Spring’s Sunkissed Transformation.

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Susan

“The sun has come out… and the air is vivid with spring light.” ~Byron Caldwell Smith, letter to Kate Stephens

Before I begin this blog, I’d like to comment on one thing about the spring of 2014 on the eastern coast… I can only liken its glorious arrival to an eager, new mom-to-be, giving birth to her baby. She feels the first pangs of labor and immediately heads to the hospital to have her long awaited, “bundle of joy.” Upon examination, the doctor tells her; “Its not time, your are experiencing false labor. Go home, put your feet up and rest.” A week later, she has the same pains, travels back to the hospital and is told again “Its still not time, these are not real labor pains, go home, rest and try to relax.” With the next bout of pain, she really knows its time for her baby to enter into this world...and she is right, as this time, the doctor confirms its on its way. With a great sigh of relief, she shouts out a loud; “Hallelujah!” 10 hours go by…she is encouraged as the nurse assures her saying; “hold on, it will just be a little while longer.” Another 10 hours slowly saunters by, she is told once again, “ Its coming… just not quite yet.” Okay, to make a long story short, her labor has lasted so long that she is starting to believe that her baby may never come, until finally, the doctor says; ” OK, its time. You can go ahead and push.” Now of course, when that baby arrives and she is holding it tightly in her arms, she forgets HOW LONG SHE WAITED…she’s overflowing with joy, reveling in the fact her baby is here and all the waiting is over!

In all my 14 years living on the eastern coast, I have never experienced what the term ‘lingering snow’ meant, until recent. It seemed like overnight that the Vernal equinox had arrived…sitting on our front porch we were thoroughly enjoying all of its’ splendid bestowals. Dapper red headed woodpeckers and dulcet white doves perched upon our budding trees, their unique songs in tune with springs resplendent balled. Our azalea and rose bushes had all come alive, transformed with their verdant green buds upon each tiny branch, ready to burst with bright color. As I looked at our cozy street, I was happily surprised at all the bright pink and frosty white blossoms amidst an abundance of enchanting hues of green, as our quaint neighborhood was filled with Springs debut. The temperatures were in the 70’s and the rays of the warm sun felt like heaven upon our faces. We rejoicingly turned our heaters off, brought out our spring clothes , fully enjoying wearing short sleeved T- shirts and blue jeans once again. Our only tasks at hand were to decide where to take our first engaging, spring day drive to the country , stock up on some fresh chicken, steaks, seafood and vegetables for nights of grilling and what day we’d go for our bike ride. Needless to say, our spring gauges were on high, only to be interrupted in one quick moment.

“Honey did you hear that they are expecting a winter storm this evening?,” My husband asked, not knowing he was messing with my psyche. Sure enough, the next morning, we awoke early to a street blanketed in copious mounds of white fluff. Please do not get me wrong, I adore winter, but once you have had a taste of springs dawning, it just does something to your soul.Trying to come back to my place of peace, I thought, “OK, we can go through another week of snow … we will just enjoy this surprising last week of frozen fluffy ice, before spring really settles in.” 🙂 The heat was back on, we dressed in our layers and heavy winter coats, scarves and gloves, and accepted natures fete. (After all, as Barbara Johnson so wittingly quotes “Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.”)

There was one member of our family who had no need for patience. Grantham would love it if winter lasted 12 months of the year. 🙂

A week later…all the snow had melted. Our grass, once stark and brown was coming alive with sprouts of shamrock green, opalescent, yellow daffodils were blooming everywhere as were all the annuals, joyfully planted in years gone by. All our trees were budding and the temps hit 80 degrees… Joining our doves and woodpeckers were dozens of cordial, hospitable robins, delicate yellow finches, debonaire blue jays and my favorite, the charming and regal red bird. I even saw a rare, majestic eagle, blithely gliding over our home, without a care in the world… Yes, Spring was here. In my pure enjoyment of this elated season, I gave our home a spring makeover. It was more fun to bring out our assortment of bright floral pillows, soft, featherlight linens, buy some fresh flowers, take my bunny rabbits out and create our annual spring tree… Everything, looked and felt brand new.

This time I plugged my ears when the newscaster on the weather channel announced that yet another nor eastern was coming to the east coast, expressing it would be a “big one” so be prepared. I am not exaggerating when I tell you, this dramatic Playlet continued for over a month… (One week, spring would desperately try to make its grand entrance, only to be ousted and delayed the following week, by Winters refusal to leave.) About this time I was beginning to laugh , (instead of deeply sighing,) totally identifying with my fellow east coast dwellers as I began hearing numerous jokes as well as receiving e-mail forwards about Winter overstaying its welcome. 🙂 No matter where I went, the grocery store, Post office, bank, downtown boutiques, it was as if we were all speaking a secret language to one another…first the shaking of the head, then the word REALLY? ( All of us knowing we were talking about the incredulous weather.)

With Easter arriving this weekend and seeing all the breathtaking dogwoods and cherry blossoms in our city in full bloom, I think its safe to proclaim that Spring has officially arrived and is here to stay. Our windows have been open for over a week, we don’t need our coats or heavy jackets, nature is peaceful, (no longer confused) and the sun is brightly shining. Another sure sign of the new season’s entrance is that the undomesticated meadow behind our home has awakened from its winter slumber. Its Brobdingnagian trees, once bare and stark , are now beginning to show signs of new life with their tiny buds of green. The ‘soon to be’ sprawling, picturesque wild ivy has taken its first baby steps, where in a short while, it will be joined by springs breathtaking kaleidoscopic wildflowers, fluttering butterflies and families of deer that quietly promenade from the deep woods for their nightly and early morning visits… I guess you could say, we are now holding our newborn baby. 🙂 I can’t even imagine another storm hitting! (Except a fragrant, inviting spring storm with a beautiful rainbow at its end.)

There is just something about this blissful season that brings a smile to our faces as well as a new, childlike excitement, as we joyfully accept its welcomed invitation to come out and PLAY! Our winter list of ‘fun things to do’ is off of our fridge and a new Springtime list is awaiting us, to take on it’s sublime and summoning suggestions. (I can only imagine that all of you have already been enjoying an abundance of spring adventures, especially on the Western coast.) Our novel list begins with taking Grantham to the beach, ( the sandy shores no longer filled with crowds and so beautifully deserted,) walk barefoot in the grass, take a bike trip, enjoy birdwatching, have friends over for a BBQ and bonfire, plant some flowers, visit Pepper’s Greenhouse and nursery, the Farmers market and enjoy the soon to bloom, (most gorgeous site ever) mimosa tree outside our bedroom window. It is always a huge pleasure for everyone, when we begin to see our old familiar spring ‘friends’ in the yard, realizing just how much we’ve missed them these last 9 months. Who doesn’t fall in love with the wide eyed, smiling frogs, husky groundhogs, awe-inspiring flying squirrels, stunning pheasants, soaring sky larks, the faithful swallows as well as the adorable, fluffy, long eared bunnies with their little babies. And then of course there are a few ‘not so missed guests,’ but they are just as much a part of this epic season… The portly Carpenter bees, shady snakes, cunning red foxes and busy wasps building their spring nests. This awe-inspiring season brings our spirits a new hope and joy, adding a bounce to our step…giving us an abundance of inspiration to put all the decorative snowmen away, (without wistful sighs,) 🙂 and transmute our homes on the inside to mirror what nature is so graciously bestowing to us on the outside. We gladly pack up our dark wintry colors and bring out the bright hues of pomegranate reds, hushed roses, sage greens, alabaster whites, sky blues, and sunflower yellows. (And of course for some of us, our treasured collection of bunny rabbits.) 🙂 Its a time to celebrate, sit back and ENJOY natures resplendent show.

In writing this vignette, it is my hope that it brings you a little inspiration with some innovative ideas for adding some sunshine and the beauty of spring to your already inviting and lovely havens. After giving our home a spring makeover, I truly feel as if the sun has given our little abode a big kiss of splendid joy…each room is a little brighter, fresher and speaks LIFE to our souls. Perhaps we are more appreciative of this new arrival, as it took so long to get here. 🙂 All I know is, I want to treasure everyday of Spring that we have left.The picture perfect time of year, that is our rejuvenating interval between the arctic, polar winter and the (thank the Lord for air conditioning,) often times, sweltering summer. There is nothing like spring and all of its many gifts it graces our lives with…It truly is a consonance of all of nature joining together to bring about new beginnings, hope, life and a reminder to the soul that God is in His heaven and ALL IS WELL.

THE DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER

“Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.” ~Quoted by Lewis Grizzard in Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You

“Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer.” ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

“Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.” ~Ruth Stout
“The year’s at the spring
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hillside’s dew-pearled;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in His heaven –
All’s right with the world!”
~Robert Browning

“Every spring is the only spring – a perpetual astonishment.” ~Ellis Peters

“Under the giving snow blossoms a daring spring.” ~Terri Guillemets

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.” ~Pablo Neruda

“Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.” ~Henry Van Dyke

“If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall.” ~Nadine Stair
“Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire.” ~Virgil

“The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other.” ~Arthur Rubenstein

“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” ~Mark Twain

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. ~Doug Larson

“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” . ~Rogers Hornsby

BED AND BATH

How much fun is it to take a weekend off and go to your favorite bed and breakfast? Its not a luxury that most of us can afford to do all the time, but how about sprucing up your bedroom and bath, creating it to look like your favored Inn in the springtime…with a bouquet or two of colorful, fragrant flowers, soft, diaphanous linens, an array of pastel colored bath towels accompanied by glistening candle light and lavender scented bubble bath?

My bedroom is the place I begin anew each day…“Again the sun, anew each day and new, and new, and new that comes into and STEADIES my soul.”

The only thing needed in this aesthetic bathroom is the glow of a flickering candle, luxurious bubble bath and a neck pillow! 🙂

Springtime is full of sweet days and roses…

And large windows with an abundance of sunshine beaming through each pane.

With everything sprouting in the spring, what better muse to inspire, than romantic ivy and roses?

Your bedroom is the place that you CHASE YOUR DREAMS! A serene and soft ambiance to dream sweet dreams… by day or night.

Simplicity wrapped in a captivating elegance.

Its spring and Shabby Chic is blooming!

Luxurious, pure and innocent white…its statement stands alone!

Between Winter and summer lies a beautiful, peaceful and calming fluffy bed, bedecked in the charming duo of blue and white!

In adding lulled, soft yellows you have all the ingredients of a spring day with blue skies, a few fluffy clouds and the alluring sunshine.

A rejuvenating respite , kissed by the sun…

Its amazing how just one seasonal piece of decor, sets the mood for the entire room!

This quilted , delicate headboard cover is ingenious. (A perfect invention to reinvent your place of repose with each new season.)

A cozy, warm and romantic place to escape, touched with springs bounty.

Set the stage of your bedroom with charm and bliss , speaking to the heart of the spring within your soul.

An illustrious blend of colors… soft blues accompanied by beckoning rose, highlighted with a cool, refreshing yellow! I love this combination.

Its the season for lavish baths with peach blossom bubbles and terrycloth towels adorned in fresh pastel hues.

Not only authentic, but classy and resourceful… Perfect for adding your spring decor to your bathroom.

This seasons color palette: bright blues, lulled greens, crisp whites with splashes of strawberry red.

Bring forth gentle and dreamy notes of this new seasons brilliant colors of new life and hope.

Some of our rooms just need a few touches of prolific green to bring forth a cheery ambiance for the seasons celebration.

I could not resist this “chimera” bathroom… An “AH” moment , 24 hours a day. 🙂 I can only imagine.

KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM

A recent poll revealed that the majority of us spend an hour to 2 hours a day in our kitchens…and depending on WHERE you dine with your family, probably a little less time in the dining room. Multiply that by 30 and that is a lot of hours within one month…All the more reason to include these significant rooms in your decorating adventure.

Spring has definitely sprung, (very courageously) within this kitchen. 🙂

With its blushing pinks, antiquated china, fresh flowers from the garden and charming architecture, I could stay in this eat-in kitchen, all day long!

This inviting kitchen is ready for its afternoon visitors, with tempting fresh fruit, home baked bread and the warmth of the beaming sun…

A celebration of springs elegant whites combined with natures bounty. Refreshingly beautiful.

I adore the never ending dance of the hues of sunflower yellow and lively shades of blue… A color combo that evokes the epic bestowal of a gorgeous spring day…timeless and playful!

Just as the season of spring, this kitchen looks like a fresh, new beginning everyday! I love all the spaciousness just beckoning one to conjure up and create. 🙂

A medley of warmth and animated, stirring color. I can almost hear the birds chirping in the trees outside the beautiful paned windows. 🙂

These next two junoesque kitchens, keep the beauty of a sunny spring day even when the sun has set… I love the added touch of the rich greens accenting this rooms creative and sightly, overhead ceiling lighting .

