Thanksgiving Day 2009

Norman Rockwell "Freedom from Want"
Saturday Evening Post cover March 6, 1943
All of my childhood Thanksgivings were like this.
Have a wonderful holiday, I know I will.
The cottage smells absolutely wonderful!
Wishing all of you an old-fashioned Thanksgiving, Rosemary

There Is Honor In Being A Dog ~ Aristotle

Dogs have always been loved, haven't they? The illustration is a photo of an antique tile with the funkiest dog ever. Thanks for stopping by the cottage for an illustrated quote. Rosemary

Life's Little Instruction Book page 144 + Happy Thanksgiving

The Turkey Day countdown has begun. I worked on my grocery list all day yesterday and finally went to the market around 5:30. I got a great parking spot, whizzed through the store, found everything I needed, got in line behind one woman who was almost finished checking out, helped bag my 4 sacks, loaded the car easily since there was a street lamp overhead, and got home at 6:30. I've always had good luck shopping at the dinner hour. Our weather has been quite warm for this time of year in New Jersey. It is drizzling rain this morning so I'm glad I did a load of laundry yesterday that dried nicely on the line.
Have a safe trip if you are traveling and enjoy the holiday tomorrow. Don't forget #477 above. Happy Thanksgiving from the cottage. Rosemary

Billy Baldwin Designed With Books

The illustration is a watercolor painted by Mark Hampton of the Cole Porter library with bookcases designed by Billy Baldwin. So very beautiful!

A Great Wonder Dog Story

JIM THE WONDER DOG 1925-1937
Born in Louisiana in 1925, Jim displayed signs of extremely high intelligence. He was able to pick out colors a person was wearing, although dogs are thought to be color-blind. He could pick out a car by its owner, color, make, or license plate number. Jim became a hunting dog who knew which fields contained birds and which ones didn’t. His owner would let Jim choose the field in which to hunt and he was never disappointed. Jim was examined at the University of Missouri by a group of veterinarians and scientists. Results of the examination were normal. He responded to their requests given in Italian, French, German and Spanish. He was taken before a Greek class and given several requests in Greek which he successfully answered. Jim picked the winner in the 1936 World Series. He correctly predicted that Roosevelt would be re-elected in 1936. He also correctly picked the winner in the Kentucky Derby for seven years. And most amazingly, he could predict accurately the sex of an unborn infant. The Wonder Dog died on March 18, 1937 and was buried in a cemetery in Marshall. A small white stone was erected over his grave bearing the inscription “Jim, the Wonder Dog.”
I've been calling my dog Webster, the wonderdog for years just because I love him so much. Thanks for stopping by the cottage for a great dog story today. Rosemary

Thanksgiving Day At Home

It's so nice to be home for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. Here's hoping all of the travelers arrive safe and sound. I'm cooking cornish game hens this year instead of turkey. All of the trimmings will remain the same; cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, raw cranberry relish, a sweet potato dish (maybe), brussel sprouts, popovers and pie. Yum.

I got a few new old books this week with wonderful graphics. I was so excited when I found this image. I love making these illustrated quotes and sharing them with you.

Random Saved Photographs ~ No Words Required

I liked all of these...hope you do too. Happy Monday, Rosemary

Art Shapes Our Lives ~ Shakespeare Quote

101 Thanksgiving Dishes To Make Ahead

For most cooks, Thanksgiving problems are brought about by the sheer number of dishes competing for the stove. It’s not easy to roast a turkey and bake sweet potatoes for 20 at the same time. The best solution is to prepare what you can in advance, like any of the 101 dishes by Mark Bittman that follow. Read more ~ full article from The New York Times. Here's hoping you have an extra refrigerator or at least a super large one! Happy cooking. Rosemary

Air Freshener Spray Recipe ~ Vanilla and Cloves

I made some of this DIY air freshener yesterday and it smells wonderful. I couldn't wait for it to cool so I ccould spray my whole house. I didn't strain mine but left the whole cloves in the bottom of the spray bottle and surprisingly it didn't clog. I love the smell of cloves and figured if I left them in the solution, their aroma will become stronger. The solution is a nut-brown color and I've been spraying it on my wood floors to wipe up spills. I sprayed it on my farm table to clean it too. I lightly spayed my dust cloth as well. It must have some cleaning capabilities because of the vinegar so I'm calling it an all-purpose spray. You can't believe how fresh and clean my house smells. I'm so happy! Chances are you have all the ingredients on hand right now: water, vinegar, vanilla, and cloves. Make some and let me know how you like it. Found at TipNut
Thanks for stopping by the cottage, Rosemary.

