Hello dear friends.  Today I'm sharing photos of a house I decorated during the pandemic.  I originally was not going to post because the owners are v private people.  But they just gave me the go-ahead and so 3 years later here we are.  I apologize for the copies of the photos from my iphone but over the years some were deleted and this is all I've got.  Also, I don't have all the befores but hopefully you will get the gist.  There are no photos of the new gorgeous kitchen because it has not been styled.  A few facts about the house...it was buil ..read more

  I am convinced that I was always meant to be here.  This house is me and I am it.  You guys know how much I love routines and how they keep me grounded.  This house does that for me.  I move by the rhythms of the light now.   No matter where I sit inside I see beautiful green views from every single window.  I don't see other structures or homes.  I just recently noticed this. When the sun is just about to set it casts this beautiful golden glow on everything green outside and it is dead set magical.  That's my cue to close the drap ..read more

  This is as close as I'll get to having another man in my life.  I'm so not kidding. He's perfect in every way.  He just sits there and looks gorgeous all day.  Asks nothing of me and he is always looking at me with dreamy eyes and a wry smile. Seriously though, how would I ever date a man?  It's been 4 years and I've never even seen someone I'd be interested in let alone them in me.  The whole thing seems impossible.  So I'll just stick with this guy.  What should his name be.  He's 19th c French.  Help me out.  x ..read more

  Good morning ladies and gents.  Today I'd like to talk a little about summer and how I prepare for it in this little old cottage that until recently had zero insulation. Last summer I had the house painted Benjamin Moore Simply White, insulation installed in the attic, a new roof put on and a couple of awnings installed.  This was a huge undertaking for me.  The home repair industry is rife with unscrupulous people but I was patient and found amazing people to help me. I could not be happier with the results.  The interior of the house is so much cooler.&nb ..read more

This photo shoot was quite different from the Country Living photo shoot back in 2015.  Actually it couldn't be more different.  The first big difference is there was no stylist.  So what you see is exactly how my house looks all the time, prob not quite as clean tho.  ? Not a single prop was brought in.  I think this photo is so beautiful. The second difference is that it was shot in one day vs five days with Country Living.  What a relief.  The photographer Bret Gum was v kind and just went to work and got it done.  I so appreciated that ..read more

  In July, the magazine Cottages and Bungalows came to visit my home.  They took a bunch of photos and they will be published sometime next year.  I wanted to share the photos I took that very day.  I have to say this is the loveliest my home has ever looked.  I've come to learn that the greatest luxury of my home is the small size.  Dear reader, I do hope you enjoy.  xo ..read more

Hello sweet friends.  I'm writing because a few of you have reached out expressing concern for me.  I'm still here.  The word still seems to be my word these days.  This month will be 3 years since Larry died.  Just typing that gives me chills...still. For forty years it was we.  Getting used to that stillness takes some getting used to.  Anderson Cooper's voice reporting the evening news is comforting. It's really not what he says it's just the voice.   Little rituals seem very important to me now.  I like being in before it gets dark ..read more

  Hello sweet friends.  The other day I posted this photo and IG and it got a lot of attention.  Lots of people private messaged me as well as left comments so I thought I'd post it here too.  It pretty much sums up the way I've been living the last couple of years.  I call it fewer/finer.  I've slowly been decluttering and somehow making this place mine without erasing Larry.  It's a delicate balance.  I know some widows that don't touch anything after their loved one has passed away and I know widows who have sold the house and moved for a fresh star ..read more

  Hi dear friends.  I thought I'd talk a little about saving money in July.  As our summer temps go up so do the utility bills.  The garden demands more water and I demand more interior coolness.   In my last post I told you about the thick triple lined Ethan Allen drapes I purchased and they have helped so much.  I pretty much keep them closed once the sun moves around to that part of the house.  But luckily my entry and living room get early morning sun so I can keep the drapes opened here for most of the day which I love bc I like bright interior ..read more

  One of the many things I've always complained about over the years is how having no insulation in this house has been a challenge in the cold and heat.  Well hopefully I will complain no more (not likely) thanks to these drapes I stumbled upon at a flea market not long ago.     A dear reader in the comments once suggested I tell you more about my finds so consider your suggestion taken dear.  Here's the story... I was at a small flea market looking for things for Mary's house when off in the distance I saw a pile of what appeared to be toile fabric.  ..read more