Sunday, December 30, 2012

Bright New Year!

 
 
Our winter red-bellied woodpecker is back once again bringing with him some nice bright color on this wintry day.

 
While Mister Cardinal in all his bright red finery likes to grace us year round.

 
We’re blessed in New England during the winter with not only bright colorful birds but also with orange berries popping out begging to be seen against the snow.
 
 
 
As we’re about to embark on a bright New Year Dylan is definitely not going to be looking back…..
 

But forward to all the new adventures that await us.
 
I feel so grateful for all the friendships I’ve made throughout the years and blessed that you’ve invited me into your lives through your blogs. I want to thank each and every one of you for your support and friendship and wish all of you a bright, healthy and Happiest of New Years going into 2013!
 
Much Love to you all!
 
XXX
~Debra~
 

Sunday, December 23, 2012

A Christmas Wish

 
 
Has it really been a month since I last posted? Please forgive me and I owe a bunch of emails to people and those are coming over the next few days. Work has kept me busy nonstop, tis the season! But I’ve stop for the next week to enjoy this wonderful season. We have been busy decorating our home with all natural things and this mantel was hugely inspiring with it’s sugared pomegranates and live trees.
 

 
I’ve dragged out my antique mercury glass……
 
 
And wrapped the gifts........
 

 
 Now it's time to get some serious baking accomplished!
 


Before I go have some fun in the kitchen I wanted to take this moment to wish each and every one of you both new and old followers a Happy and Joyous Holiday Season!
 
Enjoy the magic of the Season!
 
XXXOOO!
~Debra~

Monday, November 19, 2012

New Obsession....Laurel Wreath Awards



I first got a little obsessed with laurel wreaths when Amy Howard posted about her collection. Trust me I spent a few days searching far and wide for one of these little gems to no avail. There’s just something about then that drew me in big time!


Then I saw this image on pinterest and I thought there might be some hope in finding a laurel wreath of my very own. “Leaf crowns and "sprays" were used in France, Holland and Belgium to award people for their achievements or services, as our trophies do. There were sprays of leaves hung on doors, pinned on clothing and sometimes in the form of a wreath crown.”

"A laurel wreath is made from the branches and leaves of the laurel tree and is worn on the head as an emblem of victory. It has been worn by winners of games and competitions like the Olympics and also worn by important people throughout history. Today, it is an award for winning a championship or commemorating an important event."
 

A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel, an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. Now I know what a bay leaf looks like but if you’ll notice the wreaths seem to have oak leaves intermixed as well so I got curious as to why.

The story goes: The use of this wreath comes from the Greek myth involving Apollo, Zeus’ son and the god of life and light, who fell in love with the nympe Daphne. When he pursued her she fled and asked the river god Peneus to help her. Peneus turned her into a laurel tree. From that day, Apollo wore a wreath of laurel on his head.


The use of oak leaves symbolized wisdom, and were associated with Zeus, who according to Greek mythology made his decisions while resting in an oak grove. Since Zeus was Apollo’s Dad that’s how the two leaves were mixed together. As you can see from this bridal wreath crown they also used the berries from the laurel plant and acorns from the oak tree.
 
 

 

You would think these little laurel leaf wreath awards would be easier to find then something carved out of wood and gold leafed but luckily I found a few that are going on my Christmas wish list. Since Mister man reads my blog…Oh honey!
 
 
I was trying very hard not to collect anything new but I can’t help myself and got my collection started off with two small finds. Two 19th century stamped copper awards from France with of course Laurel wreaths!
 
So who out there shares my love of laurel wreaths? Or what else might you collect?
 
The holiday Season is just around the corner starting this week with Thanksgiving. I would like to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
 
XXX
~Debra~
 

 

 

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Quiet Calm


 
We woke this morning to a brisk wind and our first snowfall of the year thanks to a nor’easter coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. After last weeks Sandy and a week without electricity we’ve been praying this storm would be mild. All of our leaves are off the trees thanks to Sandy except this one little bit of new growth hanging onto its colorful leaves.

 
There’s a certain kind of quiet calm and a sense of peace with the first snow of the year.


We were also lucky enough to wake up to a ten-point buck feasting on one of the deer blocks we place out for them as a treat. We knew he was in the area from certain traces he has left behind and this morning we were graced by his presence.
 
