History of Veterans Day

Kiss a veteran today if you possibly can! Click on the image above to learn more about the history of this somber patriotic U.S. holiday. ~Rosemary

Which Cup of Tea Will You Be Drinking Today?

I think I'll have a cup of creativi-tea to help me with my next post. But I want to drink my morning coffee first. Coffee is for morning, tea is for afternoon and after dinner. Which cup appeals to you? Thanks for stopping by the cottage for a little pick-me-up. ~Rosemary

Girls Are Like Apples

My photograph, his quote. Please send this to every young girl and boy that you know. ~Rosemary

Life's Little Instruction Book, page 142 and more

I almost never rush into making a decision, especially if its major. I only have real maple syrup in my refrigerator. The other stuff is just flavored high fructose corn syrup. I could really use one of those antique bookstands like the one in the classroom full of old desks. The last photo is called Nature's Fireworks. Thanks for stopping by the cottage for your daily dose of inspiration. ~Rosemary

Cate Blanchette on Cover of December American Vogue

Cate Blanchette is a good reason to go out and buy the December issue of American Vogue. Don't you agree? She's one of my very favorite actors. I have to admit I prefer calling her an actress or is that politically incorrect these days? ~Rosemary
photo credit

Delightful Catskill Farmhouse

Don't you love this renovated Catskill farmhouse that a painter has filled with vignettes, created by pairing objects old and new, high with low. View more photos by Tony Cenicola via The New York Times slideshow. Enjoy!

My weekend was wonderful. How was yours? I took Webster and Tabitha to the free rabies clinic and they were so good. Can't say the same for some of the other animals though. Now they are set for another three years. I am so glad I remembered the date. I went to a house contents sale just up the road and everyone was talking about a rabid raccoon that was staggering around in broad daylight. The authorities had been called but hadn't arrived. Thankfully, I didn't see the sick animal. ~Rosemary

Albert Einstein Favored The Simple Life

As I continue to clean and purge, organize and rethink, recycle and donate, downsize and resisist the urge to buy more, I am so very inspired by the clear thinking of Albert Einstein. ~Rosemary

Royal Mail Stamps Will Feature Classic British Record Album Covers

Next year the Royal Mail will launch its stamp programme (oh how I love British spelling) with a set of ten 1st class stamps designed by Studio Dempsey that celebrate classic British album covers. Read more.
I think these stamps are cool, don't you? ♥Rosemary

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have a great Saturday. The ground is completely covered with a thick frost that is sparkling as the sun hits it. I think Mother Nature is finally bringing on the colder weather. Enjoy your day. ♥Rosemary

New Jersey's Natirar Farm Launched by Sir Richard Branson

PEAPACK-GLADSTONE, NJ -- Take the international influence of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin trademark, a 100-year-old estate in central New Jersey, two young organic farmers from Vermont, and a culinary school -- and you get the beginnings of a farm-to-fork enterprise -- The Farm at Natirar. Sounds like something Alice Waters would embrace.

The World-Class Resort & Spa + Cooking & Wine Schools debut at the restored 1912 estate formerly owned by the King of Morocco who never spent one night there. Read full press releases here and here.

We locals refer to this estate as the Kate Macy Ladd Convalescent Home. Natirar is Raritan spelled backwards after the Raritan River which runs through the property. Malcolm Forbes was instrumental in the sale of this landmark to the King of Morocco. A large portion of the undeveloped land is now Somerset County parkland. It's wonderful that this beautiful landscape is preserved open space with walking trails that are open to the public.

This is quite something for this beautiful part of the NJ countryside where Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis had a country home and rode with the hunt on these very grounds. I used to ride my bike past Natirar in the early 1970s when I lived nearby. I am sure everyone involved is very worried about the economic conditions and the timing of this opening which is long overdue. Time will tell. Have a great weekend. ♥Rosemary

LONNY :: Great new online magazine just like Domino . . .

