My First Large Screen TV

I took this photo this morning while The Donna Reed Show was playing on the Decades channel. The program was in an old square format and didn't even take up the full screen. The two wide black bands on either side of Mary's face are actually part of the 43" screen.

I worked for days getting the new arrangement just right. I have had only two fires in two years so I decided to hide the fireplace entirely and let my new 43" TV have center stage. I tried several ways of having both but it wasn't possible. I had an old  storm shutter in original blue paint in the garage that covered the opening with more space on either side. I had an antique rectangular heavy wire basket that I used for firewood and I flipped it over to make a TV stand. The two wooden slat feet were perfect for keeping the TV upright and nice and tight and the set looks like it is floating. Two feet came with the set but I didn't have anything wide enough to use as a base and I think my basket looks better anyway. The fireplace fender looks nice in front too. I moved my old pot rack that was next to my desk and I like it nearby for my books and magazines. I always swore I would never have a TV that was the focal point of a room but I don't think this is too overwhelming and I'm enjoying it a lot. The remote has Voice Control. The setup was very easy; the hardest part was getting the back off the remote to insert the included batteries.😂 It has Chromecast built in and Apple Play too. It works with my air antenna by clicking on INPUT. 

 The remote is very simple and easy to use. 

Right now I am watching a really good legal series

on Tubi called THE JURY.

https://tubitv.com/series/300005047/the-jury

My local Walmart had this Vizio TV in stock and the rest is history. I bought it a week ago Friday and the past 10 or 11 days have been spent moving things around so it looks as if it belongs here and now I think it does.

xo

 

My Living Room Slightly Rearranged

This is the corner next to my left French door this Monday morning, the first full day of Daylight Savings Time. I feel a little groggy this morning, still getting used to the new time. There is a big melt going outside as the bright sun works its magic. I moved the floor lamp closer to the desk and put my teddy bear and antique child's chair next to the small bookcase. I had to put it on a slight slant so it wouldn't look so crowded and I like it! March is marching along very fast and I need to buckle down and start working on my taxes. Happy Monday. Have a good week. xo

Daylight Savings Time by Edward Gorey

I didn't remember to set my watch ahead last night and I can attest to this type of confusion. Images and text from @edwardgoreytrust on Instagram

Enjoy the first day of confusion, xo

Big Tree Down in Town

A huge evergreen cane down on Thursday in the high winds.

I took this photo yesterday in the village where my office is located.

The green part of the tree keeps on going. It was VERY tall. If it had fallen over the road it would have taken the power lines and it might have hit the firehouse if it had fallen diagonally. I feel sorry for the homeowners because this is going to be a big cleanup. They are putting an extension on the left side of their old house and this is a disruption they didn't need.

Yesterday was a gorgeous mild day and today it snowed off and on most of the day. Nothing major though. Hope you are having a nice weekend. xo

Sea Birds: Blue-Footed Boobies

Photo by: @dstogs_photography

Photo by:@libor_vaicenbacher

Photo by: @libor_vaivenbacher 

These photos of the world's most unusual seabirds are absolutely fabulous and they make me smile. Three Blue-footed boobies. One bird is a booby. 

All three photos were found on Instagram @exclusive_bird

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca7N-QmqOzt/

Learn more about Blue-Footed Boobies HERE.

Happy Friday! Have a nice weekend. xo

The JOHN THAW STORY on YouTube

John Thaw 1942-2002 

Missed but not forgotten.

I watched his life story and now I love him even more. 

It's 50 minutes long. Be sure and watch if you are a fan.

If you want to go directly to YouTube, here's the link:

The Unforgettable John Thaw Story 

Enjoy!

xo

UPDATE: I found a link for his body of work. He was a very prolific actor/producer and he signed a contract for another film project the day before he died.

John Thaw

Every film or tv series 

in which he appeared or produced. 

Click the link for the list.

Wonderful Snowy Owl Photo

A snowy owl in the snow looking quite snug!

What could be more wonderful?

I had snow all day but it didn't amount to much.

This is a fabulous photo.

found here

xo

Good Night Mr. Tom - Movie with John Thaw

This is a must watch film if you love John Thaw. When I finished all 5 seasons of Kavanaugh QC on Tubi I researched films starring him and I knew immediately this was a movie I would love and I did. It's heartbreakingly beautiful. Click on the link for the film on YouTube: GOODNIGHT MR. TOM 

Pizza Night and Inspector Morse

Does this count as eating my greens?

This frozen pizza was delicious.

A birth announcement is on my toast rack in the background. I found a marble lazy susan and have a new arrangement behind my cutting board. I love rearranging and have been doing quite a bit in the last few days. I'm off to watch an episode of Inspector Morse before I go to sleep. 

