Content in a Cottage

Evergreen Trees Trimmed Up at My Cottage

2025-11-26T19:07:00.003-05:00

I honestly could not be more pleased. The new landscaper I found did this with my help as one of the last projects of the year. All the dead limbs are gone and now I can see to get out of my driveway on both ends. It was a fun project. I helped by picking up the cut limbs and putting them in piles for him to take to the woods. We pulled down all the bittersweet vines and he pulled down the poison ivy. It has all been cut away at the base of the trees but there are still roots that still need to be pulled up in the spring. He's the best worker I've ever had and he never stops.

I had the busiest summer ever and I'm looking forward to some inside nesting after the holiday. Speaking of holidays, Happy Thanksgiving. I will make my raw cranberry relish and my cranberry-pineapple jello dish tomorrow to take to my friend's house around the corner where I go every year. To see all of my past Thanksgiving posts, click HERE ~ Enjoy!

xo, Rosemary

Fall Color

2025-10-24T13:29:00.000-04:00

I wish these were the orange leaves at my house. Unfortunately mine are brown. The yellows are pretty but overall the woods look pretty drab. The poison ivy is a lovely red though. I am thrilled a friend shared the name of a man who is immune to it. He works on a daily rate that I found to be quite reasonable. My friend has him on a regular basis and is going to drive him by my house so he can assess my situation. My front grove of evergreens is covered with it. Will keep you posted.

Another large dead tree has fallen on my property and I'm awaiting my tree man for removal. It's always something, Isn't it?

Look closely on the left above leaves and undergrowth for a dead tree. It's actually pretty big. The rootball and much of the trunk is on my neighbor's property. I'm just going to have the men cut what is on my path and field so it shouldn't be too disruptive.

See you again soon -- for Halloween. Have a great weekend.

xo, Rosemary

My Blog Won an Award and more

2025-08-20T13:03:00.001-04:00

This was a big surprise.

https://bloggers.feedspot.com/cottage_blogs/?feedid=644867&_src=f2_featured_email

Click on this link to see all 35.

I was Number six of thirty-five!

I love this quote so much and couldn't agree more♡

Once again, I am sorry for being late with my weekly post. For the past 10 days I have been trying to process a claim for my four year old mattress with a "forever warranty". As it has turned out "forever" is 10 years so I was still qualified. Of course, they had no records so I had to prove ownership. Luckily I had saved my mailing labels. I had to take photos of the tags on the mattress and the "damaged" top cover. It wasn't stretched on properly and had huge wrinkles. There was also a sag in the middle 3 inches deep. Luckily I took excellent photos that satisfied my claim. Yesterday after a 2 hours on wait on my phone and over an hour with my third "sleep expert", I was finally successful getting a replacement. I have the Order Number and the confirmation. Whew!!! It should arrive in another day or two and needless to say I am thrilled. I also have arranged for help removing my current matteress for disposal and help putting on the new one. Wish me luck. The current 2025 replacement has a different top cover that won't wrinkle. I'll add to this post if there is a problem. Fingers crossed.

As usual, August is flying by. I mention this every year, don't I?

xo, Rosemary

HOLLY HILL ~ An Old House in New Vernon, NJ

2025-08-11T13:22:00.001-04:00

One of my friend's parents owned this house in New Vernon, New Jersey when I bought my first house there in 1975. The house was formerly owned by Henry Colgate (click on his name to read the history of the house).

Back of house.

The gardens were lovely. I remember when this house was for sale and I toured it. Luckily a real gardener, her husband, and children bought the house!

I had a terrible time inserting the links and photos. I found them (and more) on a Smithsonian site. More views of house & garden in link below.
https://edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=AAG.ADM_ref1069

This photo is a copy of Henry Colgate's 1923 Christmas Card.

From my own archives. Copied from a local scrapbook.

Sorry I am late this week publishing my weekly post. I completely forgot over the weekend. Better late than never, right?

xo, Rosemary

Airedales, Deer, Limelights and a Watermelon

2025-08-03T12:19:00.001-04:00

I purchased this pair of bronze airedale terriers from the huge antique flea market in Brimfield MA in the 90s and love them. Only the daughter has the Theodore B. Starr foundry mark but they are definitely a pair. They are on my slant front desk in my livingroom.

