vignette design

Gone Fishing

2012-02-12T11:08:00.000-08:00

Mr. A is "gone fishing," yet again! This is the time of year that I am a fishing widow!

He will be back in time to say hello and goodbye, as I'm headed to Oregon for a week to visit my Mom.

So....I'm going to be reposting some old favorites.

This one is called "A River Runs Through It," circa January, 2010.

It is my favorite post, and Mr. A's too.

I hope you enjoy it:

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
I am haunted by waters."
-Norman Mclean, "A River Runs Through It"

Photo of Umpqua River, circa 1976 by Gary Arabian

Rivers run through our family: I spent the first half of my childhood on the Siuslaw River in Oregon; the granddaughter of a legendary river guide. My husband is an avid fisherman, as is his twin brother, our sons, and nephew. It's in our blood, rivers and fishing.

It makes sense that we would be drawn to vintage paintings of rivers like the one above. It is a lovely European oil of a pastoral scene with cows in the river.

What is it about rivers that inspires artists, writers, poets and the like to create a work of art?

Thornton Wilder said: "It is only in appearance that time is a river. It is rather a vast landscape and it is the eye of the beholder that moves." The above river is the Trinity, a legendary steelhead stream in Northern California.

This little painting is probably by a "Sunday Artist" as there is no signature, but I love the muted colors and the bend in the river.

A beautiful fly fishing stretch on the McCloud River in Northern California.

"What makes a river so restful to people is that it doesn't have any doubt - it is sure to get where it is going, and it doesn't want to go anywhere else." -Hal Boyle

Another European river scene with cows. I love the reflection on the water.

The Mattole River is near Eureka and one of Mr. A's favorite rivers to fish.

He loves it so much, and I was lucky to find this little impressionist painting of the Mattole by California Artist Carl Sammons.

The Trinity River again. Notice the fisherman in the distance and the steelhead on a fly in the foreground. Pure poetry. What artist wouldn't want to paint this scene!

This was our very first painting! It is of the Eel River, and we found it at our favorite antique store in Healdsburg years ago. Circa 1923 by local amateur artist.

Mr. A's beloved handmade wooden river boat. It has been down virtually every major trout and steelhead stream in California and Oregon. It is in it's own way a "work of art."

This little naive painting is another example of an inspired hobbyist painter. I love the deer crossing the stream.

The McCloud River looking quite majestic. This is serious fly water.

I had my friend Diana paint this from a photograph. It's of Mr. A's friend Frank fishing the Yuba River.

Twin brothers, circa 1999 on some river, somewhere.....

This is a print of a lovely bucolic stream with cows. I picked it up at a second hand store!

A chip off the old block!

A European oil we recently added to the collection. I love the castle!

And yet another scenic river photograph.......

........And so "Life imitates art far more than art imitates life." --Oscar Wilde

Are you "haunted by waters" also?

What's For Dinner?

2012-02-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

That question is what I am thinking when I look at the new stove!

It arrived yesterday and what an effort it was getting it into the house.

But these two guys did it!

After they delivered it to the kitchen, it was up to Ryan to hook up the gas and level it.

Since the house is 106 years old, naturally the floor slants about an inch. Then the two of us pushed it back in to place.

It's so shiny and new that I don't want to cook on it yet!

Someone is going to have to christen it though!

It just won't be me. I need some cooking lessons first!

Isn't she a beaut? I'm going to call her Bertha!

Progress In The Kitchen

2012-02-10T08:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a big day.

The backsplash was completed just in time, because today is an even bigger day!

This morning, the new stove will be delivered and set in place against the the tiled wall.

All 900 pounds of it! I'm so excited!

Until it gets here, I'm pacing and puttering and typing away.

Removing all the stuff off the dining room table...

... and finally putting it back in the kitchen.

Bob the Cabinetmaker has been working hard restoring the cabinets where the trash compactor was removed.

Trash compactors are a thing of the past around here as we have to sort our garbage into three categories. Recycle, compost or just garbage. So now we will have two pull out bins with a compost pail under the sink.

When the double ovens were removed, the hole had to be patched also.

Bob is building shelves for my cookware with double doors, matching the other doors on this cabinet wall. Which brings me to paint.

Another example of a green cabinet. I'm loving this color!

Uh oh, they're here with the delivery!

To be continued....

It's Not Easy Being Green

2012-02-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

Taking a cue from the Welsh cupboard, I came up with the wild idea to paint my kitchen cabinets green instead of white.