Everyone loves a fresh bouquet of roses or flowers from the Florist…Whenever Kit blesses me with this gift, I thoroughly enjoy their brilliant presence in our home for a week or so, but I can hardly wait to dry them and display them with babies breath and fresh greens. They bring the ‘essence of spring’ into our homes all year long! 🙂

This kitchen mirrors this season of joy, happiness and laughter. I can only imagine all the delicious recipes that have been created within this room with loved ones, over a tall glass of ice tea. 🙂

I love this shabby Chic decor with it’s buoyant spring apparel… eminently fresh and inviting.

Our Dining Rooms… A perfect place to thoroughly enjoy this grandeur season with friends and family, scrumptious cuisine , laughter and and overflow of delightful camaraderie.

White never goes out of style and is a fabulous foundational color for all our homes patina. A beautiful table setting amidst a brilliant window view creating an ambiance of sheer elegance.

Now this is a dining room truly kissed by the sun….bringing cheer morning, noon and night! I love it!

A delightful and dulcet ambiance shining with tranquil beauty, rainbowed by the sun. (Creating an atmosphere that makes you feel like your in the center of a blooming rose garden.)

I never really thought of a rich, fire engine red being a spring color, but mixed with the colors and textures of nature, it is fabulously awe-inspiring!

If you are “a little bit county,” these two kitchen are for you…all bedecked in the essence of a beautiful spring day.

Two “formal” dining rooms, embraced by the sun… Not being one who can wear yellow well, I adore its magical and soft alluring hue throughout our home in the summer and spring seasons.

A bit formal with a relaxed flavor…the bright, crisp white amidst the sunflower yellow and dark woods are a wondrous backdrop for the elegant, eye-catching spring floral arrangement. (Now, that centerpiece would definitely have to come down during a meal…Its what my husband would call, ” For pure enjoyment and display only.”) 🙂

A table set with wondrous “garden” ingredients. )

The beautiful gift that spring brings with its arrival is the pleasure of ample alfresco dining events. This table is sublime!

I never can get enough blue and white, along with the magic of bright open windows, especially in the spring. Don’t you just love mixing stripes and floral patterns together?

Only in this heavenly season, can your table look this yummy with freshly picked fruits from the garden… I see a fresh peach pie in the near future. 🙂

Spring in its dressy attire… and looking “oh so Good!

LIVING ROOM

The room inside our homes, that gives our guests their first impression of our decorating style as well as setting the mood for the rest of our cozy abode. It is also the room we favor and live in the most, thus I go all out with my decor when it comes to this special room’s seasonal flavor.

One of the most ingenious creations, (IMHO) is the invention of the slipcover…This gift allows us to change our seasonal ambiance very inexpensively. This spring time living room is strikingly arresting and welcoming with its striped, warm yellow and white over-sized couch, floral pillows and pastel green walls, inspiring our moods to be ‘creative, happy, fun filled and cheerful’…the color yellow is also eminently uplifting and illuminating, offering hope.

This inviting living room, ( a potpourri of country, shabby chic and cottage style with hints of spring) is the perfect ambiance to come home to after a long day at work…just kick off your shoes, grab a drink and enjoy a quick respite with the seasons extended daylight, before the dinner hour begins! 🙂

A classy display of the marvelous duo of the seasons blue and white…(I love the usage of the ottoman.as a coffee table.) This rooms foundational color of blue creates a sense of calmness, peace and tranquility…

This room gets the award for the most inspirational … I feel like I have just walked into the beautiful bucolic countryside, adorned in natures majestic landscape.

The wonderful truth about decorating for spring is, its not eminently important what style of home you already have. It only takes a few vases of fresh greens or garden flowers, a medley of new pillows arrayed in bright colors and a pastel throw draped upon your favorite chair to bring forth the essence of bliss and renewal.

The perfect, quiet cozy corner for the lady of the house… embellished with rejuvenating color and a blithesome style.

Looks like a Mary Engelbreit room to me! 🙂 I love her work as she openly shares with her readers her passion of decorating with bright COLOR and her mix and match style in each room of her exquisite, inviting home.

These next two living rooms embody a romantic, spring flare…adorned with softness, a perfect sunlit ambiance with a regal, polished and artsy flavor. (It reminds me of what the sitting rooms in a cottage, nestled in the countryside of England would look like.) 🙂

A perfect, picturesque idea for a window sill or dining room sideboard to celebrate natures new blooms!

I know spring is the season for our beloved bunnies, but there is no rule that you have to put your bears away…As long as they are dressed for the occasion, they are invited to the celebration. 🙂

A potpourri of bedazzling floral and checkered pillows in the colors of Spring atop a blue striped couch… So simple, yet fabulously festive and beautiful!

If you only add one new decor item tor this season, a fetching vase filled with petite white roses , (or your favorite fresh flowers,) announce the seasons arrival like nothing else.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS (Outside the home.)

Whether it is our front porch, our wrap around verandahs or the land that our homes are built upon, it is the first thing we see as we arrive home. Springtime is one of the most gorgeous times of the year to make our havens shine with sublime color and style. When I think about our lawn, front porch and backyard, I liken them to ‘one more room’ within my home to embellish with the seasons bounty. We all have a differently shaped canvas to work with…use your signature style and the colors you love to create your piece of art for all the world to see.

What a creative deck with its abundance of radiant white, planked flooring and potted spring blooms… and this overflowing archway trellis looks like something out of a romantic movie. A wonderful show of amazing creativity and talent! (Of course with a little help from nature.) 🙂

These traditional white wicker chairs and table, amidst the classy fenced in verandah, is intoxicating, inviting and candy for the eyes.

A front row seat to a spectacular show of nature and its splendor.

“Spring is natures way of saying; “Lets party.” ” I totally agree with Robin Williams! 🙂

Vibrant colors and new life changes everything!

There is just something about white wood adorned with luxuriant greens and the soft blooms of floral vines that warms the soul… These beautiful and creative ideas bestow upon these ‘outside rooms’ splendor, grace, wonderment and magic.

This beautiful cottage home reminds me of the great American dream when a couple gets married…You know the one with the white picket fence, two kids and an obedient dog? 🙂 The lovely and flowing landscape transforms this berth into a magical and cozy dwelling.

There are so many ideas to express your hearts celebration of Spring…your favorite flowers, shrubs, trees and there is nothing that quite compares to a beautifully fresh mowed, lush green lawn.

Two of my all time favorite spring gifts…already made potted flower pots and a birds nest filled with eggs. (whether man-made or the real thing. 🙂

Creative, ingenious as well as magical. Both of these decorative ideas embody a sylvan charm that inspires a hearty celebration of this festive, once a year wonder.

FOR ALL OF YOU WHO LOVE DECORATING FOR EASTER AND ARE BUNNY-CONNOISSEURS… A few more wondrous ideas for you as you bedeck your home in spring attire… (I keep my Bunny decor up through the summer:) Remember; “Be faithful to your own taste, because nothing you REALLY LIKE like is ever out of style.” Billy Baldwin

This homemade basket is earthy, polished and a splendid centerpiece for your Easter gathering. I adore these joyful colors mixed together, (and the baby chick is way to cute.) 🙂

This riveting, creative and showy kitchen bedecked for Easter is one of my favorite kitchens of all times. Its large enough to display all of these bright colored, animated characters and kaleidoscopic Easter eggs… fabulously stunning!

I love these bunnies amidst the innovative trees with the pastel colored petite eggs… what a great idea.

Winsome, enchanting and certainly a centerpiece that would be the talk of the gathering. One of my favorite.

What a classy mantle decor to celebrate Easters arrival… I don’t know about you, but I am gleaning so many great ideas from all of this talent! 🙂

Delicate, bouncy, cheerful and sure to bring many a smile.

Two stellar bunnies wrapped up in a bouquet of Springtime…Original and classy!

I have to admit…in between the snow storms and hints of springs arrival to our coast, I got a little stir crazy and created four different tablescapes for my spring-Easter dining room ambiance… It was fun. (My husband is happy that I have just settled for one. ) 🙂

My spring wreath for our kitchen and our annual spring tree for the living room… (Only did each one, once.) 🙂

My little chef’s wanted to get in on the springtime celebration too!

Topiary trees and three tiered plates are so much fun to spruce up for springtime!

A few added touches of this glorious season in our bedroom!

I fell in love with these two spring trees when I saw them…each one totally unique, full of bright, joyful color and celebration of the season.

OK, you know I had to smile when I found this photo of a beautiful , festive spring tree with a snowfall in the background… I do not think we will ever forget the spring of 2014 on the eastern coast. 🙂 The animated, earthy basket (don’t you love those creative homemade carrots) with the fetching bunny is a stunning addition for any homes spring celebration.

Enjoy this splendorous season… Buy yourself a bouquet of lilies or daffodils, visit your farmers market for some freshly picked fruits and vegetables, get a little adventurous and endeavor is some strawberry picking or go to your favorite boutique and find the cutest bunny you have ever seen, to add to your collection! HAPPY SPRING and I wish for you all a blessed Easter.

PHOTOGRAPHS: In placing your computer mouse upon any of the photos or graphics, it will display where the picture originated from.

February’s Romantic Makeover…

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Susan

February Twilight…” I stood beside a hill, smooth with new-laid snow,
A single star looked out, from the cold evening glow.
There was no other creature, that saw what I could see,
I stood and watched the evening star, as long as it watched me.”
~ Sara Teasdale,

February is a month of promise, hope, warm fires kindling within in our hearths , snowy days, icy nights, star filled skies, flirtatious snowmen and of course, Romance.

The renowned author and actor ‘Steve Harvey” calls February, “the month of Love.” A special time where dreams really can come true, as we go out of our of way to demonstrate to that “special someone,” just how very much we love them.

I like to think of this month as the last real month of winter bliss… Yes, March is also a rigorously cold month, (on our eastern coast) but spring is busily sending forth its illustrious tocsins, to let us know it will be arriving soon… thus, why not take advantage of the December equinoxes’ prodigious and majestic ending.

What are some of the ways to celebrate and enjoy the benefits of this romantic month of February?

In California, perhaps a serene walk with the one you love on the San Clemente pier at sunset, or upon the the glistening sands of a moonlit beach, listening to the endless , lulling tunes of the waves sauntering into shore, watching the evening sky light up with its spectacular display of scintillating stars.

In the Midwest, (with all the Brobdingnagian winter storms hitting hard this month, the temps in the negatives…) my sister will have to be a little extra creative with her celebration. I can just see her conjuring up a scrumptious heart shaped chocolate mousse cake, lighting her myriad of candles, and enjoying her collection of ‘romantic movies,’ Weathering Heights, Jane Eyre and Pride and prejudice. (Continuously thanking the good Lord, she has heat and is warm.) Compared to their weather, ours is mild!

For us on the east Coast, we enjoy the warmth of our homes as the miraculous snow falls, bringing an abundance of white fluff to our once, verdant green lawns, quilting the trees branches with shimmering slush, later turning into gracefully sculptured ice cycles. There is nothing quite as romantic as catching a snowfall in action over our towns Junoesque pond …the once placid water is frozen over, its icy surface glistening with a lulled pink hue… or taking a drive through the country roads, admiring all the LOVE-made, frolicsome snowmen, cheering our spirits up as they happily greet each passerby. Have you ever noticed, there are no two snowmen alike? Its magical to see how snow flakes (with a little TLC,) can be transformed into real life characters. 🙂 We love to bundle up and take Graham to the meadow after a freshly fallen snow, amazed by the abundance of beautiful wildlife hidden behind the tall trees. We watch the grandeur red birds and blue jays flutter from branch to branch, the flocks of snow geese flying above us, singing their HONKy- tonk tunes, ( that we’ve grown to love,) and the grey squirrels, playfully scurrying up and down the trees, stopping every now and then to nibble on natures “power bars” made especially for them! 🙂 All very romantic…but what warms my heart the most is looking down at Graham as we all walk in the snow… he is totally unaware that his dark, heavy fur coat has turned to white…the polar air not bothering him one bit, (as he continues to sniff, observe, look and listen to all the meadows enchanting inhabitants.) 🙂

I can certainly relate to the quote by Charles Baudelaire;

“I watch the springs, the summers, the autumns;
And when comes the winter snow monotonous,
I shut all the doors and shutters
To build in the night my fairy palace. ”

Whether you live in Southern California, Texas, Maine, Alaska or in other countries, places such as , England, Italy, Japan or the Swiss Alps…how you celebrate this romantic month of love will depend a great deal on what your weather and climate is like….but no matter what state or country you live in, we all have one thing in common...for this month of ‘celebrating love,’ we can all create a romantic ambiance right within our home…bringing forth an atmosphere of amour.

