Happy Easter!

Cookies I just picked up from Freeport Bakery for Easter Tomorrow.

We are back from our Southern California Spring Break and I will have lots of things to show you next week from our trip!

Until then,

 Wishing you all a very Happy Easter Weekend!

Holiday Decor at the Denham House

 The Holidays are about sharing and being with Family and Friends, right? So I wanted to share a little of what's been going on at our house. In between moving Mom in, working, and spending time with my daughter who is home for the Holidays from her first year at college, we have been decking the halls just a little bit.

Last year I made some stockings for the mantle using white burlap, trimming them with a little left over green linen I had from a local Showhouse I had worked on years ago. I added wooden letters to each stocking for each family member's initials. I made them with carved wood letters that I found at Michael's, which I painted black, then added gilding on top of that. I rubbed through the gilt so some of the black paint showed through. Cost for each stocking, about $6. 

My Mom brought some very fun things with her when she moved it! She had the vintage wire basket (I think it looks like a crown!) and we filled it with crystal bunches of grapes, decanter stoppers, and huge crystal chandelier drops. She also has been collecting crystal balls and spheres for some time, which we scattered across the mantle. I put up a Flea Market painting I found and a copper float that has faded to a beautiful grey-green atop a white ironstone footed bowl. Glass hhurricane lanterns and small glass votive holders, Cedar and Fir garland complete the mantle. Family memories, new and old make it special to all of us.

Our tree is not very "designer-y". There are so many beautiful takes on designer trees out there, my mind is boggled every year with all of the creativity out there! But our tree remains pretty much the same from year to year. Our kids love to put up ornaments we have collected over the years, many of which I had when I was growing up, some of which my Mom has had since her early marriage since the 50's! All of them hold Christmas stories for us....even the gold paper stars that have been on our tree ever since I was little. It may not be the chic-est...but it is perfection to us!

I hope you all have wonderful memories of Christmas past and joyful plans for Christmas present!

* Happy Weekend! *

What Once Was Old.....

 Our household has been going through some major changes of late. As families grow and change, so do lifestyles and priorities. Recently, it became apparent that my mother needed to make a change in her lifestyle. She was needing a little help managing, and her home was no longer working for her. We decided the best thing was for her to move in with us. When we remodeled our home, we dug out a basement with exterior access, bathroom, laundry room and large open space which became my office. We decided to consolidate my office and split the space in two so Mom could have a little studio and her own bathroom. The Laundry Room will eventually become a kitchenette for her....but one step at a time.

Every day, I thank the powers that be for my husband, Tim. Not every husband would welcome their MIL into their home with open arms. Not only that, he built a wall to separate the space in the basement, complete with French door. He moved box after box of books and household "stuff". He emptied her garage and gave up his parking space in our garage so we could store her things there. He made sure the SureWest guys wired her new room for TV and phone. He was there when the glass shower door was installed in the bathroom. He painted and cleaned. Now that Mom is here, he makes her dinner and lets her do the crossword puzzle....formerly his territory. Sometimes they do it together. All of this he does in addition to all of the other things he does, large and small, for our family. (Last night he brought home poinsettias for the front porch). It is a rare thing to hear any peep of impatience. It is a rare thing to have a husband like this.

So.....this Holiday Season, I feel overwhelmed with appreciation for my husband. He is better than any present I could wish for. He is better than any vacation, car or house. He is better than diamonds. Let me rephrase.....he IS my diamond. There is an abundance in his care for us. 

When Tim and I were moving my mother's things out of her garage, we discovered a little table. It was a bit forlorn, covered in cobwebs and water stained, but it charmed me none the less. The top had come off and had broken in two, but  the rest was in pretty solid shape. Someone had lovingly built this table and I decided it was time to put it back to good use. A few finish nails to put the top back on, and a couple of coats of paint, and it is a wonderful little perch for a drink and a book. It may go through more changes.... A different color, or removal of the paint for a lime wash effect. I haven't decided yet. It will evolve over time....like our family....like us.

I wish you all a

 Very Joyous and Abundant Holiday Season

P.S........Only a couple of days left to enter the Holiday Give Away:

Click on over HERE for the rules and to enter!

Good Luck!!

Happy 4th Everyone!

Fresh sprouts, marigolds and cherry plums

The most immediate thing that comes to mind when celebrating the 4th of July might be glorious firework displays. But I always associate this holiday with sharing beautiful food with my family: Barbecued ribs, corn on the cob, slices of cool watermelon, blackberry and peach cobbler and home made ice cream.....don't get me started.

I started my day today with a trip to the Sacramento Farmer's Market, and wanted to share the bounty with all of you.

Cherry Plums

Fresh Bread from OctoberFeast Breads

Blackberries


Wishing you all the most bountiful of Fourths.

Happy July 4th!!

Were You Good This Year?

It was an interesting economic year, wouldn't you say? This year, our Christmas Lists were shorter, and more practical, as well as more creative. And I have to say this Christmas was one of the best I have ever had in terms of gifts received. They were more thoughtful, painstaking and by for more meaningful than ever.

