Subscribe to Pleasure in Simple Things via RSS ReaderFollow Pleasure in Simple Things on InstagramFollow @InSimpleThings on TwitterLike Pleasure In Simple Things on FacebookFollow Pleasure In Simple Things on PinterestEmail Jackie

Tag: Connecticut


at frost glance

12
January

When Long Island Sound freezes

Bitter cold temperatures made walking along all the town beaches this past week risky business!  I felt I was in danger of frostbite when I took my hand out of my mitten long enough to snap a couple photos!

frozen waves

But, with wind chills below zero and over 13” of snowfall last week, Long Island Sound was definitely something to look at!  I don’t know if I would say the beaches looked magical or if they looked more like something out of a science fiction movie, but they did look amazing!

waves frozen in place CT

For today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing some of this frozen beauty through photographs!  And, you don’t have to risk frostbite to enjoy them!

frozen in CT Long Island Sound

Seeing ripples of waves frozen in action is pretty cool (pun intended)!

CT waves frozen in place

Wouldn’t a polar bear look right at home in this photo!  (I was tempted to draw one in!)

frozen long island sound

Thanks for stopping by!

Long Island Sound in freezing temps

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

Comments Off on at frost glance | field trips, sand & sea

a connecticut vineyard

16
September

vines-at-gouveia-vineyards-pleasure-in-simple-things-blog

Connecticut may not seem a likely state for vineyards, but we do have them!  Today’s photos for Friday field trip prove it!

barn-view-vineyard-pleasure-in-simple-things-blog

Recently, I attended a meeting that was held at a vineyard.  Although the meeting was held indoors – someone made a bad call there – I took a few moments to sneak outside to check out the view.

sunset-gouveia-vineyard-pleasure-in-simple-things-blog

A warm summer evening was the perfect time to enjoy the lovely grounds!

a-ct-vineyard-pleasure-in-simple-things-blog

I now have Gouveia Vineyards on my list of places to visit.  I plan on returning when I have some time to really explore!  This could be a perfect leaf peeping location!

gouveia-vineyard-visit-pleasure-in-simple-things-blog

Thanks for stopping by!

beauty-at-gouveia-vineyards-pleasure-in-simple-things-blog

Have a really marvelous weekend!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on a connecticut vineyard | field trips, travel

ice, ice baby!

17
February

too cold for seagulls pleasure in simple things blog

With temperatures below freezing and blizzard conditions, here in Connecticut we are experiencing a crazy winter.

the dock at blizzard in ct pleasure in simple things blog

And, like all of New England, we have had plenty of snow this year.

sunny and below freezing pleasure in simple things blog

But, this winter, it is not the snow that has taken center stage…

one dock at blizzard pleasure in simple things blog

connecticut coast pleasure in simple things blog

This year, the star of the show is the ice!

sunny and negative temps pleasure in simple things blog

And with temperatures below zero (without the wind chill), there is plenty of it – even in places it is not usually seen!

docks during blizzard pleasure in simple things blog

blizzard conditions pleasure in simple things blog

So today, I am sharing some of the beauty I am seeing in all this ice…

blizzard on ct coast 2015 pleasure in simple things

A beauty only Mother Nature can provide.

snowy beach pleasure in simple things blog

Thanks so much for stopping by.

quote bench in winter pleasure in simple things blog

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Finding Silver Pennies, Coastal CharmSand & Sisal, Homework, and Elizabeth & Co.

1 comment » | sand & sea

glass blowing adventure

9
January

paperweight from glass blowing adventure pleasure in simple things blog

I love all creative arts. One place I had been eager to visit ever since I knew of its existence is Peter Greenwood’s Glass Blowing Studio in Riverton, Connecticut. Peter offers workshops for beginners with no experience and I really wanted to give it a try!

Front of Peter Greenwood's glass blowing studio pleasure in simple things blog

My idea was to visit before Christmas and create a glass blown ornament for my tree…how special would that be?! But, after discussing the workshop options with Peter before I made my visit, I decided to create a glass paperweight rather than a glass ornament. Yes, the ornament was an actual glass blowing experience, but if I took the workshop for the paperweight; I could actually make my piece from start to finish. I decided to go for the hands-on experience of forming molten glass and sculpting it into a paperweight – with Peter’s guidance, of course.

I am so glad I did. The process was fascinating.

A friend and I made the trip to the quaint little town of Riverton where Peter’s studio and showroom are located inside a historic stone church built in 1829.

glass blowing studio with pleasure in simple things blog

piece at Peter Greenwood's studio pleasure in simple things blog

I am sharing some photos from the visit on today’s Friday field trip, but I think the best way to really get a sense of the process is to watch the short video created from phone videos the day of my visit. In hindsight, I probably should have brought a video camera with me, but my friend Wendy was nice enough to take some video of my experience and I am thrilled to have it documented.

