banquet

april showers and may flowers

Despite my best intentions, april ended up being about head colds and chest colds, and hives, and strep throat, and the flu, and more colds, and chest infections, and fifth disease and the flu again and rashes and antibiotics and allergies.

I share these lamentations with you only by way of explanation of an upcoming extended absence.

More when we are ready.

(images from my sister's garden)

future flora

intrigued by these lights from tord boontje

magnolia

anna k wood

i wanted to share some of anna wood's new work.

i had a sneak preview last week, and they are just really great.

she also has an amazing apartment, but the pictures i took are terrible -

i'll try to do better the next time i'm there, 

but here's a couple for you in the meantime.

snips & snails & walnut whales

some easter inspiration

from the author of sticks & stones & ice cream cones (!?!)

and i've been enjoying the tamra davis cooking show -

genuinely family friendly recipes from mike d's wife

... but i still prefer duffins

april

trying to slow down

recovering from another round of colds and flu

taking the time to drink tea using cups and saucers

breathing in the hyacinth at little mountain

happy we are healthy and safe

juju

Love this idea:

Once a friend of mine gave me an old worn out (from the after war era) book in which were instructions how to make a school clothes for a boy out of father's old coat and how to make a church dress for a girl out of bed cover ... Thus Juju was born. It holds instructions for making well thought clothes for everyday life, for weekdays and Sundays, for mundane and festive events...

From Juju books, re-found today via the new (to me) and quite beautiful blog, all the mountains.

I also just read this perfect post on Gloria Lemay's blog, found via cup of joe.  All you new mums will know exactly what she's talking about.

velvet ribbon

 

we are sick as dogs around here
wishing for a quilt made from velvet ribbons
(an image snatched online)
and happily settling for lulu's bib
with it's small chartreuse velvet stripes

(made before she was a twinkle in anyone's eye)

artichoke and potato hash

more artichoke love -

this time, an artichoke and potato hash 

from david tanis' a platter of figs

(if you like the lucques cookbook, you'll want this one too...) 

fried potatoes are lovely unto themselves,

and combined with artichokes at $2.99 a pound, 

one can't help but indulge.

you can find the recipe at saveur magazine,

with a far more attractive documentation.