Decorating Your First Home...

When you get it together and finally are able to buy your first home, most of us are so excited to create the home of our dreams. I would like to share some tips on how to design on a dime, and plan for resale. This is your first home, not your forever home. A good mantra, write it down.
The decisions you make need to take into account the people who will purchase your home within the next 5 to 10 years.
Now let's start with appliances.
If you need to buy appliances, buy middle range. They look great, will last during the duration you own the home and will be energy efficient. Also you may want to think of brushed steel. It shows no fingerprints and goes in most any decor.

Another important subject is paint, here are a few of my   color tips.  Bright or deep colored might be a sweet song in your heart but a high percentage of future buyers do not have the ability to see past a Tangerine kitchen or a Cranberry Great room. So here are your painting tips.
First, always prep and prime your walls. Second buy a high quality paint with a bit of a luster finish. Your paint job will still look great after five years and because you chose a luster finish, you can easily wipe of scuffs and marks without damaging the paint.
House Beautiful Magazine is very big on color. They have partnered with Benjamin Moore and have a vast collection with an easy application that takes the guess work out of how a room would look when painted in your chosen color.
I think for easy living and for resale the compromise is simple, lean towards the lighter versions of the colors that speak to you.
Instead of a deep Tangerine for a kitchen, how about a light Cantaloupe? It is the same warm family, just not as intense. Save your deep or bright splashes of color for your Art, Mixmaster, Toaster, Towels and Dishes. 
Are you thinking a deep Blue for a library. Wow, yes that would look dramatic, however your room would feel smaller and absorb the light, not reflect it. Also for resale, a neutral Taupe or Griege (Grayish Beige) is not only very popular but quite lovely.
I am a fan of subtle reflective colors that change with the weather and the light. Sherwin Williams Paint company has a palette that I use consistently. My top favorites are Frostwork, Copen Blue, Opera Glass, Relaxed Khaki, and Sea Salt. These colors work well with different trim colors and all react to the light, making the room color, different at all times of the day. I have used these colors in Homes and Offices on both coasts. I am asked often about these colors and others who use them seem to be as happy with this simple palette as I am.
The fun part is choosing the art and accessories that can make a room POP.

Furnishings. A great sofa is an investment. An okay sofa can be $1200 and will last about 10 years. A great sofa will last 20+ years and cost $1800-3000. Find a sofa that is comfortable, neutral, well made and if you can swing it has down wrapped cushions.

Choose a fabric that will work with many colors. Preferably a textured fabric that will be comfy and hold up well as your family grows. Your taste will change over the years, a classic sofa will change with you. Another beautiful aspect of a high end sofa is that you can have a new slip cover made to reflect your next homes style.
Remember it is better to have one fabulous piece of furniture than a room of furniture that is poorly made and not attractive. Less is fine, you can always save and buy the matching chair next year and for the time being make do with a few of your other pieces, or none at all.

Curb appeal. It is important to drive up to your home and have it feel as beautiful as you had dreamed it would. Some easy fixes can be a paint job, shutters, a colorful door and fresh plantings.
Planting beds that are in good condition and have some nice mulch with no dirt showing will looked well cared for and save you big money on your water bill!
Perennials and foundation plantings are less expensive than bright colored annuals in the long run. If you choose your plant material wisely they will also require less care, water and maintenance. Consider a garden, front and back, that features tall perennial grasses and the various varieties of sedum mixed with some low maintenance Carpet Roses. If you live in a warm climate plant a few trees such as fruitless Olives or Pepper Trees. They will provide shade, will not require much water, care or trimming. They also have smaller root systems that do not get into the sewer and water pipes. This is really important advice.
My own Maine garden has an Apple Orchard, Wild grasses, some perennials, and Rosa Rugosas. We were also blessed with a wide variety of trees including for 200 year old Maple trees and Woodland areas with fantastic varieties of Moss and Fern.
Lets talk garden color. Keep it neutral, with a bit of a flair and lots of texture and contrasting leaf colors.
If you would like to learn more, google Garden Design Magazine, they feature many lovely examples of gardens for your area of the country that will thrive. You can also click and go to my "Garden Portfolio" Design site. There are alot of great ideas to borrow. From Hardscape to Garden Structures and Pools. You may also want to take some time and walk the neighborhood or the local Botanic gardens and see what plants and trees are growing with little effort and much ease. Take the time to google Drought tolerant and Eco-Friendly or Green and Sustainable Gardens. Click on images and then go to the sites that interest you the most.
A great tip is to hire a designer to walk your property with you and give you tips, tricks and ideas about what you can do. Expect to pay around $300.00 for a consult. You will save much more by not making mistakes and doing it right the first time. One last tip. Use great compost, lots of Bone & Blood Meal,  ground Sea Kelp & Rock Phosphate.

