Mosaic Monday: A Winter's Night

"I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.

'We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,'
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December."

- Oliver Herford

OK, so it's not quite December yet, but this bit of poem just felt right for these winter skies. I'm sure there must be some scientific explanation for it -- the fact that we seem to get the most beautiful and colorful sunsets in winter. So today is a tribute to a winter's sky.

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful images with all of us at Mosaic Monday!  

1.	Pam @ Abiding with Love	27.	Snap @ Twisty Lane	53.	Betty @ My Cozy Corner-Christmas Wreath Pin
2.	Meri @ Playing Along	28.	Pupperoo	54.	Eileen
3.	EG Wow, Canada	29.	ingmarie we/Refugium	55.	Project Bag
4.	Lavender Cottage	30.	Summerland Cottage	56.	Sue Pretty Things
5.	Candy @ The Little Round Table	31.	Christmas Tree in Mexico	57.	Kamana @ JTP
6.	Christmas lights	32.	Rajesh, India	58.	Simone-outdoor Christmas decorations
7.	Cindy @ Custom Comforts	33.	M is for Maga	59.	Krea-krampen
8.	Cathy	34.	Sall's Country Life	60.	Oh, Christmas Tree!
9.	GardeninginaSandbox	35.	Teacup Lane - Xmas 2 x 2	61.	Perlenkatze
10.	Vee	36.	Shirleys World This Week	62.	Wandering Thought
11.	Nancy@MyCraftyLittlePage	37.	carolynUSA	63.	Blessing Reflections
12.	Pat ~ Mille Fiori Favoriti	38.	Elaine	64.	Crafty Gardener, Canada
13.	Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook!	39.	Serendipity Cottage	65.	Rantis, Swe
14.	Sue @ CollectInTexas Gal	40.	RamblingWoods	66.	Pondside-Sweet Dreams
15.	Queenmothermamaw	41.	Milla	67.	Tyra@Tyra's Garden
16.	Debbie @ Mountain Breaths	42.	Muhammad Khabbab	68.	DawnTreader, Sweden
17.	Susan @ My Place to Yours	43.	Lorrie	69.	Cherry's in the garden & more
18.	ellen b.	44.	Heart's Garden	70.	Black Eyed Susans Kitchen
19.	Alicia @ Titere con Bonete	45.	Anja creative cornucopia	71.	Traci
20.	A Garden of Threads	46.	Jackie in Surrey UK	72.	Ornaments and Memories
21.	Sandi	47.	Bhupesh	73.	Theodore Haviland @ Almota Roses
22.	{oc cottage}	48.	Molly @ A Bit O' Shine	74.	Coloring Outside the Lines
23.	Sweet Nothings	49.	Suzy@Kitchen Bouquet	75.	Suzy
24.	Sallie (FullTime-Life)	50.	Erika B	76.	Bundles of Bunting
25.	Gypsy Lala	51.	Tree Farm	77.	Dixon Hill
26.	Snow Baby @ SBNR	52.	AJ Kreations

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

What's Up?

Oh, it seems like I have not been here in forever! This has been a crazy busy week, but nice, too. With all four of us under the same roof again, I've been kept busy cooking way more than I usually do these days. It's quite a nice pat on the back to have your college students come home and tell you how much they missed your cooking. :)

Well, we've been dining off leftovers for the past two days now, and I really don't want to see another turkey for a long time... lol. The refrigerator is clean and relatively empty, the dishes are all put away (almost) and the dining room looks calm and normal.

And it's only 28 days till Christmas.

Yikes!

I've been busy also making up some Christmas cards in Photoshop, and a 2011 calendar, and potting up some bulbs for Christmas. I'll be sharing all that and more with you soon. So tell me, what are you up to today? Braving the crowds at the mall, or relaxing after the holiday, or putting up your Christmas decorations? I'd love to hear your story!

