Sugar Bridge Has Re-Opened!

 

Hello everyone! I hope your Christmas days were wonderfully fun and relaxing. I'm dropping in to let you know that I've re-opened Sugar Bridge, my photography shop on etsy! I feel so fortunate to live here surrounded by nature, and Sugar Bridge is where I share the beauty of the countryside, among other simple lovely things. I hope you'll stop by to have a look. I'll be adding more prints within the next few days.

We've been enjoying these cold, quiet days, watching countless films and taking brisk walks in the snowy woods. I've been dreaming up ideas for a third etsy shop, something I've been thinking about for a long time and which I am very excited about. Sometimes I wish there was only one thing I was passionate about, because I think life is a bit simpler when one is single-minded and specialized. But I can't help it, friends. I have so many interests, so many different things I want to create and share. There are moments when I feel I'm bursting at the seams with inspiration and new ideas. And believe me when I say that I'm accutely aware how amazingly lucky I am to have been given the time and opportunity to follow these dreams.

Sending warm, cozy hugs,

xoxo your country girl

A New Home

This is the pathway leading up to our new apartment. It feels so secluded and quiet, even though it's very central. Right now there are autumn leaves strewn about, and the river runs black and cold on the left side below.

This is a sneak-peek of our new kitchen. I say 'sneak-peek' because it isn't quite finished yet. When the builders unpacked the lovely, deep ceramic sink which belongs in that gaping hole, it had a large scratch accross the front. So we have to exchange it for a new one. The range hood also needs to be covered, and the siding is missing from the upper cabinets.

We are also waiting on the delivery of this Liebherr refridgerator:

My jaw dropped when I saw this picture...and then again when I saw the price. We are giving it to ourselves as an early Christmas present.

We're also getting a linen-covered couch from Maisons Du Monde:

And oversized industrial hanging lamps for the kitchen and living room from East Hampton Living:

I've also bought some lovely items from etsy artists like this twin set of prints by The Black Apple:

I can hardly wait to find nice frames for them and the perfect spot in our home to display them in all their mysterious beauty!

We plan on staying in our new apartment for a long time, so we've decided to only buy things we REALLY LOVE and are sure to keep loving. 

This is the view out of the kitchen window. It makes me daydream about a time when our little children will play on that swingset, and then when the first star appears in the lilac twilight sky, I'll call out to them, "Supper is ready!" And they'll come inside, huffing and puffing from the autumn cold, and there will be a warm meal and tail-wagging and a big hug from their Dad.




Leaving the new apartment today I had to take another picture of the walkway. I am really looking forward to this being the way to-and-from our home.

It's a rainy Monday. Leaves have begun to fall and plaster the wet streets. My little ten-year-old brother is visiting, so between packing and errands I'm supplying him with pizza, hot chocolate and video games galore. He calls my husband's media room 'heaven.' I like spoiling him when he visits. It's so much fun!

Wishing you all a cozy start to the week,

xoxo country girl

New England Organic Farms

Land's Sake Farm, Massachusetts

photo courtesy of nicole hill gerulat 

What does WWOOF stand for? World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. Begun in 1971 in England, it's now an international network of both organic farms and volunteers looking to experience life and work on a real farm. WWOOF volunteers do not pay for their stay, and the hosts don't pay for their work. Instead, the volunteers live like part of the family; meals are cooked and eaten together. Volunteers work a maximum of 6 hours a day, allowing alot of time for exploring the surrounding areas.

There are WWOOF farms all around the world, and it's been a dream of mine for many years now to go work for a month on a New England WWOOF farm in in the fall. 

I want to share photographs of some of the New England WWOOF farms....this is just a handful of those available. Come daydream with me about picking apples, harvesting pumpkins, feeding pigs and milking cows...

