This Historic Home Tour weekend was...

...in brief summary style... 

A Gala evening under the stars, 

twinkle lights and tiki torches,

 tweed jackets and ties, 

wood paneled libraries and spiral staircases, 

Champagne and Sparkling Cider, 

Riesling soaked Nectarines and Black sea salt,

 Sweet Corn panna cotta and Chili Lime shortbread...

An early start to the next day with a brief moment for tea on the front stoop and a little bit of 'calm before the storm',

 hundreds of people and so much excitement, 

visiting with neighbors and making new friends, 

carriage rides and vintage cars, 

lemonade and popcorn, 

aching feet and hoarse voices...

A lavish 'after-party' and a gorgeous buffet, 

magnificently Victorian rooms and twelve foot ceilings, 

gold silverware and mismatched china, 

slivers of moon threaded between church spires and a slow walk home lit by streetlights,

 collapsing into bed tired and happy and knowing tomorrow brings the start of a much needed family vacation!

P.S. Sorry for any blog inaccessibility issues. Or lapses and changes in format and updating. We have had internet connection/cooperation only in fits and starts, as of late. Which is actually, for the present anyway, fine by me. 

Some amazing stuff to be had at the farmer's market this morning.

Gorgeous vegetables, apples, pumpkins,

colorful bouquets, kettle corn, pumpkin bread 

and...

...some truly spectacular sidewalk chalk art.

I mean, really, that picture is chalk.

Chalk!

The reason for all the sudden home improvements around here.

Yup.

This is happening.

And so much sooner than I can believe.

This coming Sunday is

the Rock County Historical Society's 

Historic Home Tour

in 

Columbus Circle.

And we are on the schedule.

So if you live in Janesville and want to see our lovely neighbor in all it's charmingly,

quintessential glory

come on over...

11 - 5 

This fall… well, it is almost fall… I am loving my Tweeds Black Cashmere sweater (give it up for consignment store scores!), Black Henleys from Target, Jeans, Aviators, my Rocket Dog flats and my new took-forever-to-get-here David and Young infinity scarf.

Cute together, yes.

But more importantly warm.

Even more so if I change things up a bit and throw on wool socks and these favorite boots.

Oh, and can’t forget my butter soft, perfectly broke-in leather purse.

Now I’m ready. Bring on the leaf fights, the bonfires, the sunset hikes and pumpkin-spice-everything!!

Last week's Art with E.

We made silk flower fairies.

Hope they have a warm place to hibernate...

Lately, what with all the cold, crisp nights, the later and later sunrises and the startlingly icy hardwood floors, this has been a much more difficult place to leave.

Harvested from my container garden.

So a little status update on our "light home improvements".

It's getting better, I think...

right...?

Yeah. Yeah, I think it's getting better...

It's gotta be getting better.

Beautiful potatoes from the Farmer’s Market.

Nothing like a gluten free 

banana muffin recipe 

to cheer you up on a rainy day.

Not only have these received rave reviews in our house 

but they are super easy to whip up and a great way to get rid of those over-ripe bananas that just keep hanging around on the counter, 

in the way, 

attracting fruit flies.

We tend to get a lot of those over here. 

Both my husband and E might very well be monkeys for all the bananas they go through.

However, and it is quite the 'however'...

Neither of them can handle a banana a few hours past perfectly ripe.

Like, really and truly, show them a banana with more than ten freckles and it's

"no thank you," every time.

Which leaves a fair amount of super sweet, super flavorful fruit languishing in the fruit bowl, in the fridge and eventually in the freezer.

Where it tends to become something no longer even resembling anything remotely banana-esque.

But rather a brown, sticky, gooey mass, full of ice crystals, in the bottom of a ziplock bag.

No one wants that.

So.

Thank you gluten free banana muffin recipe.

http://freerangecookies.com/2014/04/07/fluffy-banana-muffins-review/

A Study in Morning Glories

Happy Monday!

Chalk art courtesy of E.

Yesterday this...

was turned into this...

with a bit of this, in-between...

You know it can only mean one thing… 

when…

it’s early Saturday morning…

and…

we are not only up we are out, coffee in hand, sweatshirts on, boots on, maybe even blankets on?

That’s right. 

Fall is nearly upon us. 

So.

Bring on all. 

The.

SOCCER GAMES!!

And we must have had the most perfect day for the inaugural match.

Something tells me I will be looking back on these pictures fondly when mid-October rolls around and the skies are moody and dark and there’s frost on the grass at these 8 a.m. start times.

Oh boy...

Somehow a "little light home improvement" never really ends up being a "little light home improvement", does it?

What it actually ends up being is 2 weeks worth of patching and priming and sanding and painting and vacuuming and mopping and moving and dismantling and cleaning and coughing and sneezing and sweating and showering and sighing.

Always a good deal of sighing.

Mostly from me.

But.

It will all be worth it.

This I do know.

This I will just have to keep telling myself.

(Good thing our school work is mobile.)

Some big changes here at 1187...

Tea & presents 
on the patio 
with my favorite guy.

Things to do when you are finally on the road to recovery after a long illness:

1. Shower.

2. Realize that showering, novel and amazing invention that it is, has gone a long way to restoring some semblance of self respect to your person. But. It has not performed a miracle. So make a hair appointment. ASAP.

3. Put on clothes. Actual clothes. Not pajamas. Not sweat pants. Not even leggings. Grown up person clothes with zippers and buttons and discernible shape.

4. Go out for breakfast. Because there is little more in the fridge than some iffy cucumbers and salsa.

5. Go to the grocery store. (See above.)

6. Buy ice cream. This always helps. Always.

7. Go to the library. Because you have read everything there is to read in your house. Come home with more books than your LL Bean canvas tote can carry.

8. Feel exhausted. And slightly depressed than after only a few necessary errands you feel so exhausted. And depressed. But remember, you are merely on the road to recovery. You are not there yet. Give it time.

9. Eat ice cream. Read. Repeat. As often as needed while giving it time.