*********

Please join me for Mosaic Monday! I'm thinking that I may have to kick the season off with some Christmas themes... :) The linky thingy will be up by 8:30 pm Eastern time, Sunday.

Mosaic Monday: Thankful

Since Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I thought I would make a mosaic of things I'm thankful for during the past month. November is a month on the edge of winter -- and the spirit of change is everywhere apparent. I love the sense of nesting, or roosting, or turning inward. The days get shorter, the light at dusk is blessedly warm and golden, and our thoughts turn to the light of our kitchens and hearths. Everywhere, there are reds and golds and burnished coppers.

All of these images were taken over the past week. Our spirea bush turns the most beautiful coppery red, and I love the little leaves. I was at my favorite park, Natirar, when I spied the beautiful full moon over the hillside. The other landscapes are also from an evening walk at Natirar. And the owl -- oh, how thankful I am for having been given a glimpse of such a beautiful creature! My husband spotted him (her?) in a tree as we walked to buy the newspapers this morning!

So, today I'm thankful for the beautiful light of an autumn evening, for the last colors of the leaves, for the endless wonder of nature, and for the blessing of being at home for the holidays. If I don't see you all before Thursday, please accept my warmest wishes for a wonderful day filled with light, love and laughter. :)

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful images with all of us at Mosaic Monday!  

1.	Meri	31.	Teacup Lane - Vintage Christmas	61.	Carol at Serendipity
2.	eILEEN, mD	32.	Sall's Country Life	62.	kebeni
3.	Pat ~ Mille Fiori Favoriti	33.	Riet, Holland	63.	Wandering Thought
4.	Home is Where the Boat is~	34.	QMM	64.	Blessing Reflections
5.	ldh ~ last roses	35.	Alicia @ Titere con Bonete	65.	Quince @Tyra's Garden
6.	EG Wow, Canada	36.	judi	66.	Thanksgiving Week
7.	Claudia	37.	Molly @ A Bit O' Shine	67.	Eye of the Beholder
8.	Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook!	38.	bj @Sweet Nothings	68.	bhupesh
9.	Bailiwick Studio	39.	RamblingWoods	69.	Rhonda@FarmhouseStyle
10.	Pat@Back Porch Musings	40.	Shelia@NoteSongs	70.	Susan@SavoringTimeintheKitchen
11.	Shirley, Canada	41.	Loui♥	71.	Pondside-Magic by the Ponds
12.	Bernie from Australia	42.	LeBeauPaonVictorien	72.	Puna@LifeSignatures
13.	ellen b	43.	Update @ Color Chic	73.	Sunday afternoon fudge
14.	Ebie, CA	44.	Milla	74.	Feathering An Empty Nest
15.	That's My story	45.	MaryBeth	75.	Pink Christmas
16.	Nancy@MyCraftyLittlePage	46.	A New England Life	76.	Sueat Daisy House Rmblings
17.	Rajesh, India	47.	Suzy	77.	HomeGrown Happiness
18.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	48.	Bella's Rose Cottage - First Snow in the Garden	78.	Elliott Music Studio
19.	Cathy	49.	viel	79.	glenda @ serendipity cottage
20.	Vee	50.	Anja, just a moment...	80.	Lorrie
21.	Carolina Mountains	51.	Erika B	81.	M is for Maga
22.	Becky@ThoughtfullyBlended	52.	Betty @ My Cozy Corner	82.	Verde Farm
23.	Thanksgiving Remembered @ My Place to Yours	53.	Suzy@Kitchen Bouquet - Snow and Soup	83.	Dixon Hill
24.	Millie - Christmas House Tour	54.	Snapnshoot	84.	Cass at That Old House
25.	Candy @ The Little Round Table	55.	Sallie (FullTime-Life)	85.	Downeast by Genny
26.	GardeninginaSandbox	56.	Jackie in Surrey UK	86.	Linda
27.	Lavender Cottage	57.	Maggie @ NL	87.	Sue ~ My Garden and Me
28.	Sheila	58.	krea-krampen	88.	my life-my clicks
29.	JSELEP	59.	Irene
30.	Karen, A Scrapbook of Inspiration	60.	Rantis, Swe

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

My Show & Tell

Happy Friday, dear bloggers! Just a little show & tell here today. I found these two little pieces at the thrift store. They are about two inches high. I don't know what it is, but I have a soft spot in my collecting heart for little things.

