November 27, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving

Thank you for sharing another week with me. I think this quote says it all. As you share your day with family and friends tomorrow, take the time to capture the moment. Take lots of photos including a group shot, leave out a guestbook for people to sign, write down the days events in your journal, and don't forget to take some videoeven quick little recordings of conversations and laughter. I always wish I had taken more video.  I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow!

Here are a few things that inspired me this week...

How to be a good (not perfect) guest.

A Thanksgiving playlist to set the mood. There are some lovely songs on here by Jim Brickman, Josh Groban, and Bing Crosby.

What do you do with all of those leftovers? Here's some ideas.

I hope the spirit of the season will inspire you to try your own 10 Little Things.

What do you make for your holiday breakfast? Because I concentrate on the main meal, breakfast is always something simple—cinnamon rolls, scones. If you're wondering what to make, let Simply Breakfast inspire you.

Image snapped from Country Living magazine

November 26, 2013

The Day Before the Day Before Thanksgiving

As I was pulling out my worn Betty Crocker cookbook today, I was reminded of all of the holiday meals I have made over the years. The proof is in the pages. Some are covered in smudges of flour and bits of apple. Some pages are dog-eared for quick reference. The cookbook itself brings back memories of my wedding shower when gifts like this were considered essential for a new bride.

Today I am making pumpkin bread and an apple pie. The kitchen table is covered with papers and study supplies, not my Thanksgiving centerpiece or serving bowls. I have a class next week and I'm trying to get everything over to the studio before daughter #1 makes it home from college. I don't think I'm going to make it. My youngest daughter has been home all week helping at the food pantry where she was needed much more than around here. I'm taking a deep breath as I write this. I know it will all get done, it always does.
This cookbook was a gift from my great Aunt Eleanor who is still with us. The drawing is courtesy of my son who on that particular day was helping me cook. At least he was working with autumnal colors.

Tags: holidays, thanksgiving, tradition, family

November 22, 2013

10 Little Things...

I've been reading through a few interesting posts this week and I came across this article about 10 Little Things We Can Do To Make Life Easier For One Another. I thought I'd make a similar list, but put my own spin on it. I think it's a wonderful way to usher in Thanksgiving.

1. Say thank you. I don't care what you're doing or how busy you are, take the time to say thank you....when someone brings you something, opens the door for you, offers you help, pays you a compliment, or just because you appreciate what they're doing.

2. Pay more compliments. People need to hear that they are appreciated. Sometimes the things we do are payment enough, but it makes it that much sweeter when a person notices. Compliment someone when they look good, when they do a good deed, when they help someone out, when they help you out. There is never a shortage of reasons why you can't compliment someone. And it's never too late. Thank your parents or grandparents for all those little things you should have said so long ago.

3. Send more letters and gifts. I love technology too, and being able to communicate with my children at any time is an invaluable gift, but we need to put our thoughts down on paper and pass it along. Cards are lovely, but nothing compares to a letter. Even if it's just a quick note, send it along. I know buying someone a gift can be expensive, but the best gifts are given from the heart, so even if it's just a pencil or bookmark you know they'd absolutely love, why not wrap it up and give it to them (with a nice little letter of course).

4. Help people. There is nothing more valuable (or precious) than time, but when we give it away, something remarkable happens. I recently wrote about our angel of a neighbor; he is the ultimate helper. My own dear husband would give you the shirt off his back and is one of the kindest people I know. We may talk about helping more, but we have to start doing it. Just one little thing every now and then will make a huge difference to someone else.

5. Be kind. I tell my children all the time, "I don't care what you do in this life, just do it well and with integrity." My father used to tell me I was just as good as anyone else and I took that to heart. I worked in an industry where I was surrounded by wealthy, influential, and important people. I never once wavered (okay, I got a little giddy when I was helping Kathleen Turner), but I never felt like I didn't belong somewhere no matter what my role was. Be kind to the people who take out your trash, do your taxes, or invite you to a state dinnerto me they are all the same.

6. Make more friends. Easier said than done sometimes, but what I really mean is don't be afraid to put yourself out there. For years I hid away and avoided social gatherings because I was ashamed of my weight. I now realized that I missed out on a lot of life and that's just nonsense. When someone asks me to go someplace new or to get together now, I say yes. And I'm always looking for new ways to connect. What I still have to master is reconnecting. Once you have friends you need to nourish that relationship too. Even if it's just over the phone.

