Pen and Ink Work

The records of daily life at Monticello say that Thomas Jefferson dedicated his mornings to correspondence. After his "pen and ink work" (as he called it), he would walk the grounds and admire the gardens. Today, I am modelling my day after Jefferson. Although I love email and technology, nothing beats a hand-written note with a pretty stamp in the mailbox. I am pulling out the cute note cards and sending pictures, sharing recipes and saying thanks to a long list of friends and family. Do you have any pen and ink work you can do today?

Heavenly Blue Morning Glory

Many times my Dad & I have had a friendly competition over growing morning glories from seed. 

We'd each start them indoors with little biodegradable pots and bamboo skewers (for support) and then transplant them outside in late May. 

The general buzz includes: when we started them, how they're doing and by showing "how high" they are inches. It is really fun. 

This year, however, I was at the garden store with my parents and I had to cave. I walked up to them with 2 Morning Glory seedlings and said "I'm out." Meaning that I had missed the window to start my seeds but I still had to have morning glories! My dad agreed.

I'm so glad I did! Look at this beauty called Heavenly Blue. Everyone needs a little glory in the morning.

Ladies In Lavender

I was invited to join a group of women for "lunch at a lavender farm" this Summer. When we arrived, we were told that it was harvest day. The wind blew the sweet scent of lavender everywhere - simply amazing! As we toured the farm and learned about the many varieties of lavender, college boys harvested fragrant bundles and piled them high on this wagon. It was all too pretty for words.

Since we were literally, ladies in lavender, it reminded me of a movie of the same name. Set in 1936, it revolves around two sisters in their golden years that live in a cottage on the coast of Cornwall, England. One morning after a storm, they find a 20-something man washed up on shore. He is injured and doesn’t speak English, so the sisters decide that they must nurse him back to health. This movie is light, charming, and rich with humanity. Rent it, make a cup of tea (with lavender honey?) and get ready for a wonderful movie experience.

Lace Bubbles

Isn't this photograph dreamy? A vintage-y cocktail dress floating among lace bubbles. I stopped in my tracks when I saw this window display in Paris. The store is by Isabel Marant and I think whoever created this display is a genius. The fact that I was able to capture an "apartment in Paris" in the reflection, makes this picture all the more pretty.

I'd love to see this as the cover of a modern romance novel. A young designer opens her first shop and falls in love with the computer programmer who works from his apartment across the street from her shop...

Garden Walk 2008

When you are 11 years old and you are hosting your 4th Annual Garden Walk, you really feel like an expert. The garden looked great, the lemonade was cold, the sweets & treats were on platters and the programs had been printed. We were ready. I can only imagine my Garden Club girls (age 9,11,11) in college someday talking about all of this. We tasted raspberries from the bushes, touched the lavender and smelled our hands, nibbled on nasturtium blossoms and investigated which herbs smelled like York Peppermint Patties (Chocolate Mint) and which smelled like Christmas trees (Rosemary). They showed the other children and parents which roses they liked best and explained how, in the Spring, the ants eat the sticky off the peony buds. One girl pointed out the lone Forget-Me-Not blossom and another said that her favorite part of the Morning Glory is when it gets all "twisty." Mother Nature would be proud.

Joyeux Anniversaire!

My doorbell rang and as I glanced out the window, I saw a blur of children running from my house. On my doorstep was this box of French pastries! The box had a window showcasing these beauties and "Joyeux anniversaire, Ann!" was written in beautiful script around the outside. This is the work of my beloved neighbor and her garden club girls. They brought Paris to me! I am systematically eating my way through this box and I assure you, they are a delight!

Birthday Girl

Today is my birthday and I am looking forward to every minute of it. Between the mailman, the phone and the internet, I have already received some lovely birthday wishes. My plan is to enjoy the day by spending time in the garden and making a Sweet Peach pound cake. Tonight is cake & ice cream...what more could a girl want? I hope you have a great day too.