I think I was drawn to the carving, too -- as you can see, it is quite intricate for such small pieces. I'm thinking that they are perhaps made of celluloid? Or ivory? Although they are pitcher shaped, they are solid pieces -- decorative only.

Do you all do this? Buy things that you cannot identify and know nothing about, just because they "speak" to you?

Do I sound as crazy as I think I do?

Hey, it's the end of the week, right? ;)

Linking to Cindy's Show & Tell Friday. Thanks so much, Cindy, for being such a great host!

My Thrifty Office

Do you remember when I got this desk last January? My daughter immediately claimed it as her own, and loaded it with books and papers from school. Well, she's off to college this fall, so I have taken it over for use as Blogging Central. Yes, this is where all the magic happens.

Try not to get too excited. ;)

I wanted to show it to you, though, because of all the thrifty items that make up my little corner office. The desk, of course, was a roadside find. Free. $0. (Yes, you may applaud.)

The chair was on sale at HomeGoods. The front legs were scratched a little, so I got it for $62. I think that is a pretty decent price for something that usually retails for over $150.

The tarnished silver-plated urn that holds pencils and pens was a garage sale find for $1. The gold painted finial is from TJMaxx. The hand-painted tole tray was a gift from my dear friend, Robin. (Thank you, Robin!) The small silver-plated pitcher holds oak leaves from a recent walk. It is from the thrift store. I think I paid $4. for it.

An assortment of frames from HomeGoods hold family photos -- my mother, my husband and kids, and my father and his brothers. The brass lamp was $20. at the thrift store. The shade was $16., again from HomeGoods.

I've always admired some of the home offices I see in blogland -- some very trendy, others very feminine. The style of mine was dictated by where the desk actually fit in our house. So I had to go with the hand I was dealt. But in a funny way, I think it fits me very well -- classic, old and comfortable. Kind of like me. :)

Mosaic Monday: Autumn Thoughts

"Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair, Rise in the heart and gather in the eyes, In looking on the happy autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more. "

--Alfred, Lord Tennyson

I don't seem to have words today, so I'll let the images speak for themselves. :)

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful images with all of us at Mosaic Monday!  

1.	EG Wow, Canada	27.	Teacup Lane - Red Maple	53.	Wandering Thought
2.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	28.	Thanksgiving Memories	54.	Blessing Reflections
3.	A Garden of Threads	29.	Ruth @ Daily Divine	55.	Flower Mound Studio
4.	Podso	30.	Ebie, CA	56.	A Musing Potpourri
5.	Missy	31.	Yellow Rose	57.	Happy Turtle
6.	Home is Where the Boat is	32.	Sall's Country Life	58.	mercedes scott
7.	Pat@Mille Fiori Favoriti	33.	Pondside	59.	DawnTreader, Sweden
8.	Alicia @ Titere con Bonete	34.	Olivia, Texas	60.	Sue-Someone's Mom
9.	GardeninginaSandbox	35.	Tenant Improvement @ Color Chic	61.	Tyra@Tyra's Garden
10.	Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook!	36.	Jane of AUSTRALIA	62.	Verde Farm
11.	Rajesh, India	37.	MaryBeth Stanwood US	63.	serendipity cottage
12.	Meri @ Playing Along	38.	Suzy	64.	A November Day
13.	CollectInTexas Gal	39.	Milla	65.	bhupesh.
14.	Snap @ Twisty Lane	40.	Anja	66.	Yard Sale Keepers
15.	Sweet Nothings	41.	Self Sagacity	67.	Seed heads @ AlmotaRoses
16.	Shelia @ Note Songs	42.	Erika B	68.	Lisa RedWillow
17.	Shirleys World Cats	43.	Jackie in Surrey UK	69.	The Story of Us
18.	silver southern tea	44.	Ladyhightower's Meme Castle	70.	Schotzy @Wings of aglesE
19.	Riet, Holland	45.	Lesley@adventures with a Camera	71.	Livsnjutaren
20.	Lavender Cottage	46.	Shannara	72.	GardenOfDaisies
21.	QMM	47.	Snapnshoot	73.	Fall Pillows
22.	Candy @ The Little Round Table	48.	kebeni	74.	genie~va~usa
23.	shirley behind the lens	49.	Bernie from Australia	75.	Gina
24.	Heather T	50.	Downeast by Genny	76.	Natalie Turn 13
25.	BunnyKissd =:3*	51.	Carol at Serendipity	77.	How to Cook a Rattlesnakea
26.	Molly @ A Bit O' Shine	52.	Cathy	78.	My Life-myclicks

