Sometimes I wonder what living with lighter colors would be like... Perhaps lighter and brighter is the way to go. When I saw this photo from Pottery Barn, I admit to a titch of envy. What I have is dark upholstery and trees so near that very little bright sunshine gets through. Now I'll never be able to afford a seaside home, yet a gal can dream.
This morning, a little past nine, John and I were seated together on the big blue sofa when I heard the whistling. "Shhhhhh..." I admonished John because I wanted him to hear it, too.
I usually wake to whistling. 'Tis a fresh little melody that floats over the breeze and through my window. I have determined that it is my neighbor's neighbor who whistles as he tends his garden. I certainly hope that he keeps earlier hours tomorrow morning because I have grown quite dependent upon that alarm.
This led to John's telling me a story about his uncle who in the 1930s was arrested for whistling while delivering papers on his early morning route. Apparently, folks do not appreciate whistling at four in the morning. Well I wouldn't either, but seven is very good.
Thank you, thank you for all the wonderful recommendations that you've given. (You can stop now. ☺) I'm still trying to get them sorted and will have another post some time this week with the remainder. There are so many beautiful blogs out there and so little time. Say, do you ever allow yourself to visit a blog over and over without commenting?
Closing with another reading recommendation because my friend Abby at Little Birdie Blessings wrote a terrific post that is quintessentially Maine. What a fun read! The post: The Abigail is Seaworthy. (I also love how she used her husband as blog fodder. There are many of us who do.)
A light, bright week to you with a whistled melody on the breeze!
Vee. this reminds me that I often was awakened to the sound of whistling. It was my dad...he could never sneak up on anyone because he whistled....a LOT! Of course it is one of the things that is near and dear to my heart about his memory. Anyone who knew him remembered that about him. And like you, I also have been considering what it would be like to go with lighter colors. My house is shrouded in trees as well and for years I have leaned toward darker colors. I would like to paint some of the furniture too but my husband would have a fit so that is probably not an option. I will be looking forward to some of your ideas or other's suggestions. I need some too! :)
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to awaken to the gentle whistling wafting on the breeze. For me, it's often the dog snoring. Somehow, it's not the same. I need to pick and can beans and make soap today (not at the same time) and go through the birthday photos on my phone. I'm hoping to visit blogs, but since this was at the top of my Feedly list, you may be the only one I get to today. I hope your day is lovely and yes, I too feel a little sigh when I see all those popular lighter colors. I would love to teleport that whole living room into my house. They can take my 2 old sofas and 1 old loveseat. For free.
ReplyDeleteI've always been a fan of lighter colours, even when they weren't popular. I think it's the northern gal in me that craves light all year long, like the Scandinavians. It is nice to be considered au courant for the time being.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to wake up to a gentle whistle. My Tim whistles in the shop and when he's puttering around the house. I love it for I know that he's in a good state of mind when he does it. Not just a good mood, but that all is right in his world.
Good morning! Where I do LOVE the look of that room you show, and the view is to die for, I just can't ever really picture ever really living day to day with it, lol. Not here anyway. I love to eat while relaxing on my couch, and sip coffee or tea, or have grandkids sleep over etc., that anything light would not stay that way long, lol. I would LOVE to replace my family room couches however...LOVE TO! But I think I would go for another dark leather. It has stood the test of time well. However I'd paint light, accessorize light and let the sun shine in....We can ALWAYS dream, right? Enjoy your day Vee!
ReplyDeleteThat story on whistling is just wonderful. My head went to the book of Lentil. What a wonderful thing to hear the whistling in the morning. Yes, light colors are the end thing and I am starting to change mine over. They are refreshing, but the practical part of me, and maybe because I had five boys, thinks, Oh that will get so dirty. I did just re-paint my dining room light and I love it.
ReplyDeleteLighter decorating colors sure can make a difference! I'm off to read your link...
ReplyDeleteThanks Vee for telling about the Bible Gateway App, I downloaded it and enjoying it very much.
ReplyDeleteThese I pads are wonderful. I can get my favorite Bible Teacher on the I pad through the radio app.
No more tape players for me, don't even play my old radio any more.
Our son is a whistler and it's so sweet for me to hear that and know he's close. Growing up we were not allowed to whistle because of old Russian peasant wives tales that when you whistle you are calling evil spirits. Yikes! When we moved to Washington we were tempted by houses surrounded by trees but someone wisely counseled us that 2 transplanted southern Californians might get real depressed without sunshine being able to hit the house. It's good to have light streaming in. I think my dream is for large views out windows, doesn't have to be the sea...