Click here for A Video on Creating a Paperweight in Peter Greenwood’s Connecticut Studio.

tools of the glass blowing trade pleasure in simple things blog

glass blowing tools pleasure in simple things blog

In some ways, I found creating glass pieces very similar to throwing pots because of the symmetry component, although working in conjunction with a 2,000 degree oven was a little more daunting! I was very much aware of the dangerous temperatures involved and was extremely cautious.

2,000 degree furnace glass blowing pleasure in simple things

The 2,000 degree oven used to create my glass paperweight at Peter Greenwood’s studio.

 

beginnings of a paperweight pleasure in simple things blog

The beginnings of my paperweight at Peter Greenwood’s studio in Connecticut.

glass chips from glass blowing pleasure in simple things blog

Glass chips like this are used to create the design in the paperweight…I used blue chips for mine.

When completed, the blue swirl I created in my paperweight glowed orange from the high temperature. Once cooled, the blue color would be apparent. The cooling process is done very slowly or the piece would have exploded due to the quick temperature change!

finished paperweight before cooled pleasure in simple things blog

I hope you enjoyed today’s field trip. Peter is a wonderful teacher and I highly recommend looking him up should you ever want to take a trip to Riverton and experience some of your own glass adventures!

Peter Greenwood pieces pleasure in simple things blog

Have a wonderful weekend!

Peter Greenwood pleasure in simple things glass blowing adventure

The glass master himself, Peter Greenwood.

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to enjoy pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Elizabeth & Co., Nancherrow, and House of Hipsters.

3 comments » | field trips, travel

in awe of autumn

28
October

view of Heublein Tower from a distance pleasure in simple things

If you follow my blog, you may have noticed that I visit at least one spot each year out of my normal routine (like when I took the fall steam train ride) to observe the beauty of autumn. Sometimes, removing myself from my daily surroundings really helps to provide me with a new perspective and an added appreciation for the beauty of nature all around me.

fall trail walk in CT pleasure in simple things

Placing myself in some new surroundings was my intent when I made a visit to Talcott Mountain State Park in Simsbury, Connecticut to hike up Talcott Mountain to the Heublein Tower. With two friends joining me, we picked a day that ended up being a beauty! The sun was shining and the weather was perfect! We probably missed the peak of the changing leaves by a week, but the foliage views were magnificent just the same!

beauty of fall at Talcott Mt State Park pleasure in simple things

The hike on Tower Trail to reach the Heublein Tower, at the top of the Talcott Mountain, is about 1.25 miles and we were enjoying every step of it!

enjoying ct in the fall pleasure in simple things

Because of the time of year, the views were fantastic the entire walk; causing many stops along the way.

Heublein Tower in Simsbury, CT pleasure in simple things

It was fun having a destination, but the hit of the day was definitely the foliage – not the tower!

fall beauty at Talcott Mt State Park pleasure in simple things

The tower is a 165-foot structure built as a summer home in 1914 by Gilbert Heublein.  Heublein was a celebrated German-born hotelier and restauranteur as well as an innovator in the American gourmet food and liquor industry.  The tower holds some interesting history…in the early fifties, two future presidents visited the tower – General Dwight D. Eisenhower (who was asked to run for office there) and Ronald Reagan, then president of the Screen Actors’ Guild!  History buffs are sure to enjoy the photographs and historical information on display throughout the building.

fall at Talcott Mt State Park in CT pleasure in simple things

The tower is open and accessible to the public through the entire month of October.  The hike to the tower is a wonderful family outing, especially since it is not a difficult climb and the park requires no admittance charge or parking fee.

looking up at fall trees pleasure in simple things

Once at the tower,  visitors (like me) can climb the six-storied structure to the top and admire the beautiful views of Connecticut and beyond.

Heublein Tower window pleasure in simple things

On the horizon, Mount Monadnock, eighty miles away in New Hampshire, is discernible.  To the northwest, the Berkshires dominate the horizon.

water view from the Heublein Tower pleasure in simple things

In addition to river views, Long Island Sound is revealed as a thin blue streak to the south.  Those with sharp vision can see an area estimated to be 1,200 square miles.

view from Heublein Tower pleasure in simple things

This photo is the view out the door of the tower as we were leaving to head back down the trail…

view of front entrance of Heublein Tower pleasure in simple things

And, this view is one from a stop along the trail heading down the mountain.

walking the trail to the Heublein Tower pleasure in simple things

A truly wonderful afternoon sharing the beauty of the season with friends –  in awe of autumn.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Craftberry Bush and Friday Finds.