Our bedroom is the one room within our home that is always embellished with a romantic motif. For February, I try to spill a little bit of its allurement throughout our entire house. For me, a wintry romantic ambiance would include an abundance of alabaster whites accented with rich burgundy’s, regal golds, hushed rose and sage green. I have decorated our home with a few dried floral arrangements, white lace tablecloths, my wintry china, a medley of candles, a cherub angel or two, and yes…a few red hearts, dark chocolates, (in case a friend comes by for a cup of coffee,) 🙂 a touch of Hallmarks Valentines decor…and SNOWMEN! Yes… can you believe it? I still have them out! 🙂 Here is the skinny on that….Christmas was like a dream come true this last year… saying goodbye to its splendor, putting away our jovial Santa’s in January was very difficult, thus I left my cheerful, jubilant snowmen out to keep a touch of the festive spirit within our home. When February arrived, I was perplexed.…our neighborhood was draped in a brilliant white… Our snowmen were so happy being out of the attic and they were all dressed in romantic colors. It was tough call… But I finally came to the conclusion that there has got to be a story written somewhere about a Romantic snowman and his Valentine… thus, we voted and they got to stay for February’s celebration of the “month of love.”

Its the perfect month for a romantic home-makeover…enjoy the last weeks of winter’s attire as you know spring is right around the corner and your home will be dressed up for an entirely different season… For those of you whose motto is ; “Less is more,” and your not a fan of the commercial decor of cupids, hearts, garlands and lace doilies, I hope a few of these romantic rooms will bring you some new ideas in creating a subtle romantic ambiance within your haven. If you do love all the ‘bells and whistles’ of the season, then I am sure you will find a few creative notions as well. ENJOY!

THE DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
~Edith Sitwell

Away in a meadow all covered with snow, the little old groundhog looks for his shadow,
The clouds in the sky determine our fate, If winter will leave us all, early or late.” ~ Don Halley

“The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.” ~ Gertrude S. Wister

“Standing in a valley,with the mist coming in,
Berries grow on the holly bushes. Robins hide in snow-ridden woods.
If I could stay here, I would.”- Bethan Williams

Now you know, I had to put in a few thoughts about chocolate, romance and snowmen…February’s other bestowals of joy. 🙂

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” ~ Charles M. Shultz

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.” ~ Linda Grayson

“What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate.”~ Katharine Hepburn

“I’ve fallen in love many times…always with you.” ~ Unknown

“A heart that loves is always young.” ~ Greek proverb

“A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.” ~ Ingrid Bergman

“Valentine hearts beat more passionately than every day hearts.” ~ Unknown

“Romance is the glamor which turns the dust of every day life into a golden haze.” ~ Amanda Cross

“Snowmen fall from heaven, one flake at a time.” Unknown

“Snow flakes are one of natures most fragile things, but look at what they can do by sticking together.” ~ Unknown

“Snowmen fall from heaven…unassembled.” ~Unknown

Cupid’s tour of ROMANTIC HOMES is now boarding…

Our glorious verandahs and welcoming front doors are our guests and family’s first impression of our homes… Capture their hearts with a little romance as you create your expressions of ‘amour.’

This beautiful fresh green heart shaped wreath is not only romantic, but very creative with its blush pink garland of petite roses…

Five hundred imperial and gallant red roses… Breathtaking!

A picturesque, alluring porch for two! (I love the vintage red and white goblets.)

With its array of baronial wicker chairs,white sheers, lovely pillows, throws and a bouquet of roses, this piazza brings forth a beautiful romantic flare… (The ferns are undoubtedly a touch of added elegance. )

You can definitely see that this cozy berth is in the “mood for love.”

Bring a smile to your valentines heart, give this little guy some red roses and a box of chocolates to greet your sweetheart! Not only is he uplifting, but a fabulously, creative way to say “I love you.” 🙂

The romance of nature itself! I love it!

This beautiful and splendorous homemade Valentine wreath is heartening, love-some and is sure to bring forth many a smile.

“OUR BEDROOMS, THE PLACE WE CHASE OUR DREAMS.” A room that is simple to ‘dress up’ with such a spectacular motif as Romantic love.

If ever a bedroom exuded romance, this decorator has sure got the secret. Mixing lush wintry shades of white, intricate and stunning wrought iron, a white sheer canopy, along with an abundance of pillows, baronial candle stick holders and a variety of fresh and dried roses, creates an air of mystique and royalty.

Beautifully romantic…The layers and textures on this canopy bed is incredibly enchanting…All it needs is a stellar arrangement of yellow roses! 🙂

More hues of the glorious shades of white… The color of pureness. For this special month, perhaps a splash of red with a bundle of Victorian dried roses and a divinely scented valentine-red candle! I love the natural sunlight.

White, in any of its magnificent shades, represents purity, birth, simplicity, peace, innocence, youth, winter, snow as well as marriage. This enchanting and beautiful Bed Room says it all… Perhaps an arrangement of bustling, colorful , fresh flowers would be the icing on the cake to this eminently romantic hideaway! 🙂

Are you one that is blessed to have “a spectacular view from your window,” as part of your rooms allurement? The city skyline is exceedingly romantic, along with the captivating wooden sleigh bed with its layers and textures of fluffy white…I am thinking some dried , refined, hushed white roses? 🙂

This fluffy white guy, princely teddy bear dressed in his tux,(with his top-hat beside him,) amidst a wispy white, sheer canopy is plenty of romance for me! 🙂

I adore this vintage bed with its bright whites, layers of exquisite linens and intricately designed furniture… the petite antiquated vase filled with the blush rose colored flowers is the perfect touch… Maybe a thick, cuddly throw for the cold February nights that are in the one digit numbers. 🙂

The ample gifts of blue and white…Blue is the color of sleep and bliss…This felicitous bedroom can be likened to laying upon a hammock with a blue sky and a few puffy clouds that occasionally dance by the sun…Its very inviting and definitely dressed up for love… Maybe a few splashes of red to bring forth a bit of passion, or a large bouquet of becalming pink roses with magical babies breath?

This delightful bedroom already has a built in Valentines, romantic flare… I love the paneled arched ceiling, the striking red check couch amongst the dainty, delicate white lace and this grandiose four poster bed. Maybe a few flirtatious red hearts on the wall would add that special touch for this month of love?

This charming and quaint bedroom , (without a touch of red,) is absolutely gorgeous and not only whispers, but DECLARES,” ROMANCE.” I love the special touches of natures bounty with the fresh spray of green and white roses.

Sometimes simplicity says it all. 🙂

Curl up for a blissful night in a bouquet of roses!

I adore this fourposter bed with its gossamer canopy, romantic floral pillows, tone on tone designed madras duvet and damask throw… Maybe a few single stem roses for that “finished romantic touch.”

OUR KITCHENS, THE HEART OF THE HOME, NOT ONLY WHERE WE CONJURE UP THE MOST DELICIOUS CUISINES, BUT THE PLACE WE HAVE SOME OF OUR MOST INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS. THIS MONTH OF LOVE, SAY “BON APPETIT,” WITH A LITTLE ROMANCE ON THE SIDE.

OK. You know how the saying goes, some feel “MORE is more ” and others, “LESS is more.” THIS IS DEFINITELY MORE! Romantic, grandiose, kaleidoscopic and heart stopping! A little potpourri of “everything valentines.” 🙂

With its soft lighting and warm, cozy cabinetry, this kitchen is eminently beguiling and romantic. I still think it needs some hints of red to celebrate the annual occasion! 🙂 Red roses, whether dried or fresh would be the perfect touch!

These cheerful and lovable little guys would brighten up anyone’s heart …I can just “feel the love” in this room! All dressed up in their earth tones with an abundance of red! Definitely awe-inspiring.

This hutch, with its pastel, idyllic plates embodies a tranquil charm, along with the creative valentines decorum … OK, I’d say this one is ” LESS is more,” and I love it! 🙂

With its cheery, luminous ambiance, alluring reds and rich sky blues, this kitchen is dressed to a “T” for this month of passion! (I adore these enchanting chandeliers with their resplendent, authentic lampshades.)

With its romantic, enticing , soothing, and unassuming splendor, this romantic decor would bring the ‘air of love’ and awe to any room! I have never found anything more magical as well as enchanting, than the glow of candlelight and petite, sparkling white lights! They never fail, for any celebratory fete. 🙂

Another eminently romantic kitchen…the pastel pinks and hushed blues together are very soothing and charming. I think it just needs a few symbols of “Je T’aime” … one of Valentines quintessential trademarks, the adored HEART!

A crisp, pure and creamy white kitchen opens up ample opportunities to add Romantic accents for celebrating love. How about some white bone china tea cups with a matching teapot, filled with a medley of dried roses and greens, creating an enthralling and galvanic flavor.

Another inventive, creative idea for celebrating the season is to display a black chalkboard in your kitchen…(whether on a easel or hung on your kitchen wall…) Its great for messages year round, but what a wonderful way to bedeck a room for the special holidays and festive occasions. I love the pastel hearts and romantic sayings! Great idea!

Add a multimedia of color and texture for this gladsome occasion… mason jars and creative canisters filled to overflowing with red and pink candies along with chocolate hearts amidst white lace doilies. These decorative displays would put anyone in a “fabulously romantic” mood. 🙂

A cozy kitchen table set for two…Exceedingly romantic and lovely. This exhilarating flower arrangement takes the Valentines spotlight in this room! 🙂

In this stunning, inviting and resplendent kitchen, the decorator has taken the same kitchen from above, with its luscious butter cream whites, amidst the regal black marble, but this time, expressing that “Less is definitely MORE.” Eminently Romantic with its grand accents of Valentine RED, noble golds and soft whites. Who wouldn’t feel the emotions of “amour” in this cozy room? 🙂

Some more romantic, winsome and canty little snow guys, adding buoyant color, animation and FUN in this joyous time of the year… February’s month of amoire.

Accent towels are always a complete giveaway of the season as well as the patina of your kitchen! 🙂

OUR DINING ROOMS…THE PLACE WE GATHER WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY, SHARE MANY A TALES OF OLD , LAUGH, CRY, AND ENJOY A MEDLEY OF THE MOST DELICIOUS, SAVORY CUISINE OF OUR LIVES. ITS A PLACE OF CELEBRATION AND IT TOO, WANTS IN ON THE “FLAVOR OF THE MONTH,” 🙂

This Romantic, mysterious yet inviting dining room motif, is not dressed up in the typical valentine decor, but it exudes the very essence of romantic dining. What beautiful and authentic chandeliers…the layering and mixing of fabrics, colors and textures with this decorators table linens is sublime as well as alluring.

A dining room tablescape, created with a wintry mix of nature ‘s bounty, would not only look speculator, but would be delightfully soothing to the senses. Void of bright colors, it’s beauty alone is breathtaking and would enhance any festive get together.

Nowadays, with as many fabulous slipcovers that are on the market, you can transform your rooms with the color of the season. This wintry medley of magnetic earthiness, warm whites, rich tans and regal black, is undoubtedly striking with a romantic flare…I envision an exquisite arrangement of striking red roses, to liven up this already inviting tablescape.

Charming, elfin, enchanting, fairytale like and undoubtedly, exceedingly picaresque. This stunningly beautiful dining room evokes all kinds of “romantic emotions.” I truly believe you can never go wrong with WHITE! The centerpiece is lovely with its verdant greens and bright colored blooms. I would add a little more warmth and romance with the table-settings done in the passionate color of red.

I love the maritime slip covers for these dinning room chairs. The soft white amidst the pastel blues is refreshing. This table scape would come alive with some chargers topped with calico red plates or a luxurious table-setting in sparkling off white china…(I always put a small token gift upon every guests plate.) Valentines day or not! 🙂

Another inviting room of repose and rejuvenation…a Wintry masterpiece. I would add a creative, cheerful and snowy centerpiece to add a bit of festivity to the table.

Don’t forget to keep the month of February exciting, bringing forth a feeling of “being pampered” with choice, fragrant candles that fit the “romantic mood!” I bet The Cinnamon Frosting is divine! 🙂

This decorator has GONE ALL OUT! Very festive and celebratory!

The decadent wintry cake with the beguiling candle lights, creates a very intimate and luxurious table! This gets a “10” in my book! ( Fresh cut wood, kindling in this gorgeous fireplace would of course, be a welcomed added touch for a Romantic evening!) 🙂

A mixture of pewter and fresh flowers gives a very rich and polished presentation! (I love the wintry grapevine garland.) 🙂

There is nothing that says “Romance,” like a fairy-tale village, magical snowflakes, glistening white lights and a dapper little snow guy… A perfect tablescape for your dining room sideboard table, to add a touch of allurement and romantic flavor for this month of celebrating LOVE!.

Whether for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving or a Romantic Valentines dinner, white damask linen with silver, white china and soft, golden candlelight is timeless. Absolutely stellar!

