Visiting England: St. Paul's Cathedral

A statue of Queen Anne presides over the west entrance of St Paul's Cathedral.

I have been wanting to visiting St. Paul's Cathedral since July 29, 1981. Are you with me?

It was the morning of Lady Diana Spencer's wedding to Prince Charles. What a day!

Eleven years later I chose a candlelight white wedding gown and soft white bridesmaids dresses for my wedding just as Diana did. It was gorgeous!

It meant a lot to me to stand on these steps and enter St. Paul's cathedral just as she did 29 years ago. It was the closest I would ever get to her life and somehow it was a way to pay my respects.

I could tell you a million facts about the cathedral, dome and its history, but honestly for me, it was all about Diana.

Visiting England: Afternoon Tea

Was I happy or what? This mini-masterpiece was just one of the little desserts on our 3-tiered tray during high tea at The Goring hotel in London. I would describe it as a dark chocolate cake with layers of chocolate mousse and raspberry ganache. They must use a razor blade to cut the raspberry in half perfectly!

Afternoon tea at The Goring is served on a glass-walled terrace that has upholstered chairs and accent walls in sunflower yellow. The entire tea service (teapot, creamer, sugar, plates) is in the gorgeous pattern you see here; I had never eaten on bright yellow china and I loved it. The food looked so pretty highlighted with a yellow rim.

I happened to be carrying a yellow cigar box purse with me to tea and I was able to take a gorgeous photo of it on the table before tea was served. What a perfect backdrop! I will post it here soon.

The British Tea Guild awarded The Goring their "Award of Excellence" in 2008 & 2009 and I agree! The food was delicious and the setting was out of this world.

Visiting England: Access To Sheep

Isn't she sweet? I was so happy when I was driving toward Chipping Campden and found this open fence and endless pasture. When I was planing our trip, I had visions of being able to photograph sheep in green pastures and was having a hard time finding some! Yes, I could see sheep in the distance (the English countryside is beautiful!), but not anywhere that I could get the car close enough to really compose a good shot.

I needed access to sheep! Meanwhile, I was planning to meet up with my friend, Lynn, who lives in the Cotswolds for a "cream tea." Unfortunately she had to cancel due to illness, but she kept in contact with me by texting suggestions of things she thought I should see. Such a big help!

At one point, I considered asking her if she had any "access to sheep." I had been driving in the Cotswolds for two days and hadn't secured a sheep shot!
But then I found this sweetheart. Relaxing in the shade and greeting me with a light-hearted "Baa."

Doesn't she look like she wants to tell me something?

Visiting England: Ledbury

We charted our route to include the little town of Ledbury so that we could visit the Elizabethan England shop and kitchen. Elizabethan England is a a brand of jams (they also make a very popular lemon curd) that is available in gourmet shops in the United States. But alas, the tiny flagship store was no where to be found!

I don't know if the brand has been sold, or simply moved locations, but there was no sign of the company I had read all about in Victoria magazine years ago.

However, I was lucky enough to find Cameron & Swan. I quickly forgot my lemon loss when I was able to sit outdoors at this lovely cafe. I had a warm goat cheese tart with roasted vegetables, homemade bread and a side salad that was so fresh it must have been picked that morning. Yum!

Visiting England: Garmin

Let me be perfectly clear...if you want to whirl around England, I think you should have a navigation system. We joked all week that "this trip is sponsored by Garmin!"


Remember last year when I was in Paris and blogged about how tiny the Europe chip is?

Having a navigation system charting our way took alot of the stress of driving on "the wrong side of the road" away. The little pink line on the screen showed exactly which exit in the roundabout to take and reassured us time and again that we were on the right road - it was heaven.

We were on tiny dirt roads, quiet lanes and beautiful pasture-edged tracks that really let us see rural England. It was so pretty and the entire time we knew that we were still on the way. Love it!

Visiting England: Chipping Campden

Of all the sweet villages within the Cotswolds, I took the most photographs in Chipping Campden. I found the combination of stone buildings, rambling roses and blue sky impossible to resist.


The look of this house and courtyard is right out of the mini-series Cranford! It was all so inviting that I could almost "see" an apron-clad mother putting a batch of ginger cakes in the oven to bake.

I wanted to walk up to the door and invite myself to tea.

Visiting England: La Fromagerie

It is not often that I walk into a shop with articles about the place torn from a magazine. But I was very organized on this trip and I wanted Patricia Michelson to know that I had been reading all about La Fromagerie and had been wanting to visit her store for a long time.

