::Lime in the coconut::

Whoops I did it again…..Lampapalooza.

2012-01-27T08:06:00.002-05:00

Another trip to my local habitat store

and I found yet ANOTHER lamp I apparently needed.

This one is HUGE and HEAVY…and I have no clue what to do with it… sigh.

My first thought was to use it outside in our covered area by the pool

But in bringing it home, the shade was ruined…it was fugly anyway…but now another shadeless lamp is at our casa.

What would you wise and savvy folks do

hmmmm?

It does need a taller harp for sure

Half gallon of milk to give you an idea of size….

Ooooh….and do you love the Swiss Army blanket I picked up too???

I do!

So give a girl a hand…suggestions…ideas….ever seen a lampapalooza like this?

Lets skip down memory lane together and take a peek at the other Habitat lamp *finds* I have dragged home

shall we?

The above water bottle lamp was transformed last year…remember it here

…This not so little brass guy was rescued from Habitat

The guy above…hiding behind the paperwhites…just needed a new shade and some love. 5 bucks.

…Then there is this little lady.

Dayum…I have lit up the casa with some Habitat Lighting…

who Knew?

Support your local Habitat for Humanity

…go buy a light for Heaven’s sakes.

Projects for a long weekend…

2012-01-16T09:29:00.003-05:00

So…With paint brush in hand…I have a lofty goal of panting all of our windows black.

maybe not all this weekend

but it is a goal

before…yucky ugly metal on guest house

My plan is to also paint our house…again, not this long weekend…but this year…

I am looking at a classic hacienda white

Inspiration pics from pinterest

While I painted and dreamed…I also got a call…ran out…and spent the rest of the day and night helping a new baby into the world…

Others…not so motivated,…

Held down

The fort…

*sigh*

Color suggestions?

Motivational speeches for the Big Black Dog?

….Come with me…

2012-01-08T10:03:00.004-05:00

In this new year of 2012…to Palm Springs California…if you would

To a beautiful little boutique hotel

the Korakia Pensione

Nestled at the base of Mt San Jacinto

This Mediterranean/Moroccan retreat was built in the 1920’s as an artists studio

and has been beautifully cultivated into a

romantic and dare I say, Sexy, hotel...

It has meandering candle lit paths…pools and fountains throughout the property

At once aged….yet hip.

Weekends are reserved for morning yoga.

The rooms are peaceful

white…uncomplicated

Maybe 2012 won’t be half bad.

Whose in??

Visit it here

Continuation…

2011-12-30T06:14:00.003-05:00

Year's end is neither an end

nor a beginning…

but a going on

with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.

~Hal Borland, Outdoor writer

May the year 2012 meander in with grace...

A Chocolate Christmas gift for you…

2011-12-24T18:01:00.005-05:00

While the chocolate hazelnut Nutella

cake is cooling

And our traditional Christmas Eve fondue Bourguignon is awaiting…with umpteen delectable sauces

I thought I would gift you with the most wonderful recipe.

It truly tastes like it is from a European Bakery

Fine chocolate, cognac, hazelnuts…

D I V I N E

Nutella Cake with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache
Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Cake:
6 large eggs, separated
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 13-ounce container Nutella
1 tablespoon cognac or brandy

1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and
cooled

Ganache:
4 ounces whole hazelnuts
1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon cognac

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl (preferably metal),
whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff. In another bowl, cream the butter and Nutella, then add
the cognac, egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts. Fold in melted chocolate.

Add a blob of beaten egg whites to the chocolate batter, and mix gently until well-combined. Fold in the remaining whites, one-third at a time, very gently but thoroughly. Pour into springform and bake for 40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting tester, which should come out mostly clean; lightly pressing finger into top to check for a slight bouncing-back; and observing edges beginning to separate from pan. Let cool completely, in pan, on a rack.

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet, or toaster oven shaking them around frequently. Do it for about 4 minutes, or until they are lightly browned, then let cool completely. If hazelnuts came with skins on, put them in a towel after toasting and rub around; this will remove most of the skins.

Chop chocolate, and add to sauce pan with half and half and booze over medium-low heat. Once chocolate is melted and components are combined, whisk until mixture reaches desired thickness, then cool. Remove rim of cake pan and pour cooled ganache over, spreading lightly to create a smooth, shiny surface, and apply hazelnuts all over.

Rich and heavenly…what Christmas is all about!

To all of my blog readers and friends.May your

Christmas or Hanukkah include some chocolate

and LOTS of LOVE.

Love Me.

Last two images from google…mine is not ready to pour the ganache on yet...slurp.

Christmas cheat alert…

2011-12-22T14:15:00.002-05:00

So…If you don’t happen to have a mantle for stockings

and you have stockings santa needs to find

ya make one…

Out of tropical's from the yard, lights and candles and an old credenza.

Merry Tropical Christmas…

from our Casa to yours!

Martha and I have the same nativity…

2011-12-20T05:58:00.002-05:00

who knew?

Ok…maybe hers is a tad more decorated...and lovely

Ok…maybe hers isn’t under a cigarette smoking Buenaventura…

and hers probably wasn’t made by a sweet older friend who passed away several years ago

and could hug you like nobodies Grandma. miss ya Eleanor!

But let me revel in my teensy kinda not but sort of ish

Martha moment.

Carry on.

Images: straight from Martha herself

Form follows function…

2011-12-18T21:16:00.002-05:00

So…apparently

The family…who happen to like sitting down to a meal together…

Don’t so much appreciate

My decorating skilz

When it happens to effect where they can put their plate down.

Form follows function.

yeah…

not so much.

A Christmas peek into our humble casa…and a wish for YOU

2011-12-15T10:38:00.002-05:00

Wishing you Peace…

a little bit of glitter…

A little bit of green…

And lots of love…

Ya know…It’s funny…

2011-12-12T22:50:00.002-05:00

Some of you were looking forward to seeing our tree…

However, Like many…our tree is not so much decoration…

But family history.

look at that angelic golden face…carefully crafted 20 years ago…

It is the little hand crafted…Paper crumpled, pieces that are THE most cherished

The ones that don’t match…but were created by little hands

that grew. and grew.

and now some 20 something years later….truly are more important than any hand blown artisan glass.