Candyland

Pretty packaging has always been my weakness. Can you see me in the Hello Kitty Sanrio store (standing among the eight-year-olds) arranging candy on the counter? I told the salesgirl, "I want to buy these..I'm just not sure how many I need to make a rectangle." She popped a bubble with her gum and I continued working. It was worth it - I think this photo is young, fun and very pretty. Plus, the flat aqua gum called "Soda" is delish!

Garden Walk

Thursday is the Roseglen Garden Club's Annual Garden Walk and this rose will be our star attraction. The variety is called Honey Dijon and it would be right at home in a House Beautiful spread. Think of a classic French living room with Pierre Frey fabrics, an oak writing desk and a crystal bowl full of these Honey Dijon roses. Love it!

A Study in Blue

I couldn't believe my eyes - a cornflower blue row boat set against the perfect sand, sea and sky. Did a young couple row here for a picnic? Has an artist come to paint? Let your imagination wander this study in blue.

Apricot Jam

Fresh apricots, vintage Pyrex and BBC's drama, Cranford (starring Judi Dench), playing in the distance - now that is my idea of a fun Summer evening. The kitchen faces West and the sunset was almost the same shade as my jam - simply gorgeous.

I make jam with Ball's No Cook Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin - the same way I made my strawberry jam here. Can jam be too good? We have eaten all of the strawberry jam that I made in June...three big batches of it! Next year, remind me how fast it goes!

Out to Lunch

Ohhh...we were in girl heaven. Martha's in Sutton's Bay, Michigan is the perfect place to meet the girls for lunch. A Raspberry & nectarine salad with ginger-lime vinaigrette and a cup of Summer corn chowder - how could we go wrong? Life was in suspended animation while we talked and laughed and planned our next bit of fun. Make sure to plan a day soon when you can be "out to lunch."

Scent & Shape

Pretty little soaps are such a treat. I practically swooned when I saw this selection on display at a wonderful shop called One Fish Two Fish in Savannah.

Plus I love love love the fixture they are housed in - it looks like something from an old post office. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have that many compartments for your treasures?

I hope you have some pretty little soaps tucked away under the sink - get them out and find delight in scent and shape.

You in 25 years

I had the most wonderful experience. I had gone into town to get a coffee and when I parked my car by "the oldest house in town" (1853?), I ended up talking with the ladies on the porch. You see, my maternal grandmother had lived next to "the oldest house in town" my entire childhood. Every day all summer long we would pop in and visit my grandmother, eat egg salad sandwiches, admire the garden and spent time together. I did not know these women on the porch, nor did they know my grandmother, but we had lots to talk about. Long story short, I offered them coffee too and we ended up talking on the porch for over an hour. When I asked if the black raspberry bushes were still out back, they offered, "Want some?" So I picked a few and when I got back to the porch I met a tween granddaughter. We started talking and I suddenly pointed out to her that "I am you in 25 years." I told her that when she comes back here as an adult, she'll walk on this street, point to this house and say "My grandmother used to live here - we would pick black raspberries from a huge bush out back." She looked at me and said "That's so cool." And I said, "I know."

Sleeping Garden

Can you stand it? A magical climbing rose called Eden. This photo exemplifies why I love photography so much. While I would never trade a fresh rose for a photograph, a picture like this keeps Summer around for me all year long. In the cold, gray days of March, this reminds me of the beautiful things in my sleeping garden. And now when Summer is at its peak, I happily rush around with my camera capturing every bloom, berry and bee I see.

Delight in Paris

Want to know a secret? I am developing my own map of Paris. "Delight in the City of Light - A delight-ful map of Paris" sprinkled with the shops, treats and sweets that bring delight. The anticipated release date is Fall 2009. Many people have commented on a few of the photographs that I shot in Paris that are in my book Moments of Delight - little do they know that I could do an entire book of Paris photography! Do you have a spot in Paris that brings you delight? Let me know and I will check it out on my next trip!

Milk Run

Can you imagine going to the grocery store by boat? In Leland, you can hop in a little boat, drive through the river, tie up at the dock provided and climb these steps to the grocery store. The pretty planters shown here match the window boxes out front. So cute. I've noticed that teenagers don't mind "running an errand" when they get to go by boat.

