living | holiday hibernation

au revoir until 2010... I'm unplugging myself for the next few weeks to focus on simply enjoying the holidays with my family. I wish to each of you a most wonderful holiday season filled with laughter, warmth, and joy. Cheers!!!

wishlist | penguin classics

penguin classics please... So I must confess that I did a little holiday shopping for myself as I shopped for others. It really wasn't intentional, but it just seemed to happen (three times mind you) as I tried to qualify my Amazon.com orders for free shipping. I'd find a great toy for one of my sons, and well, if I just spent a little more, then voila, free shipping. So, that gave me the rational that I needed to finally start my Penguin Classics collection.

I have been drooling over these books for quite some time, but in all honesty, does anyone really need three copies of Wuthering Heights? Of course not, but once you see and touch these beautifully bound cloth covered books, you'd understand.

The colors of the book cloth and accompanying graphics just shout from my bookshelf. I am completely in love with my first three books and now lust for the rest. But I shall show some form of restraint (for now) and merely long for the day that my next book shall arrive. Maybe for Valentine's Day (a hint to my dear husband).

daily photo | day lily pod

december 8, 2009 this lily pod was actually taken on Saturday prior to the snow.

from my window | the first snow of the season

sunday snow... This past Sunday brought the first true snowfall of the season. I harvested the last of my veggies on Saturday, just in the nick of time prior to the blanket of white placing a much needed natural mulch over my beds.
The whiskey barrels and trellises of my herb and perennial patch pop in the snow. I always use the barrels as my snowfall barometer. Before you know it, you won't be able to even tell they are out there, buried under feet of snow.
This view, from my kitchen window, makes doing the dishes that much more pleasurable and it only gets that much better as you watch the snowflakes cascade down onto the birches.

daily photo | woodpecker tree

december 5, 2009 | a favorite tree of the woodpecker

garden | four season gardening in maine

december harvest... So, I never really thought that the two items I am about to mention, would ever fall together in the same day, but they do today. This morning we went down to Thompson's Orchards and picked out the perfect Christmas tree. As my husband was busy lugging the tree into our house, I was out in the garden with Jackson harvesting the last of the brussel sprouts, broccoli, and carrots. What??? I'm still harvesting vegetables into December... in Maine? This is something new for me. Something I strived for, but not one that I expected to continue until this late into the year. We have had a very mild late fall, so that's probably the biggest contributing factor. In fact, our first real snowfall of the season is suppose to come tonight. Prior to that, we only got a mere dusting back in the beginning of November.

To celebrate this delightful last harvest, tonight I'll just toss them a bit in some extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. Then roast them up at a very high heat (500ºF) for around 12-15 minutes. I'm going to mix them with some gemelli pasta and toasted pine nuts and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and kosher salt. I cannot wait!

daily photo | mushrooms

december 2, 2009 | mushrooms a plenty abound throughout our woods

daily photo | the last harvest of 2009

december 1, 2009 | the last harvest of my 2009 garden, brussel sprouts

wishlist | at west end

inviting gifts... Tis the season to be doing a little of shopping, wishful shopping that is. So I visited At West End to see what's new and quickly fell smitten with quite a few fetching items. The colors of the Organic Bloom Vases (above: $85 for a set of 4) are captivating. I also immediately wanted a Giant Tub (below: $109). I just think it is so lovely. They also have a great selection of gifts made from recycled items.

clockwise above: colorful lotus candle holders ($20), recycled glass bottles ($65 for a set of 6), and bug trap ($22). below: rustic chandelier ($65).