Of Beets and Baskets, and Belles de Boskoop

My kitchen windows look out over the deck and the garden. At this time of year, the afternoon light slants in warmly, casting shadows over the vintage cherry table that originally stood in my mother's dining room.

I always keep autumn flowers here, to brighten the room as the days grow shorter. I love these reds and golds and browns, warm and cheerful colors that compliment the painted cabinets. In fact, I respond instinctively to these colors. So when I saw these heirloom golden beets in the supermarket yesterday, I brought them home simply because they were so beautiful.

And the first thing I did was to plop them in this wire basket and start taking photographs. lol

I added a few heirloom apples as well. I know that heirlooms are treasured for their flavor and vigorous growing habits, but I think I would buy them simply because of their names -- William's Pride, Cox's Orange Pippen, Belle de Boskoop. :)

And finally, wire baskets. I cannot resist them. I love their mixture of beauty and utility. And they are fabulous photo props, n'cest pas? ;)

Do you have plans for the weekend? I hesitate to even type this out loud, but we may be expecting a little s-n-o-w.

Yikes. I am so not ready.

Mosaic Monday: Landscapes of New Jersey

I've got an old school mosaic for you today -- made at Big Huge Labs from one of my flickr sets called "my landscape faves." I feel like that is cheating, but it's been a busy weekend. :)

Despite it's nickname as the "Garden State," my home state of New Jersey tends to get a bad rap as the home of the idiots from the television show Jersey Shore, or for the ugliness of the New Jersey Turnpike.

I beg to differ.

With the exception of the sunset in the first row, which was taken down the shore, every other image in this mosaic was photographed within ten minutes from our little red house.

I ♥ New Jersey.

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
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

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

In Which I Return to the Scene of the Crime

First of all, let me say that I have been a good little girl. I haven't been to the thrift store since April or May. In fact, my favorite thrift store moved into a larger building over the summer, and this week was the first time I had been there to check it out.

And wow, what a difference! Where before it had been housed in the basement of a very small church, it is now in a large, bright and airy room with lots of space to show off all the great things for sale.

As you walk in the door, there is a large table filled with all the housewares that I love -- dishes and trays and lamps and candlesticks -- and everything is styled beautifully. In fact, it almost looks like an upscale home decor shop. But with really good prices. ;)

So what did I get? I got this beautiful Wedgwood covered casserole dish, for $8. Yes, as you have probably guessed, I'm a sucker for covered dishes. And this was just the perfect color to go in my kitchen.

So now I have to make up for lost time at the thrift store, right? I have my eye on a small tea set and a Victorian chair... ;)

Mosaic Monday: Autumn at Natirar

Autumn color is just beginning here in New Jersey. These photos were taken this afternoon at Natirar, my favorite park for walking in any season. It was a beautiful afternoon, with the sun slanting across the trees and grasses, and my husband and I enjoyed a nice long walk. :)

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
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

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Milk Glass. Yes, More.

For those of you who have been visiting here for awhile, you will recognize this post as one of my biannual favorites. For those of you who are fairly new, well, I will just come out and say it:

My name is Mary, and I am a milk glass-a-holic.

Last week found me at one of my favorite local rummage sales -- the Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills Rummage Sale. Twice a year, I descend on the Housewares tent and troll for milk glass. I have way too many pieces already, but somehow I can never help myself. This beautiful set by Westmoreland Glass Co. came home with me. ;)

And while we're on the subject of my foibles, I have to tell you a little story about this purchase. Do you see how one of the candlesticks is upside down in the photo above? When I first brought this set home, I didn't realize that they were candlesticks. Were they little shallow bowls? Finger bowls, perhaps? Then I thought that they were made to hold pillar candles. After a few days, I suddenly realized that I had them upside down.

Duh!

I did get a few other pieces as well. But I'll save them for a later confession post. In the meantime, please tell me that you have a collection that overruns your house, too. You do, right? :)

Mosaic Monday: Season of Mists

And now for something completely different...

When I posted summer pictures last week, I promised I would get to autumn, and so -- here it is. I know that a lot of people love autumn for it's crisp days and bright colors, but I love it for the mist.

"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness..."

Keats had it right.

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
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

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mosaic Monday: Hollister House

I know it's officially autumn, and I should be showing you foliage and fog and pumpkins, but I have these beautiful images from way back in June that I never posted. So here is Hollister House, a fabulous garden in Washington, Connecticut.

My husband and I visited Hollister House as part of The Garden Conservancy's Open Days program. Designed by owner George Schoelkopf and maintained as a Garden Conservancy Preservation Project, the garden is a blend of formal walls and hedges softened by romantic and exuberant plantings. It was inspired by the great 20th-century gardens of Great Britain, such as Sissinghurst and Hidcote. Brick walls and hedges enclose a series of garden rooms, each with a very strong focal point such as an antique urn filled with flowers, or a formal reflecting pool. Such a design provides interesting vistas throughout the entire garden, and into the rural landscape beyond.

Looking back at these photos from June makes me just the tiniest bit sad. Yes, autumn is lovely, and I do enjoy the change of seasons, but oh to have the reckless abandon of summer back again... *sigh* I promise I will get down to celebrating fall this week. Really. ;)

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
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

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.