ReplyDeleteSuch a pleasant way to awaken with a melody drifting on the breeze. I guess Canadians are not whistlers, rarely hear anyone do it. Humming - yes, that's our thing and it would be nice to hear in the morning too as long as it wasn't too loud.
ReplyDeleteLight coloured furniture would be tough with little people and pets and I guess that's why I like darker things too which can hide a lot.
We are going for the bright/white look at our house. A few rooms have already been painted, with the living room and kitchen up next. I guess we are looking for a clean, simplified look. We are going to be so happy to have the sunshine pour through the windows this fall and winter, now that the neighbor's trees are gone...yay! :)
ReplyDeleteI do love a light filled room. I don't necessarily like white or cream furniture. I make sure when I buy a house it has to have a lot of natural light coming in.
ReplyDeleteI love your whistling story. My dad was a whistler, and my uncle did bird whistles. Thanks for leading us to a another sweet story this morning, and your link about growing older the other day was much appreciated and even passed on to our mentor group. Since we had to cut down much of our shade, we have quite bright rooms and I miss the shade! I guess the grass is always greener . . . .
ReplyDeleteThanks for staring my morning with a light and breezy whistle! Wonderful story. I have a friend who actually whistled a song as special music in our church. It was very good.
ReplyDeleteWhistler's seem like such happy people. I enjoy hearing them!
ReplyDeleteNow that I live in town I am awakened at between 6:30-7:00 AM by a car door slamming and then the engine starting when my neighbor who teaches heads off to school.
Yes, I would like to lighten my dark living room too-maybe someday it will happen.
Like Ellen, Russian, and myself, Irish, whistling was frowned upon growing up. A whistling woman Is up to no good! It was considered bad manners for women to whistle. How strange these old sayings are! I have plenty of light in my home, but no white furniture. I have 5 little grandkids and it just wouldn't mix!
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful week, the weather has been gorgeous!
A good whistler is music to my ears...however, I have a son-in-law who literally can drive me crazy with an annoying, out of tune whistle. Our new home is flooded in light and it's so welcoming; if I could just get all the boxes unpacked:-(
ReplyDeleteI wish I could whistle.....sssss...wheeez wheez spit! hahaha! I love to hear my hubby whistle. And I like a lot of windows and light in a home. If it's dark, I start turning on every lamp in the house! Enjoy your day! Sweet hugs!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice alarm. : )
ReplyDeleteWhistling reminds me of my gramma (dads mom). She had a beautiful whistle and I loved to listen to her.
I usually comment when I read a blog and don't think there is any blog that I read and NEVER comment on.
I have a mixture of light and dark in my house. I can never make up my mind which color I want my house to be so I have all colors!!
I must say I too have become enchanted with lighter colors. Not because I don't like color anymore, but because I am realizing that with light neutrals in my larger pieces, my sofa and chairs and such, I can play around with color more and change things easier! I also like the calm of a large light piece and, yes, the fact that the whole room looks lighter. It's the direction I am headed in my decorating.
ReplyDeleteAs for whistling? I can't say I'm a fan. If it were floating in on the breeze from far away, maybe, but in the room with me, that sharp sound just sets me on edge.
Would you believe my husband and I were talking this morning about putting skylights in our living room. I love living in our log home don't get me wrong, I just would like a bit more natural light coming in. Our home is a tad bit on the darker side than I would like it to be.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind whistling only not at 4:00 a.m :))
I admit whistlers can get on my nerves (maybe I'm just jealous because I can't whistle), but I do enjoy the cheerful sound of whistling now and then.
ReplyDeleteMy great-grandfather used to whistle. Your story reminded me of how much I enjoyed hearing him whistle. I hadn't thought about it in years. Thank you ~ sweet memory.
ReplyDeleteI really like the light colors, but always have to keep blankets or some sort of covering on them because our little furry girls also like to jump on the furniture. Ah well, they make us happy and we allow what others might consider as bad behavior.
Thanks for linking to me Vee. I can whistle through my teeth which seems to be a novelty with the kids.
ReplyDeleteI like that picture you posted..I was whistling too..Blessings
ReplyDeleteI woke up to the my daddy singing, "Swing low, sweet cherrio..." Yes, Cherriiooo not chariot. WE hated it then, now we look back and smile and wish we could be kids again and hear his music.