7. Practice patience. Oh the energy I've wasted on this very subject is mind boggling. I can still remember driving into the high school parking lot anxiously waiting for my girls to jump in the car so I could beat the bus line and "get back to work". And if I didn't make it, the hand thumping on the steering wheel would start and my heart began to race. Seriously? I don't like to wait and I don't let people wait for me....however, I need to just chill. If I have to wait in line, wait my turn, or just plain wait, I distract myself. If there's a possibility I'll be there a while, I have a book with me, if not my iPhone. If it's just a short wait, I start to hum a happy tunesometimes aloud. It works.

8. Say "I love you". As many times as you can. I can remember a turning point in my childhood when my dad's mother died. The relationship wasn't great, but they loved each other very much. As soon as she died, my dad started to tell us he loved us every day he left the house or got off the phone. (The other phrase I heard and repeat is "drive safely".). There isn't a day that goes by that these words don't leave my mouth a least a half dozen times. And my parents will not get off the phone without repeating the same sentiment I heard throughout my childhood.

9.  Give it away. I'm a firm believer in what goes around, come around. If someonefriend or strangerasks for help or advice, give it away if you can. I tell my students all the time that no matter what they do in their careers, they can't be me and vice versa. I'm willing to share all I know so they can succeed, even if they come to me long after class is over. I am genuinely grateful when I find answers to something I need to figure out on the internet and someone has actually taken the time to share shortcuts. Just the other day, my friend sent me a link to some html copy that I would need to fix a bug on my blog because she was having trouble and knew that I would have the same trouble. I love that. (And thank you, Wendy.)

10. Be honestjust be yourself. Why is this so hard to do? Most of my life people would judge me on my behavior. In high school, I heard the words "stuck up" and "too good" from the people who didn't know me. I was/am an introvert. I was painfully shy when I was in elementary school and I kept to myself most of the time. As I finally grew into myself, I was comfortable with who I was/am. I listen before I speak. I observe and notice. I'm thoughtful and introspective. But that doesn't mean I'm not a lot of other things too. Funny thing is when you do get me to open up; you can't get me to shut up. Give people a chance to show you who they are and let people get to know youthe real you. Don't be someone you're not.

And here are a few other things that inspired me this week...

On a much lighter note, check out Joanna's NYC apartment makeover. I especially liked her bedroom.

Be inspired and create this festive centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.

Want to try a new stuffing recipe? How about Waffle, Maple & Sausage Stuffing?

A funny way to give thanks.

I crack up every time I listen to this song.

Enjoy your weekend!

November 19, 2013

Small Town Charm


A city girl in the countrya country girl in the city. I guess I'll never quite shake my dueling personalities. A couple of weeks before Halloween, my family and I strolled through our town like a group of tourists. We visited our favorite restaurant for breakfast, poked in and out of shops, and took a walk through one of its many parks. The weather was a bit crisp, but it was a beautiful day. I managed to capture some leaves still turning color.



This particular park runs along the Nubanusit River, which runs into the Contoocook Riverone of the few rivers that actually flows north instead of south. It also happens to be the river located just outside my studio. We have seen many changes since moving here so many years ago. And the changes continue. We're anxiously awaiting the opening of a new bakery/café being built across from this very park.



The park is also home to one of several waterfalls. I love the sound of the rushing water. We'll frequently bike into town and grab a treat while listening to river run underneath the road. If you can see way off into the distance, there is actually another fall in the background. Sadly this has been inoperable for several years. I actually took a photo of it years ago and it's prominently placed in my studio. (You can see a picture of it here.)


A couple of weeks later, we were in Boston to watch the Red Sox parade and pick up our oldest daughter for the weekend. The girls know the city pretty well, but when we were trying to move from our (very lucky) parking spot after we were done watching the parade, the city was tough to navigate. We were headed across town to have lunch when we got re-routed and spotted  the South Street Diner. Years ago when my husband and I worked in Boston, it was called the Blue Diner. The girls were game....who doesn't want breakfast at two in the afternoon? Some place new for them and a dose of nostalgia for us. It hadn't changed a bit. Open 24/7, it has the usual diner fare. In other words, no dieters allowed.



I love that you can find bits of small town charm in a big city.

