Evergreen Trees Trimmed Up at My Cottage

 

I honestly could not be more pleased. The new landscaper I found did this with my help as one of the last projects of the year. All the dead limbs are gone and now I can see to get out of my driveway on both ends. It was a fun project. I helped by picking up the cut limbs and putting them in piles for him to take to the woods. We pulled down all the bittersweet vines and he pulled down the poison ivy. It has all been cut away at the base of the trees but there are still roots that still need to be pulled up in the spring. He's the best worker I've ever had and he never stops. 

I had the busiest summer ever and I'm looking forward to some inside nesting after the holiday. Speaking of holidays, Happy Thanksgiving. I will make my raw cranberry relish and my cranberry-pineapple jello dish tomorrow to take to my friend's house around the corner where I go every year. To see all of my past Thanksgiving posts, click HERE ~ Enjoy!

xo, Rosemary

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2024

One of my favorite Jessie Willcox Smith images.

Cranberry muffins I made long ago when my mom was still 

with me. My favorite trivet is standing in the background.

I was up super early this morning on a rainy Thanksgiving Day. I think it will stop before my dinner with friends at 3:30 this afternoon.

I copied these images from some of my older posts about Thanksgiving HERE. Click on the link if you want a trip down memory lane. Enjoy!

xo, Rosemary

Looking Back: A Dozen Photos

My grandfather clock. My pantry with Dutch door closed. An early sundial on the counter before I had a microwave there. The outlet behind it was broken and I finally had it fixed when I needed an electrician for a more pressing repair.

An amazing winter golden hour. Photo was taken from the balcony off my living room.

Footprints in the snow. I walked halfway down my property a cold winter's day and these were the first prints I encountered.

One of my cardinals.

Bluebirds are my favorites. They love this corner of my balcony railing.

Geraniums on the lower level deck next to the sliding glass doors.

A favorite photo of my kitchen showing my tongue and groove ceiling.

The wreath on my front door last year photographed from inside.

A lovely notecard with a real shell on it.

My favorite photo of my cottage after it was painted summer 2022.

A nook in my kitchen.

One of the first photos I ever took in my kitchen.

I hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane with old photos you have probably already seen. I had a great Thanksgiving and hope you did too. My new eyes are just wonderful after my cataract surgery. It will be three weeks on Thursday since I had my rught eye done and a month since the left one. I was a little concerned about the "floaters" in my right eye but they went away after two weeks. I couldn't be more pleased.

xo

Now Watching: THE LAST DETECTIVE

This series is so good. If you are looking for a kind and caring detective, this is the series for you too. I found it quite by accident on BritBox by typing the word detective in the search box. I finished Season One last night and found out this morning there are FOUR SEASONS and that made me so happy. It got its name because this low key detective is the LAST person his boss would choose if he wanted a case solved. He is the underdog of the office but that doesn't seem to bother him so he finds cases by himself and investigates secretly until they are solved. I think it is on Acorn too. Let me know if you like it or have already watched and recommend it too. It's considered to be both a Drama and a Comedy but it's not corny or silly. It's also on DVD if you want to borrow from your library.

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday and am working on having a pajama day today. Yesterday was an absolutely perfect day with mild weather and sunshine. Today it's raining and feels chilly and raw but the birds don't mind and neither do I. xo

Happy Thanksgiving 2022

Jessie Willcox Smith is one of my favorite illustrators.

I love these two giving thanks for their breakfast.

This illustration is from A Child's Book of Old Verses 

published in 1910 with 10 color illustrations.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday.

xo

Pam just commented she grew up with this illustration by JWS on her home's kitchen wall and I just had to know more. It was an advertisement for the American Radiator Company published sometime between 1910 and 1920. I love it.

Thanks, Pam.

xo

Crisp, Crunchy Leaves

This photo says the leaves are very dry and you just know if you squeezed them in your hands they would be crisp and crunchy, right? An older photo but one I like. I have gotten my house back in order since Missy was picked up this morning. Tomorrow I will shop for the dishes I am taking to a friend's house for Thanksgiving Dinner. xo

"Pumpkin" Bread

Photo found here.

I love this baker's kitchen. Isn't this bread that was styled like pumpkins beautiful? I love the floor to ceiling cabinet with glass doors full of jars filled with baking supplies. Clearly, a talented baker lives here and is all set to wow her Thanksgiving table this week.

xo

Pies with Fancy Top Crust

King Arthur Flour has a great article about fancy Pie Crusts:

Decorative pie crust tips Pastry lattice, braids, and more. 

It's that time of year with Thanksgiving a week away.

Maybe you will get an idea or two and try one!

xo

♡Things I Like This Morning♡

This tilework is simple and simply elegant.

I really adore this wallpaper.

