The peaceful northwestern corner of Connecticut is home to many secret gardens and beautiful homes, including several whose owners generously open gates and doors to the drooling public for the benefit of various charities. Fifteen years ago Bunny Williams held a garden open house, and its success inspired an annual tradition known today as Trade Secrets, a two day event which…
It’s time again for our popular town fundraiser, Tablescapes at Waveny! The New Canaan Beautification League members have been busy as bees this spring, cleaning up little plots of land scattered throughout our town, and this tablescaping event provides enough funds for them to beautify our town in a most glorious way! Waveny Park, which is home to Waveny Mansion, consists…
During all the happy days I spent with my two grandmothers I cannot recall one moment of standing side-by-side with either of them for the purpose of learning to cook. My grandmothers and their families were recent arrivals in the USA, crossing different borders but with the same objective of becoming an American citizen. My maternal grandmother came to Ellis Island as a…
Well, hello friends! I’ve missed you all and we need to catch up! The little table in my den is always ready for a quick meal, so why don’t we sit here with my virtual chicken (who is a he and a rooster but goes by the name Virtual Chicken around here) for a bite and a little chat? He’s dressed for one…
I love to read, but I’m not one who will read any book that comes along simply because it is new. I have pretty strict rules — excellent writing, take me on an adventure, make me laugh or tell me something new, introduce me to engaging characters, and NO SAP. Lately I’ve been enjoying the newest book by Frances Mayes, Under…
Picnic theme inspiration can come from so many places, and one of the best is a great tablecloth! Recently I was perusing one of my favorite blogs, Happier Than a Pig in Mud, and saw Lynn’s cute tablecloth with a map of the US and very fun graphics. Of course I had to go hunting online for one, and I found this! I…
A Year in Provence — what a wonderful idea. I’m not sure how I would manage to get you all over there, together with my books and all our picnic goodies, however, so instead I’ll share our recent picnic inspired by Picnics in Provence. Just up the road from us is Weir Farm NHS, once the home of the American painter J. Alden…
Into the Woods. Do those three little words strike fear into your heart with thoughts of Red Riding Hood and her wolf or Hansel and Gretel and their witch, or does your heart beat a little faster with the anticipation of fresh air, lovely sounds, and a bit of an escape from your hectic life out of the woods? I was…
As you may know by now, I can’t cook. I mean, the food gets cooked, but it’s not usually pretty enough to photograph, and certainly not worthy of sharing. However, I read voraciously and love to picnic, so when the Novel Bakers did me the tremendous honor of asking me to join them for Picnic Week, I did a little…
During the past month we have been up and down the east coast, in Maine, clapping politely at Will’s math thesis presentation (pretending we had some idea of what he was talking about ~~ Topological Methods in Combinatorics, in case you were wondering), cheering as he conducted a live orchestra in the premiere presentation of his music thesis (“For Film”), …