Truly Wonderful Farmhouse

I like the stepped roofline of this white farmhouse. The brick walkway is pretty nice too and the Versailles planter boxes are on my want list. via

Beautiful Rice Fields

Small reflection on rice field by Yongyot_Therdthai Larger version of this incredible photo here.

Sweet Shingled Cottage

It's getting harder and harder for me to find inspiring photos of real cottages that aren't wings of much larger homes. This appears to be a stand-alone dwelling and I love it. via

Winking Coffee Face

I wonder what Mr. Coffee is trying to say? Isn't this a fun way to start your Tuesday morning? 

Wonderful Pantry Cupboard

At first glance, I thought this was a corner cupboard, but it's not. It tapers back slightly, but it's flat across the back. I love it, don't you? The floor to ceiling glazed double doors are fabulous. via

Oatmeal Pancakes, Gluten Free

This is supposed to be the most popular recipe among the contestants on The Biggest Loser.

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup rolled oats, dry
1 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and that's your batter! Cook 'em up like you would any other pancake! They taste like a delightful cross between pancakes and French toast. Butter on top of mine, please.

I am definitely going to make these. The original recipe calls for 6 egg whites. I changed it to 3 whole eggs. Seems a shame to throw away the yolks, doesn't it? You choose. Here's a list of all the recipes from the show. I've never watched it. Since I started eating unrefined whole foods and stopped eating sugar, bread, and cheese, I've lost 15 pounds since Easter. My favorite snack is a large bowl of popcorn -- 1/3 cup popped in coconut oil or avocado oil. I eat the whole thing too with fine sea salt. I put the salt in with the oil in my stovetop popper. It is the only snack on the list of unrefined carbs. 

Prayer of the Woods

Prayer of the Woods. Sign in the Great Swamp in the Morris County portion. In the spirit of Henry David Thoreau.

Dining Room Table Piled High with Books

I think we are all running out of horizontal surfaces for our books and treasures, so why not use the dining room table? via I love these green leather chairs with nailhead trim. 

Asleep on The Sofa

This little one is allowed on her human's sofa. So far, Webster is completely satisfied with his two dog beds in the living room. Sometimes I sneak into the room in the middle of the night and he is always on one of them. He seems to start out on his old one which is big and round and much thinner than his new one. But at some point, he wanders over to the new much thicker one and probably more comfortable.This is usually where he is in the morning. It is actually chilly this morning and I have on long sleeves. It feels sooooo good. Have a great Sunday. xo via

My wild raspberries are ripe.

You don't know what you are missing if you've never tasted a wild one.

I have a bumper crop of wild raspberries this year. I can stand in one spot and pick a cereal bowl full. The cultivated ones in the market can't compare. I just got back from a before breakfast with Webster and I ate quite a few straight off the vines. He still has no interest in my new seating furniture in the living room. He is living up to his Wonder Dog nickname. Have a great weekend and I will too. I am so enjoying this cooler weather with open windows and no air conditioning. I think I have finally caught up on my sleep after being up with Webster and his ailing leg this week. He is definitely 100% cured and we are both so relieved. xo

Splash Away

Have a great weekend! via

Best Tree Swing Ever

What a nice place to sit and swing or stretch out for a nap. Bring your own cushion. via

Webster is Back to Normal Today.

I'm happy to report that today he's back to being his old self. Here is with his paw wrist on an ice bag and keeping it there. He's such a good patient. When he goes down, he goes down hard and then all of a sudden he's perfect again. He never lost his appetite over the past couple of days and he drank plenty of water so I wasn't too worried. We've been down this path many times. I think I'm going to have to start walking him on a leash so he doesn't over exert himself chasing rabbits and such. He is finally able to get comfortable and walk around without a limp. He has a lot of sleep to catch up on now that he can get comfortable on his beds. 

We had the most beautiful weather today with low humidity and a nice breeze with no need for air conditioning. I'm looking forward to getting a good night's sleep without having to get up and check on the wonder dog. I'm way behind on my tv shows too. I hope I can stay awake to watch at least a couple of programs before dreamland calls me. xo

What a Great Country Kitchen

I like it! via

Dogs on Sofa - Ganging up against me!