Now that is what I call a milk run.

Sequence or Direction

When it comes to crafting, my philosophy is to make things that are both interesting and beautiful. I created this "still life" out of match boxes and scrapbook supplies. I took an everyday object and turned it into something between a puzzle and art. When I set a collection like this on the coffee table, I always find people rearranging them. Changing the sequence or direction of little boxes of matches. I've got them playing with fire.

Cheesecake bites

At a party, a slice of dessert feels like a big commitment when you are trying to stand & socialize. These super cute cheesecake bites are beautiful, delicious and they keep people mingling. It is so simple...buy ready-to-eat Athens mini fillo shells (pretty!), fill with ready-to-eat Philadelphia cheesecake filling (yum!), then top with any combination of fresh fruit, sticky sauce and crunchy topping. How can you go wrong? My favorites were: butterscotch/fresh banana/coconut and fresh strawberry/mini chocolate chips. Enjoy...

Going to the Symphony

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is performing a series of free outdoor concerts (sponsored by Target) at area metro parks this Summer. Packing a picnic and "going to the symphony" is one of my favorite things to do. It was a bit rainy, but I loved every minute of it. Just after I took this photo, two sailboats on the lake tacked over to join the party. Can you think of anything better than drifting along in a sailboat listening to Brahms on a Summer night? I brought along a new kind of individual frozen dessert cup (Creme Caramel cheesecake by Bellaberry) in my picnic basket and it was delicious. You pack it frozen and by the time you're ready for dessert, it will be defrosted - bravo!

Birthday Month

Ahhhh, glorious August. Fresh peaches, summer vacation and my birthday! I like to celebrate the entire month of August. Lunches with friends, pretty cupcakes and little bouquets from the garden all over the house. I can't squeeze all that into one day! My "birthday rose bushes" that my parents gave me (an amazing gift that I enjoy from May-September) have 36 buds between them - the next ten days should be amazing. Has anyone ordered the Baskin Robbins ice cream cake yet? (Chocolate cake, chocolate chip ice cream with writing in pink frosting) I'm just asking...

Moments of Delight

So neat! You can now "peek inside" my book online at MomentsofDelight.com. I never dreamed that I would be able to harness this technology to promote my first book - but we did it! Now you can "see" some of the beautiful pages and get a sense of my book. The page turning feature is just below my picture on the home page. Let me know what you think!

Going to Mecca

In the little town of Benzonia, there is a darling artist-owned gift shop called Mecca. This little house is filled with paper butterflies, glitter trophies and hand-crafted cake toppers. I make the trip to this shop at least twice a year and stay more than an hour each time soaking up the scene. One area of the store has an ever-changing collection of antique bottles. I found this wonderful blue "ear of corn" bottle and had to have it. The glass is designed to show individual kernels of corn and has "old fashion maize concoction" stamped in the glass. I keep it by the kitchen sink filled with flowers. Love it!

Oh, Graham...

I am on a first name basis with my roses. "Abraham...looking good. Bill, how are you doing? Eden, you look fantastic." I think it started as a way to help the garden club girls learn the names for our garden walk (Abraham Darby, Bill Warriner, Eden Climber). This beauty is a David Austin English rose named Graham Thomas. Over the last week or so the roses have been in a lull - hardly a bloom between them. So when I walked out to the patio and saw this I simply said, "Oh, Graham!"

Person, Place, Thing

My Mom and I cleaned out the "art drawer" at the cottage and found our watercolor postcards, a pile of brushes and a never-opened set of watercolor tubes. By the time we had carried out the supplies, filled the enamelware bowl with water and situated ourselves by the garden, I was happy just to sit there and talk. The verb painting became the least important part of our plan to "paint the garden." All I needed was the person and the place.

Leland Michigan's Safe Harbor

Can you see the silhouette of people in the distance? They are doing what is fondly called "walking on the rocks." 

