Vacation Highlights

Mr. Happy and I took a recent vacation to a large 1800's Victorian bed and breakfast.  We're talking no TV, no radio, amazing food, and lots to do outside.

It's over a week later and I am still managing to hold on to that deeply relaxed and rejuvenated feeling!

Here are the highlights:

View from the balcony.  Took my breath away especially when the sun was coming up over the water in the morning.  Sleeping in held no value when there was such a beautiful world right out the window!

View of the Mohonk House from one of the high hiking trails.  (Looks like the hotel from "The Shining" doesn't it?  And the movie "Road to Wellville" starring Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Broderick was taped here in 1994)

This fire tower was the reward for one of the steeper hikes!  It was even more of a surprise to learn we could climb the interior stairs to the top and see all around!

View from the lake while on a row boat.

The fall setting made the already amazing views and scenery that much more seasonal!

Did a lot of kicking up my feet and taking it all in!

Ok, so this technically wasn't our honeymoon (we technically haven't had one yet), but I told the wait staff this was sort of our honeymoon and that I wanted to surprise Mr. Happy with a little something special.  They came out with candles on our dessert and sang us happy honeymoon!

All of the food was so delicious and this was the perfect sweet way to end our relaxing get away!

Tomorrow I will show you the greenhouse that we toured and all the divine plants and flowers we took in!

Bouquet for you thoughts?

I'm looking through photos from the year and found these of a birthday bouquet I made from flowers gathered from my garden in August.  Not sure why I never shared them, but they are a really happy summery thought as we are smack dab in fall's embrace.

It's a beautiful morning, with the trees swaying and the sun peaking out.  Fall excites me!  It means so many things and here are some of my favorites: hiking, leaves changing, pumpkins, Halloween costumes, baking, apples, soup, and snuggling by the fire!

I have ambitions this weekend to till my vegetable garden for the season.  I still have hot peppers and tomatoes coming but I'm not sure how much longer the weather will stay warm enough to let them ripen.  Fried green tomatoes anyone?  And I get to incorporate all that rich dirt that the worm farm produced this year -- while at the same time giving the worms a warmer place to stay this winter!  It's also the time of year to put tulip bulbs in the ground.  I put in well over 100 bulbs last year and I am going to add to it again this season.  Wait till I show you the awesome orange tulips I found!

I am excited for today's Texas Longhorns game against Nebraska (sorry fans of other college football teams).  I know the team is having a tough year, but something about seeing all that burnt orange and hearing the fight song puts me in an incredible mood!  Hook 'em horns!!

I am also chasing the urge to get a darling photo of Katie and the gigantic pumpkin we picked up.  We'll see if Katie is in the mood for a photo shoot later.  It should be a wonderful weekend.  Can't argue with sunny and seasonal!

Hope you are having a wonderful morning and look forward to catching up with you on Monday!

Happy Moment #2: Neener Neener!

Happiness is all about "moments"  Don't you agree?

Here is that new Friday thing on the 'ole happy blog that I started here called Happy Moments!!  I can see you starting to smile already. 

Here's how it works.  I post a picture, you give it a happy caption.

Ready?  Go!

Happy Moment #2 Neener Neener!

I hope you are having a wonderfully delicious Friday!!

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”

~Omar Khayyam

I got a SURPRISE box!!

I had a cute little box in the mail.  What an amazing feeling to get a surprise from a friend!

  

This book fell out of the box.

 A notecard was tucked gently in the book.  Isn't the stationary adorable?!!! 

But, more importantly...  Cynthia, thank you so much!!  You really made my day and I can't wait to dig into the book!

XOXOXO!!

Homemade Spicy Tomato Soup

I thought of Rebecca over at The Dusty Cellar today when I was writing about my latest kitchen creation.

Remember those tomato plants that I started from seeds (you can see them starting here)? ... well are still flourishing!  I am still getting tomato's (late for us in NY)! 

This is giving me a wonderful excuse to share with neighbors and best of all try new recipes! 

I recently made one of my favorites... Spicy Tomato Soup -- yes the spicy is my twist on the recipe I found here.

I started by chopping plum and big boy tomato's from the garden.

Measured them up to get the 4 cups that are needed.

Here is my own addition: 1 average size Cheyenne pepper.  I chopped this seeds and all and added it to the tomato base.

I did leave the cloves and onion out since I didn't have them on hand; however I substituted some onion powder to help with the flavor.

As the mixture started to heat up it really started to smell so warm and comforting!

I used two bouillon cubes and water in place of chicken broth.

Once the base cooks through it is ready to be put through the Foley mill.  (I have used that Foley mill so much since I have gotten it!)

Round and round and round it goes!

Ta Da!  A homemade bowl of tomato soup that has a slight kick. 

That night we also whipped up a few homemade chicken pizza's.  Fresh mozzarella and basil, left over lemon pepper chicken, and swiss cheese.  

