eating granola in new england…

I woke to the aroma of homemade granola roasting in the oven, our last morning there.

And that was just one of many, many things Jeff and I loved about our visit to a region of the country we’ve never been to before.

We spent our summer vacation visiting our daughter.

She works at Theatre by the Sea in the summers---one of the most incredibly charming and adorable theatres I’ve been to. We enjoyed their production of The Full Monty immensely.

(This is Ayla giving me a tour of the grounds. She absolutely loves it here and now I see why.)

A short walk from the theatre, and through a narrow, sandy path between beds of rugosa roses, lies the atlantic ocean.

These are also called wild sea tomato. But those fruits aren’t tomatoes---they’re called rose hips, and are where a lot of our vitamin c comes from in supplements. Such a difference from our sea oats we have back home!

And no shells! Only pretty, rounded stones…

Surfing with oars seems a little strange to us, but it certainly makes sense.

I’m reluctant to admit---but this was the first time I’d seen a flock of geese in person, and I was elated.

We were lucky enough to have stayed at the Meyer House Inn, a lovely b&b that was peaceful, relaxing, and in an absolutely gorgeous natural setting. Our stay there couldn’t have been more perfect. Our hostess cooked for us every morning. Her homemade granola reminded me how special such a simple meal can be.

 

Making your own granola is an extremely easy treat to do for yourself. I came across my favorite recipe from Orangette. (a lovely, delicious, and entertaining food blog that everyone should acquaint themselves with)

She calls it her french chocolate granola recipe, which she developed to replicate the granolas she ate every morning during her stay in France. quite simply luxurious…is all I have to say.

 

While we were there, we went to WaterFire in Providence---an art installation  where they light bonfires, stationed in the rivers that run through downtown, at sunset.

It was moving, spectacular, solemn, spiritual, magical---all of this wrapped into a very special public event.

 

And the nature happening all around was about as big and beautiful as I can imagine it ever being.

 

 

New England was in celebratory mode---from the seaside gardens to the ocean-loving people.
It was a joy to witness and such a blessing to take part in.

 

And now we are back home. No more going away for awhile.
I imagine that I’ll be staying indoors and out of the very wet, heavy heat that has enveloped our neck of the woods.

And that is a good thing, because I look forward to catching up on everything that I have fallen behind on.

And I will, too. :-)

Just watch!
~dale

sipping kentucky wine….

 

I just got back from a road trip with Mama and my two sisters. We visited our brother and his family and had a very sweet and memorable time.

 

 

While we were there, in the rolling hills and bluegrass land of Kentucky, we were fortunate enough to be able to visit a vineyard and winery called Lover’s Leap.   …I know, right?

 

 

You usually don’t think of wine vineyards in this part of the country. KY is known for its tobacco growing and bourbon. But in 1994, the Federal Tobacco Settlement dollars encouraged farmers to try something new and wine grapes were, in my opinion, one of the most delicious uses for this very rich soil.

 

 

Before these grape vines covered these hills, tobacco was grown here. The tobacco barn stills stands today.

 

 

These iconic structures are a common sight along the curving roadsides here.

 

 

My brother and I picked a few of the grapes as we walked along the vines (who could resist?!). They were so flavorful.

 

 

Netting is used to help keep the birds from feasting on the fruit, but it didn’t deter us.

 

 

 

The wine tasting was casual, fun and very friendly. I brought home a couple of my favorite award winning reds.

 

 

ok…jeff and I already finished the bottle of Sloppy Seconds; there was delicious red wine in that bottle.

 

 

The Lover’s Leap website has a recipe in their garden section that I will be trying out very soon, but thought I could at least share it with you now, while I’m on the subject.

It’s Blackberry Zucchini Bread and uses their blackberry dessert wine. The recipe sounds awesome with zucchini and pecans…chocolate chips and sweet desert wine. While I didn’t bring home the blackberry wine (I did taste it, though----after all, they served it chocolate shot glasses) I think I’ll try it with some port. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

 

 

The trip was heavenly.
And being with my family on a summer vacation brought back sweet, sweet memories. 
 

don’t you just love summer?

~dale

how he likes to frame things…

 

I can not recall how long ago these frames first made their debut in our home, but I do remember the weeks leading up to the event. It involved Jeff being pleased with a garage sale find and four rather ugly frames.

 

 

I really didn’t give much thought to them or what Jeff was up to in his shed for what seemed like days on end. The frames made a brief appearance with only bits of assorted house paints splattered on them. I was mildly interested (that’s putting it kindly).

 

 

Shortly after, Jeff and the frames went back into hiding. Time had passed; I had forgotten about the frames and stopped wondering what Jeff was up to.

 

 

But, when they all emerged, once more, I was completely taken aback at how he had found a clever use with so many items he had been hoarding---scratch that, I meant safe-keeping.

 

 

Like one of our son’s shell collection that we used to have on display in museum like fashion out on our porch.

 

 

An assortment of metal buttons and old costume jewelry…

 

 

Glass pebbles, marbles, quartz crystal points, beach glass…

 

 

Odds and ends of all things pirate (Arrrrrr!)…..

 

 

The backs of the frames were absent from the beginning, and I like that he never bothered replacing them. We simple attach the photos to the wall with double-sided tape and allow the wall to show through the frame.

Up until recently, we had always put pictures of the kids and ourselves in these frames. Changing them out every now and then with different or updated ones.

 

 

But Jeff and I celebrated our 25^th this month and have been treating ourselves to day long excursions to some really beautiful locations, close by, over the past several weeks. To commemorate, I changed out the photos with some from our trips.

I imagine these will be staying up for quite sometime…

I hope this post might inspire you to upcycle something with any small-item collections you are saving around the house. If you do, or perhaps already have, I would love to hear about it. Let me know :-)

~dale