a clematis, a few peonies and the one that got away....

I'm certainly happy that I picked out a white clematis a few years ago instead of the purple jackmanii I was thinking of.  My husband's grandmother had one that was beautiful.

Another one I passed up was the pink comtesse de bouchaud... our last name is almost the same, but pink wouldn't do.

I knew that in a few years that tiny little twig would be much larger and covered with white flowers.  Against the red of the coop it was a no brainer.... although if you look very closely, the petals have a hint of lavender.  I'll have to check my garden journal, but I think the name was Gillian Blades.

I DO know this name for sure, it is my festiva maxima peony.  Also white...

And in just a couple of days...

The first blooms has fully opened.

I'm looking forward to these, new to my garden peonies, to add their beauty...

and fragrance.

So that's the clematis and peony update... but the one that got away?  Well it was one of these beauties.  Perhaps you aren't familiar with vintage iron gliders.  They certainly are not common in my part of the country.  From the 40's to the 50's these graced front porches.  I'm not sure if they were not popular in Washington because of our short and cooler summers... summers without a lot of need to sit on a shady front porch and gently swing away the day with a glass of lemonade... 

More likely the less romantic notion that they all rusted away into a pile of junk is what happened to them all... Either way I had never seen one in person. 

Around the first of April we were driving through our local little town of Lynden, WA and passed by my favorite antique store.  Since it was a Friday evening all the stores were closed along the main street and I spied something at the front of the store... and you've probably guessed by now that it was a vintage metal glider!  I could hardly believe it and practically caused an accident when I shouted out "OMG" from the back seat!  My husband was not as impressed as I.

The next day was a baby shower for a cousin's daughter and the drive to the shower took me right by the antique store.  A quick stop to see the price tag of $480... hmmm I wasn't sure I wanted to pay that much.  It certainly wasn't in perfect condition and had been painted (or primed) white.... but looked pretty much like these with a similar design.

Over the next 6 or 7 weeks I drove by that antique store quite a few times,  even stopping in once or twice.  Always checking to see if  "my glider" was still there.  Finally on the Friday before Mother's Day I stopped again and noticed it was "on sale" for $400.  Well that was certainly sounding a little better... I purchased a couple of odds and ends that day and the owner of the store asked me about a purchase of a vintage light my husband had made the week before... while we were chatting I brought up the glider and told her I was very interested, she said they could even do a bit better on the price...  I should have taken that offer and ran but I hesitated.

You see my still husband wasn't the biggest fan of the glider... it's large and heavy.  Where would it go?  Of course I ALREADY knew EXACTLY where it would go.

Right here!

 I had imagined it tucked away in a spot under the trees behind our house... I even had a plan for the tree sap... 

Because nobody wants to deal with tree sap and pine needles while they swing to and fro sipping their lemonade, right?

So quite literally my plan.  That I drew and I've had for 3 or 4 years now.

You see a few years ago my daughter and I spied this cute little building at Ravenna Gardens in Seattle.  Made from salvaged windows and tin roofing.  I have imagined this little building, with built in seating, under these trees for years now... but the glider, well this could be built to hold the glider instead of a built in bench!   (and by the way... THIS is my picture, even my daughter there, but I couldn't find it... when you google "Ravenna Gardens building" this is one of the images you find! ha was I surprised).

So I was now determined to purchase the glider... however the store closes at 5:00 so I couldn't stop on Monday... then Tuesday I got out of work late, Wednesday the owner wasn't there to "negotiate" and Thursday I had to head to Seattle for work... although we got home early I was tired and figured I'd pop in on Friday.  Friday morning I dilly dallied a bit at home and headed over to Lynden a little later than planned.... so I thought I'd swing in the thrift store first, then stopped by Kermit's Kastle since my dad was there helping out and I had something for my mom... chit chatted with my dad for 20 minutes or more and then said I needed to get going.  I left, confidently telling my husband on the way out that I was heading to the antique store to buy the glider!  Now the antique store is literally 3 or 4 minutes from Kermit's Kastle... I parked on the side street (the store is on a corner) and headed up the sidewalk and around the corner... holding my breath as I came around the corner and YES the glider is still there...

but wait...

there is a lady putting a HOLD TAG ON MY GLIDER!

I don't know what was worse... missing out on my little dream or missing out by just a FEW SECONDS!  Sigh.

It would have been so cute painted aqua and nestled in my little imaginary building...

So if you ever spy one of these somewhere in Washington (or even Oregon... California...) ... maybe, just maybe, you can drop me a line?

And now I think I'll go and work on the procrastination gene of mine.

linking up to 

Fishtail Cottage

Cottage Garden Party

AND 

Common Ground

Be Inspired

AND 

French Country Cottage

Feathered Nest Friday