Snapshot: Tranquility 1

I took this photo a week ago at Huntington Lake, in the High Sierras outside Fresno, California. It was the last day of our summer vacation at our little rental cabin.

The lake was still and clear, like glass. The summer camps were all closed. Most of the tourists had gone home. I watched from the dock as an osprey rode the breeze.

It was so serene, here in this cool space just before sunset, between summer and fall.

— Tina of The English Muse

(The stunning photograph was taken by Tina with a Fuji Instax 200)

Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.

Where We Blog From
Lovely Jane of the wonderful Ill Seen, Ill Said blog has a great series called Where We Blog From, which regularly features the work spaces of a host of talented bloggers. This week was my turn, and I'm utterly flattered to be in such great company — thanks so much, Jane!

The Ikea Catalogue: Circa 1965
Fun scans of a vintage 1965 Ikea catalogue. There's a chair or two I wouldn't mind ordering, actually ... Via things magazine.

A Homeless Hostel With a Rare Amenity: Good Design
Steve Rose of the Guardian writes: "A long, low building snaking around three sides of a garden, the hostel's clean lines and white walls hark back to the work of early modernists such as Le Corbusier or JJP Oud. But then what should a homeless hostel look like anyway? Before Spring Gardens, the first purpose-built homeless hostel in Britain, it was a question no one needed to ask." Intelligent and sensitive design for human beings.

The 46 Essential Rock Reads
Jacket Copy picks the best books about rock music — fiction, nonfiction, and some that are probably a little bit of both.

Lovely Clusters
New online gallery Lovely Clusters features sellers with a romantic, dreamy, and beautiful aesthetic. Products range from pretty handmade clothing, accessories and jewelry to paper goods, vintage items and soft furnishings for the home.

No Impact Man
Elizabeth Kolbert of the New Yorker reviews Colin Beavan's new book No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process, which chronicles how Beavan, his wife and their young daughter attempted to spend a year in their ninth-floor apartment in Greenwich Village without producing any environmental impact whatsoever—“zero carbon . . . also zero waste in the ground, zero pollution in the air, zero resources sucked from the earth, zero toxins in the water.”

Corners of Your Home
Victoria of the always lovely sfgirlbybay had an inspiring post this week about how the best decor is all about the details — have a look at her beautiful examples.

Dutch Apple Cake
A lovely tea cake that's quick to bake, too. By Yasmin of Almond & The Hazelnut, via Tastespotting.


(lovely photograph via my archive of Domino Deco Files)

Meet the Sponsors

The philosophy of the lovely shop My Sparrow is perfectly summed up in their phrase stylish responsibility — offering a wonderful range of unique and found objects for the home, their eco friendly approach to decor is a perfect example of how a beautiful home can also be a sustainable one. Have a look and be inspired. Shown above are the Crumpled Porcelain bowls, and matching salt and pepper set.