autumn decorating

I’m feeling that feeling that comes over me every October. Time to feather the nest! I’ve packed summer away, rolled out the woven throw rugs and wool area rugs, and exchanged summer’s crisp blues and whites for autumn’s tawny earth tones. I sipped tea and hot apple cider while I decorated and took photographs to…

butternut squash & apple bisque

~ butternut squash & apple bisque ~ I’ve gotten quite a few emails asking me to please post the recipe for the butternut squash & apple bisque that was pictured in my “teacup lunch” blog post on Tuesday, October 4th. Soooo…..without further adieu, I give you one of my favorite autumn soup recipes. I hope…

proper cucumber sandwiches

I invited my friend Nancy over for a relaxing lunch to celebrate her birthday. Before she arrived, I lit candles everywhere, started Nora Jones playing low over the iPod dock, put the tea kettle on the stove, and made a batch of proper cucumber sandwiches. I’ve made almost as many cucumber sandwiches as I have…

fall festival of the arts

My journal entry from yesterday: We’ve been enjoying beautiful weather in the Mississippi River valley these past couple weeks. Sunny with temperatures in the 70s and 80s. The perfect opportunity to get outside, go for bike rides, take photographs, go for little trips on the Wisconsin’s Great River Road, write, paint, pack picnics, visit apple…