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

I ♥ Vintage Linens

Do you love vintage linens? Does your heart go pitter-patter at the sight of an old pillowcase with a beautiful crocheted edging?

If you love vintage linens, please check out my review blog, Little Red House Reviews, for a chance to win a gift certificate from newest sponsor, FunkyBabyMine.

*****

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor with Little Red House, feel free to email me at mrcarroll@optonline.net. I am currently accepting 125 x 125 button ads at the rate of $25. per month, which will appear in my sidebar under the heading Sponsors. There is a 20% discount for a three-month block. Don't have a button ad? For a one-time fee of $15., I will personally design and create a button ad just for you. This could be a wonderful way to advertise your online shop, or attract more viewers to your blog.

*****

I hope to see you all soon at Mosaic Monday. Mr. Linky will be up by 8:30pm Eastern time, USA, Sunday night. Have a wonderful weekend, dear bloggers!

Morristown Armory Antiques Show

1.

I thought you might like to see some of the exhibits at the Morristown Armory Antiques Show, which we attended last weekend. These are just some of the things that caught my eye -- beautiful furniture, china, lamps and artwork. I loved these vendors, who set their booths up like real rooms. There was so much inspiration to be found.

2.

Don't you love this pair of lamps? Symmetry in design evokes a sense of calm and order. This particular dealer specialized in furniture and decorative arts chosen for a study, home office or library. Every piece really stands out against that dramatic black backdrop.

3.

This desk (above) with it's leather inset was my husband's favorite piece. Again a pair of lamps provide a pleasing sense of symmetry. I was drooling over the bookcase with it's antique tomes. Bookbinding was such an art in previous centuries. Even one or two antique books lend beauty to any room, don't you think?

4.

And I love these furniture-maker's samples (above). They would make such beautiful decorative pieces in a home library. I always think a room should have one item which is whimsical or slightly off -- like perhaps a piece of modern art in a very traditional space. Or vice versa.

5.

I probably don't have to tell you how much I love this whatnot shelf (above) with it's beautiful china and statues. :)

6.

These beautiful upholstered pieces (above) really caught my eye. I could see that graceful salmon-striped recamier in a very elegant bedroom.

7.

These gleaming copper pots (above) caught my eye as well. I've been gathering a few copper pieces for my kitchen, and these would be such a dramatic addition to my collection.

8.

Will you look at that giant starburst mirror (above). Can you say "gorgeous?" And what a pretty breakfast table with those wildly voluptuous side chairs!

9.

I was drawn to this elegant desk (above). What a beautiful piece, and one that would make a fabulous focal point in any room.

10.

And finally, I had to show you a closeup shot of this beautiful mantle, with it's exquisite carving. Such a perfect example of the marriage of utility and beauty that characterizes so many antique pieces.