At least I'm leaning in that direction.

It's not easy being green! Or rather it's not easy to find the perfect green color.

Looking at the dining room wallpaper, there are many different greens, all blending together.

That's what I want!

A photo harvested from Pinterest shows the different shades and glazes that I'm thinking about.

Last weekend, I visited a kitchen showroom in Petaluma and found this cabinet for inspiration.

However, the color is a little too light and the distressing is a little too much.

This photo comes close to the combination of materials in my kitchen.

Marble countertops, subway tile and hardwood floors. The color is a little too gray for me.

I like the color, but it doesn't go with all the other greens in my house.

I like the green color in this kitchen from Pinterest, but again, too much distressing.

This kitchen intrigues me.

I like it, but it's too much green. The backsplash should be white and I would paint the inside of the cabinets behind the leaded glass white too.

Love the copper pots with this color!

My friend Lisa's kitchen is a perfect color of green.

Just the right amount of distress and glaze.

Yesterday, Ian the Decorative Finish guy showed up with a sample.

Don't ask me how, but he read my mind. He knew exactly the color I described to him, and he came up with it. When I put the frame that I bought this weekend for a color sample to show him, it was spot on!

It has just enough distressing, just enough color variation and just enough glaze.

Although I haven't ruled out white, green is growing on me!

It would be Stage 3 of the remodel. Stage 2 is coming to a close.

The subway tile is being installed today. The hardwood floor patch is finished.

And the range is being delivered on Friday!

Stay tuned for the semi-final reveal.

Birthday Brocante In The Wine Country

2012-02-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. The birthday weekend!

BFF Maureen and I share the same birthday. Same day, same year!

So along with our husbands, we spent a wonderful weekend in the wine country antiquing and treasure hunting.

Here are a few treasures that caught our eye, and maybe yours too....

I thought this sweet little majolica cauliflower teapot was adorable.

This unique, ornate mantel clock definitely caught my eye.

We noticed a lot of vintage picnic baskets. I was all about this tartan plaid one.

Mr. A said his mother had one just like this when he was little!

Dress forms are quite popular right now. I like this one because it would be perfect for holding a collection of necklaces on a dresser.

There was so much hotel silver, that I was tempted...

But it's copper that is intriguing me instead of silver.

I am thinking of starting a collection of vintage copper cookware.

We found at least three different dealers specializing in old copper.

Maureen is thinking of starting a collection of vintage barware.

I fell in love with this simple, white teapot!

There is plenty of white ironstone out there. Pitchers and platters, and everything else in between.

Cute!

Would love this S & P on the new range!

Even better, I could imagine this enamelware vegetable bin in the glass front refrigerator of my dreams!

It was a fabulous weekend for hanging out in Healdsburg, just shopping, antiquing and spending winter-time in Asti by the fire.

We found some wonderful treasures, solved a few world problems and started planning our 60th birthday!

We decided that 58 is the new 58!

We are embracing it and look forward to many more weekends like this one!

The Kitchen Facelift - Stage Two

2012-02-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

Stage two of the kitchen facelift began yesterday.

Since the new stove is finally here and waiting to be delivered, the cabinet where it will live had to be removed. So Ryan the Contractor is back!

The hard part was seeing the yellow subway tile go.

It will be replaced with white subway tile. Believe me, if I could have, I would have saved it and bought more to fill this wall, but the company went out of business and there is no more of it anywhere.

I'm saving this cabinet for a future project, yet to be determined!

Here is what it looks like now. The floor will be patched today.

The wall will be tiled to the floor and the range will fill this entire alcove.

The double ovens that no longer work, also came out. A cabinet maker will fill this space with shelves and double doors. Hopefully, it will look like it was always there.

I'm so excited to get the stove and see this project through.

It began in October with the countertops. Stage three will be painting the cabinets.

I'm already thinking outside the box about a color instead of painting them white.

We'll see....

Let The Adventure Begin

2012-02-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

The newlyweds left Monday for a most excellent adventure in Hawaii!

Three months on the big island, wwoofing for Hawaiian Island Retreat, an eco lodge that is completely off the grid.

What is wwoofing, you ask? Wwoofing stands for World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.

For three months, they work and learn about organic farming in exchange for room and board and meals. The Hawaiian Island Retreat has 50 acres and produce all the food that they serve to their guests. Ashley hopes to be able to cook as well as garden...