8 comments » | field trips, inspiration

a special garden tour

19
July

garden tour photo

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? 

potting shed on the garden tour

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.  

view overlooking golf course

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.   

vegetable garden on garden tour

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.

vegetable garden on the garden tour

Friday field trip garden tour

Friday field trip garden tour

Friday field trip garden tour

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.

Friday field trip garden tour food

Friday field trip garden tour

Friday field trip garden tour pool

Friday field trip garden tour

Friday field trip garden tour

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.

Friday field trip garden tour front door

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

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

6 comments » | field trips, food & festivities, garden

beach colors in january

25
January

What are “beach colors” to you?  Beige and blue?

Friday field trip this week is to the beach at sunset to explore January’s beach colors.

Not yet cleaned up after Hurricane Sandy, technically the beach I am visiting has been closed since the storm.  That, coupled with the fact that the temperature is in the single digits here in Connecticut, I wonder why I chose to make this a field trip!  Largely because of the frigid weather, my trip to the beach is a short one.

My stay is not more than twenty minutes long, but as always, I am not disappointed by the display of colors.  I don’t get as many opportunities to view the sunsets at the beach in the winter months since they occur during work hours…my sunset viewing usually limited to the weekends…until the days get longer anyway.

So, what do you think of as the colors of the beach?  Would these colors come to mind?

How about these?

Maybe not so much?

The photos I am sharing today were all taken at the same beach on the same visit and within a 20 minute time period.  I did not alter anything on any of the photos (not that I would know how to if I wanted to lol.)

colors of the beach in winter

Isn’t nature amazing?

winter beach colors

Can you tell one of my fantasies is to create a paint line lol?  I also dream about creating a collection of nailpolish colors with cute, cheeky names, but that’s for another day…

winter beach colors

I think showing swatches of some of the colors I saw on my beach visit is the best way to illustrate the amazing display and range of colors I witnessed on this frigid visit…I think it was even too cold for the seagulls!

winter beach colors

So beautiful!

 

winter beach colors

 

winter beach colors

I hope you enjoyed the amazing collection of colors from a winter day at the beach…especially those of you that may be landlocked.

Have an amazing weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things…beauty is all around us!

Thanks for visiting,  Jackie

I am sharing this post at Mosiac Monday at Little Red House.

6 comments » | field trips, sand & sea

grilled cheese from a truck

18
January

Caseus cheesetruck

Today’s field trip is a lunch excursion.  I had some business in New Haven and decided, while I was in the Yale University neighborhood, to take a lunch break at my favorite food truck…The Caseus Cheesetruck.  This truck is a mobile version of Caseus Fromagerie Bristro – a restaurant and cheeseshop in downtown New Haven.  The star of its show is grilled cheese.  Who doesn’t like grilled cheese?  If you don’t, you will most likely find a version you will like here.

There are many combinations of ingredients available…one better than the next!  You can bypass cheese entirely and order a soup or salad….or, how about a grilled nutella and banana?

With temperatures in the 20’s and a stiff wind, it probably wasn’t one of my better ideas.  During the week, the truck is always parked on or around the Yale campus so the surroundings are always fun to admire, and on this trip I was trying to use them as a distraction from the cold.  I have an obsession with the doors on campus, so I tried to concentrate on them and not on my impending frostbite!  I almost decided to give up on taking any photos entirely as my fingers went completely numb!

I forged on…determined to show those of you that might not have ever seen the truck, just what it looks like.  Don’t let the sunny look fool you…it was freezing!!

Admiring the doors of the buildings on Yale University campus while walking to the Caseus Cheesetruck for lunch.

I opted to go for the traditional grilled cheese – in the case of Caseus, this involves a combination of seven or so cheeses.  I decided to add one ingredient – pesto (just because I love pesto).  I do think a classic grilled cheese and a tomato soup is a great choice for a first-timer.  It helps you realize just how elevated this standard can be when prepared by Caseus.

A photo of my choice for lunch from the Caseus Cheesetruck…the classic with pesto added. The sandwiches are served with a side of pickles and mustard.

There have been times (when the weather was nicer and my visit to the cheese truck was more leisurely) when I have been lucky enough to witness a ‘cheese truck challenge’ in process.  This is something worth witnessing at least once.  Any one customer able to consume 10 sandwiches in under an hour recieves the sandwiches free and can name the sandwich.  The challenger is required to add at least one ingredient other than cheese to the sandwiches.  The “tekin” for example, is named after Etkin Tekin.    Tekin was the first one to successfully complete the challenge.  His creation consisted of adding guacamole and bacon and he completed the challenge in 32 minutes and 4 seconds.

It is a fun visit, challenge or not…

The cheesetruck is definitely worth trying – if you go, maybe just pick a day where the temperature is at least a little above freezing!

Thanks so much for visiting!

