Archive for 2015
Foodie Friday: Blueberry Bread
A real go-to recipe of mine is a simple (simply delicious) Blueberry Bread, that is perfect to serve with coffee in the morning at Connecticut Country House. Give it a…
Keep ReadingHodge Podge
…Lodge – my term for “a mess”. My hanging spice shelf embodied that term big time! You know, it’s one of those spots in the kitchen that truly ends up…
Keep ReadingGetting Hammered
There’s a relay race going on right now at Connecticut Country House, with one (or 2 or 3) woody-stemmed shrubs blooming at the same time. Their volume, color, and scents…
Keep ReadingIn Honor Of Memorial Day
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” – Joseph Campbell Love, Nora
Keep ReadingGood Enough To Serve
Collecting woven serving trays is a great idea. Anything you serve on one instantly says naturally casual. Don’t be afraid to mix and match styles, colors, materials, and sizes. Nesting…
Keep ReadingThe Understated Filler
Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla Mollis) is one of my favorite perennial cottage garden plants. These low maintenance plants are a perfect solution for edging your garden in a full sun to…
Keep Reading
A New Day
“The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance – and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take…
Keep Reading
Run for the roses
Roses are always a good idea – in any shape or form. Here’s a fabulous new recipe my friend Holly shared with me. One look at these absolutely gorgeous apple…
Keep Reading
A bank of gold
If you were to ask me what one of my favorite plantings at Connecticut Country House is, I would have to start with the forsythia. I think my love of…
Keep Reading
The Governor Stephen Hopkins House gardens
A walk through the gardens of the Governor Stephen Hopkins House is well worth it, even if it’s early in the season. On a recent trip to Providence, Rhode Island,…
Keep Reading
My neck of the woods
The way I celebrate Earth Day is to take care of my neck of the woods. And I mean that literally. I live on a beautifully scenic road in Connecticut,…
Keep Reading
Portrait: Bitty Birdie Design
The Country House lifestyle is all about comfort and joy, and one of the most comforting things I can imagine is a beautifully handmade quilt made up of something very…
Keep Reading
Foodie friday:Chicken Soup Love
Nothing tastes better (and more comforting) than a bowl of homemade chicken soup served up really hot. A couple of weeks ago I was as sick as a dog, so…
Keep Reading
For the love of gingham
One look in my clothes closet (and around Connecticut Country House) and you’ll see that I have a thing for gingham checks. So when Country Curtains (who are simply crazy for…
Keep Reading
A little note
Wishing you and your family a beautiful Easter holiday. Enjoy! Love, Nora
Keep Reading
The pretty powder room
This weekend, all our Easter festivities will be based in our hub, the kitchen, where we’ll be initially gathering, while enjoying nibbles and sips as we’re cooking. The keeping room…
Keep Reading
Faux support
I love those “Aha!” moments….don’t you? There I was standing in a long check out line at Home Goods, pretty much obligated to look at all the little odds and…
Keep Reading
Need a little spring inspiration?
Spring is here! The season has finally arrived (even though there’s snow visible from every Connecticut Country House window) as well as our Spring 2015 Nora Murphy Country House Style…
Keep Reading
Top o’ the mornin’!
Setting a table for St. Patrick’s Day is the best way to kick off spring (or at least puts me in the right state of mind!). For the NoraMurphyCountryHouse.com spring…
Keep Reading
Foodie Friday: A snowy day pot roast
Driving home on snowy roads. Trudging through the slushy snow walkway to the back door. Juggling multiple bags and keys at the door. Noticing that the door is warping from…
Keep Reading
A girl can dream…
It’s 13 below this morning here in the hollow at Connecticut Country House, and I’m catching myself daydreaming about spring, and about that certain smell and feel of fresh earth…
Keep Reading
Foodie Friday: Allspice Crumb Muffins
One of my favorite bakers is Dorie Greenspan. About a year ago, I had discovered one of her videos on the New York Times online food section, and fell in…
Keep Reading
Cozy up with your honey
For Valentine’s Day (or any time really), you just need a few ingredients (actually I came up with 10) to create a special little dinner for 2. Gather in a…
Keep Reading
Foodie Friday: Murph’s Potato Leek Soup
It’s 5 below in Newtown this morning, and I’m chilled to the bone! This kind of frigid weather calls out for one thing (other than summer!) – a bowl of…
Keep Reading
Surviving a blizzard Country House style
What happens when a crazy busy schedule meets “The Blizzard of 2015”? I feel it’s nature’s way of saying “time-out”! (Sadly, I need a blizzard to make me stop and…
Keep Reading