Frankenkitchen, designed by me!

In the 16 years we've lived in our house, I've changed many things in our kitchen, but we've never done a complete remodel. We removed several cabinets, changed the counter top and sink, hung different light fixtures. We even took out the in wall oven and had a carpenter make a custom cabinet to fit the space. I put in the flooring, had the cook top removed, purchased a free standing stove and movable island cart. We had a trash compactor!? Never used it once, got rid of that. This spring we had new windows installed. Nothing matches or lines up. The microwave is not centered over the stove, because then the dishwasher wouldn't open.

In the space where a L shaped cabinet sat, there are now open shelves that I filled with IKEA metal baskets. I've painted the cabinets so many times. Top one green, bottom one cream, black bottoms, green tops, and now all black cabinets. The walls have been this yellow with a ochre wash for a while. Now I have one blue wall by the window, wyeth blue that I have in the rest of the house.

It's a mixed up, mismatched kitchen. Someday we'll gut the whole thing, but today...I LOVE MY KITCHEN.

It works beautifully, and reflects who I am... A little mixed up, mismatched, not quite centered, leaning to the left work in progress. My dear husband says that our quirks make us who we are. This kitchen is filled with quirks, and then, so am I.;-) Enjoy this beautiful weekend.

Frankenkitchen

Don't know why this posted twice, once with text, one without. Sorry! I don't know how to delete a post...

It's Apple Time

Thanks to a post by Urban Farmgirl, we found a apple orchard. It's called Edwards and is the coolest place. We went on a Sunday, something we wouldn't do again. There were hundreds of people there, and we went early! We couldn't figure out where to go to pick our own apples, so we bought a few bags at the big barn. There we found the brochure, which suggests a visit during the week. ;-)

They have great vintage signs and displays. This was a display of Aspen brand mulling spices, actually manufactured in Aspen, Colorado, one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Wish I had a better photo, this barn was ginoruous. (Hey, that reminds me, it's almost time to watch "ELF" again!) Pumpkins, gourds, apples, cider, treats, gifts, decorations, candles... It was Autumn nirvana.


I have to remember to save all my pumpkin stems from this year's pumpkins, so I can make some of these next year...So pretty!

So I have all those apples, and a husband with a taste for pie... It's a perfect day for baking...

I think it's his lucky day!

Today...

Because we don't know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well, yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that's so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more, perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless...

The quote is from the book "The Sheltering Sky." I woke up this morning to this spectacular sunrise and it came to mind. Remembering how precious life is, and the responsibility for all of us to never take a day for granted.

I'm celebrating the life of John Denver, gone 13 years today. He wrote the soundtrack to my life, and introduced this city girl to the joys of nature. I fell in love with my husband, walked down the aisle and rocked my baby's to his music. Just thought I'd remember him here, his music is still an important part of my life. Dear friends, enjoy this beautiful day.

In Loving Memory

Annie Grosvenor

I didn't know Annie very long, but I am so grateful that I did know her. My deepest sympathy goes out to her family and friends. I will remember Annie always, with much love.