good blues

There are good blues and bad blues. I've got the good blues at the moment; a mix of real blues around me and the bittersweet awareness that we are coming to the end of summer and that autumn is round the corner.

To make a change from high summer hot oranges and pinks I painted my nails a shimmery, turquoisey blue which I'd call 'Mermaids' Toes' (if they had any) but which OPI call 'Mermaid for You' (I could spend hours in Sephora  reading the names of the OPI nail varnishes which are wonderfully creative and silly). This colour won the approval of Alice and Phoebe - a rare commodity these days.

My real sky-high sunflowers (as opposed to Tom, see below) look majestic against the vivid blue  morning sky.

The book I'm reading fits into my scheme, too. It's a good, absorbing read; I haven't finished it yet and am waiting for more skeletons to fall out of closets.

And at the end of last week, I discovered that I do have some of my very favourite blues of all, a tiny number of morning glories in my nasturtium and sunflower jungle. I'd thought they'd given up on summer altogether so was inordinately pleased to see them and have my faith restored.

I guess that's why I call it the good blues  [sic].

Comments

[Aoife]

Lovely photos. You're lucky you're still able to don birkies and nail varnish - we are well into boots and woolly socks up here in Edinburgh! I miss the sunny south east!

[Renee - JoieDeVivre]

Blue is one of my favourite colours (red being the other one!)
Here on the sunny Gold Coast,(Qld, Australia) we've just finished winter and spring has begun. My jasmine is flowering and the mango tree is going nuts! My current bedside-table-book is your 'The Gentle Art of Domesticity'. I love it! It has helped me to value my current choice of being a stay-at-home mum and of reconceptualising what I do everyday as art. :-)

[Lindsay]

Such beautiful blues. I must admit though I'll be quite glad to see the reds and oranges of autumn - my favourite time of year.

[catofcuriosity]

Love the mermaid toes - very funky! xxx

[PinkCat]

Love the nail varnish colour and so neat too. I'm very jealous as I don't have such a steady hand and get blobs all over my feet! x

[lucy]

I got an OPI nail polish from "Secret Santa" last year and have a few more now, they are the best. Imagine having the job of nail polish namer, that would be a coveted post!

[Pomona x]

It's been a good year for sunflowers - ours have been the tallest we have ever managed. Love the nail varnish - I have desperately been trying to find an eco blue or green one without luck, but have just come across purple - which could look a bit witch-like, I think!

Pomona x

[Luisa Perkins]

I have blue toenails right now, too! Those OPI names are the best. My two favorites are "The Queen of Everything" and "Because I Said So."
All your blues are lovely.

[Tanis]

Blue is definitely my favorite colour, and I particularly enjoy that shade of nail polish!

[Judy]

I love the sunflower against the clouded sky! And the morning glories and nasturtiums all mixed together!!

[Janice]

My daughter and I sported a similar shade this summer. It was great when I had a tan! All gone now, back to slight drizzle and hazy mornings.

[Kelly]

I am running out to find my own Mermaid Toes. Thank you for the inspiration. ~Kelly

unDeniably Domestic

[Milly]

Sad to see summer leave us, but I do love fall.

[willow]

We are still experiencing the vivid summer blues here in our mediterranean climate. Blue skies, blue oceans.

[Vivienne]

You're very lucky with your Morning Glory. From very early on the slugs in our garden decided that they were "very Good to eat" blues!

[Pom Pom]

Your tangles look like my tangles all the way in Denver! Morning Glories are taking over, wrapping themselves around EVERYTHING! I posted quilt shop lovelies on my blog - blues. Perfect.
I have one Penelope Lively book - The Photograph.

[Stella]

Hi Jane,

Three things we have in common:

1) Loving the names of OPI nailpolish

2) Reading My Life in France (I'm almost done)

3) Will be reading An Apetite for Life

Vive le blog!

[vanessa]

I do like your toes Jane! I imagine that toe-nail polish is an area where you can be as outrageous as you want, isn't it?! That would be the colour on the toe-nails, of the mermaid who decided to live life with legs, instead of a tail. Most definitely.
The seasons are changing all over blog land, and I want to say, let's pretend it's still Summer!
Vanessa xxx

[Fran H-B]

Although the season of mist and mellow fruitfulness is just around the corner it often brings in grey skies and rain. For me the best autumn days are those when the sky is so blue it seems to intensify all the golds and yellows of the trees.
Love the toes, and is'nt great to still be able to wear Birkenstocks.

[Ikuyo Kiyuna]

Blue morning glories loved by Japenese people since ancient times (even by tea master Rikyu)!

By the way, in Japanese, its name is Asagao (face of morning.

[Kymm]

My morning glories have been (so far) a failure this year and I so miss those intense blues and the glowing yellow at the heart of the flower. Your photo made me go "oh." Good blues indeed.

[Carla (from Alabama)]

Love the pictures. Really enjoyed the link to Elton John. There were several songs available; thank you.

[Marsha Kruze]

My absolute favorite OPI polish is 'I'm not really a Waitress' red. But I really love your blue toes sooooo, I think I must try it myself since blue is my favorite color. My toes got a new polish too. Piggy Polish 's 'Pimp'. I love it and the early twenties shoe salesman thought it was pretty great too. (What boost to this old lady's ego)

[Beth]

Love the nail polish and sunflower!

[Tpoole69]

I love your toesies color. It is divinely blue. Farewell to summer! Hello fall! I love the season to season changes. I look back at all the yummy summer fare and look forward to the harvest tones of fall with highly anticipated delightful thoughts of seasonal food adventures in cooking. Cheers!