These simple items used consistently will make for a high PH balance, healthy plants and bugs in balance. We live in the natural world and the full spectrum of insects and birds is very important. Strive to keep the circle unbroken, everything depends on each other, really.


Enjoy your home. Have fun feathering your nest. Make sure you include your partner, they really do like to be part of the process. Welcome to home ownership and may your next home be your forever home.

Ojai Olive Oil, Regalo A True Gift...

The Blizzard of 2011 brought a special gift. I had a bit of time to check out an old friends website, featuring her family Olive Farm called Regalo in Ojai, California. Rosalyn was always interesting,  funny and creative. Many years ago she met a wonderful man and they visioned an Olive Farm, planted the Olive Trees and now are pressing and selling their fantastic Olive Oil.

An interesting note, all of the profits from this Olive Oil venture are given to local charities. Not only are they making a difference in the world of cuisine but they also are making a huge difference in their local community.
Hats off to Rosalyn and Jeffrey Luttrull and their wonderful Oil.
Now a bit about the Oil.
The Regalo Story...
"A few years ago we decided to so something different on the family farm in Ojai’s East End. So we took out our oranges and planted olive trees, European varieties chosen as the best for making premium extra virgin olive oils. Prior to our first harvest we decided to give all the profits to local poverty-related charities, and Regalo Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Inc. was born. At Regalo (meaning “gift” in both Italian and Spanish) we make two classic extra virgin olive oils: “Amelia”, our unique Tuscan blend; and “Caterina”, our pure Arbequina Spanish varietal.

Unlike grape growing and wine making, the most important factor in producing the highest quality extra virgin olive oil is not where the olives are grown, but how quickly they are pressed following picking.

At Regalo, our olives are hand harvested with the help of family and friends. Our olives are then promptly cold-pressed on the estate, producing the very highest quality extra-virgin olive oils. Regalo extra-virgin olive oil is pesticide-free.
Caterina: Regalo Caterina is famously smooth with a clear note of olive, and remarkably consistent year to year. This year is no exception, but with an especially bountiful harvest! Once again Caterina is fruity, smooth and buttery, with a definite olive note and peppery finish.
Amelia: As as blend, our unique Tuscan mix of Frantoio, Coratina, Leccino and Maurino olive oils changes year to year, as one variety tends to ripen before another in unpredictable but delicious ways. This year we harvested a bit later, and with a very small harvest at that. (This year in California many growers of Italian olive varieties produced no olives at all!) Although small, this year's Amelia is especially good; clean, grassy, with a classic Italian bitter edge and nice peppery finish.

Enjoy. Share the Gift."  It is super easy to get this oil, you can go to Williams Sonoma or you can click, to Order  your Olive Oil directly from my friends in Ojai. Enjoy, yummm.

Mindful Gardening, Bugs are Your Friends...