This Valentines I chose to use my wintry cardinal china, mixed with an array of blues and whites… (All winter colors.) And of course, my snow guys with romantic, dried yellow roses and soft candlelight. Every time I walk through our dining room and see this cozy, colorful tablescape, I smile! 🙂

I also added my new 2014 collection of ‘birds.’ These ‘bluebirds of happiness’ were a special gift from my husband this Christmas…They can stay out ALL YEAR LONG! 🙂

My faithful bunny, ( our 7th year wedding anniversary gift from Kit,) also stays up all year long… (I change his wardrobe to fit the season. 🙂 For February, he is embellished with a fairytale-like, elfin wintry attire…

I am impressed with this ‘winter wonderland’ dining room hutch, with its snowman themed plates and entrancing , romantic snow guys.

Talk about “melting hearts!” This guy is also a keeper!

OUR LIVING ROOMS…THE PLACE WE LIVE, LAUGH AND LOVE TOGETHER...I may not always decorate our bathroom for this romantic month, but I never miss bringing out a few decorative items to highlight the flavor of ‘romance and love’ for the room we live the most in.

This living room is beautifully simple yet elegant and sophisticated…With its quiet highlights of red, it brings forth the cheerfulness of this holidays’ celebration.

Another cozy, romantic living room…spacious , great lines and a perfect arrangement for a lovely get together. I would add a few accents or two, to bring a little more festivity. (Perhaps an array of throw pillows and fresh garden flowers, to bring some warmth and a motif of romantic-love) 🙂

PERFECT!

“I heard it through the grapevine” that ‘purple‘ is the new color this year for Valentines day…Undoubtedly romantic, alluring and passionate! 🙂

For those of you who are not a lover of reds, cupids or valentine decor, but are in love with romance, these two living rooms exude the mystique and romantic patina, with the beautiful colors of rich tans and royal blues, or hues of gold, butter-cream whites and taupe…the furniture style, candle light, flower arrangements and small decorative items are lovely “just the way they are.”

“A Room with Two Views.” 🙂 I adore the red florals amidst the stripes, with accents in red, white and blue… Romantic and bedecked for the holiday!

Out of all the living rooms, this particular one captures my heart the most! Its got everything! Feminine touches amidst a baronial, checkered ottoman along with the noble and rich, dark woods. The floral couch, inciting valances and white paned windows are exceedingly warm, snug, and festively romantic.

Another wintery, exotic flower arrangement for your Romantic home makeover…

I love the potpourri of colors this decorator has chosen…This room looks a little formal yet I have a feeling, it is a room that has experienced a lot of love and living. For Valentines and a touch of romance, I would add a few decorative pillows that flavor the room with a flashy valentines motif, along with a few cozy, February scented candles.

“One can only imagine that ‘Winter Night’ smells scrumptious.” 🙂

Very simple, a white damask couch, a potpourri of throw pillows, (a romantic snowman throw,) 🙂 and a box of Sees chocolates from California. (If any of my brothers are reading this blog, please, no more Sees candy for awhile…it was WAY to good! 🙂 )

I would love to have a fresh arrangement of white flowers or white roses for my coffee table , (If my husband is reading this blog, please take note of what next Friday is.. 🙂 ) I love fresh flowers in the house…their fragrance as well as natural beauty, are very pampering to the soul. 🙂

Yes, my Christmas tree changed to a snowman tree in January. For February, I added dried red and pastel yellow roses along with red and gold wired ribbon to create a bit of romance. My other little guy is just glad that he doesn’t have to fit in that tree as he loves spaciousness, and dislikes crowds. 🙂

A few of my favorite wintry pillows… I love the white bear snowman! He is so original, colorful and adorable.! 🙂

Another favorite pillow that I keep out for this “sweethearts season,” 🙂 is the one my sister made me for Christmas. You already know who the Boss of this house is…”Sir Grantham.” He truly is a “heart wrapped in fur” and I will keep this gorgeous pillow out year round as she made it with his photo, (in my living room colors…) Its a keeper! He is one of my valentines too …he’s my heart!

This living room is magical with its romantic lighting, heartening fireplace, white woods mixed with the dark and the beautiful highlights of blue… For February , I would add a few throws, bright, motley pillows and an arrangement of yellow roses… but it truly is captivating just the way it is. 🙂

Absolutely stunning, romantic and complete! I wouldn’t add a single thing!

Very Romantic, filled with the beautiful bounty of natures wintry colors. A Victorian flare with its swags embellished with glistening white lights and roses…all in line with Valentines Day, as well as warm and cozy for the winter. The only things I’d change would be, replacing the white pillar candles with pomegranate red, and adorn the bunny rabbits with petite grapevine wreaths with roses (to keep their necks warm!) 🙂

I hope after taking this Romantic tour that you have gleaned a few ideas to take home to your own romantic and cozy haven… I know I have. Just a few changes around your home can make a big difference. Enjoy this last full month of winter… Majestic February. Take a stroll through the woods in the snow, light some wintry scented candles or bake a batch of heart shaped valentine cookies. While your spouse is taking a shower, draw a heart on the steamy mirror and tell them how much you love them…celebrate the month of love and make it special for yourself as well as your household.

In closing this ‘Romantic Makeover vignette,’ I wanted to share with you a few of our favorite chocolates for your “Valentine,” (if you aren’t already sold on one,) as remember Valentines DAY is a special holiday for all the senses… and chocolate is at the top of the list! ) Now, if you really stretched it, you could consider a box of chocolates as ‘Romantic home decor.’ Some of the heart shaped boxes are created so luxuriously and look so beautiful.(They add an abundance of charm and elegance, just resting upon your coffee tables.) 🙂 (just sayin! ) 🙂

Our #1 choice is See’ s candy….always a must when we visit California. Our 2nd is Ghiridelli, 3rd, Dove Chocolates, 4th. Godiva and 5th, Harbor sweets 85 Leavitt Street, Salem MA. Lastly, Harry and Davids Chocolate mousse crunch! (Kits very favorite!) If your still looking for a ‘sweet treat’ for your Valentine, I hope these suggestions are helpful!

If by chance, you are a Trivia person, here is a little “Info” on this particular box of candy;

Harrods is the proud creator of this Valentines box of chocolates, noted to be the most excellent chocolate in the world. There are 49 pieces, all studded with Swarovski crystals, hand wrapped in Indian silk, with platinum and gold linings, and each peace is padded with a crystal flower…for only a mere $10,000. SO,you can buy these for your sweetheart for Valentines Day, or a new car. 🙂

Have a wonderful and blessed Valentines day !

PHOTOGRAPHS: In placing your computer mouse upon any of the photos or graphics, it will display where the picture has originated from.

The felicity of Winters Hush

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Susan

He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter… In winter the stars seem to have rekindled their fires, the moon achieves a fuller triumph, and the heavens wear a look of a more exalted simplicity. ~John Burroughs

Its hard to believe that the last day of autumns glory has departed and the start of a new season has begun. Winter always arrives in a magnificent splendor as it is introduced to us in the height of Christmas. What season can top that prelude? It is a season that embodies an abundance of new beginnings, peaceful times of reflection, warm, cozy fires in our hearths, as the wind howls in an harmonic melody accompanied by the pristine white snow as it wondrously falls outside our double-paned windows. Suddenly, we are enriched with an entirely new ambiance surrounding our days…the December equinox enchanting birds have arrived, bringing a luminescent array of rich colors and new songs. Our hearts bounce with excitement when we have days where we actually feel the warmth of the sun as it is making its way through the overcast skies, with its welcomed accolade and bright , gleeful radiance. Our neighborhoods are filled with nostalgic aromas of fresh firewood kindling , and we begin to get use to natures new attire of white and are surprised when we are no longer longing for the ” the lush green” like we did in the beginning. Every season has its brilliance… When I think of all the cliches of this season, “I leave my home in the winter time and take up residency in Florida for three months,” “Winter is a depressing season” or ” Winter makes me lazy and all I want to do is be a couch potato,”) I find myself feeling just the opposite. True, this season does not gift us with springs vivid and extraordinary, kaleidoscopic blooms, summer’s warmth and the sandy beaches splendor, and the magical three months of fall with its vibrant reds and golds, but, it undoubtedly exemplifies a rare beauty all of its own... Brighter night skies with the air eminently colder and refreshingly crisp. The stars shine lambently and the moon graces us with its tranquil radiance… the trees, now stark and bare, silhouetted against a galvanic sunrise or sublime and flawless sunset, causes our hearts to skip a beat with its stellar beauty. There is nothing like the first fallen snow, blanketing all of nature in an opalescent, fluffy white ….everything looks and feels pure, fresh and clean. As the sun glistens upon the snow banks, and we are snugly wrapped up in a million layers of wintry clothes, thick gloves and scarves covering our faces from the sting of the bitter cold, we feel like little kids again as we trample through the dense yet ethereal, frozen white snow, hearing our boots crunch with each step..if we fall over , no worries…we feel as if we are wrapped up in gigantic pillows…after making a snow angel or two, (we giddily get back up into a standing position and keep going.) We know its time to come in when we can’t complete our words any longer as our mouths are frozen … we quickly barrel back to our welcomed warm homes, and within five minutes, we are down to one layer, happily sitting on the brick hearth, soothed by the sounds of crackling wood and the warmth of the flames upon our backs…we are in heaven! We drink an abundance of coffee, hot cider or steaming cocoa, as we warm our bodies and feel our internal temperature gauge slowly rising to “normal.” 🙂 Now its time to enjoy the beauty of winter from the inside of our homes…we smile as we KNOW the snow will be there in the morning.

Do you ever wonder why people are drawn to the seasons they are? Could it be that it truly is within our genetic makeup? In a way, I liken it to our preference of cuisine… most people either “really love” spicy, Mexican or Asian food or they prefer lightly seasoned cuisine, some even bland. Why am I a “salty” person where as my husband adores sweets… I have two close friends that are in many ways, very much alike, yet one adores autumn and winter, where the other, dislikes the chillier seasons so immensely , she can hardly wait for springtime to arrive. The lover of spring is an April baby, where the other entered this world in the Fall…Is our ‘birth month’ one of the reasons we are drawn to one season more than another? Grantham is definitely a lover of Winter with his four layer fur coat accompanied by his curiosity and excitement with the ‘white-icy-slush.’ 🙂 Our black lab Patch, preferred being inside on his cozy bed when winter arrived in Virginia, dauntlessly avoiding every attempt we made to get him to go outside and play in the snow. As I have grown older, I have come to love and appreciate all 4 seasons, winter and fall more so, but there is such a beautiful bestowal with each one. For myself, winter is a time that evokes a myriad of creative juices to begin flowing.… Living on the east coast, and in many countries with polar temperatures, we can’t do all the things we are use to doing when the weather is gorgeous, warm and the sun brightly shines amidst our green, verdant lawns…But,this wondrous, mysterious season of winter has so much to offer with its many diverse gifts. In this blog, I hope to share with you some imaginative and inspiring ideas, (21 to be exact, 🙂 ) to bring forth an abundance of joy, fun and laughter to your winter months, (perhaps even change your mind a little bit, and take this placid and tranquil season off the bottom of your “favorite season list.” ) 🙂

DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER

“And there is quite a different sort of conversation around a fire than there is in the shadow of a beech tree…. Four dry logs have in them all the circumstance necessary to a conversation of four or five hours, with chestnuts on the plate and a jug of wine between the legs. Yes, let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius.” ~Pietro Aretino, translated from Italian

“There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you…. In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself.”~Ruth Stout

“Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again.”~Bill Morgan, Jr.

“Welcome, winter. Your late dawns and chilled breath make me lazy, but I love you nonetheless. “~Terri Guillemets

“I watch the springs, the summers, the autumns;
And when comes the winter snow monotonous,
I shut all the doors and shutters
To build in the night my fairy palace.~Charles Baudelaire

“The days are short
The sun a spark
Hung thin between
The dark and dark.” ~John Updike

A wintry mix of a few adventurous and innovative ideas of bliss…

If you are already counting the days from New Years to March 20th, (the first day of spring,) how about planning your garden in front of a roaring, cozy fire? Strategizing, envisioning and researching is half the fun of creating your delightful spring garden. Treat yourself to a new garden book, a photo album, a drawing pad, colored pencils and start envisioning your garden from start to finish… Create a photo album of last years garden and decide what you want to replant , what will come back on its own, what new flowers or array of vegetables do you want to plant this year? Where will each, “soon to bloom” treasure be placed within your “enclosed beautiful amphitheater?”

