Inga Moore: Animal Interior Design

Badger certainly has a beautiful home. I love illustrations featuring interior design by animals. The Wind in The Willows by Kenneth Grahame, illustration by Inga Moore via

Round Leaves: Hydrocotyle Verticillata

I love plants with round leaves. via Hydrocotyle verticillata, also known as whorled pennywort, whorled marshpennywort or shield pennywort, is a flowering plant found in South and North America and the West Indies.

Old Gardening Tools are The Best

I always reach for a vintage gardening tool first. I have quite a few and they are tried and true. via

s...NO...w

I honestly couldn't believe my eyes when I awoke this morning. It is noon now, and the snow has stopped and the temperature is rising. Somebody needs to push the reset button for spring. What a difference a day makes. At least the Easter weather was nice for egg hunts and driving. The poor travelers today aren't so lucky even though the melting has already begun.

Mac and Cheese to take to Easter Brunch

I made this Mac and Cheese yesterday and took it out of the refrigerator early this morning to get it down to room temperature. It's in the oven right now heating through and hopefully browning on top. I might have to put it under the broiler for that step. All the ingredients were completely cooked so heating up is all that's necessary. I used this recipe found online. I used a shredded cheese mixture called Fiesta Blend. I have never purchased already shredded cheese in my life and the giant 5-pound bag should last for a very long time. I made the cream sauce, added the 3 cups of cheese and poured the whole thing in my baking pan. The sauce tasted delicious and very cheesy so I skipped the step calling for more cheese in a center layer. I put it all on top.

I haven't eaten cheese in a couple of months, so this will be a real treat for me. I made my cranberry, pineapple, jello dish without the nuts to take to a dinner later. That link will take you to a blog post showing Webster, the wonder dog and it contains another link that will take you to a post with photos of my mom. So bittersweet.

I weighed myself this morning and I'm hoping I don't pack on too much weight but that's probably wishful thinking.

I did have to put it under the broiler. Here's the finished product, ready to pack in my carrying basket. HAPPY EASTER. Enjoy your day. See you later. xo

Vintage Easter Attire

This vintage Easter postcard perfectly illustrates the Easter Sundays of my childhood. My brother and I always had new outfits, head to toe. My dear mother probably made my dress and if the weather was cold enough to have to wear a coat to cover it up, I was heartbroken. When my brother was young, she made a lot of his clothes too. I can remember one year when he refused to wear the suit she made him because she made the buttons go on the "girl" side. He was positive everyone would notice this detail and make fun of him. In later years, I can remember putting the finishing touches on the outfits I made myself, usually just under the wire, time wise. My mother was always available to help pin up the hem at the end.

Are you planning an Easter Egg hunt for the children in your lives? The weather here is going to be perfect. xo

Mountain Retreat in Cashiers NC

Children's dining nook. See more photos:

A fresh take on cottage style yields a winsome mountain retreat in Cashiers, North Carolina.

Easter Baskets for You

I made this for you on on my phone. It is a gloomy rainy day and I was feeling a little creative. 

Powering Up for Easter Egg Deliveries

Easter Bunny, eating his greens in preparation for Sunday's deliveries in all the Easter baskets. via

The Keeping of Bees

Wonderful Woodcut by Horse and Hare

1920s Six Room Colonial + Floor Plans

This wonderful colonial home from the 1920 is still very timely today. Photographed from a wonderful book "500 Small Houses of the Twenties" compiled by Henry Atterbury Smith. This was a surprise gift from my friend JudyMac and I couldn't love it more. I love looking at homes from this period and will share my favorites from time to time. Thanks, Judy! xo

Click photo to enlarge. 

Lovely Lavender Topiary

Soon we will be able to change our woolen mittens for gardening gloves. Don't you love this lavender topiary? I surely do! via

Coziest Reading Corner Ever

This has got to be the most well thought out reading nook ever. I do wish I could see the rest of the sunroom because I know I would love everything. via I would be searching for the companion ottoman because like to have my feet propped up and a little TV would be nice as well. The secretary desk would serve as a home office making this little library the the perfect multi-purpose room. xo

Contemporary Snowy Owl Tavern Sign

Fabulous work by Heidi Howard

New Season: CALL THE MIDWIFE

NEW SEASON BEGINS TONIGHT ON PBS

Tonight on PBS, Season 7 of Call the Midwife begins. There are two episodes back to back. The first one begins at 8PM and the second on at 9PM. I had no idea until a friend alerted me so I could watch or record. Check your local listings. You're welcome!

Built-in Beds in Similar Small Rooms

This sleeping chamber is in one of the bedrooms belonging to India Hicks and David Flint Wood. See more photos inside their charming English Country House. Enjoy the wonderful tour.