Summer is the season we all wait for, especially in the state of Maine. In October of 2008 we moved into our home in Topsham Maine. Unfortunately the gardens had been managed chemically. This was a very quiet property, during our first garden season of 2009 . Very few birds or butterflies graced the landscape. On our property we have adopted a policy of "All living things matter." I believe it is important to welcome Birds as they will eat alot of the bugs. Spiders not only bring good fortune (they say) but also take care of many flying insects who get caught up in their webs and later become a meal for those web spinning spiders. We planted liberal amounts of Bee Balm, Echenecia, Cleome, Cosmos, Joe Pye Weed and Day Lillies as well as Apple Trees and Blueberry Bushes to encourage and attract all of our winged friends. We let the formally mowed lawns go wild and cut paths that now meander through these meadow gardens. We now sport an Upper Meadow and a lower Woodland Meadow.
Today I would like to talk a bit about the upper meadow garden. It has a wide range of Grasses (5 varieties), Clover, Equisetum, Millet and Wheat. Within the meadows we have walking paths and a scattering of blooming Rudibeckia, Verbena Borenesis, Cosmos, Bronze Fennel, Milk Weed and a few Artichoke plants. Full sun, organic amendments and periodic big rains have brought this part of the garden to an officially ALIVE status. Birds, Butterflies, Bees, Spiders, Moths and other various flying and crawling creatures show up and add to the beauty of this now thriving, organically managed Meadow. We feed with Bone and Blood Meal and Seaweed Compost and wowza the difference is palpable from that first "Silent Spring" of 2009.
Gardening can seem like a mystery but if you listen to the lay of the land, the light & topography, the mystery will reveal itself, with many of your questions answered, by sheer observation. I think that if you pay special attention to the individual plants that make up the whole garden you will not only be successful you will be blessed with a garden that is a natural living oasis. The circle of life in the garden starts with the microbes in the soil. Organic amendments and proper watering will not only change your PH to a higher thriving level but will support plants that are so healthy they do not attract bugs or disease. All bugs in balance are a good thing, after all we live in the natural world. Living in harmony is the easy, breezy approach and certainly less stressful for you and your garden. Ants, Aphids, Caterpillars, Beetles are commonly thought of as pests. However in balance with all other living things in the garden they take care of each other and you will have to give up very little of your flowers and vegetables to the cause of a chemical free landscape.
Mindful Gardening is in the long run, the easy way.
If you would like to view Organic Gardens I have designed, click here for the portfolio.
Some of my organic sources you may want to check out.
The Invisible Gardener. Andy Lopez is a brilliant gardener with harmonious ideas and approaches to living as one with our gardens. Do not be put off by his presentation, the information is garden gold.
Remineralize The Earth. Joanna Campe is a champion of adding "Rock Dust" to the earth by enriching our soil with minerals. Easy, inexpensive and terrific for the health of your property.
She is doing great work all over the world.
Rodales, As the publishers of Organic Gardening Magazine they are the old time experts. Their breadth of knowledge and online resources that are unmatched. Rodale Publishing is in the business of selling the idea of living in absolute harmony with the earth.
You can also google "Organic Gardening" and surf around to find natural methods to follow in your garden.

Building a Garden...

This is the time of year I wistfully contemplate the garden. What area will I choose to tackle this year? Do I need to think about paths, patios, walls, sitting areas or am I just going to enjoy a field of Sunflowers, perhaps. The possibilities are endless. I always study the area that is about to be transformed. I like doing the work one time! I carefully consider the end use and ask myself the following questions. Will the area be used for entertaining or is it a quiet spot on the north side of the house that is only viewed from a window? Possibly it is an area that would make a perfect kitchen garden later to be filled to full with Herbs, Vegetables, maybe a focal point of a henhouse for fresh eggs and other treats to be incorporated into Summertime meals. Maybe this is the year a pool or water source is seriously considered and will be integrated into a meditation garden or a main family area. In the end it boils down to several factors.
1. How the space will be used.
2. How much future maintenance will be required.
3. Money. Money. Affordability.
That about covers the basic three considerations, after the big three there are other points to be thought of.
1. Resale, will you be in this space long enough to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
2. Are your ideas practical and compatible to the needs of your family and the pets in your household?
3. Will you use the space as much as you anticipate?
Having taken our garden dream and put a pragmatic yet logical spin on the conversation can be sobering (reality, hmmm.) However this particular way of looking at your outdoor spaces can also be enlightening. You will be fully aware of the garden path you are traveling down and will not be surprised at the outcome.
Enjoying your own garden with your family and friends is a wonderful connecting experience and once you start, you will only want to expand your outdoor living spaces.
The spirit of balance lives within each of us, a garden heightens that sense of well being.