Those were some good pies!!

Comfort food always puts me in a better mood!!

I hope you will also play along with Midweek Blues!  Link your post of any interpretation of blues: Colors, moods, music, poetry...be as creative as you like!  Oh, and don't forget to visit the others!

Creative Tuesday: Art

It's time for Mr. Toast's Creative Tuesday's assignment!

This week's theme is "Art;" I hope it's okay that I waited till today to share the chair I painted in more detail as my creative entry.
 
I have shared some progress along the way... as there were many many hours dedicated to bringing this to life, but here is the final piece in more detail!
 
I am a huge fan of including a little surprise in each piece I do.  And yes, I am going to start right with the surprise.  I named the chair Daydream and found a fun related quote which I have inscribed on the bottom.
 
"Everything starts as somebody's dream!"

I never fully appreciated the effort required to paint something that is three dimensional. 

It was an interesting exercise in contorting and patience as I have designs that align on multiple sides.  It's a good thing this was a light chair!

The more I added, the more attached I grew to this chair.  To my Daydream. 

I love how wild and free it seems to stand there.  Taunting anyone to loosen up and let go!

It's almost primal with cave-like and tribal paintings covering several of the ladder rungs.

My artist supervisor was a critical part in assuring quality and completeness! 

And like most of my work, she also added a swish here or a dab there as her nose, tail, or paw got involved. 

I wouldn't have it any other way!

Really neat to see it against the rocks and trees!  It POPS!

A closer look at some of the details.  I tried to pull from the patterns in the seat fabrics to tie the wood and fabric together.

I couldn't be happier with how the quilting came out.  I haven't put my sewing machine away since.

Tribal bands on the uprights, swirls toward the bottom rung, and there is my lovie-pie. 

She was very interested during this mini photo shoot!

So, there you are! 

Another exercise in letting go, trusting myself, having a whole lot of fun at the same time!

And won't you check out all my fellow artists here!

Nesting Bowls

I think I mentioned some time ago that I fell head over heels for crocheting.  (And I haven't really shown you anything I've created -- I'm starting to fix that!)

I have always had a thing for fabrics.  Yarn is a natural extension of that. 

I made these nesting bowls as a gift and really like how they came out!

The colors have so much personality here!  And I really liked seeing the shape form as I completed each row.

As you can imagine, each bowl got just a smidgen bigger.  (smidgen is such a fun word!)

You know how you make something with the intent to give them as a gift... and then they are done and you secretly wish you could keep them? 

Yup, that happened to me with these.

I've seen this type of bowl done with a different colored bottom... it was a really cool affect!  I think the next time around I will give that a try.

It doesn't help that I already have a love for bowls.

Or the fact that I could see a million uses for these.

Or, that the colors matched my living room so well.

Wouldn't a plant pot be really adorable with one of these bowls nested around it?

At least I know the maker and I guess if I really wanted I could whip myself up a couple of these!!

I finished the set off with a ribbon for giving away.  So darling!!

It was really really tough to let them go. 

But, I got an even better feeling to see one of my favorite people light up in a huge smile once I gave them to her!

Making something with your own two hands and then sharing it with someone you really like = happiness!

Aquarium, you make my heart sing!

I could spend 6 of the 7 days of the week at an aquarium! 

I have a deep need to connect with water creatures -- the habit is supported by two fish tanks at home.  Not sure where the need came from, (and boats make me sea sick) but I don't argue... I just go with it! 

We went to The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT... and had a blast! 

Not your typical aquarium exhibit.. but they had Meercats!!  We quickly found out that early morning and mid-week.... all the animals were still so sleepy. 

Imagine if you sleep like this.  Bet you would need a good stretch after!

They had a whole room full of frogs.  Big ones, little ones.  The poisonous kind.  The loud ones.  Some that were brightly colored. 

This guy stole the show for me!!

They have some gigantic tanks! 

This one towered over my head and went all the way to the ground.  As the sharks swam around it felt a bit like they would come right over and shake my hand.  Errr... um... ask me what's for lunch!

I can never get enough jellyfish either.  They had a dark room with a cylinder tank all light up which really made the jellyfish look like they were dancing! 

I can't get over how delicate and detailed they are. 

One of my other favorite are the clown fish.  It was probably the movie "Finding Nemo" that ignited that love affair. 

Bright and beautiful... I could watch these clowns all day too.  Wonder how often they hear that!?!

I think all the bubbling water relaxes me!  Tomorrow I will show you those silly harbor seals!!

La chaise est finie!!

Translation?  It's done! 

All of my wacky ideas and thoughts for what this chair could become have been brought to life!  A more detailed view and story to follow.  But, incase you were wondering... it's done, it's done, it's done!! 

Finishing a piece or project you are working on = happiness!