SHOW OFF YOUR COTTAGE MONDAY

Welcome to “Show Off Your Cottage Monday”, a blog party I host at the beginning of each week to celebrate the things we love about our homes and how we live.

Today I’m celebrating the effectiveness and affordability of a baker’s rack.

I love the look of open shelves in the kitchen. Something about it just feels homey and “real", plus everything—from the white dishes to the measuring spoons, spices, and coffee cups is right there and accessible, and easy to grab. For as long as I can remember I’ve been dreaming of building some open shelves in my kitchen where I could showcase my creamy white stoneware collection... I can envision a full length shelved wall embellished with my white pitchers, tureens and under dishes, plates and cups of various shapes and tarnished silver pieces...

But that dream could take a while before it could materialize... n fact, it could take a very long while, so for now, I’m enjoying and cherishing what I have—my simple metal baker’s rack, from TJ Maxx.

Baker’s racks are an ideal way to display your products. They are the most effective and affordable way to display your most precious items, they occupy less floor space, while still keeping your goods organized neatly on the racks, and have open areas that can be used to showcase almost anything. You can use baker’s displays for business purposes or decoration within your home; they complement any decor and can last for years to come.

Now it’s your turn to tell us what you’re celebrating. If you have something to share with us on your blog, then add your link below. Just please be sure to:

1. Add the permalink to the specific blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Link back to the house in the roses from your post so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is celebrating today!

3. Copy and paste our little logo on your blog so your readers can also join our celebration.

4. And enjoy your home!

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Cats

I've been bird watching all morning. I can hardly relieve how sunny and clear it is for a day, late in November.

As I write, the house is being floated by tiny speaks of gold—magical rays of sun purging the usual gloominess; dancing above the once again blooming geranium...

The birds are as happy as they can be and the sky, amazingly blue and clear as it could be. I can hear my little feathered friends chirping happy songs, they’re everywhere, making the red leaves fall… While contemplating my world outside the window, I’m listening to the pure, haunting tone of the Native American flute and lush harmonies of strings of classic Nakai melodies from one of my favorite CDs. It feels so peaceful, and I’m basking in the serene atmosphere surrounding me...

Until...

All of the sudden a unanimous flapping of wings...

A new air, frigid and unfriendly, sweeps the garden floor…

I looked around trying to find the source of the sudden tremor…. until I saw her…

“Morning”—again in my garden, again frightening my birds away…. She swiftly moves, creeping, like a reptor, so as to hide from her victims, and waits patiently amidst the silent butterfly bushes….

“Morning”, is how I’ve named my new kitty friend. As I don’t know her real name, or who she belongs to or where she comes from, she is mine... and that’s the name I’ve chosen for her…. She seems to love my garden. I’ve seen her on many occasion basking in the sunshine among the faded roses, laughing at the birds, under the bushes, or like today, suddenly emerging… from nowhere.

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