One of my favorite things to do on a piercingly brisk afternoon is to have a Themed Kitchen “creation day.” First off, I decide my motif… Italian, Mexican, vegetarian, Indian, home cooking or perhaps a decadent dessert. Secondly, I research the web or my repertoire of inherited family cookbooks for NEW recipes and pick one that is to tempting to pass up … I brew a fresh pot of coffee, put a classic movie on my petite, kitchen TV and begin to conjure up something delicious …I am always on the hunt for THE BEST spaghetti sauce out there… (but I still believe that my mom’s ‘secret sauce’ will always be my very favorite.) Not only is it fun to throw caution to the wind and add an array of new seasonings, fresh herbs from the grocer and be daring and try different types of tomatoes, onions and spices, but just the aroma alone, wafting from my kitchen stove, is a fabulous gift to our home as the savory sauce fills the air with the most “homey and nostalgic” fragrance, while it simmers all day on the stove. I make extra sauce so I can save some for another day or give a jar to my neighbor. (Another fun thing to do during this stay-warm, indoor season; canning, making jams and jellies and sauces for gifts! )

NO GUILTY PLEASURES HERE! The weather channel has predicted a winter storm for the day, the roads are already icy and the fireplace is beckoning you to come and enjoy its abundance of warmth and mesmerizing, candescent flames. It is the perfect time of the year to curl up and get lost in your favorite authors new novel. Whether atop your cozy bed, snuggled up on the couch, or favorite chair nestled close to the kindling wood, your minutes of intrigue, romance or self help ideas will turn to hours of total repose and escape.

Is nature calling you to, “Come and enjoy some fresh air?” It is no secret that many of us dream of a “white Christmas”…How about a “White” New Years, Peoples choice awards night or Valentines day? If you live in the part of your country that is blessed to have real “snow days,” take advantage of this resplendent gift and enjoy all the felicity of a fresh snowfall…There is nothing quite like the thrill of riding down a slippery snowbank in an inter tube, or being hit by one as you forget to move out of the path when you stand up, suddenly frozen with fear as you see the next inner tube arriving in ‘fast motion.’ (Yes, true story.) 🙂 For many its the exhilaration of snow skiing , creating your first snowman of the season or watching your “Precious cargo” frolic and play the Eskimo way, in the abundant white fluff. (When Kit and I lived in Connecticut, Grantham went out one morning, after a midnight snow storm that delivered over a foot of snow. We called him, (as usual,) and he was nowhere to be found….as we began looking, we heard a muffled bark and as we looked to our right, there he was, burrowed under a beautiful canopy of white, with only the tip of his black , wagging tail visible. He was having the time of his life and no allurement of a beefy bone or bacon strip would get him back in the door.

With the academy awards, People Choice awards and Grammy’s coming up, January is a perfect time for a “HOME MATINEE PARTY.” Plan a special movie day …ask some friends over and make some savory, ambrosial snacks, appetizers, (you have to have an endless bowl of buttered popcorn,) start a fire in your fireplace, light some candles, and begin your “Cinema adventure.”

For your home movie day, rent the movies that are up for awards this year or if you have already seen them, here are some “all time” great movies to rent, depending upon your mood…

For those who love the CLASSICS; Two great picks are “Rear Window” and ‘The Sixth sense.’

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ADVENTURE: ‘Sky fall’ and ‘White House Down,’ will get your adrenaline flowing.

ROMANCE and Kleenex movies, (guaranteed to evoke emotion,) …. The renowned and beloved author Nicholas Sparks’ two galvanic novels that were made into films…’Safe Haven’ and ‘The Lucky one .’

If you are a lover of suspense….Alfred Hitchcock’s, Rebbecca and Now you see me, will keep you on the edge of your seat…

FOR THE LITTLE ONES, (and the young at heart,) Happy feet and The Legend of the Guardians, The OWLS of GA’HOOLE are wonderfully entertaining with exquisite animation.

Winter is an ideal time for starting your abundance of Home Improvement projects. (I can’t help but smile as this always reminds me of Tim the Tool man Taylor, in the popular sitcom.) 🙂 Whether building a bookshelf, refinishing your hardwood floors or transforming an old piece of furniture into something that looks brand new, plan out your projects, purchase all your needed items and get lost in your creative skills… If you love handwork, needlepoint, quilting, painting ceramic plates or scrap booking, treat yourself to all the materials you will need and bestow upon yourself, a time to relax and unwind as you are bringing forth an abundance of beauty. It is not only fun , but recreational to use this season of cold, overcast days to engage yourself in a project you really enjoy doing, that will also, enhance the aesthetic charm of your cozy haven..

Plan and create a pleasurable day with friends and family…Cook up an array of delicious cuisine, bring in a few extra , comfy chairs, giving your guests a front row seat to an exciting and much looked forward to, Superbowl Game gathering.

If you love to decorate and have the time, let your creative juices begin to flow and bring forth a cheerful, colorful and welcoming ambiance for your Superbowl guests!

Sounds scrumptious! (And I would definitely add the chocolate chips!) 🙂

Rent a cabin in the mountains for a dulcet weekend or relishable “seven days of heaven.” Enjoy all the sights, smells and sounds of winter in the country. There is nothing quite like a roaring fire, a cup of steamy hot chocolate and a junoesque snowfall amongst the wintry woods or the elfin glow of a lake, covered with the glimmering shine of incandescent ice.

How about an organized family game day? Whether playing competitive video games, an old familiar table game, Crazy eights or charades, being with your family and friends, getting ‘a little’ out of character as you change into your ‘competition mode,’ 🙂 is a great idea on a “refrigerated.” wintry day. (If you feel like being a lone, challenge yourself with some rounds of solitaire, a one man video game or an in depth crossword puzzle.) 🙂

I will never forget a few years back, when we experienced a snowstorm like never before. Our power went out so Kit and I could not work on our computers, use any type of electricity, watch a movie, listen to music… we decided to get out our games… As we lit a myriad of candles, we had more fun playing Scrabble Slam, Uno, crazy eights, and what surprised me the most is we took out a deck of Old Maid cards and we laughed so hard, (til our jaws ached,) 🙂 with that game (both of us putting on our poker faces, (or trying to anyways) to fool the other into picking the old maid out of the few cards left in our hands. 🙂 We would have never done that if it was a normal day! A winter storm has many advantages! 🙂

Do not laugh, until you have tried it! 🙂

I have yet to do this, but have heard rave reviews on hosting a Grammy party at your home with friends and family. (We love watching the Grammys and sharing it with others who adore it as well, would only enhance the fun!) Add a touch more excitement and mirth by asking each of your guests to come in costume…dressed up as their favorite Grammy nominee…have a few door prizes ” ready for the winners!”

If you really feel creative, make up some voting ballets for your guests to vote in their favorites for the awards ceremony… create a celebratory ambiance in rich, lively reds or classic black and white… If you have time, bake up some savory , delicious Hors d’oeuvres for your guests and send them home with a palatable, decorative box filled with their favorite confections.

Conjure up some intrigue and suspense as you create an unforgettable evening with friends and family…Have a “ Murder Mystery Dinner.” (See my Blog; “A murder Mystery at the old Carmine Estate in Mystic.” ) Plan your guests, characters and plot, create a “suspenseful atmosphere” and cook up a cozy , comfort dinner of Beef Stroganoff, Shepherds Pie or a big pot of homemade chili! Guaranteed to be an enjoyable and memorable evening! (Half the fun is also in the planning and creating!)

If you begin to feel a little bit of the “winter blues,” bundle up and give a few hours of your time to your towns or city’s nearest Soup Kitchen. I always find that one of the richest , most fulfilling activities I can partake in, is giving my time and self to others who are in need. Seeing the gratitude and joy on others faces will only bring that same joy to yours! 🙂

Decide on the perfect evening and MC a concert in your home ...whether with family or friends, pick a few DVDs of your favorite musical artists and stock up on the munchies, appetizers, festive drinks and enjoy a home concert! (And if you feel like dancing, dance until your heart is content!) 🙂

A few highly recommended and delightful concerts! (My favorite being Michael McDonald’s, “A gathering of friends.”

Planning a ladies afternoon tea for a chilly day, or calling a few girlfriends to meet you at a resplendent and fancy tearoom for “High Tea” would be a wonderful and enjoyable afternoon!

You can go with a formal home Tea…

OR, make it cozy and simple! Its the camaraderie and laughter shared with one another that will make this a memorable wintry gathering…. the ambiance you create is “icing on the cake.”

A casual High Tea at a nearby Tea Room… ( Our city’s Tea Room embodies a Victorian motif, with beautiful English china and magical Tea hats and scarfs to create a delightfully pampered experience for its guests.)

It is also a delightful treat to meet at a regal and prominent Tea Room in a renowned Hotel for a Formal Tea…. (They do all the work for you!) 🙂

A trip to your local Borders or Barnes and Nobles for a wonderful day of browsing through your favorite magazines, listening to the newest music at the CD listening bar, reading a great novel while sipping on a scrumptious caramel macchiato and a delicious fruit scone! When Kit and I lived in Alexandria, the Barnes and Nobles across form our home, allowed Graham to come in with us…every Christmas season, we would go for hours, get our magazines, books, coffees and sweet treats and find a cozy corner with chairs. The three of us were “more than content,” as we browsed through our books, listened to Christmas music and talked with others doing the very same thing. (Graham was just elated that he didn’t have to stay in the jeep on our afternoon excursion…going into a place where he was welcomed and could hang out with us and others, was like ” Doggy-heaven” to him.) 🙂

Adopt a pet... With the sunshine taking frequent vacations, and our days more overcast with chilly temps, winter is the perfect time to create some new joy in your home with an adorable pet that is in need of some love and a warm home…. It could be a project with your children or with your mate… YES, its a little extra work, (OK, maybe a lot,) but adopting a pet and bringing love and a safe place to these little, (or big) guys, is a gift to you and your family of endless warm fuzzies and abundant felicity.

A great resource for pet adoption is 1-800-adopt-a-pet or contact your nearest SPCA.

Get your leather gloves, wool scarves and jackets out with your helmet and heavy jeans… This scenic season is a glorious time to take a bike ride... whether to the beach, a country road or to the bustling city, its a front row ticket to enjoy all the beauty that winter brings .Think of all the engaging sights you will behold on your days journey! (And the places you will undoubtedly stop at for hot coffee, hot chocolate and, steaming bowls of savory soups ! 🙂

Plan an actual Play date with your pet in the magical and miraculous snow! Some pets love this over abundance of “white fluff,” its great exercise and brings a heart full of joy to you,seeing your “babies” having so much fun.

If you are feeling the need to “create a neat and more orderly life,” It is so easy, (as well as a lot of fun,) to CREATE your own personalized 2014 Organizer!

All you will need is a notebook, your choice and style of fabric, ( I personally change my material for each season, making several fabric designed notebooks at once,) a package of at least 24 designed sheets of paper, filler paper for making your
daily “To Do List,” Sharpie pens, glue gun, scissors, stickers or cutouts for “special occasions,” such as birthdays, anniversaries or the date “The Voice “comes back on TV in the spring. 🙂 ) Just joshing. I make my own organizer every year with a different notebook and designed paper…Its is not only personalized, but a really fun project for a cold, rainy January day! (And it truly helps me to organize my thoughts, plans, goals and brings me an abundance of peace throughout the new year..)

Exchange your jubilant Christmas decor with a winter-themed snowman motif!

For my family, when the wondrous season of Christmas is over and I fell a bit wistful as I pack up and store all of our Christmas attire in the attic, I purposefully leave out all my cheerful snowmen. If you are a lover of snowmen as well, bring your cheerful guys alive by creating a winning and captivating , wintry corner in your home, turn your Christmas tree into a “Winter Wonderland extravaganza ” or dress up your dining room with an amiable, resplendent snowman table scape…bringing a smile to your family and each winter guest! (I keep my snowmen up through March, as living in Delaware, we have at least three months of cold, icy or snowy weather. 🙂

I love this bright, fortuitous, wintry tree … What a great New years Creation!

Lastly, another favorite winter tradition our family has is a “Home day at the spa.” Everything has to be “just perfect.” for our relaxing and rejuvenating adventure. Our bed made up with soft cotton sheets and down comforter with an abundance of pillows…(Check.) The chicken quesadillas prepared and placed in the oven, (check.) A fresh pot of coffee brewing, (check.) Two of our favorite movies ready to go in the DVD player , (check.) A potpourri of diverse candles lit (as we don’t have a fireplace, (yet,) 🙂 (Check.) We then, flip a coin as to who gets their back massage first. Also included is a heavenly foot rub, facial, neck and hand massage. It is a perfect day…not only is all the stored tension in our muscles long gone, but we feel entertained, are enjoying great food, one anothers company and the day couldn’t be any better if we had paid a professional and gone to the spa… we don’t even think about what the weather is like outside, (in fact, we are secretly hoping for snow flurries.) 🙂 It truly is a wonderful day filled with blithesome hours. This idea definitely goes on my “highly recommended” list.) 🙂

***** On (kind of) the same note, this last year, our Grantham was diagnosed with arthritis as well as suffered from a torn tendon in his leg. We were blessed to discover ‘The essence of Rosemary oil’…It truly is a miracle oil… its so fabulously soothing to him, easing his acing joints, so much so, that he falls asleep with one massage…and its great for us humans too! 🙂 We are so thankful that his leg is healed and his arthritis soothed!!! 🙂

I hope that this blog has inspired you with a few ideas, (you haven’t already thought of,) 🙂 to add some joy, sunshine and FUN to this winter season!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2014~ Bonne annee, ~ Felix sit annus novus, ~ Felice anno nuovo!!!