Build a garden it is a worthwhile experience.

The Aesthetic Lifestyle, Beauty Matters...

The definition of Aesthetics: A guiding principle in matters of artistic beauty and taste; artistic sensibility: or an underlying principle, a set of principles, or a view often manifested by outward appearances or style of behavior.
I like to think that I am a citizen of the "Country of Aesthetics". Yes, my belief from a young age has been, "Beauty Matters". Indeed, an aesthetic life is made up of deliberate choices that are made everyday. The designer and guru of the Arts & Crafts movement, William Morris says, "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." I live and design by these simple, brilliant words. This is such a precise statement that it could be the motto for the "Country of Aesthetics".

The question is how to embrace this philosophy of Aesthetic as a lifestyle. The answer although simple takes discipline.
1. Do not bring anything into your Home or Garden environment that you do not LOVE. Anything!
2. Explore and understand what colors, styles and textures you are attracted to.
3. A great way to ascertain your own personal style is make a list of your favorite colors. Take a trip to to your local bookstore and purchase (yes purchase) a pile of Home and Garden design magazines. Now here is the deal, as you flip through these magazines, tear out (you can do it) the pages that have images that appeal to how you would like your house to look, in general.
4. At this point you should be aware of your likes and dislikes. Now the fun part. Go through your home and remove, remove, remove all of the items that you now know in your newly conscious and aware heart that do not honor the Country of Aesthetic philosophies and principles.
5. Congratulate yourself, you have just finished the absolute hardest step, letting go of stuff that does not matter, is no longer useful or is not beautiful. MMMMMMM feels good.
6. I keep myself on track by not settling for something, but waiting until I can afford or find exactly what it is I see in a room or in my personal space, indoors and in the garden.
7. Repeat, Beauty Matters. Because it truly does.

Summer Salad Composition...

There is nothing I love more than a sunny summer morning and an outing to my local Farmers Market. Yum. The possibilities for the evening meal are always an inspiration and a delight.
I am impressed by the heirloom varieties of most vegetables, however recently carrots have caught my fancy. Did you know carrots come in many more colors than plain orange? Such as pale yellow, maroon with an orange interior, a creamy white and even a subtle orange. Each color even tastes a bit different. Indeed these are not the carrots of our youth or even the produce aisle of the supermarket!
Summers in Maine are much cooler than the rest of the country, the lettuces, peas, and herbs do not "bolt" (rush to flower, rendering the lettuce especially, bitter) and seem to last longer due to the lack of heat and humidity. So selections for interesting salads are readily available this time of year.
This Summer Salad Composition is easy.
Mixed Greens (about 3 cups)
Nasturtium Greens & Flowers (From the garden) about 1-2 cup
Basil, Dill, Parsley (one or all of this combo) a small handful
Young tender Snap Peas, gently sauteed to a bright green. about 1 cup
Many colors of heirloom Carrots about 3-4
Dried Figs, a large handful
Spring turnips (sliced thinly) These are small, about 7 or 8
Roasted Beets (Golden, Ruby Red or Orange) about 1 cup chopped
Artisan Goat Cheese (York Hill-Garlic & Dill if you can find it) about 1/4 of a cup
Drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

Grab a large platter and cover with the mixed greens
Next tear the Nasturtium leaves and scatter over mixed greens
Julienne the Carrots, scatter artfully
Scatter Beets and Sliced Turnips and Nasturtium Flowers
Crumble the goat cheese place sprinkle on top
Drizzle the Balsamic Reduction vinegar.
Yummy, you now have a salad for 4.
This is excellent with some grilled, Fish, Chicken or any roasted meat.
We had a family dinner last night and enjoyed this salad last night with Lobster, which at 3.99 per pound is 1/2 the price of organic Chicken!

Home At Last...

Dorothy said it best, "There is no place like home." It feels good to put down roots, dig in and call this spot in Topsham, Maine, home. This is my new Home Laboratory for Design, Gardening, Cooking and Entertaining. Our home is also where we work. I work in my studio painting, creating and keeping up with blog writing.


