Archive for 2015
My Weekend Project
The cucumbers in the kitchen garden are growing out of control! So you know what I’m doing this weekend…cranking out jars of Jack’s Pickles. I’ve shared this recipe before, but…
Keep ReadingA Solemn Day
Like every American, I remember exactly where I was on that clear, bright blue morning of Tuesday, September, 11, 2001. I will never forget. My heart, thoughts, and prayers, go…
Keep ReadingKitchen Garden Centerpiece
The season is changing, and the blooming is beginning to wind down in the gardens of Connecticut Country House. Instead of relying on flowers for an arrangement, I often will…
Keep ReadingSo Long Summer
Wow. That was quick! While not the official, official end of the season, Labor Day signifies a close to a lot of activities that I associate with the carefree style…
Keep ReadingFoodie Friday: Oven-Roasted Tomato Spread
To put our kitchen garden’s haul of ripe tomatoes to use, my intent was to whip up batch of salsa to bring to a family picnic. Just before pulsing the…
Keep ReadingBye Bye Birdie
I’ve been dreading this week for some time now. My boy, my one and only, beautiful, sweet boy, is leaving the nest to head off to college. This rite of…
Keep ReadingWelcome September
I looked at my calendar today and just stared. Holy moly. It’s September 1st! When did that happen? It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. I’ve been following school buses…
Keep ReadingMagic’s In The Air
“Wind chimes in your yard will serenade garden creatures – squirrels, fairies and angels.” – Unknown Who needs music playing outside when you’ve got a simple capiz shell wind chime…
Keep ReadingLate Summer Garden
It’s a bittersweet time for me as a die-hard gardener. I love autumn, but I have to be honest that I have a hard time letting go of summer! It’s that…
Keep ReadingQuite A Pair
For me, the bigger and wilder the topiaries – the better! Here, a mature pair of Myrtle topiaries add weight, scale, and a whole lot of attitude to this understated,…
Keep ReadingSpread The Love
“Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to garden, and the whole neighborhood gets tomatoes.” – Unknown Ain’t it the truth… Happy gardening! Love,…
Keep ReadingSunflower Power
I love sunflowers; they make me happy. When cut and used for decoarting a table or a room, this flower can project 2 very different looks depending on the season.…
Keep ReadingA Little Luster
Just a few well chosen accents, in soft golds, adds a touch of warmth and elegance to the serene bedroom of my dear friend and designer, Marta Eriquez. Flanking a…
Keep ReadingSeek And Ye Shall Find
Whenever given the opportunity to go out and about, I like to keep an eye out for English transferware. Whether poking around an estate sale, flea market or antique shop,…
Keep ReadingRuffles Have Ridges
“And the potter said unto the clay, ‘be ware’, and it was . . . . .” – George E. Ohr Smile and have a beautiful Monday! Love, Nora
Keep ReadingFoodie Friday: Murph’s Pulled Pork
My stomach is rumbling as I write this recipe. I need this. You need this. Everyone does. Give me a hearty helping of succulent, melt-in-your mouth shredded pork, served on…
Keep ReadingA Charming Mix
There’s something very charming about putting together a place setting using mismatched antique monogrammed silverware. I love mixing up different patterns with the odd pieces that I’ve collected over the…
Keep ReadingWalk This Way
The shrubs and perennials that spill onto the pathway to our main entry, the back door, are a delight to the senses. Springtime greets you with the sweet scent of…
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Set Sail
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones that you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail…
Keep ReadingAnatomy Of A Kitchen Garden
A few years ago, we had yet another rough Connecticut winter. Our kitchen garden took a major hit. The wobbly chicken wire fencing that, in better days, served to keep…
Keep ReadingFoodie Friday: Pretty And Peppery
Flanking the back gates of the kitchen garden, I have large patches of nasturtium. They didn’t start out that way, and I’m partially to blame. Some plants have decided to…
Keep ReadingMrs. Bona’s Rule Of Thumb
Growing up on Melville Avenue in Fairfield, Connecticut, my best friend Suzy lived right across the street. Our houses were of a 1920’s vintage, and as was custom of that…
Keep ReadingA Touch Of Summer
Sometimes a little spot that you pass by every day needs a simple touch that reflects the season. The soft color palette of this entryway is reminiscent of warm sand…
Keep ReadingRuby Tuesday
The summertime ritual of picking and eating warm, luscious raspberries right off the bush, without fail, returns my mind to fond kidhood memories of growing up in Connecticut. For what…
Keep ReadingSummer’s A Beach
“Summer: Hair gets lighter. Skin gets darker. Water gets warmer. Drinks get colder. Music gets louder. Nights get longer. Life gets better.” – Unknown Here’s to a never-ending summer! Love,…
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