Have you heard about LONNY? It's a wonderful new magazine that is only available online. I know, I know, you prefer to read your magazines in person but in this case it's simply not possible. Trust me, you'll love it! It is almost identical to the beloved Domino which just bit the dust. It loads very quickly (especially with the Google Chrome browser) and you can choose different views - full screen is great. Enjoy! Let me know how you like it. ♥Rosemary

Historic Barn with a great holiday look . . .

I drove past this great barn in Mendham, NJ today on my way to the dentist. I stopped my car on the way home to snap a couple of pictures. I wish I had seen this before Halloween last week. I hope these people leave the witch on her broom on display for a long time. Isn't it great? ♥Rosemary

Web Browsers explained [Video]

I wish somebody had explained web browsers to me years ago! I've always used Internet Explorer and was afraid to try anything else because I really didn't understand how simple and easy it would be to have more than one. I've been very unhappy with Explorer lately because it's soooo sloooow. I tried everything. I deleted old photos and old files in my documents, ran several programs to clean up the hard drive, defragmented, etc. and it was still slow. I decided to be brave and download Google Chrome and Foxfire. I am absolutely thrilled with Chrome because it's shockingly fast. Watch this short video and maybe you will get up enough nerve to download one too. It's good to have more than one browser; you can have several open at once and switch back and forth. Let me know which one is your favorite. Good luck!

"Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanks for stopping by the cottage for a computer lesson, fall artwork, and a quote. ♥Rosemary

Random Ramblings from the Cottage + London Cat who Rides the Bus . . .

Have you heard about this cat in London who rides the bus regularly by himself? The cat was nicknamed Macavity after the mystery cat in T.S. Eliot's poem. He gets on the bus in front of a row of 1950s semi-detached houses and jumps off at a row of shops down the road which include a fish and chips shop. Since January, when the cat first caught the bus he has done it two or three times a week and always gets on and off at the same stops. Read more.

Sounds like a very happy family, doesn't it. I wonder if this is really written on the wall? My guess is its typed via Photoshop.

A lovely quote by Anne Frank who never fails to inspire me.

I had a very productive Tuesday. I did everything I said I would plus more. My reward was the beautiful full moon shining on my leafless lawn witnessed on Webster's last walk before bedtime. We were both tuckered out. Thanks for stopping by the cottage. ♥Rosemary

Leaves munched and crunched . . .

eaves didn't have a chance yesterday when I mowed over them with my riding mower. The grass is still growing because it has been so warm lately. I mowed over the leaves and cut the grass at the same time. That's what I call multi-tasking.
Don't you love the letter L that I copied from the coolest blog? She publishes a decorative capital letter every day, and you know how I love fonts.
I don't like this new time one bit. It was pitch black outside at a little after 5PM. Webster doesn't like it either. I know it is supposed to be good for the school children waiting for the bus but isn't it dark when they get home if they have after-school activities? I like it in the morning ... just not in the evening or should I say afternoon?
I had high hopes of doing outside errands but got so busy I never left the house on Monday. Oh well, today is another day. I have to go to do-it-yourself recycling and then I must vote. Both things will force me to deal with the outside world. Then I hope to finish my mowing.
Thanks for stopping by the cottage. ♥Rosemary

Life's Little Instruction Book, page 141 + some architecture and more . . .

I went to a wedding years ago at the bride's home and her swing in an old apple tree was decorated like this. Isn't it beautiful? Hi Jill!

Wouldn't you like to sleep in this cozy nook? I wouldn't relish changing the linens though in such a tight space.

The paint color for the door matches the pair of urns exactly. That couldn't have been easy. I wonder if these people had to lug one of them to the paint store?

Isn't this early American room spectacular? All it needs is a better reading lamp.