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

Comments Off on grilled cheese from a truck | field trips, food & festivities

an enchanted holiday shop

16
November

christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

The Christmas Shop at Maynard Greenhouse in Old Saybrook is the destination for this week’s Friday field trip.  This trip was actually planned last summer.  Last summer was when I first heard about a garden shop in Old Saybrook that transfomed into a Christmas shop each year at holiday time.  It surprised me that I had not heard of the store, considering I travel to both garden shops AND Christmas shops all over Connecticut.

Intrigued, I made a note on my November 2012 calendar to make a trip to The Christmas Shop at Maynard Greenhouse.  It turned out the store had not yet opened for the season on the day a friend and I scheduled our trip to the shop.  Even so, the owner was gracious enough to let us in the store when we arrived…as she worked on getting it ready for the opening.

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

Even though the holiday display was not yet completed, it was obvious the shop was enchanting…a beautiful collection of gift items, holiday ornaments, paper and ribbon products, and even some antiques.

Of course, I particularly loved the corner where some coastal inspired ornaments were displayed!

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

There were so many items we really adored in the shop.  Even though we were disappointed we didn’t get to see the displays in their completion, timing the trip as we did unkowingly gave us some time to share in conversation with the shop owner…it made for a very enjoyable shopping experience…

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

It also made it imperative that we schedule another excursion to the shop!

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

 

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

I hope you enjoy these photos from my visit…enough to get anyone in the holiday spirit!

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

A selection of enchanting holiday items on display at The Christmas Shop at Maynard Greenhouse in Old Saybrook, CT.

 

My favorite spot!

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

 

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

 

the christmas shop at maynard greenhouse

Hope you enjoyed today’s visit to The Christmas Shop at Maynard Greenhouse .

Thank you so much for joining me on this week’s Friday field trip.  Remember to take pleasure in simple things.  Have a great weekend,  Jackie

5 comments » | field trips

making pesto

22
June

friday field trip

This week, Friday field trip is to a cooking class at Terrain.  And, I have included one of the recipes in this post!

You know how much I love (the newly opened in CT) Terrain…well, I recently noticed a pesto class on their calendar… I was determined to attend!  With a little creative scheduling, I was able to make it happen.

Kelly, one of the Terrain chefs, led the class.  She is a Culinary Institute of America (CIA) graduate and just a lot of fun to be around.  I guess I didn’t really capture any great photos of her… it didn’t help that her Sicilian heritage was kicking in…plenty of hand motions and enthusiasm didn’t bode well for a clear photo!  Believe me, she was adorable…a  huge smile and dressed in her ‘farmer chic’ (Terrain’s dress code) attire.

The ‘students’ soon discovered that pesto is not just about basil, oil, garlic, and pine nuts.  Kelly really opened our eyes to experimenting with different greens and nuts.  It was a lightbulb moment for me to consider using new and different combinations of greens and nuts in pesto rather than relying on the traditional basil and pine nuts.  We were able to taste test all the creations Kelly demonstrated.  I eagerly tried the arugula and sunflower seeds, and LOVED the basil and kale and almonds.

The taste tests were accomplished by spreading the pestos on warm bread…yum!   This is something I never do with pesto.  I use it on pasta, but haven’t ever used it as an appetizer ingredient or as a condiment…where have I been?!

Terrain only uses the freshest of ingredients in their cafe, restaurant, and cooking classes.

 

A photo of pesto made in a Terrain cooking class.

Kale Toasted Walnut Pesto (makes about 1 cup)

You can make this pesto with plain (raw) walnuts, but toasting them gives them a little extra flavor that can hang with the slightly more intense (and bitter) taste of kale.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup plain/raw walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • About 3 cups chopped kale
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ – 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Heat a frying pan over medium heat.  Add walnuts and stir constantly (or gently shake pan) until toasted, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and let the walnuts cool.

Pulse garlic clove in food processor until it is chopped finely, about 30 seconds.  Add kale, toasted walnuts and Parmesan cheese and pulse until chopped.  You may have to stop the food processor, open the top, and push the kale down toward the blades.

With the food processor running on low, add olive oil in a steady stream until you get the consistency you want, I went with almost ¾ cup of olive oil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper (we used about 1 ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper).

Kelly also suggested trying the combination of pistachios with spinach.  I can’t wait to try this combo!  Other ingredients  suggested included cilantro, mixed herbs, watercress, parsley, hazelnuts, and pecans.

I left there with a jar of freshly made pesto and feeling much more adventurous about trying new ingredients to add variety to the pesto I make at home.  If  you want to attend a class or other event, check out the Terrain website for the event schedule:  www.shopterrain.com

By the way, I stopped and bought a loaf of good bread on the way home ;)

6 comments » | food & festivities

Back to top