Images 1 & 5: dealer unknown

Images 2, 3, 4: William Nickerson Antiques, Orleans, MA

Images 6 & 7: Saje Americana, Short Hills, NJ, antiques@sajeamericana.com

Images 8 & 9: Autumn Antiques, Roselle Park, NJ, www.autumnantiques.net

Image 10: Francis J. Purcell Inc., Philadelphia, PA, francisjpurcell.com

Cider and Doughnuts

When my kids were little, we always went to Wightman's Farms every autumn for apple cider and freshly made doughnuts.

And although they are not little anymore, we stopped last week and brought home both powdered and cinnamon doughnuts. Mmmmm, delicious! And I must say that their cider is some of the best I've ever had.

I made up a little tray to enjoy my autumn treat in style. The tray is lined with a placemat from Raymond Waites. The dish is brown transferware from Churchill. The goblet is pressed glass, and belonged to my mother. The napkin is linen damask.

Happy autumn, dear bloggers!

Mosaic Monday: Blue Transferware

While I've been reveling for the past few weeks in all the beautiful autumn colors, I felt the need to take a break and look with a fresh eye at something decidedly different. So I'm creating a mosaic of blues today, from some photos that are in my archives.

The blue transferware dish (top, left) belonged to my mother. I don't really remember seeing it when I was a child, but I found it in a closet wrapped in tissue paper so she must have treasured it. It's a bit worse for wear, but the central scene and the flowery rim are beautifully detailed. The backstamp says "Semi-China, English Scenery." A little research suggests that it was made by Minton, circa 1830.

The silver-plated carving set whose handles you see in the photo (bottom right) was a thrift store purchase. It is marked "Griffon Cutlery Works, Germany." The handles have a lovely pheasant and grape leaf motif, reminiscent of Tiffany's Audubon series. The transferware platter they rest upon is marked "Booth's British Scenery." I believe it is from the 1950's -- beautiful but not particularly old.

The flowers are from my garden this past summer. Why does it seem so long ago already? The purple/pink blooms (top, right) are physostegia or obedient plant, so called because the each individual floret will remain wherever it is turned on the stem. I'm not sure if this is just an old wive's tale, but I do know that the plant thrives on neglect and is a stalwart grower in my garden. The white blossom (bottom, left) is a Festiva Maxima peony.

Now let's have some mosaic fun! Here are the instructions:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful images with all of us at Mosaic Monday!  

1.	Carol@My Painting Room	31.	Shirley	61.	Ruth, Asia
2.	Pat ~ Mille Fiori favoriti	32.	Carrie -Oak Rise Cottage	62.	Naomi @ Sweet Life
3.	Lavender Cottage	33.	The Gathering Place	63.	Rajesh, India
4.	Home is Where the Boat is~	34.	Nature's Feed	64.	The Gazebo House
5.	ellen b	35.	Office Helper @ Color Chic	65.	My Home-Then and Now
6.	Ebie, CA	36.	Sall's Country Life	66.	Shannara
7.	genie~va~usa	37.	muhammad khabbab	67.	Wandering Thought
8.	Crafty Gardener, Canada	38.	Pam @ Abiding with Love	68.	Blessing Reflections
9.	EG Wow, Canada	39.	Teacup Lane - Red and Blue	69.	Manatee Coast
10.	Podso	40.	Francisca in Osaka	70.	Becky K.
11.	A Garden of Threads	41.	Carolina Mountains	71.	Great Outdoors
12.	{oc cottage}	42.	Becky	72.	jette
13.	GardeninginaSandbox	43.	Sheila@Starshine Through My Windows	73.	LAvender Lady @ My Garden & Me
14.	Lana G!	44.	Suzy	74.	Christmas at CluckleBees Cottage
15.	My Place to Yours	45.	Suzy@Kitchen Bouquet Blue Skies and Pumpkin Soup	75.	Beth @ The Quilt Ladies
16.	Snap @ Twisty Lane	46.	Hyacinths For the Soul	76.	Sandi
17.	Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook!	47.	Anja	77.	Nancy Medina
18.	Sue ~ CollectInTexasGal	48.	Cass at That Old House	78.	glenda
19.	Feathering An Empty Nest	49.	Jane of AUSTRALIA	79.	Happy Turtle
20.	M is for Maga	50.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	80.	Butterfly Cake @ Almota Roses
21.	ldh ~ Paper Star	51.	Elaine @ At Home 'n About	81.	Autumn Color
22.	Country Girl Kate	52.	Beach Art by People Like You and Me	82.	$5 Pottery Barn knock off centerpiece!
23.	Puppy Love	53.	Milla	83.	Marie K.
24.	Candy @ The Little Round Table	54.	Loui♥	84.	Kit
25.	Cindy @ Custom Comforts	55.	MaryBeth Wa.	85.	Old, Gold and Antique
26.	Christine	56.	Stuck in the Studio	86.	Mary
27.	QMM	57.	Erika B	87.	Livsnjutaren
28.	Cathy	58.	Jackie in Surrey UK	88.	Something to Crow About
29.	Riet, Holland	59.	Molly @ A Bit O' Shine
30.	Sweet Nothings	60.	Pondside-Sweet November