La Fromagerie was on my "Moments of Delight: Visiting England" tour and I thought that she would be pleased to know it. Luckily, Patricia was in the Moxon Street shop when I came for lunch and I was able to introduce myself to her. She is so nice and what a beautiful shop she has!

Dark shelves of vinegar, jam and chutney. Beautiful open baskets of local produce. A glass-walled cheese room showcasing the prettiest selection of cheese I've ever seen.

Dan and I had lunch in the tasting cafe and shared an Ewe's Milk Cheeseplate (Perail, Wigmore, Ossau & Beenleigh Blue) served with Confiture de Cerises Noire (Black Cherry preserves) and a variety of fresh breads. It was delicious! We also shared a La Fromagerie Charcuterie Plate, which was a selection of cured meats accompanied by Duck Rillettes, Celeriac Remoulade and Cornichons. It was a midday feast and we ate every bite.

My visit was certainly a "Moment of Delight" and I was sorry that I wasn't going to be in town just a few days longer to be able to attend an in-store event in honor of Patricia's new book, Cheese.

If you are in London, be sure to visit La Fromagerie. I know ewe will love it.

Visiting England: Rose Gardens

Who could possibly have enough roses in a garden to make the landscape look like fabric? I'll tell you who, David Austin!

I thought I knew what I would see when I made a pilgrimage to David Austin's Rose Gardens in Albrighton, England a few weeks ago. Roses, pathways, pergolas - I love gardens and I couldn't wait. But let me tell you, I was not prepared for this. This garden far exceeds anything I have seen in any category anywhere.

This garden is decadent. It is beautiful. It is hard to believe that it is real. Every aspect of "what it is to know a rose" is shown here in its best light.

David Austin (and his son of the same name) design roses. They use science to breed new roses by developing the color, scent and shape from exisiting species. You must look here at how they explain the process. Fascinating!

David Austin knows how to care for roses. The water, the fertilizer, the pruning and shaping. The experts in their field tending to their specialty on site. Each plant is strong, healthy and loaded with blooms.

David Austin knows how to arrange and display roses for maximum enjoyment. A garden wall, a reflecting pond, a shaded bench. Perfect pathways lined with rose after rose after rose. The literature says that over 800 species planted in the garden. But I'll tell you now, there are far more rose bushes than species. I walked every inch of their 2 acre rose garden and every direction I looked was as full as the photo above.

There is no limit to roses here. The David Austins love roses and they want you to see why. Bravo!

Visiting England: Blenheim Palace

"Honey, I'm home!"

Can you imagine? This spectacular residence turned museum is Blenheim Palace, a gorgeous estate, park and museum about 90 minutes from central London. While the history of this spectacular estate dates back to the early 1700's, it is most famous as the birthplace of Winston Churchill. I saw his "onesie" (cotton baby shirt!) preserved under glass as proof - such an unexpected memento from the life of a very important man. The museum is also loaded with fantastic artifacts, letters and paintings (done by Churchill!) - history buffs will be in heaven. And the palace has the prettiest gift shop too. Don't miss it!

It was a hot and quiet afternoon the day I visited and as a result, my photos have no tourists in them. It looks like I own the place! Oh the dishes I would buy if I could entertain here. And soup tureens, gilded chargers, demitasse cups...

Visiting England: Living Wall

In 2009, I read an article in Wired magazine about Patrick Blanc's "Living Wall" at the Athenaeum Hotel in London.

He created a vertical garden on the exterior of a building and I wanted to see it! The plants on the wall thrive on a network of slats, artificial felt and an automated water/fertilizer system. You can read all about how he does it here.

But as you know, London is enormous and although I carried the article with me on my trip, I thought the chances were slim that I would be able to find/visit it during my short stay in London.

The day we arrived, as we rode from the airport to our hotel in a taxi cab, my ever-calm husband casually pointed out the window and said "I think that's the hotel you wanted to see."

All I can say is that I practically gave the taxi driver a heart attack with my exclamation. He quickly realized that all was well and that I had simply "found something" that I was looking for.
There it was! We had found it by accident! The next day we made sure to walk by The Athenaeum on our way back from dinner so that I could photograph it properly.
Love it!

Visiting England: Cath Kidston

I have loved the work of Cath Kidston for years and made a beeline to one of her shops when I arrived in London.

I love her light-hearted prints, her vintage-style travel accessories, her commitment to oilcloth. Seriously, I believe in this brand and I think her approach to lifestyle design is perfect. I have seen very few designers with such a complete vision.

Cath Kidston just started making a magazine out of her print catalog (genius!) and decided to commission vintage candy tins (full of travel sweets) to sell in her store. A tin of sweets was the first thing I picked up when I arrived at her Portobello Road shop.

Because if you are going on a Summer holiday and you are packing your car full of vintage-style luggage pieces and oilcloth travel pouches, you'll need some candy for the trip, right? I love how she thinks.

I hope that someday everyone will know the name Cath Kidston.

Visiting England: High Tea

I couldn't wait to have High Tea in London. As I did research for our trip, I poured over travel books, magazine articles I had saved in my "England" folder and everything I read pointed to Brown's Hotel.

It was lovely. We had a table for two at the window in a formal wood-paneled room. You can see photos here - we sat just to the right of the fireplace. A pianist played a baby grand piano softly in the corner and nothing could have felt more like a vacation in England to me than to sit and share a pot of "Brown's Afternoon Blend."

Delight is about appreciating the wonderful moments of your life and while this was an exceptional experience, I made sure to relish every minute of it. We enjoyed our table, the food, the soft music for 2 hours and I wouldn't change a thing.

The angle of this photo is so that you can be right there with me. We started with homemade scones, strawberry jam and yes, that is clotted cream. It is silky and cold - absolutely delicious and much prettier than it sounds. In America, I haven't found many scones that would turn my head. They are all too big, quite dry and easily skipped for something higher on the tiered tray. These, however, were so light and satisfying that I ate three!

Our reservations for tea at Brown's Hotel (Note: you can book online!) was at five o'clock and since it landed between shopping and the Columbia Road Flower Market and visiting The London Eye, our high tea became lunch and dinner. We ate trays of tea sandwiches, scones, sweets and topped it off with cake! I have more pictures to show you, but for now enjoy the first course.

Would you like one lump or two?

Visiting England: A View from The London Eye

Now I couldn't tell you about the London Eye without showing you too, could I?

We had a spectacular night to view the city - it was around 8 o'clock when we "boarded," the sky was as clear as a bell and the sun was beginning to set.

I took this photo through the glass walls and I am so happy with it!

I wanted to tell you about a neat event that will be taking place on The London Eye in October of this year. During the London Restaurant Festival, the London Eye will become a revolving restaurant with 11 celebrity chefs! Doesn't that sound wonderful?

I know, someone bid on (and win) the Gordon Ramsay charity capsule and I'll fly over and join you!

Visiting England: London Eye

When I am talking to my friends about the highlights of my trip to London, not everyone is familiar with The London Eye. It is a giant observation wheel on the banks of the Thames that was built to celebrate the millennium (the wheel is said to be symbolic of time turing into a new century).

Giant glass pods rotate so slowly that the wheel never stops. Guests simply step out of the pod when their rotation is complete, the wheel slowly moves to the next station where new guests step on for their "flight."

I love a beautiful view, but am wary of standing too close to the edge of anything, so I wasn't so sure about The London Eye. I wanted to love it, but was a little nervous. Poof! My fears disappeared the moment I was on board. It is roomy, solid and moves so slow that you hardly think of it as a "trip" at all.

I decided to show you how impressive The London Eye is by letting it dwarf Big Ben. There is no camera "trickery" going on. I simply stood on a bridge and captured both structures in the frame.

Now you can say what I said, "Wow."

Visiting England: David Austin English Roses

Our trip to England was to celebrate our wedding anniversary and was planned with one thing in mind: David Austin English roses.

My dream was to visit David Austin's Shropshire Rose Garden when it was in full bloom. I'll tell you now that I cried.

You see, my favorite roses are by David Austin.

It might sound funny to use the word "by" but it is true. David Austin and his son design roses, propagate them and nurture them into the masterpieces that you will see here.

I have so many moments and images I want to share from my visit that I have decided to sprinkle them throughout the series (rather than have an entire week dedicated to roses). I promise they will take your breath away.

This magnificent show was on one plant, happily wafting in the breeze. My only regret is that I couldn't whisper the name of it into my camera to be able to identify the bloom for you. I know that you will enjoy it just the same.

Visiting England: Cupcakes at Treacle

Flowers and cupcakes? I told you that I was in heaven at London's Columbia Flower Market! After making my way from one end of the market to the other (and then back again), I was ready for a snack.

A pretty bakery caught my eye and as I approached, I read the motto painted over the window: "Our true intent is all for your delight."

I was in the right place! These yummy cupcakes are from Treacle, a bake shop dedicated to new nostalgia (old-fashioned recipes, vintage-style aprons, enamelware tins). 

I've never heard it called new nostalgia before, but I like it!
I wanted to show you this interesting display. They have taken mini cupcakes and put them on a wooden skewer (like a shish kabob!) on an outdoor grill. Certainly eye catching and the cupcakes look even prettier than if they had simply been in a box. So clever!

I had a traditional vanilla cupcake with pale purple frosting, edible glitter and candied violets on top. I ate it on the street with gusto and think I sold a few more cupcakes for them in the process.

Visiting England: Columbia Road Flower Market

I was in heaven. I arrived at the Columbia Road Flower Market around eleven o'clock on Sunday morning. Though hardly an early bird, I was certainly in good company. The place was packed!

Vendors were shouting seductions into the crowd like, "Here you are, Love, something for the front room."

Although it was dim in this photo, the sun eventually broke through clouds and it was like wandering through an Impressionist painting. I loved every second of walking this stretch of historic road. I may have been a million miles away from my garden, but I was right at home.

When you are in London, be sure to come to the Columbia Road Flower Market on Sunday morning and buy a bouquet of flowers for your hotel room. What a delight!

Visiting England: Fortnum & Mason

One of my first experiences in London was shopping at Fortnum & Mason.

I was bleary from travel, but the moment I saw these window displays I was snapped back to reality! The entire ground floor is dedicated to tea, jams, honey and sweets. Somebody pinch me!

I wandered the entire store (established in 1707) nibbling a homemade raspberry marshmallow and making mental notes of all the things I wanted to buy.


If I had it to do again, I would scrap the "mental notes" part and head directly to the checkout counter. I thought that I was being smart and considering my choices, but I couldn't decide and missed out on some beautiful souvenirs.

The good news is that the Fortnum & Mason website does ship internationally if I decide that I just have to have the tin biscuit box that plays "Happy Birthday" when you crank it. Seriously! It was so cute.

What I did end up with is this darling tote and lots of motivation to return to London!

Visiting England

Won't you walk with me through the gate and into the beautiful world of England? I have an incredible number of photos and stories to share from my private tour of England and I am starting the blog series today. While I am still working on my book dedicated to Paris, I have no doubt that I will write another on the delights of England.

On my flight home, I found myself thinking about what my friends had asked me so often before I left on my first trip to England, "Which do you think you will like better - England or France?

As I sat in my seat thinking about my experiences and all of the people that I met on my trip, I realized that I get two completely different (but wonderful) reactions from people in each country. While the French seem genuinely happy that I am visiting, the English didn't want me to leave.

Time after time, I was greeted with warmth, interest and a gentle chiding that if I wasn't moving on to the next region so quickly, they could have sent me to so many places that I would love. Most concluded that, "Well, you'll just have to come back and spent some more time with us." How nice is that?

And there is no doubt that I will.

What a Day!

It was a gorgeous day for an art show and I am so happy with how everything went.

I want to say thank you to everyone who came by to say "Hi" - what a day!

This picture is from the entrance to my booth. I wanted to greet people with flowers! I put a collection of my hand-painted and "ANA" Private label jam jars vases for sale. So pretty!

Shades of Gray

There are times when we all could use a little mystery.

You know me for my love of color, sugar and all things "super cute."

But I also love layers. I probably notice a collection of similar shades before anything else.

I took this striking photo years ago from my room at the Hotel Beau Rivage on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.

The ironwork balcony, the rolling fog, the slope of the landscape was just beautiful. I think the hum I heard was the historic paddle steam boats on the lake. A moment like this gives you the freedom to think.

Just after this photo was taken, I went down to dinner and the waitress expressed her regret that I wasn't seeing the area at its finest. I smiled with understanding and assured her that it all looked beautiful to me.

When you are presented with a cloudy day, make sure to look for the beauty in all the shades of gray.

Watermelon Gazpacho

If a waitress ever mentions "Watermelon Gazpacho," say "Yes!"

I have been meaning to experiment with this type of cold soup - something that could be sweet, spicy and refreshing. This soup was made with an incredibly small dice of celery, cucumber and other crunchy bits - I loved it and am made up a recipe for myself (and you!).

My gorgeous lunch is from Martha's Leelanau Table in Suttons Bay, Michigan. Martha's is a relatively new restaurant in Leelanau county and I was pleased when chef Mario Batali praised Martha's in Esquire magazine last year. What a compliment!

Do you remember my Mario Batali story?

Blue Angels

Wow. wow. wow. Seriously. You know how I love the Blue Angels and once again they put on a fantastic air show at this year's National Cherry Festival in Traverse City.

I went to the air show twice (Friday & Saturday) and loved every minute of it.

On Saturday, I also went to the official NMC Aviation Pancake Breakfast at Cherry Capital Airport with some of my friends and was able to meet one of the Blue Angel pilots. Lieutenant Jim Tomaszeski flys in position #2 (in photo above, second row, plane on right) and spoke to the group about having big dreams, the importance of time management and his favorite part of life as a Blue Angel, being a positive role model and goodwill ambassador for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. It was a great speech and the applause were loud!

I have a cute Blue Angels story for you. One Christmas Eve, my entire family was exchanging presents and I was handed a small odd-shaped tissue-wrapped gift. When I opened it, I was amused to find a metal replica of the Blue Angels F-18 Hornet. My three nephews (approximately 8, 6, 4 years old at the time) were sure that I had been given the wrong package and that this model plane was for them.

"Oh no, boys," I said, "this gift is definitely for me."

I keep my model plane in my office and it reminds me of how much fun it is to have a life full of varied interests.

The United States of Jell-O

Do you love it? The 4th of July is not complete without The United States of Jell-O. My Mom bought this mold years ago through the Jell-O website, and I am sad to say that they don't offer it anymore. Perhaps if they hear from enough people they will bring it back. Although the USA isn't available anymore, you can celebrate with a darling flag mold.

I love this mold because it is so funny to see the family going through the line and picking "the Dakotas" or "California" for their serving. This year I chose the coastal area near Washington, D.C. - yum!

Slight Delay

Oops! I brought the wrong computer with me and I don't have my England pictures available to me. I promise to overload you with British delights starting on Monday, July 12th.

Fort McHenry

When we were in Maryland, we had a day to fill before our night flight back to Detroit. A day trip to Fort McHenry seemed like the perfect activity and on a clear day like this, the chance to photograph an historic fort was irresistible.

Fort McHenry is the birthplace of our National Anthem. Francis Scott Key was inspired after witnessing the British attack on Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in 1814. When he saw the American flag still flying over the fort the next morning "in the dawn's early light."

I thought it was neat when I heard that each May, three to four thousand school children re-create a "Living American Flag" at the fort by standing in a particular spot in either red, white or blue shirts. From above, it makes a giant flag of stars and stripes. Cute! (Click this link to see an example!)

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday weekend.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July!

Parade Route

Every small town in America has a parade on the Fourth of July. It is a time of sunshine, school marching bands and, occasionally, a really great float. This cow, Ruthie, which is sponsored by the Leland Mercantile ("The Merc") is my favorite by far.

I have been in Leland for the 4th of July parade every year (but 2) since I was a baby. I remember years watching the parade with my entire family, including both of my grandmothers. I remember hoping for candy to be thrown my way.

Now a million years later, we have an even bigger crowd - my parents, brothers and sisters-in-law and all the kids sit on blankets along the road and enjoy this little bit of Americana.

The parade is exactly the same every year and as "short and sweet" as this moment is, I love it just the same.

And now its my teenage nephews that make sure to hand me a Tootsie Roll after the floats go by.

Beach Fire on Lake Michigan

Tonight is the night! The first beach fire of the year and I can't wait. If the wind stays calm, we can sit on the shore of Lake Michigan and watch the sun go down.

Sitting at a beach fire always makes me want to write a screenplay. I can't think of the last time a campfire at sunset was the setting in a movie, can you? I really think that the romantic comedies of today are missing out and I would love to see some honest conversation in front of a crackling fire.

I can see it now...

Local Flower Market

And I mean LOCAL, these are all from my yard! Just before I left for England, I told my Mom to come over because I was going to cut ALL the flowers in the garden and we were going to make arrangements.

"No," she said in disbelief..

"Now is the hour!," I explained. I was leaving town and no one would see the garden for 2 weeks, so I could cut everything and make bouquets!

It was really fun. We got out a variety of vases, containers and bottles (including jam jars and French lemonade bottles) and some floral food (to prolong our creations) and got to work.

What you see is only a fraction of our "inventory" - it was glorious!

Blueberry Gateau

I'm known for my Blueberry Gateau. It's a recipe I found in Country Living magazine years ago (from an article spotlighting recipes from Vermont's Blueberry Hill Inn) and I make it many many (many!) times each Summer.

I am proud of the fact that my teenage nephews ask if I've many any "gateau."

I'm tickled that Google associates me with blueberry gateau. Try it. Google "blueberry gateau" and see if I come up in the first ten results.

It is blueberry season, I am headed to the cottage and you can bet that the tablesetting will look like this before long.

Why don't you make a blueberry gateau? And be sure to tell me if you do!

World Cup-cakes

How are you celebrating World Cup fever? With sugar, I hope!

I noticed the modern bake shop, Lola's Cupcakes in London one evening because of its clean Ipod-like decor. The interior of this glass-walled shop is white and aqua - so pretty. I made a mental note to return when it was open to, you know, investigate. When I came back a few days later, I saw their super cute way to show team spirit.

I'll be writing more about Lola's and their delicious cupcakes in July, but I had to show you this photo while everyone has World Cup fever.

Garden of Delight

I am home after 10 days in England (glorious!) and I am happy to say that my garden is fine. I left a senior member of the Roseglen Garden Club in charge (she's 13) and I returned to find the patio in full bloom.

In fact, we got home as a storm was about to hit, so I cut all of these to keep them from getting batted around in the wind. I placed them in the nearest container of water and I think I will keep the arrangement as is - what could be prettier than this?

I want you to know that I will be starting my "Private Tour of England" blog series in early July. I just need to get my bearings, organize my photos, collect my thoughts and write! I can't wait to show you. It seemed that every moment was a delight.

Inner Harbor

You may have heard of Baltimore's Inner Harbor, but have you seen it? The last time I was in Baltimore, I was lucky enough to have this view from my room at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. I couldn't show it off any better than this!

Seafood restaurants rim the harbor on the right side of the photo (crab cakes!) and directly in front is the complex boasting ice cream, a Swatch watch store (want one!) and a huge waterfront Cheesecake Factory - what more could a girl need?

If you find yourself in Baltimore for business or pleasure, be sure to stroll the Inner Harbor after dinner. You'll see tall ships, street performers and a "rampart" just like in the Star Spangled Banner.

Fresh Raspberries

Do I really need to say any more? This picture is worth a thousand words and should have you checking your calendar to see if you can sneak over to the farmer's market tomorrow morning. Fresh produce locally grown. Come on, you know you want to.

(Raspberries might not be ready near you yet, but aren't these gorgeous? And won't you be happy when they are available like this? It's Summer!)

Schoolhouse Rock

Yes, there really were one room schoolhouses! I photographed this historic building on a country road in northern Michigan.

I'd love to rent it out for a garden party. Can't you see guests and music spilling out onto the lawn. I'd have farm tables loaded with baskets of flowers, glass infusion jars full of spiked lemonade, platters of country sandwiches and honey butter in the shape of a beehive. I think I'd put up tent poles around the perimeter and frame the party with small white lights hung high.

I think with a little music, we could make this school house rock. Join me?

Peony Gardens

All I had to hear was "Peony Festival" and I was "in!" I knew there would only be a few days when my schedule and Mother Nature's would overlap, so I watched the calendar carefully and drove to Ann Arbor on a sunny afternoon to see the peonies.

As I researched the garden and my route, I learned that the Nichols Arboretum has one of the largest collections of historic peonies in North America - and it is only an hour from my house!
The Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum is part of the University of Michigan and the arboretum is adjacent to U of M's central campus in Ann Arbor.
If you are interested, I encourage you to download the "Self-guided Peony Tour" from the first link above. It is the tool that I used to find my way to the oldest and rarest peony specimens. Have you ever seen a peony from 1850?
Isn't it lovely to think of all of the people that have enjoyed its blooms for the past 160 years? More than a century of productivity is an accomplishment in any field, I love that, in this case, the "field" is actually dirt!

Needle in a Haystack

I volunteered to work a 2-hour shift as a cashier at my church's rummage sale a few weeks ago. It was the last day of the sale and the building was still brimming with rummage and not quite enough happy shoppers.

We always work in teams, and since it was so quiet, the woman that I was assigned to work with gave me a reprieve from my duties so that I could go shop the sale. Great! I could walk the corridors talking to people and nosing about for treasures.

I honestly didn't see much that I wanted, but when I walked into the area called "Jewelry" I noticed this pin. I have always loved monograms and I was sure that I could see an "R" (Reeves) and a "D" (Dan, my husband). For me, a married monogram (like you would put on sheets or pillowcases) would be ARD.

I asked the ladies in the department for a consultation. "Could this be an A?" "Don't you see an A?" We laughed that I was wiggling the pin a little to skew the results. "Sure, it's an A," they finally conceded. Wonderful! I bought the pin for a whopping 50 cents, pinned it on my sweater and headed back to my station to work.

When I approached my teammate, Barb, she actually gasped. "That's my pin! You bought my pin!" In an entire building full of room after room of mismatched, well worn rummage, I had found "the needle in a haystack" and bought something my partner had donated! It had belonged to her Mother-in-Law (a woman that had lived to be 101 years old!) and it was a gift that she had monogrammed for her. Her name was Agnes (It is an A!) and Barb donated it to the church not really knowing if anyone would want a monogrammed item.

Can you believe it? The whole experience felt magical, like I was meant to have this pin; as if her Mother-in-Law meant for me to find it. Love it!

Edible Flowers

I dug right in, I really did. How could you not eat something this beautiful? Plus a little salad dressing mellows out any sharp botanical flavors you might not be expecting.

It was a perfect Summer night at the cottage. For some reason I had the whole place to myself and I ate like a vegetarian. This flowerful salad, 2 ears of corn and some cherry clafoutis in the oven for dessert - heaven.

I found this big selection of edible flowers at a place called "The Ugly Tomato." They call themselves ugly because that they are a farm that grows and sells heirloom tomatoes that are warped and unusual looking. Have you seen heirloom tomatoes before? They really do boarder on ugly, but oh what flavor! Whenever the refrigerated section of this farm stand offers bagged edible flowers - I'm in!

Bathed in Candlelight

When I see this arrangement, all I can think of is "candlelight."

When I pass by the living room, the word leaps out at me and I don't know why. Is it because the colors have the softness and quality of candlelight? I am not sure, but I love it.

The roses ("Eden Climber" and "Whisper") are crowded in a jam jar that I brought back from Laduree in Paris. I have put contact paper over the label to make it last forever.

You know what my plans are? Come nightfall, I am going to bathe this arrangement in candlelight. It's the right thing to do.

Oilcloth Cases

If you had a stack of this oilcloth, you wouldn't be able to resist either! I was thinking about the Summer jaunts I have planned and a girl's gotta protect her electronics, right? I absolutely LOVE these cases that I made this week.

I had actually made a small number of felt-lined cases similar to these for a "one-hour gift show" I participated in last month and they sold out in a snap! My plan is to make more and bring them to an Artist Market where I'll be a vendor in July.

When people ask me what I'll be selling at this event (I haven't done a real show in years and I am excited to talk to my customers again!), I tell them that I'll be signing my book, Moments of Delight, and that I'll have my magazine bags (DELIGHT totes), ANA cigar box purses, tin wallets, 2-of-a-kind necklaces, paper art matchbox sets, oilcloth cases, DELIGHT jam jar vases...

My goal is to get them to say, "Ohhh...when is it?" I love what I do.

Beekman Boys

Here I am with my fabulous Beekman Boy! Who knew?

You see, this is my dear friend Josh. He is part of a table of friendship that started back in college - Josh, Tracy, Kerry, Me.

We met as English majors at Michigan State University and spent every day together for years. We are all still good friends and see each other (mostly in pairs) whenever we can. Here we are the last time I was in New York City.

Josh and his partner, Dr. Brent Ridge, are now living and filming a reality show on Discovery Channel's Plant Green called "The Fabulous Beekman Boys." It revolves around how two Manhattanites leave the big city to work and live on a beautiful piece of property in a quiet New York town called Sharon Springs. The house, land and its history takes on a life of its own and eventually turns them into "accidental farmers" with a goat milk soap and cheese business named Beekman 1802. (I love their soap, still need to try the cheese!)

A little crazy? Yes. A bit like "Green Acres?" You bet. But it is also light, charming, and a really fun blend of modern life with age old farming rules. Tweeting & pigs? Josh. Worried about having a clean farm? Brent. It is full of love and nature and goats. Check it out Wednesday nights at 9 o'clock.

A Little Bit of Lovely

It is unusual to have something "lovely" in the kitchen. Kitchens are for cooking, socializing, planning. Work gets done in the kitchen.

But when I placed one open rose in a small glass compote by the sink, the whole room looked prettier. Take a moment (of delight) and look at how each individual petal is unfurled- gorgeous!

The rose is "McCartney Rose," named for Sir Paul McCartney and the vase is a thin glass pedestal dish (that I found for a song!) that is similar to the gorgeous work of William Yeoward.

Sometimes a little bit of lovely can make all the difference.

Travel Jewelry Pouches

Do I have to make everything myself? Apparently yes.
I have been looking for inexpensive travel pouches to protect my necklaces when I pack, and there aren't any to be found.

Like so many people, I move around a lot in the Summertime. I go to the cottage. I go to family reunions. Sometimes I go on a big adventure that I will blog about here (yea!).

And when I travel hither and yon, I need to look super cute, right? Which means lots of jewelry options. I've figured out how we both can make travel jewelry pouches in under 5 minutes.

You'll need a roll of bubble wrap and a roll of patterned duct tape, often displayed near the check out counter of craft stores.

Cut the bubble wrap into a rectangle (6" x 14" or whatever size you need), fold it in half and tape two of the sides together using the duct tape (I find that the easiest way to cut duct tape is with a rotary cutter on a self-healing mat). This will leave one side as the opening. You're done.