And these are opened so carefully by all of us

because now, even the creators recognize how fragile and special they are.

each year ... put in the special boxes at the bottom of the bin with care

knowing they won’t last forever. what does?

THIS is our Christmas tree.

celebrating the growth. The beauty and the fragility of each passing year.

Maybe not ‘pretty’… to some

But so full of life….our lives.

Beautiful to us. To me.

yep. Baby shoes. first baby shoes. 16 years later. Exactly where they belong.

A celebration of us. Of growth.

Of change...

that is maybe postponed for one more glittery, beautiful season.

Opening hearts.

Getting the Christmas tree today…

2011-12-11T08:47:00.002-05:00

Yippee

First we need to wrestle the boxes of decorations out of the barn…

Have you flocked your tree with faux snow?

I dunno if we will use white or colored lights this year

….You?

Off we go…

Images: pinterest (last one our front door “tropical” wreath)

You know it is Christmas season when…

2011-12-01T09:57:00.002-05:00

The bulbs start reaching up

Merry December 1st!

Little Green Notebook….luv ya!

2011-11-28T21:17:00.002-05:00

What a treat to come home and find my err... our Living room on Jenny in the hoods' blog

The Little Green Notebook.

I mean come on…who hasn’t dreamed of picking up and moving to a loft in NYC with beautiful family in tow… like Jenny did?

Can’t be just me. right? right?

Anyway….Oy. I think I kinda hate seeing my rooms in “print” …blog print. you get it right?

Do other folks 185 lb Great Danes mush down their furniture just so? No? thought so.

Thanks Jenny in the hood.

You are good. Jenny in the hood.

ok. done.

Colors of thanksgiving weekend early in the morning at our casa…

2011-11-27T10:16:00.003-05:00

It’s lazy. We have had turkey in many forms. Soup tonight.

The birds are singing outside…the windows are wide open…the sun is rising

Tomorrow… Kids are back at school. Work ensues.

…and for now… I cannot seem to remove myself from my well worn chair in my well worn room.

While the breezes blow.

two fave paintings…Hudson river painter George Inness towards the end of his career

and two of four of my favorite kidlets…how does the time fly?

Enjoy the last of your thanksgiving weekend.

May warm breezes blow for you.

::Abundantly Thankful::

2011-11-24T09:29:00.001-05:00

Happiest of Thanksgiving to you and yours!

::PHEWWW::

2011-11-22T21:36:00.002-05:00

So…when your computer…..and router… and all the computers and phones in the family

and maybe the entire neighborhood

go down…

And your IT person aka the hubs

is more than 9 time zones away…

Your kinda stuck….reading books…

and other cerebral things you used to do before you were so, uh, connected.

Mashed potatoes….I love you so. sorry. couldn't resist the pic.

But now I’m back…and sneaking in your back door to check out your goods. umhm.

Checkin’ out your goods.

OW.

Never mind me. apparently excited to be connected again.

Thanks IT guy.

OW!

Images: Pinterest

Morbidly lacking things to blog about…

2011-11-13T13:07:00.003-05:00

Ooooh but I do need to tell you about a great book I just read…Funny and poignant,

literarily articulate and warmly down to earth.

Fellow blogger Liz Owen from Mabel’s house wrote her Memoir of learning to love what you have…

along the way seeking just a tad of revenge on her literary heroes…

If you own a house…have had projects implode before your very eyes…and share space with a fur friend…

read it…you’ll love it

find it here.

I am also re-reading Anne Morrow Lindberg’s ‘A Gift From The Sea’

and, yes…I use a magnifying glass to read…sometimes

Don’t cha love this one?

Give you a dollar if you can inspire me...

The reality is…

2011-11-03T10:12:00.002-04:00

I don’t style. I plunk.

and as far as careers for plunker’s….Nill.

Hell…I don’t even pick up most of the time.

so when I want to take a pic of a whole room….It is often hard. And not so pretty

Not to mention…this is the leftover room. Once dining room. Once library. Now office/junk collector room.

you have one. no?

The down loveseat never sold (for 35 clams!) at our garage sale...

so I slip covered it in linen…and threw it in the “room”

The arms have other material thrown on them ‘cause the big black dog sneaks up there…and yes…slobbers.

This is my reality. styled. HA!

This is a rug I pulled in from the kitchen….It’ll go back.

It is embarrassed being seen in this shot.

gulp.

Plunking. Not such a good thing.

work in progress…

2011-10-29T08:53:00.002-04:00

I’m not bashful…I’ll let you see my “work”

…still workin’.

maybe later today I’ll show you finished pics.

Painting a wall blue today…indigo… marine… navy…

2011-10-23T19:30:00.000-04:00

Off to buy the paint…more later…

**top pick is another sneak peak...I'm done. I like.

show ya more later...

A seashell full of fall…

2011-10-20T21:52:00.002-04:00

So…we do fall a little differently around

these parts.

A’yep.

Chicken soup to soothe the soul…

2011-10-16T16:51:00.002-04:00

The flu has reared it’s ugly head in our casa…

And the first thing I always do when this happens… is make a big pot of homemade

Chicken noodle soup

….it cures what ail's ya.

Making it through the years I realize that I have learned from family and friends how

to steep this magical elixir of a broth. I swear it cures.

I always start with a whole organic chicken…which I place in a stock pot with

one or two onions…slice ‘em in half…leave the skin on my hubs taught me that.

3-4 carrots…washed, not peeled.

about 4 inches of the end of a clump of celery

a whole clump of garlic. ok…I know clump isnt the word. can’t think. clump works for my brain. just slice it in half so all of those little cloves can share their flavor

leave the skin on…again...like my hubs says.

Throw in any fresh herbs you have…I didn't have any see previous post of swamp like flooding. But bay leaves and thyme are nice additions.

Next peel a rutabaga. I grew up calling them turnips. And I might add I refused to eat said turnips every Thanksgiving. I think my brothers did too. clearly a silent protest.

But…Tyler Florence told me to add them to soup stock… and by gum…they DO flavor it beautifully. Plus, turnips are good. Turnips are life force. That’s precisely what one needs to fight off the flu.

power to the turnip!

you do need to peel the skin…but just slice in half and let it mingle with everyone else.

Add some whole pepper corns…fill with water to cover the chicken…and simmer away…for hours.

