On the Road Again

Yesterday I spent the day in my car fighting pre-holiday traffic to pick up something in Maine. I made a special trip through a wonderful historic town (just so you could see it!) and I'll share some of the photos in another post. 

The first time I went to Snug Harbor Farm, I was admiring these large stones that I saw in a few places around the farm.  The way this one is placed, it's almost like a little area rug inside the gate.  I love the effect.  I thought they were some kind of huge millstone but it turns out they're old well covers.

One of the shops I frequently visit has had a collection of well covers that I've admired for the past year.  I'd love to use one as a "landing" at the bottom of my back porch steps.  Fill the hole with soil and plant moss or thyme, and I think it would look awesome.

Some of them even have a flat edge that would fit perfectly up against a set of stairs.

They're a little big to fit in your trunk but the store will deliver and set them right into place.

I wonder if they have a layway plan?

On my way back from Maine, I zipped over to Rockport to pick up a painting I fell in love with a few weeks ago.  I put a moratorium on art buying but I couldn't stand the idea of it going to someone else's home.  I've always found this artist's work very inspiring and this painting really has really sparked my desire to pursue artwork again.  I'll do post on his work sometime soon to see what you think about it.

Anyway, I had my camera with me so I thought I take another photo of Motif #1.

Here's what it looked like when I was there last month.

Rockport Harbor.

And here it was yesterday.  No fuzzy edges on things.  Even though the town is now teeming with tourists, and there is some dude to my right with a camera much nicer than mine, the photos give the feeling of complete stillness and solitude.

I was on the road for six hours.  I'm happy to be staying at home for the holiday.

What are you up to?

TheDaily.com 4th of July Video featuring My Star-Spangled 4th of July Party

As my last three posts have mentioned, last weekend I created a 4th of July themed party for TheDaily.  Here is the completed video.  It was so beautifully shot and produced by their team- thanks to Beryl Shereshewsky and Kyle Walling!

Visit here to see all of the details from the Star-Spangled 4th of July Party.

4th of July Table Setting, Red White & Blue Ice Cream Cake, & Star Spangled Sangria

Last week, TheDaily.com came to my house to shoot a video for a 4th of July video.  I created this "Star-Spangled 4th of July Party" complete with a Red, White and Blueberry Ice Cream Cake, baskets of berries, a Help Yourself Bar with Star-Spangled Sangria.  For the behind the scenes scoop, visit this blog post.   To watch the video they beautifully produced, click here!

Here is the complete table with the Red, White & Blueberry Ice Cream Cake as the centerpiece.



I set the table (yes, that is my farm table that is usually on my sun porch) in our back yard under a big tree.



Here is the Help Yourself Bar featuring Star-Spangled Sangria with Mason Jar glasses.  Here is a link to the DIY instructions for setting up this bar and easy patio decorations.

I made the stars for the sangria out of a red apple cut with a cookie cutter... it really couldn't have been easier.   Here is the recipe for the Star-Spangled Sangria. 

As you can see, I used navy tin plates that had a shiny silver edge - great for outdoor entertaining.  Down the table I used mason jars filled with rock salt and flags for a little height and festivity. 

On the table I tucked baskets of blueberries, cherries and strawberries amongst the flags for a seasonal touch... and who doesn't love an edible centerpiece. 

Speaking of edible centerpieces...

This ice cream cake is three layers with strawberry and blueberry soaked cake inside- it truly is red, white and blue.  And delicious.  And easy.   Here is the recipe! Watch the video for the step-by-step instructions! 

Click below to continue reading after the break!

I love how the table turned out.  It is casual, but definitely festive and it feels appropriate for the occasion- no fancy floral centerpieces or taper candles here!

I hope this has helped inspire your celebrations this 4th of July!  Be sure to watch the video!

Here is the easy to pin strip!

4th of July Video Shoot for TheDaily.com | Behind the Scenes

Last week we had some visitors in Concord.  A team from TheDaily.com came out to do a 4th of July shoot - my first video shoot.  The video posts tomorrow (Thursday) morning - I'll share a link as soon as it is up! UPDATE : here is the link to the video!

The table was set with flags and berries in baskets... I set the scene and they brought their equipment to film.   Here are all of my props before we set the table.  Everything was shot step-by-step.

