pine straw bale planting

October 4, 2013

How many times have you seen hay bales and corn stalks used to decorate the outside of a home at this time of year? Pretty standard, right? When I saw a workshop scheduled at Terrain for planting pine straw bales, I was intrigued…what exactly would be done with the bales?

It turned out that Terrain designer Angela actually planted right inside the bale! I thought it was so cool that I wanted to share this week on Friday field trip.

A really great idea that can be tailored to any color scheme or taste. Start with a pine straw bale and some plants that you like or that will coordinate with the outside colors of your house…

Using scissors or something sharp, cut out spots to plant inside the bales – adding soil as your planting medium.

Looking down on a finished pine straw bale planting created by designer Angela at Terrain in Westport, Connecticut.

After Angela planted the selection of plants she had chosen, she added some green moss around the plants and a few white pumpkins (I wonder if that was for my benefit lol!) to complete the look.

Great idea, right?

Just be sure to place your pine straw bale in it’s spot before you start planting…Angela had hers on a cart so she didn’t have to worry about lifting it after it was completed. It looks great from every angle! I love the contrast between the plants and the pine straw.

I hope this will inspire you to try creating one of your own bale plantings…something a little different for your seasonal decor…thanks Angela!

If you don’t have a Terrain near you, you can easily find pine straw bales at Home Depot.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Craftberry Bush and The Tablescaper.

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monthly book giveaway for october!

October 1, 2013

I am finding it hard to believe it is already October! This means it is time to give away September’s book selection and to announce the giveaway for October!

Congratulations to Katherine over at the blog Creating Through Life for winning the September book giveaway! Katherine will receive a signed copy of Cook Like a Rock Star by Anne Burrell. You are going to love this book Katherine!

Now for October’s giveaway selection! This month’s book is a unique selection that goes along with the ‘outdoorsy’ woodland vibe I have been exploring lately…remember my holiday inspiration?

This book is about foraging in your backyard! It is a really interesting selection…you will be amazed at the 65 familiar plants you didn’t know you could eat! The book is called Backyard Foraging and I am giving away a copy signed by the author, Ellen Zachos. Ms. Zachos, author of many books on gardening, leads foraging walks and teaches at the New York Botanical Garden, where she received her certification in Commercial Horticulture and Ethnobotany.

Leave a comment here or on facebook to win this month’s giveaway. Good luck!

Isn’t this a perfect selection as a tie-in to my inspiration board?

Happy October! Thank you so much for stopping by, Jackie Instagram users, read on…

For you Instagram lovers, this month’s challenge is to share any white pumpkin sightings using hashtag #pleasuregram.

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fall at terrain

September 20, 2013

If you read this blog, you know how much I love Terrain. I also enjoy taking you on a visit to this beautiful garden store from time to time since there are only two stores (CT and PA) and not everyone is as lucky as I am…I frequent them both!

Today, for Friday field trip, we are visiting the Westport, Connecticut store to see how they are preparing for fall…

I hope you will enjoy sharing a few photos…

I am sure we will make another trip sometime soon ;)

Especially since I decided on a woodland theme for my holiday decor this year…I will need some supplies. :)

This particular trip was special for me since I had a chance to talk to Joe…he is one of the creative visual team at the store – busy at work when I stopped by.

Every trip to the store is an adventure…I can’t wait to see what Joe is creating! Maybe I will stop by over the weekend to enjoy some s’mores by their fire and check out the latest inspiration!

Terrain also happens to be the store that helps satisfy my white pumpkin obsession…

Thank you so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at The Tablescaper.

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isn’t gardening a spring sport?

September 13, 2013

I think of gardening as a spring sport since I spend the most time on my gardens during the spring.

This certainly isn’t the case for my friend Wendy. And, it was strongly apparent when I stopped over to visit her on a recent evening. .. Her yard looked so beautiful that I have to share it with you for this week’s Friday field trip!

It is not that her yard doesn’t always look beautiful…believe me, it does! But, I was amazed at all the seasonal touches she had already added to her gardens for the fall.

She has one of those yards that is like a park…so many different areas to admire. I couldn’t possibly show you everything in one post, but I will share some of my favorite spots that may just inspire you to put out some seasonal touches in your own garden. (Check my facebook page this weekend for some additional photos of this wonderful space.)

I hope you enjoyed our garden visit for Friday field trip…thanks Wendy! We will have to make another trip in the spring…there is so much to see!

Thank you for stopping by.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Craftberry Bush.

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embracing the season

August 27, 2013

The best flowers for decorating are the ones that embrace the season. Here in New England, hydrangeas are a favorite. While putting together some arrangements for a wedding rehearsal dinner, I knew this seasonal flower was the best choice. Wanting to personalize the arrangement in some way, I decided to add the future bride and groom’s initials by creating monogrammed tie-ons crafted from natural elements.

I used some cocoa colored stamp pad ink and stamps to stamp on pieces of wood. If you aren’t into cutting and sanding wood, you can easily find something similar at a craft store or on Etsy.

An easy and wonderful way to help the spacing stay consistent when stamping is to simply use an elastic to hold the two letters and ampersand stamps together while applying the monogram.

