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 could 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.




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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.

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

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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 $10 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

Download 2011 Calendar here. My newest post.

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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