This is my first fawn sighting this year and I'm not thrilled with the deer this year. I can't remember another year when they've eaten so many of my plants and shrubs.

This photo is a little out of order but it shows a buck eating sunflower seeds. I finally got smart and brought this feeder in at night.

OK, back to my current deer problem. My biggest and best Limelight hydrangea got eaten early in the season and has recovered nicely but my barricade is still in place. I might move it today since I mowed my yard yesterday and the shrub is actually nice and filled out and has grown taller than they can reach.

This watermelon was delicious. I hope the one I buy today is half as good. This photo is in the downstairs summer kitchen in my cottage.

See you later. xo, Rosemary

Odds and Ends from The Last Week in July + More

2025-07-26T19:24:00.003-04:00

Here's the latest Cheerful Cherub. It's very timely, isn't it? The artist was only 20 years old when she was hired to do this daily artwork and poem for the Chicago Sun Times. She had already been doing them for her own personal pleasure for a long time. She took her art portfolio to the newspaper and they weren't interest in anything she showed them. When she was packing up to leave several of these Cherubs fell to the floor. When the editor picked them up and looked at them he was charmed and hired her on the spot to continue them for the paper.

I took this photo early Saturday when the morning dew was still on the leaves. Many if you left comments that you had never heard of Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). Most of the other flowers have already shed their seeds and a small round green pod is left. In my reading I have learned these mature into a reddish rounded fruit that remain all winter and add interest to the plant. I'll keep you posted.

Mrs. Groundhog has three little ones this year and they are adorable.

I had a large tree that was overhanging the house cut down last year and have so enjoyed the weathervane on the stump. My property is badly overgrown due to all the rain we've had. I'm in the process of looking for someone with a large tractor to do some field mowing for me.

This was a big hit on my Instagram Story on 7/29. I can't remember any of my childhood phone numbers because we moved around too much. I have an 85 year old friend who can remember his though. He can also remember his high school locker combination and all sorts of other useless stuff but he cannot remember his cell phone number or ANY passwords. I made him a "business card" with his cell number, name and address, and email address. I put it behind his clear cell phone case. Now he just hands over his phone at doctor's offices, etc. when someone asks for any information. It has been so very handy for him. I have an address book for all of my passwords. I have a friend who could NOT remember her passcode to unlock her new iPhone. The only place it was written down was "in her phone". Apple locked her phone for 2 weeks before she could get it back. So it's very important to have a system for all the things we have to save to work and play on the Internet.

Any time I add something to my weekly post you will get another email from "follow it". So open the email and scroll down for something new I've added.

Thanks for stopping by to see my weekly post. xo, Rosemary

Buttonbush for the Polinators and Milkweed Caterpillars and More!

2025-07-20T10:08:00.003-04:00

This is the first year my Buttonbush has bloomed. I planted it three or four years ago from three bare rooted native plants the Land Trust was giving away. It wasn't my first choice but I got there late. A friend recommended this as it would attract bees and butterflies. I babied the "sticks" and it took a couple of years before they looked like an actual shrub. This is the first year and the bush got buds that finally bloomed and it's glorious. It turned out to be my favorite plant and I am so glad I was late to the event. I had never heard of Buttonbush and now it is thriving in my yard.

There are only a couple of blooms in this photo but now it is absolutely covered with them.

I have been enjoying the monarch caterpillars on my milkweed plants too. They seem to grow overnight. This is a fat one.

I photographed this rabbit on Saturday morning happily eating weeds in my driveway. It froze and let me photograph it and didn't move until I started walking. Friends with vegetable gardens don't like them but they don't bother me and they are welcome to my weeds. We have had more rain this year that any summer I can remember so the weeds have really taken over. I'll get them hacked down and mowed eventually.

The above three images are from one of my favorite books, The Cheerful Cherub by Rebecca McCann. It was published in 1928 and includes 101 favorite posts by her in that appeared in The Chicago Sun Times newspaper. Her original drawings and little poems featured The Cheerful Cherub and his little dog. She was only twenty years old and wise beyond her years, right? I'm trying to catch you up on the three I have put on my Instagram. Enjoy!