November 14, 2013

Thanks and Giving

I gave my daughters a copy of the book Thanks & Giving by Marlo Thomas back in 2005 when it was first published. Having grown up in a religious family and then marrying into a religious family (my father-in-law is a retired minister), I was taught it is far better to give than to receive. Believe me, there is a lot of room for improvement in this area of my life, but I do the best that I can and always strive to do better. The one thing I have continually tried to do is to teach my children the lessons I was taught so they appreciate all that they have. It's not easy in a world of gimme, gimme, gimme. So along with saying our prayers at night, serving food at our church's community suppers, and picking out Christmas presents for the Salvation Army, this book became go-to reading this time of year to reinforce some of those lessons.

Those days seem so long ago. With my son married and living out of state, my oldest daughter away at college, my youngest daughter's crazy schedule, and having precious little together time, I hold onto family traditions very tightly indeed. One of the traditions my daughter's actually started a few years back was to give away our money jar savings. My husband and I would empty our change into a jar to use for school lunches and other miscellaneous must-haves. But now we fill the jar knowing that we will donate whatever we have to a local charity. As we sit around our Thanksgiving table, we will pull out photos of years past and share stories and memories, and then we decide where the money will go.

But there's one thing money can't buy and that's time. We had a guardian angel move into our wooded neighborhood and he has been a true blessing. During the ice storm of 2008, he grabbed my husband and went around to all of the neighbors to check on them. He found generators for some, water for others. He has helped us with countless projects and we couldn't have survived here without him. So whenever we have time, we try to give as good as we get. Pet sitting, yard work, snow removal....lots of apple pies.

As I continue to give thanks this holiday season, I wanted to share a few links that have inspired me this week.


Blessing Bagsfor your community, the troops, and whoever needs a little pick-me-up.

I'm thankful when people give away knowledge for free. Visit Sew Many Ways and learn how to add a Pinterest image hover Pin-it button to your site. I just added one to mine.

Be inspired. Start a gratitude journal/happiness journal (or contribute to this online journal over on I am Thankful), and start a thankful tree.

I like to shop at stores that give something back. Did you know that November 2nd was National Family Pajama Night. Me neither. Now until December 2nd, The Company Store will donate $1 to the Ronald McDonald House for every pair of PJs sold. (I love PJs!)

What are some of your thanks and giving moments?

November 13, 2013

My Thanksgiving Menu

Every Thanksgiving, I make the same menu with a few tweaks here and there. It's tradition after all. The only big change we've made these past couple of years is that we now buy our turkey from a local turkey farm instead of the grocery store. There's no telling what size we'll end up with since all of the turkeys are certified organicthat means no growth hormones and no picking the perfect size. I cooked a 30 pounder last year and luckily my roaster was able to handle it. I'm not much of a measurer. My grandmother and my mother both poured seasonings into their hands instead of measuring spoons and I do the same, so forgive my lack of detail.

I've included everything that gets set out on the big day. I hope you enjoy a few of these recipes.

Herb-Roasted Turkey

I first coat the turkey generously with olive oil and kosher salt. I use lots of sage and thyme tucked into the bird, placed under the skin, and sprinkled on top. Once this is done it goes into a 350 degree oven uncovered. Generally, you'll want to cook the turkey 20 minutes per pound, but my oven must be on steroids because it never takes that long. The 30 pounder I mentioned was done in 4 hours. Rely on a meat thermometer instead. (I use about 4-5 whole sage leaves inside the cavity and 3-4 under the skin. I also use 2-3 shredded or torn over the top. I sprinkle generous amounts of thyme on top as well. I use herbs from my garden that have been dried. the rule is to use more fresh herbs than dried.)

Pan Gravy

I don't over baste my turkey, but I do end up with a good amount of drippings regardless. While the turkey is cooking, I chop up some celery, carrots, and onions (I use 2 stalks of celery and 2 medium carrots roughly chopped. I use about a 1/2 pound of white boiling onions and 16 oz. of broth.) tossed into a pot of organic turkey broth. I have also used chicken broth in a pinch. I don't season anything until it all comes together. Once the turkey is done and resting, I then slowly add the broth to my drippings and put the pot on simmer while I add my spices. I use garlic powder and onion salt to taste. Once I'm happy with the amounts, I add a bit of watered down flour the consistency of pancake batter straight to the pan and stir vigorously so it doesn't clump. The grease from the drippings works in place of creating a roux.

Sage and Onion Stuffing

I first sauté finely chopped onions and a bit of celery in some olive oil then set them aside when they're done. I use dried white bread (about 1 loaf of French bread—any favorite will do), Bell's seasoning to taste—I use a lot, and more turkey broth to season and moisten the bread. I'll add small bits of torn sage as well but I don't overdo it because Bell's seasoning has a lot of sage in it. I add the sautéed vegetables to the bread and mix well. My stuffing goes straight into the turkey.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Maple Squash

Sorry, nothing terribly exciting here. I open up packages of frozen squash and add about 1-2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup to each.