My daughters are both very creative. One is a very talented artist and bakes delicious goodies. The other loves to make things with her hands and has a very unique and wonderful graphic sense. The latter made a mosaic pot from shards of pottery she found at the Antique Faire on a trip she went on with my Mother, her Grandmother. Little did I know she would create this masterpiece and present it to me Christmas morning with a beautiful jade plant. My mosaic pot runneth over.

I collect bottles with caning and wicker around them. I always am on the lookout for another special one. The same daughter found the middle bottle at the Sacramento Antique Faire with the letters "AA Co." printed on it. I love it and I love her for thinking of it. I think I have another Antique scavenger in the making here! Like Mother like Daughter?

I had mentioned seeing these two cups or vases at Fringe, a really fun shop near our home recently, and lo and behold, my husband, Tim, had gone the very next day and picked them up. I also collect shells and vintage shell boxes. These cups were made in Ireland, probably as a tourist tchake. I adore them! They will be used for pencil cups at my desk or for flowers in various places. So many uses! These were such a bargain as well. I am so glad he went back for them! (I have a wonderful husband....did I mention that?)

A little close-up. I can just imagine these on a window sill overlooking the sea with a bunch of Irish Heather.

My husband knows my collection of Ironstone is ever growing, and he hunted down this sweet sugar bowl..........

......and this platter at the antique shops over on 57th Street in Sacramento. Totally unexpected for Tim to go Antique shopping on his own. I think that meant more to me than the gifts themselves!

One of my very favorite presents was this bulletin board Tim made for me. Apparently he and girls had it hidden during production in the garage for a month before Christmas without me knowing. He made it perfectly to fit where we had been talking about putting one for all of those mundane things like family calendars, shopping and "honey-do" lists. Now we have a place for all of it besides the kitchen counter. SOOOOO cool! (Love you honey!)

Didn't he do a fantastic job?! It will be filled up as soon as I can find some cool tacks.

Tim also went and found this vintage breadbox at the Antique Shops on 57th Street. It was on my list....but putting things like this on my list is a little risky. Who knows what might show up, and I have been known to be a bit picky. But I think Tim is developing a very good eye! I really like it, especially since all of the bread is now hidden away instead of having 3 bags on the counter.

Tim also gave me these two beauties. I had a beautiful Christmas day with my family, just relaxing with a cup of cider curled up with these two books, also on my list.

Nothing too big, nothing too fancy, but perfect in every way.

(Did I mention how much I love my family? They just "get" me, and that is the biggest gift of all. I must have been pretty good this year.)

I am Back....and with Pictures!

Me on the Mendocino Coast

Yes....I am back. The Holidays were filled with preparations, things to do and people to see. I am very sorry that I was away so long, but I have much to tell and to show! In retrospect, it was clear that I needed to recharge and renew. Which I did! And I am happy to share some of my adventures with you now.

The Holidays are always so busy. We have an annual Christmas Eve party at our house every year with friends, neighbors and extended families....so there is much to do to get ready. Add the usual gift buying, baking and the like and it was barely controlled chaos. But in a good way.

After the Christmas rush and after-Christmas sales (which seemed critical to my teenage daughter's well-being), Tim and I took a little "us" time and drove North to one our our favorite getaways: Mendocino.

Mendocino from the Headlands

Mendocino is one of the most picturesque California coastal towns. An Art mecca for the last 50 plus years, it started as a logging town back before the Civil War. When the logging dried up, it became almost a ghost town in the 30's and 40's until artists found their way there mid-century. There is strict control now on growth, and this control keeps it perfectly beautiful.

As soon as we hit the highways, the cell phones and radio were turned off and a little CD music put on. As the miles slipped by, so did the pressures and stress of the previous weeks. We stopped along the way in Healdsburg for lunch (more later on that!) and got to Mendocino in the late afternoon (it's about a 4.5 hour drive from Sactown). After checking in at the Sea Gull Inn, a very sweet Bed and Breakfast in town, we headed straight for the beach.

Here is just a taste of the spectacular scenery Mendocino has to offer:

Trail to the Big River Beach Area.

The sun was ebbing and it was just beautiful. I hope you don't mind a little vacation "slide show". The photo opps were just too perfect.

Ahhhh! This is why we came.

Mendocino is visited by travelers from all parts of the world. Is it any wonder? The journal in our room was filled with notes by travelers from Germany, Switzerland, the UK, and South Africa.

The sunset was breathtaking. Everyone on the beach stopped and faced West for this one.

Tim and I on the beach. Sigh.

The scenery in general is stunning, and cameras are in the hands of every person we passed. This time of year is particularly good for a little less bustle, a little more serenity. Although when we passed the smaller B&B's, most were full to capacity. The weather may have kept some indoors: breezy and quite cold, but beautiful just the same.