Life Is For Satisfaction | Thoreau

Maxham daguerreotype of Henry David Thoreau made in 1856.

November Bluebirds At The Cottage

I never fail to be thrilled when seeing bluebirds on my property. These photos were taken yesterday morning through window glass and screens. I dared not open a window or a door for fear they would fly away. There were quite a few flying around everywhere checking out the accommodations for spring nesting season. I am overjoyed that my camera was handy! Bluebirds in November are a wonderful preview of what's to come in the spring. Aren't you happy for me? Have a great Friday. It is absolutely beautiful here today after an overnight rain. Rosemary

Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel with Historical Videos

This English folk song dates back to late medieval times when the seaside resort of Scarborough was an important venue for tradesmen from all over England. Founded nearly 800 years ago, Scarborough Fair was a 45-day trading event that originated from a charter granted by King Henry III of England on 22 January 1253. The author of the following video used images from the illuminated manuscript 'Book of Hours' to tell the story along with baroque paintings by Vermeer and Van Ecke. I'm sorry it isn't in HD but it's still wonderful.



Watch this one too if you have time. I loved reading the lyrics as I listened to Simon and Garfunkel sing them.


Thanks for stopping by the cottage for some music mixed with some medieval history. Rosemary

Rolling Garden Benches | An Antique Finally Reproduced in England

The last picture is my dream rolling garden bench scanned from one of my out-of-print books. The three new ones above are available from Andrew Crace, English Garden Furniture. A nice reader of my blog bought one in England (he lives there) and forwarded the site to me. I have such nice subscribers! I can't even imagine how much it would cost to ship one to my house. Maybe they will send me one in exchange for this free advertising. HaHa ~ another thing to dream about. Click on the first link to read my original post with some history of the antique bench. Click on the second link to learn more about the fabulous bespoke reproductions. These are not designed to roll about with people sitting in them. The wheelbarrow design makes them easy to move so you can mow under them. I still want one before I die. Rosemary

William Arthur Ward Inspirational Quote

I scanned the acorn engraving from my favorite antiquarian book on Royal Crests. Read more about the author, William Arthur Ward. 1st image via my friend Peacay at Bibliodyssey.

Have a wonderful day. It is still beautiful and very mild in NJ. I hope to get all of the outdoor furniture stored in the barn, rake the remaining leaves, give the front a final mowing, and then I'll be ready to nest for the winter. Wish me luck. - Rosemary

Four Bundles of Laughter to Brighten Your Day

I don't know where I found this but I just had to post it. You should bookmark this video and watch it every time you need a bad day cure. You simply can't watch it and keep a straight face. How does this couple get anything done? Wouldn't you just want to play with these beautiful happy babies all day long? Too cute. Laughter really is contagious, isn't it? -Rosemary

Life's Little Instruction Book Page 143 + A Drawing by Beatrix Potter

The original drawing is by Beatrix Potter. I don't know anything about the history but I like to think this was her cottage bedroom. You know how much I love her! I must have been dreaming about being in this bed because I slept much later than usual this morning. - Rosemary

Emotional Dog Welcomes Soldier

This is so sweet. Who says dogs don't have feelings? This 37-second video will really warm your heart. Gracie the dog is so glad her soldier father has finally come home. I'm happy too. -Rosemary

Happiness Quote by Elbert Hubbard + A Free Font To Download

Elbert Hubbard 1856-1915 was a writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. He was an influential exponent of the Arts and Crafts movement in America. The wonderful font I used is called 'Hill House' and it's a free download here.

2010 Calendar 12-Sided Geosphere | Free Download

This was my #1 favorite download last year. The 12-sided calendar is also known as a regular dodecahedron. The upcoming year (2010) will be my third year with one of these on my desk. It's pretty tricky to assemble - especially at the end when you feel you need another set of hands. All you have to do is to remember to do NOVEMBER last. It is the only month that doesn't have any fold-over tabs. It is helpful to have a chopstick handy to poke inside to assist in securing anything that's not sticking or properly aligned. This prevents bending the paper. I used card stock and scored all the dotted lines with the sharp tip of a compass guided by a see-thru ruler. Cut out whole design before scoring and folding. Cut solid lines, score dotted lines. I also had to adjust the pdf to "fit to printable area" since without that correction some of the outside edges did not print on my printer. Experiment first with regular paper before jumping to cardstock. I am publishing this extra early this year in case you want to make some for holiday gifts. People love them and everybody needs one. You can't beat the price either. One sheet of paper, some glue and your time. The ultimate home-made present that will be used every day next year. Perfect!

