Welcome to my blog ~ where aesthetics are a passion, details are a priority, and pleasure in simple things is celebrated!
I invite you to share my inspirations for a creative life and a lifetime of adventures.
Thanks so much for visiting, Jackie
Hello friends!
I am sorry to say that due to some totally unexpected circumstances, I am unable to use the computer – probably for a couple weeks. :( Since this blog has been started, I have never missed a post – so you know this is serious!
I will be back at it as soon as I am able. I will miss you during my break.
Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
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I’m still trying to recover from an exciting weekend! Our family had a big (white party) celebration on Saturday and it is taking me some time to get back into my work routine!
Today, I wanted to let my local friends know that right now is prime lavender blooming time here in Connecticut! If you have not yet visited Lavender Pond Farm, now is the time to go!
With over 10,000 plants on 25 acres, Lavender Pond is the largest lavender farm in New England.
It is easy to find off the Clinton exit of I95 – just a couple minutes north of the outlets.
The photos here were taken before the prime blooming season – about a month ago.
Thanks for stopping by!
Have a great week and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
P.S. In other news – It is SHARK WEEK on the Discovery channel!
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Yes, the day my friend and I planned on visiting White Flower Farm for their annual open house was a rainy day! But, that did not stop us from attending!
We weren’t going to let the rain get in the way of our day off and the fabulous prospect of visiting one of our favorite garden centers in Connecticut!
The annual open house is a great time to pick up some discounted plants, tour the grounds, and enjoy some complementary refreshments!
I purchased one of these ‘Little Henry’s’ to plant in my own yard!
For today’s Friday field trip, enjoy a little glimpse of White’s during this year’s open house. Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!
Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
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What is your beverage of choice for the summer if you aren’t drinking alcohol?
My fave is iced tea…but once in a while, a few bubbles are in order! When the urge for bubbles occurs, seltzer is the obvious, and refreshing, choice!
I am thinking seltzer must be a choice for many out there since there are SO many different ones available! Today, I thought I would give you the benefit of some extensive research in seltzer tasting and present my choice for the top 3 summer seltzers!
Overall, citrus flavors are the best summer seltzer flavors since they are the most refreshing in the hot weather. But, a non-citrus flavor did make it to the number 3 spot. That is La Croix’s coconut flavored seltzer.
At the number 2 spot for the best summer seltzers is Waterloo in either lime or grapefruit. The best place to find Waterloo is at Whole Foods. I haven’t seen it at any other store.
And, in the number 1 spot for the best summer seltzer is…drum roll, please!
Polar’s starfruit lemonade!
That is my quick list of top 3 summer seltzers. If you like seltzer, be sure to give them a try. Let me know how they stack up to your fave!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are enjoying your summer!
Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
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Connecticut constantly amazes me. I have lived here my whole live and I am still able to discover some great, new places on a regular basis!
Milk House Chocolates at Thorncrest Farm was a recent discovery that blew me away. Artisanal chocolates are made in small batches one at a time with no preservatives using their own fresh milk, cream, and butter.
The phrase coined by the farm ‘the magic is in the milk” is an understatement!
The farm operates on a core focus of comfort and happiness of their cows. They recognize each cow’s individual flavor in the milk, and ensure that flavor isn’t compromised by never allowing the cows to be stressed out! Kimberly and Clint Thorn believe great flavor from milk comes from lack of stress – that any kind of stress shows up right away in the milk. Everything from which cow is sitting next to which, to the hay they eat (they are fed only the sweetest hay and natural feeds) and the comfort of their beds can directly affect the flavor of their milk, so every little detail related to the cow’s happiness is considered!
Each chocolate is connected to a very specific cow, with each cow’s milk making an unbelievable difference in the flavor of the chocolates. For instance, after meeting the cow Daydream, I discovered every single caramel at Milk House is made strictly from her milk since the sweetness and flavor of her milk, with its ivory, buttery tone, makes it the best choice for a great tasting caramel!
I was fascinated to find out that milk works much in the same way as wine – just like each wine has a specific type of grape from a specific region and is affected greatly by the climate, soil, and other factors – milk works much in the same way. So, the 122 unique chocolates in rotation throughout the year at Milk House Chocolates are determined by several factors – including which cows are milking at that time!