The breakwater in Leland Harbor makes for a fun "after ice cream" walk for vacationers. When you've had a lovely dinner in town, you've peeked in all the shop windows and you still can't bear to let the day end, a "walk on the rocks" is a fun way for the sure-footed to watch the sun go down over the harbor.

I used to "walk on the rocks" with my dad all the time when I was around 10 years old.  A little fresh air and what seemed like a very adventurous route across the harbor made for some great memories.

Now when I look at the harbor, I see a beautiful place where time stands still.

Gourmet Sandwiches

Now this is taking lunch to the next level! One of my favorite spots to have lunch in the summertime is a tiny Scandinavian Gift Shop called Punzel. It is about 15 minutes south of the Interlochen Center for the Arts and is a local treasure. Open-face sandwiches with edible flowers, soft cheese & broiled fruit make a lunch that is too pretty to eat. There is no menu, you simply make a reservation for "lunch" and you'll be delighted every time.

Blueberry Dessert

What have I baked three times this week? My beloved blueberry gateau. Neighbors, friends, brothers - all have gotten their fill lately. Discovered years ago in Country Living magazine, this recipe from Vermont's Blueberry Hill Inn is becoming my signature dish for blueberry season. When I mention that I have/want/need blueberries, more & more people are asking "Are you making gateau?" (My neighbor even gave me a huge box of blueberries this week with a glance that said "You know what to do.") Delicious with a cup of tea, wonderful as a snack, perfect for company...I love this recipe. Try it. I know you will make it time and time again. And soon your friends and family will be asking...Are you making gateau?

Quiet Time

When I am at the lake, I drop everything when the sun starts to set. At home, I can't see the sun go down, so I consider it a special occasion when I can. I suspend the gin rummy game, the dishes, the movie...whatever it is that I am doing can wait 20 minutes while I soak up the sunset. This overcast day evolved into quite the "inspirational poster," don't you think? The phase below it could read, "Every day should end with a little quiet time."

Bee Hive Cake

Want to create a buzz? Build a hive! I bought this cake pan years ago through Martha By Mail and I love it. You can order your own hive pan (a little different from mine, but the same idea) from Nordic Ware. A simple box of pound cake mix (add 1/4 cup of fresh lemon zest when you are mixing) makes the cutest bee hive cake ever. After it is baked and the two halves are "glued" together with icing (made of powdered sugar and lemon juice) drizzle more icing over the seam and down the hive. What should you serve on the side? A scoop of Haagen Dazs' limited edition Vanilla Honey Bee ice cream. Yum!

Ladies in Waiting

What's so amazing about this picture? It was taken on July 17th! My peonies bloom in early June, so how do I have a fresh bouquet 6 weeks later? I have found a florist's trick that really works. When peony buds are about the size of a ping pong ball and showing color, cut them from the plant leaving a 6-8 inch stem. Dip the cut end in hot wax to seal. Wrap bud & stem in damp paper toweling and seal in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two months. When you are ready for a spectacular bouquet, simply recut the stems to remove the wax and place the buds in room temperature water. Your "ladies in waiting" should open within a day or two. Love it!

Top 10 Herb Gardens

The Herb Society of America has listed the Top 10 Not-To-Miss Herb Gardens in the United States. To check it out, simply click here and open their pdf. I was talking "herbs" one day with a Master Gardener and she suggested that I visit Greenfield Village and photograph the garden they have dedicated to herbs. So cute - it makes me want to edge everything with brick! They have a vine-covered sitting area to the right where I sat in the shade and drained an icy lemonade.

Moments of Delight, Local Press

Remember the photo shoot in my rose garden? The rain held off that day and the photographer got some beautiful shots. I want you to see the article written about my first book (the article was aptly titled, Moments of Delight) that ran in the Observer & Eccentric newspapers all over metro Detroit on July 3rd. They did such a nice job. You can read the article and see the photos as a pdf here.