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Rainy Day Reading

Yesterday was one of those rainy autumn days where the leaves swirl to the ground, and the dark, wet branches dance against the grey sky. There is something about a dark day that makes me want to curl up with a blanket and lose myself in a book.

I've been reading At Home, A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson. It is a fascinating look at the history of all things domestic, from architecture to food preservation to telephones to toilets. The book is built around a journey through the author's home -- a nineteenth-century British rectory -- with each room inspiring an intelligent and witty discussion of the evolution of private life from Neolithic to modern times.

For instance, I knew that the word board, in room and board, referred to eating, but what I didn't know is that it came from medieval times, when the dining table in humble dwellings was actually a board that was perched on the diner's knees when food was served. When not in use it was hung on the wall. Thus, lodgers became known as boarders, and "an honest person -- someone who keeps his hands visible at all times -- is said to be aboveboard."

Did you know that the term "make a bed" is literally what people did in the Middle Ages? There were no mattresses, and no bedrooms. You rolled out a cloth, heaped a pile of straw, wrapped yourself in a cloak or blanket, and made yourself as comfortable as possible.

And what about the preservation of food? It is something we tend to take for granted today, but in the 1840's, ice was considered a miracle product that transformed the keeping of food. "In the summer of 1844, the Wenham Lake Ice Company -- named for a lake in Massachusetts -- took premises in the Strand in London, and there each day placed a fresh block of ice in the window. No one in England had ever seen a block of ice that big before -- certainly not in summer, not in the middle of London -- or one that was so wondrously glassy and clear. You could actually read through it: a newspaper was regularly propped behind the block so that passersby could see this amazing fact for themselves. The shop window became a sensation and was regularly crowded with gawkers."

Fascinating, right? The book goes on like this for nearly 500 pages, and if you are at all interested in the evolution of everyday life in our homes, this will be a wonderful read.

Just a disclaimer here -- this is not a paid review. I have not been asked by the publisher to review this book nor have I been given a copy. This is just me, talking about my current reading material. And that's about as exciting as it gets here on a rainy day. :)

Copper and Bone

We had a light frost last night, and I woke up this morning to see the grass under the sugar maple littered with fallen leaves. The pin oaks hold onto their leaves a little longer, to shine like burnished copper in the autumn sun.

All this has sent me rummaging in the closets to bring out the pieces of copper and bone that I've collected over the years at thrift stores and rummage sales and antiques shops. And who can resist a few pieces of brown transferware this season? I know I can't! ;)

I've added other things that I hoard, like the creamy white beeswax candles that I just can't bring myself to part with. I love candles that are already burned down a little -- they have so much more character than brand new tapers, don't you think?

And I love all gravy and sauce boats. They have such a beautiful shape.

So tell me, what inspiration are drawing from autumn this year?