more of The Cottage

Stepping out our back door, I find a cheerful blue sky.

Down at the entrance to "The Cottage" I look back to our old stone home to take in a deep breath of fresh air and admire the freshly fallen snow.

As much as I am aching for spring, I still find it within me to enjoy the winter view.

Inside, the LOTM is requesting coffee. But first, I snap some shots of his work in progress.

The upstairs bedrooms are framed. (The installation of two dormers will have to wait for warmer weather!)
Pardon me while I am distracted by the view of the river from the upstairs windows.

Turning 90 degrees from that fantastic view, one can see down into the kitchen. The ceiling will remain open to the upstairs landing -which, by the way, will be THE PLACE to sip coffee and check the laptop in the morning.

Here is the landing, with temporary railing for safety's sake. We are scouting for some reclaimed iron or wood for the final railing.

This is the view from the kitchen looking up! What a lovely, cozy place this is going to be!

like

From almost every window, one can see the river. I like that.

Sweethearts Dinner!

We are lucky enough to host a Sweetheart's Dinner tonight.

This is the time of winter to insist on the kind of evening event that will stun the doldrums right out of one's system. A fancy dinner at our old stone home with other couples falls into that category quite nicely.

Over the last 168 years, there have been other parties at this house. I plan to throw a few more while we are blessed enough to reside here.

This busy bee has been in her kitchen, a-buzz with food-fun. My very first Beef Bourguignon!

-with Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes on the side.

Please indulge me with a few pics of the "new" china:


Oh boy. Am I ever having fun.

If I remember to grab my camera for the after-dinner entertainment, I shall share how grown-ups get greedy. We are having a good ole' Yankee Swap this evening. Wish me the best of grab-bag luck!

Cottage update

A brisk stroll across the bridge was definitely in order yesterday afternoon. I took Poodie with me.

How can this view NOT take one's breath away? Someone hold me back from throwing my little green kayak into the frothy current.

From the other side of the river, we beheld our humble abode. Please note the ramshackle red garage. We have been instructed by the LOTM to now call it "The Cottage".

Upon arriving back on the ranch, we popped into the Cottage to see what was what.
Above is the kitchen.
Here are the stairs. They aren't usable quite yet. But soon, soon.

Instead of trying to use the unfinished stairs, we trotted around to the other side of the Cottage to ascend the outside stairway.

This is what it looks like up there.

Eventually, it will all make sense!

alluring winter

Who could resist a winter's afternoon stroll? Not I.

the cottage

The only blizzard I would ever order is possibly one from DQ. Oreo, please.

But today we received the Mother Nature-type with horizontal precipitation, no cookies included.

The horrid weather does not keep the LOTM from his commute: a trot down the snowy steps to the garage. ahem: "the cottage", as he has dubbed it.

The transformation has begun to make the unused space above the garage into a state-of-the-art apartment with the best view of the river anywhere around.

The entryway and kitchen will be on the ground floor.

A staircase will lead upstairs to a living room and two bedrooms. Pictures forthcoming, you betcha.

As for the view, what can I say?

Stay tuned for the amazing project that will bring us The Cottage!

card number 300

For many years I have been dreaming of acquiring some china.

For the record, I have never been a china lover. (All that potential breakage! Let's go with stoneware, ok?)

But even more since we moved into the our old stone home, (which gave us a real dining room, for goodness sake!) I have been scouting the local auctions & thrift shops for a humble set of china to pull out when company comes a-calling.

I also dreamed for a setting for twelve. Call me crazy.

Now be it known that this crazy so-not-in-love-with-china girl lugged home 4 boxes full of the stuff this past Saturday.

I just love Blanchard's auction house. And although I arrived quite fashionably late on Saturday afternoon, it only took ten minutes for me to wave my card wildly in the air.

Sold for $70 to number.....300.

Then my resident muscle (the LOTM and Clever Tommy) brought in my inherited china closet, which has been residing in the barn since our move. Luckily, there was one small wall left that could house such an item.

The facts: around 120 pieces of Carlsbad china, place settings for 12 with only a few missing pieces, manufactured in Austria (actually Bohemia -where my grandparents emigrated from!) in the late 19th century. Cream background with gold-rim and dark brown design. Who knows what its worth --but it fits our dining room decor perfectly!

-And we will share many a happy meal in its company.