I finished this book last weekend and liked it a lot. It's about the early 1940s in NYC when penicillin was new and in short supply. You could die from a cat scratch or a skinned knee if you got an infection. It reads like a historical novel and is full of facts that were unknown to me with a little romance thrown in too.

Have a great week.

xo, Rosemary

New Thrifted Bookcase for My Living Room

2025-07-13T12:58:00.004-04:00

Don't you love this heavy iron bookcase I found recently? I thought I would hang it on a wall somewhere in my cottage but couldn't find a place plus it is very heavy and I would have had a hard time securing it to my plaster walls. Thankfully it was freestanding and fit perfectly on a tilt-top table in a corner formed by my fireplace. I Then I couldn't what to display on it until I remembered these leather bound books in my attic. They turned out to be perfect and I couldn't be happier.

As I mentioned earlier, I am active once again on Instagram and you can follow my daily postings there. I'll try to post something on my blog every Sunday.

https://www.instagram.com/contentinacottagerosemarybeck/

See you in a week. xo, Rosemary

I am posting again on INSTAGRAM

2025-07-03T11:32:00.005-04:00

https://www.instagram.com/contentinacottagerosemarybeck/

STAY IN TOUCH WITH ME ON A DAILY BASIS ON INSTAGRAM

click on the link below.

contentinacottagerosemarybeck

See you there.

Many of you have already reconnected with me there.

xo, Rosemary

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2024

2024-11-28T07:39:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite Jessie Willcox Smith images.

Cranberry muffins I made long ago when my mom was still

with me. My favorite trivet is standing in the background.

I was up super early this morning on a rainy Thanksgiving Day. I think it will stop before my dinner with friends at 3:30 this afternoon.

I copied these images from some of my older posts about Thanksgiving HERE. Click on the link if you want a trip down memory lane. Enjoy!

xo, Rosemary

Summer Day When A Bear Visited My Cottage

2024-08-30T20:50:00.002-04:00

On June 10, 2024 I was in my bathroom brushing my teeth and happened to look out my window. I saw a big black blob moving in the far rear of my back yard and thought it was a bear. I grabbed my iPhone a ran out on my balcony and filmed it. At one point I almost dropped my phone when I moved closer to the edge to watch him go out of sight. Look closely when he gets near my bird house and you will see a bird sticking his head out the hole. He flew out and it didn't faze the young bear at all. I was unable to post this video because it is too long but I made screenshots.

Bear getting closer to my house having come from the "way back".

There was a bird in the box that had already flown out. Photo is farther down -- sorry it's out of order.

Wondering what this box on a stick is?

Strolling past the birdbath.

This is out of order but look closely, there is a bird inside getting ready to fly out. The bear seemed very uninterested in harming anything. He is just a youngster out on his own just taking a walk.

After he passed my house he turned right and went into the deep woods.

This one is out of order too. It was just before the one above showing the corner of my balcony railing. I had just moved to the edge and he heard me but didn't know I was way above him. He never saw me. The flag is a survey stake showing my property line.

Finishing this post on Friday night at 8:45 pm. Have a great weekend. I don't like the way my posts are being emailed the next day instead when I post them but that's out of my control.

Goodbye August! Why did you fly by so fast? xo

New Thrifted Artwork for My Bedroom

2024-08-28T18:20:00.000-04:00

I purchased this framed poster several weeks ago on the third day of an estate sale. I couldn't believe my luck. I have always admired this artist and I have been living with a blank wall in my bedroom since 2004. It was very heavy (20 pounds) and I didn't get up the nerve to hang it until yesterday. I am beyond thrilled.

Here's a horizontal view showing how it lines up with my window. I got the placement right on the first try. Actual hanging it was a little tricky because the wire kept getting stuck on the hanger instead of the hook. After some tricky maneuvers I finally got it on the hook. I used to do custom framing and had a space in an antiques center where I hung my antique prints so I know how to measure the placement of hanging hooks.

