Turquoise, cobalt, sky, chartreuse, flamingo, amethyst, coral, terra cotta … These are the colors that refuse to leave my brain after visiting the Caribbean island of St. Maarten/St. Martin, and the inspiration behind the design of a bathroom in my home. Something about the island just sticks with you: The buildings, the streets, the way color shows up everywhere. I realized pretty quickly after getting home that I wasn’t quite ready to let it go.
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I’m not of Irish descent, but like many Americans, I enjoy observing St. Patrick’s Day. We always have my homemade Irish soda bread to accompany my oven-roasted corned beef and cabbage dinner (future post idea!). I didn’t experience soda bread when growing up. In fact, my college roommate from a very Irish family introduced it to me. It wasn’t for many years later that I made it myself, following my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook, and eventually tweaking the recipe so much, I developed my own that I now share with you.
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This is my fifth year making this pesto. What makes this extra special for is the garlic scapes came straight from my raised bed garden for the second year in a row! I must thank my brother-in-law Mark who has been growing music garlic and generously shared his massive haul over recent years … and then got me hooked on growing garlic on my own! It’s been so fun watching the scapes sprout and grow and finally transforming them into my homemade pesto. I have to admit, the pesto seems to get even better every year. I’m sure I’m biased, but frankly, I don’t care!
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Have you ever stopped to consider just how many varieties of flowers, blooming shrubs and ornamental plants are growing in your yard? When you count the perennials that return each year, the annuals added for bursts of color, the potted arrangements and standout specimen plants, chances are you’ve cultivated quite a collection. The idea for this post came after a fun game of “alphabet game” with our grandkids on vacation. It got me thinking: What would my garden look like from A to Z? I started jotting down the plants growing around our home, and to my surprise, I had something for nearly every letter. You might find it fun to try, too!
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Looking for a fun and meaningful outing in Central Massachusetts? A self-guided Worcester, MA street art tour might be just the thing. This post will help you discover some of the city’s most vibrant murals, perfect for a day out with kids, grandkids, signicant other, BFF or even on your own. It’s affordable, enriching and turns the city into a living gallery.
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Tourtière, a French Canadian meat pie, is a cozy and delicious savory meal that warms your soul on a cold, wintry evening. While it’s easy enough to make and certainly a company-worthy main course, it also fits perfectly on your holiday table. I stumbled upon this dish by chance at a former, beloved local bistro that served it occasionally. I’m so grateful I tried it for the first time with my mother.
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As we close in on January, I’m ready to tackle my 2025 goals for happiness by working to integrate “spice” into my life and habits! Please indulge me and imagine “spice” being in air quotes because that’s the intention here, okay? It’s my one-word theme word this year. Kindly allow me to explain further!
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I’m always looking for ways to make satisfying dishes that omit carbs while still bringing on flavor. I’ve been eyeing “egg roll in a bowl” recipes appearing on my social media channels and finally decided to make my own healthy version to find out what the fuss was all about. Let me tell you, you need to try this recipe! Not only does it make a huge batch, the prep is quick and everything comes easily in a large wok.
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Like reacquainting with an old friend, time spent at my local art museum always invigorates me. Even better is a visit during the annual floral exhibit that ignites my spirits as New England transitions into spring. I took advantage of the Flora in Winter at the Worcester Art Museum (WAM) in Massachusetts as a calendar catalyst to celebrate the start of March and my intention to jump into spring mode. It was just what I needed! To help you get on board with the arrival of spring, join me as I tour world-renowned art pieces juxtaposed with interpretive floral displays.
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I love visiting charming New England seaside towns during the off season, and a few days stay in Rockport, Massachusetts didn’t disappoint. Seriously, by taking a wintertime visit to Cape Ann you can truly appreciate quintessential New England without the crowds. The highlights of a girls’ getaway with my sister were soaking up the natural beauty of the coast on a relaxed timeline. We enjoyed up the harborside area of Rockport on foot and explored Gloucester with short car-ride excursions.
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Looking back at the holiday season from last year, I thought this blog post was worth resharing. Perhaps it’ll help inspire you as you prioritize what’s most important and how you spend your time. I can only hope I’ll look back at the end of this season and feel the same sense of holiday contentment as I did last year!
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Perhaps you have a favorite Thanksgiving you’ll cherish forever or a stretch of years when it was most memorable. Maybe it was the years your grandparents hosted or after you got married and carved out your own traditions. For me, it was a long stretch of time when the women in my family would gather on Thanksgiving Eve to bake pies with Mom. So. Many. Pies.
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Pumpkin spice is definitely one of my favorite things about fall, so much so that I started making my own version. I use it year around but especially from September through November. I recently shared it during a girls’ weekend my by college BFFs. We used it in our morning pumpkin smoothies and afternoon apple cider mimosas! So good!
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I credit my time living in the United Kingdom for acquainting me with this rustic French dish. Before then, I had never heard of ratatouille nor considered combining summer garden vegetables together to make this hearty side. I can recall it served several different ways including with a Sunday roast dinner, a vegetarian stew in a crock or a spread on crusty bread. Through my experiences living in England, I discovered ratatouille and came back home knowing it would be something I’d make on my own.
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In my New England garden, the optimum period to pluck hydrangea blooms to dry indoors is when summer turns to fall and before it frosts. For the best vase drying results, patiently wait until they’ve already started to dry on the plants. From there, the rest of the process is simple. I turn my dining room into a drying station where I’ll collect specimens at the end of the season when I don’t mind cutting the glorious buds from my flower garden.
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