Day 19 "Creepy!" That's what I said when my friend handed me a sandwich bag full of fingers. Yes. Fingers! Later that day I called my friend to tell her I ate a finger. Ewwwww! I couldn't eat more. Not because it wasn't tasty. It was very tasty...almond flavored even. Have you ever eaten a finger? This was my first. Are you still with me or are you grossed out? I hope you're still here because I have a few fingers left to show you. And the recipe to make some yourself....if you're so … [Read more...]
Day 18 One of my new friends came to my home for a visit. While she was here I shared with her a few projects I have on the back burner. It was good to get a little feedback. Sometimes a gal just needs to know she hasn't jumped off into the deep end. I'm just teasing...sorta. While we were walking around I took her to the sun room where I recently hung a favorite seasonal wall hanging. I mentioned that in this small house I have limited wall space, but really wanted to put up that bit of artwork. One day I realized that it would fit perfectly over one of the windows between my (mini) great room … [Read more...]
Day 16 A few years ago I was surfing the web and looking for Fall Decor ideas. I was amazed at all the very talented people "out there." One of the websites I came across was The Inspired Room. I was very new to reading blogs back then and was fascinated by Melissa Michaels' blog. The Inspired Room lived up to its name. It was inspiring. But, not simply because of all the lovely vignettes and seasonal arrangements which graced her home and my computer screen. It's the honest and approachable spirit with which Melissa writes, and her virtual hospitality of welcoming her reader into her home and helping us … [Read more...]
Day 12 A year ago today the movers pulled up to our house and loaded all our worldly possessions onto their long blue and white truck. In the midst of a driving (make that...monsoon) rainstorm. How everything did not arrive all wet and moldy is a mystery. After a good sleep, we pulled out-of-town with the cats and drove to our new home. One of the first things I was excited to do at my new house was to fill the front window box. With pumpkins. But, there was no time, or extra money, for plumping with pumpkins. Instead we were on a mission to clean, and paint several rooms, before the … [Read more...]
Day 9 Wow! I can't believe that I am already nine whole days into 31 Extraordinary Days! Are you having fun wondering what I'll have up my sleeve every day? Me too. :D Whatever in the world is Fall Fluffing? It's my term for taking what we have and making it a bit more, well....extraordinary. Kind of like when you walk over to the sofa after guests leave and pick up the pillows and fluff them....nestle them against the sofa back...just right...and smile. Fluffing. Recently I acquired a buffet or sideboard. Is it the same thing? Does anyone know? Anyhow....I've … [Read more...]
Day 8 This post contains affiliate links. When you click on these links I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Fall is about nesting. It's a time when we fluff and make our homes cozy for the cooler weather ahead. Some of us even change-up our decor and bring in the season's harvest of pumpkins and gourds and Indian corn. It's also a good time to do a little reorganizing. Most of us like to spend as much time outside as possible in the summer. (Unless you live where it was unbearably hot this summer, that is.) In our haste to get out the door, we may let the little … [Read more...]
Day 4 “I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne~ When the autumn skies are mostly blue and the sun is shining I want to be outside? How about you? Do you do any fall fluffing in your outdoor spaces? As I attempt to live more fully, more intentionally, I find myself taking time to make inviting outdoor spots. Such as the addition of a pillow to a chair. Rearranging the seating in the fall to take advantage of the sun's warmth. Or even bringing a little decor...which is often … [Read more...]
Day 3 Last Friday night we were invited to the home of some new friends for dinner. We had the best time. When was the last time you asked someone over for dinner? All this month we're exploring how to live an extraordinary life. When we live life to the full we do things outside our comfort zone. We do crazy things like carve time out of our busy schedules to spend with friends. We clean the house, decide on a menu, figure out what to do with the pets, or even the kids...just so we can invite new or old friends to dinner. When was the last time you … [Read more...]
Hello! If this is your first time here, scroll down to read day one. Otherwise, here are the current links to the rest of the series:: 31 Extraordinary Days…. {Day 2} 20 Extraordinary Little Things...I Love About Fall! {Day 3} October Dining...Outdoors! {Day 4} Autumn Inside Outside {Day 5} Just a little kindness... {Day 6} Autumn....where every leaf is a flower {Day 7} Joy Day! | Intentionally Developing a Heart of Gratitude {Day 8} Organize the Nest for Fall {Day 9} Fall Fluffing {Day 10} Breathe {Day 11} think about such things {Day 12} Fall Window Box ~ Plumping with … [Read more...]
