Antique Signs and Weathervanes
The short but succulent season of fall is upon us, and as we head to the country to sip sparkling cider pressed at the mill, we invariably pass a barn or village “shoppe” brimming with antiques. With a nip in the air and a skip in our step we’re ready for adventure and a little sly sleuthing. (I know someone who wears a fanny pack equipped with jeweler’s loupe, tiny flashlight, black light, bic lighter & needle for the hot pin test, thin plastic gloves, baby wipes, cotton balls and more.) Collecting seems to bring out that primitive instinct for the hunt in some of its devotees, who...
Read MoreParasols & Summer Sun
Ah, the ubiquitous umbrella – from British Bumbershoot to Parisian Parasol – one shelters from the rain; one shields from the sun. We reviewed their rainy day renditions in April Showers. It’s now time for the sunny side of summer with its plethora of parasols. Rather than ducking and dodging sleet and showers, we flirt and flutter with carousels of color. Just being in the sun evokes smiles and happiness. A parasol seems less of a shield, and more of a sidekick, protecting us while joining in the fun. The Latin word umbra means “shade” and historians claim the cooling canopy formed by...
Read MoreOceanic
“She would be half a planet away, floating in a turquoise sea, dancing by moonlight to flamenco guitar.” Janet Fitch, White Oleander August is the month to unwind, unburden, unencumber, relax, ramble, roam, and… slumber, snooze and siesta… We take to the beach to do absolutely nada. To stroll the sandy shore and sift through the seashells. Let the wind tousle your hair, the sun kiss your cheeks, and hear the seagulls cry “ahoy, enjoy.” Whether golden sand and sky blue, or sophisticated pink and gray, I love the simplicity of these shell borders surrounding a crisp polka dot center. They...
Read MoreLet the Games Begin
“Life is more fun if you play games.” Roald Dahl, My Uncle Oswald “One good thing about freezing sleet and rain” my friend Jane confided “is the family gathers around the fireplace for popcorn and hot cocoa.” I bring out the board games in an effort to compete with ipads and Xbox, and I sometimes succeed. There’s something about snuggling in blankets with sleet beating against the window that makes kids reach for an actual book, playing cards, dominoes or checkers. I love it.” Whether you indulge in a simple game of tick tac toe or roll the dice for backgammon, games are a sure fire...
Read MoreTea
“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” Henry James The Portrait of a Lady Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Sleet and snow, blizzards and cloudbursts envelope and surround us. Yet the flip side to winter’s frosty coin always lands happily heads up when we can take a moment for a cup of tea. It’s the perfect prelude for a snuggle or siesta, a game of backgammon or chess, or burrowing with a best seller by a blazing fire. Perhaps most comforting of all, it’s an elixir for every hour – from purple pre-dawns,...
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