Serenity~

se-rene'- a. undisturbed; calm-- se-rene'ly adv.--se-ren'i-ty (ren'-) n.


Have a lovely

weekend~

Images:

google

I need help...STAT !

Yesterday my DH had minor knee surgery. Is anything minor when it involves surgery and a DH???

I'm sure that for 24 hours I will be very attentive, supportive and willing to do whatever I can to make him comfortable. Just call me Nurse Nancy... or Maid Marion!

I am equally sure that in 48 hours he will be right-as-rain and ready to be up and about.

{The above image is not me....... and the image below... is NOT my DH's leg...}

Excuse me while I open a bottle of red.

I am admittedly very bad at this.

Images:

google search

J.D. Salinger

~The Catcher in the Rye~

J.D. Salinger

1919~2010

Marvelous Meryl

~Meryl Streep~

Has gone from this...

{ In no particular order }

to this...
~Rolling Stone~

1981

to this...

~Kramer vs Kramer~
1979


~The French Lieutenant's Woman~
1981

~Silkwood~
1983

...and who could forget this?

~Out of Africa~

1985

"This kind of certainty comes but once in a lifetime".

Robert Kincaid

~The Bridges of Madison County~

1996

~Lions for Lambs~

2007

~The Devil Wears Prada~

2006

~Mamma Mia~

2008

~Julie and Julia~

2009

" Oh yes I did " !

~It's Complicated~

2009

TO THIS!!!

~Doubt~

2008

Images:

imdb.com

CaRRol BoYeS~

~Whimsical Flatware by South African Artist CaRRoL BoYeS~

~Magazine rack~

The best neighbors in the world recently built a new home and moved from our neighborhood.
They moved from South Africa to Texas to Maine.
On one of their trips back to South Africa to visit family I took care of the family cat and dog.



Upon their return they presented me with two pieces of work by South African artist
CaRRoL BoYeS.


~Lemon Squeezer~

To say that I have become smitten with this woman's work is a vast understatement.




~CaRRol BoYeS vase~

~Lean on Me~

~Quirky Designs~

This family has pieces of the collection throughout their home. Some in the most unexpected places.

It is such fun.

~Functional Art~

CaRRol has become a South African icon, earning last year's national award for the Top Woman Owned Company of the Year

Is it any wonder?

Her company employs a staff made up mostly of women.

Please stop by and visit her website.

But pour a cup of coffee or brew some tea, because it is full of whimsy and fun.

Images:

CaRRoL BoYeS

Big Kitchen Dreams~

~Dreamy Kitchen~

There should be a better name for a room this beautiful. Kitchen just doesn't do it justice.

In this week's New York Times there was a slide show of Joan River's home in Connecticut

home.

Lose the trash container and I think it's nearly perfect-as far as 'dream' kitchens go. If you're going to dream about a fabulous kitchen it should be big! Two stories big! And it should have a couple of masters on the walls. The collection of old pewter pieces is pretty great too.

I have to believe that at the opposite end there is a fireplace and a couple of comfy wing backs.

~*~

I am a self proclaimed real estate junkie.

My dh probably thinks I spend too much time checking out all of the wonderful blogs out there~ and I do! But I also spend a good bit of time checking out Maine coastal real estate.

In my opinion, it is among the most gorgeous.

Weather it is a stately old grey shingled cottage, a modern tri-level on the rocky coastline or a small artist studio, few things can rival a special dwelling along the Maine coast.

~*~

So tell me... do you find yourself perusing the real estate sections of some of those glossy magazines or the unlimited homes for sale online?

Image:

New York Times

Tea Time~

Are you a tea drinker? I am, but mostly during the cold, winter months.

Recently while house-sitting for friends I tried Teavana's

Sweet Cranberry Black tea.

Well I actually made a small pot every day that I was there.

For me, it is the perfect blend of a comforting winter tea, smooth, medium bodied and fruity.

~Rock Sugar~

My beautiful sister-in-law introduced me to German rock sugar about a year ago.

This too is available at Teavana. Just a couple of tiny bits is enough to sweeten a perfect cup of tea.

I love the ritual of brewing a small pot of tea in the afternoon and relaxing with a book or magazine.

Do you treat yourself to afternoon tea?

~*~

I'd love to know if you have a favorite.

Images:

Teavana

All The Best Soup Recipe~

~Lemon, spinach and lentil soup~

As most of you know, Ronda of All The Best posts a great soup recipe most Sundays.

I have been making her soups since I started my own blog. They are all good, comforting and satisfying soups.

~*~

Ronda's blog is 'the best' at introducing us to fabulous designers-some that have been around to help us develop our own style and some new comers with such a fresh new twist on things that it's enough to make us want to clear the decks and start all over.

~*~

If you're looking for a healthy lunch or light dinner option I urge you to dash on over to All The Best and give this one a try. I think with a bit of whole wheat pasta it could become a favorite of your finicky little one.

