kids have so much self confidence and let themselves enjoy the moment.

Of course this little one is completely fascinated by the whole thing and is checking out the seal on that grate. Cute, cute, cute!! So there you have it, pink for Pink Saturday and kids for a Few of My Favorite Things Saturday. Have a wonderful Saturday and be sure to let your own inner child come out and play wearing pink of course!!

Yes I know Bentley, you love all kids and welcome them through the picket fence each day!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Cottage Love

I know that there are those who love McMansions, but I just love a cottage. Sweet and cozy, it's my style. Stop by Cindy's for Show and Tell Friday and learn about what other bloggers love.

Bentley loves our neighborhood. He was born in a very cute cottage just one block away. I would ask him to tell you all about his neighborhood, but he's outside chasing squirrels. How about a tour on Sunday??

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Vintage Air Mail

In preparation for the obituary for Daddy, I did quite a bit of research on his professional career. One of the things that aided me most was a big box of letters from Daddy written to my grandparents. Grandma saved many of the letters and post cards written by Daddy while he traveled the world.

His career as the President of the International Division of a large corporation that built farm machinery and large trucks took him around the globe. He visited over 130 countries in 25 years. On average, he made return trips to 107 of these countries per year.

Of course there were all of the European countries, but there were also visits to many of the African nations, all of the South American ones, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Thailand, India, all of the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, Japan and more.

With each visit, he never failed to mail post cards and letters to us. His extensive collection of photos educated us in the culture and customs of the diverse nations of our world. Once after his return from a trip to India, I was fascinated by his photos of the Taj Mahal. The next day in school my teacher asked each of us to draw a picture of a house. Of course mine was of the Taj Mahal! I have a huge collection of dolls from every corner of the globe, yet I think that I love the letters the most because they are full of detail of the wonders he experienced.

I love the air mail envelopes and the beautiful stamps. Thank you Grandma for saving these letters for us. Now that Daddy is gone, they are all the more precious. Below is the business portrait of Daddy. It was taken by the famous portraitist Fabian Bachrach. Bachrach took the famous photo of JFK while he was the Senator from Massachussets. That portrait was used for the cover of Time Magazine. Bachrach died this past February at the age of 92. He photographed the Presidents through the first George Bush as well as Joe DiMaggio, Robert Frost and many others.

Thank you for visiting me today. Be sure to stop by to visit our dear friend Suzanne The Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingie Thursday!!

No Bentley, your Grandpa never brought back any dog toys for you from foreign lands. You were not born yet.

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Cozy & Red Backyard Camping

I'm getting in touch with my inner child by setting up a backyard camping adventure. It's my cottage style of camping of course complete with an old quilt strung up between two trees. Of course there are comfy pillows (one in red of course!) and a vintage coffee pot on the campfire.

Red cowgirl boots are outside of the tent. Cute vintage style camp lights from Pottery Barn and a red lantern too. They are lit already because the sun is slowly sinking in the west and Bentley and I will be getting ready to settle in for the night.

It's such a beautiful evening and I'm thinking about the tent I used to have in the backyard when I was a young girl. What happy memories.

While Bentley and I kick back and enjoy the stars overhead be sure to visit some of our friends ...

Sue's Rednesday at It's a Very Cherry World and Susan the Southern Day Dreamer for her Outdoor Wednesday.

Say goodnight Bentley!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo