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Master Bedroom

 This bedroom is the new kid on the block, not part of an old structure, but we incorporated post and beam construction and those large beams you see in the ceiling are from an old Pennsylvania barn.  They are beautiful, one of my favorite features of the house.  They’re also infested with bugs!  Actually, ALL the beams in the house have microscopic bugs.   I had no idea.   Apparently it comes with the territory, centuries old beams & bugs. 
We have beam bugs, people.

Start to finish…
bedroom addition to the left…
 This is the Paula Deen Savannah bed I found online.. assembly required… yeah that was fun.  It comes in either an off-white or tobacco finish. I love this shade, very warm and I wanted to bring in some contrast.
I’m trying to figure out what would look good on either side of the photo above the headboard. It’s a matted picture I photoshopped into a watercolor of one of our old cats lying under a barrel filled with geraniums.
This area needs help.
An old chair from my office in the previous house.. very comfortable and worn in.
 But this area needs something too. 
One thing I always splurge on is good quality sheets.  My mother would probably iron these after each washing because the trim would look so much better.  The apple rolled way down the hill from that tree…..
 Pillows-Pier One Imports, duvet below – Pottery Barn…
Not sure where to hang this Robin… an art quilt by artist Vivika Denegre (see blog roll, beautiful work)
The white kitten is a ceramic figure I made for my grandmother 35 years ago. She always kept it on the floor of her bedroom, using it as a doorstop.  When she moved to Florida it took up the same space at her condo.   When Nana passed away I brought the kitten home and it sits on my dresser so it doesn’t get trampled by the zoo.  
Last night with slumber fast approaching,  I gazed dreamily into those
1,000 lb. beams and asked the obvious question…
“There’s no chance those things would ever, like, fall down  on us or anything, would they? “
And in a drowsy haze and heavy sigh,  the answer came soft and simple. 
“If they did? ..you’de never know.”
Ok then.

Thank you Neighbor

 It’s been a hectic two weeks with family visiting and camp schedules and alittle work and still unpacking?!  and  heat management, it’s been so gawd-awful HOT.    I have another room or two to reveal in the next post… but today I’de like to thank yet another wonderful neighbor, Mrs. N.,  for leaving these beautiful  blueberry and raisin bran muffins at my door. I’ve blogged about her before…   Her road is not an easy one, and yet she finds time to help many others…and oh boy, can she bake ðŸ™‚

 The heat has not been a friend to our fledgling garden this year.  It didn’t help that we threw in the plants hastily without proper fortification of the soil… but we are reaping a small harvest and that’s better than nothing.  This fall we will do what needs to be done to the soil so that next years crops will be a happier lot.

I think I might actually have an edible melon or two… will let you know…

Only in New York

This came across my laptop this morning and I was instantly hungry.

Article  by Megan Steintrager
New York City’s Serendipity 3 restaurant has a history of doing stunts to make the Guinness World Records. They’ve scored twice before — with the World’s Most Expensive Ice Cream Sundae and the World’s Largest Hot Chocolate — and on Friday, they did it again with the World’s Most Expensive Hot Dog, which will sell for $69.

So how do you get a hot dog to cost nearly 70 bucks? First, you start with a regular Serendipity 3 foot-long beef hot dog, which already sells for $8.50 — a little more than your average street dog in New York (and a lot tastier, I’ll admit). Then you use the tried and true pre-recession stunt of chefs around the world: Add foie gras, then add truffles, repeat as necessary until the price tag explodes. (The other surefire fancifier — caviar — would taste a little gross on a hot dog, though Serendipity 3 puts it on a burger)

To be more specific, this particular “Haute Dog” (as it’s being marketed) is grilled in white truffle oil and is served on a chewy pretzel-bread bun (sort of like a cross between a soft pretzel and a baguette) that’s toasted with white truffle butter. It’s topped with foie gras pâté with black truffles. Condiments (served on the side) include Dijon mustard with black truffles, caramelized Vidalia onions and ketchup made with heirloom tomatoes (more like a tart tomato relish).

I tasted the dog this morning (breakfast of champions), and I’ve gotta admit, it was darn tasty. My notes, after the jump.

The wiener itself was high quality and would have been great with just a little mustard. But the combo of flavors and textures — the smokey, firm yet juicy hot dog, the creamy, pungent foie gras, the earthy truffles, the chewy, salty bun, the sweet onions, the bite of mustard, and the bright, tart ketchup — played together remarkably well. My minor complaints: I found the bun a bit too salty and the occasional visible glob of truffle butter was over the top (or perhaps I should say “over the top of the top”).

The dog, which was created in honor of National Hot Dog Day (and, I presume, in order to garner just this sort of press attention), debuted for the press Friday and will be available to the general public as soon as new menus are drawn up, according to a spokesperson for the restaurant (note that the haute dog has to be ordered 24 hours in advance).

So is this stunt dog for you? Only if you love foie gras and truffles (their flavor, not just the “I’m a big roller” factor — though that’ll play a part in your decision too) and you’ve got an extra $70, plus tax and tip, burning a hole in your pocket (hey, we heard the recession was over…right?).

Would you pay $69 for this hot dog?  I’m a hotdog fan and  yes I know how bad they are for you…but this one sounds so good I’de almost be tempted. 

Watermelon Sangria

photo courtesy google

A few years back the kids and I went to Cape May, NJ with my mother to visit an old friend of the family. One night we sat out on the balcony of our hotel overlooking the beach sipping the nectar of the Gods, I’m telling ya. Mom’s friend is one of those people who bends over backwards for the care and comfort of anyone and their brother, hospitality being her middle name.  She brought us a big pitcher of this thirst quencher, knowing we had spent a long day traveling and needed a reprieve.  I brought the recipe home with me.

 Watermelon Sangria

1 bottle white wine – don’t use an expensive kind

3/4 cup watermelon schnapps

1/2 cup white cranberry juice

2 cups cubed or scooped watermelon

2 limes, cut into half wheels

Combine all ingredients in large glass pitcher and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for atleast four hours. Serve over ice.  
 

  If you’ve never been to Cape May, it’s a lovely old seaside town  at the far end of the Jersey Shore…  Many victorian homes and inns, great food, a kid-friendly beach and lots of shopping. It still has the seaside hometown feel, and yet it’s not far from the big parks and attractions that the younger crowd seek, making it a great family destination.   The fresh ground coffee at Kiss The Cook is the best I’ve ever had, especially the Creme Brulee. You can actually have it shipped!…

The “hood”

 We live in a rural neighborhood… that isn’t quite as rural as it seems.  We’re a town of 6,000 and we have a main hub of retail spaces that include a Dunkin Donuts, a Subway, a few other restaurants  including chinese, pizza, a family restaurant, a gourmet take-out and a bakery.  There are other retail spaces including our little artisan gallery attached to a toy store…  and we’ve got a gigantic True Value hardware store.  And I mean gigantic…. because out here in the sticks (just 10 minutes from Route 1 along the coast)….we apparently need THAT MUCH  massive power equipment , tools, pet supplies, paint, carhart clothing and bird feeders to survive the wilds.  

Truth be told, the folks at True Value had another space that was more appropriately sized, and they wanted to expand some to meet their growing needs. This charming little hamlet’s town government gave them such grief they were forced to find another location up the street and rebuild unless they wanted to remain stagnant.  Rebuild they did, and in GRAND central scale. Their old place sits vacant.   In this economy?… well I wish them the best, they’re good people and they’ve been good to the people of this town.   We need a town planner, enough said.

 The street we live on has a very odd name, and it comes from a very odd circumstance that occured just behind our house on the hill you see frequently in pictures here. I have to repeat the name frequently when I’m asked for my street address because folks can’t believe someone would name our road what it is named.   Despite the hideous name and it’s origin,  it’s location and scenery are worth the weirdness . This Old House is one of quite a few old homesteads and our neighbors have settled along this road for much of  the same reasons we have….the rural character and the old world charm from the turn of the last century.  While none are fancy, the homes reflect their owners pride and appreciation for their history.

   This morning our neighbors across the street brought us a beautiful wire basket full of treasures from their garden.  The pickles and ratatoille are delicious and just look at those dried mushrooms and cukes.

We had our first fire in the pit last night
 and one of the dogs finally peed on a carpet 
yep…. it’s starting to feel like home.
 

Barn babies

 I went to the barn last night to tend to Opie’s wound…

(you’re welcome) ……
And this is what Opie thought of that…
So when I walked down into the darkened barn and flicked on the light… there were four scurrying creatures underfoot… four adorable baby skunks running for cover. They could fit in my hand.  I turned the light off again and stood still for a few minutes while they ventured back out, playing with each other like kittens.  The bravest started wrestling with another and then backed up to him with tail raised as if to say “back off,  or I’m gonna spray!!”  Really cute, until I realized I was just feet away and if he really WAS gonna spray, I wasn’t going home smelling like roses.  So I flicked the light back on and quickly took these pics with my iphone (sorry for bad image quality)….
I want one!
Three!.. poking their heads out of their current home the shavings pallets..