These chocolates are truly amazing – of course, the freshness is off the chart, but also, they melt different, taste different, and feel different than a typical chocolate. I tasted the root beer filled and the dark chocolate and peanut butter with sea salt and couldn’t believe the fresh, rich tastiness of each piece.
A fresh peanut butter sea salt chocolate.
I brought myself home a bag of caramels made from Daydream’s milk. I really wanted to bring home some fresh milk infused with vanilla bean (doesn’t that sound luscious?), but I hadn’t brought a cooler with me so I couldn’t safely transport it home.
What a find this place is! I can’t wait to make another visit!
Biting into a fresh root beer filled chocolate at Thorncrest Farm.
Note: In addition to visiting Thorncrest Farm in Goshen, Connecticut, you may enjoy making a day of exploring 10 farms in Goshen this summer. The tour is offered free of charge on August 4th and 5th through the Goshen Agricultural Council.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!
Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
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People find it hard to believe I don’t like mayonnaise. It’s true.
And, I think the reason I have never been crazy about deviled eggs is because of the mayonnaise in the filling. I’ve always eaten the outside, white of the egg and left the filling!
I decided if the mayo could be eliminated from the filling of the egg, I could enjoy the entire deviled egg!
So, for this year’s 4th of July celebration, I made deviled eggs…minus the mayo!
My idea was to substitute yogurt – which I do like – for the mayo. I always have plain nonfat Greek yogurt in my fridge. I added that, as well as some fresh herbs from my garden, to the yolks of eggs for my deviled egg filling.
I boiled up a dozen organic eggs and got to work!
Here is what I ended up adding to a dozen egg yolks:
I cut the 12 eggs in half lengthwise. The 12 egg yolks went into a bowl and were mixed with the ingredients above. I mixed well with a fork. (Maybe a mixer could be used here for more of a whipped consistency filling, but I didn’t have one available.) After the filling was mixed well, I piped it (not very neatly, as you can see!) back into the egg white halves and finished with salt and pepper to taste and some chopped fresh mint from my garden to finish!
My deviled egg creations came out really tasty! Now that I have tried a nontraditional filling, I think next time I experiment with deviled eggs, I may just remove the yolks altogether! Alter the spices to suit your taste. (Try the Trader Joe’s everything bagel spice!)
Thanks for stopping by! Have a really fabulous and safe holiday!
Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
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Art and the New England Farm is a currently on display at The Florence Griswold Museum, showcasing works by artists from the 19th to 21st century. I choose to visit the exhibit on a special weekend – one that also included Blooms with a View.
I was so very intrigued by the display of flower arrangements created from inspiration garnered from the Art and the New England Farm collection, I needed to share some of the works on today’s Friday field trip.
Each floral designer creating an arrangement, chose a painting from the collection to serve as an inspiration for their creation. What a cool art form! Maybe suggest it as an interesting activity for your garden club or even as a fundraising project!
I hope you are inspired as much as I was by this interesting exhibit that utilized flowers in a special way.
Note: The Florence Griswold Museum is an art museum which was the center of the Old Lyme Art Colony, centered on the home of Florence Griswold and the main center of development of American Impressionism. Easily accessible by I95, the museum is situated along the picturesque Lieutenant River in Old Lyme, Connecticut. The current exhibit Art and the New England Farm is on display through September 16th.
Have a fabulous weekend. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
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Since today’s post is right during the holiday week, I’d like to introduce you to our new addition for the holiday. Here, my friends, is Floyd! He really has a way of getting people together and making them smile!
Standing over 15 feet tall, he has an imposing presence. He can keep a very large group entertained and is very accommodating – providing his own cooler and plenty of seating with multiple cup holders!
Floyd or no Floyd, I hope you are enjoying your weekend as much as we are! Thanks to my son for including Floyd in our holiday festivities!
Have a fabulous and safe 4th of July!
Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie
P.S. Click here for the link if you want to order your own Floyd – have him delivered close to where you will use him since he is pretty heavy. He comes with an electric pump, so you will need to be near an outlet or have an extension cord to get him inflated.
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