Neutral Ground

The hardest part of painting a room?

PICKING THE COLOR OF COURSE!

At last they've come up with little sample pots......................and by the time I finish with these I'll have blown the entire paint budget and won't be able to afford the gallons!

Actually, at under $4.00 a pop, they really are worthwhile if you just can't choose from those five thousand shades of neutral on minuscule pieces of card stock. No longer beige, cream, linen and ivory, there are now names such as 'Cincinnatian Hotel Hannaford'.........and to make things worse this is the color I may just end up with.

Slapping stripes of paint all over the bedroom yesterday afternoon was frustrating. There was no sun - not that the sun shines directly in that room - and on every wall each color looked different. Seems one has to just say to heck with it, I'll choose this one...........then hope it looks OK once the entire job is finished. If not, just paint over it when dh is out of town!

I'm still looking at this room for inspiration even though my room looks nothing like this yet - but it has the elements I love.

So this color card may be my choice as they are yellowed neutrals, good for a sunless room, Lyndhurst Stone, Cliveden Sandstone (very British sounding), and for some reason, the peculiar named Cincinnatian Hotel Hannaford. Any Ohio gals out there know if there's a Hotel Hannaford? If so, hope it's posh and not some sleazy place in the wrong part of town!

I'll keep you posted on the makeover, meanwhile I'll be off to the paint store later today. Promised dh no more sample pots, I'll go for the gallons.

Of course he's no help - when I showed him two stripes of color I was considering for the stairwell and upstairs hallway which will also be painted, and asked him which one, he pointed and I immediately said "no way, much too dark" to which he said "OK the other one then". Absolutely no help whatsoever!!!

It was then time to find a comfortable chair, pour a cup of tea, and stare at all those stripes again.

Soup's On.................

Another chilly day so let's grab that apron again and head to the kitchen - time to get the soup pot simmering.

Does this combo look a bit odd? Good old Granny Smiths sidling up to rustic parsnips! This unusual combination of fruit and vegetable gives this soup an exciting, slightly sweet flavor - and you get a good helping of healthy food at the same time. It's quick and simple and my version of another recipe from Cranks, that now sadly missed English vegetarian restaurant.

~ Parsnip & Apple Soup ~

Serves 4~6

3 Tbsp. Butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 medium-sized parsnips, scrubbed and chopped

2 medium-sized Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped

3 cups vegetable stock

3 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1/2 tsp. Herbes de Provence (mixed herbs)

3 cups milk

Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Dash of heavy cream to finish

Melt butter in large saucepan and saute vegs. and apple, stirring frequently, until onion is transparent, do not brown. Add stock and herbs, bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Cool slightly, add milk. Blend with a stick blender in saucepan until smooth. Reheat to serving temperature - do not boil. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding freshly ground black pepper and salt. Serve in warmed bowls with a swirl of cream and sprinkle with more chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Rustic and Refined ~ A Makeover

The romance of crystal chandeliers and painted wood.

'Fetch' ~ Hillsborough, NC.

When I read these words........let the rustic and refined rub shoulders ~ go for the gold and the bittersweet...............ideas starting jumping around in my head and I knew what I wanted for the little guest room. A country French feel with a touch of old European elegance.

I like to start a file and a story board when doing a room makeover. Snippets of fabric, paint samples, photos from magazines of rooms I love such as this quite simple one below.

The guest room will get its makeover in time for Spring ~ season of renewal, everything fresh and clean, full of promise. The painter assessed the scene today, will call with the numbers tomorrow..............and then, hopefully, we'll get started later next week. This cold and snowy weekend you know what I'll be doing ~ looking at magazines, decorating books and paint chips. If warmer and drier on Monday I'll head to the paint store. Things I have to start working with which I love include this chair, two aging mirrors from SuzAnna's Antiques, and a length of linen I purchased in Cortona, Italy. The bed, chest of drawers, nightstand and armoire all match ~ changes desperately needed here. Guess we used to buy like that - matching sets, suites. I must decide whether to paint all and keep, sell some and paint the rest, or sell all and start over with a bed such as this................

............old French twin bed at SuzAnna's Antiques ~ if only it was queen sized.

This room above speaks to me. It has everything I love.

This bedroom has the rustic feel ~ typically European with exposed beams ~ and that lovely bed and nightstand adding the elegant touch.

My color palette? Perhaps. Maybe a flying visit to France would help me decide.

Adventurous Women Travelers

"All of life is a journey.

Which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there."

~ Anonymous ~

This week I've read several blogs where the writer has been tagged and one of the questions responded to has been about the places they've been. I've learned that several women have visited places many of us would never dream of going to..................this has made me wonder why, and how, they got to see countries off the beaten track or rarely touted as vacation destinations.

