Archive for 2012
Comfort and joy
It’s New Year’s Eve, and we’re keeping it simple. This month has been a blur – a real emotional doozy! And as far as I’m concerned – it’s out with…
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We need a little Christmas
The lyrics of this song have always been uplifting. And just the melody by itself – well it’s one of those tunes that gets stuck in my head and I…
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Silent night, holy night
It’s the night before Christmas, and on the old stonewall in front of the house, not a creature was stirring – just the twinkling of twenty-six candle filled mason jars.…
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Christmas cookies inspired by Sweet Pea
What a tough week. Mega understatement. Here in Newtown, everything has changed. But the overwhelming outpouring of love and good will on our little community has been, and continues to…
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Defining moments
Late Monday I shared a posting that took a long time to compose and took a lot out of me. I was hoping it would be a cathartic moment. And…
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My Newtown
Hello my dear readers. I write today’s posting with a very heavy heart. Here I sit staring at my monitor, writing, re-writing, staring some more, and wondering if this 245-year…
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Holiday cookies: Hanukkah
For all my friends in the midst of celebrating a joyous week of Hanukkah – Happy Hanukkah! This elegant little cookie my Hungarian cousin, Judith, taught me to make earlier this year…
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Last minute dig
I know we’re all in more of a holiday frame of mind, and I do hate to bum out the holly jolly vibe, but just for a moment, I need…
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A birthday cake for Conor
My boy turns 16 today, and I say , “Yikes! How’d that happen?” Every Thanksgiving weekend is Conor’s birthday weekend. This year, as part of the Thanksgiving/Birthday celebration I planned…
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Forcing a favorite: Paperwhites
I love to decorate for the holidays as naturally as possible. And finding just the right mix of planted and cut foliage and flowers is my well-balanced decorating solution. Every…
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Thankfully merry and cozy
Found the early cinnamon brown chintz quilt – with the allover pheasant pattern – folded in a basket at the bottom of the linen closet. I thought it would bring a…
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French Apple Tart – Take 2
A “Happy Thanksgiving” e-mail yesterday from a really lovely lady, Julia, inspires today’s posting. We met a year ago, just before Thanksgiving, when I showed her the blog I was…
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Beautiful self-serve
About a year ago, I took a good hard objective look at my dinnerware – especially my serving pieces. They were all over the place in color and style. Quite…
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Hello Monday!
Azaleas blooming in Connecticut – in November? That’s right. And in my powder room, to boot! I have a pair of freaky miniature Azalea topiaries that bloom twice a year…
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Holiday Into Winter Decorating: Amaryllis
As a rule of thumb, I love to use nature – in some form – in decorating throughout my home. And the beauty in decorating with nature is that I…
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Quiet and cozy
On the 6th day there was light. Hurricane Sandy packed a huge punch, but fortunately our loss of power was the very worst of it. So needless to say, I…
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Hello Sandy!
We’re ready and waiting! We’ve got firewood and board games at the ready, as well as a big pot of freshly simmered spaghetti sauce. Here at Connecticut Country House, we…
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Zooming in at the Met’s New American Wing
This was no ordinary day trip to Manhattan. One of my best friends, Erin (yes, this is the same Erin of Erin’s Zucchini Bread fame, July 19th posting) and I…
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Hello Monday!
Pumpkins and mums – the expected and ordinary fall fare that can be used in an unexpected and extraordinary way. As you come inside Connecticut Country House, I’ve created…
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A smashed and roasted potato kind of day
It’s a gray rainy day here in Connecticut. I was just about to put my finishing touches on my autumnal decor story, when I decided to switch gears to something…
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Simply monogrammed
Whether you’re a fan of fanciful curlicues or crisp uniform lines – there’s a monogram out there for each of us. I guess, depending on my mood, and the nature…
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Hello Monday!
My thinking of dressing for fall goes way beyond my love of chunky sweaters and nubby tweeds – it’s more about dressing up my home; inside and out. And just…
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Ciao Monday!
This morning starts with a word association game. Here goes: When I think of Christopher Columbus, I think of Italy. When I think of Italy, I think of fabulous food.…
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Inspire me
There is an on-going brainstorming session going on within a party of three – that would be me, myself and I. I have a lot of creative ideas, and I…
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Hello Monday!
I think I cut the largest bouquet ever this weekend – it stood almost 4 feet tall! In a teeny-tiny way, it reminded me of a wee smaller (and wilder)…
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