Jealous of their fancy lenses.  Of course, I talked the photographer's ear off about photography...

...anything for some free photog lessons, right?  It was great just to watch him and take notes.

The blueberries are ready... almost a little too ready as they were baking in the hot sun we had last week. 

In my kitchen, they filmed me making a Red White & Blue 4th of July Ice Cream Cake... it looked a lot different in there than it does when it is just me and my camera on a little tripod.  Now I know why the Barefoot Contessa built a barn! 

Emma's first shoot- she's a natural.

Visit here to see the beautiful video they created and all of the details from the Star-Spangled 4th of July Party.

Walter Gropius House

Source

If you happen to be taking a backroad shortcut from Walden Pond through the woods to the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln, Mass., you'll most likely buzz past this modern house tucked among the old Colonials.  Since I learned about the Walter Gropius house in Lincoln, I've wanted to go take a tour of this National Historic Landmark.   

Walter Gropius, if not a familiar name, was the founder of the Bauhaus School of architecture whose faculty included Paul Klee, Josef Albers and Wassily Kandinsky to name a few.

Gropius escaped Nazi Germany in 1937 and came to Cambridge where he

taught at the Harvard School of Design with Marcel Breuer.

I'm sure you know Breuer's Wassily and Cesca chairs even if

you're not familiar with his architecture.

Gropius' house in Lincoln was built in 1938.

The sculpture in front of the house is by Richard Filipowski

and was installed by Gropius in the 1950s.

The sculpture is titled "Winter Pine."

Side of house looking into the living room and upstairs deck.

View of rear of house.  The oak was planted when the house was built.

Interior photos of the house are not allowed on the tour but I've

borrowed a few from the Historic New England website.

The house has been maintained as it was at the time of Gropius' death in 1969.

Just inside the front door is Gropius' office. 

The chairs are Saarinen.

The living room with picture windows that beautifully frame a

view of the back yard and forest beyond.

The chair is a Saarinen Womb chair.

I should have asked about the white leather sofa because I loved it.

View from the dining room looking back in to the living room.

See the little vents just below the dining room windows?  Gropius had a second heating system just to keep the windows frost-free in the wintertime.

The kitchen is very fun.  Small but adequate.

Another windows that frames a view of the landscape.

One of the period bathrooms.

Notice the typical Bauhaus palette of black, white, gray and red.

The dressing room and master bedroom is set up as if his wife Ise would

be right back to get ready to entertain guests that evening.

Her Merimekko dress is laid out on the bed.

A shot of daughter Ati's room.  I love that wall light!

View of the back of the house.

I would highly recommend taking the tour; it's a 1969 moment frozen in time. 

A one-hour tour is $10.

Gropius House
68 Baker Bridge Road
Lincoln, Mass. 01773

It's privately owned (so not open to the public) but just down the road is

the Marcel Breuer house.  It's well worth a walk down the road just to see it.

 

Tastes of Summer : 4th of July Menu Idea | Ribs, Grilled Sweet Corn, Cucumbers, Garden Tomatoes Watermelon Margarita & Peach Crostata

In just a couple of days we'll be on our way back to Kansas City for the 4th of July.  Last year we didn't make it home for the 4th and while we had a great time watching the famed Boston Fireworks display, I hated hearing about the festivities back home.  I told Mike that we would absolutely be going back for the 4th this year.  I can't wait to spend the 4th of July out in the country at my parents' house for a casual day by the pool with the entire family.  There will be mountains of food, kids in the pool and my Brother and my Dad setting off a fireworks display that night (another benefit of celebrating in the country is that you can have your own display). 

When I talked to my Mom, she already had the menu planned- most of it either from their garden, their field or one of their friends' gardens or fields.  Even the ribs would be from a local butcher and prepared by a family friend.  This menu is similar to what we'll having.  I think it sums up all of the best of summer - BBQ, sweet corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, peaches & watermelon.

The BEST (& easiest) Barbeque Ribs

Grilled Sweet Corn on the Cob

Sliced Garden Tomatoes

Old Fashioned Cucumber Salad

Easy Peach Crostada

 
 Easy Peach Crostada 

Watermelon Margarita

Here is the easy to pin strip!