Did I mention I’m a runner? A marathoner, actually. Running outdoors lets me experience nature up close and personal. On garbage day, I get to run past all the piles of junk and see if there’s anything worth grabbing. And sometimes, when I run in the woods I come across salvageable artifacts … as was…
“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree, at the Christmas party hop.” Thank you, Brenda Lee, for making this holiday song such a classic. Tis the season for sharing gifts, food, and most importantly … love and joy. Unfortunately, Christmas can be stressful and even sad for many. I think it’s important not to get too freaked out…
Taking indoor photos continues to prove challenging, to say the least! Pulling my hair out a little while getting acquainted with my Nikon D3000 and figuring out what aperture to use and blah, blah, bah humbug! Tis not the season to be wrestling with a new camera. I’m ready to sit down, eat, drink, and be merry!…
The sun graced our home early this morning so I quick snatched the camera to take advantage of the light streaming through the windows. Snapping photos like a wild woman, I took too many for just one blog post, so this is part one of sharing some of the ornaments on my tree. My personal…
The sun came out for a change today, so I grabbed my camera at lunch and took a walk around town practicing some shots. In my recent post about claw foot tubs I mentioned I was getting a new camera. So with my new Nikon D3000 in hand, I braved the cold knowing the sun would…
What really sold me on our house when touring it for the first time, was the claw foot tub in the downstairs bathroom. I had always wanted one and there it sat, in all its glory. Upon further exploration, we found another one in the upstairs bathroom. One day soon, I’ll take photos of each…
When I think of bedrooms, I always think of blue and white. Blue is such a restful color while white lends a crisp pop. Our bedroom isn’t cluttered … rather, it displays a minimalist decor point of view. I’ve tried to include some softness to keep it from looking too cold, but I like that it’s…
I’ve been on a homemade soup kick these days … so easy to make and a great way to eat your veggies. But what’s truly fulfilling is plucking vegetables straight from your very own garden and whipping up a little magic to create a fresh, organic soup. But here in Illinois, the growing season is shorter than I’d…
An Indian summer served up the perfect day for my daughter’s country wedding at Davis Farm in Big Rock, Illinois. This was a true DIY wedding with lots of burlap, daisies, and sunflowers. Friends catered, baked the cake, and arranged the flowers. Mother, daughter, and son-in-law lent their creative touch with invitations, programs, chalkboard signs, hanging lights and paper lanterns….
Whenever I need a little pick-me-up, I make the short drive to my hometown of Geneva, Illinois. Quaint and idyllic, the town was settled on the Fox River in 1835 and carries a heavy Swedish influence. In fact, the town’s biggest festival (held in June) is appropriately dubbed Swedish Days and attracts thousands of tourists. Residents…
I confess … it was difficult for me to brush yellow paint across the pink clapboards of my circa 1875 historic home. But the pink was looking faded and I felt a jolt of sunshine was needed. It took months to choose trim colors but we eventually settled on Cottage White, a dark shade of…
My 140-year-old dining room is screaming for a re-do. Well, maybe not screaming … but it could use a little help. I’m happy with the colors; Martha Stewart’s Quaking Aspen green walls paired with white trim, but the table and chairs could use some freshening up. The windows could use some dressing, too. Right now they’re graced with a simple, white, roman…
Lately I’ve been playing around with soups made from scratch. In August I started with Heirloom Tomato Basil, and then I moved on to Butternut Squash Carrot Soup (do you see the seasonal trend here?). Both were pretty tasty, but I wanted to try a mushroom soup to serve for Thanksgiving. After poking around the internet,…
Introducing my new blog with a tribute to my daughter Bridget, who was married to Zac on October 8th, 2011. She wanted a burlap and lace wedding on a country farm and after months of searching, she found just the right venue that blended rustic charm with lots of rural beauty. I just love the…