Pull out the chicken and let it cool…shred with your fingers discarding the skin and bones. Set aside.

Then strain the broth from the veggies…some say you can then puree the veggies and add them to the stock. I have a big Black Dog who happens to love them and a bit of stock and skin added to his dinner. He has never had the flu.Ever. See.

THIS is the elixir. The broth.

Next chop an onion and several carrots and some celery and some peeled parsnips my daughters favorite and saute in some olive oil. Sizzle.

Add stock and squeeze in the juice of a half of a lemon. My old boss Toni taught me this.

Let it all steep until veggies are soft. salt and pepper to taste.

Now... my friend Gail likes to make matzo balls at this juncture. I prefer homemade egg noodles. And if not them, then frozen egg noodles will do the trick quite beautifully.

In the grocery freezer….next to frozen ravioli.

If I am making a lot of soup and want to freeze or keep in the fridge, I only cook as many noodles as I will need to re-heat.

I add the chicken last. Some fresh parsley.

and DARE the dayum flu to hang around.

If you are ailing…or just need a nutritious hug.

Make it.

What do you add to your fave soup recipe?

Rain rain….

2011-10-08T10:53:00.002-04:00

I don’t mind…

snuggled in bed with a great book of images from Bali…

Right as rain.

Yep.

Sunday morning constitutional…

2011-10-02T08:15:00.004-04:00

Waking up early…eyes blury...camera in hand…Big Black dog leading the way through the untamed backyard vegetation

untamed/un-manicured. That is our motto. Kids,Dogs, yards, homes...the WHOLE kaboodle.

first stop: Taste water lily’s

check squirrel insurgents

make sure favorite laying down spot is still there yep…he is in there.

weed a little...

hide a bone. Get tangled in hose. sigh

...taste a little more.

Yard manager.

Have one?

...need one?

going cheap

Another call for help…good folks…

2011-09-22T14:18:00.002-04:00

‘Cause you guys are the bestest! Ok…I have a funky kitchen…ok I admit to having even a weird kitchen. It is scattered with the color red.

Toaster…clock…Hood vent. SCREEEEECH. Yep hood vent.

Tired of red... time for a change. To what though?

It is a metal (think industrial aluminum) hood over an island. It was white (ish) when we bought the house...omg.

Then I painted it fire engine red. Why? I dunno. maybe to go with my red toaster.

so today…I tried to bring it back to it’s industrial roots tried is the operative word…with a silver/aluminum/zinc...ish...kinda look

and It doesn’t quite hit the mark. she humbly admits.

What do you think??? Maybe darker….But will it look hokey with the little cross hatches?

Back to white…Or even try and add a wood veneer over and paint white…kinda like Joan’s stunning kitchen recently featured in Renovation Magazine…homina homina…

What is a girl to do who doesn't want to spend any clams

HELP….PLEASE…..I’ll give you a dollar if you help.

I will.

Kids bath in Kitchen and Bath Magazine…

2011-09-18T12:37:00.002-04:00

In the newstands I found mine waiting in line in Publix grocery store Is the newest edition

of Better Homes and Gardens Kitchen and Bath magazine

One of the features is our kids bathroom.

However…now it is decidedly a HIS bathroom…as the lone girl (willing to no longer share with three brothers) claimed a powder room as hers

Call me crazy, but I always wanted to put a urinal in a kids bath…3 boys…c’mon. Keeping it real.

Huge thank you to Becky the stylist and writer extraordinaire …and to Meredith Magazines for giving two of our bathrooms a little place in print!

Out to look for urinals…seriously.

All in a day’s work…

2011-09-11T19:05:00.006-04:00

Do Y'all (you all)

have that area of your garden you tend to ignore?

We do

we most certainly do

But not anymore.

This area used to be no man’s land…

the end of the highway…

where the backyard ended.

…and other not such niceties

gifts from the sea...gotta love em.

But with a little screw it a lot of sweat equity

some planting, some moving…

It now has a purpose.

sit with a cold corona with a lime kinda purpose…but a purpose just the same.

{maybe you pretend those plastic chairs are a cool retro bamboo version…that’s what I do. pretend.}

We extended the gravel path added some pathway rocks, and looped it around the

Big and Happy Travelers Palm

Did you know they are called travelers palm’s because if one was travelling and perhaps lost, you could cut off a limb and it would contain a canteen full of water. Who knew?

I knew…now YOU do to. We’ll call it Trivia Sunday.

Then we moved some plants around cheap….rolled a big giant pot over and stuck a bamboo drip fountain in it...

A handful of water plants…and maybe a big fake water lily. just being honest.

Not bad for a day or two’s work….

...and some dirt under the nails, eh?

and may I remind you it was over 100 with the humidity...Bow...applause...bow

Thanks to some kidlets and a Grandma B that were pretty good rock and pebble haulers.

Grandma’s got some biceps.

I am remembering…

2011-09-10T10:02:00.004-04:00

Ten years ago… My four kids and I were visiting friends

A sister friend...that everso important person who has been with you through college, and kids and life...one who is a *sister*...when you never had a true sister.

in New York…

The morning of the 11th…we packed up the car us two mothers with seven kids…and went apple picking.

And then we tried to donate blood.

because we didn’t know what to do.

We were in Albany. 2 hours from NYC.

I remember sleeping in a top bunk that night with my arms around my 9 year old. who would shake and cry every time a plane flew over. Jets circled and protected the area all night long.

I slept holding him for 4 nights.

We were scheduled to see my brother that week…and should have been In the city/NJ on the 11th. But I stole more time with my friend in Albany.

As we drove down toward the City two days later…The intensity of emotion was palpable the closer we got. Flags adorned cars, makeshift flags made of bed sheets were being held from the overpasses. Held by NY youth chanting USA.

It was eerie. It was beautiful. It was surreal.

My brother was on Wall Street that morning, ten years ago.

He was able to walk out of the smoking city…but he lost many friends and colleagues.

I remember his steeled jaw, as we stood on a grassy bank in his town, looking across the Hudson River, at the smoldering embers of where he once worked…where so many were lost. He was numb.

I remember the flyers strewn across his small town asking for donations of many things ...including dog food and dog boots for the rescue dogs.

I remember the silence of a whole town who lost so many.

It was a long and quiet drive back to Florida the next week.