This one confuses me no end. Maybe it's another bedroom in the same manse in Oxfordshire, though it's not pictured in the article in Architectural Digest. I found this photo here. 

Eggshell Seed Starters

Somebody got an early start just in time for the perfect Easter decoration. I love the idea of using eggshells instead of peat pots, egg cartons, or other less attractive choices. via

Carmine The Crow by Heidi Holder

Hmmmmm. So this is what a crow does with all the small, shiny things he collects. via 

published 1992

Generous Carmine the crow shares his wishing stardust with all of the sad creatures in the forest until he is left with only a single grain to help him grant his own wish. 

Here is a reader review: "Generous Carmine the crow shares his wishing stardust with all of the sad creatures in the forest until he is left with only a single grain to help him grant his own wish."

Children's book for ages 5-8

Country Lane in The Cotswolds UK

This country lane in the Cotswolds is my favorite kind of rural road. Photo by Ianw Stokes. As we ride out the last snows of winter, let the mud season begin. I am beyond ready! xo

Young Princess Elizabeth with Her Father

Three year old Princess Elizabeth cuddling up to to her father George VI. I adore this photo. via

Bird Drinking from a Fountain

via

The storm is over. The sun is out. My car is melting with no help from me. I am going to wait until the warmest part of the day to clean my walk and finish clearing the snow from my car. I am pleased we didn't get as much as was predicted, only about 4 inches. Not bad at all.

My Cottage Kitchen w/ Farm Table

I refuse to take any photos of Mother Nature's current temper tantrum aka known as Toby and Foureaster. Instead I took this photo of my kitchen. I finished my taxes on Monday and have put away all the papers and files I had spread out in categorized piles on my farm table. What a relief to have that task behind me for another year. 

The storm hasn't been bad so far (only a couple of inches) but the fine snow is supposed to continue for possibly another 12 hours. I'll give you an update tomorrow morning.

I watched a great movie on Netflix last night -- TULIP FEVER. 

Click here to view the video if you cannot see it above.

Settling-In - Chris Dunn: Badger, Wind in the Willows

"Settling-In" watercolor by Chris Dunn. 

Badger, Wind in the Willows

This is what I will be doing today as Toby, the 4th Nor'easter in 3 weeks plays outside. It is 8:30 on Tuesday morning and the very fine snowflakes are starting to fly at a pretty rapid pace. I am prepared to ride out this storm and hope for the best, but I'm prepared for the worst. Stay snug and warm if this storm is ruining the first whole day of spring for you too. 

I love this charming illustration and have always loved animal interiors in children's books. Mr. Badger has certainly done a wonderful job decorating his burrow under the roots of a large tree. The articles in The Woodland Times look like very interesting reading for a snowy day. xo

Sag Harbor Kitchen to Love

Click here to view the entire house project in Sag Harbor, NY by S. R. Gambrel, Architect. The kitchen is wonderful, isn't it? A farmtable instead of an island shows great restraint in design. Give me a chair instead of a stool any day.

Old Mansion: Not Too Big

I love this small English Manor house! The architectural details are simply wonderful. via 

My Cookbooks

Someone requested a photo of my cookbook collection. I took this photo this morning and there are still some spiral-bound local private press cookbooks that won't fit on this bookcase under the counter in my pantry. I must confess, I don't use most of them with any regularity but I still like having them. Once in a while, I curate them for donating and I need to do this again soon. I have been eating real food with no additives for a couple of months now, following Michael Pollan's advice:

Pollan says everything he's learned about food and health can be summed up in seven words:
"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." Read more on his website.

This was yesterday's Instagram photo and I ate the same thing for breakfast this morning. As you all know, I have been making homemade soymilk yogurt in my Instant Pot since before Christmas. I use Westsoy organic unsweetened that comes in a box and is shelved. It contains only two ingredients: whole organic soy beans and filtered water. This breakfast bowl has one peeled kiwi fruit and one clementine as toppings. I have another cup of this delicious yogurt after dinner every night, eaten plain. I could never find a plain commercial yogurt in the past that was delicious enough to eat that way.

This all started when I listened to a segment on NPR with Melissa Clark singing the praises of the Instant Pot with its built-in yogurt setting. Then I got her cookbook, Dinner in an Instant, with recipes. That's where I learned about soymilk with no additives. And the rest is history. I was hooked.

I decided to follow Pollan's advice as well. My immune system has improved greatly and I haven't been sick with a cold or sore throat since October. This is amazing, especially since the flu season was so bad this year. I was beginning to be very concerned with my personal health and was coming down with way too many colds that went to my chest and lingered way too long. They say 90% of your immune system is located in your gut and I am positive the probiotics in the yogurt have helped mine immensely and I have lost some weight as an added bonus.. I am almost afraid to say that last part out loud. Fingers crossed this will continue by eating this way. See you later. xo