PHOTOGRAPHS: In placing your computer mouse upon any of the photos or graphics, it will display where each picture originated.

AUTUMN… AH! All IS WELL

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Susan

“AUTUMN… THE YEARS LAST, LOVELIEST SMILE.”~William Cullen Bryant

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year… They’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting…” Oops, wrong season. 🙂 I just get a little overly enthusiastic when Autumn arrives… 🙂 (And you know, I am still trying to decide which season is my favorite between the two?)

Suddenly, the air has gone from sultry, sweltering and torrid to a lovely brisk and inviting ballad of revival and exhilaration. The sky is a deep blue, with fluffy white clouds, magically fluctuating as they coast along with the welcomed, soft breeze. Our precious gloaming hour greets us sooner each evening as the sun says “goodnight” a bit earlier.

Something deep inside of us sparks a trigger, evoking a renewed excitement, an anticipation of adventure, cozy convivial dinners with friends, robust coffee by the fireplace, the upcoming local Oktoberfest, and the new fall premiere television shows are just beginning…(Yeah! no more reruns,) and of course, a new season to DECORATE… 🙂

With the temperatures getting cooler, we busily gather our warm sweaters, plaid scarves, Pendleton jackets and suede boots from our chilly attics, as we,( excitedly as well as a bit wistful,) pack away our summer attire. We are treated to the engaging new aromas of burning leaves, the freshly cut wood, kindling within our neighbors fireplaces, hot mugs of spicy mulled cider, apple cakes baking in the oven and the nostalgic scent of hay, as we gather together our bales and begin setting up our ‘autumn yard displays.’ We proudly bring out our faithful and animated scarecrows, grapevine wreaths festooned with candescent red berries and medley of purple, fiery red and sunflower yellow mums for our porches, ( along with the exemplary trademark of the glorious season,) our magical pumpkins…

The beach traffic has disappeared from our town’s roads…Instead we welcome the Bunyanesque “grand yellow buses.” Yes school is back in session…our kids no longer frequent the frig in their shorts , flip flops , tank tops, unrestrained wind blown hair and red, sun burnt cheeks. Just seeing them get ready for ‘back to school’, evokes many nostalgic memories of our own childhood school days, remembering when we got butterflies in out stomachs wondering; ‘Will I make some new friends this year? What will my teachers be like? Will the cafeteria serve better food, and I wonder if that ‘special someone’ will notice me this year?’ 🙂

I think the first confirmation, that I am not dreaming my adored season has arrived, is when I enter the produce section at our grocer and see ample boxes of Lilliput and Brobdingnagian, chubby, bright orange, (with a hint of amber) pumpkins. I already know where each one will go within my little cottage home, as well as the two that will charmingly keep our Briard dog, Grantham, company on the front porch for many Fall days to come. I joyously fill our shopping basket, (amongst my newly selected and adorable ‘orange guys,’) 🙂 with a potpourri of new spices, and vegetables to make what my husband and I call “comfort meals.” Whether delicious red potatoes, fresh carrots and chopped sweet onions simmering amidst a tempting beef roast in our crock pot, or Southern cooked collard greens, baked garlic, butter nut squash with the ‘center-of-attention’ being , a Rosemary roasted chicken, topped with an orange-maple glaze… A very welcomed change from summer salads and light pastas.

It’s now time to bring some of that “blissful, autumn spirit” to the inside of our homes. Our first task at hand is to take down all the bethnic , summer decor and make room for the new. As we find our boxes marked “Autumn Treasures,” it begins to feel like ‘Christmas’…its just been a year, but we have already forgotten all the mesmerizing and fortuitous fall collections we have gleaned over the years… We decide specifically where our scarecrows, cornucopias, baronial mantle geese, winsome pumpkins and riveting, multi-hued, leaf garlands will go… the colors and textures of our couch throws and pillows change from ethereal and gossamer to passionate, rich and ardent. No longer will the aromas that bestow our homes be summers Yankee candle scents of citrus, mango and cilantro lime. Instead, they will be enriched with Apple pumpkin, Cinnamon nutmeg and McIntosh apple, as we excitedly burn our newly acquired, long awaited, Fall candles.

Yes, Autumn has finally arrived, and ALL IS WELL! In this writing, I would like to share some beautiful as well as creative ideas for celebrating the grandeur season of Fall, in and about your home, as well as some felicitous places to visit… I hope that when you have journeyed through this vignette, you will have at least one or two ‘new ideas’ for your Fall decorating this year.

DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER

” I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

” I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”~ L.M. Montgomery

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” ~ Albert Camus

“Fall has always been my favorite season, the time when everything bursts with it’s last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale. ” ~ Lauren Destafano

“Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.” ~ J.R Rowling

“Listen! The wind is rising and the air is wild with leaves, we have had our summer evenings, now for October eves.” ~ Humbert Wolfe

“I love autumn, the one season of the year that God seemed to have put there just for the beauty of it.” Lee Maynard

“Don’t you just love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies.” ~ Nora Ephron

Our homes first impression…The front porch!

Whether we welcome our guests and family with galvanizing autumn foliage, scarecrows amidst bales of hay or high bundles of tied rice straw, cheerful pumpkins or animated and festive wooden characters dressed for the wondrous season, festooning your porch or foyer with “Autumn spirit,” is magical as well as heartwarming.

I love this pirate goose! 🙂 Very creative.

This festive and warm entrance is classy, baronial and eminently welcoming! The stunning old brick and novel paned windows, reminds me of growing up in Alexandria, Virginia.

Right next to the ‘pumpkin,’ the classic scarecrow is certainly a grand announcement that Fall has arrived and with it, an abundance of charm and beauty.

My all time favorite ” Scarecrow.” Is he creative or what? 🙂

Very picturesque and enveloping…It creates a desire within, to jump through this photo and be “right there” in the midst of this gorgeous and mesmerizing, yet simple display of the new season.

If this were my cozy porch, you’d see me out there everyday with my coffee and a good book! It looks especially alluring with it’s enchanting Fall decor. 🙂

A beautiful and snug wicker chair with this lovely and striking, autumn red, homemade, knitted throw. Perfect for a chilly afternoon, your favorite novella and a hot cup of apple cider.

This autumn porch is unique, warm, captivating and a bit ‘magical’, all dressed up in it’s wondrous vintage attire!

There is nothing to compare to an old “memory filled” porch swing in the chilly autumn season… The gift of brisk, fresh air, natures alluring sounds, the inviting aromas of the seasons foliage as well as your cup of cinnamon-apple tea or espresso, and a great book or favorite magazine… Now that is life! 🙂

ADDING A TOUCH OF FALL TO OUR LIVING ROOMS.

When I think about decorating our home for the autumn season, I think of deep, rich colors that I can accent each room with, whether through pillows, throws, pictures, rugs, candles, scarecrows, a seasonal fall tree, pumpkins, fresh flowers in vibrant reds and oranges, as well as dried roses in reds and creamy yellows. There are a myriad of great ideas to “bring the season” inside your cozy haven.

This living room’s patina is very warm and snug with it’s abundance of reds and yellows, seasonal displays of colorful gourds, diverse pumpkins, Fall foliage, rich hues within the throw pillows as well as the august mantle with it’s inviting autumn tableaux. It certainly ‘looks’ like Fall.

I love this vintage, Victorian living room with it’s mixtures of fire engine reds, pale moss greens and soothing, soft whites. There is nothing like a roaring, entrancing fire on a cold autumn day! Very inviting.

White pumpkins are becoming more and more popular…This decorator did a superb job of displaying the pumpkins on the mantle amidst the soft, warm, glowing candles…Very romantic.

A beautiful, warm, cozy and snug gathering place … I can just imagine sitting around the fire place, with hot mulled cider and freshly baked Toll house cookies…sharing many happy memories with friends and family… There is nothing like a heartwarming and welcoming room on a cold, brisk autumn day!

I can never have enough ‘petite white lights’ in stock! 🙂 One of my ” decorating signatures” is festooning green garlands with petite amber lights upon our hutches for a celebratory and warm, inviting ambiance. Adding royal and majestic colored throws and decorative pillows adorned in an autumn color theme is subtle, yet still announces the cozy season of fall has knocked upon our doors.

Very cozy and formal. I adore these paned windows and Victorian style couch with it’s golden hints of the season.

Changing your curtain color amidst your lace sheers is a wonderful and creative way to bring a seasonal change to your living room. Its fun to get a few accent pillows for your couch to highlight your new window treatment…The burgundy, yellow and verdant greens is a superb pick!

This living room makes you feel as if you are tucked away in a mountain cabin with a gorgeous, inviting lake nearby… I love it! With it’s pictorial perching duck, enchanting accent rug, traditional woods and sublime leather chair, it’s ambiance is warm and entrancing!

I love this classy, arresting gathering place as it evokes emotions of peace, festivity and brings one that warm, snug feeling inside. The magical colors of autumn are certainly celebrated here! 🙂

I adore this august and baronial living room. It’s inviting and cozy with it’s delightful, warm fire burning ,aesthetic brick fireplace and rustic wooden mantle. This decorators accents of soft tan and reds is not only picturesque and cozy, but refreshingly pleasing to the soul!

I am a bit partial to this living room as it is nestled within our little haven in Delaware… To bring the season into our room, I decorated my seasonal tree with an autumn theme, added some fall colored, decorative pillows as well as rich, warm throws. I always put up scarecrows and pumpkins and have plenty of wintry-fall aromatic scents burning…Today, it is cinnamon nutmeg! 🙂

A few more autumn decor ideas…( You can find the cutest scarecrows at fall festivals in your town or city, close to the time of Oktoberfest.) I found this little guy at a craft festival in Delaware…Isn’t he a character?

I dressed up our “Magical Mr. Rabbit ” for the autumn season by giving him a fall garland with twinkling white lights along with a favored stuffed bunny (that you can’t see) 🙂 as she is holding a pumpkin.

Your bedroom, decorated for the cozy fall season, creates an even more inviting and welcoming ambiance… this season, enjoy your special niche, private get-away and sanguine bedroom , allowing yourself to feel pampered.

Who wouldn’t feel pampered and soothed by this exquisitely warm and dulcet bedroom? I adore its soft mixtures of creamy yellows, vintage woods, highlights of hunter green as well as the creative and heartening fall foliage wreath. This country cottage room is filled to the brim with charm and enchantment.

“A manly room,” for sure… aesthetically entrancingly warm and welcoming. The royal colors, and architecture of the breathtaking sleigh bed, along with the artwork and old world style furniture, create a room that is not only enhanced with a fall flavor,’ but eminently comfortable and cozy with style.

This gossamer, romantic, (with a touch of vintage decor,) bedroom is breathtaking! I am impressed with the jocund fall foliage entwined within the artful, intricate wrought Iron head board, amidst the eye catching autumn pillows, breakfast tray with richly colored flowers and the soft, subtle lighting. Definitely a “keeper.”

OK…another “Keeper.” This charming and romantic bedroom looks like it is from the 18th century…Exceedingly cozy and welcoming, promising hours of ‘deep rest’ to anyone who lays their head upon its blithesome pillows. Just the euphoric colors of soft and dauntless golds amidst the creamy whites, creates an autumn flavor. Very lovely!

Wow! I have not seen such a sunny, upbeat, enchanting day bed like this one, in a long time. This bedroom is not only classy, but vividly picturesque and arresting. I adore the mixture of tapestry and checkered fabrics, and choosing the color combination of fire engine red, hushed gold and sage green is brilliant. Again, the warm colors and diverse woods bring a wintry-fall patina to this room just the way it is… I love it!

If your not a big fan of the season but would like to add just a ‘touch’ of fall to your bedroom’s ambiance, pick a corner of your bedroom and create a festive display! Both of these creations are simple, subtle and heartening. 🙂

Being a connoisseur of green garlands, 🙂 I use them all year round…this room is absolutely stunning, regal and inviting. With it’s alluring, royal linens and rustic, vintage furniture, it already delivers a strong Fall flavor… I love the distinctive and classic, anitiquated mirror.

Here are a few more subtle, simple fall decor ideas for your bedroom… Whether a cheery, pastel, kaleidoscopic wreath or a corner dressed in regal and rich reds with fresh flowers, they are both elegant touches that celebrate the glorious season. 🙂

Romantic, inviting and coddling with a few highlights of Autumn. (I love the white bed canopy!) 🙂

This hutch has been magically transformed with the nuanced amber lights entwined within green garland, amidst a potpourri of colorful, wispy fall leaves and an amiable scarecrow. It’s full of charm! It reminds me of a gathering of hundreds of elfin, lively fireflies dancing around the room. A great touch for the fall season.

No matter where you serve your guests…it seems they LOVE your kitchen BEST! Here are a few fall decor ideas for the room you do most of your creating and inventing in…Your beloved kitchen.