The world had changed while we were gone.

I humbly bow my head in remembrance.

From ashes to hope…

9/11/2011

Jumping weather…

2011-08-27T16:09:00.003-04:00

The wind was whistling…

the temp was close to 100

what else to do but jump some bushes and walls

right?

well...so said child number 4...who happens to fear nothing and is preparing for a three day eventing show.

At a stunning barn here in Vero Beach

Sawgrass farms

where the horses are happy….ish I threw in the ish cause nessie aint looking so happy

You can literally eat off the beautiful brick floors

…if you so choose

A chatting room in the barn for discussing your course

evah so comfy!

A wash rack as good as any outdoor shower….yes please.

The money shot…yep.

What did you do while the wind was whistling?

Hoping you held onto your hats and stayed safe from Irene!

When it rains it pours….

2011-08-22T18:55:00.003-04:00

…And when it pours

green stuff grows…

like crazy.

Crinum lily flower

Purple queen growing out oh it’s huge pot, shared with an adonidia palm…

Now a “hobbit entrance” you almost need to duck to get through the gate below.

geesch.

Jasmine vine intertwined with purple heart vine

foxtail asparagus fern…grew a few more tails this past few weeks

Pancake plant Kalanchoe reaching toward the sky.

Crazy bromeliad and orchid growing on an oak tree...notice anything strange??

not that I am complaining or anything…

The elusive blue ginger

Jathropa

Any one wanna help with a machete???

~And a HUGE thanks to the in house IT person who fixed the computer. He knows who he is!~

Take that retrograde!

Dayum you…Mercury.

2011-08-21T19:58:00.002-04:00

So I was all set to post pretties and changes at the ole’ casa

After cleaning the contacts on my malfunctioning camera....and

Screeeeeeeech.

Computer upgrades itself, and I lose everything That I know.

Tears ensue.

They Don’t work.

Lost all photos, all faves and the ability to post photos.

Cry with me.

So…they say… Mercury is in retrograde until August 26th.

Get it together Mercury, Ya giant creep.

I’m pissed…

At 03:50 UT (Universal Time) Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011, Mercury the wise communicator—and universal trickster—turns retrograde at 1°12' Virgo in the sign of the Virgin, sending communications, travel, appointments, mail and the www into a general snarlup! The retro period begins some days before the actual turning point (as Mercury slows) and lasts for three weeks or so, until August 26, 2011, when the Winged Messenger reaches his direct station. At this time he halts and begins his return to direct motion through the zodiac

sigh.

Cleaned the bathroom today…

2011-08-14T12:32:00.002-04:00

I know this piece of info is hard for you to contain your excitement

BUT…

I used a trick I recently saw here…Using half of a grapefruit and salt

...Sprinkle salt on the delectable and juicy grapefruit half liberally

Wet your shower and tile and use the fruit as the scrubber…

one half Grapefruit will do your whole bathroom...seriously

great on the fixtures too.

….And talk about a wake me up fresh smell!

Better than a fresh cuppa Joe.

really.

Try it.

Now off to see if it will tackle the discolored grout in our powder room…..

Citrus….who knew?!

Purple.

2011-08-12T22:16:00.002-04:00

Sometimes a little bit...

hits the spot.

American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana L

Look at the tired old cactus now!

Yep.

‘I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.’

~Alice Walker

Snakeskin table

2011-08-06T04:41:00.003-04:00

As many of you suggested…

I put together a little side table with the “snakeskin” hide

carry on.

Salt water…

2011-07-30T11:05:00.008-04:00

Standing at the salty edge of the ocean… looking out… I always see so much color.

Yet when I look down at my feet the liquid is as clear as gin.

Sometimes I wonder if two of us standing at the same placeand the same time truly even see the same colors the water holds.

Art in the moment…each movement and ripple depicts another color. None the same.I imagine

Water can present a special challenge for artists. Having no consistent shape or color.

It doesn’t reflect light or cast shadows the way solid objects do.

I so admire when artists capture the soul of the ocean.

Surf Baby wave of the future 36x24 acrylic

Florida Artist Marie DeCosta beautifully depicts

different examples of the oceans temperament

…and it’s color…In her work.

Blue Crush 30x40 acrylic on canvas

Sister to landlocked but equally talented designer and shop owner and blogger Maryanne of

Beadboard Upcountry

**and...btw...check out her FAB knitwear trunkshow. I drool!**

Marie finds inspiration in much of nature

A1A Blues 20x16 inches acrylic on canvas

But her Florida tribute

moves my soul.

find more of her work and style here.

Celebrate Wet 18x36 acrylic on canvas

Embrace the heat…

2011-07-23T10:14:00.003-04:00

Like they tend to in Harbor Island Bahamas

Fans whiring lazily…inside and out

Screen doors even open to catch the ocean breeze…

I can hear the creak…and the slam...you?

Palm fronds and fruit off the tree as the only ornamentation…

Maybe a few found shells…a few inspiration pics tacked on a wall. effortlessley

Life is easy breezy here, people.

Yep…Embrace the heat.

See ya on the other side of the warm front.

stay cool.

Images: David Flint Wood for India Hicks

I need some…

2011-07-17T11:53:00.002-04:00

cute little John Derian tray, eh?

So… I get a bee in my bonnet, and try to paint a wall

in our library the color of the ocean

just before the sun rises…

a moody color.

well…as the paint dried it didn’t look like that. blech.

Ignore disheveled books and art and pillows…focus on the color, folks…the color.

It became a happy color…sweet color…

no likey.

Ideas for the color I want?? That gray/green/blue combo I cannot put my finger on.

also…while you are handing out your always fabulous ideas…

what can I do with these leather hides

that look like snakeskin purchased at a garage sale for 6 clams?

Any and ALL input much appreciated….

much.

So…

2011-07-14T10:00:00.002-04:00

Maybe in the scheme of things

our roof

isnt

so bad…

just wonderin’ out loud.

carry on.

Image from pinterest

These muggy days of summer…

2011-07-10T10:15:00.003-04:00

Strolling outside with coffee cup in hand

I am reminded of soooo

much work to do.

thegrassneedsseedingthebananasneedcleaningre-mulchcleanbeds,clearweedstraintreespickfruitOY….

So. I do what any smart soul would do. Turn on my heel and take my coffee back inside.

running.