Roasted Green Beans


Toss 1-1/2 pounds of trimmed green beans in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and coat with about a teaspoon of kosher salt and a bit of freshly ground black pepper. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes stirring once. You can add shallots, dried cranberries, or nuts to this recipe as well.

Boiled Onions (See above.)

Cranberry Sauce
Pumpkin Bread
Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
Spiced Nuts
Brown-n-serve Rolls

Enjoy!

November 7, 2013

I'm in Love with Color

As much as I go on and on about black, I really do love color. But it has to be big, bold, beautiful color. I am not a pastel kinda girl. Sherwin-Williams has nailed it for 2014. These photos, inspired from their Curiosity and Intrinsic lines, feature some of my absolute favorites. There's been a bit of a dispute over on my Facebook page about a particular color called Yam (seems people don't care much for the name) which is not a part of their 2014 color trends line, but would work oh, so well don't you think?
  

Color Inspiration
SW6883 Raucous Orange, SW0064 Blue Peacock, SW6132 Relic Bronze, SW7588 Show Stopper
SW6265 Quixotic Plum, SW6643 Yam

Here are some other colorful things that inspired me this week.

 Anything over on Will's blog is certain to get you in a colorful mood, but I'm a fan of his "10 Things I Learned & Loved This Weekend" posts.

Browse beautiful color palettes ranging from orange to burgundy to leopard print over on Pantonism.

Search by shade for unique ideas and color combinations aplenty at Plenty of Colour where you will find pictures of everyday items in vibrant hues to create uniquely themed color schemes.

Do you want to know how I put together my color boards? I visit My Perfect Color and then find the colors that work best for the photograph I've chosen. They even have their own blog, too.

See what all the fuss is about and watch the 2014 Color Trend Sneak Peek over at Sherwin-Williams.

November 6, 2013

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

As a mother of two girls and countless nieces, it's no wonder that I'm drawn to all things girl these days. I snapped this photo last fall while I was in Boston. A wedding party was walking over the bridge of the Public Garden and instead of taking photos of the bride, I zoned in on this little cutie. When my daughters were younger, I dressed them in timeless styles like this lovely little coat, and they always looked like little girls. (Unless of course they were wearing their brother's hand-me-downs while they were playing outside.) Here is just a few things I've found that are both classic and stylish for the little girl in your life.

This lovely red coat is from Etsy, the hand-knit hat is also from Etsy, and the Mary Jane's can be found at Hanna Anderson.



The Reindeer Fair Isle Cardigan can be found at Janie and Jack, and the Pea Coat is from Carters.

November 5, 2013

The Thankful Tree

Thanksgiving seems to have become the lost holiday. Nestled somewhere in between Halloween and Christmas, it really doesn't get the attention it deserves. American stores are now considering opening their doors so people can get a jump start on holiday shopping. I've never been a fan of shopping at any time near Thanksgiving, but to open up on Thanksgiving day just breaks my heart.

Regardless of the countless ways retailers and others try to commercialize the holidays, or how you personally feel about shopping on Thanksgiving day (I realize it's a time-honored tradition to shop on Black Friday for some), we can all agree that it is definitely the time of year to reflect on all of the things we are most thankful for.

Working in a world where an abundance of things is a part of life, I have chosen to live my life a bit more simply. I have also tried to help my clients live in a similar fashion by teaching them to know when to say enough is enough. If you don't really need it, let less is more become your mantra. Living beautifully is not about things. Instead I hope we can all be happy with what we have and slow down just long enough to appreciate it.

The Thankful Tree you see pictured above is a nice way to not only decorate for the season, but to remind ourselves to be grateful for all we have. Simply fill a decorative container with an array of branches (sand or stones will keep them in place), leave out some scraps of paper or tags that you can create from cardstock, and then let family and friends write down anything they are thankful for. Attach them to the tree with bits of twine or ribbon. Then on Thanksgiving day, take turns reading each one aloud. Start a tradition and keep your words of thanks from year to year. (Don't forget to date them.) Once the tree is bare, and the Christmas season is in full swing, you can then hang Christmas cards from its branches and continue the tradition of sharing each message at your holiday table.



I am thankful to you, my readers, family and friends.

Photos: Jones Design Company