My partner, Neil, has his law office on the property as well. It is always interesting. People dropping by, walks to take, dinners to cook and plants to tend to. This place is filled with energy and life.

The inside of our Maine house is coming along. I have enjoyed the process of observing the light and how it shifts and moves during the seasons and day to day in this new Home Laboratory.
We have been noodling around with many projects since late Autumn. Painting, painting, and repairing. The furniture is in place, the art is hung, the orchids are growing and this house sparkles with happiness and light! A color palette has evolved, in the past several months, beautiful hues of gold and shady pale greens which is lovely paired with rich creams, natural wood and crisp whites. The windows let in much light and the trunks of the mature Elms and Pines with the gardens beyond are quite wonderful to look out onto. The leaves on the trees, plants and lawn are a brilliant green this time of year.

I have enjoyed studying this piece of land, creating paths where whole lawns used to be, planting herbs, vegetables and sunflowers. A magical woodland garden has emerged in the lower front area. When I am in this wooded and mossy wonder, it reminds me of walking on Monhegan Island in the Cathedral Woods.

When two people come together and set up a home, it can be a challenge. I am happy to report we have blended our stuff and lives together quite nicely. Our home is comfortable and reflects both of us, our interests, families, travels and the things we love best. Our home is happy, sunny and cozy. All is right with the world.


I have put together a slide-show of some of the rooms.

Families and the Graduation Ritual...

Late Spring is the time of year when we celebrate our children and friends as they graduate from Middle School, High School, College and Graduate School. I love the circle of life, it continues to go round and round, never seeming to end. I always get a little catch in my throat watching all of the attendees at these events. I like to check out these proud Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters and Moms & Dads at these affairs. It truly delights me that the families show up always clapping and cheering the graduates on, year after year. I think about the parties and dinners or lunches that they will be sharing after the commencement is over. This tradition is time honored, I think, because it gives our young people the ballast to go forth and create their own lives and work knowing they have the full support of their families behind them. The most important component in our life is “family” and the understanding, that it really does take a village of folks to move each one of us forward to that next level in our lives.

We just returned from a “Graduation Adventure” for Sabrina, the daughter of my partner Neil Shankman. She graduated with honors from the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley. What a terrific several days, his three grown children, Conor, Cody, Sabrina and her partner Andrew were a delight. We roamed around town, ate amazing food and explored the campus all the while listening to stories and insights about Berkeley and journalism. Later in the trip we hung out with Sabrina’s Mom and her family. Lovely. Wow, this is the age of integrated families and lifestyles and the Shankman’s do it well. I think it is more important than ever to try to be flexible, open and giving during these family events, well all the time really. It makes for smooth sailing and a future filled with other harmonious family gatherings.

Click on arrow to view slideshow.
Congratulations to all of the graduates and the families who have supported their endeavors, Spiritually, Financially and Emotionally. Good job.
Life is good and our children are a gift.

Some thoughts on photographing your family event.

I believe it is important to document the moments that mark the milestones of our lives. This is an important moment in time, not only for your loved one but also for the entire family.
Here are a few tips for organizing and being prepared to get those perfect shots.
Make sure your camera or handheld video camera has batteries and is in good working order.
Take the time to think about the kind of shots you want to record, before the big event. Why? Because you can be thinking about those intimate family shots that integrate the young and the old. Take a moment and think about who you would like in separate shots and of course where you will stage the ever popular group shots.
When you are considering your photographic approach think about the finished product. Do you want images to print and frame, post on Facebook, or put into an album? Will you be using some type of photo-share site such as Photobucket or Fliker ? If you haven’t used this service for sharing photos, there is no downside. You can easily create a free account and then upload the images to your album. You can then send to everyone on your list, it is that easy. Whatever your finished goal will be, you do need to consider your future use and options, before you click the shutter on your camera.
It is also important to remember to let folks know when you are taking a picture. This simple courtesy prevents closed eyes, opened mouths and folks generally not paying attention and not looking their best and everyone deserves the opportunity to look as great as possible. Lastly, what could be better than seeing the look of joy, relief and a sense of accomplishment on the shining faces of all the graduates who collectively have achieved the honor and title of “Graduate”. Priceless.