But along the way back

Maybe I look up

and over

and through

and I slow down

just a tad

Sometimes it seems the ever-increasing list of things to do

can leave one feeling totally undone.

To accepting an undone Sunday

and enjoying the coffee.

Cheers

Ocean dream…

2011-07-07T13:45:00.002-04:00

I recognize, and appreciate how close we live to the Atlantic ocean

But how amazing would it be to

brush your teeth

here……

…and hang out here...

Don’t think I could leave.

more of the home here

To a wonderful weekend…

2011-07-01T06:27:00.003-04:00

Doin’ what you love…

Trying something new…

Little watermelon cubes with balsamic glaze on a basil leave. Easy peasy. now those are just plain fun!

Enjoying YOUR scenery…

and YOUR family and friends…

ok...you have to admit my kidlets are cuuute. and patriotic.

Happy Birthday America!!

Make a wish before you blow out your candles.

Early Saturday musings…

2011-06-25T07:46:00.003-04:00

Up this morning at dark thirty…walking on the beach with a friend

…not solving world issues…per se.

But solving.

Witnessing the sun wake over the liquid blue grey sea.

The air is smoky from nearby fires…the earth is thirsty from lack of rain

a cactus in our front yard is tired and dying

I was to lazy to pull it out…

...and just ignored it in that way you can when life is busy

…until passing by it on the way home from the beach walk this early morning

and noticing life..tons of life…tons of babies.

burgeoning babies

…And this!

‘Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working’

~anonymous

Thank you tired and discouraged cactus

…thank you.

A favorite corner…

2011-06-19T09:53:00.003-04:00

Our glorious 70’s bathroom had a medicine cabinet

like many glorious bathrooms had…

This would be when we moved in…Don't judge.

see it sticking out of the wall…Outside…a door. Inside…little glass shelves inside a plastic box.

When we re-did the bathroom, I knew I still wanted to have a cabinet there.

And as serendipity would have it…I found what was once a mirror…I guess you would open up the doors and the mirror was inside.

Only…the mirror part was broken. so It was just doors and a frame.I got it for a song.

We went to work and cut a large hole in the wall to inset a new medicine cabinet...

That we proceeded to take the door off . just needed the inside.

And then affixed the wooden mirror-less doors on top of the new medicine cab shelves

are ya with me?

Ta-da...still small…but handy…and…uh…unique

and yep...I keep pix of kidlets in there. Doesn't everyone?

A fave little corner.

hey…I don’t need much.

Happy Fathers Day...to a fave father or two

…even though this post has absolutely nothing to do with it!

I’ve said it before…

2011-06-14T07:14:00.004-04:00

gorgeous blue house in Brazil

I LOVE Brazil…and a great blog straight from That amazing country is

My little happy place…

owned and operated by Allison.

I was happy to do a little guest spot on her blog

about things in my casa that just plain make me happy…not including the live things.

it's all about the happy, folks.

Check it out…if you are so inclined...just click on the header above

Have a happy day!

Sweet sweet 16…

2011-06-09T16:23:00.003-04:00

So I celebrated a birthday party with a favorite 16 year old…

I was the lone adult among a cadre of teens

go ahead. weep for me.

I was given the enviable task of staying at the pavillion

guarding assorted ipods,purses,keys...flip flops (??)

while they all went running off into the surf. Gallavanting merrily...

hey…man…

Hours…maybe it was even days went by…

and I sat…and dutifully watched. and watched. and watched

seemingly all of my friends and family were at every other corner of the earth.

I sat alone. sniff.

Finally…they returned….to open some ::cough:: interesting gifts...and others very benevolent...

Later, That evening Some of the girls and I spent the night

in a funky little villa on the ocean

In the morning I peacefully awoke to the sounds of waves

refreshed..rejuvenated…

yeah...so maybe I did call the one bedroom...so?

ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

And took a walk on the beach…and stretched...

Um…

They didn’t. that would be a table their feeties are on

payback is a beeyotch.

~mother of the year award coming soon.~

Happy Birthday my love!

oh…and the kink in your back will be gone by tomorrow. promise.

It is no secret…

2011-06-04T10:15:00.002-04:00

In this house anyway…That I would move to Brazil in a skinny minute…

The few times I have been…I have loved meeting the people, the culture…It is a giant and beautifully diverse country

And in my dreams…If when I lived in Brazil…I would live wild…inhaling the surroundings…I would live here: In a house shaped like a giant leaf…seriously.

The natural shape of a leaf protects the home from hot and humid weather…and the

tropical rains

The tall open spaces can capture the sultry trade winds

I would love to invest in and become a part of the surroundings.Surround myself with water...and swaying palms...and warm breezes. Isn’t that what it is all about when dreaming of beach homes?

Dinner for 14…anyone? Come visit. You are always welcome

Oh the hammocks…and the spiraling architectural details…

Rattan ceilings…

Ok…so maybe I would need a splash of white paint. shhhhhhh.

We all need to step outside of our box once in awhile…and live under a leaf.

Doncha' think?

I guess I could do it here

twist my arm.

Fabulous architecture by Mareines and Patalano.

check their vision out here

And the Wiener…

2011-06-02T09:10:00.002-04:00

Ooops…WINNER…of the Summer Rental Book by Mary Kay Andrews

Terry B…from New Jersey

Come on DOWN!

and send me your email and address….so we can get the signed Hardcover out to you!

Thanks for playin’ kids!

This weekend…a giveaway...

2011-05-28T08:56:00.005-04:00

My only plan is to finish reading

Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews…and dip in the pool when I get hot

and maybe…

let my toes get sandy.

what is on your agenda?

Mary Kay is generously giving away a signed copy of her yet to be released newest Novel

to a Lime in the Coconut reader

So that you can bury your toes in the sand too! She is generous that way…that Mary Kay

It is a fun and perfect summer read…especially for houseaholics like us. Yeah I'm talking to you.

just leave a comment….and a winner will be picked by Wednesday night June 1st at 11:59 pm.

yep. one minute before midnight...

…and because I have recieved some emails that some of you are having a hard time leaving commentsthank you blogger…you can sign in as anonymous…just leave your name and email in the text of the message.

Happy Reading!

Lo and Behold…Our Bath…at Lowe’s!

