Pretty Posts to ponder, part IIII

Posted by Mr Wong at 4:54 AM 0

Happy Saturday morning to you!! What are you up to this weekend? I am doing some volunteer work today, then having dinner with friends and tomorrow we are off to PA. for a tournament for my son. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend. I love to periodically put up some favorite posts from various bloggers who for one reason or another posted something that really caught my attention and that was worth keeping and sharing with you. 
Below is my most recent list of posts that I enjoyed enough to visit again and again. I think you will agree that they are indeed 'keepers". Blogging and navigating through blogland can easily take up many many hours, so consider this a ride through in full gear at breakneck speed and only stopping at the best of the best!! There are so many more posts I have in my little treasure box of "keepers", that I will share in my coming "posts to ponder" but for now, these are some of my recent favorites...hope you will check them out and let the blogger know if you enjoyed it too, its always so wonderful for us bloggers to hear from readers!! Enjoy!
Before we begin because I know everyone loves to see whats on the minds of 'those in the know', here are the finalists for this weeks "which would you choose"! I am happy to say two that I loved made it in the roundup, but truly in my eyes they each had something very special. Thanks to all of you for participating and to answer someone who asked if they emailed me their answer, does it "count" and the answer is yes, it most certainly does:)
1ST PLACE  By an overwhelming vote...boy this one won so many people over! With 74 whopping votes!!

2nd place lagging quite far behind but with a respectable 34 votes

3rd place with 27 votes

4th place with 17 votes

5th place with 14 votes each

Thanks for participating!! Until next weeks, "which would you choose".......

And now for your viewing pleasure, sit back, grab another cup of coffee, give yourself a little time to go through these wonderful posts, something for every one of your senses!!

IVY CLAD....a picture perfect post of beautiful old world interiors in white, breathtaking!!
http://www.ivyclad.com/2011/10/inspiration-in-white.html

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STONE GABLE Talk about a gorgeous tea party, sooo beautiful!!

http://stonegable.blogspot.com/2011/10/autumn-high-tea.html

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THE FRENCH TANGERINE....beautiful highlights from a fabulous store in Napa Valley!

http://www.thefrenchtangerine.com/2011/10/napa-valley-vintage-home.html

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CASTLES, CROWNS AND COTTAGES...Want to get swept away in a dream?
http://wwwcastlescrownscottages.blogspot.com/2011/11/look-up.html

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TG INTERIORS BLOG....you can never get enough blue and white inspiration!
http://tginteriors.blogspot.com/2011/10/blue-and-white-jar.html

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PARTY RESOURCES ...always dreamt of having a party in a barn! You must see this...
http://partyresources.blogspot.com/2011/11/party-details-dinner-and-concert-in-our.html
____________________________________BELCLAIRE HOUSE...This might be the ultimate beach house!
http://belclairehouse.blogspot.com/2011/10/lulus-listing-la-jolla-ca.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BelclaireHouse+%28Belclaire+House%29

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DESIGN THE JOURNEY, Yes its past Halloween but you have to see these, for next year!
http://designthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/10/so-this-weekend-i-took-little-break.html#comment-form

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ACQUIRED OBJECTS..a beautiful post on antique tapestries, breathtaking!

http://acquiredobjects.blogspot.com/2011/10/stitching-room-togethertapestries.html

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PROVIDENCE INTERIOR DESIGN...gorgeous lantern inspiration!

http://providenceltddesign.squarespace.com/process/CreateJournalEntryComment?moduleId=9323625&entryId=10312747&finalize=true

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VIGNETTE DESIGN...want to go to Tuscany? Click here!

http://vignettedesign.blogspot.com/2011/10/armchair-traveler-goes-to-tuscany.html

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PINE CONES AND ACORNS...for a Carrot cake too good to not make!

http://pineconesandacorn.blogspot.com/2011/10/happy-monday-fabulous-carrot-cake.html?

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NINE AND SIXTEEN...A dreamy bedroom makeover!

http://nineandsixteen.blogspot.com/2011/11/our-bedroom-before-after-finally.html?