Download PDF

I don't know if I can correctly call this origami because it requires glue. I highly recommend Acid Free YES Paste. A one-pint tub lasts forever.

If you want to practice on a 2009 calendar, go to to my popular post from last year. Have fun. Rosemary

Sunday Is My Favorite Day

I am so happy that I found a quote written in the 16th century that perfectly describes Sunday.

Henry Carey was the son of Mary Boleyn fathered by King Henry VIII. I enjoyed the movie, The Other Boleyn Girl starring Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman two of my favorite young actresses. I love the portrait of Henry. If it's a miniature, I'll take. It would look wonderful with the others in my collection. Enjoy the best day of the week. Rosemary

Lady Giant's Laundry

Can you imagine running into this site while playing in the woods? Especially after just having read Jack and the Beanstalk. I guess the giant's wife had to do some laundry. via

Wonderful Quote About Money and Books

This certainly rings true for me. This sounds like the perfect way to manage your budget so there's always enough money for another book. Read a short biography of Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus.

Boy Uses Dishwasher To Wash Bikes [Video]

Now this is one interprising young man. This ad made me laugh. Rosemary

Click If You Love Corduroy

Hail the wale! Corduroy lovers gathered this week for a night of appreciation. I've always loved corduroy too. I sewed my own clothes all the way through school and quickly learned to cut all the pattern pieces facing the same direction or I would end up with a two-toned garment. On 11/11 the day that most resembles corduroy, the Corduroy Appreciation Club met in Brooklyn. The entrance fee for the 4th annual meeting was $11.11, the price that most resembles corduroy. Refreshments included celery and Ruffles potato chips, foods that most resemble corduroy. Rebecca Allen, pictured above is a member of the Main Squeeze, an all-female accordian orchestra, the instrument that most closely resembles corduroy. Love her outfit! I really appreciate all the humor that went into the planning of all things corduroy, don't you? Want more? Continue reading the complete article and see the 6-photo slideshow from The New York Times. Have a great weekend. Rosemary

Formula For Living: Cary Grant

I think he had a lot of fun with the in between part. The photo in the little 2-seater BMW was taken in 1954. Over a half century later these tiny cars are hot once again but not nearly as hot as Cary Grant 1904-1986.

These Shoes Weren't Made For Walking

These paper shoes were made by Jennifer Collier, a very talented artist from the UK. She also makes the following paper items: dresses, aprons, bibs, gloves, boxes, ties, hats, jewelry and other things as well. Click here to view her thumbnail gallery. Aren't they all wonderful? I am always excited to see things made from old paper and found objects. It's the ultimate in recycling. Thanks for stopping by the cottage to see some things that caught my eye. ~Rosemary

Fear of Friday The 13th

Did you know that Fear of Friday the 13th is called two of the biggest words I've ever seen? They are paraskavedekatriaphobia + friggatriskaidekaphobia. Thank goodness for copy and paste! Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13.

I didn't even realize it was Friday the 13th until I looked at my calendar just now. I am not superstitious since my birthday is September 13th and I have had a few fall on a Friday. Nothing bad has ever happened. As for today, so far so good! Hope the same holds true for you too. Rosemary

Brown Pelican Removed From Endangered List

I was very excited to hear on the news last night that after nearly 40 years on the brink of extinction, the Brown Pelican is coming off the endangered species list. It's so good to hear something positive about the environment every once in a while, isn't it? Read more.

John James Audubon would be so happy that these pelicans did not go the way of the Carolina Parrot and the Passenger Pigeon and become extinct. Thanks for stopping by the cottage for today's natural history lesson. ~Rosemary

Metropolitan Home | Another Magazine is Folding

Another home magazine is folding after the December issue. Metropolitan Home it is one of several home magazines to be eliminated in the last two years, given the bad housing market and lack of disposable income for redecorating. Read more. I guess Lonny has the right idea being exclusively an online publication.

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

Bradley Court in Gloucestershire England :: An Elizabethan Tudor

You will love this 16th century manor home in England with additions constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries. The gazebo the present owners (furniture designer Thomas Messel and his wife the artist Pepe Messel) are sitting before was built in 1707. I know you will enjoy the additional photos in this slideshow presented by The Magazine Antiques. Read more about the history and ownership of this magnificent estate here. Isn't it wonderful to see fabulous period furnishings in a proper house? ~Rosemary