2011-05-23T05:20:00.001-04:00

So I am at our local Lowes Hardware looking at pink paint…see previous post

and grab a mag…as I wait in line and…

There is our bathroom!

In all of it’s handmade glory

The cashier didn’t seem too interested…::::yawn::::

Even my kids were like…hmm…cool. in a totally non excited voice when I showed them…

then kept on watching baseball. priorities. harumph.

Well…I was excited...

.a big thank you to Better Homes and Garden’s Kitchen + Bath makeovers

and Becky…writer/stylist extraordinaire!

Maybe if I go tell Honey the hamster…I’ll find some excitement.

Because that is how this whole thing started…the little bugger escaped… got caught in the

wall from when we were tearing out the other bathroom

travelled all the way in the wall to the other end of the house…where days later we found

him scratching away at the wall. What could we do? But tear out the wall to save the hamster...

and start creating a new bath. no dummie here

No Hamsters were harmed…Honey went on to live a long (ish) happy life.

Check out the mag…especially if you are doing some re-muddling.

I was told our other bathroom remodel where Honey escaped into... will be in the Winter issue.

Lot's of good make-overs in this issue!

Awaken your inner pink…

2011-05-22T08:10:00.002-04:00

In your garden…

Happy Sunday!

image: Cote maison.fr

2011-05-22T07:37:00.002-04:00

Got space above your kitchen cabinets?

2011-05-19T10:18:00.003-04:00

new way to fill it.

better than fake plants…no?

Carry on.

Image: The Selby

I’m kinda loving these handmade baskets on a wall…

2011-05-15T11:43:00.002-04:00

west elm

Thank Raphael…who made the ones above, with his own hands.

find more beautiful handwork

at the bootstrap project...here

Ikat beauty in turquoise…

ahhh.

Take two….S’pose you found a pair of chairs…Arrrgh blogger is making me NUTS!

2011-05-13T16:30:00.004-04:00

And they were similar {ish} to Milo Baughman

chairs

...and even in this vanilla colored velvet below

Would you cover them in a bright fun color...notice the swatches in the first pic

a la Sally Wheat as Joni of Cote de Texas showed us

Medic!

give me your thoughts…if you’d please…

Ps…said chairs were a whole 7 clams each.

yep.

2011-05-12T13:13:00.001-04:00

Today…

2011-05-10T07:23:00.004-04:00

I would like to be here…

Yep.

You?

Images from: Shorelychicblog and West Elm. thank you.

Women at work…

2011-05-07T17:27:00.007-04:00

At dark thirty in the morning

three generations

of this family's women went to work…

My 82 year old mother…my 15 year old daughter…and moi.

To help construct a Habitat for Humanity home.

With a whole slew of other women from the community.

see the whole line-up of darling homes down the street?…all community built…every nail.

Today it was all women. Sisters, grandmothers, mothers daughters…

Building hope and home for a deserving family.

When the noon whistle blew…the family who we were building for served us lunch

homemade tamales. yum.

thank you Senora Vargas!

We learned, we worked shoulder to shoulder...

We built.

Habitat for Humanity…advocating for

simple, decent

and affordable houses in every community.

Help. Build. Belong.

you won’t be sorry.

Save the Whales…

2011-05-01T12:49:00.003-04:00

So as summer and sun and heat ramble in , It’s time to turn to the cool blues

of water...

I don’t have much blue in this casa…

but am thinking of painting a wall in the den one of these colors of cool water

but I can play around with a few pillows…

and Henry.

He is a whale of rather large proportions of the lightest most diaphanous linen

I love him. you can find one here

But...

I’m just not sure what to do with him

any suggestions?

Then... when you figure that out,

meet my new found friend…

Penelope

Fresh from New Zealand Artist Melina Martin

her lot in life will most likely be a tea towel…

But Henry is far to big and fancy for that.

thoughts?

Color….color…coloriscious…

2011-04-25T20:27:00.005-04:00

The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.
~Marcus Aurelius

I may have mentioned before that I have synesthesia…

a melding of the senses…of sorts.

Words and numbers and letters all have a correlating color

I remember names and places and dates… first by the color or colors

they construe in my mind

and they blend together and form other colors...to keep me on my toes.

When I was introduced to Artist Michelle Armas’s work a few months ago...

I found it compelling. Almost musical in it’s flirtation with color.

She told me that

she also has a cacophony of color swirling around in her own mind

…she too has synesthesia.

“ It is how I do simple math...green plus purple equals black!” says Michelle

makes complete sense to moi.

yep.

So…now I have a happy inducing Armas piece of work in my home.

An Armasm hee

And it has already enjoyed a few different rooms...

I imagine it will keep moving around leaving a happy little wake of color behind.

I have seen her work throughout blogland….Allison at My little Happy Place recently acquired one…

yum

As did Jenny at MFAMB

If you are looking for a shot of color…some happy…a cacophony of thought.

and who wouldn’t...

If you want your own little insider world into synesthesia…

Michelle Armas is generously giving a 15% discount on her Art

to Lime in the Coconut Readers...

just type in COMEBACKSOON when you place an order
here:

Color…what would we do without it?

Seriously?

Happy Easter…

2011-04-24T07:47:00.003-04:00

May Easter’s gentle promise of hope and rebirth

fill your heart with joy…

Church in Rio de Janeiro

weekend finds…

2011-04-17T15:02:00.003-04:00

Another hop over to the local thrift. Yep Habitat.

We found a travertine topped outdoor wicker table… Big.

Heavy…well made….we need to glue back on a few pieces on the edges

Get this…

Ten bucks…I kid you not.

Found a little garden nook…sheathed in blooming jasmine

as it’s current home.

The Jasmine is heady and Intoxicating this weekend…

The Jathropa…decades old…continues to canopy

what we call the “dog path”

The Frangipani blooms with it’s face to the strong sun.

all is well {ish}

well…until we found out how much we owe the Feds. Taxes. Ouch.

What were your weekend finds?

Sometimes…

2011-04-15T06:13:00.002-04:00

Words are not even needed.

Sometimes.

images: Coastal living

Are you feeling it?

2011-04-12T07:38:00.002-04:00

Can you smell the coconut?

