Spring Robins Yesterday @ My Cottage

I saw my first flock of big fat robins hopping around the backyard yesterday. I took this photo last year at my cottage. This beauty landed on one of the pilars on either side of my front walk and posed very nicely for me. I love these birds, the true harbingers of spring.

Goodnight Dear Friends.

Tabitha has already gone to bed and so has Webster. I'm looking forward to watching a movie in mine very soon. Isn't this rabbit the cutest thing ever snuggling up to the cat? Have a good sleep tonight and wake up rested for the weekend! via

Beautiful Landscaping with Grasses

This is so lovely. I'm always drawn to living fences and I love the way these grasses are planted.

autumn grass | wirtz garden ~ jaques wirtz

Good Night. Sleep Tight.

Charles Bridge. Prague, the Czech Republic. Beautiful photo. via

Cat Paw Prints on 15th Century Book

Oh dear. The cat walked in some ink and kept going right over the pages of this 15th century book. I wonder what the scribe thought at the time? Cats will be cats. via

More about Dan Stevens a.k.a. Matthew Crawley

"Downton Abbey" star and British heartthrob Dan Stevens is also the editor-at-large of Junket, a literary quarterly he co-founded.

WSJ image by Fred Harper

Okay, I think I forgive him now and wish him well after reading this rather in-depth article in the WSJ. I did not know he was a scholar and strives to feed his heart and head equally. I did not know he and his wife have two young sons. I did not know he was the elder of two boys adopted by a pair of teachers or that he attended the prestigious Tonbridge School on scholarship. One of his sideline gigs provided Mr. Stevens with the credentials to be chosen as one of five judges for the 2012 Man Booker Prize, the much-vaunted award given annually to the best novel written in English by a citizen of the British Commonwealth and Ireland. Read more A Dan For All Seasons . . . 

Dream Bifold Windows over Kitchen Sink

Have.You.Ever? These are definitely my dream windows in a world without bugs. Actually I don't have much of a bug problem so maybe this would be fine without a screen. I never see flies. Just an occasional wasp or bee and sometimes mosquitoes get in the house and buzz around my head at night. Tabitha would want more of a windowsill so she could sit and look out and sun herself. Photo found here.

Shadows on My Antiquarian Books

The mid-afternoon sun was shining so nicely through the living room window on my bookcase. I love all of my fine leather bindings. The bookcase is pictured on my sidebar. [my photo]

I can't get enough.

Jess the Springer Spaniel feeds an orphaned lamb. Now we know this amazing dog's name. via

Feeding the Lamb in Action

Awwww.               via

Pictorial Recipe for Corn Muffins w/ Cheddar Cheese

Recipe requested by JudyMac.

 

 

 

 

A real southerner would NEVER put sugar in cornbread! I used soymilk. Each muffin had 1/4 slice cheese pieces broken up and inserted randomly. I buy these wonderful thick slices at Costco. Nothing is easier to make from scratch than cornbread but I always use this Indian Head mix (family owned and operated since 1913). It is very inexpensive, something like $1.29 for a whole bag. I used olive oil--added to the batter. I sprayed the muffin cups with grapeseed spray oil because it is tasteless and can stand high heat. You can make a pan of cornbread and use 2 slices of cheese.

Round Brick Cottage

I have been attracted lately to brick cottages and this is the BEST one yet!!!!!!  Don't you love the windows that go all the way to the ground, the pointed roof and four dormers? I would buy this without even seeing the inside or knowing the location. DO WANT! Please call me if it's for sale. via

Corn Muffins with Cheddar Cheese

I baked muffins to take to my office meeting this morning. I put strips of good cheddar cheese in each cup after pouring in the batter so I wouldn't have to bring a stick of butter. They were so good. I didn't have enough batter for the two empty cups. This blue enamel cast iron pan always cooks anything to perfection. It looks black in this photo but it's a beautiful blue with white spatters. I had forgotten all about having it until I discovered it this week when I was organizing the pantry. It has been raining since noon and I was able to take a nice nap after lunch. 

Brick Cottage with Stream and Snow

Yes, please! I would love to wake up in such a place, wouldn't you? The architectural details are wonderful. I would sleep in the room under the peak with the decorative brickwork. via

Library with Brown Leather Sofa

This is a very wonderful room. via

Dan Stevens AKA Matthew Crawley -- Why he left.

Those of you still reeling from the season finale of Downton Abbey will want to read this article about why Season 3 ended so tragically. Spoiler Alert...Don't read if you haven't seen the last episode yet.

As you can see this article is dated December 2012. It was his idea to quit the show. It was a bold move on his part and what was Julian Fellowes to do other than write him out? I think he should have stayed until the show was over, don't you? Unfortunately I read this article when it was written and it was a spoiler for me. From now on, I will try not to read anything about Season 4 in advance. It would have been so much better to be as shocked about the ending as most of you were.

Photo: Paul Stuart - Camera Press

Of course this could all backfire and people will hold his quitting against him and decide not to follow his career. Just a thought. I think he's on Broadway in a play right now. Wonder how it's doing?

Recap of the episode from The Wall Street Journal.

The Great Escape

This vintage photo made me laugh. I just watched Maggie Smith being interviewed on 60 Minutes. Now I am getting ready for the Season Finale of Downton Abbey tonight. It's two hours, thank goodness. Can't wait. Enjoy!!!

Old Woman Who Lived in A Shoe's House

Shoe House, Mpumalanga, South Africa via

All in A Day's Work

So sweet. Dogs are such great helpers. Isn't this a great image to wake up to on a Sunday morning? Enjoy. via

Elegant Kitchen

Jackye Lanham Design, Atlanta GA

This is a very elegant kitchen, isn't it? I love all the antique accessories, especially the silver food domes, serving trays, pepper pots and tea caddies in the cubbies at the end of the island. As I mentioned earlier, I spent two whole days this week polishing silver. There is nothing more beautiful than newly polished antique silver. The pewter chargers on the wall are nice too. This is a beautiful cook's kitchen! Click photo to enlarge. Have a great weekend.