I woke up at my regular time this morning. Am I used to "regular time" already? Probably not. I slept really well last night. I'm feeling so good about all of the decluttering and organizing around the cottage. My closet is finished and it looks wonderful. I might go through it again and see what else I can eliminate. I want to go to the Clothing Bank again today because they give out the clothes on Tuesdays.
I hope you have a really great week. Thanks for visiting the cottage.♥Rosemary

Tiny television at the cottage . . .

I blog about tv shows all the time and people are always surprised to see this tiny 13" set in my living room. The only HD flatscreen is in my bedroom and it isn't much bigger, measuring a whopping 17". The reception is great on my older sets; the one in my studio is also a 13-incher. Most of the time when I watch tv I'm doing something else too like reading a magazine or working on the computer. I'm watching 'Sunday Morning' on CBS as I write this late-morning post. I don't feel the need for a giant screen or a media room either. Do you? I also like using my living room as an all-purpose room. (PS...you don't even see my tv until you leave the room. My house has a center chimney, so the first thing you see when you enter the LR is the back wall with a matching loveseat where I was sitting to snap the photo. This part of my cottage is one-room wide so you can see the front yard and the back too. This photo only shows the front-facing part.)
I slept my extra hour this morning. I just couldn't make my head leave the pillow. It's unusually warm and I had a few windows open all night. Very strange for November 1st but I hope it lasts until all the leaves are dealt with next week. The trees are virtually bare.
Thanks for stopping by for another peek into the cottage. ♥Rosemary

Turn your clocks back one hour tonight . . .

Spring Forward ~ Fall Back
This little jingle helps me get it right.

Halloween and Open Shelves in Bathroom

Haven't carved your pumpkins yet? Paint them instead.

Didn't buy Halloween candy? Let them eat cake.

You know how much I love open shelves.

Finally...a place for all those shells.

Don't forget to set your clocks BACK one hour before you go to bed tonight. Daylight savings time is over. I don't look forward to the short days, with darkness setting in so early. Maybe I can train myself to get up earlier.
I cleaned out closets yesterday and took three big bags of unwanted warm winter clothes to the Clothing Bank in Morristown. Made me feel good to know I will be helping to keep people warm. It was very balmy and the town merchants were giving out Halloween treats to school children who were parading up and down the sidewalks in their costumes without their coats. Some were very cute.
Have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by the cottage. ♥Rosemary

Life's Little Instruction Book page 140 . . .

Today is Friday and it's pretty warm and a little overcast at my house. I don't think rain is predicted so maybe I will get to run over the leaves and crunch them with my riding mower. The three trees close to my house in the back are virtually bare. Have a great Halloween weekend. ♥Rosemary

2 Skull Fonts :: Free Download

Martha Stewart had Noah Scalin on her program. He created a skull a day for one year. He has two skull fonts to download on his blog. I just downloaded them and printed the banner shown above. Enlarge for the full effect. Dark background with lighter printing works best.
Download here ... scroll down the sidebar.

Life quotes from a couple of famous people . . .

Have a good one. Thanks for stopping by the cottage for a couple of great illustrated quotes. ♥Rosemary

Goldfish Garbage Bags . . .

Wouldn't you love to put these cool bags out on trash day? They made me laugh. ♥Rosemary

Maira Kalman Free Lecture 11/03/09 at Stanford Univ.

Click on either image and scroll down a bit for all the necessary information...building, room number, time, and date. Let me know if you are going!

I have never wanted to live in California ~ until now. I would already be in line for the free open-to-the-public lecture by my favorite illustrator, Maira Kalman. I blog about her all the time. Now I must read up on The Rubber Band Society!

Thanks for stopping by the cottage. ♥Rosemary

Wonderful Halloween Images . . .

Halloween is almost here. Did you buy your candy yet? It's always nice for the children when it falls on a Saturday as it does this year. They can stay up late, eat lots of trick or treat junk, and be sick on Sunday. Thanks for stopping by the cottage for a trip down memory lane. ♥Rosemary

Wordless Wednesday . . .