Lavender Festival Delights in Romeo

The 3-day Lavender Festival in Romeo, Michigan is going on now. There are booths of lavender products, "Make & Take" lavender workshops and wonderful salads and sandwiches for sale (with lavender lemonade, of course). When I saw on the schedule that a french pastry chef would be doing a demonstration called "French Lavender Sweets," I was a goner. So yesterday I rearranged my schedule and found myself eating honey lavender ice cream and listening to instructions like "put ze lavender in ze pan." It was fun. An open-air demonstration on bringing lavender's essence to everything from creme brulee to cookie dough. Magnifique!

Candy Couture

I took my first trip to New York City in 2005. I had a "must see" list of shops and my friend Kerry skillfully mapped out our route for the weekend. 

Ribbon stores, a paper emporium and the tearoom of a Japanese department store were all on my list. But it was when I said that I needed to see Dylan's Candy Bar that my friend really perked up. 

A store devoted to candy candy candy - yum! My photo of their shop window (featuring a mannequin in a candy gown) combined with the skyline reflecting behind, became my "signature shot" for our amazing weekend. 

Can you tell I am dreaming of New York City...

Poppy

My college roommate had a poster of a crimson poppy by Georgia O'Keeffe over her dresser in our room. It was bright and dramatic and she loved it. You can see an example of it here. So whenever I see an Oriental poppy in bloom, I think of my dear friend, Heidi. In this picture, I love how the orange petals are set off by the bright greens of Spring.

Dinner Cruise

There is nothing more romantic than a slow cruise up the river in a classic wooden boat. Have you ever gone to dinner by boat? At The Riverside Inn in Leland, you can arrive by boat and tie up at their dock. I love to dine on the patio where the sounds of dinner mingle with the low thrum of antique boats cruising by.

Lavender Farm

My mom and I went to my favorite lavender farm in northern Michigan (Michigan Lavender in Northport, E. Johnson Road) on Saturday and photographed these perfect purple tufts. They usually advertise when the lavender is in bloom, but aren't open to the public on other days.  Call before you head out 231-386-9256. 

A sunny day, interesting products for sale (I am going to use their culinary lavender in a roasted potato dish tonight) and an icy cup of lavender lemonade. 

What more could a girl want?  

Some Fruit

We have the tiniest "berry garden" ever. A few strawberry plants, a few raspberries and two lone blueberry bushes. I don't expect a lot from this plot, but it's fun to watch the berries develop and we do get a few cups of fruit over the Summer. Today, when I rounded the brick wall, I saw that we had blueberries! Beautiful, perfect blueberries. There are only about ten total, but aren't they gorgeous? I am very proud. If Charlotte were here, I know she would spin a web that said "Some Fruit."

Super Cute Necklace

I knew that I was onto something when I mentioned making a necklace out of novelty buttons here. I thought that the colors and shapes would be just right with "the T-shirts of Summer." 

 Well, I wore it last night to a card party and it was a hit. Everybody loves something bright and pretty to jazz up a simple tee. I am going to wear it with pink and orange and green, oh my!

Rooftop Garden

Isn't this house charming? 

Notice that they have a rooftop garden, not for vegetables, but for decoration! 

I had never seen such a thing and I simply had to show you. This long narrow house sits right on the lake and feels so European. 
Bravo!

The Perfect Gift

I drove up to my aunt's house and saw the most spectacular peony blooming by her front walk. She said that it was a gift from a friend. Can you think of a lovelier present?

When I tried to identify it online, I came across the neatest peony website. You enter the peony info (color, flower type, bloom time) and it shows you which peony it might be! I think that this is "Lotus Bloom."

Cherry Country

Traverse City, Michigan is in the heart of cherry country. These Cherry Streusel muffins are so delicious you'll think you're at a country inn overlooking Grand Traverse Bay!