This ad follows me whereever I go on the internet. I think I told you I had been spending countless hours searching for new seating furniture online. I think it's hilarious that they keep wanting me to click on sofas with dogs sitting on them. There is definitely a spy in my computer.

A Lovely Room

I would prefer a thicker cushion on the chaise and upholstered arms too, please. Anyway, this is a lovely photo of a lovely room. Thankfully, it is cool enough to have my windows open this morning and Webster is better too and he's whining for his breakfast. Off I go to cook the oatmeal. xo

Still Not Touching!

This is becoming a game, I think. How close can he get without touching the new sofa? I'll keep you posted. See previous post for details.

I know there are those who think I am being mean. This was Webster's favorite spot on the floor rubbed up against my old sofa. The body oils he left behind were quite embarrassing. I cannot do this again. I put my old sofas outside near the road on Saturday hoping someone would pick them up. I had to pay someone on Monday morning to haul them away. Tabitha is sitting on a leather chair right now and that's allowed. I don't feel mean at all, just in charge. Webster is happy with two dog beds in the room, one looking out a front window and the other looking out a French door. Tabitha spent most of this rainy day on my bed on a nice blanket. I think my animals are lucky. I finally have a room I can be proud of and I want to keep it that way.

Another view of my living room.

It's really hard to get a good shot of my front to back living room with my iPhone.

As you can see, Webster is on his best behavior. Every time I see him lounging near my new sofas, I can just hear him saying, "I'm not touching." He's such a good dog. So far, Tabitha has walked by them and hasn't been interested in the least. She's happy when I throw her favorite blanket on top of my bed. We had hard rain yesterday and more is predicted today. It's beyond muggy and it looks almost like fog outside. Stay dry. xo

Log Cabin Cottage

This looks very sweet. I love the crisp white paint against the gray wash on the logs. Yes, please. via

Poignant Quote

Remember this quote because you might need it some day. Those of you who need it now will know what it means. via

My Beautiful Loveseats and Lamps

I am still tweeking the living room accessories, working around my two new loveseats and lamps from an estate sale this weekend. The custom pieces are in perfect condition and the fabric is wool mohair. The chunky tapered front legs are reeded.

I bought the loveseats within the first 15 minutes of the sale and left a bid on the lamps. I won the pair of Ralph Lauren lamps on the second day and bought the two throw pillows when I picked them up. I loved the tall lamps but wasn't sure about the pleated blue silk shades but they are growing on me. Both rugs in this room have lots of blue so it really looks nice.

I have really never had any fine upholstered furniture and I'm over the moon with my good luck. I have been searching for replacements for the longest time and poof, here they are. I had to get two local guys to pick up and deliver. They did a great job and were very careful. I hope I end up being worthy of these fine furnishings with my dog and a cat. Webster is in shock and the cat hasn't seen them yet. 

I bought the wonder dog a Ralph Lauren dog bed at the sale and he loves it. He is like a displaced dog with no personal sofa at the moment, or ever again for that matter. I still haven't decided where to put the bed. He likes to have his back against a piece of furniture instead of being a floating island like this. We will work it out. I made him sleep in my room last night and that worked well. Wish me luck. 

Enjoy watching Endeavour on PBS tonight. I watched the pilot episode of George Gently this afternoon and now I understand the background of Episodes 2 and 3 that I've already seen. I absolutely love the series. I watched GG online with the link in my previous post and it was free and great. Be sure to watch it there. Enjoy your Sunday evening. xo

Proceed Gently

Here's an article about this new series that should be coming to your PBS station soon. Inspector George Gently, read here. So far, only 3 episodes have aired in the US. I'm not even sure I watched the first one. You can catch up on Hulu free. I hope you can find it in your area. xo

Heirloom Tomato Tart

Doesn't this look delicious. I've looked everywhere trying to find the recipe with no luck. Recipe for this tomato cheesecake here -- thanks to gkmelton for finding it. Love the photo anyway. I am exhausted from moving furniture and burning up the road. I bought two beautiful loveseats at a house sale, a pair of lamps and a few other things. My living room looks amazing. Photos later. I will be watching inspector George Gently tonight on PBS. Hope you have something that good to watch too. xo

Abandoned Cabin

Abandoned cabin. Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada. via It's so sad when the last person in a family dies without anyone to leave their possessions. This looks like a delightful place, doesn't it? Once loved too.