Once your tie-ons are completed, you can save them to add to your completed centerpieces. Harvest (or purchase) the seasonal favorites you plan on using. If you are truly embracing the season, it is best to use something that is presently in bloom…such a great way to evoke feelings of gardens and the season. :)

Hydrangeas are really great all on their own. These were being placed on a chocolate colored table cloth so I just added a couple curly sticks as accents and tied twine around clear vases. Perfect!

In appreciating every last bit of summer, try to find some of your own ways to embrace the season…bringing some of your garden (or a friend’s garden…thanks Phyllis!) indoors is certainly one great way!

Enjoy your week. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Mona’s Picturesque and Craftberry Bush.

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revisiting a butterfly garden

August 2, 2013

Although I am not a big butterfly fan, I couldn’t help but visit the butterfly garden when I was recently at The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. You may remember my last trip to the Butterfly Garden.

Today’s Friday field trip is a revisit to the butterfly garden at the museum.

I think the intriguing thing about the butterflies is their short life span…it does seem sad that they don’t live beyond a couple of weeks. For me, the intriguing part is that every time I am in Philadelphia, I can stop by the butterfly garden and every single butterfly will be different from my previous trip!

So, even though my intention was to just visit the “Glow” exhibit, I found myself stopping by the butterfly garden before I left the museum. And, this time I got to thinking about butterflies in literature…wondering how others documented their feelings about butterflies. I have included my favorite findings with the photos. Enjoy!

But these are flowers that fly and all but sing:

And now from having ridden out desire

They lie closed over in the wind and cling

Where wheels have freshly sliced the April mire.

~Robert Frost, “Blue-Butterfly Day”

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your
grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.

~Nathaniel Hawthorne

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes

it has gone through to achieve that beauty.

~Maya Angelou

“Just living is not enough,” said the butterfly, “one must have

sunshine, freedom and a little flower.”

~Hans Christian Anderson

I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free.

~Charles Dickens

She liked being reminded of butterflies. She remembered being six or seven and crying over the fates of the butterflies in her yard after learning that they lived for only a few days. Her mother had comforted her and told her not to be sad for the butterflies, that just because their lives were short didn’t mean they were tragic. Watching them flying in the warm sun among the daisies in their garden, her mother had said to her, see, they have a beautiful life. Alice liked remembering that.
~Lisa Genova, “Still Alice”

I hope you enjoyed our Friday field trip to the butterfly garden at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Thank you so much for stopping by.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things and have a wonderful weekend, Jackie

Sharing at The Tablescaper and Mona’s Picturesque.

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a special garden tour

July 19, 2013

When I asked my friends Phyllis & John to agree to have their home included on a garden tour; they were hesitant. In my mind, they were the perfect couple to ask…their yard was certainly my favorite.. Geez, I would like to retire to their yard! They live on a golf course, have a beautiful built-in pool, a vegetable and herb garden, a potting shed, and gorgeous flowers and plants everywhere…what more could you want?

Anyway, once I explained that the tour was a scholarship benefit, they readily agreed to participate. Today for Friday field trip, we are visiting the breathtaking grounds surrounding their 1852 home in Fairfield County, Connecticut on the day of the garden tour.

It was very hard to edit this post since there are so many facets to this yard, designed and planted solely by the homeowners. Such a fun yard to explore…Phyllis has created beautiful vignettes in every nook and cranny.

John’s ‘baby’ is the vegetable garden. A retired giant pumpkin planter (yup…he once grew a prize winner that weighed 625 lbs!), he now concentrates on vegetables and herbs. In addition to the planting, he built the stone walls and fences that so beautifully surround the space. Yes, that is an outhouse in the back of the garden…original to the property. John also crafted the handsome birdhouse that stands in the front section of the property.

What do you serve for refreshments on a garden tour? I really wanted to create a menu that was true to the house…concentrating on fresh vegetables, herbs, and flowers. I spent quite a bit of time on it and finally decided on rosemary sea salt shortbreads, rosewater meringues, fresh tomatoes with basil and marinated mozzarella, watermelon with fresh ricotta drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and finished with salt, pepper and mint, and lemon raspberry tartlets. Beverages served were cucumber water with nasturtium and pansy ice cubes and home made iced tea lightly sweetened with simple syrup infused with lemon and mint.

I hope you enjoyed our Friday field trip garden tour! Thank you John and Phyllis…your yard is truly a labor of love and it shows! Thanks also to the beautiful and talented gals – Emma and Sara.;)

If you haven’t already, please ‘like’ my facebook page to see additional photos. You can also follow me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Mona’s Picturesque, Little Red House, and Craftberry Bush.

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lovely apron upgrade

July 16, 2013

Today I wanted to share an easy way to upgrade a standard chef’s apron into something lovely. I was recently involved with organizing a charity garden event and I really wanted the hostesses to have coordinating aprons. The gardens were so amazing and we had some very tasty food prepared with a flower and herb theme…I needed aprons that were as lovely as the rest of the event.

Not wanting to spend much money, I decided to use a few embellishments to make a white chef’s apron contribute to our theme. If you know someone in the restaurant business, you may be able to score an apron or two at no cost. If not, you can purchase one at a restaurant supply store for $5 or $6.