Images…just browsing real estate and Architectural digest

Zebra in the jungle…

2011-04-09T15:22:00.002-04:00

It was too beautiful not to work outside today…

So…That is exactly what I did

a little upholstery job…outside

In the ‘jungle’

two wonky stools….years and years of wear

Now wear a new attire of zebra cotton/linen…

I love it because it is a brown bleeding into black…

Jungle Zebra’s…who knew

Actually…they will reside in the Casita…

here…

Happy weekend!

Do you Tulu?

2011-04-05T07:03:00.003-04:00

I Love textiles…the older, the more graphic the better.

I recently brought home a small sweet 90 year old Turkish Tulu rug.

That’s almost 700 years…in Dog years.

Tulu actually means long haired in Turkish…

They were made by mountain nomads

coarsley woven with long goats wool

…often using the natural color.

It is said they were made to be used as mattresses. Oh my back.

this one above via Yarrow155.com

The one below spotted in Elle Decor…

Ours is subtle, and could be used as a rug…or a throw on a chair, bed or sofa…

Not sure where it’s home will be in this casa…

But I most definitely Tulu…

Do you??

I am…

2011-04-02T07:39:00.002-04:00

Off to the market to find some closet storage…

Like This!

wish me luck...

image:Coastal living

Morning respite…

2011-03-27T10:28:00.003-04:00

These mornings…when windows and doors are thrown open

to catch the nighttime breezes

we awaken to the gentle sound of burbling water

coming from a bamboo pot fountain…it has been gently pouring water for years…

through every season.

right outside our living room window in a small courtyard that is mostly ignored

allowed to wander.

There is no pretense…no pretty…just working away. Growing at will.

The ceiling is the untrimmed fuchsia of bougainvillea

in this little unkempt corner of our home.

But on mornings like this…with a cup of coffee…and some birds singing…

and the quiet of a family sleeping in…

it is a teensy slice of heaven

Gently trickling.

A glorious Sunday to you.

A recipe to warm your ears…and heart.

2011-03-23T11:39:00.003-04:00

I received a lovely package yesterday …

A guest. an adoptee.

In brown paper. All the way from maple syrup country. Cold maple syrup country…New Hampshire.

Meet Ingrid.

She arrived in a brown paper box, carefully…even lovingly…wrapped

by Joan of from the love of a house.

Everything Joan does is with love. Truly. Go visit her amazing house…you’ll see!

And apparently, the girl, Ingrid, of the cold ears sort…loves

maple syrup.

But…who doesn’t?

She came with a recently tapped and cooked bottle of New Hampshire's finest liquid gold.

It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup…who knew?

ooohhh. Ingrid I love ya already.

So what is a girl from sunny green Florida to do with this bounty you ask?

Why, thanky for asking…

Make brunch!

Lime in the Coconut style. ‘Cause really…what is life without a little coconut?

Enter the marriage of chilly New Hampshire and warm tropical Florida…

Warm your ears Crunchy Coconut French Toast… and warm Maple Syrup.

...and do not skimp on the Maple Syrup. Ingrid is watching!

Yep. I think the girl is going to love it here. She looks warmer already.

Welcome Ingrid. Take off your scarf…stay awhile.

kisses Joan!!

Make your own Warm Your Ears Crunchy Coconut French Toast you will not:: repeat:: will not regret it:

Crunchy Coconut French Toast (adapted from Cook What You Love via Leite’s Culinaria)

scaled to serve 1

¼ cup cornflakes I use Uncle Sams toasted wheatberry and flaxseed flakes…makes me feel a tad healthier
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 large egg
1-2 tbsp milk
1 thick whole grain toast, cut in half…again…see first bullet. It’s all about healthy. umhm.
1 tsp butter and 1 TBSP of olive oil.
Maple syrup, to serve. Ingrid style…LOTS.

Place the coconut and cornflakes in a shallow bowl and mix well.
In another shallow bowl, lightly whisk together the egg and milk. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture
and soak for about a minute on each side. They should be well coated but not soggy.
Press each slice into the coconut mixture on sides, patting firmly and turning them over several times to coat thoroughly.
Heat the butter and oil on a griddle or in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with warm maple syrup…again…Ingrid style.

Oooooh I just love a good marriage..

Thank you Joan!

Snippets of another weekend in Paradise…

2011-03-19T18:33:00.003-04:00

The weather is stellar here

The River is blue

Aegean blue…and still

Perfect day to peek into some beautiful Homes in Vero Beach…courtesy of our Junior League Tour of Homes

Ya know…It is not half bad in this corner of the world

we live in

Even the birds are building nests…albeit in street lights

but they are staying for the season.

yep.

...Polo matches just down the street

And...cap it all off with a quick trip to the

Habitat Home store…and I mean quick. In 5 minutes before they closed…

and out with these goodies…

I’m in an Aegean Sea blue mood these days…and the Painting whispered to me…

it whispered I’m 5 clams…

pick me, pick me.

Cute little terra cotta canisters with silver around the edges

How could I resist?

Not a bad weekend so far.

Nope.

Not bad at all!

Do you see my blue vibe???

Continuing on…

2011-03-13T08:35:00.002-04:00

継続は力なり。

Keizoku wa chikara nari

Continuance is power/strength.

Translation:

Don't give up. Just continuing to hold on will reveal strength and power. Continuing on

after a setback is its own kind of strength.

Perseverance is power.

~Japanese Proverb

Godspeed Japan.

Image: Eric Rousset

Scary House…

2011-03-12T09:25:00.003-05:00

So…I have a cousin…

who lives in Canada

who happens to be a very talented photographer

He calls himself James. I call him Jimmy.

Cousin Jimmy

He took a shot of our house a couple of weeks ago…guesthouse and courtyard to be exact…

Cue scary music.

I’m afraid to even enter the gate…

...and I live here.

Images: James Amundson

Stilltsville…

2011-03-06T09:32:00.002-05:00

some colorful history off the coast of Miami…

There stands a group of seven unique houses… on stilts in the Biscayne Bay

they happen to have a bawdy, raucous

and all out mischievous history. isn't that the best kind?

Now built on concrete pilings…these stilt homes,

some around since the thirties

have seen their share of hurricanes…

But doesn’t seem to dampen their party spirit at all!

The first one was built by“Crawfish” Walker, who had a bait-and-beer shack for passing fisherman during the prohibition era.