An Ad for My Welch Air Flight Circulator Fan

Now I love mine even more.

Beautifully styled Welch Air-Flight Circulators solve the problem by making offices amazingly comfortable too. Watch office efficiency go up! • Welch Air-Flight Circulators draw in the cool air from the coolest part of the room — just above thefloor level — and circulate it to ... W. W. WELCH COMPANY Department O Cincinnati 2.

Webster approved. The weather is nice and cool this morning after an early evening storm yesterday. I've been moving my vintage round floor fan around from room to room to circulate the fresh air that's coming in the house through the screens. I finally got my attic windows washed inside and out yesterday and put in the last three screens. They were all taken out last September when my house was painted and I left them in the loft over the garage for the winter. I love open windows much better than air conditioning. Webster likes A/C better so he's very happy about having "his" fan again. Happy Friday.

Shingle Cottage Love

I've always loved a cottage with an entrance on the gable end. This one is especially nice! via

Brown Cat Blanket / Dog and Cat Love

So adorable! More wonderful photos of these two best friends here.

Make your own luck.

I love this and think it's great advice. via

200 Year Old Stylishly Restored Rectory in England

The 200-year-old house, built from Cotswold limestone, sits in a valley in Gloucestershire on a site that has been occupied since the 15th century. The garden has been re-planted by the current owners, who tackle a new project each year, adding two ponds and developing a rose garden, orchard and vegetable garden. The formal garden in front of the house looks out over a wooded valley, part of its seven-acre estate; the small summerhouse behind it was originally built for a footman. View the interior photos here. I wish I could see the footman's cottage too.
photo Simon Brown via The Telegraph

First Autumn Leaf of 2014

I'm always surprised when I see an autumn leaf in the middle of the summer. It is my understanding that real farmers start getting ready for fall right after July 4th so I suppose this leaf is right on time.

Repurposed Doors

Great George Street ~ Liverpool

It must be very confusing trying to get in this building. Which door is the real entrance? What a clever use for salvaged doors. via

A Real Picture Window

The perfect window for the perfect view. via

Mystery Fruit/Vegetable

I saw these in a big bin at an indoor Farm Market recently and wondered what they were. Any ideas?

A Dog and His Fan

Webster always goes to the attic in the early morning hours so he can look out the eyebrow windows. I found this vintage ottoman fan under my antique rope bed that I had completely forgotten about. Its lowest speed is hurricane force and Webster loves it. I usually find him at the top of the stairs in this position. Now he's a cool dog. I'm headed to the bedroom to watch some TV. See you tomorrow. xo

Charming Bathroom

The floor to ceiling window really makes this room! via

A sense of place.

Do you have a sense of place or are you still searching? via Don't give up your current place until you are sure you won't be sorry.

A Sunday Well Spent

I'm going to spend mine well. Hope you will too. via

I can't stop watching this.

See what I mean? Silly parakeet! xo via

Moving Furniture Again

Every time I move a piece of furniture to a new location, I end up spending at least one whole day moving accessories around. This hunt board was downstairs in my mother's sitting room. I moved it into a recessed area in my kitchen and I love it there. My slant front desk used to be in this location and if you remember, I moved that to the living room after having the lid repaired. The same restorers took this piece with them when they delivered the desk. They evened out the color from some water damage and gave it a good French polish. They did such a good job and I'm thrilled. I now have all of my miniatures on ivory displayed together for the first time. I think I need a few more, don't you? The weather is cool and breezy, a rare treat for July. No A/C and all the windows are open so I'm a happy camper and so is Webster. Have a great weekend. xo

Happy July 4th 2014

I took this photo in my kitchen with my iPhone last year to celebrate Independence Day. Here it is again because I still love it and think it's so appropriate. I have eaten three large bags of sweet red cherries in the past couple of weeks and each and every one was delicious. I like them cold and right off the stem rather than cooked, even in a pie. They are my favorite fruit and the season is short so I eat as many as I can! The beaded flag pin is a rummage sale find. We had horrific rain, thunder and lightening last night thanks to Albert but it didn't last very long and I didn't lose power. It's much cooler this morning and still pretty gloomy but it should clear up nicely for evening fireworks. Enjoy the long holiday weekend and I'll do the same. xo