This looks like paradise! Totally secluded, off the grid, Hawaii at its finest.

No wonder this eco lodge is perfect for yoga retreats and spa vacations.

It is in harmony with nature.

" Every night stars filled the sky. No humming power lines. No street lamps. Just velvet night and the brilliance of a multitude of stars."

The rooms are beautiful. This is the "honeymoon suite!"

No, the newlyweds are not staying here, but rather in a yert!

The yerts are an option for guests if they choose a more economical, in tune with nature kind of stay.

Basically, a yert is just a canvas tent. These yerts look quite luxurious and come with a bathroom, thank you very much!

Oh, to be young again!

If I were, I would definitely want to wwoof in Hawaii!

Check out the Wwoof USA website for more info.

For more about Hawaii Island Retreat, their website offers a ton of information.

Ashley promises to blog and tweet about their experience, so be sure to visit her blog, Tourshi to follow along. Or follow her on Twitter here.

And if you decide to book a stay there, say hi to my kids!

The Bedside Table

2012-01-30T18:45:00.000-08:00

Since my last post about "what's on my bedside table," I thought it would be fun to actually take a look at some fun nightstands.

Lamps, books, photos and alarm clocks are just a few of the items that we have to have next to our beds. The bedside table, or nightstand is there to hold them in style.

A vintage faux bamboo table is one of my first choices for a nightstand. The one above works perfectly between the twin beds.

I prefer the look of mismatched tables, even pressing into service a chest of drawers.

I like the height of the table to be even with the mattress, but it's a matter of personal preference.

Although cute, this darling red table is just a little too low for my taste.

Another mis-matched pair of tables. I love this room for its black faux bamboo bed and blue walls. Looks like another chest of drawers on the left is doing double duty.

Love this idea too of just stacking vintage suitcases.

At first glance, this seems like the perfect setup since I like to read in bed.

But where are the lamps?

Sometimes a group of small tables will work well together.

My personal favorite bedside table is in the guest room in Asti. It is a Victorian seagrass table with lots of room on the shelf below for books.

Our master bedroom.

The table on the left is my side with all the books.

The table on the right is Mr. A's. His books are behind the doors of the cabinet that was given to us by his mom. Totally mis-matched!

My side, circa 2010. I was reading Anna Karenina at the time!

Mr. A's side, circa 2010. Trust me, it never looks like this!

He is a book and magazine stacker--sometimes a foot high!

And, the alarm clock is usually on his side...

My bedside table as it looks today. New wedding photos have been added to the collection. Oh, and the book, "The Space Between Us."

Talk to me. What kind of bedside table do you prefer and what do you currently have on it?

Better yet, if you are a bookworm, what book is on your nightstand!?

What's On My Nightstand

2012-01-29T08:31:00.000-08:00

The R.E.A.D. book club has chosen "The Space Between Us" for the next book to read.

It looks to be a good one!

Here is what Amazon says:

"The Space Between Us, Thrity Umrigar's poignant novel about a wealthy woman and her downtrodden servant, offers a revealing look at class and gender roles in modern day Bombay. Alternatively told through the eyes of Sera, a Parsi widow whose pregnant daughter and son-in-law share her elegant home, and Bhima, the elderly housekeeper who must support her orphaned granddaughter, Umrigar does an admirable job of creating two sympathetic characters whose bond goes far deeper than that of employer and employee."

Sounds intriguing, right? I would love to have you join me in reading this novel.

The book club meets again on March 1st to discuss.

Send me your thoughts about the book and I'll share them at our next meeting, and visa versa with a follow-up post.

Think of it as a virtual book club!

It's a Dog's Life

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Houzz

Recently, my friend and fellow dog mom sent me a few photos of ways to integrate the family dog into the decor.

While I'm not going to give up precious real estate in my kitchen to carve out a dog bed for Dexter and Bear, these are great ideas!

Houzz

Of course, this is the favorite photo, but not because of the feeding station.

You guessed it! Check out that gorgeous glass door Sub-zero.

But I digress!

Houzz

Having a pet shower in the laundry room would be so convenient!

bhg

If you've ever bathed a rather large dog at home, you know what I mean.

Pinterest

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!

I mean, how cute is this Airstream dog house?

Beginning Monday, I'm pet sitting my daughter and her husband's dog, Bear for three and a half months while they go off on an adventure.