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STRICTLY SIMPLY STYLE...for a great how to on being a calm hostess!!

http://strictlysimplestyle.blogspot.com/2011/10/holiday-entertaining-prep-now-relax.html?

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PETAL SWEET BLOG..Just because I am in total awe of her cakes!!

http://petalsweet.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

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THE PAPER MULBERRY, because rust has never looked so beautiful!

http://thepapermulberry.blogspot.com/2011/10/rust.html

Do hope you enjoy them.....I am nearly certain you will! Let me know if you had a favorite and wishing everyone a truly wonderful weekend!!

Creamy Whites

Posted by Mr Wong at 4:15 AM 0

Hello Everyone,

      Speaking of creamy whites we received a good dusting of the white stuff last night. I did hear a chance of flurries but I was surprised to see the ground white when I got up this morning. It is a little reminder that winter is coming and it is time to get those outdoor chores done!

  I have been making some little  changes around here, as I seem to do every year at this time, and I thought you might like to see what I was up to.Since our home is going to be on a 'Homes for the Holidays" tour I like to get an early start on my decorating. This year, as in the past our little garden cottage becomes the Christmas Cottage and I am thinking of a creamy white theme.So I have put away the summery dishes and gathered up some of my creamy whites to display in the little corner cupboard that my husband built for me.

   

So I am giving you a sneak preview today.

Winter whites above from last years photos. I have decided against having a separate Christmas blog this year
due to time restrictions. I suddenly realized that I was having a hard enough time to keep one blog going let alone two! However, I look forward to having lots of  Christmasy posts here soon.

Visit Hakan here for Show Off Saturday.

Enjoy your weekend!

Carolyn

Blessings!

Posted by Mr Wong at 4:59 PM 0

Hello everyone.

     It is a happy day here for our family as our little grandson Lucas has been accepted into the drug trial in Montreal that offers hope of slowing down the muscle wasting that is part of  duchenne muscular dystrophy that he was diagnosed with 4 years ago. I know many of you have been praying for him and I want to say a big THANK YOU to all who remembered him in prayer.
     Lucas and his Mama will be flying from the Island(P.E.I.) to Montreal every week for a year.  Lucas will get his treatments and be closely monitored during the trial. We pray that this drug will help Lucas and the other boys in the trials around the world. We pray the drug will pass the safety standards and improve  the boys quality of life..

    We are  thankful  so many people around the world  remembered Lucas and his family in prayer and hope that you will continue to pray for them.

    It was wonderful to hear that after Lucas completed his walk test he ran to his mother and jumped into his Mama's arms and smothered her in kisses-he was so proud of himself! This dear child has been blessed with a sunny personality and enjoys his life to the fullest.

We are so thankful our prayers have been answered in the way we had hoped for, and that God gives us  the strength to go through the trials and tribulations of life.

I hope you too are counting your blessings!

Thank you again and enjoy your weekend.

Carolyn
p.s.  My daughter and I are organizing a Christmas House tour for DMD on Dec. 10th for anyone local that would like to attend. Our house and little garden cottage will be on the tour as well as three other beautiful homes. I will be decorating early this year so I will soon be sharing that with you soon-you know I love the Christmas season!

Red

Posted by Mr Wong at 1:05 PM 0

I have seen a few blog post lately about painted doors.  Inside doors and outside doors.

My front door is RED.  You might remember two years ago when we bought this house, doing a post on the painting of my front door, here.

I was just wondering....what color is your front door?

Welcome Home,

Penny

Which would you choose?

