~ It's Just A Little Thing

Saturday was so beautiful out, we decided to take a little road trip to Renninger's. The big extravaganza was a few weeks ago and I can't remember what was going on, but we just had other things to do that weekend and didn't go. This trip I was looking for a particular booth where I had made a purchase in November. The lady had a couple more items, so I was hoping to get more. What were the chances they would still be there?

It's funny how you really never know how some little gift you give will be something they will treasure for a long time. Nor do we ever know how quick something that was more costly to us winds up at the GoodWill. But it's the thought behind the Gift that counts, right? After that you just have to let it go.

Almost 30 years ago Sweet Hubby's sister gave us an old door knob. I'm sure it was quite inexpensive at that time and not really a big purchase today. We brought it with us when we moved here. The color was the typical gold of that time. So I cleaned it well, primed and used a couple of Rub-n-Buff colors on it. Probably pewter and silver, and then aged it a bit. It adorns the french doors in the dining room. It probably doesn't get much attention on a day to day basis.

But this day, I stopped and admired it.

So on this beautiful Spring-like day, we headed straight that one booth to hopefully find what I was going to the Antique Market for. But of course, they were gone. When? They had just sold a couple of weeks ago when we did not go on our planned trip. And I didn't even find a nice mate to my door knob. Just a nice day of walking around. It was still a good day.

When we got home, I again admired the little door knob. There is so much to be thankful for. Including the little house where the door knob lives.

~ Bon Appetit! Brownies & Kitchens

When I first saw the cover of the latest Bon Appetit magazine, all I wanted was a brownie! As much as I love chocolate chip cookies, brownies sometimes are even higher on the food chain of desire.

As usual this recipe had a bit too much saturated fat for the way I like to cook and eat. I want to enjoy my food without worrying about clogging my arteries. No I didn't think about that sort of thing when I was twenty.

The the first kitchen posted here, which is in the same issue as that brownie, stole my heart. So I had to take a closer look. Is it the stove? The cabinets? The sink? How about this antique table? Um, maybe.

The white kitchen above also appeared in Bon Appetit, last year. This time it is easy to know exactly why I love it. And the same for the Christopher Peacock kitchen below. I don't think I could find a kitchen designed by that man that I would not love.

The most interesting thing about the French inspired kitchen in the first picture, is that I'm not in love with all of the individual things in the kitchen, and yet..... I love the space. I feel very at home looking at this space. The sum of the parts in this kitchen, designed by my favorite kitchen designer, Mick de Giulio, is much greater than the parts, for me anyway. I guess I just need to study this one for a little while, as I munch on some brownies of course. It just might be the antique island that calls out to me the most.

I've been working on a recipe that is gluten free and lower in saturated fats. And this is something that I can enjoy even in my own little kitchen.

~ Knock Knock

If you purchase a new sofa or a beautiful antique, or any other larger ticket item, you get to see something for the lightness in your wallet. When you spend hours and hours making sure you find the right person to work on little wear and tear cracks in stucco, then have it done, or upgrade old electrical panels and wires... well you just write the checks but don't see much in the end. But it is peace of mind and that will do just fine.

So that's what fabulously interesting things are going on right now. We are determined to get everything in this old house updated and upgraded so there are no surprises down the road. And I am thinking in the same terms for Sweet Daughter's house even though hers is much newer. It takes a lot of time to research everything and everyone before any project. But thank goodness for the internet!

On my wish list remains a front door like the one you see above. I have long forgotten how many years I've been longing for one. It's way down on the list right since there are things that "should" be done long before I can think of such an indulgence. But maybe one day. Oh and that stone is beautiful too, isn't it? One can dream.

See Y'all Soon~