He is still a puppy and is super anxious when left alone. If I go to the store, he ransacks the house.

I bought a kennel yesterday, and I think he actually likes the security of the small space, so I'm experimenting leaving for short periods of time.

I welcome any suggestions....

In the meantime, Dexter is not amused by the young one!

The Welsh Dresser

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

Antiques Atlas

What is it about the Welsh dresser that appeals to us?

Hermitage On The Web

Helen Meserve of Running Battle Antiques answers that question perfectly:

"Why do we respond so emotionally to this one item? For starters, the Welsh dresser conjures up a romantic image of a simpler life more than two hundred years ago.... "

"a farmer’s cottage in Wales with a peat fire burning in the open hearth, a baby asleep in the cradle nearby, the husband sitting on a stool by a table finishing his gruel for breakfast while the wife stands before her high oak cupboard polishing every bit of pewter until it shines like silver, then rubbing the wood with beeswax to a fine patina."

Cote de Texas

Carol Glasser's Welsh dresser (above) has inspired me for years. I'll never forget the first time I saw it in a magazine years ago. It spoke to me and I realized that it was precisely the kind of display that I wanted for my dish collection. I did not want my dishes behind glass!

I can't remember if I already had my pine Welsh dresser, or if seeing hers inspired me to find one of my own.

I have had this dresser for 20 years. It is a married piece, which contributes to the rusticness of it.

It is fun to change up the dishes on display, depending on the season or holiday.

I like to think about the history of this piece. Where did it come from?

England? Wales?

I hope Wales, where our son-in-law is from.

Secret: there is a pipe carved into the top of the hutch, signifying who the cabinet maker was.

Kind of like his trademark.

The Welsh dresser at home was a birthday gift from Mr. A.

It is a little finer that the pine one, but still quite rustic, due to the painted back.

There are carved acorns on it. I was told it came from Wales.

But maybe not. "Welsh" dresser is a misnomer as these were made in England, Scotland and Wales.

The Welsh pieces were more elaborate, while the English pieces were more simple.

Perhaps my pine dresser is English and my oak one is Welsh.

Either way, they most certainly conjure up images of a simpler, romantic time.

Wales was a poor country, so these cupboards were made to hold everything from food preparation to storage in the kitchen/diningroom/livingroom.

The top of the dresser displayed the family's prized pewter or china, while underneath, the mixing bowls and serving pieces were stored.

The Welsh dresser was made with whatever wood was available.

Pine, elm, but most were oak. No two were ever alike.

I look forward to visiting Wales someday.

Top on the list of places to visit will be the Museum of Welsh Life, just outside of Cardiff.

It's a living museum with cottages scattered amongst the gardens, each with Welsh dressers and other antiques from the 17th century.

Birdhouse Love

2012-01-24T06:15:00.000-08:00

My Dad's hobby was making birdhouses. He used to surprise me with his little creations, like the one above. In fact, one day in the spring of 2001, he visited me and gave me his entire collection of birdhouses that he had been making in his workshop.

I think he knew he didn't have much time left and he wanted me to have them.

For twelve years, the entire birdhouse collection has been stored in the garage.

Except for one, a bird feeder that he mounted on a pole in my backyard that day.

A few weeks later, he passed away.

I haven't touched it since.

After nearly 12 years of weathering the elements, there is not much left of it.

Still, I can't take it down.

But somebody did.

Little did I know that our new son-in-law took it down and completely rebuilt it!

On Saturday, he surprised me with the same bird feeder that my Dad made, completely reconstructed and preserved for hopefully another 12 years.

I feel like my Dad is "up there" with a big grin on his face!

He would have loved our son-in-law.

I know I sure do!

The Butler's Pantry

2012-01-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

This post is for all you dishaholics who came out last week.

Admitting we have a problem is Step One, so this post is about the art of display and storage of our "problem."

If you don't have a butler's pantry to store your dishes, then you are probably dreaming of one.

A separate room to store it all would be my idea of heaven!

I would even be happy with a full length cabinet like the one above in my garage!

Just having a little niche or room! Many readers wrote that they were thinking of turning a spare bedroom into a storage area.

Storage is definitely a problem for us dishaholics!

Reading everyone's comments about their dish obsession and lack of storage space made me realize that I might have a solution right under my nose.

My laundry room!

A butler's pantry/laundry room!

All that needs to be done is to clear out the junk behind those cabinet doors!