I found a link on YouTube for all the full episodes in chronological order. I only watch the ones that say they are one hour and forty minutes+ long. Some are in short increments and I skip those. Every episode of Morse is a complete case that is solved so it's fine to skip. I never even tried those short ones so I don't know why they are so short. See YouTube link below.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLur-u8joYJPGl8rPNN94yLQnZ-VbQGP83

UPDATE: I watched one of the episodes that has a short running time and it automatically went to the next segment until the full episode was finished. So don't be afraid of the short ones. xo

Here's a photo of the pizza box I fished out of my junk mail and paper recycling container I keep just outside my basement door. It is a ShopRite private label called bowl & basket. I will definitely buy it again. It was the best frozen pizza ever. They have other varieties too.

My Snowdrops

I worked outside on this lovely Sunday afternoon cutting back the Limelight hydrangeas and some more general spring cleanup. It's really too early to do very much but it was nice being outdoors. The snowdrops are in full bloom and they are my harbingers of spring and the daffodils will be next.

I recently finished watching all five seasons of Kavanaugh QC on Tubi and loved it. It's on Amazon Prime too. Kavanagh Q.C. is a British Series about a barrister with the designation of Queen's Counsel (hence the title) starring John Thaw. I love all legal dramas, especially the English ones with barristers and judges wearing robes and wigs. I learned John Thaw was the original Inspector Morse and now I am watching and really enjoying all of those old episodes on YouTube. Somehow I missed them when they aired on PBS. I don't think the new Morse on Endeavour can hold a candle to the old Morse! 

xo

Wonderful Door and Architectural Trim

Just.Wonderful.

All of it.

I love the wide mullions.

via

House Tour: A Martha's Vineyard Guest House

If you love this bedroom and everything in it as much as I do, you will love the rest of this guest house featured in New England Home magazine.

https://www.nehomemag.com/a-marthas-vineyard-guest-house

Enjoy! xo

Home Design with GUSTO

I saw this photo in an article here. I saw several of the decorated chests in the article in person at an elegant estate I toured a while ago and immediately fell in love with the designs and wonderful craftsmanship. The shop is in West Palm Beach Florida. More photos from their website below. Quote from the owners, a mother and her two sons -- “We joke that Casa Gusto is our excuse to justify and continue our hoarding.”

A woven wheelbarrow? Swoon.

https://getthegusto.com/casa-gusto/

First You Chop an Onion

This system never fails me. I made the most delicious pot of soup yesterday. I always roughly chop a big onion and see where it takes me. Then I chopped two stalks of celery, half a red bell pepper, peeled and diced a sweet potato, and sautéed these items in avocado oil in my heavy soup pot.  While that was going on, I dumped a large can of whole peeled tomatoes in juice into a mixing bowl. I roughly chopped the tomatoes into chunks using kitchen shears. Yes, I actually picked up each whole tomato and cut it into chunks with scissors! I had been stirring the veggies too. When I finished the tomatoes, I added them to the pot plus a can or two of water. When that came to a boil. I added 1/2 a bag of frozen cut okra. I love okra in vegetable soup but I don't always have it on hand. The last batch I made didn't have it and it was good too. I added two bouillon cubes and a generous amount of Worcester Sauce and sprinkled a lot of Goya All Purpose Seasoning on top. I filled with water almost to the top and brought it up to a boil. Then I put a lid on top and simmered it for a while until the sweet potatoes were done. I sat down with a big bowl and went back for seconds for my dinner last night. I will have it for lunch today and dinner too. You can use any vegetables you want. And keep adding more when the volume goes down after a few meals. I might add a big white potato cut into chunks tomorrow. I have frozen peas and frozen corn I could add also but for now I love the current mix of veggies I used yesterday. Are you a soup lover too. I usually have to add a little salt to each bowl to get it seasoned perfectly for my taste. 

I heated it up this morning.

I got this small Le Creuset Dutch Oven at a garage sale long ago for almost no money. It was missing its lid and needed a good scrubbing. I thought I had a glass lid at home that might fit and I did! This is my GO TO soup pot.

Now I can't wait until lunch!

I shouldn't have heated it up so early.

The house smells delicious.

xo

March Lamb + Bathroom Repair DIY

March is coming in like a lamb at my house with a whole week of unremarkable weather. That means it will go out like a Lion!