I love old country roads and this is a great one.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday and are still enjoying the aftermath. I woke up to rain today but it's already clearing and promises to be a nice day with no Black Friday shopping for me. I heard on the news this week that this is going to be a mild winter and I hope it's true after what I went through last year. Enjoy the long weekend and safe trips back home for all who are traveling. All photos found on Tumblr. xo

H A P P Y 🦃 T H A N K S G I V I N G

This is my annual post for Thanksgiving

made from a scan from my favorite antiquarian book, 

"The Royal Book of Crests"

The font is Elizabethan Script 

I lost it when my 

Windows PC crashed ages ago. 

This font is called
Jacques  Francois Shadow

it's a free download from Google
Let me know if it's garbled and I will replace it with another universally recognized font.

The Almost Perfect Reading Room

Add one ottoman and this room would be perfect. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. xo

photo source

Thank-ful Pie for Thanksgiving

I should have posted this earlier instead of on Thanksgiving Eve. There is a template for this design and a recipe for pie crust so you can embellish a FROZEN pumpkin pie from the supermarket. Tutorial and recipe here. If you are baking your own you could just use strips of dough and make these letters by hand.

H A P P Y   T H A N K S G I V I N G   xo

Thanksgiving Shopping: Beatrix Potter

I am always happy when I find another new to me image by Beatrix Potter and I love this one. Have you started your Thanksgiving shopping yet? Some of these animals are enjoying friendship outside the store to catch up on the local gossip before going inside. Won't it be nice we WE can do this once again? xo

Outdoor Dining At Its Best

This would be a delightful setting for a wonderful outdoor Thanksgiving dinner, wouldn't it? via

Pumpkins and Gourds

Plant some seeds next year and grow your own fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving decorations. Those small sugar pumpkins make the best pies. photo source

Weeds in First Snow

Everything looks better with snow on top, even a field of weeds.

I have been clearing my field of weeds by hand and it has been easier than I thought. The first two days, I just used my hand clippers and it was slow going. The third day I employed my electric hedge clippers and it was brilliant as the Brits say. I went over what I had cleared with my mulching lawn mower too. I am determined to whack them all down if it takes all winter and it probably will. Unfortunately the first snow of the season has called this project to a screeching halt. 

Now the weeds are bent over instead of standing tall. I will have to wait until everything melts before I can go back with an electric device but I can still do hand work. It looks like a real winter wonderland and the flakes won't be stopping until after midnight. My heart goes out to all the travelers trying to get home after the Thanksgiving holiday. My problem will wait until next week with temps in the 50s and rain. Be safe. Wishing you all snugness in your own homes. xo

Good Things come in Threes

I got this candy cane needlepoint pillow about a month ago in a charity shop and I love it. I put in a new feather stuffing insert salvaged from an old pillow I no longer liked. Isn't it lovely?

I could not believe my luck when I came upon this antique beauty shortly after the candy cane. This pictorial needlepoint with the reclining goat as the central theme was purchased at an estate sale full of quality antiques. The pillow is quite large, in perfect condition, and is stunning in person. I am thrilled with it.

I have had this one with Oak leaves and Acorns, Cherries and other leaves, for at least 12 years, maybe more. Now I can say I have a collection but I don't think I need any others. The seasonal one I shall put away with the Christmas decorations.

Happy Thanksgiving Day. Peace and prosperity to one and all. xo, Rosemary

Happy Thanksgiving

This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving images from my blog. 

Safe travels if you are on the road or in the air.

Caterpillar Dance

This must be the world's most delicious leaf! I wish I knew the variety so I could plant some for the Monarch butterflies.

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. Yes, I have been very busy with real estate. Yes, I still am madly in love with my new washing machine. Yes, I am still thrilled with my decision to cut the cord with cable TV and Yes I am still glad I have no landline. Yes, I am happy with my new router and Yes, the WiFi is working beautifully. NO, I do not miss TV at all because I still have it with an air antenna in the attic but I hardly ever watch it. Pluto TV is my go-to TV on my iPad. I have been renting lots of DVDs again from the library. I have been sleeping much better too. The DVR I used to have in my bedroom made a noise that most people couldn't even hear but I have very acute hearing and can hear a pin drop in the next county so it disturbed my sleep. I am on Season 2 of JANET KING, an Australian legal drama from Acorn TV. The DVD is from the library. I still haven't decided what streaming device I should buy since I am so pleased without having anything. Yes, I do want to watch Season 3 of THE CROWN but will probably just get a free month of Netflix for that. No, I cannot believe Thanksgiving is next week. Yes, I am invited to share it with friends. If I didn't answer all of your questions, leave a comment. xo, Rosemary

New Year's Day 2019

I think I made this in 2009. I scanned a page of a decorative alphabet and cropped the individual letters to spell out this greeting. I am having my morning tea with no honey this morning in an effort to cut down on all the sugar I consumed over Christmas, Thanksgiving and Halloween. 

"A new year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other." I hope I can keep mine.