I was thrilled to have found lilac bundles at Trader Joe’s about six weeks ago, which was the inspiration for this table~ a surprise as delightful to me as their fragrance~ and the only way to enjoy them here since our climate is too warm for them to grow. I pulled out my Mikasa Daylight Dinnerware for…
There is nothing like spending a couple of days in Key West to make you long for a latitude adjustment. . . the laid back lifestyle filled with sun-drenched days, beautiful sunsets, southern charm & Caribbean flavor~ At the peak of summer, the average high is 89° F with an ocean breeze blowing across this 4 mile by 2 mile…
There is more activity on the lake in the early morning with the anticipation of a long holiday weekend. . . Plans are under way. . . While some like us, will stay home feathering their nests in preparation of family & friends arriving for festivities & fireworks . . . Others have already begun enjoying the weather &…
A 4th of July Table with simple white dishes and red & blue accents~ where the food and the party favors are the stars & stripes. . . to celebrate Independence Day~ On the fourth, there will be 17 of us celebrating family members’ and Uncle Sam’s birthday~ while enjoying food, some boating fun, & fireworks on the lake.…
A little ride in my husband’s new/old restored 1985 Jeep Scrambler to enjoy a picnic~ With the original tailgate color for comparison. . . Blackberries were on the menu after a visit to the farmers market and I found this idea in Southern Living~ Blackberry Skewers: basil leaves, fresh small mozzarella cheese balls, and fresh blackberries~ My husband…
I’m dining with the butterflies~ enjoying this book~ with its beautiful illustrations by Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717), German-born naturalist and artist. At a time when few women were educated or literate, and rarely travelled, Maria Sibylla Merian was a pioneer, and made history with her studies of insects in Surinam. Trained as a copperplate engraver and…
A trip to Savannah, Georgia for a birthday celebration last week had us exploring the city, admiring this lacy curtain of shadows falling on this doorway. The hundreds of examples of ornamental wrought and cast iron to be found fascinate me~ along with the endless shadows the decorative scrolls and curlicues cast~ On stair railings and covering windows~ Decorating doorways. .…
A few pink Rose of Sharon blooms~ Providing a pop of color~ Attracting busy bees. . . Buzzing from bloom to bloom. . . In a state of pollen-collecting-bliss. . . “Like the bee, we should make our industry our amusement.” ~Oliver Goldsmith Wishing you a little bliss & amusement in your tasks :-) Thank you for…
A little table top inspiration provided by my vintage Reliable Seeds box. . . . . .and a crop of vegetables picked from the market~ A shopping trip to Target last year, yielded this pair of decorative gardening gloves ~ I harvested veggies from my Reliable Seeds, courtesy of Hello, Cupcake! A cupcake garden, with freshly…