All-time Obsession

I love large tables and work surfaces like this one featured in House Beautiful.  

Victor Hugo Castaneda RLP

The beautiful sculpture of Victor Hugo Castaneda at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate Mexico really is very moving.  His work is all over the grounds of the ranch and this one in particular seems to be a favorite of many people.  I was told the model was one of the yoga instructors.  What an incredible way to be remembered.

Landscaping

Finally getting the front yard in order.  Rocks, boxwood, sculpting.  In the rain....

The Porch

The back of our house has this huge awning and porch that becomes the center of our world each spring.  Last winter the awning came crashing down under the weight of one of the biggest snow storms to hit our region.  Last Friday the new awning went up,  we painted the porch and put the furniture back in its place.  Then last night we christened it with dinner, friends, wine and music.  No reason to travel anywhere this time of year.  I like the contrast of the gray porch floor with the cream and white of the house.  We have three sets of french doors across the back that can all be opened creating a wonderful zone where people call flow freely in and out.  This is my favorite time of year and one of my favorite places to be rest and think.

Things that Make Me Happy Part III

 

I promise this is the last Things-that-make-me -happy post but the roses at the side of my house are really mind bending.  Every time I pull into the driveway I am delighted to see them.  Further down the row are heirlooms with the most heady fragrance.  They attract every beetle and bug in the neighborhood but they are worth it to be able to smell and see real roses.  This was taken this morning before the fog lifted.  Welcome summer.

Things that Make Me Happy Part II

Roses from my garden and antique and new linens freshly ironed.

Things That Make Me Happy

I have been in this house for 18 months and finally have gotten around to planting a small herb garden.  It is right out the back door of the kitchen in about the only sunny spot in the yard.  There is something about getting herbs straight from the garden while I am cooking that really makes me happy.  I feel like I finally really live in this house.  I also need to paint those steps!

Great Designers you may never have heard about

In Shanghai one of my favorite designers is Denise Huang owner and designer of Suzhou Cobblers (www.Suzhou-cobblers.com ).  Denise has the most beautiful hand embroidered slippers in bright colors influenced by various riffs on Chinese iconic images.  Her work always inspires me and whenever I am in Shanghai I buy a few pair of shoes or one of her other interesting pieces (baby hats, scarves).  If you have a chance stop by her little store right off the Bund at #17 Fuzhou Lu, Room 101.

The Landing

The landing in the gloaming. To the left is the large topiary of rosemary that seems happy to overwinter here.  To the right are a set of antique Delft tiles of people either floating boats or working or sitting around thinking.  The vase is something I picked up in a museum in Wuhan and then later saw thousands of in Hongqiao Market in Beijing.  I love the colors in the vase no matter where it came from or how special or common it is.  It has a beautiful peony on it that is just the same color as those I have grown at other houses in which I have lived.  I love this landing and the way it makes you pause as you transition upstairs.  The view from the window and the diminutive size of the  stairwell all work in a way that is part of the charm of this little space.

Spring in Pennsylvania

I planted some bulbs in this huge urn last fall and assumed nothing would happen. And for a while, nothing did happen. Then one day I came home and viola! there they were. Parrot tulips and in full. Right under the mailbox so the mailman can enjoy them too.

Mongolia

All I can say is that Mongolia is an amazing place. I want to thank my friend Dean Alec Stewart for insisting I spend 7 weeks there a few years ago. It is a vast, open and wild kind of landscape. We traveled by Russian jeeps and slept in pup tents in the high Altai Mountains and on lucky nights in Mongolian gers (also known as yurts in the rest of central Asia).

Tet

Since I had the end of Chinese New Year in Beijing, I thought I would add the beginning of Tet in Vietnam. This was taken last January on one of my business trips, but again, the sea of color so impressed me. In Beijing it is all red and grey; in Vietnam gold is the color of the New Year. These lanterns were lined up on the sidewalk waiting to be hung over the streets.

Second Blog of the Day

I can see that this blogging thing could become an obsession. What I want to do is post some photos so I am figuring that out. The one from Beijing is so large but really gives that wonderful atmosphere of that city; grey, grey, grey punctuated by this incredible red everywhere. I love the grey actually and when you are there it is soothing (if one could call Beijing soothing). So, now I am posting the other extreme. My home, which is all about color and comfort. I am blessed that people give me the most amazing things. A visiting scholar recently presented me with this bird painting, an original by the scholar's friend LU Jin Yi. My friend told me that some of this artists original work hang in museums in China. It took my breath away and I immediately scurried off to Micheal's to have it framed. Here is the result. I decided to float the print in between two panes of glass so the art would float away from the wall. The other photo is looking from the kitchen through the family room and into the living room. This room has changed too (as it is a work in progress) but I needed to place that red kettle into the photo as a piece of interest. I think the red is my reminder of Beijing along with the print.

Starting a Blog

I am taking the leap today into the digital void. For years I have been fascinated by design, color, movement and the greater world. Because my job sends me to interesting places I am often influenced by what I see. I have collected textiles since I was a teenager and I am always deeply interested in fabric, weavings, cloth and the people who create with that medium. After looking through my iPhone recently I saw that I had a number of photos that would mean nothing to anyone other than those who love design and movement. So, here it is. My random thoughts held together by photos of things I see and what I eventually drag home, incorporate, give away or share with friends and family.