 
So the first order of business this morning was to crank up our wood stove and get a toasty fire going for the day.

 
This guy on the other hand hates the heat and is very happy to spend his time playing out in the snow.
 
Please keep the people hardest hit by Sandy in your thoughts and prays. While this first snowfall is beautiful a lot of these people have no home and only the clothes on their back and this storm is going to be hard on them.
 
I hope you all are safe and warm and enjoying your week!
 
XXX
~Debra~

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Fall with Tina over at The Enchanted Home


 
Who of us doesn’t love autumn and all that it offers? Tina over at the enchanted home  has invited me over today to share what I love most about fall.

 
I can’t get enough of the rich jewel toned colors……


Or kicking back with a bowl of homemade soup made with squash out of our own garden. If you would like to see more of things I love about fall ahead on over to
 
 
I hope you all are doing really well and enjoying the season!
 
XXX
~Debra~

Sunday, September 23, 2012

HELLO AUTUMN!



I spent the better part of the day Saturday mowing and starring at the beautiful sapphire blue of the sky. I love how the light changes and plays among the trees this time of the year, Dylan dog just likes rolling in the leaves.

 
What better way to welcome autumn in then a little fall baking and I couldn't think of anything better then cookies.  
 

The citrus smell of fresh grated orange rind along with the sweet smell of cinnamon and pumpkin.


 
Best part is for those of you that really like a little extra something with their cookies, these get glazed! Use a little or a lot and you have yourself one fine tasty treat.
 
 
Be sure to use only the freshest and best ingredients…..


And you’ll be rewarded with something so sinfully good!


These cookies bake up light and moist, like little mini cakes! Mister man really enjoys these and he doesn't have a big sweet tooth.

 
If you don’t like pumpkin you could always indulge in a few of these little treats. Lucky for us we happen to have this tray of fresh made macarons in our refrigerator so we had the best of both! I have to tell you these macarons arrived freshly made and some of the best I’ve ever enjoyed aside from in France.
 
Pumpkin Cookies

1cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup butter
1 tablespoon grated fresh orange peel
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins

Glaze

¼ cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 tablespoons milk

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, pumpkin, butter and orange peel. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Drop by teaspoon onto un-greased baking sheet. Bake until light golden brown about 8-10 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet and cool on a rack. Spread with glaze and enjoy!

(The cookies will still look a little like dough when they come out of the oven but don’t worry they’re cooked and will set up more as they cool. They don't spread when they cook so go ahead and place a bunch on your cookie sheet.)
 
If you try these pumpkin cookies be sure to let me know what you think, I would love to hear.
 
I hope you all enjoy your first week of autumn and welcome to all my new followers!
 
XXX
~Debra~
 
(All pictures are mine.)
 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Barn Interiors


 
From my previous post about barns it’s safe to say that most people would love to live in a converted barn. But have you thought about decorating one?

 
How many of us could walk into such a massive space with undefined rooms and actually know where to start? The possibilities are endless!

 
Barn decorating typically centers around natural finishes and materials, just because it’s a barn doesn’t mean it has to look like one. People are more interested in the big open space and the rustic beams. But with that big open space it means you have to think bigger when it comes to decorating. These lanterns we hung in our barn are four feet tall and three feet wide but because of the massive space they’re hanging in they were quickly dwarfed down so think BIG!
 

Since a barn is a massive space you have the opportunity to bring in more natural light with a wall of windows. While one whole wall in our barn is windows I really wanted steel frames but it didn’t flow with our home, a girl can dream.
 



 
 
Just because you live in a barn doesn’t mean you can’t have the best of every décor scheme be it traditional or modern. I like how the next couple of spaces have married in industrial/natural finishes with the railings and walls with the iron and steel.
 


 
Don’t forget you can still use sliding barn doors to help define spaces as walls or doors. And the best part is…..

 
You can still bring the cows home in the form of their hides. What could be better?
 
I have to be honest I feel very lucky to have my studio in our carriage barn and to have so much space to call my own. So if a barn is something you’ve always dreamed of I say go for it they’re no more expensive then a normal home.
 
I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week!
 
XXX
~Debra~
 
 
 
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