ReplyDeleteI do love that room too Vee. Even if it had a country view it would still work. I guess it's the big windows letting in the light. I showed it to Jennifer and she loved it but was really attracted to the lamp. I enjoy a whistler too. I hope your neighbouring gardener keeps it up as it means the weather is nice enough to get outside and also to have the windows open. ;)
ReplyDeleteI think many of us go into a fantasy world when we look at Pottery Barn catalogs! I love light furniture, too, but I can't quite commit to it everywhere. I think every room in my home is very different from the next so I can have my cake and eat it, too!
ReplyDeleteI think I would like to wake up to a whistler! He sounds happy!
Jane xx
Lol.
ReplyDeleteYes, I will visit over and over without commenting, but usually because I have commented many a time with no response.
And when I haven't posted in a long while...... like now......
For example, I do believe I have read Every Single One of your posts. Ever. But I haven't commented on all of them. Especially those that pre-dated my blogging!
I cannot whistle at all, but love to hear it. So cheerful! Going to see what you were asking recommendations for. I'm behind on blog reading . . .again.
ReplyDeleteI would like to go lighter too but my pets and my grand daughter keep me with the darker colors :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I think that waking to a merry little whistle must be pleasant indeed! And 7 am sounds about right. (Being arrested for whistling sounds decidedly unpleasant, although those who were awakened at 4 am must have considered that rather unpleasant too.)
ReplyDeleteDo I allow myself to read a blog over and over without commenting? I do. I rather like what Karen Andreola said as she compared reading a public blog to reading the newspaper, and a comment like a letter to the editor. That said, it is hard to read without commenting once you have developed a mutual friendship with another blogger. Which is why blogging can take so very much time. But I'm not telling you anything, for you are a faithful commenter at a gazillion blogs!
hey Vee,
ReplyDeleteI am not a whistler but my husband whistles sometimes....it is a nice sound....
I wish I was different but I do visit blogs without commenting..trying to change that..but there have not been a lot of comments left on my blog no matter how many I visit and comment on..I do have a few faithful that i really appreciate..you are among those..thank you..
Love, Mona
Whistling is a scary sound to me and my children. My ex husband whistled when all hell was about to break loose. It was the scariest sound in the world to us. Isn't it funny how such a sweet wholesome happy sound can be a dreaded sound to someone? I am happy you get to enjoy the sweetness of your neighbor's heart coming out in musical sound. God is good to me. No one I know whistles!
ReplyDeleteI have longed for a lighter look here and worked to get it, but it's still darker than I really want. That room is beautiful to me.
ReplyDeleteI loved the story about the whistling. Whistling just makes me happy. When I hear it in the air, it just makes me feel young and breezy (unless it's a wolf whistle, which I haven't heard in decades anyway...)
No matter when or where I hear whistling, I think of my grandmother's voice saying, "Whistling girls and crowing hens, always come to some bad ends." I never understood what it meant until I was about 35 and said it to my own girls. I had to think a minute about it when they asked me what it meant. My girls think more than I did, I guess.
Oh, how I wish I could afford pottery barn furniture..
ReplyDeleteI would love to go lighter..
someday when baby goes off to college haaha
That a nice way to wake up!
ReplyDeleteAs to lightening up the room, could you use slip covers on the furniture? I love natural light in a room.
Deanna
I think whistling is so pretty and I never could whistle for sour grapes....
ReplyDeleteEven saw Lauren Becall when she told H. Bogart to "just put your lips together and blow." and still couldn't.:)
My Granddad was a stellar whistler. I, however, am more of a hummer. :-) Not that I don't whistle, though. I do, indeed.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy a good whistler. My husband can carry a whistling tune...I, on the other hand, cannot. I try,but it can be cringe-worthy at times....okay, most of the time! :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day, dear Vee!
Neither of us can whistle! I do love to hear someone who can whistle while they happily work.
ReplyDeleteI would love to go light too. We have a mish mash of stuff from all our homes and just use what we have.
On your latest post re kitchen space and helping hands.....nobody around any longer to share our kitchen with but I have fond memories of mother's and grandma's kitchens when everyone had a job and we enjoyed one another's company, especially during holidays.
This is a comment on your Hodgepodge post, August 27. You can't hide from me and no, you don't have to respond to me. I don't have time to chat anyway. BUT, just to let you know that PicMonkey doesn't qualify as a labor of love either. LOL I'm off to take a nap on the front porch, maybe trying to read a bit first before my Kindle falls on my face.
ReplyDelete