Craft stuff, vases, old candles, pots, etc. and organize the cupboards with dishes.

I'm tempted to remove the doors though so that the dishes can be seen and appreciated.

That, or maybe put glass in them.

What do you think? Is it weird to have a washer and dryer in your butler's pantry?

A Woodland Style Tablescape for January

2012-01-19T05:36:00.000-08:00

January seems the perfect month for a "woodland style" tablescape.

I've been thinking about this table setting for a long time now, so it was really fun to finally create it.

The inspiration for this tablescape is from the book, Woodland Style by Marlene Hurley Marshall. It is a wonderful book full of ideas for bringing nature into your home, using foraged and found objects from outside.

Right up my alley!

I gathered my bird's nests, moss and tree slices to create the centerpiece.

The wedding hydrangeas look perfect in faux bois pots.

Deer horn candle holders add to the theme.

Also left over from the wedding are these log slices that are serving as chargers for the table setting.

Two majolica leaf plates sit on top.

The salad plate is the latest Ebay find that I wrote about yesterday.

Real wood napkin rings were an Etsy find.

The Ralph Lauren floral napkins pull together all the woodsy colors of the majolica plates.

A birch candle casts a warm glow on the tiny precious hummingbird nest that my Mother found.

A small wood slice is the foundation.

Real beeswax candles with faux bees tie in with the white hydrangeas.

Looking down the table at the centerpiece...

...and the place settings.

I envisioned a meal of foraged wild edibles, like risotto topped with sautéed morel mushrooms.

Or ramp bread pudding--all recipes found in the book!

My daughter suggested braised lamb shanks, quinoa risotto and wild mushroom ravioli.

For this tablescape in January, any kind of comfort food would work!

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Dishaholics Anonymous

2012-01-18T06:16:00.000-08:00

Is there was such a thing as Dishaholics Anonymous? Well there should be for people like me!

I need another plate like I need a hole in the head and vowed to not buy any more in 2012.

So what do I do? I buy more plates!

When I found these cute little majolica salad plates on Ebay, I didn't even think about where I am going to store them.

Geez, it's only mid-January and that resolution is out the window!

Readers email me a lot, asking, "where do you keep it all?"

Well, here are a few places....

As you can see, I'm running out of room!

Storage is a big problem.

Here is my wedding china and some Belleek passed down from Mr. A's family.

Now I'm storing them to be passed down someday to our children.

There are drawers underneath the banquette bench in the breakfast room.

Perfect for chargers, place mats and tablecloths.

The glassware.

Red, purple and green wine hocks and water glasses.

More of the same....

I'm really only showing the tip of the iceberg. These are just the organized cupboards.

There are dishes stashed in drawers and cupboards, in the garage and the laundry room.

Wouldn't it be great to have one big china closet to store it all like Bunny Williams has?

That way, it can all be seen at once, making it easy to plan how you're going to set the table.

She has everything at the ready on these shelves to create her table centerpieces.

My idea of heaven!

Somehow I think having this kind of storage would be dangerous for a dishaholic like me.

My name is Delores and I'm a dishaholic!

Joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Blah Blah Blah

2012-01-16T17:56:00.000-08:00

I've been a little "under the weather" lately.

It seems that I have a bad case of the January Blahs!

I always get a bad case of the blahs in January, but this year it's worse because it's been two months since we have had any real rain! Day after day of beautiful sunny weather!

The birds haven't even flown south yet!

It needs to rain. Then my January Blahs will match the weather!

This is the time of year when a rip roaring fire is appreciated...

...along with candles. Lots of candles.

My battery operated candles have been a real blah fighter too, automatically coming on at 5:00 pm. It's fun that they're everywhere, up the stairs, on the window sills and mantels.

The January Blahs will eventually be replaced by February and the hope of Spring.

In the meantime, I'm also fighting the blahs with flowers. Lots of flowers.

The weather report says a major storm is arriving on Thursday.

I can't wait!

The Scullery Kitchen

2012-01-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

I've always been drawn to rustic, old world scullery kitchens from France and Italy.

However, it would be a pain to actually work in one.

Can you imagine doing dishes in this sink?

There is a fine line between a kitchen with patina and one that has all the modern conveniences.

Joanne Hudson

Campagne Decoration

Materials like stone floors, beamed ceilings, plaster walls and old copper pots lend the look and feel of a scullery kitchen. It's possible to have those elements and have a functional kitchen too.