…and apparently made a famous crawfish chowder from crawfish caught beneath the shack!

Soon several more shacks sprung up,

some built by prominent Miami businessmen.

These little wooden structures had a colorful history of" “ boozers, gamblers and flashy women.” ha…love it

In the 1940′s the Quarterdeck opened, featuring electricity, a bar, dining room and gaming tables it was featured in Life Magazine in 1941.

Soon, other clubs on stilts with an “anything goes” atmosphere opened up –

police raids began in the 50′s to stop prostitution and illegal gambling.

In the 60′s someone grounded a 150′ yacht on the flats and named it the Bikini Club.

women in bikinis were served drinks free…live music day and night

gotta love the 60’s…no?

This bawdy little bit of history on stilts was recently saved from demolition

with the help of a group of conservationists… An agreement was reached to preserve the structures under the Stiltsville Trust

Let the party go on!

Stiltsville....learn more here

Just wonderin’…

2011-03-03T08:37:00.003-05:00

I am all about huge chunky marble on counters

I think of ice cream cones…and home made fudge. But that may just be me.

But.

this I don’t get…

Why would you make a cabinet look like drawers?

why not really have drawers?

can anyone enlighten me.

please?

images: Southern Living

Life…

2011-02-24T08:05:00.002-05:00

… Is busy these days…

you?

“One learns first of all in beach living the art of shedding;

how little one can get along with,

not how much."

~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Ahhh. I needed that.

Images: Me and Bo, and Parati Brasil...oh to be there now.

2011-02-20T21:26:00.002-05:00

touch of the tropics…

2011-02-17T09:01:00.003-05:00

My favorite tropical designer...

Made Wijaya

has a line of lighting

that always blows me away… see here

I would love a few of these hanging in our small sub-tropical jungle...

As seen at the perfectly delicious Bumi Hotel in Indonesia

Tropical dreams.

carry on.

all images from: PT.wijaya

From our corner of the world…

2011-02-14T07:39:00.002-05:00

To yours…

Happy Valentines Day!

Be mine?

And if you have some leftover paint…

2011-02-12T20:43:00.004-05:00

And a stencil…

Go to town!

Way cheaper than an actual bag. I believe.

Chain link fence should protect it

from being stolen.

...Right?

found: here

IF your name was Otto…AND you were a kid…

2011-02-04T06:19:00.004-05:00

You could live here...cool light, eh?

Or conversely if your name was Marie Olsson Nylander and you lived in Sweden

You could live...here

Yes please.

In a house by the sea... you are renovating with your husband and 3 kids.

Today….you can call me Marie.

What?? A girl can dream…no?

Carry on.

See more here

Another lamp rehab…

2011-01-30T18:14:00.003-05:00

Lamp hospice.

And yep…from my fave thrift store.

It was most certainly a homemade job

in all of it’s 70’s glory

A big glass water jug

hecho en Mexico

filled to the everlovin’ brim with dried and plastic lovelies.

and moss…lots of glued on moss.

Ooooooh she’s a beaut isn’t she?

~cough~

Piece by piece…the decades old dried and dusty corpses were removed...

Through a handy dandy leather wrapped hole

go figure!

This saga will be continued as we find the perfect shade

not the one she came with…

Maybe a drum shade

What say you…any grand ideas for this… cough…find?

Hmmmm?

Dare me?

2011-01-25T07:39:00.002-05:00

Dreaming of a barn cottage

re-do

The scary before….

warning….worse than the pantry. Shield your eyes.

Maybe….With the help of a cottage goddess….

It could be a Cinderella story

maybe. kinda. sorta.

Thoughts??

Top pic: Jane Coslick

Other images: Canadian House and Home

Bottom four: The cold hard truth in our backyard

Today…

2011-01-19T07:58:00.002-05:00

I believe I will head

to the Cote’ d’Azur...

Wanna come?

image: Marie Clair

Gallivanting and marauding…

2011-01-15T09:17:00.003-05:00

I recently won this darling little pair of vintage hand poured soy candles

from Small holdings Farm

They smell heavenly.

Check out their loot…they have some fun things!

I also galavanted over to my fave haunt

yep…habitat home store…

in search of some windows and doors for a little barn re-do I are contemplating…

Ok…Did you see this yet?

2011-01-13T05:30:00.003-05:00

Sweet Joan from for the love of a house

does kitchens well!!

Dayum.

Go visit. Check out the rest of her home. You won’t wanna come back

promise.

A little vacation in our little town…

2011-01-06T15:36:00.004-05:00

I told you before, that we live in a small city…or more like a small town

And we are graced with a delectable little art museum

...that hosts gorgeous internationally known artists and their art.

…wave hello to Grandma B!!!

a part of their sculpture garden

On a recent day

we visited and saw the work of William Wegman…And his gorgeous weimeramers

Fay Ray and pals…remember them?

I always think Of Melissa at Handwork Chronicles when I see them…she has a real life yellow eyed model

lucky her.

Yes I am a baaaad patron who snuck their camera in

But the work was just too adorable and thought provoking not to

Then I got busted…and had to put the lens away…

Visit if you are near…

Walk on the wild side…sneak your camera in no flash .

~You didn’t hear that from me though~

zip.

Good Morning Sunshines…

2011-01-01T11:59:00.004-05:00

…And a Happy New Year!

First order of the new year…

Coffee.

Nothing like starting off a new year/new day with a cuppa Joe…

Lately, we love our Keurig…even though we need to give it a good vinegar cleaning

often.

no….just broadcasting my likes…no affiliation with Keurig…donut shop coffee…my fave…or Dean and Deluca. love that mug. Do you do that? Need a specific mug for specific days?

Just happen to love ‘em all on this new day of a New Year….

sooo. I share.

And in a complete baring of the soul this New Years

Here is our pantry…in all of it’s unkempt glory.

Uh, yeah...did I just open up our closets and take pix? Yep.

But I love this...Made several years ago from an inefficient way too deep pantry closet.

We added plugs lots... a drawer bank for cans and boxes and a small counter…now it's a coffee/microwave bar…

When we close the door, ~ta daaa~ it is all gone.

~~~

I think that may be my theme for this new year…

'Close the door…and Ta daaaa.'

yep. I like it.

Happy New Day of A New Decade!!