Posted by Mr Wong at 3:58 AM 0

Good morning!! First a few things...... May I just say that once again, I feel so blessed to have such an amazing group of people following my blog! I know I keep gushing but  I just have to let you know!!   Your comments and emails yesterday just melted my heart, and I truly mean that, your support and friendship is amazing and certainly validates what I do and why I do it. 
Second, onto my knob dilemma from yesterday, I knew by days end that it would make me crazy to have this nagging doubt that they were too big, I mean they almost looked like small doorknobs! So off they came and they are boxed up and ready to go back today and I will wait for the right size. I get hung up on these things so know I did the right thing. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT!!!!
For those who wanted the oatmeal cookie recipe, click here and scroll to bottom of post. You will not be sorry (but proceed at your own risk as they are very good)!
To anonymous posters, I have NO problem with someone expressing their point of view and that is why I allow anonymous posters which many bloggers do not but I will not tolerate nor let it go unnoticed when someone is mean spirited or unusually judgemental. If you do not like my blog, what I like, what I am doing or anything about me or my blog you do not need to come here, period. This is who I am, this blog is an honest representation of myself and what excites me and what I love in life.  There is a blog for everyone as there are millions....so when I see a blog that is not for me for whatever reason, I move on. You know how it goes "you don't have something nice to say you just don't say it". That's how I was brought up. That said, if you want to "play nice" then you are more than welcome!! Here's a "free pass".......

Now onto the fun part.......
Its that time again...you know the drill. And its a continuation from that wonderful Tapas dinner party you just gave, you know the one you slaved over last week...... Everyone ate to their hearts content, you utterly amazed all of your adoring guests who are now urging you to either open up your own tapas catering company or at the least write a book, yep you were that big of a hit! Perhaps working in a sumptuous kitchen helped just a little :)
Its now time to relax a bit and some of your guests have chosen to go to the library after dinner,  to hang out with a a glass of brandy or port, have a second piece of dessert and continue the lively conversation with your guests.  A library is a room that most of us equate with a roaring fire, loads of captivating and well read books, maybe a great rug and a room that oozes coziness and warmth. At least that's what I think of when I think of a library. 
So.....here we go, time to choose your library. Certainly something for everyone, big and grand, cozy and intimate, more modern or transitional or ultra old world and traditional. You have earned this much needed break to prop up your feet with an after dinner drink and its time to gloat in all the accolades over your fabulous tapas dinner and why not....you have earned every minute of it! So kick off those shoes, get cozy, and decide which you will be chilling out in. So which will you choose for this next part of the evening?
CHOICE 1

CHOICE 2

CHOICE 3

CHOICE 4

CHOICE 5

CHOICE 6

CHOICE 7

CHOICE 8

CHOICE 9

CHOICE 10

CHOICE 11

CHOICE 12

CHOICE 13

CHOICE 14

CHOICE 15

CHOICE 16

Certainly not a bad choice here, and as usual I cannot wait to see what all you style setters select as your favorite. I will surely post the top four rooms in a post over the next few days!! Enjoy your day and can't believe its Friday!! Happy weekend to each and every one of you.

first friday flea markets are back!

Posted by Mr Wong at 1:57 PM 0

Our First Friday Flea Markets are back and we are so excited!   Just like last year we have lots of amazing local vendors selling jewelry, fresh flowers and vegetables, small paintings, quote frames and more!  And, of course, we will have coffee and donuts for you to enjoy as you stroll through all the loveliness.  We have just loaded up our sale room with great finds for 60% off and since we are feeling ever-so-nice, we decided all apparel will be 20% off tomorrow only.  And, lastly, this month we are also doing a raffle for anyone who just stops by and says "hi!" - so come and see us!

All Good Things Must Come To An End

Posted by Mr Wong at 6:02 AM 0

We had our first below freezing temperatures earlier this week.  So I picked the last of the peppers in the garden.

Just what do you do with 30 peppers?  Well I sauteed them, along with some onions and put them in small bags and placed them in the freezer.

I will use them this winter on homemade pizzas, Italian sausage sandwiches, in soups and pasta dishes, omelette's, fritatta's and more.

In the middle of winter, when I am dreaming of my potager looking like this....

Instead of how it looks today, like this....

That patch of green in one of the raised beds are peas.  They are just starting to get pea pods, so we have been covering them every night....Hopefully we will have fresh peas in a week.  Then that will be the end of the garden for 2011.

Welcome Home,

Penny