The table is ready and waiting for company :)
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
December Daily-20 days 'til Christmas
Decorating for Christmas must include at least 3 Nativity scenes.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Weekending...
After a really busy Saturday, we started Sunday off with big mugs of coffee and tea, a warm fire, and dreams of sunny Italy
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Pumpkin Season
The pumpkin baking season has begun. Yesterday, Pumpkin Choc Chip Bread with Walnuts. This morning, Pumpkin Muffins....!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Kayaking on the CT River
Kayaking with my cousins J + L in VT on Columbus Day Weekend
85 degrees.calm water.lots of laughter.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Indian Summer Excursion
Summer like weather, combined with the prospect of a beautiful country drive to a local farm, had us scurrying out of the house on Sunday.
The scenery on the drive out there was gorgeous.
Colors just beginning to turn, rolling hills, pristine farms, all screamed OCTOBER.
Our destination was Beltane Farm, where their Autumn Cheese Festival was being held.
Beltane Farm is a goat farm, producing award winning goat cheese, as well as feta.
As you can imagine, there were lots of goats.
And even a goat grave; here lies Mattie, who inspired many a story.
The farm is very picturesque too, with hundred year old stone walls,
wild flowers, statutes, and wooden fences. (and chickens!)
There were cheese samplings, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, bread and cookie samples, kettle corn and cold cider.
And that's how we spent one sunny October Sunday.
What did you do on Sunday?
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Way back when.
On our way back from the Cape a couple weekends ago, we drove through Providence, RI and took a detour through the campus of my alma mater, Rhode Island College.
It's a strange feeling with more than 30 years since graduation having gone by.
As we drove by the dorm I lived in my jr and senior year, I couldn't help but smile--some awesome memories of living in a Thorp Hall suite with eight great friends--which my youngest daughter is getting to experience herself this year.
LIFE has a funny way of repeating itself..
Thursday, October 6, 2011
What's next
“I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next."
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Giving back
Although it LOOKS like all we do is stand around chatting, snacking and drinking wine, we actually DO discuss books...eventually. ;-)
But this blog post is not about books, nor wine, and I will not be redundant and tell you again how much all of these women have given to me over the last ten years. No, it's not about that, either.
Our little book club is going to be taking on a new project over the next several months. I will be announcing it soon to all of our members in an email, but I will give you a few hints:
1. It's about giving back, and offering support.
2. It's about saying thank you.
3. It's about making a difference in someone's life.
4. It's about that feeling you get when you help someone who would never ask for themselves.
5. It's about doing the right thing.
I will end this post here, with a story about giving back, and asking for nothing in return.
Click HERE
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Beautiful inside and out :0)
[3 gorgeous women: my mother Alice, on the far right, her sister Maryann, center, and their best friend, Betty on the left.]
There are photos that make you smile the instant you take that quick glance at the back of your camera right after pushing the shutter. You know instantly that you got exactly what you wanted from that shot.
Looking closer once it was downloaded, there are some technical flaws. Maybe not sharply in focus; a little too overexposed.
But, oh, it makes my heart smile.
The women above are all close to the mid point of their 80th decade, yet are so eternally young and full of life.
Good genes? Maybe.
Easy lives? Definitely not.
These are women who stay young because of the love in their heart.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Deliciousness
Roasted Juliet tomatoes.
SLOW roasted Juliet tomatoes.
Took about 5.5 hours in the oven at 200 degrees.
These amazing little tomatoes are from a family farm down the street. I stopped in last week and looked for them, but none were to be found. The old farmer (the real deal--muddy overalls and all) happened to walk in just then and I asked him if he had any of those delicious little tomatoes that he had the week before. "Oh the Juliet's, you mean?" Yes! I said.
He told me he hadn't had a chance to pick any yet that day. I must have looked crestfallen because he said. "Hang on, I will go pick some for you". I waited about 10 minutes and he came back with a giant basket of beautiful Juliet tomatoes. Bigger than cherry tomatoes, but smaller than plum.
I took them home, washed and sliced them in half, drizzled them with olive oil, threw on a couple of springs of fresh thyme from my herb garden and a few cloves of whole garlic. Roasted them for a very long time.
They were SO incredible I can't even begin to tell you. Chewy, with an intense sweet tomato flavor. On top of pizza? Wow. Mixed with grilled veggies and pasta? Oh yes.
I found the idea on a blog called Prudent Baby. Recipe HERE.
Her ideas for these tomatoes?
"I like to spread them on french bread with goat cheese and a few fresh basil leaves, but you can toss them on pasta with olive oil, or eat them on a bagel with cream cheese, or stuff them into a wheel of brie and bake. You can do anything you want with them, but you will love them."
Go make some; you won't be sorry.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Celebration
We had 2 birthdays to celebrate this weekend--mine and my mom's.
The weekend flew by--it was filled with laughter, grilled pizza, kisses and hugs, presents and chocolate cake--and best of all...the whole family home together.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Chickens
It's no surprise to most people that I love chickens.
[My secret wish is to have a flock of egg laying chickens in my yard like my friends Jennifer and Stephanie do]
image from mysnazzychickencoop.com
I console myself with fake chickens that I have scattered around the house.
But you MUST read the king of all fake decorative chickens stories HERE
[Disclaimer: profanity alert]
Friday, September 30, 2011
Birthday Surprise
Taylor wanted to surprise me by coming home from college for my birthday today, so Jim set up this elaborate ruse about having to go into work for a meeting, etc etc.In reality, he headed to Brattleboro to pick Taylor up off the train!
It's super hard to surprise me with ANYTHING, but they pulled it off :)
Best birthday surprise EVER.
Love you, sweet girl!
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