I have been busy with a DIY repair in my bathroom that took the better part of Monday but ended successfully. I kept the original fixtures in my first floor bath, the corner tub and the American Standard toilet. I have never had a problem with my Kohler tub from the late 1930s but I have a problem with the other fixture on a regular basis. It's always the same thing. The tank ball. The rod gets bent, stuck, or something similar. This time another piece broke that guides the bulb's rod to the proper flushing place. I got a replacement ball at the hardware store and it was a perfect fit. Now to make it go up and down and stop in the proper slot without the broken guide. I finally got it to work perfectly without calling a plumber. It only set me back $4.25 and a chain I already had. The secret was to keep cutting the last bead at the end of the chain until there was no slack since the rod wasn't quite long enough. Success!!! I'm so happy I never give up.

This photo shows the work in progress.

There is another tool box involved that isn't in this photo.

Wonderful Figural Antique Food Choppers

Aren't these wonderful? 

Wouldn't they make food chopping more fun? 

Folk Art at its finest!

photo source

February flew by, didn't it?

Happy last day!

xo

The Art of Simplicity

"The ordinary arts

we practice every day

at home are of more

importance to the soul

than their simplicity

might suggest."

Thomas Moore

 1779-1852

Isn't this illustration just perfect for the quote by Thomas Moore? I found it on Pinterest. You might want to learn more about this Irish poet, prose and lyrics writer in this biography here.

Dog Toy in Washing Machine

I was cleaning my desktop of all the screenshot I have saved recently and ran across this one I hadn't shared. Here's your Saturday smile. His face says volumes as he sits, waiting for the buzzer. Will his owner hang his  bunny outside or put it in the dryer? Poor dog♡😂 Have a great weekend. xo

Ice Storm

I don't need to go out until all the ice melts this afternoon and the snow turns to rain. Be safe if you have ice too. xo

Delightful Cottage with House Plans

This twilight view shows the porch wraps around both sides.

Isn't this absolutely charming?

Click HERE for house plans and variations.

Plans sold on Etsy for $99.00

Click down the left column for more photos and interior views.

It is called Cotton Blue Cottage.

xo

Bedroom Perfection

This is almost exactly the way I stack my pillows for watching TV in bed. The short long one goes behind my back. Mine has a white pillowcase I made for it. I have to put all but one pillows on a chair before I turn off the light to go to sleep. I love this bedroom, don't you? Found here.

Chiaki Ogada Children's Book Illustrator

Japanese children's book illustrator, Chiaki Ogada.

I found the image above here and looked around for more on google images for those below. All of the books are in Japanese so you will have to use your imagination when viewing the pictures.

Chiaki Ogada, Encounter

Chiaki Ogada, Soon to Come

Chiaki Ogada, Stuffed Doll

They are all wonderful, aren't they?

xo

Favorite Purse: Other Side

I turned my purse around and there is a pheasant on the other side rather than another dog as I reported in the previous post. This is the "main" side showing the name of the designer.

PIERRE FREY

PARIS

I found a similar purse on "poshmark" with horses that sold originally for $450.00 and it was sold after being marked down to $50. I paid $40 for mine in a resale shop ages ago. That is a huge amount for me to pay for a handbag but it has held up beautifully and I still love it♡

 Happy Presidents' Day.

Presidents Day, the third Monday of February, is popularly recognized as honoring the birth month of two of the country's most prominent presidents — George Washington (February 22) and Abraham Lincoln (February 12). I liked it better when it was two separate holidays instead of a day for shopping.

Favorite Purse with Dog Portrait

There is another dog on the back but this one is my favorite. I never put this purse away but hang it on various places. It was on the bedpost but now it's on the doorknob. I was amazed to hear this morning that daylight savings time is coming back soon (March 13th). We often have some of our worst winter weather in March so there will be more sun to melt the snow. Enjoy the long Presidents Day weekend. xo

Seed Saving Envelope 2022

Gail, northern California

This is the best I could do.

I lost all of my old patterns and the software

to create them when my desktop computer

crashed years ago. I did pasted 22 on top of

one I already had printed. It's not exactly

the same size but it's close

xo, Rosemary

Cat Igloo with Cat Sculpture in Austria

Happy Caturday (from Austria)

Details in the screenshot below.

Photo found here.

Isn't this wonderful? Have a great weekend. xo

Maine Workshop Transformation

A barn-like workshop in Falmouth, Maine was transformed into a one bedroom dwelling. Isn't it simply charming? I wish I could see the before photo! I found it on Instagram @mainehomedesign

Brick Manor House

This is total perfection to my eyes. The design of the house is really wonderful and the brickwork is masterfully executed. The surrounding landscaping and driveway approach were nicely laid out too. Imagine living in a house with six chimneys!

I did a little research and I believe this is a new house designed after Bacon's Castle, the oldest surviving brick dwelling in America in Surry County Virginia. See photos and I think you will agree.

Click here for numerous photos of this museum.

Bacon's Castle has been closed for for interior tours while they were cleaning but will open again in March. This is definitely a "must see" house tour if you visit Virginia. xo