The town of Mendocino is full of charming architecture. The vernacular is decidedly Victorian: simple farmhouse as well as decorative gingerbread:

Mendocino Presbyterian Church

The Mendocino Presbyterian Church is one of the first buildings you see when coming into town. It is the oldest California Presbyterian Church built in 1868. The congregation, which started about ten years prior to this final structure is celebrating it's 150 year anniversary. For a bit more info on it's history Click HERE.

The Masonic Temple Building

The Masonic Temple Building was built in 1866 from local redwood. The cupola sculpture "Time and the Maiden" of "Father Time and the Virgin" was carved from a single piece of redwood. The second floor is still used for Masonic meetings, while the first floor houses a bank. More HERE.

Picket Fences abound in this village. Just one example.

Driving around, we came upon this "cottage" outside of town. The main house was quite large and there was a pretty guest house which may have been newer as well. You can get a sense of scale by the little rose arbor to the left of the main house and the chairs and table outside of the guest house. This house was situated right on the cliffs above the ocean.

This is one of the many B&B's throughout the town. I thought this a good example of the town's architectural style.

There is much to see around this part of the California coast. Our second day, Tim and I were going to take full advantage. Rain storm or not. We came prepared. Just up the coast from Mendocino is the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, in operation since 1909:

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse

Point Cabrillo is the location where the Frolic, an opium running schooner fresh with a new supply from China shipwrecked in 1850. Important because this particular shipwreck was to ultimately lead to the founding of Mendocino. A little more HERE.

From the lighthouse, we went up the coast a little farther to Fort Bragg. Also an historic town, Fort Bragg is the home of Glass Beach and the Skunk Train. Glass Beach began it's life in the 40's as a local dumping ground. Now, having been cleaned up since the 60's, it has become a beach full of tumbled polished glass, which has made it an attraction world wide. I have quite a bit of beach glass from it myself. The Skunk Train is an historic locomotive train which takes travelers on a trip from the coast up through the redwoods mountains east of Bragg.

Fort Bragg Museum

After lunch at one of the local haunts topped off by the best Ollalieberry pie I have ever had, Tim and I headed back toward Mendocino stopping at the Mendocino Botanical Gardens on the way.

Heather Garden at Mendocino Botanical Gardens

We had the place virtually to ourselves because of the rain, which was OK by us. The heather was in bloom, and a few other surprises were there just for us.

A Walk though the Woods to the Ocean.

A fairytale garden of flowering vines and toadstools rings. Magical.

So....after our 2 mile trek through the gardens, which were gorgeous even, or because of, the rain, we were ready to warm up with some Chai tea and a game of cribbage back at the Sea Gull Inn. The Sea Gull had small, but charming and very comfortable rooms with wonderful breakfasts brought to the room by the proprietors themselves: Ayla and Jim Douglas. BTW, the rates cannot be beat, and the location is perfect!!! Walking distance to everything in town.
Thanks for a perfect stay, Jim and Ayla!

The Sea Gull Inn

Breakfast #1: Baked Eggs with onions and mushrooms, baked pears with cranberries and orange-cranberry bread. A side of fresh yogurt, coffee, tea and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Everything was delicious!

Breakfast#2: Freshly baked raspberry scones, fresh fruit and yogurt, tea, coffee and fresh OJ. Ditto on the deliciousness!

So, you might be curious about the other meals in town. We had a beautiful and perfect meal at Cafe Beaujolais, probably our favorite restaurant in town, although that is really a tough one since there are many great places to eat.

Tim started off with their award winning crab cakes, and truly, I have never tasted better....perfection! I started off with the Butter- Braised Beets, Sunray's Harvest Micro Greens, Crispy Polenta, with Herbed Formaggio and Tarragon Vinaigrette. "Delicious" cannot do it justice.

Tim had the Petaluma Duck Two Ways, Crispy Skin Breast and Leg de Confit with a Celery Root Purée, Wilted Kale and a Local Huckleberry Sauce:

And I had the Niman Ranch Filet Mignon with Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Broccolini
Cabernet Butter, and a Point Reye's Bleu Reduction. OMG, my mouth is watering just think about it.

Somehow my photos do not quite do these meals justice. They were truly wonderfully prepared.

If you do take a trip to Mendocino, please do not miss Cafe Beaujolais.

And then there is the shopping. The main street is lined with shops and galleries which will please any taste. One that had the most charming windows was Seasons, which was decked out for the holidays:

(I love the building with the shingles on one side and the siding on the front)

The tree in the window was so pretty!

Another favorite is the Golden Goose with it's beautiful linens, accessories and antiques. Sorry no direct website, but you can read more HERE.

This trip does seem to have a fairytale quality to it with the mysterious oceans, pirate shipwrecks, the magical Botanical Gardens and the Golden Goose. So it would be only natural that I find a Dragon is residence:

I found him at the Highlight Gallery. I took this picture since I had to prove to my girls that dragons do, in fact, exist.

And what of the other locals, besides the dragons, you might ask? Mendocino has a year long population of only about a thousand....but that is only if you do not count these characters:

Mendocino was a wonderful way to refresh and look forward to a bright New Year.

I wish you all

the most Brilliant of New Years!!