Setting Up a New Home...

Time flies when you are in transition. It seems that for the past few years when Spring rolls around I am compelled to move to a different location. In 2007 I moved from the "Blue Door Church" to my other home in Bath, Maine (which has since sold!). Then in 2008 a big move to Charlotte, North Carolina. Oh my, what an incredible year and quite an adventure. I loved living high up on the 24th floor in the Airee, it was my "Magic Year". A time filled with reflection, Art, fun folks, extraordinary family, adventure and ending in love, (which brought me back to Maine). Yes, magic indeed. It was great to gain perspective on life and figure out what the next several decades could be filled with! I was inspired to start painting again. I painted 24 pieces last year and am currently showing my work in a gallery in Charlotte.
I have been slowly moving into the home I now share with my partner, Neil. It is lovely space. We started the process last Autumn and now as of last week I live totally in Topsham, Maine. I have engineered our space for casual living and entertaining. We integrated the fabulous 1930's Magic Chef stove, which started it's journey in Malibu and now is folded into the kitchen of this 1799 home. Perfect. We will be cooking and entertaining with that stove for years to come.
Neil's Law office is also on the property and we recently completed the build-out, but that is a whole story for another day!
It is wonderful to be in this space, physically, emotionally and spiritually and it is exactly comfortable on all levels.



After setting up this house I have found "Home" and am so happy to be here.





So, readers, thanks for being patient during my "mini" hiatus. I am back and will be posting Home, Design and Lifestyle articles once again. Check back and see what's up.
I will be documenting the new gardens and the progress of my new "Home Laboratory".
By the way, this is my #101 article written for this blog which I started in December of 07!
Thanks!
KDB

Orchids, Easy As 1, 2, 3...

I am a fan of Orchids and once you figure out how SIMPLE they are
to grow, you will be too. There are a long list of Orchids that are
not only easy to care for but easily purchased. You can walk into almost any Grocery Store and find them sitting in the flower department waiting for you to take them home. I also find my Orchids at Big Box Superstores and the occasional Nursery. Orchids are mass produced and relatively inexpensive. Typically I will pay 15-20 dollars for an Orchid. I expect them to bloom for several months, they never disappoint me.
Here is the deal, they love morning sunshine or a bright, bright light filled room. In nature they grow in steamy jungles attached to sides of trees, catching streams of sunshine and rain filtered through the canopy of leaves from above. The best part is this, at home the only required effort is to put them in the sink every few weeks, soak them with warm water and gently water the leaves. The rest of the time they hang out just enjoying the day and look lovely. I have never had bug problems or mysterious die backs. I believe it is because I do not "over love" them, I give them their space and pay attention to them only a few times a month. They are the perfect choice if you travel and like to come home to flowering beauties.
My favorites are Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchids), Cymbidiums and Oncidiums. All are hardy, inexpensive and beautiful.
My Orchids bring me joy every day.
When they are not blooming I put them together in long cachepots so they can rest and recharge. The best part of resting is 6 months later when they burst back into bloom. Oh happy day!
Give Orchids a try you will be happy you did.
To learn more, click here.

Golden Light, Liquid Gold...

I love a good project, especially one that has such fine bones.
The foyer is south facing and the light pours in most of the day, heaven. The space also features warm hued pumpkin pine floors, a warm and creamy yellow trim and a stairwell that is worthy of Scarlett O'Hara. Yes good bones indeed. The challenge was to pull it all together, add carpet to the stairs and a color that would reflect the history (the home was built in the early 1800's) and help to make the space sing with warmth, color and sophistication.

The carpet on the stairs is a palette of rich gold and creams, is wool and features a classic and timeless design. Perfect and it also helps with the overall "glow factor". The color chosen for the walls is a rich caramel with a satin finish, from Sherwin Williams, I love their paint colors and finishes. Often times they have sales and it is a good idea to shop during the sales as it can be a substantial savings more paint for your buck! Paint is now "Green" which is a good thing however it can be a pricey investment.