Holcomb Farm, Connecticut 

Darthia Farm, Maine 

Sewall Orchard, Massachusetts 

Smokey House Center, Vermont 

Stonewall Farm, New Hampshire 

Tidemill Organic Farm, Maine 

Broadturn Farm, Maine 

Stone And Thistle Farm, New York 

Land's Sake Farm, Massachusetts 

Would this be a dream of yours, too?

xoxo country girl


today, one year ago: Spoiling My Husband Who Spoils Me 

motto for new home: pretty and PRACTICAL

I used to look at magazines and swoon over gorgeous interiors, and then do my best to replicate what I saw without giving a thought to whether it was practical or not. I've been turning over ideas in my head about our next home; we'll be moving in October to a three-bedroom apartment with a combined kitchen/dining/living room, a pantry/storage room, hallway/mudroom, bathroom, separate wash closet, a terrace, and two gardens. I've moved quite a few times in my life, and every time I get smarter about interior design. Here are some of the rules I have decided on for our next home:

Kitchen

 Rules:

::NO OPEN SHELVING::

One of the latest trend in kitchens is open shelving, but I have enough dusting to do in the other rooms, and in the kitchen things that are standing out tend to get a greasy film. That's what I learned from experience now with my kitchen island which has open shelves. I constantly have to pull stuff off and clean everything, especially since it's close to the floor and Kiki's hair manages to settle in the most impossible places.

 

::AS MUCH STORAGE AS POSSIBLE::

Another trend is to only have storage on the bottom...no shelves or cupboards. Again, this looks beautiful, open, and uncluttered....but I am being honest here, I need as much storage space as I can get! I want a place for everything; let's not forget that things which are often overlooked like flower vases, tupperware, baking sheets, and glass jars for homemade jams all need their place along side the usual suspects like plates & bowls, glasses & cups, pots & pans, spices & canned goods.

Garden

 Rules:

::KEEP IT SIMPLE::

With past gardens and our balcony, I would go to the nursery and pick out one this, one of that, basically anything pretty that caught my eye. I ended up with an array of plants which were all beautiful, but there was always something lacking; I finally figured out what that was. A CONCEPT.

For at least one of our two gardens, I have decided to have a color scheme of white, green, silver (think lamb's ear and sage), and splashes of pink and dark purple here and there.

This way, I can have a variety of plants, forms, and aromas, but there will be a thread of continuity uniting everything in a graceful, harmonious way.

::GET PROFESSIONAL HELP::

At some point I had to admit to myself that, if I wanted to be truly happy with our gardens, if I wanted them to look like the vision I have in my mind, I am going to need help from a landscaping artist. My 'domestic goddess' ego is squealing in a corner right now, saying, "A real housewife would be able to plant her own garden!"

But I know from the past that I was always getting one or two plants at a time (because I don't drive), and then doing guess work as to where to plant them and how, not to mention that I never worked with stones or borders, or ever managed to add plants which spread and filled in the bare ground between larger plants. I am actually really excited to work together with someone who will be able to quickly and efficiently realize the vision I have in my head. So no, I won't be able to say 'I made it myself;' but I will have helped design it, and I'll be taking care of it, and keeping it beautiful.

::HAVE A RAISED BED MADE::

For veggies, herbs, and annuals, I want to have a raised bed made. I've heard so many great things about them, and finally want to experience it for myself. Plus, no chance of Kiki peeing on anything edible.

Bedroom

 ::THE SPACE UNDER THE BED ISN'T THERE FOR STORAGE!::

One of my biggest goals is to use the storage space in the cellar and pantry so well that I never again have to slide something like boxes of Christmas decorations under the bed! I can't tell you how happy I am that we are finally moving into a home with alot of storage space. Up until now storage has always been an issue. I want the space under our bed to be so clean that you could eat off of it. I am sick of boxes under there getting covered in dust and dog hair. Yuck! Even if no one else sees or notices them, I KNOW THEY'RE THERE and they haunt me!

Details

::DISPLAY ART IN LOVELY CLUSTERS::

I have some sort of phobia about hammering a nail into a wall. I have most of our framed photographs and art standing on shelves and table tops, taking up room and looking a little cluttered. And then on the other hand, I have wide open spaces of wall which I am too scared to fill because I'm afraid of making a mistake. I really want to learn how to cluster photos and pictures in a way that looks informal and, in itself, like a work of art.

 ::KEEP YOUR CRAFTING SPACE SMALL AND NEAT::

This is going to be a really tough one, guys. I am hoping to keep my arts/crafts/office space as small and tidy and organized as possible. I only want it to take up a corner of one of the bedrooms, so that it can easily be transformed into a baby's room. I am hoping that, by figuring out a good filing system for our bills/papers/letters/photos, I will be able to accomplish this.