Now here is a kitchen with some autumn “pizzazz.” 🙂 This decorator has eminently created a classy, yet festive tableaux of lively pumpkins, gourds, amidst the soft glow of candle light and natures bounty. What’s so beautiful about this fall decor is that it can stay up from the beginning of autumn until Thanksgiving day! (The day after, being the official day that decorating for the Christmas holiday season begins.) Very beautifully done.

A plate shelf dressed for the season. This would be a perfect ‘autumn touch’ for any style of kitchen. I love the rich greens and reds mixed with the floral design and subtle fall leaves.

I just adore this three tiered silver cake stand… What a picture-book and alluring display of autumns wonder.

This kitchen owns what I call a “built in” fall patina. Its dried flowers, stately baskets, rustic woods and majestic colors of the season say it all!

There is nothing like the color orange, to ‘dauntlessly shout out’ Autumns arrival. This kitchen is beautiful with simple lines as well as rustically inviting!

These kitchen canisters are refined, enchanting and sublime, bringing forth a small, but eminent reminder that the leaves are changing and the apples are ripe for picking! A great find! 🙂

I love this decorators creative spirit for the holidays… What a beautiful display of this festive season…and I can only imagine the savory and alluring aroma! 🙂

This french Country kitchen is filled with charm, warmth and an abundance of cheery colors… With its resplendent dining table, quaint bench with vibrant fall hued pillows, and built in, colonial green hutches, it is naturally dressed for the season. (A pumpkin or two would add a little bit more spirit… 🙂

Whether inside, or alfresco dining, we can’t leave out the one ‘room’ where we gather with our loved ones, sharing many a story, laughter, memories and delectable cuisine. Our Beloved Dining room.

The adoring colors of soft pewter grey, light fern green and sunny yellow is a beautiful combination for fall’s festive presentation. This dining table is galvanic, charming and graceful. A welcomed , unique wintry-fall patina.

The vibrant yellow amidst the warm woods, bright whites and soft golds is enveloping as well as beckoning. Once again, a room already dressed for an autumn celebration.

Regal, stellar, superb and magical! This table setting would enhance any Fall gala or family celebration! You can’t go wrong with an abundance of golds, reds and white as your color theme.

This is one of my all time favorite dining rooms as it embodies a formal, yet relaxed and comfortable ambiance with it’s vaulted ceilings, resplendent window treatment, dreamy yellow walls, and warm, rich woods. A great idea for changing your decor for each season are the inter-changeable slipcovers on these classy and lavish chairs… This grey-blue fabric is perfect for the brisk new season, and I can only imagine a Santa Claus red for the Christmas holidays. 🙂

This ingenious and innovative chandelier is a wonderful idea for the autumn season. Not only is it creative with it’s rustic twigs and poignant garlands, but definitely an eye catcher as well as a conversation piece at any gathering. Great and creative idea!

This hutch and buffet table exude the very essence of the new seasons arrival with the harvest plates, display of colorful fruits, pumpkins, gourds and a delicious bounty of “comfort foods.” 🙂

This gorgeous side table is gifted with a perfect location in front of the beautiful view and arresting paned windows… The autumn tableaux display gets a ‘Five star rating’ with it’s radiant colors, diverse textures and inspiring presentation. I love it!

Again, if you are not a “more is more” decorator…perhaps just doing a corner arrangement for the season would bring a little festivity to your dining room…I love how this topiary tree, decorated with fall leaves, petite twinkling lights and the country scarecrow, reflects in the the hunter green, paned mirror. Simple, and cozy!

This side board and antiquated mirror is absolutely stellar and extravagant. I adore this dining room with its formality, enchantment and creative, elegant touches. Adding a few brilliantly colored fall leaves, perhaps some red apples or red roses, and some fall colored ornamental balls in the reflecting tree, would give this dining room an extra touch of autumn charisma.

This dining room is romantically inviting…For this rooms autumn celebration, the decorator has selected a gorgeous bouquet of fall flowers as well as autumn pillows. Very cozy and enveloping!

These two table settings are entirely different, yet both create a “fall feeling” to each guest that arrives… They are creative and perfect for an afternoon tea or a gathering with friends or family!

This charming porch caught my eye for a wonderful alfresco dining experience in late September or October. With it’s enchanting charm and perfect setting, I can just imagine a beautiful table set in red, yellow and sea green china with bright red napkins and a few hurricane lamps filled with tall, creamy white, pillar candles… Some homemade Italian pasta and bread would be great too! 🙂

Exceedingly relaxed, comfy and cozy…a perfect yet subtle touch of the magical season… I love the mixture of the different colored woods…

This formal dinning room table would go perfectly with the stellar side board in the photo above with the hushed yellow walls and vintage gold mirror. I love the cherub angel vases filled with the splendid yellow roses… the glowing , soft candles, mixed with the exuberant golds is sensational as well as pampering. If you ever wanted to host a ‘Murder Mystery dinner-party’, (in the blog category section,) at your home in the autumn season, this par-excellence presentation would go hand in hand!

An enthralling autumn tree, or a table setting with royal reds, golds and greens, are both sensational ideas to enhance your blissful season.

There is nothing like an alfresco dinner served on a chilly, brisk autumn evening…(just make sure you have plenty of candles and space heaters…. ) This fall display is fabulously regal and joyously summoning.

WOW!…this is absolutely breathtaking and certainly not the norm…How many people have a backyard like this for an alfresco dinner party? 🙂 This would still be a beautiful fall display in your backyard …(touched with a sylvan charm) with your unique and sterling tableaux amidst pictorial maple or oak trees, especially in the season where the leaves are beginning to change color. I love the combination of regal golds, cheery yellows, the lovely taffeta fabric on the chairs and the divine tablecloth. This decorator is very creative with the roses on her lamps, the jeweled flower holders, and delightful finished work of art! There are so many amazing decorating ideas to challenge our creative juices…This is definitely another keeper for my decor box.

A beautiful and sensational autumn hutch…a perfect place to display your own bounty for the season! 🙂

If you are not a lover of the color ‘orange,’ you can also go with deep reds, yellows, rich browns, vivid burgundies, and forest greens for your autumn presentation. This dining room is bright, cheery and beautifully warm and inviting. (Changing your chairs slipcovers is another way to bring about season changes, inexpensively.)

This dining room is welcoming, cheery, colorful and has a touch of the ‘autumn spirit,’ with its vibrant reds and hushed tans and browns. (You don’t always have to use the color “orange” for your fall decor! 🙂

Fall decorating ideas for ANY of your beautiful and inviting rooms…

I am impressed with this prestigious and stately duck amongst the glowing fall foliage… This would be a beautiful presentation in your dining room, living room or foyer.

Pumpkins and colorful gourds of all sizes, mixed with petite, pastel rainbow berries… I love it!

These front door wreaths are show stopping! Each one eminently diverse and absolutely stunning for your fall celebration!

Warm, cozy and alluring… all reflections of autumn!

These are both easy to create and yet so vividly alluring and pleasing to the eye…(and you know the aroma would be delightful.) 🙂 Great centerpieces for your dining room.

A delightfully winsome autumn tree or lush linen curtains swagged with a dried rose tie…elegant , regal and sophisticated. 🙂

This fall bouquet with its courtly vase is classy as well as jovial.

How adorable and creative…I’ll take five of these! 🙂

Pewter is definitely one of my favorite choices of decor accents… These pumpkins are so unique and august…I love the sugar and creamer and prolific matching plate.

To bring some “autumn” alive within your home, you can adopt the “more is more” motto or the “less is more. ” In my home you know which one I am by now! 🙂 Our antiquated dresser festooned in fall foliage and soft amber lights, (makes me feel so cozy inside,) for our dining room sideboard table, I created a bunny pumpkin patch, for my working area, a country style scarecrow with a bale of hay, (it’s tree perfectly hiding my scanner on my side desk table. 🙂 You can never go wrong at fall in your decor themes with soft lighting, plenty of scarecrows, pumpkins and bright, galvanic fall leaves.

Another decor piece that would be fun and simple to create for your autumn decor… Very creative! 🙂

You already know by now that I am a connoisseur of topiary trees… These are so lovely, and displayed with the cherub artwork creates an even more glamorous and inciting flavor. The wonderful gift that topiary trees bring, is that you can custom-create them to reflect any season and occasion you are hosting! Absolutely stunning.

This creative and fun tree is perfect for bringing in a little autumn spirit…(OK, maybe an ample amount…it is rather large.) 🙂

My Collection of “CHEFS” bedecked for the autumn season! The chef serving the candle lit dining room table is the one my husband just bought me on our “date day” this weekend at Rehoboth Beach. He fits perfectly with is new comrades. 🙂

Very simple… yet exceedingly creative. 🙂

One of my favorite fall ideas…. not only is this clever, but inspiring, original and creative…I just wish we had a two story home!

Another fantastic idea for this season… the pewter pumpkins are very regal and yet the crystal is just as refined and alluring. I am increasingly amazed at the abundance of creativity and ideas for decor. 🙂

Here are a few wondrous and fun craft ideas for creating your autumn ambiance.

These mason jars dressed up in vibrant fall leaves are so clever as well as a creative way to reflect the warmth and magic of candle light.

Another delightful way to use autumn leaves as your muse for creating decorative art for your cozy haven.

Eminently easy and yet so beautiful!

A very classy name card for your next fall dinner party! I love these colors and textures.

If your craft is ‘Baking’ or ‘Cooking’…this is a very creative way to display your “invention.” I love this idea. 🙂

Surprise your family with a delicious autumn meal… Seared scallops, freshly sauteed spinach, butternut squash mixed with a light cream sauce amidst your favorite pasta. I am getting hungry just thinking about it… 🙂

This is an adorable, creative idea to serve at your next dinner party… Its so simple, yet elegant in its presentation.

This reminds me of Mary Engelbreits work, but because I know the artist personally, I can say it is not “the real thing.” (But still very creative, entrancing and engaging to the eye.)

I am so motivated right now to go and make some of these divine candy apples… 🙂 They are again, a definite symbol of the fortuitous autumn season.

A few fall garlands from your local craft store will go very far, as there are a thousand creative ways, (OK, maybe a hundred 🙂 to display them for the season. I can think of five right now. 🙂 Nestled atop your dining room hutch or a gilded birdcage, used with a grapevine wreath to dress up your front door, incorporated within your seasonal fall tree, displayed a top a decorative mirror, swagged upon your widow treatment , (oops…that was six!) 🙂 I know you can think of an abundance of ways this could be used creatively to enhance your home for fall. This garland is beautiful with its petite berries and tiny, colorful leaves.

Our seasonal autumn tree…by night ! 🙂 Very easy to make, festive and a warm touch for this welcomed time of the year.

From coast to coast, autumn is exploding with vibrant colors, putting on a junoesque show for all the country to see… Plan a restorative Sunday drive to the country, go apple picking, visit the local farmers market and treat your self to a hot, steamy cup of their fresh mulled cider, drop by a country pumpkin patch and pick out your “2013 little orange guys” 🙂 to place around your porch and festive home…ENJOY the season and its regal beauty to the fullest!

I would like to leave you with one of my favorite recipes for a decadent southern chocolate cake for a cold, brisk Fall day… it’s delicious with a mug of hot cocoa or French Roast coffee. Enjoy!

This recipe is called “Neighbor’s chocolate cake,” and is sure to please every chocolate lover! It is exceedingly rich and absolutely indulgent…but OH SO GOOD! 🙂

YOU WILL NEED:

1 greased 9×13 pan

2 cups of sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 cup shortening, 1 stick of butter, 1 cup water, 4 TBSP Cocoa, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. vanilla for your cake.

For your fudge icing, you will need 1 stick of butter, 4 TBSP. cocoa, 8 tsp. milk, (or cream,) 1 pound powdered sugar, 1 & 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 2 tsp. vanilla.

I use Hershey’s Cocoa powder in the brown can.

DIRECTIONS:

For your cake, mix sugar and flour together in large bowl. Bring to a boil over low heat, the shortening, butter, water and cocoa. Combine it with the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla.

Bake at 325 in your greased pan for 45 minutes. Because all ovens vary, check your cake at about 40 minutes with a toothpick or knife…it should come out pretty clean after inserting when cake is finished baking. (You will know when your cake is done…)

After you take your cake out of the oven, poke holes throughout the cake with a toothpick. (The more the merrier.) 🙂

For your icing;

Bring to boil over medium heat, (stirring often,) 1 stick of butter, 4 TBSP. cocoa, and 8 tsp. of milk. Remove from heat and beat in 1 box of powdered sugar and vanilla. fold in your pecans and stir. Pour over hot cake. Allow to cool for the icing to set and ENJOY!

HAPPY AUTUMN!

PHOTOGRAPHS: In placing your computer mouse upon any of the photos or graphics, it will display where the picture originated from.

LINKS to come. 🙂

A Summer Time of Blithe.

