Making The Most of My Free Time

This experiment is a huge success. I was able to create a blog post using an old photo from my library, resizing it, and adding the text using my new favorite font.

A Kitchen Inspired by Carl Larsson

"The Kitchen" circa 1898 by Carl Larsson via 

His own kitchen, pictured above, has inspired a real life kitchen with these paint colors. Read the article and see photos of the cabinetry and paint swatches here

Organizing My Attic

This is a detail of an area in my attic office that I have been organizing off and on for days. I am doing everything properly, not just stashing things hurriedly. I have shredded, filed, and recycled all my papers and boxes. My kitchen is looking nice too and for the first time in a long time, there's nothing on my farm table that doesn't belong there. I posted this photo on Instagram several days ago and have gotten many comments about the old Dundee Marmalade crocks I use for pencils and markers. How many of these have I owned over the years? I really don't know but I wish I had more but now they are scarce. The first few weeks of the new year are perfect for getting things back in order and for donating the things we no longer want or need. I have been deleting files, old emails, text messages, and duplicate photos on my computer and phone too. Almost everybody I know has been purging too. How about you? xo

Bedrooms with Upholstered Headboards

Tour Kit Kemp's residential renovation in London. You will see each room photographed by Simon Brown in the house tour. It is an exercise in mixing patterns. This isn't quite so obvious in the two rooms I have chosen to feature with plain rather than wallpapered or textile covered walls.

Icicle Star by Andy Goldsworthy

Ice, leaves, twigs, even dust--these are some of the things Andy Goldsworthy uses in his artworks. Real icicles are the material of Icicle Star. Goldsworthy created this piece on a rock near where he found the icicles. He thinks of his sculptures as temporary--they are called ephemeral art. Since Goldsworthy knows his artworks won’t last long, he always takes photographs of them.

Penguin: Leap of Faith

I love this image. Found here.

A Painted Bunting was seen in Maryland

I saw a news clip about this rare bird siting in Maryland on the CBS News this morning. It was rare to see a painted bunting so far North but the news clip said they were rather common farther down South. All the bird watchers (birders) are flocking to Maryland hoping to get a glimpse of this bird for their life bird count. 

I couldn't find anything to watch last night in bed on Acorn TV so I started a search. I was searching by name of some of my favorite actors and I put in Martin Clunes and guess what popped up? Doc Martin, Season 9 was released in September 2019 but I never knew it. I started watching and it's delightful. I am SO HAPPY! I think it's on Amazon Prime Video too.

I have been working upstairs in my attic home office doing endless organizing and shredding. I went to paper recycling today with 3 tall garbage cans of shredded paper, junk mail, and flattened cardboard boxes. I wasn't the only one either. The lady in front of me had a car full and I thought she would never get finished unloading her SUV. Mine was all organized and went quickly.

I have an older, small flatscreen TV on the third floor with a Chromecast attached to the back and I have been streaming non-stop episodes of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW UK from PLUTO TV Channel 621. It's so much better than the American version. It's on 24/7 and I don't often see repeats because it has been on the air for so long. I am such a happy cord cutter and haven't looked back since I got rid of cable TV and my landline phone. All I have now is high speed WiFi and my cell phone. In my living room I still get Air TV from an inexpensive antenna. Now I watch what I want, when I want. I can stream the Sunday shows on PBS starting on Monday from The PBS Video App.

xo

Delightful Bedroom with Bookshelves

I love a bedroom with bookshelves and I have them in mine too. This room has a lot of personality, doesn't it? I love the bedside tables, matching lamps twin windows, the wallpaper, the bed and linens, actually all of it!!! via

Beautiful Landscape Photograph

Gorgeous photograph of a Montana landscape. via

Edinburgh's Hogmanay (New Year) with Drones

Due to Covid-19, 150 individual drones took the place of fireworks this year in Edinburgh Scotland's New Year's Celebration called Hogmanay. I have never heard of this term mentioned on Instagram and I'm glad I decided see what it was all about. I am posting the celebration in 3 videos below:

Fare Well Part 1 - Edinburgh Hogmanay 2020

Fare Well Part 2 - Edinburgh Hogmanay 2020

Fare Well Part 3 - Edinburgh Hogmanay 2020

History of Hogmanay

I took a photo of the one-pound bag of frozen Chopped Collard Greens I use. I have seen them at Walmart too under their private label. I searched Google Images if you want to look for brands in your area. I had a replay of my New Year's Day supper today with the addition of a slow, oven-baked sweet potato and it was delicious. I had a very productive day moving bits around and putting them back where they belong. I am on one of my organizing frenzies and it feels good. Enjoy the rest of your long weekend. xo