Image:

Thank you~ All The Best

Cut-Cut-Snip-Snip

~ Eileen Fisher Melton Coat ~

Back when I purchased this fine coat {mine is loden green}, the style was a bit unstructured. It was a fabulous coat. Worn casually-no belt, no buttons, no buckles. It worked well with jeans and boots, a skirt, really just about anything. But truth be told... I am a little more traditional and tailored. I wore this coat and always received compliments-but I never really felt totally comfortable. It was as if I was loosey-goosey in it, never quite put-together.

Sooooo...

*
*
*
*
I cut it off!

Well I didn't cut it off, the wonderful woman that does this sort of thing for me...is cutting it off.

A little cut-cut-snip-snip... a bit of a nip-tuck, if you will!

I tried it on for this genius with needle, thread and 5 or 6 great looking sewing machines.

We decided on just above the knee.

I think it might look great with straight-legged jeans and high black boots.

Have you repurposed something recently?

Please, tell me...

Source

Eileen Fisher dot com

Lily-of-the-Valley

~The Language of Flowers~

Currently unavailable at Amazon, this sweet little book was a gift from a dear friend a few years ago. According to this book, Lily-of-the-Valley means~ 'Return to happiness.'

~*~

Well I wasn't aware that happiness had left- but maybe there is about to be ...more happiness. I'll keep you posted on that part.

~Single stem of Lily-of-the-Valley~

Lily-of-the-Valley is by far my favorite flower. I have mentioned others that come close. I do love Freesia with its spicy fragrance and during the holidays we have bowls of Paperwhite bulbs all around our home.

It is the innocence of Lily-of-the-Valley that really charms me. I am fortunate to have a rather large patch of these sweet bulbs. In May I get giddy with that first glimpse of a tiny bud. When they finally open with the delicate bell-shaped flowers I pick a few and bring them inside.

Lily-of-the-Valley is also my birth month flower-which makes them even more special to me.

I'm not rushing our winter months. As a matter of fact, living in Maine and giving much more than a passing thought to spring this early ...is dangerous.

But I do like to think of the sweet fragrance of my favorite flower.

~*~

Won't you tell me about your favorite flower-and why it's your favorite.

I'll check my little book and tell you what it means~

Images:

Amazon.com

bebloom.com

Country Cream

Easytogrowbulbs.com

A relaxing Weekend~

I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend. We are having dinner guests on Saturday.

I plan to illustrate my dream studio~ for fun. "Write it down, make it happen".

...and I want to spend a chunk of time reading by the fire.
Isn't that what lazy winter weekends are for?
~*~
So tell me~ what are your weekend plans? Are you going to have a quiet weekend or get out and kick up your heels?

Images:

Here

Haiti~

~Praying for Haiti~

My heart is heavy with all of the devastation that Haiti is having to endure. Haiti has had more than her fair share of hardships in the past and this latest disaster is beyond overwhelming.

My thoughts and prayers are going out to the children. The children that are lost, alone and unable to find their parents.

If you want to donate to the relief efforts, there is a secure and reputable list here.

If On A Winter's Night~

~ Sting ~

If you are looking for some soothing music for a winter's eve- I might suggest Sting's latest release~ IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT.

Not quite holiday music, it's just right for this time of the year.

Especially relaxing when paired with a cup of tea or a glass of wine by the fire.

Image:

Stingswinternight

Puppy Dog Plaids~

~Pickle-sound asleep~

Right after Christmas I was searching for a traditional plaid collar for our youngest-Miss Pickle.

I should have started the search back in October so she could have worn it during the holidays- but I ran out of time.

~*~

After looking at many sites I found Puppy Dog Plaids. There were so many plaids to choose from that I had a hard time picking just one. But I settled on my favorite Stewart plaid.

Within days of ordering, it arrived.

Sweetly packaged and wrapped in puppy paw tissue with a thoughtful note...

...and a cookie treat. There is a small leather patch for an initial and a tiny silver puppy charm.
I take my plaids seriously and this one did not disappoint. The workmanship is superb.
There are a couple of buckle choices and different widths available.
~*~
Jacque also has a line of leashes, coats, kilts and tams for the true Scottie, harnesses, dog treats and gifts.
If your pooch could use a little spruce-up winter collar - please stop by Puppy Dog Plaids and take a peak.

Images:

{top} My own

Puppy Dog Plaids

Scheduling Goodness~

The very simple act of meeting a dear friend for coffee can result in the best therapy session.

On Sunday I bundled up and went to our local Barnes & Noble to meet a friend.

It had been over a year and a half since we last actually got together to catch-up. Life sometimes gets in the way of the little things that mean the most.

Each time I meet this particular friend we laugh until tears, expose our joys and fears and walk away feeling lifted.

And each time we meet we ask why we don't do this more often.

Sometimes I think that meeting more frequently might take away some of the specialness, perhaps the meetings wouldn't be so chock-full of goodness.

~*~

On my list of things to improve-upon is this very thing.

Making time to see my friends, scheduling lunches, coffee breaks and fun outings.

It's really one of the very best ways to recharge ones soul and energy.

Image:

google