2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar (3/4 cup and 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract


1 (8 oz) 1/3 Less Fat "Neufchâtel" cream cheese
1 egg
48 tart or sweet cherries, pitted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray. In a food processor, pulse flour, butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar until crumbly. Remove 1 cup of this flour mixture and set aside. Pour the remaining flour mixture into a mixing bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, sour cream, egg, and almond extract and mix well. Using a cookie dough scoop, drop a mound of dough into each muffin tin and spread a bit to create a muffin base. Place 4 cherries on top of dough. In the (now empty) food processor bowl, blend cream cheese, 1 egg and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Spoon a dollop over cherries in each muffin tin. Spoon any remaining dough into each muffin tin and top generously with reserved crumble mixture. Bake for 20 minutes.

The Blue Angels

The Blue Angels put on a magnificent airshow this year at the National Cherry Festival. Watching from a pier on Grand Traverse Bay, I could see every maneuver perfectly. 

It is said that The Blue Angels fly in formation 18 inches apart! Look how close they are in my photo above. 500,000 people visit the 8-day festival and I stood with my camera among the thousands of spectators enjoying the show. I had a "special event ticket" to watch the air show from the pier while enjoying a gourmet picnic of wine and local fare. The chefs offered cherry bar-b-cue chicken, pulled pork with cherry glaze and a chocolate brownie studded with dried cherries & walnuts. Yum. 

My favorite thing that happened? A ten-year-old boy with a camera walked up to me after a particularly close fly-by, gestured to my camera and said "What'd ya get?" So, photographer-to-photographer, we compared our best shots and agreed that The Blue Angels were "cool."

National Cherry Festival

It is hard for me to explain how much I love watching the U.S. Navy Blue Angels airshow. The power and precision of six F/A-18 Hornets flying in tight formation is spectacular. The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan hosts the Blue Angels every other year and I haven't missed a show yet. I snapped this shot during a practice flight. Look how the plane is screaming through the blue sky between the sun and an American flag - love it!

Strawberry Delight

Every time someone comes back to the cottage, they seem to be carrying a quart of strawberries. The markets are loaded with berries at their peak and no one can resist! But the kitchen counter is getting crowded with them, so I think it is time to make more jam. I may even make a strawberry tart. 

What if I add strawberry slices to a pitcher of lemonade? Mmmm...I love Summer!

4th of July

A small town, promises of ice cream and my 3 nephews watching the parade. I couldn't have planned a more perfect 4th of July photo. I especially love the red, white & blue t-shirts. I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend.

A Tisket a Tasket

I've decided to try my hand at embroidery again. I was about 8 when I first learned to cross stitch. I would mark a design in pencil on a flour sack square and then stitch over it with DMC floss. 

I vividly remember making a square for my brother with the outline of a sailboat on it. Lately, I've been seeing embroidered dishtowels in antique stores and I want to try some of those pretty stitches myself! 

Yesterday, I drew this basket of raspberries with a disappearing ink pen and stitched the berries by making lots of french knots. I am really happy with it. Dishtowels here I come!

Order Dessert

While many get offered a bite of some one's fabulous dessert...I get offered a photograph. My friends know how much I love photography and let me take pictures of their desserts before they dig in. This beauty was taken at a luncheon celebrating friendship that I attended in May. It was quite a scene when my friends all pass their desserts to me and when the waiter saw what I was doing, he brought me a stack of colored napkins to use as a backdrop - so thoughtful! 

You can see a different dessert where I used a lilac napkin here. A decadent chocolate cake finished with fresh berries and a pool of chocolate. All I can say is order dessert.

Time to Bake

I couldn't help myself...the darling packaging that was designed to make me buy & bake, actually made me buy & make. I saw this sweet box of cupcake mix and instantly wanted to make a clock out of it. I haven't made the actual cupcakes yet, but I'm in no rush. I know I'll never lose the instructions - they are on the back of the clock! To make, you will need a cute box, a clock movement (from the craft store), 1 AA battery, and tape. 

Make sure to center the hands high enough on the box to allow the hands to tick all the way around (too low and they will hit the table). Follow the clock movement instructions to place the motor of the clock inside the box (open box from the bottom) and the hands of the clock on the face. I used a 3 inch piece of strong tape across the motor inside to keep it secure (just don't tape over the time set wheel). It is super simple and super cute!