The first thing I did was to add a flower photo onto the top of the apron front. This was easy to do with T-Shirt transfer paper. You can pick this up at any store that sells office supplies. I found my package at Target near the copy paper. I bought Avery brand Ink Jet T-Shirt Transfers. Six 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheets come in the container. Since I was printing a 5″ x 7″ photo, I was able to print two photos on one sheet. I chose a photo I had taken last spring of my lilly of the valley.

I printed the page using a color printer and ironed the photos onto the aprons, carefully following the directions on the transfer package. I decided to add a little sparkle around the edges of the photo by applying some silver sparkle paint with a cotton swab.

Then, I added a couple pockets by sewing on a rectangular shaped piece of fabric I found on the clearance table at the fabric store. First I sewed a hem on one of the long sides of the fabric – this would be the top of the pocket. Then, I attached the piece of fabric by sewing the two sides and the bottom

onto the apron. Sewing vertically down the middle of the pocket created the two pockets.

Rosemary sea salt shortbreads – one of the treats I made to serve at the Garden Tour.

And that was it! Using a photo transfer sheet and some scrap fabric that coordinated with my photo, I was able to upgrade my standard white apron into something garden party worthy!

You can do the same for your next event!

Hope you enjoyed today’s post on upgrading an apron. I look forward to sharing more about the garden event in future posts.

Thanks for visiting! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at A Pinch of Joy and Timewashed.

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essence of roses

June 25, 2013

I am working on a menu for a charity garden tour, so I have been experimenting with recipes for both sweet and savory items that utilize flower and herb components. I fell in love with the combination of the Middle Eastern flavors of rosewater and pistachios when I made a Persian Love Cake. Thinking about the flavors of that wonderful cake and still having roses in my thoughts, I decided to try and create a rosewater meringue.

I was very happy with the result and wanted to share the recipe with you. This light and airy cookie has a wonderful essence of roses…perfect for my garden tour menu!

Recipe for Rosewater Meringues

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 whites from large eggs
¼ teaspoon rosewater (you can purchase bottled rosewater…if you make your own, be sure to use organic rose petals!)
1/3 cup finely chopped unsalted natural pistachios

Preheat oven to 175 degrees F. Line 1 large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sift the confectioners’ sugar twice to remove all lumps and divide into two equal portions.

Put the egg whites in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the whites hold soft peaks. Continue beating while gradually adding one portion of confectioners’ sugar. Beat until firm, glossy peaks form. Add the rosewater and mix briefly. Sift the remaining confectioners’ sugar over the meringue and gently fold in until blended.

Scoop the meringue into a large pastry bag fitting with a large star tip. Pipe swirls (about 1 ½” wide and 2″ high) about 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheet. (If not using a pastry bag, just drop the meringue by 2 Tablespoonfuls). Sprinkle the finely chopped pistachios over the meringues.

Bake until dry and crisp, about 3 hours. Turn the oven off and let the meringues cool in the oven for 1 hour. Serve immediately or cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. (And since I don’t have air conditioning, I can strongly recommend from experience to store your cookies in a cool place until you are ready to serve.)

This recipe was adapted from a meringue recipe in a wonderful book called Desserts 4 Today by Abigail Johnson Dodge that contains recipes for flavorful desserts using just four ingredients.

I hope you enjoyed sharing my rosewater meringues recipe. Thank you so much for stopping by.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Timewashed and Mona’s Picturesque.

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but i don’t care for roses…

June 14, 2013

A rose has never been my favorite flower. When all my friends would hope for a dozen roses on Valentine’s Day, I was wishing for an arrangement of many different varieties of flowers – all white. Or, a single variety of something unique or exotic.

So, when a friend suggested I visit the rose garden in bloom at Boothe Memorial Park in Stratford, the idea of making the trip was met by me with lukewarm enthusiasm. Not one to dismiss new experiences, I decided to surrender a little bit of my time to the roses in bloom.

Today’s Friday field trip is a visit to this rose garden. And, with hundreds of different types of roses represented, it was really hard to edit my photos to just a few representations. The weather had been very rainy and I was lucky to time my visit between a series of rainfalls. I thought the weather actually added character to the photos, although an excursion like this really makes me yearn for a good camera. (hint, hint Santa!)

Enjoy our little stroll through the garden…

And yes, I did change my mind a little on the roses…still not my favorite, but I definitely have a new respect for them after this experience…hard not to, right?

I hope you enjoyed sharing the Boothe Memorial Park rose garden with me. We even happened upon a lovely volunteer caretaker during our trip :)

I will be posting more photos from the Boothe Memorial Park rose garden on my Facebook page in the coming days…please ‘like’ my page if you haven’t already and please feel free to share any rose experiences! Also, please feel free to ‘pin’ any photos you like :)

Have a wonderful weekend. Thanks so much for visiting.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Mona’s Picturesque, Little Red House, and The Tablescaper.

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pine straw bale planting

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fall at terrain

isn’t gardening a spring sport?

embracing the season

revisiting a butterfly garden

a special garden tour

lovely apron upgrade

essence of roses

but i don’t care for roses…