Mine is, of course, a reproduction and that's fine with me. An original sold in 2007 at Christie's in London for 12,500 British pounds. Alphonse Mucha is the Czech artist, painter, illustrator and graphic artist living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period. This delightful artwork was used as the cover for a promotional copy of a British literary magazine THE WEST END REVIEW in 1898.

Thank you to those of you who have emailed me to see where I've been. It's nice to be missed. There are some things I'm supposed to be doing to my blog that I cannot figure out. I decided today to just keep doing what I know how and hope for the best. xo, Rosemary

Three Indoor Painted Tin Planters Thrifted for My Cottage

2024-05-09T12:18:00.001-04:00

Painted and decorated tin planter #1 sits on top of my tin box on stand looking out my living room window. Could the fit be more perfect? I had to bring geraniums indoors again so I could enjoy the planter box right away. All of my blooming geraniums have been planted in outside urns and they look stunning.

Here's #2 (one of a pair). This one is residing on the left side of my sofa flanking my French doors that look out on my rear yard.

The mate #3 is on the right side of the sofa. All three are very French and two are pretty fancy but I think they look nice in my cottage and they cover my clay pots for a new look. They have liners so they won't leak water on the furniture. I filled them with gravel to elevate the pots.

Now you can see the whole arrangement in one photo. I hadn't planned on having any plants inside but then what would I have done with the planters? I couldn't possibly wait until cold weather! My new real estate office is near my favorite charity shop and we have office meetings every 2 weeks. I'm thrilled because it used to be a special trip to shop there and now I can go twice a month.

Now that my geraniums are all planted in their summer homes I can concentrate on cutting my grass. I did part of the back but the front looks like a jungle. I have this problem every year. I should have started earlier but I didn't. But it always gets done eventually. I will post outside photos of the blooming geraniums soon. xo

Another Fable: The Hen and the Apple Tree

2024-04-30T16:50:00.000-04:00

Indeed, It is always difficult to pose as something that one is not!

**************

I went to an Open House today for Realtors Only not far from my house and I was entranced by all the fabulous antique furnishings in a modern mid-century house on a large lovely property. I loved EVERYTHING.

I can't remember when I have seen any antique chalkware animals and was thrilled to see a cabinet full of them today. It's spring and there are open houses to attend on Tuesdays and Thursdays and public ones on the weekends. Happy times for me as you can well imagine.

Goodbye April and Hello May. Enjoy getting your gardens ready. xo

New Picture Arrangement in My Living Room

2024-04-03T16:27:00.001-04:00

It has been pouring rain for the last 2 days so I thought I would show you my back wall. The botanical print of a Jack in the Pulpit wildflower in top center is a rather new purchase and I like it there. I had a very large framed antique map there shown in my last photo. It had been there for 20 years and I thought it was time for a change to show more of my paneled wall.

The small oil painting underneath was taken from another room.

Closer view of both artworks.

This is an old photo showing the antique map. The new botanical is hanging on the same picture hook if I ever want to put it back. I don't think I ever will though because I like showcasing my custom woodwork. The first two photos were taken with a newer iPhone camera and the wall color is truer. This older iPhone photo has more of a green tinge. My woodwork is painted with Benjamin Moore Bennington Gray and it's a true putty color.

April Showers are right on time this. I'm so glad Easter Sunday was a beautiful day and I hope you all enjoyed the day whether or not you celebrated. XO

🐰Happy Easter🐰 plus My Bunny Lamp

2024-03-30T10:23:00.002-04:00

Aren't these Easter cupcakes lovely?

Guess who designed these? Yes, Martha Stewart!

Hopping down the Bunny Trail.

See more of my Easter Posts over the years since 2008 HERE.

H A P P Y E A S T E R 2024

I have been meaning to show you a lamp I thrifted recently.

The bunny is ceramic with a crackle glaze on a wooden base. I put the lamp that came with the perfect shade in my downstairs full bath with the walk-in shower. I love him, don't you? I am open to anything and everything when I go to my favorite charity and thrift shops. I never know what I will be worthy of coming home with me.🐰

Recent Sighting: BEST GARDEN BENCH EVER

2024-03-25T10:30:00.000-04:00

Do you agree? I wasn't kidding, was I?

