dreaming of a white christmas

or maybe I don't have to dream...

It's snowing here in Massachusetts.

And there's absolutely nowhere I have to be

but home,

homemade cocoa... see the cinnamon stick? :)

 with Matt upstairs and my little bunny by the tree.

Is it snowing where you are?

xoxo

rainy days to slow us down

Today it rained. And rained. And rained. It's still raining... a quiet, dark night kind of rain. This is the last weekend home before we leave for France, so there were many much-needed outdoor chores to be done, but thanks to mother nature, we ended up having a very sllllooooooow, nap-py kind of day. This is fine because I had quite an uncharacteristically busy work week, which found me in and out of Pittsburgh one day, in Connecticut the next and on endless teleconferences the last. Next week will be similar, so I welcomed this sleepy kind of day.

We were able to get our new cedar Adirondack chairs put together and sanded, though the rain prevented us from painting them. Nothing says relaxation to me like the sight of two Adirondack chairs, overlooking a fabulous view on a summer's weekend evening. With a nice glass of wine, though that will have to wait until next summer. We also spent a lot of time sleeping, grazing, watching the UK/ USA Worldcup game, and having quiet time with Luna (which basically consists of the three of us sitting on a floor in a circle, staring at each other, until Luna does something doggy-gross, that breaks the circle and causes us to go back to whatever we were doing prior:)).

Like I said, we have been grazing. And one of my favorite ways to eat is this very European-style way of eating. Eating light, hors d'oeuvresy type foods, fresh meats, cheeses, fruit, with crackers and different types of mustard-y dips. I could eat every meal like this, and I believe that I say those exact words every time we eat a meal like this:).

I've started reading 'The Middle Place', which I'm really enjoying. I've been meaning to read it for months now.

I wonder... what are you doing this weekend? Is it raining where you are? Enjoy the weekend :).

a weekend at home

We have nothing planned this glorious weekend. Nada. Zip. Noth-ing. And so far it's been absolutely fabulous:).

We started our Saturday morning with cheese & chive eggs; chives from the garden. There is nothing sweeter to me than eating fresh, delicious food out on our back deck on a sunny weekend morning with some jazzy tunes playing in the background.

Ms. Lu was given a bath- the first use of the outdoor shower this season. She wasn't as thrilled as I'd hoped, but she's now fluffy & clean, which means that mama is thrilled;). And I always love the way she looks when she's wet- so small and vulnerable:).

I've been doing a lot of gardening on the weekends, and today was no exception. We haven't been able to harvest anything yet, other than the chives, which grow like weeds, but things are looking good:).

Early Girl Tomatoes

Baby Persian Cukes (aka 'green fingers')

Super Sugar Snap Peas

Sweetie Baby Romaine Lettuce

This little dragonfly in the photo above chilled out on my chives to keep me company the whole time I was in the garden. He even let me get a close-up shot. In return, I gave him some chives:).

And this sweet little mama is one of my favorites. She (or one of her relatives?) stops by this nest every year to lay her eggs and send her little ones off into the world. I'm always amazed at the concentration and efforts that mama birds put into tending to their young. It's what they live for. She didn't even flinch when I took the photo.

I wish you all an enjoyable weekend, wherever you are.

xoxo

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow.....

Was I not just saying that ‘spring is right around the corner’? I should know better. Today was supposed to find me driving to Connecticut for work, but due to this crazy little end-of-February storm, I re-scheduled my visit and will be working from my couch, with a pot of freshly ground coffee and warm pjs:). I took a few snowy photos to share with you (from inside, of course). I hope this day finds each of you warm & cozy;).




xoxo

The history of a bike basket, abridged

Matt and I have started a New England island summer-getaway tradition. After we married in 2008 we escaped to Nantucket for a week of relaxation. In 2009, we spent time on Martha’s Vineyard and this year we’re going to Block Island for the first time (dog-friendly island, so Miss Luna will be joining us). Each year we take our bikes with us on the ferry and spend the week exploring the chosen island (there’s always a photo or two of Matt’s departing back, as he’s usually biking along in front of me while I stop to take photos of every turtle and snail that I can find:)).

I’ve wanted an official, grown-up bike basket for as long as I remember. I made this my mission while on Martha’s Vineyard last summer. It took us a full day to find the right one, but I knew as soon as I saw it that we were meant to be together for a very long time. It’s proven quite handy, holding towels, wallets, cell phones; I’ll even throw the occasional flower in there if I'm feeling crazy;).

I couldn’t stand the thought of my lovely basket sitting in the basement this winter, so I’ve decided to put it to use in the house as a book basket. I must say that I quite like it and come summer I may have to find a new bike basket all over again.

xoxo,

Blair

Nature Table #1 (a taste of Massachusetts in the winter)

Luna and I went out for our first nature walk this morning. Dawn, over at May All Seasons Be Sweet to Thee, came up with the lovely idea of sharing worlds through our nature walks. Being that we’re covered in snow here in Massachusetts, I thought I’d have to get creative to find beauty. But I found that when I was looking for it, I didn’t have to look very far. So, here is a little piece of charming New England, from my home to yours.



xoxo,

Blair

I’ve been fascinated with the birds that flitter around our yard, so I decided to leave some seed out for them this winter. The first few days I was saddened to find that the birds wanted nothing to do with the feast. Then one day when I was at work, Matt called to tell me that the birds had taken over the yard. Sure enough, when I got home I was delighted to find that our bird feeder was covered with birds of all sizes. Word ended up spreading fast. Unfortunately, the base of the feeder is now hanging by a thread (we’ll have to fix that), but it doesn’t seem to be keeping the birds from snacking. They just huddle together on the snow-covered ground and munch away. Now we get to enjoy our morning coffee while looking out our picture window at the lovely little creatures (as our lovely little indoor monster stares longingly out the window, pawing for us to let her out. Guess you can’t please ‘em all :)).