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Susan

SUMMER TIME AND THE LIVIN’ IS EASY… FISH ARE JUMPIN’ AND THE COTTON IS HIGH… ~ George Gershwin, Porgy and Bess.

THE DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER:

“Each fairy breathe of summer, as it blows with loveliness, inspires the blushing rose. ” ~ Author Unknown

” In summer, the SONG SINGS ITSELF.” ~ William Carlos Williams

“The Summer night is like a perfection of thought.” ~ Wallace Stevens

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” ~ Sam Kean

“Oh the summer night, a smile of light and she sits on a sapphire throne.” ~ Barry Cornwall

Summer is one of the few seasons that actually begins calling out to you, before it’s glorious arrival. The very word, gives our hearts a friendly wave and gestures us to come and enjoy all of our felicitious expectations, that we hope to fulfill within the next three months. It is our ‘last hurrah’ before the chilly breezes of autumn knock upon our doors.

Summer is a time where we eagerly leave the beauty and quietness of the inside of our desired, charming havens and venture outside to the long awaited, sun filled, warm, breezy days…The garden is nodding, motioning us to; “Come and play, create, daydream and unwind in the fresh air.” Our picnic baskets are taken out of the attic, dusted off and we are already looking on the internet for the perfect place to go fishing, hiking and enjoy an ambrosial meal beneath the inviting and serene, blue sky. It’s an occasion of celebration for our little ones as they are on vacation for what seems to them, an eternity, but when fall arrives, they will look back and think, “How quickly our summer zoomed by….where did the time go.” 🙂 It is also a season of travel, visiting dear friends and family, summer BBQ’s, an abundance of beach days, excursions to amusement parks, a retreat to a beach cottage, alfresco dining, boating, crabbing, dressing our homes in a lighter attire, changing our own wardrobes to shorts, flip flops and short sleeved shirts… There is so much to do in only three months…read our favorite novels, clean out our storage sheds and garage’s, give our yards a makeover, go boutique shopping or garage – ‘sailing’ 🙂 for special summer finds and of course, celebrating our nations glorious birthday. Don’t you just love Summer and all of it’s magic? I hope this vignette inspires you to “get out in the fresh air,” be creative, adventuresome, (walk barefoot in the grass….) but most of all, JUST HAVE FUN!

“Our beautiful Porches.” Summer is the perfect time to bask amongst your magnificent and resplendent flowers, refreshing cool breezes and enjoy chatting the hours away with a dear friend over sweet tea with fresh mint sprigs on your verandah. To feel really pampered, maybe bring out your antique crystal glasses from your great grandmother with some fresh sliced lemon cake, sweet blueberries and in-season melon.

What is more appealing than white wicker furniture embellished with bright, cheerful pillows in the summer. Bringing some fresh cut flowers from your garden to enjoy as you relax upon your porch, along with animating hanging flower or fern baskets above the balustrades, is another cozy and alluring decorative touch for one of your favorite summer retreats. Our front porches are such a gift, especially in the spring and summer months.

There is nothing like a summer sunset on your front porch!

Summer whites, bright flowers, warm sunshine and our beloved piazza swings speak clamorously that the wondrous season has arrived.

Summer time is beach time… Everyone loves the ocean, sea shells, the smell of fresh blue, briny water, creating enchanting sand castles, ‘people watching’, sauntering along the Boardwalk enjoying fresh salt water taffy or a delightfully cold ice cream cone. There are so many exciting and blissful things to do at the beach…It feels as if you have escaped to another world as you sit under your umbrella, cold drink and best selling novel in hand, listening to the soothing sounds of the gulls squawking, children laughing and the roaring of the waves. It is a very inexpensive reprieve from the hustle and bustle of life. If you do not live close to a beach, your summer vacation may be to travel to some of our countries most renowned seashores such as; Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, Newport Beach, California, The outer Banks in North Carolina or our very own, prestigious and renowned Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, (right next to Ocean City, Maryland.) A week at the beach in a summer rental is a short novella, all in itself. 🙂 My husband and I feel exceedingly blessed as Delaware is probably the grandest maritime state we have ever lived in. Water surrounds us at every corner… We are a twenty-five minute drive from Rehoboth or Lewes beach and we have Slaughter Beach, (I never have liked that name,) 🙂 only ten minutes away. (A remote, quiet strand with ample natural beauty surrounding its shore line, as well as home to many of the famous horseshoe crabs.) In the winter and autumn seasons, the lifeless shells cover the beaches, resembling helmet shaped, cobble stoned steps. It truly is a sight to see. It is said that if you go to this remote beach on a bright, moonlit night in the summer, you will see the beach full of horseshoe crabs mating and laying their eggs upon the sand. (We will have to do that one night. I’ll take some photos and post them so you can share in this magical phenomena.) My family, while visiting from California said they had never seen anything quite like it! A great eatery if you come our way is The Buttery in Lewes, Delaware. A quaint, historic restaurant where you will experience succulent seafood, gourmet cooking and an ambiance that is so alluring, you won’t want to leave.

The Buttery in Lewes Delaware…Our favorite pick for fine dining!

The renowned, famous horseshoe crabs… The first photo is when the cute critters are alive and kicking…swimming the ocean blue and loving life. The second photo is taken during the winter season, many of them are no longer alive and their helmet shaped shells cover the sandy shores of Slaughter Beach.

There is nothing quite like going clamming in the magnificent ocean or hushed and peaceful bay. It is a blast! We took Graham, (our Brobdingnagian Briard dog ) with us in the boat at Bethany beach as we ventured into the clear, blue waters. He loved it! The wondrous thing about clamming is that you get to enjoy a ‘quick reward for all your fun work,’ 🙂 Clams casino made on the grill the very night you catch them…The clams accompanied by a fresh salad and hot loaf of sourdough bead with melted butter is a wonderful, maritime meal.

Camping, whether inside your home, ( a children’s enchanting sleep over,) on the beach, in your backyard, or up in the mountains is another Summer favorite. I love camping out as it brings forth a great measure of creativity in everyone…no TV’s, (OK, maybe a laptop with a DVD,) no phones, (OK, maybe a cell phone or two,) 🙂 but, their is no electric coffee pot, curling irons, hot water, or many of our presumed ‘necessities of life’…Instead we have conversations, an abundance of stories told around the camp fires, flash lights, fresh fish cooked over the open flames and a brilliant show of the night sky with its cream cheese moon and glistening stars every evening before we fall sleep. We go hiking, (pray there are no bears,) enjoy fishing, crabbing, shrimping or reading our long abandoned novels that we finally have some free time to read. 🙂 Our kids? They have all the magic and supplies they need…their best friends, great snack foods, flashlights, books and their abundant imaginations! :

Aren’t these homemade, enchanting and magical tents creative?

For the times where we are all vacationed-out or to sun burnt to go back to the beach, it is a great time to do a “summer-makeover ‘ within your home. I adore using an abundance of whites during this warm season…somehow, it makes me feel cooler! 🙂 I enjoy creating and decorating with all shades of whites, soft pastels, fresh flowers and cheery, light, throw pillows. White slip covers for your couch or chairs are quite refreshing and very striking. Invite a few friends over for a sure-to-please, light meal. Maybe serve a potpourri of salads, fresh shrimp or French bread baguette with homemade crab dip, and an angel food cake with whipped cream and decadent, sweet strawberries for a tempting dessert. (Set your dining room table with a variety of textures and shades of whites and don’t forget the fresh flowers.) Lighten up your bedroom for the season with a mixture of soft , creamy yellows, amidst soothing and serene blues and whites. (Duvets are a great and inexpensive way to makeover your bedrooms.)

Alfresco dining is a lovely gesture for the summer season…whether formal with fancy desserts and gourmet cuisine, ( I love these delicate, creative cakes adorned with fresh roses,) or a lay back BBQ with fresh fruits, ice cream and corn grilled to perfection with hot, melted butter… Great food, wondrous company, laughter, fulfilling conversations and a convivial ambiance, makes for a wonderful summer get-together with friends or family.

Summer would not be summer without a trip or two to one of the countries renowned Amusement parks… Disneyland, Disney world, Sea World, San Diego Zoo, Knots-berry Farm, Six Flags or Marine land…Children, (even the youngster inside of us,) 🙂 love the awe and wonder of animated characters, exhilarating rides, enchanting and mysterious sea life, and exploring old mines after a thrilling ride upon one of the scariest roller coasters in the world. (Somebody in the crowd always has to “dare you” to ride… 🙂 I accepted the dare years ago and thought I was going to be departing for heaven a little early…) never again! (Somehow, the kids have no fear whatsoever…oh to be a child again!) 🙂

(I want one of these!) 🙂 He is so cute and cuddly!

Escaping to your Beach cottage for a few weeks is like a little taste of heaven… Pack up your car with some groceries, the kids, your dog, a variety of your favorite DVD’s, books and extra candles. Prepare to have a wondrous time away from your normal, everyday life. (Yes, our dogs want to be a part of every family excursion as well!) 🙂

This special time away will be a bonding as well as intimate time with you and your family. Enjoy the breathtaking sunsets on the shore line, collecting seashells for a craft project with your kids, wading in the ocean waves, (watching your little ones run in as the water recedes …and then run out as the frisky waves chase after them.) 🙂 With all the superb eateries, there is a myriad of fresh seafood to choose from, (the kids can always get a cheeseburger or chicken tenders,) 🙂 and then there is always an afternoon spent at the neighborhood fun zone at the beach. (You always see the most interesting people there as you enjoy your popcorn, cotton candy and salted peanuts.) Relish each and every bonfire you share on the beach, sharing a potpourri of stories with your kids. (Childhood only happens once…) Take a few of their favorite movies for a movie night, some table games, a few extra candles and allow it to be a time of “treating yourselves and your family.” with all the things you love to do, eat and don’t allow any guilt to get in the way. 🙂 It’s your families special time… When the kids are asleep, maybe take a romantic stroll along the beach with your husband… enjoy the quiet and soothing sounds of the night birds singing and the soft, ocean waves crashing against the sandy shore, the fragrance of the fresh sea air and allow yourself to get back to that peaceful place you may have lost in the busyness of everyday life, back home. I adore trips to a beach cottage…there’ s nothing like it’s charm and magic.

Summer is also the season that hosts one of America’s biggest days of celebration! Independence day…other wise known as the 4th of July. This is a time for BBQ’s on the beach, watching resplendent displays of fireworks, (whether on the shore or in the big city,) and sharing great and wondrous new memories with your friends and family. It’s America’s birthday and if ever there was a time for jubilee and gladsome hearts, it’s this beloved holiday! Summer would not be summer without it!

I love the garden quote by Abram L. Urban; “In my garden, there is a large place of sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers and the dreams are as beautiful.” Gardens are a “good thing” (like Martha Stewart always says…) for a multitude of reasons. They teach us, provide a place to nurture and be nurtured, create beauty and restore our souls. My favorite garden flower is the rose…but there has yet to be a flower that I do not enjoy…Vegetable gardens are also a lot of fun, (as long as you don’t have ground hogs and deer near by. 🙂 (They enjoyed our romaine lettuce and eggplant way to much! ) Spring and Summer are the season that our gardens ‘explode’ with a bounty of color and bring so much majestic beauty to our lives, (outside of the home as well as within.) A summer garden has been the muse for many a poet and novelist! It is a wondrous gift of this beloved season.

Lastly, as I wind up this vignette on having a blithesome summer, two of my ‘all time favorite’ summer joys is beholding the illuminating and captivating fireflies, as well as watching and partaking in an awesomely majestic thunder storm. The dancing, twinkling fireflies flutter from one tree to another … for some reason, they make me smile. I love it when they create a frame around our window panes, bringing forth the nostalgic feelings of being on my favorite ride at Disneyland. ( My beloved Pirates of the Caribbean…) They are a beautiful creation and bring forth an exceeding amount of mystery and enchantment as well as excitement to our souls. There is nothing like catching lightning bugs in a jar as a child…With tiny holes placed on the top, they preform their magic just for you and they put on a phenomenal one man show. 🙂

There is an abundance of mystique and wonder in a summer rain storm accompanied by the rumbling thunder as the heavens light up with each bolt of lightning. I feel like a child again, ready for a suspense, (not to scary) movie, a big bowl of buttered popcorn with all my siblings huddled together with me, biting our nails as we wait for the next jolting moment to happen. At this time in my life, I am happy to be with Grantham and my husband, in the midst of the storm…(still watching the suspense movie and sharing popcorn, but now it’s without salt, less butter and we don’t bite our nails!) 🙂 Have you ever just sat on your porch and actually allowed yourself to become a part of the storm? Feeling the tepid breezes, smelling the fresh, damp air as the rain falls hard upon the roof top…watching the sky get darker and darker. It’s not quite a light shade of black or a dark tint of grey, it’s baronial, grandiose and a little frightening. As you hear the thunder in the distance, you know that soon, the storm will be right at your front door. Its an experience for sure…and one of my greatest and most looked forward to, summer joys!