Open shelving is another element that says "scullery!"

Old French tiles and a designated alcove just for the range.

That's what I'm obsessing about today.

Three months ago, we ordered a new Wolfe range. It's now ready to be delivered, so I'm in the process of preparing for its new home. It will be freestanding, just like the stove above, except the wall will be tiled in white subway tile.

Cote de Texas

In keeping with the scullery kitchen look, I would love to hang copper pots on the wall, like above. Love how the hooks are mounted on an old wood plaque.

It's stage 2 of the kitchen facelift that began in October.

It's going to be a little trickier because the floor will need to be patched and possibly reinforced to hold this behemoth!

Stay tuned.....

On This Harvest Moon

2012-01-11T07:30:00.000-08:00

I never tire of seeing a full moon!

I mean, how beautiful was that full moon last night?

It reminded me of a night in Asti last fall when I captured the moon rising above the Mayacama Mountains.

When the full moon is out in Asti, I'm like a kid, running around trying to capture the moon and the evening light.

I call it "night vision!"

If you've been following my blog for a while, you might already know that I love experimenting with night time photography.

I captured the pool house here, using a tripod.

I just love how the camera captures the evening colors....

...and it's fun to peek through the windows into the world inside at night.

There is also something called the "blue hour" that I'm obsessed with too.

See the little corner of blue sky in this photo? That's the blue hour!

The blue hour and the vegetable garden.

Then, there are the sunsets!

I made Mr. A pull over so I could photograph the sunset and fog over the vineyard a mile or two down the road.

But, it's really the moon that intrigues me the most.

A Harvest Moon!

Is there anything more romantic?

Speaking of romantic. For our daughter's wedding a few weeks ago, her brother played this song by Neil Young.

Harvest Moon.

She was raised on it!

Here it is for your viewing pleasure....

A New Look For The Sunroom Urns

2012-01-08T15:35:00.000-08:00

The four urns on the sunroom ledge were left over from our oldest daughter's wedding ten years ago. It's always a challenge what to put in them that is maintenance free.

The moss balls seemed like a good solution. For a while...

At Christmas, I put poinsettias in them for a seasonal change.

Then I remembered the succulent rings left over from our youngest daughter's wedding this last December.

I put a small plate over the top of the urn to hold the ring, then added a flameless candle, also left over from the wedding.

The candles are from Costco and are the coolest flameless candles ever. They actually are on a timer, so every night at dusk they turn on. I'm not really into flameless candles but they were perfect for the wedding.

The candles are quite realistic. They're real wax, scented with vanilla and actually flicker too!

By combining the leftovers from both daughter's weddings, I think I've finally come up with a maintenance free, beautiful solution for the sunroom ledge.

The Flora and Fauna Tour

2012-01-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

The best part of spending time in Asti is being outside, enjoying nature--the "flora and fauna" if you will.

Asti engages all the senses, from the peaceful quiet, to the scent of lavender and roses, or the beauty of the surrounding vineyards and oaks. Wherever you are, there is always something to experience.

There are many places to just sit and enjoy, like the table under the Mulberry tree above...

...or by the poolside.

Perhaps an old iron bench is where you want to sit and reflect.

This grass knoll in front of the house is another place to sit and observe.

At night, we build a big fire and watch for shooting stars!

An occasional deer sighting is always a treat.

Even the pesky turkeys are amusing to watch.

You just never know what creature might turn up here.

After all, it is completely surrounded by wild, untamed land.

I'm always on the look-out for coyotes or mountain lions!

And yes, snakes! This one is a harmless garter snake, but there are rattlesnakes to watch out for too.

There are so many birds! I could sit for hours and just watch them...

...especially at dusk when they perform their dances and swoop down for a drink.

The bees love the lavender!

There is an arbor that runs along the front of the house...

...where a European table grape called Black Monukka happily grow.

They are the sweetest grapes ever!

Olive trees grow happily here too. In the late fall, we pick them and make our own olive oil.

No matter where you look, there is a view.

But my favorite view is looking east...

...toward Rodney Strong's "Wild Oak" vineyard.

It's like one big giant flat screen television! Except for the change of seasons, the scene stays the same. A huge patchwork quilt of cabernet grapes!

It is such a pleasure to be outdoors in Asti.

We usually end up taking our meals al fresco and staying out late, watching the stars and the moon.