Isn't this the perfect location for this delightful bench?

This would have been a good location for the lover's bench but the the owner's armillary had already claimed the spot. Realtors get to see the best things in the best houses, don't they? The house has been claimed for some very lucky buyers.

Enjoy the week leading up to Easter if you celebrate.xo

Waste Not! Want Not!

2024-03-13T15:47:00.001-04:00

I always save empty glass cosmetic jars for buttons and small notions in my sewing room. I was amazed that I could almost completely fill this one with the unreachable product in the bottom of my lotion bottle. I used a box cutter this time to cut the bottle and it worked perfectly. I have to say I was really amazed there was this much lotion left. I usually drain the almost empty bottle upside down on top of a full bottle. Most people just give up and look how much they are throwing away😱. Yes, it's shocking.

I finished my taxes and it feels good. I have caught up on my sleep after Daylight Saving Time went into effect on Sunday. I am doing a little Spring Cleaning each day and the weather has been very nice! See you again soon. xo

400 Year Old Cat Door in Exeter Cathedral, Oldest Known

2024-02-26T14:26:00.001-05:00

This is one of the best articles from Nice News

https://nicenews.com/culture/ancient-cat-door-exeter-cathedral-england/

It's still very much in use for the occasional rodent. The clock in this room was originally lubricated with lard which attracted mice and rats. It's thought the nursery rhyme Hickory, Dickory, Dock was written about this Astronomical clock that is still in operation. Installed in 1598 by Bishop William Cotton who was appointed by Queen Elizabeth I, "Paid ye carpenters 8 pence for cutting ye hole in ye north transept door for ye Bishop’s cat." Don't you love Olde English?

all images by Getty images

Here's the link again to read the article if you didn't click after the first photo. Enjoy. I subscribe to Nice News and you might want to as well. It's free and there's always something nice to read each day. xo

More Snow on Saturday + Petsitting + Movie Review

2024-02-17T13:24:00.006-05:00

It snowed again last night but it was all light fluffy powder instead of the heavy wet type a few days ago. I am pet sitting again for neighbors and Henry was a trooper when we went out when he was ready around 7am.

This is the spot he chose for himself on Friday night. I put the little bed that fits in his carrier under him. I like dogs on furniture but not on my furniture 🐾🐾😉 if you know what I mean.

His furry legs were covered in small snowballs that were hard to get off. Next time we go out I will use the hairdryer to melt them. Luckily I had a big towel handy what was recently used to clean up some spilled coffee. I keep one handy on the back of my door to the basement and it's easy to grab in an emergency. The sun is out and the thermometer is above freezing and my car is almost totally melted so I can get out easily if I had to but I don't.

I just watched a great movie on Hulu -- THE LOST KING with Sally Hawkins about the lost grave of King Richard III. It was wonderful and I loved it. It's the perfect movie for the long Presidents' Day weekend. https://www.hulu.com/movie/the-lost-king-d375d155-00b4-45ea-8584-2fbb4826f57a Enjoy!

I liked the way the sun was shining through the geranium leaves in today's last photo. Have a great weekend. xo

Happy Valentine's Day -- True Antique Ones

2024-02-13T18:04:00.011-05:00

I have a notebook full of valentines and other things one person saved back when you had to write and make your own. They are so beautiful and so sincere. This one is dated 1846.

This one is dated February 14, 1847. The beautiful pink rose is an original watercolor.

This one isn't dated and is signed My Valentine. The area around the butterfly has been cut out in a continuous loop as you will see in the next photo.

I am holding the butterfly up in the air so you can see the surprise in the center. It will be featured in the next photo.

Two birds holding a ring and the inscription ♡"I am thine eternally"♡. Isn't this romantic?

This one has blue forget me nots with yellow centers handpainted in watercolor. Signed simply Valentine with a whole page full of a heartfelt message of love.