It's leaf peeping time! Right now the trees are just beginning to turn color. It's my favorite time of (F)all. The mostly green leaves provide the perfect backdrop for the riot of yellows, oranges, and reds. I'm sure you'll agree...it's extraordinary!! Just a few days ago, I spied these leaves when out for a walk and shared about it here. But there's more to the story. Several of you have commented that some of those leaves looked almost unreal. They certainly were striking. And I'm certain that I've never seen any quite like them. So, when I finished my photo session with the … [Read more...]
Everyone's doing it. Decorating their mantels for Fall. But, not me. Nope. In order to decorate a mantel, one must have a mantel. It's one of those details that makes all the difference. I had a mantel. Once. It was lovely. Of course, I just might be a little biased since I designed it. That was my Michigan mantel which surrounded my favorite brick, and housed a firebox where we burned cherry. Mmmm. So fragrant. I loved that fireplace. The mantel too. On a fall evening I could be found tending the fire, almost sitting in the firebox, to get … [Read more...]
Fresh-Picked Pumpkins in our Home Decor What did you do today? Me? I had one of those very fun girlfriend kind of days. The kind where you both pick up pumpkins, go back to her house and create a magical moment with your stash? Yes, one splendid day. And what a nice afternoon it was. The temperature was perfect. To take advantage of the sunshine, we flew out to her patio and engaged in the grown-up version of playing Barbies. Only we used fresh-picked pumpkins in our home decor. Did I tell you we had fun? We arranged a little sitting area and filled it in with all kinds of fall … [Read more...]
Fall garden. For some, fall and garden do not go together in the same sentence. I remember back when I lived in Michigan I pretty much threw up my hands in exasperation by the end August. It was a sad sight. Can you relate? When I moved to New York I knew that my next garden needed to be an all-season garden. Since I love the colors of fall and being outside, I made sure to select perennials that would bloom in September and into October. My husband even says that he likes our fall garden best. For me, that's success! I wish I could show you photos of that … [Read more...]
This morning, after watering and fertilizing my porch pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets, I took a stroll around my "garden." Really all I have is a rolling, bumpy, rough-around-the-edges yard. It isn't really a garden, yet. Though I do have a small but lovely island of various Sedums, Euphorbia, Goat's Beard, Iris, and Geranium in the middle of my backyard. In the back corner, someone, long ago, had a garden. I've pulled multitudes of weeds from that corner, leaving behind strawberry plants which I had hoped would bear lots of fat juice red berries. Ha! Unfortunately they are not that kind of … [Read more...]
One of my favorite baskets is the Longaberger Picnic Basket. I ordered mine way back in 1992. I know because the weaver signed and dated the bottom of the basket. Let me be right up front with you. I'm going to tell you all the reasons I'm in love with this basket. And the reason I'm doing it, because it's a retired basket and not in the regular Longaberger line. However, it is being offered as an ONLINE EXCLUSIVE from Noon EDT to Midnight - Wednesday, September 5th. Also, I am not planning to be all selly on this blog. occasionally I will let you know about something Longaberger that I … [Read more...]
The other evening Tim and I went for a stroll. I no doubt needed a power walk. But, I can't leave home without my camera and then that power walk ends up becoming a stroll. Yes, I married a man who has incredible patience with me and my camera. On this particular night I came across these lovely yellow wildflowers. I haven't yet discovered what they are. I think they might be a variety of Coreopsis. Do you know? As I was going through my photographs this stunning bit of yellow inspired this post. Years ago my dear friend Kaye gave me a book, Creating a Beautiful … [Read more...]
A few weeks ago I did a bit of entertaining. As I was preparing my home I looked around and thought, "That 4th of July decor has got to go!" I had been noticing it. It was sort of sticking out like a sore thumb. But, if no one was coming over, I could put it off. And I did. It's not like I didn't have a plan up my sleeve. For nearly two months I've been wanting to get out my old blue canning jars and play around with them. Finally I did. My guests came. My guests left. And the clouds came and I didn't take any pictures. I need a sunny day in order to make pretty photographs for you with my pocket … [Read more...]
