Lemon Yellow

At the moment, the only sign of colour in the garden, other than green and brown, is yellow....
A welcome harbinger of Spring!

The forsythia, which was the only flowering shrub in the garden, when we bought our home, is still going strong....

It is waning, but still leaves a pretty yellow carpet on the stone drive....

This time of year, I like to make lemon curd.....there is something clean and refreshing and uplifting about baking and eating something light, like lemon meringue pies or tarts....somewhat like Spring itself...

This recipe is my sister Micki's....she makes jars of this velvety, immensely smooth mixture...it is a tasty spread for toast or muffins, as well as a delicious filler.  I like to swirl it through fresh whipped cream, and serve it with blackberries on lemon sponge cake.....

The curd of course requires, the best lemons and its tartness will vary according to the lemons used and the sweetness of the juice....Meyer's lemons are perfect, if you can get them.....

I squeeze the lemons by hand with a reamer, because that is what I have at hand....
It is a good upper arm workout!

Roughly 20 ounces of juice will yield about six, eight ounce jars of lemon curd....

This vintage, green, depression glass measuring cup has been in my kitchen at the ready for many years...

The curd makes a great hostess gift.....

A little seal and ribbon add a thoughtful and personal touch to the jars....

It is amazing how quickly six jars will vanish from my kitchen!

The lower terrace, just yesterday..... some self seeded lamium, and shoots of hosta amidst the box, and off in the distance, the yellow forsythia, trumpeting the arrival of Spring!

Lemon Curd

3 eggs beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 TB grated lemon rind
1/4 cup butter

In a small, heavy sauce pan, combine eggs, sugar, lemon juice, butter and rind.
Cook at just below a boil, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly and thick enough to coat a spoon about
fifteen minutes. Mixture will thicken when cool. Let cool and store in covered jars in the refrigerator.
This recipe makes about one and a half cups.

If you are going to make this, just adjust the recipe for more yield, as I always do!

Enjoy!!

N.xo

Master bedroom inspiration board....looking to the past.

It has been a while, I have been missing...in the midst of packing boxes, and darting off to our last of the winter getaways, my blog has taken the least priority...I have felt lost....
I am attempting to find some order in the chaos, a bit of solace, by giving much needed thought to what I will do with the interior of our newly renovated home soon...

I have assembled some little bits for the colour scheme of the master bedroom...lavender, ecru, milk walls and a touch of velvet, Mole, for the two slipper chairs. The velvet is from Kate Forman, a British designer who I admire very much...
The colour Mole, is soft greyish brown, much like the colour of a little mole....

The above vintage "plumetis" will be used to embellish pillows for the bed,on ecru linen, as well as the lovely
lavender toile, just enough to fashion three large 12x12 throw pillows...

Vintage silver for accessories......this sweet vase, a new acquisition, from Marianne's in Sarasota, Florida.

I will be keeping my old furniture, it is French Provincial, painted cream, purchased from an estate sale in Palm Beach, years ago, a find, with another story attached to it, for another time.....I will be selling the large triple dresser and keeping only the bed and two night tables, and small three drawer bachelor chest....
.....editing....

.....a new walk in closet will take up the overflow.....

I loved the pastoral scenes in this fabric, and it is perfectly faded and the colours muted, just the way I love fabric to look....

The vintage handwork is a gift.....from a special brocante dealer......

The faded and slightly tea stained look of the paper is serving as inspiration for paint or fabric colour
in this room....

The gorgeous fabric and plumetis are from Sharon, the lovely and talented author of the blog, My French Country Home....

Dealing with Sharon, was a dream....I could not expect a more expeditious and simple acquisition, coming all the way from France...my treasures arrived in less than three weeks....
carefully wrapped, with care....

I wish I could purchase all of my dream items from Sharon's lovely brocante shop....be sure to visit her, you will swoon over her collection of French finds for the home and garden....

In the meantime, I wait patiently for warmer weather, so I can immerse myself into the garden, when I need some respite from the boxes and piles of life we have accumulated over the last thirty five years.....
Change is never easy, this has been my only home since I was married, over thirty five years ago....leaving it, for even just a short time will be difficult, and wondering if the changes we are making will retain the sense of what I have come to know and love so well....