Happy Hour

 Last night the guy and I went to my favorite mexican restaurant to decompress.  I needed decompressing, you see… because this week has been less than joyful due to the still-unpacking nature of things at This Old House plus the financial stress of still owning two mortgages, my back went out,  the camp schedule for the manchild and  my back went out, my work schedule thankfully still part time, (my back!)  and the three times daily cleansing of the horses GAPING CHEST WOUND schedule.   

My charming little quarter horse thought he might try on a fence post as, oh.. I don’t know… a chest piercing maybe?…  and he learned it hurts alot and bleeds profusely too!!… plus there’s the gaping hole that remains, minor detail.  Kinda like those holes left by the (what do you call them) … pegs?  you see people wearing now and then in their ears.  I’ve always wondered what happens with those holes when they get tired of wearing the big round peg things.  Do they close back up or is surgery needed to repair the earlobe?  Anyone know? Just wondering.

  Anyway… I had my favorite things (cheese enchiladas with a big bowl of fresh quacamole and if you don’t recognize that drink, you’ve been missing out on something really good). …. in an atmosphere I just love.  The buzz was a necessary evil at the end of a hectic day…. it was truly a happy hour.

 
    

Master Bath

 Moving along… the master bathroom is unpacked and decorated with things from our previous house…..  I’m not showing you the toilet,   (it’s now stuck in that little cubby hole on the left next to the shower)    because it’s just a toilet and I haven’t found the right “stuff” to put over it or on it or even near it besides the toilet paper, and that’s just tacky…SO..

The cabinet to the left  in the picture below and the vanity cabinet under the mirrors were made by a local man with a great talent for making furniture out of old barn wood and material taken from houses, hotels, barns, etc.   His son  works mostly with new cabinetry, but Art adds the whimsy with layers of paint, old beadboard, knobs, hardware, etc…   For those of you who are local, you will recognize his pieces in my shop. You could say his furniture is “green”, or eco-friendly because it is recycled material.
It’s hard to tell from these photos, but there are several layers of paint, several colors intertwined.. a green/grey moss color as well as a deep maroon,  more obvious in person.  The cabinet doors are old windows.
We live about five miles from the shoreline, but one of my great loves is the seashore. I always do some decorating with shells, even in this old farm house.   Someday if I find just the right really cheap fixer upper beach cottage….
I found this glass bowl at Homegoods… and even though I’m practically chanting “less is more” lately….  I couldn’t walk away from it,  it was just $12!
Shower with pebbles… it’s like your feet are getting a massage every morning….

Before and After – Family Room

 In truth there is no “before” because this is the Chester House frame and I have no idea what it looked like before. We only got to know it dismantled in a trailer. But I can show you start to finish… and so here we go…

Chester house as Jeff’s crew reassembles it attached to This Old House….

Family room window framed….
Wayne walking the walk….
My son’s rock-climbing wall  Fireplace in family room almost to the roof….
Lived in… and I have to admit… I wanted bold colors in this room because there is an awful lot of grey, brown, earth tones. So I picked bold colors for the fabrics in this furniture.. (note the RED! I kept my word)  It’s taking some getting used to… the gold hues in these chairs.. but they are awesomely comfortable, so … yeah…there’s that.  
Found this rug at Homegoods for a great low price… love when that happens.
One of my favorite features in the room is the moss that remains on the rocks of the fireplace…
Needs a grate and screen….I’m hoping to find an old set in the near future…remember the owls with the glowing eyes?…
I bet some of you have a few of these ducks…
A few birds landed in here too….

This mirror is one of my favorite pieces of furniture.. made by a company called Sticks . Their pieces are fun, whimsical, inspirational and usually too expensive for my purse. This one was on sale half price years ago and so I splurged. 
The photo over the corner table is of This Old House in the beginning…
Butter Churner in the hall between the family room and Mancave…
 My books….this bookcase is tucked under the loft sortof  between the family room and Mancave…
The rest of the house is still alittle jumbled, and this room isn’t finished yet… needs “stuff”, but I’ll get to it. maybe when it’s on sale half price.  And there’s that thing I was preaching….
less is more  … or something like that.