We don't do that in town. The light from the city dulls the night sky, not to mention all the sounds from airplanes to sirens.

But in Asti, when the weather is nice, being outside is the point! Especially at night!

Please join me for an evening in Asti, coming up.

The Nooks and Crannies Tour

2012-01-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

The "nooks and crannies" tour begins with details of the bedrooms and their bathrooms, then the main living areas. I've tried to include close-up details in each room.

Some of these photos I've never before featured, and some you may recognize.

Above, is the pool house bedroom. It's a cozy little room, perched atop the pool house and subsequently has some fantastic views.

The bed is from Restoration Hardware and the accessories, including the bedside tables are either from the flea market or antique stores.

Downstairs, the bathroom also serves as a changing room for the pool and spa.

A pair of terry robes and spa slippers are at the ready.

There are two en suite bedrooms in the main house.

This one is upholstered in a lively linen stripe, giving it the atmosphere of a circus tent.

The linen headboard is from Pottery Barn, the bedside tables, alabaster lamps and accessories are vintage.

The tiny bathroom that services this bedroom packs a lot of punch in the small space.

It definitely qualifies as a nook and cranny!

Right next door is the "master" bedroom, only because it has a king bed and a larger bathroom.

The bed is from a local consignment store. The walls are also upholstered, this time in a taupe linen.

Both bathrooms have black granite countertops and black slate floors.

The shower and tub surrounds are tiled with extra large white subway tile.

Walls are a golden Venetian plaster.

Linen hand towels are from an estate sale.

Just outside both bedrooms is this odd little room. It could be an office, but I use it as a "reading room." Walls are also upholstered in taupe linen. The leather chair is from the local consignment store too. Faux bamboo table is vintage.

There is a powder room between the kitchen and mudroom.

This little zinc topped console from Wisteria fits perfectly in here, providing storage and staging opportunities. Right now, it holds lavender from the property.

We consider the bedroom in the guest cottage our master bedroom.

I love waking up here with the views from three French doors.

The dresser, lamp, floral print, books and bookends are all flea market finds.

The bathroom has a walk-in shower and a marble topped vanity from Restoration Hardware.

The shower curtain is made out of terry cloth, and the floors are raw concrete.

The sitting room in the front of the cottage can also serve as a bedroom.

The sofa is a hide-a-bed and came with the house. A brown floral kilim rug ties all the colors together.

A series of framed prints of Tuscany and Umbria hang above the sofa bed.

My favorite nook is in the kitchen!

The room is an octagon, so there are lots of angles to deal with.

The previous owners had a breakfast table here, but I decided this nook would be better enjoyed with two club chairs instead.

The table is an antique wine table which is large enough for the two of us to share dinner.

A pair of grape tole sconces found at the Hillsborough Antique Faire hang above the chairs.

The mudroom as staged for the photo shoot, qualifies as an entry of sort.

The antique settle came from Jimtown in Sonoma County.

Grape botanical prints are flea market finds.

I also framed a vintage feed sack that I found at Round Top.

In the dining room, an open door shows the view towards the olive trees.

A pair of sconces found at an antique store in Healdsburg hang on the wall.

A vintage oil painting hangs above the door, doing double duty, as it's hiding a little door to the furnace.

The dining room table, staged for the Tuscan Style photo shoot.

Hands down though, the pine hutch is my favorite nook and cranny in the dining room.

I love how Bonnie staged it....

...but I also love it the way I had it staged before.

Our favorite nook and cranny in the living room is by the fireplace.

We found a pair of distressed leather chairs with mohair cushions at Crate and Barrel, and they soon became our favorite chair--at least in this room!

This is where we sit in the winter, sipping a glass of wine and enjoying the warmth of the fire.

Another pair of chairs, rescued from Goodwill, sit in the living room.

Originally, they were mauve leather, all ripped and torn. I had them reupholstered in Ralph Lauren leopard linen with nail heads. The drapes behind are green and cream stripe linen.

Without question though, the best part of Asti is outside.

Not only are there little nooks and crannies outside, but expansive views too.

Not to mention the plants and flowers and wildlife.

Coming up: "The Flora and Fauna Tour!"

I'm joining Sherry's Open House Party at No Minimalist Here.

I'm also joining Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays.

Before and After

2012-01-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves a good before and after story, so I thought it might be fun to look at our home before the photoshoot, before Bonnie worked her magic and before John captured it with his lens.

BEFORE

The living room before.