N.xo

Gathering Spring

I am so impatient this time of year...I find myself short tempered, rushing around in circles, trying to do everything that spinning around in my head.... is it the wild anticipation of the most glorious of seasons,
Spring?

There is still a chill in the air, although the sunshine is bright and the gorgeous green poking through the brown earth is invigorating...I look around for anything that will satisfy the hunger for the colours that are images of
Nature at this time of year!
I can hardly wait!

The robins have begun flitting about looking for mates, and already preening, then flying into our windows
when they see their image and waking me regularly every morning with the thudding against the panes!
They are very persistent!!!

The anticipation of all that green which is about to peek through gently, in the next little while...

This sweet handmade bag....pretty enough for a ladies Spring luncheon.....

a lovely lightly antiqued and distressed lamp, perfect for any corner looking for a soft Spring touch....

.....about to gather flowers from the garden, no doubt!

These beautifully wrapped beeswax candles with images of ladies who lunched, perhaps, some time ago!

 Italian majolica cachepot, Spring colours at their best....

 ....small vintage, cottage look trays, pressed into use outdoors, when the weather is right for dining al fresco!!!
They are the perfect size to pull up to a garden chaise, or just as an extra table to set a drink or small plate.

 

Waiting to be placed outdoors, this small bird bath adds a touch of the garden to my kitchen....

I always plant herbs in pots in the garden, and parsley is a staple....

Hungry for green!!

A pretty chinz ware cachepot, an indication of the bounty from the garden.....
and the promise of what is to come....

All of Nature's gifts await us in just a few short weeks, here at home. I cannot plant my garden pots this year, as there will be much work done outdoors near the beds, so I must practise restraint and especially patience, until the renovation is completed. I will be working on the beds and borders farther away from the foundation of the house....I have already ordered some old roses, and planted more peonies....I will keep you posted.

I wish everyone  a Happy Easter, and thank every one of you, for your kind and generous comments on my superfluous ramblings and observations!

N.xo

A shopper's dream destination!

When travelling, for us girls, shopping is always a big part of the fun, and sourcing out those little hidden gems is the thrill of the hunt for me!!!  Malls just don't do it...individually owned shops which make me feel like I have just had an unforgettable, and personal experience, with the passion and heart of the owner at their core, is what I look for!!

Just such a shop is Posh on Palm, situated in beautiful, sunny Sarasota, Florida on the Gulf coast. I know many of you may be familiar with it, since it has been featured in all the best decorating mags over the years...but many of my Canadian friends who visit Florida, may not be familiar with it.

Owned by Mark and Suzie Lohman, it is the best of the romantic, cottage style aesthetic so popular with so many of us....located in downtown Sarasota, on Palm Avenue. Situated in a grand, old Florida style hotel, the shell that the Lohman's have to work with, is perfection in itself, before you discover their enchanting, romantic wares!!

 

Bedding by Bella Notte, and other fine distributors is beautifully showcased, as well as vintage, monogrammed sheets and shams which Suzie adds to the mix.

Gorgeous white, dreamy, slip covered furniture is a trademark, a perfect look for the beach aesthetic in this area of the Gulf coast of Florida....

Every nook and cranny is a feast for the eyes...and so soul soothing....

A creamy white, pastel palette prevails.....

No detail has been spared....

a diaphanous Marie Antoinette style.....

There is some exciting news for the Posh customer on the horizon.... not only will you be able to shop to your hearts content, but Suzie and Mark are about to open a tea/luncheon room in this beautiful establishment...

Imagine having a delicious lunch and brisk cup of tea or iced lemonade at this dreamy table for two!!!
Perfect for a girlfriend's birthday or just a break from a hectic day...

The lovely, vintage dessert counter waiting to showcase luscious selections under glass cloches...

Unique architectural elements are employed throughout....here, the entrance to the tea room...

I loved these vintage, distressed pair of doves, so adorable as garden ornaments, or to use in wedding decor!  Suzie, I may have to call.....

The sleepy resident pet kitty, perfectly content and at home in such luscious and serene surroundings....the store was formerly...The Cat's Meow!!!

Be sure to discover Posh on Palm when visiting the Gulf Coast of Florida.
You will be so happy that you did!!


N.xo