❤️♡HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY♡❤️

Hello February 2024

2024-01-31T18:48:00.002-05:00

This February has an extra day for Leap Year and that's nice, isn't it? As usual January flew by because it's my favorite month. It was a busy one with several snows but they weren't too bad. We had some very cold days that didn't last very long, thankfully. I repotted several geraniums and rooted some clippings and potted those too on a day I could work outside with potting soil and compost. I'll be seeing my snowdrops mentioned in the poem above soon. They are the true harbingers of spring. xo

PS: This morning (February 1st) my snowdrops are breaking through the soil and are up about one inch. Will post photos when they flower.

Great Powder Room w/ Zebra Wallpaper

2024-01-22T18:55:00.002-05:00

I love this small powder room so much, don't you? Everything about it is just perfect. The bold red/orange wallpaper with large zebras is daring but it works perfectly with the black and white tile floor, white fixtures and trim paint, and black door knobs. I have had this photo saved on my phone for ages and I really cannot remember the source.

I have spent untold hours in the past week adulting. The hardest thing was changing my mobile phone plan and it's still not exactly right but I am close. It's so hard to speak to real people these days, isn't it? I have lots of patience and won't give up until it's exactly what I want and was promised. Wish me luck. xo

This is a copy of a comment by Guestie: I also have seen this wonderful powder room. I remember now: it is included in an online portfolio of stylishly tiny powder rooms.

If you Google " Scalamandre + Zebra Wallpaper + powder room " you will see a number of charming examples of this darling composition.

My Winter Breakfast Recipe: Microwave Oatmeal w/ Apple Cider

2024-01-18T11:36:00.001-05:00

Smoothies are for summer. Oatmeal is for winter! I recently "discovered" Quick 1-minute oatmeal. I was amazed that I actually liked it and really couldn't tell the difference from the long cooking original variety I had always used. It was a pain too. Always running over on the stove and the pan was hard to wash. Cooking the Quick variety in the microwave in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup solved all of my problems.

The first few times I "cooked" it in the microwave for 4 minutes using box instructions it did not run over and I was thrilled. Then, for some reason, it started running over. I decided to experiment and ended up with the perfect recipe for me. I started out with 1/2 cup apple cider and 1/2 cup of tap water. Then I added a generous 1/3 cup oats and a HEAPING tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal. I grind my own seeds in my coffee and spice grinder. You can buy the flax meal already ground if you wish. I cook this mixture in the microwave for 4 minutes and it doesn't run over. I was able to omit the salt too. It is delicious and the measuring cup is so much easier to wash than the pan on the stovetop was. I am thrilled.

This photo shows my entire kitchen wall. I was leaning on my refrigerator to snap the picture. I have always had "old men" friends and we often discussed the woes of the oatmeal pan running over. My mother wanted oatmeal every morning no matter the season or weather. We had elderly next door neighbors when I was young and the man ate a vegetable bowl of oatmeal every morning. All of these old men in my life lived to be 100 or nearly that ripe old age and I think the oatmeal helped. I think its gooey consistency must remove some of the plaque from your arteries as it passes thru your body. What do you think? I have never read this, it's just something I suppose must be going on.

Anyway, I wanted to share my new way of cooking quick and easy oatmeal in the winter. Let me know if you try it. Stay safe and warm since it seems to be cold or very cold almost everywhere. xo

Movie Recommendation: The Luzhin Defence with Emily Watson

2024-01-11T14:17:00.001-05:00

I watched this movie last night.

https://tubitv.com/movies/670513/the-luzhin-defence

It is leaving TUBI this month so don't delay in watching it. It's FREE and I know you will love it. Filmed in 2000. I adore Emily Watson and she's wonderful in this film.

"It's the early 1920s and Aleksandr Ivanovich 'Sascha' Luzhin (John Turturro), a gifted but tormented chess player, arrives in a Northern Italian city to compete in an international chess competition. Prior to the tournament he meets Natalia Katkov (Emily Watson) and he falls in love with her almost immediately. She in turn finds his manner to be appealing and they begin to see each other in spite of her mother's disapproval." The screenplay was based on the novel THE DEFENSE (or The Luzhin Defence) by Vladimir Nabokov.

Let me know if you watch it and if you liked it. It is streaming on Prime Video and Apple TV too. "You're welcome." Enjoy! xo