In Barbara Hodgson's book she traces three hundred years of world travel by both celebrated and unknown women who endured bed bugs, scorching heat, exotic diseases, etc............all in the name of adventure. Globe trotting women tore down boundaries leaving as their legacy a world wide open for today's women.

Original pen & ink drawing of Fingle Bridge, Dartmoor, Devon

~ Edward Pemberton ~ c. 1935 (my Uncle)

My first real personal journey took me from the quiet Devon countryside of England across the Atlantic to the bustling city of Washington, D.C.

Starting in the 17th century, Barbara says, "the best reason to travel may have been no reason at all......................and British women, more than any other group, abandoned themselves to this passion................". Well I certainly kicked over the traces in a much later century. But why? Was it adventure or passion? Perhaps I'll tell you on Valentine's Day.

Vintage Images from Secret Leaves - go here to see their incredible offerings.

Stop dreaming and get on with it!

I have to stop thinking about the new decorating project. Even stop looking around shops such as this one where I took these photographs last week, and just get on with the job at hand.

Time waits for no man.................or woman, and the minutes are ticking away.

Catnapping is a nice pastime on chilly Winter afternoons.............but only if you're a cat and don't have walls to prep and paint.
Sitting by the warm hearth staring into the dancing flames, dreaming of what a room could look like......if you just get out of the chair and climb the stairs, and get to work on it.
Day dreaming is even worse..................thinking of sparkling beaches, warm sand, cool drinks while watching mermaids sunning on the rocks.Can pigs fly?

Don't think so. But I can still spackle holes, brush trim with the best of 'em.................. and wield a paint roller. Better get moving and go pick a color...........you know how long that part takes!!!

Stayed tuned............I'll get there eventually.

Keeping Warm

Morning arrived with boning chilling cold ~ but no ice to engrave with figure 8's here ~ just sunshine, blue sky and very low temperatures. Not complaining ~ a great day to work on things around the house ~ perhaps bundle up in warm knits later for a brisk walk.

Darn ~ knew I should have persevered with that knitting ~ need something warm to wind around my neck today.

Jessie Willcox Smith - The Little Helper

Once back in the warmth of home I will start planning the redecoration of the guest room. Paint chips at the ready (dh gets so nervous when he spies these!) ~ magazine pages strewn across the bed ~ books of inspiration with pages marked ~ fabric swatches stapled to the sample board. First to find a dry wall guy ~ ceiling needs a little work ~ then I'll be ready to paint the walls, the furniture, myself...................into a corner. Hope not!

Anyone else planning a room makeover soon? Let's get moving before Spring arrives and the garden calls.

Would love to hear about redecorating projects you may be be doing at your house.

Hot Pots

hort, dark days of January and February bring cravings for a bowl of tasty, warming food. Somewhere between soups and stews, there are wholesome one-pot dishes of Winter vegetables and beans..............quite easy to prepare, and no mountains of dishes to do afterward, lovely!

This vegetarian hot pot includes Winter squash, rutabaga, carrots, white beans................warming and healthy on a cold evening. So get out your sharp knife and chopping block, tie on an apron and let's cook!

~~~ White Bean & Winter Squash Hot Pot~~~

To serve 4
2 cans of Cannellini beans (or use white Northern Beans)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium-sized onion, finely sliced

2 carrots, scrubbed and sliced

2 sticks of celery, finely sliced

1 small rutabaga (swede to the Brits), peeled and cut into small chunks

1-2 small fresh jalapeno peppers, de-seeded and finely chopped

1-1/2 pints vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

3" piece of cinnamon stick

6 stalks of fresh cilantro (coriander) with root if possible

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 small acorn or butternut Winter squash, peeled, de-seeded and cut into small chunks

1/4 pint heavy cream

1-2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook onions, carrots, rutabaga and celery for 5 mins. Do not allow to brown. Add half the peppers and cook 2 mins. longer. Add the stock, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Cut the stalks and any roots from the cilantro and chop, add to the pan, reserving leaves for later.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 15 mins. Add the squash, stir and cook 10 mins., then add beans and cook another 5 mins. If still very liquid reduce it by boiling briskly for a few more minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Taste and add more chili pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Add cream, stir and cook for a few minutes over low heat. Chop remaining cilantro leaves and add along with the mint and stir. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Follow a dish such as this with a salad, cheese or fresh fruit...........and of course a piece of deep, dark chocolate.

My dishes but not my dining room unfortunately ~ perhaps the perfect Italian dining room to enjoy a meal on a grey Winter's day.