Sweet Peas Gone Wild

The sweet peas have their very own raised bed! Every year they take over with wild abandon.

Soon, I will rip them out and plant zucchinis, but for now I'm enjoying them in all their purpleness.

Their sweet scent is intoxicating and immediately fills the room with fragrance.

Can you smell them?

I'm going to call this windowsill vignette, "Still Life With Sweet Peas!"

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

Parsley, the essential ingredient in tabouleh, that wonderful summer salad that is so fresh and healthy.

Add sage to the turkey stuffing or a full bodied stew.

My favorite herb. Roast little potatoes with their skins on; coat with olive oil, sea salt and fresh rosemary.

Roast pork tenderloin with tart apples and vegetables. Deglaze the pan with thyme infused white balsamic vinegar, then add honey to sweeten.

Have you planted your herb garden yet?

Tuesday Inspiration: Alfresco Dining and a Winner

With the weather finally getting warmer, it's time to think about alfresco dining.

I'm always looking for outside dining inspiration like this rustic table under the oak tree.

Notice the succulents? This is Mary Steenburgen and Ted Dansen's home in Ojai.

House Beautiful

I love the zinc table and metal chairs in the Napa Valley home of Patrick Wade and Dave DeMattei

More rustic beauty, designed by Sandy Koepke.

A Provençal setting, designed by Bunny Williams.

Miresparis

A very, very rustic table somewhere in the South of France.

House Beautiful

The chickens are wondering what's for lunch. This setting, designed by Penelope Bianchi is in Santa Barbara.

A lovely lunch alfresco!

Now is when a rustic burlap tablecloth just seems right.

However, a fine white linen one will be unexpected.

Campagne Decoration

A dramatic birdcage centerpiece dominates this outdoor table setting. Love the little olive trees in wood pots!

Campagne Decoration

Talk about dramatic! Everybody gets their own fur in case it gets chilly!

Rue

How lovely is this rooftop terrace designed by Celerie Kemble!

vignette design

I love dining alfresco and have quite a few places set up to do so.

We take a lot of family meals at this table.

vignette design

A smaller venue under the arbor.

vignette design

We also dined under the tent for many years.

vignette design

In Asti, there's our favorite place under the Mulberry Tree.

vignette design

And in case it is too hot, or too rainy, we can eat here.

vignette design

Whether it's hors d'oeuvres, lunch, or a late evening meal, food just tastes better alfresco!

I'm excited to announce the winner of the $50 gift certificate to Timeless Settings is.....

Drumroll please!

Donna from Conghaile Cottage!

Congratulations Donna!

(Winner was chosen, using the Random Number Generator)

A Brilliant Idea

After years of eating outside without light, I finally came up with a solution. I found this outdoor galvanized pendant on Ebay last year, originally sold by Pottery Barn and had the electrician wire an electrical outlet at the base of the Mulberry Tree.

We hung the pendant from a branch which ended up perfectly centered over the cement table. It came with 25 feet of cord which we hid in the branches, winding it's way down the trunk where it could be plugged in as needed. Brilliant!

We couldn't wait to see it lit up in the evening.

But wait! I had another brilliant idea. I found these moss bowls at the hardware store in Healdsburg and the light bulb went off in my head to fill them with succulents and hang the baskets from the Mulberry Tree with rope.

I thought three would be the best, all spaced equally around the tree.

It seems that succulents really thrive in this climate.

I am planting them everywhere!

It's getting towards evening and the wind is picking up. The three baskets are still hanging!

We were excited to plug in the light!

Brilliant!

The sun is setting in the courtyard...

And in the vineyard...

It's our favorite time of day...

Watching the birds perform for us...

We're wondering what took us so long to come up with this brilliant idea!

Before, even with candles, we couldn't see our food or each other. My niece even brought her miner's hat once so she could see her dinner!

I'm happy to say that there are now no more summer evening dinners in the dark!

It's not too late to enter my giveaway from Timeless Settings!

Click here for details. The winner will be announced tomorrow.

Happy May Day!

iVillage

"When April steps aside for May,

Like diamonds all the rain drops glisten;

Fresh violets open every day:

To some new bird each hour we listen."

~Lucy Larcom

iVillage

"Sweet May hath come to love us,

Flowers, trees, their blossoms don;

And through the blue heavens above us,

The very clouds move on."

~Heinrich Heine, Book of Songs

iVillage

Happy May Day!

Are you in your garden, getting your hands dirty, planting and weeding?

I sure am!

By the way, don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Details in the last post....