Adding a few well chosen pieces of art and sculpture help to keep the space peaceful and well appointed, yet livable, approachable and above all warm and friendly.

Family, Friends and a Feast...

Thanksgiving Celebration. The food? Wonderful. The table arrangements? Fabulous. My favorite part? Everyone who gathers around that very special table. I love to listen to their stories. I like to think of all of the Thanksgiving Dinners each person has been a part of since they were young.


Collectively when each of us sits down for the big dinner we bring our own traditions and memories with us.



I think of how many folks are no longer with us and the love and camaraderie we have shared with so many friends, family and neighbors over the decades. Time moves quickly and it brings tears of joy and a bittersweet note to my memories of this special day of sharing, breaking of bread and just being. I was blessed to be able to have a dinner made by my Mother, she loves to get up early and make the stuffing and cook the Turkey. My darling sister hosted this years celebration. It was lovely, of course. We set the table, cut a few boughs of Magnolia Leaves, such a glossy green with that fabulous copper underside, we then mixed in a sprigs of variegated euyonomous and added a bit of ribbon for color and for good measure added a few antique Czech birds. We had the pleasure of a sunny almost 70 degree day and some wonderful moments hanging out on the sun-drenched veranda. Lovely. I hope your day was as beautiful.

PS:Prayers to dear Niki who passed away today, she is my brother-in-laws mother and grandmother to my nephews, Geoff and Zachary. We received the news at supper. Warren was surrounded by a table of family and friends who love him. Life is a circle.

Thanksgiving Traditions ...

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is filled with camaraderie, beautiful table settings and the some of the most lovingly prepared food of the year. I have always loved the annual ritual of catching up with friends and family.

When I was a girl, my Mother hosted legendary Thanksgiving dinners. Relatives from both sides of the family regularly attended. The list of guests always included great grandmothers, ancient aunts, grandparents, uncles, cousins, babies and friends as well as assorted orphans who had nowhere else to go. A truly memorable and predictable scene was an elderly Uncle who showed up with a pie carrier, which he designed and built himself. His tradition was to spend the several days before Thanksgiving making pies. Oh, they were yummy. Ahhh, I sigh when I remember the feeling of goodness associated with this magic day.

When I became an adult I continued the Thanksgiving tradition. For years my husband and I hosted dinners of up to 50 people. It was fun, fun , fun. I know it sounds like a set up for everything to go wrong and be a disaster, but it never was, it was always a four day, joyful, weekend adventure. We relived this tradition for over a decade at our farm in Malibu, California. We usually had our dinner at tables set up under a 500-year-old oak tree that shaded the back patio. The day was always golden. Lovely sunshine with a few puffy clouds and the sound of chickens clucking in the distance mixed with laughter and the clinking of wine glasses.
Yes, Thanksgiving perfection.

Last year I had an even dozen at the table, it was indoors, lovely and fun. Maine does not offer the outdoor dining experience as late into the year as Malibu. This year my sister in North Carolina is hosting the big celebration. I believe there will be a dozen folks, all coming together for shared laughter, storytelling and an amazing meal.

Since I am a guest this year I started thinking about bringing a side dish that is elegant and does not require oven space. The kitchen activity is always at a breakneck pace for the last 20 minutes before the meal is served. With this in mind I have decided I will bring a fresh, organic and interesting salad. I will take it out of the fridge 1 hour before the meal to bring it up to room temperature and add the dressing just before it is ready to be served.
I am a fan of simple greens such as Arugula, Baby Romaine or even an Herb Salad mix. I will toss in some almonds, a bit of dried blueberries, some sliced mushrooms, and some homemade croutons. Later when I dress the salad I will use a light homemade vinaigrette composed of olive oil, herb vinegar, (my special stash) some fresh cut basil and a bit of fresh parsley, some pepper with a generous amount of ground garlic. This dressing is simple, fresh and a perfect addition to all of the other traditional dishes.


Enjoy this special holiday and take a moment to remember what you are thankful for. At our family table we always have each person stand up and share with the group what they are thankful for during this past year. It is a wonderful tradition. Bon Appetite.