This is what it usually looks like.

Bonnie removed the leather chairs and I removed the hooked rug just before she got there.

AFTER

Bonnie brought in my French chairs, opening up the room.

She staged the mantel and coffee table simply.

I love this look, but couldn't wait to put back the leather chairs.

It's where we sit, by the fire and drink our coffee in the morning.

BEFORE

The dining room before didn't change much. The hutch was restaged and my confit pots came in handy to hold olive branches from the property.

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

This is a terrible shot, but it shows what we had to work with.

AFTER

John got up very early in the morning to take this moody shot. The fog was still out and the light was exactly as you see it here.

I've received a lot of emails about the magazine feature, but one in particular stood out to me.

Marlis Bennett from Creative Journeys said, "I truly wish the article had not ended and we could have peeked into all the nooks and crannies."

Great idea Marlis! Stay tuned for a more detailed tour, nooks and crannies style!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May 2012 be the best year ever!

Tuscan Style is Finally Here!

2011-12-30T16:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you Sherry at No Minimalist Here for telling me that Tuscan Style was out, otherwise I would have never known! Well, eventually. But you know what I mean--right?

So, even though I was sick with the flu, I downed 3 Advil and we drove to Barnes and Noble and bought 6 copies!

No one prepared me for the excitement of seeing our home in a magazine. Although, Bonnie Broten, who was the stylist for the shoot did try!

With all the styling and rearranging of furniture, plus John Granan's amazing photography,

they captured the essence of the house and location.

I took these photos during the shoot just in case the article didn't get published! I still can't believe that it actually was!

Taking a look behind the scenes, I love how Bonnie used roses and grapes from the property to make simple arrangements. She taught me that less is more. Something I'm working on!

She staged the top of the hutch in the dining room using old books and my favorite vintage oil painting of grapes.

I haven't touched it since!

She gave the Welsh cupboard a new look too with my roe deer antlers, vintage plates and a collection of local wines.

She used figs, grapes and grape leaves from the garden to create this tabletop vignette in the pool house.

It didn't make the final cut, but just look at the light captured here!

And this is just from my camera--not John's.

They were quite a team, those two!

It was such a fun time with Bonnie and John, truly an experience of a lifetime.

Something we will never forget. And now it has all come full circle.

We're still pinching ourselves.....!

For more on the photo shoot, read the post I wrote back in September here.

2011 Tablescapes in Review

2011-12-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

I'm looking back at the tablescapes I did in 2011.

Come take a walk with me down memory lane.

Just click on the link to visit the post.

A Luncheon at Bluxome Street Winery

A Wild Game Birds Tablescape

A Valentine's Day Dessert Table

A Dinner at Bluxome Street Winery

St. Patrick's Day Tablescape with Belleek

An Al Fresco Easter Tablescape

Memorial Day Moveable Feast

A Tablescape for Father's Day

A Succulent Tablescape

A Rainy Day in June Tablescape

A Bridal Shower Luncheon

A Simple Table for a Wine Dinner in Asti

A Thanksgiving Retrospect

A San Francisco Wedding!

Christmas Tablescape 2011

Looking back at the tablescapes I did in 2011, I realize that many of them were actual "working" tablescapes, as opposed to "staged." I had fun creating table settings for Ashley's company, Tourshi for her catering jobs. We were quite a team!

Then she met a man and ran off to New Mexico! And the rest is history....

At least it has a happy ending!

I look forward to creating more tablescapes in 2012!

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for the very last Tablescape Thursday of 2011.

Be sure and visit!

Christmas Tablescape 2011

2011-12-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

Using the same Spode plates from last year, I created a new look, simply by using new plaid napkins.

My vintage red and green glasses are a constant, especially at Christmas.

They're like jewels on the table!

More sparkle came from Grandma's sterling silver which I am honored to have received and pass down.

It only made sense to recycle the wedding centerpieces into the Christmas table centerpieces.

I used three white hydrangeas in their bark covered containers and the succulent candle wreaths on the end.

After dinner, I gave the centerpieces to Grandma and Auntie Ann.

They should have taken more! I have 24 of the hydrangeas left over and 7 succulents!

It was a lovely dinner with traditional Armenian faire of lamb shish kebob, rice pilaf, grape leaf dolma, and root vegetables.

It was extra special this year with the newlyweds at the table!

Our family is definitely growing.

So far, I have enough plates for everyone!