Make as many as you need and travel with them in a hard-sided box. I like the white lidded cardboard boxes at Michael's craft store or you could get my favorite container by Snapware. You can see more of my jewelry management tips here.

This should help to keep your necklaces safe and your Summer outfits fabulous.

Duck, Duck, Goose

When I invited a friend of mine to come along to the Mt. Bruce Station Spring Fiber Day, I described it as a "fun way to spend an hour or two wandering a farm, shopping for fiber-related goodies and perhaps seeing a sheep get shorn." What's not to like, right?

When we got there, what made me really happy was seeing these geese! I wanted her to feel like this adventure was an escape from the city and these honking beauties added to our farm experience for sure.

We had about an hour drive to the farm, so I made us some "Coffee Cake Bars" and brought along individual orange juice cartons for a snack. They were gone in a flash.

Coffee Cake Bars

Using 1 box of Pillsbury Cinnamon Swirl quick bread mix follow the directions on the box to make the batter. Since we want coffee cake bars, butter a 9 x 11 (or similar) pan.

Pour some batter into the pan and spread. Then shake on half of the streusel filling, then sprinkle on 3/4 cup of dried cherries, then add the rest of the batter. Sprinkle the remaining streusel on top and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 - 40 minutes, depending on your oven and the thickness of the batter. Check for doneness with a toothpick. When it comes out clean, the batter is cooked. Allow to cool. Make a glaze by mixing 1/2 cup of powered sugar with a few tablespoons of hot water. Start with just a little water and add a bit at a time until it is the consistency you can "drizzle" over cake. Allow this icing drizzle to set by placing the cake pan in the refrigerator. Once it is set, you can cut the coffee cake into bars and slip each one into its own plastic baggie. This makes it perfect to eat on a trip - it comes with its own "crumb catcher" and clean up bag. Enjoy!

Auditioning

This combination took my breath away. I think the painting is gorgeous, but the color on the walls and the placement of the orchid in front makes it so much more.

Can you see what I mean? Imagine a tray of violets on the table instead of the orchid-it wouldn't look right, would it?

Or imagine that the walls were painted pale gray like the marble table top - bland right?

Sometimes you have to see something in place before you know if it is right. The design term for this process is "auditioning." You are "auditioning" pieces in a setting to see if they should be given the part. Neat, eh?

I thought you might like to throw this into your next home makeover conversation..."I need to audition some new pillows for the family room." Ha!

Generosity - The Gift of Flowers in Painted Jam Jars

I think most people want to be generous - they just don't always recognize what it is that they have to "give."

Right now, what I really have to give is flowers. The more I talk to people, the more I realize they rarely make themselves casual flower arrangements. But what a difference flowers can make on your mood! A subtle "power of suggestion" item that says life is good.

So I am making and giving small bouquets every chance I get. I think the secret to the success of these flower arrangements are my vases. Flowers need a vase and I've devised a way to make affordable vases that my friends want to keep and reuse.

I save jam jars all year and then in an afternoon, paint them all with polka dots. I use glass paint, my brush is a cotton swab for the perfect dot and once the paint is dry I follow the directions on the bottle and bake the vases in the oven to make the dots permanent. Super easy and so cute!

Tonight I am invited to a small dinner party and in addition to salad, I am also bringing flowers! I'll be cutting a fresh bouquet this afternoon of yellow roses. All it takes is a few roses, a painted jar and an orchid clip.

What can you be generous with? Your time? Your tomatoes? A simple gesture of generosity can mean the world to someone.

Lipstick Mirrors

I am a Revlon girl - Chinaglaze Red, Snowsilver Rose. I even got to know a church member better by asking her if she was wearing Persian Melon - I kid you not!

A long time ago, I bought a 2-pack of adhesive lipstick mirrors for the end of your lipstick case at a tiny drug store in northern Michigan. Pure genius! I have been waiting to see them distributed nationally

1) so that I could buy more and
2) so that I could tell you about them.

But I have given up. It has been at least eight years and they are no where to be found so I am making my own!

Find some 2 cm mirror discs at the craft store (usually in a bag of 10), get a packet of Glue Dots and pull out all of your lipsticks! It works best if you place an adhesive dot on the back of the mirror and on the lipstick case. The glue dots adhere to each other and voila! You'll be gorgeous, darling.

Note: Do not do what I did the first time. I bought the 2-pack of mirrors, met my friends for lunch, pulled my "find" out of the bag and proceeded to stick the mirror on the base (over the label) of the lipstick tube. You guessed it, it was the wrong end and I couldn't see myself in the mirror and apply lipstick at the same time! Duh! The mirror goes on the CAP, which you hold and look at while you put on your lipstick.