Winter Whites

  Do you know what this is?  Could it be a snow field of fresh powder? Baby, it’s cold outside!   Nine degrees this morning, and that will seem warm by the time this weekend comes.  Brrrr.  These temps and the general January blues that always affect my spirits left me struggling to create a table for Cuisine Queen Kathleen’s party:…

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A Picnic and a Giveaway

We know autumn is here when we make our annual trip to the northernmost reaches of New Hampshire, where the state bumps into Canada in an area whose national identity was still in dispute well into the 1800s. click here to read about The Republic of Indian Stream Here, the majestic Connecticut River starts as a spring on the Canadian…

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Three Cheers

Three cheers for the red, white and blue, for picnic baskets  and Mary too! I was preparing the deck for upcoming celebrations with the help of my furry personal assistant, when the doorbell rang. I knew something special was coming because I had recently heard from Mary that I was the winner of her fabulous “Home Is Where the Boat…

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Tuscan Sun Elixir

When I travel, one book always goes into my bag.   It has it all–adventure, food, travel, history, art, inspiration, romance, and most of all, beautiful prose, with descriptions of scenery and events so complete that I easily become totally immersed in its world. It is an escape I enjoy tremendously. And to celebrate the one year anniversary of my blog, …

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SPECIAL LITTLE JOYS OF CHRISTMAS

SPARKLING “sugared” fruit on a feather tree … Christmas pins Rudolph and  friends Christmas sweaters   (don’t laugh–you know you want one!🙂) Christmas movies you can recite by heart favorite Christmas music and carolers to help you sing ! Men of SNOW and men of gingerbread! a poinsettia in every chicken’s pot Christmas books sitting on Santa’s lap a place to gather  on…

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DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS

Last night we had a dusting of snow. Just enough to start me dreaming of a White Christmas … … and to add the perfect touch to the outdoor pots. But baby, it’s cold outside, so step inside … where we can enjoy  my white tree in  the warm dining room. This mini tree is one of several around our house,…

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‘TIS THE SEASON GIVEAWAY

    Outside my kitchen window is a beautiful maple tree which is the last to turn and lose its leaves.  Sometimes the leaves are still on to greet the first snowfall.  When they turn this luscious bright red I know it is time to put up the birdfeeders.    Woodpeckers, finches, chickadees, cardinals and bluejays visit daily. **** ****…

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