24 Hours In Asti

 Asti has alluded us most of the month of May.

There was a wedding one weekend, and relatives claimed it for two other weekends.

We managed to carve out a 24 hour respite though last Friday.

The weather was perfect.

Not too hot yet and not too cold either.

Early in the morning, I walked around with my camera in tow, just like the old days!

I love this time of year.  It's not quite summer and spring is coming to a close.

The garden is abloom!

 The succulents are looking good, despite the fact that they only get watered every two weeks!

The Boston Ivy is taking over the house, as is the lavender!

Oscar couldn't be happier!

He loves Asti!

And so do we!

Looking forward to our sixth Asti summer.

Let it begin!

Getting Waterlogued In California

 We finally got some rain in California which is good, but not good enough, because we're in the middle of a very severe drought.

But who cares, I'm very distracted and obsessed with a new app called, appropriately, Waterlogue.

 I'm "Waterlogueing" every pretty picture on my iPhone, Instagraming them and just having lots of fun creating works of art, just like many friends who are also obsessed.

It's like suddenly I'm an artist!

 All of these "paintings" started out as photos, taken by me with my iPhone believe it or not.

I've experimented with the various filters offered on Waterlogue as well as various photos and discovered that not every photo looks good Waterlogued.

I found that the best results are photos that are a composition like a still life or a landscape.

A bouquet of lavender...

 A cluster of grapes...

 A vase of roses...

 A kitchen window....

 A vista in Asti...

The arbor in Asti...

Somebody stop me!

I'm Waterlogued!

I Waterlogued Oscar...

 Even Mr. A got Waterlogued!

This originally was a very fuzzy photo taken after sundown with an iPhone and the Waterlogue app turned it into a beautiful water color.

I really should have it framed, don't you think?

If you haven't discovered this app yet, you really must check it out.

Go to the app store on your iPhone or iPad (not offered for Droids yet) and download it for $2.99.

Trust me, you'll have a blast pretending to be an artist!

Oh, and I'm still hoping for a waterlogged California!

A New Antique Store In Healdsburg

 Antiquing in Healdsburg is one of our favorite pastimes, especially in January.

Recently, we discovered a new antique store called French Market Antiques.

It's right next door to our favorite antique mall that recently closed, so it was kind of bittersweet to discover something new, yet sad to see the mall all closed up and empty.

We realized that the proprietor was actually in the mall next door and now has her own store.

Although not a lot of merchandise, what was there was very good.

I was wishing I had a place for the marble top bistro table which was very reasonably priced.

Lately I've been falling for baskets like this one, but ended up passing it up.

A beautiful green pharmacy bottle caught my eye.

A great map of Paris!

What I couldn't resist though is this French wine poster.

It is perfect for the wine country!

Although it could use a nicer frame and Mr. A wasn't happy with the water stain on the corner, I didn't care.

It now hangs in our little rental cottage!

I love antiquing in January!

French Market Antiques
226 Healdsburg Avenue
Healdsburg, California
415-306-1363

Tuscan Style Magazine

I am so excited to share our big news!

Our home in the wine country has been chosen for Tuscan Style magazine!

I can't believe I just said that! But, yes, the photo shoot is scheduled for early September, and I am so thrilled!

I'm looking forward to finally meeting in person, Bonnie Broten, Regional Editor for Meredith Publications who will be styling our home, as well as John Granen, who will be the photographer.

I have a feeling this might have been the photo that "sealed the deal!"

It all started back in January when I wrote about a book my daughter gave me for Christmas here. The book is called "New Cottage Style." I fell in love with a house in the book and even took a couple of pictures of the photos in the book. Well, guess what? It was Bonnie Broten's house!

She had been "stalking" my blog for a while (her words!), so it was quite a shock for her to see her home featured! She called me and we became instant friends! As a scout, she was very interested in our home in Asti, so I sent a few photos....The rest, as they say, is history!

So, now that we know the photo shoot is a sure thing, we are trying to get everything spruced up.

Flowers are being planted and weeds are getting whacked.

Windows are being washed and just last weekend, the crushed granite path was refreshed.

Since Asti is two hours away, we are relying heavily on this man. All I can say is, thank God for Ventura, who makes everything happen and is super excited too for us. I don't know what I would do without him! He has such great ideas and I trust him explicitly.

I just bought the newest issue of Tuscan Home, and as I look through, I still can't believe our house is going to be featured! Are you kidding? Two years ago, I never would have thought that this would happen.

I look forward to sharing the details of the photo shoot with you all....

I'm joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

The Historical Pratt Mansion

The historical Pratt Mansion in St. Helena, California recently went on the market for a mere $4,400,000! This amazing 5 bedroom home is surprisingly intact, representing a time over 100 years ago of grandeur in the Napa Valley.

The home was built in 1871 by William Pratt. William had arrived earlier in 1849 with his brothers on a sailing ship from Freeport, Maine, seeking fortune during the gold rush days of San Francisco.

Let's take a tour!

The house has been modernized and added on to, offering the modern conveniences of the 21st century, without destroying the original footprint.

The welcoming entry hall with black painted bannister and front door, and the vineyard just outside. Wow!

The dining room, and beyond into the living room.

The living room with 12 foot ceilings.

The kitchen has been updated.

I love the butler's pantry!

Upstairs, there are 5 bedrooms.

The upstairs landing with a vineyard view.

All 5 bedrooms enjoy vineyard views!

This bathroom has a spa-like feel.

Another bathroom with vintage appeal.

There is even a carriage house....

.... which is said to be one of the oldest structures in Napa Valley.

It has been converted to a charming guest house, complete with living room, dining and bedroom.

Then, there are the views!

Spectacular views abound on this 4.73 acre parcel.

Talk about perfection!

For more information and photos, visit the Wine Country Group by Better Homes and Gardens here.