That will probably be the biggest challenge....is it me, or is this one of the toughest things to keep organized? 

::FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WOMAN: LEARN TO USE A DRILL!::

One of my goals is to buy, and use, a drill.

Aaaack!

I don't know why, but I find power tools frightening and overwhelming.

(sheesh, what a sissy)

But deep down inside I have this feeling that being able to drill holes in walls will give me an incredible sense of freedom. Just think of all the shelves I'll be able to install by myself!

xoxo country girl

spring in switzerland

Switzerland is beautiful in springtime.

I would love to take a roadtrip there.

Anyone want to come?

You drive, I'll pack the sandwiches, cookies, and thermos of cocoa.

Dreaming of spring,

xo country girl

Looking for a New Nest

We love our current home; surrounded by nature, lots of character with it's white brick walls, beautiful wooden floors, very sunny. But we are looking for a new place. A place with an elevator; more storage space; a bigger bathroom; larger terrace; in a location where my husband can walk to and from work like he used to; and I've always wanted a laundry room where you can also store things like the vaccuum cleaner and maybe even bedding. In other words, we live in a beautiful place, but it's not the most practical one. 

Here, when you want a new home, your first stop is not the realtor but the mayor. So that's what we did last summer. And luckily, there are new apartments being built in the perfect location for us. Up until now we have been wondering what the apartments were going to look like, and hoping to be the first to put our names down for one.

Yesterday we were finally able to go see the plans, and picked out what will hopefully be ours before this Christmas. When I saw the floor plans my heart was pumping and I knew, this is where I want to live!!

It's the two top floors (what's called a 'maisonette' here); to the back and the right you see a creek and woods (woods that are breathtaking in autumn....I'm already day dreaming of looking out the kitchen window onto those trees!)

I thought I would share the floor plans with you all...in case you're curious. I know I always love seeing floor plans (is that strange?) I've translated the names of the rooms for my english-speaking friends.

Click to enlarge.

First  Floor 

Top Floor

I was so happy to see that the kitchen is open and connected with the living/dining room. I know it's common in America, but here it's a trend that is just now catching on. We have that set-up in our current apartment and I would hate going back to a separate, small kitchen.

I was also really happy to see the laundry room and the mudroom, where I can store all the shoes and winter garments! (Again, am I strange for being excited about those?)

I love that there is a balcony off of the kitchen/living room...I can already imagine eating breakfast and even dinner there in the warmer seasons. And that terrace....

What I also love is that it feels very private. On two of the three open sides you are surrounded by the creek and the trees. Bird song and running water. Lovely.
Also included is a piece of cellar space, wonderful for storing Christmas decorations, etc.

I just now got the price, which we were sweating about, wondering if we would be able to afford it...but it looks as though we may be able to swing it. I am trying very, very hard not to get excited about it. But.........WOOHOO! 

Keep your fingers crossed that we will be able to call this home within the year!

For anyone else who has a a strange adoration for laundry rooms and mudrooms:

 

 

 

  

 

Hope you are all enjoying the week. 

Thanking you all for the sweet comments you leave me...they always make my day.

xoxo country girl

New England B and Bs in Winter Dress!

Snow, icicles, balsam wreaths and red bows; quaint towns dressed in their finest holiday garb; white buildings with firelight glowing through their shutter-sided windows....Christmas time in New England! Here, for your viewing and day-dreaming pleasure:

Marble West Inn, Dorset Vermont

Woodstock Inn, Woodstock Vermont

Thatcher Brook Inn, Waterbury Vermont

Connecticut River Valley Inn, Glastonbury Connecticut

Campton Inn, Campton Village New Hampshire

I could dream for hours about having a cozy winter weekend tucked into one of these. Maybe one day the dream will come true!

These fashion dreams are admittedly easier to accomplish than an expensive trip to New England; handmade shoes, gloves, and frills from etsy.com to make you, a friend, or a little one look your best this winter:

clockwise from the top left: 

1. iveta67  /2. deniz03  /3. KarlenKnits  /4. artlab  /5. dollyknits  /6. elizandaxel

Wishing you all a pleasant start to the week, and time to take pleasure in the simple and precious joys of the holiday season,

xo country girl