The Princess & The Pea

The Princess & The Pea is one of my favourite fairytales. I really have no idea why. I think mostly it was for the fact that I loved seeing the illustrations of all the beautiful assortment of mattresses piled one on top of the other, so high that you needed a ladder to climb to the top. The mattress were always covered in polka dots and roses and stripes and stars and I was always amused by that, as my mattress looked nothing like that. I also thought the idea that she could feel the pea under all those mattress was funny as well, however, as of late, I am beginning to think that feeling one little pea wouldn't be such a bad thing!

I haven't been sleeping very well for awhile now. We have a very old mattress and it is causing me to fall apart like an old lady. I can feel more than a "pea"! I can feel springs and boards and lumps and bumps when I sleep. I stripped the bed the other week and in looking at it, it reminded me of a 3D geographical map with a lot of mountains and valleys. Not what you want your little oasis of happiness to look like. I love my bed, so I want to be comfortable in it!

Since Mr. Michie isn't sleeping so well either, we realized that is was definitely time to make a change and to stop thinking about making one. So, we decided to go mattress shopping. I did my research and we knew what we wanted, we went to the store and were helped by the nicest man named Henry.

He was from Africa and had the most exotic accent, I loved listening to him speak. We told him of our old aches and pains and that we wanted a medium to firm mattress. Well, he took wonderful care of us, we walked out with a new mattress being delivered this Saturday and two new pillows as well! We even got a hug from him when we left! The company ranks their mattresses on a scale of 1 to 5; 5 being the "softest" and 1 being "orthopaedic". We must really be getting old because the bed that felt the best to us was a number ONE! We just had to laugh!

I will truly feel like a princess on this mattress as I will not notice Mr. Michie roll about, since he is quite a fidget, I can just lay still in perfect blissful sleep! So begone, peas and springs and feathers and lumpy mattresses, I am ready for sweet dreams!

(Image by Tim Walker)

Buttermilk

Mr. Michie and I don't watch a lot of TV, but when we do, it tends to be American TV shows. One of our favourites is: Castle. Nathan Fillion is very easy on the eyes and being a fan of detective shows, I enjoy watching this one. It has all the key crime show points, that make it perfect for both of us to view: the mystery, the drama, the humour, the romantic tension between Castle and Beckett...

Watching this show, a few weeks ago, brought to our attention, something that I had no idea existed on the scale that it does. After they wrap up a hard case, Beckett offers to buy Castle a hot chocolate and some macaroni and cheese from the "Food Truck". This sparked our interests, what was the "Food Truck". Thus, began an internet research session, that uncovered a culture we were not aware of.

When I was in College there were more food "stands" than trucks. The usual ice-cream stalls for the tourists and a great hot dog guy near the Museum I worked at, but that was it. In England, the most you get is a guy selling kebabs or possibly fish and chips. This is a social event that I am truly missing out on. It is more than your usual hot dog and pretzel vendors, it is, in some cases, gourmet food on wheels.

By the time we were done researching we were left starving. Like, when you watch "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" at 11pm at night and you know 5 minutes into it, that it was a mistake, because you are now desiring everything that Guy is munching away on.

Out of all the food trucks we discovered in our mini research session my favourite was: Buttermilk. Maybe, it is because I am a girl from the South, but anything that has buttermilk in it, just has to be good! By the time I was done looking at their website, I headed to bed very hungry and dreaming of Hawaiian Bread Cinnamon French Toast Sticks. MMMM!

Besides the delicious looking menu, who wouldn't want to eat out of a truck that has such an adorable little face on the side? Klippy the Buttermilk Boy is a cutie and I love his back story! Do you have any amazing food trucks in your neck of the woods?

Check out the Buttermilk Truck here.

Vacuum Woes

Well, I now know why the men who were doing some work in the cottage before Christmas, decided to take our vacuum bag out of the vacuum cleaner with them when they went: they had BROKEN it!

We came home from work the day they finished and began to start putting the house back in order, only to realize the vacuum wouldn't work; we then discovered, that they had removed the bag and taken it with them. We have tried to find replacement bags, with no luck and we borrowed a vacuum off and on from a neighbour to get us by. But, my friends, I am embarrassed to tell you this, my house hasn't seen a vacuum go over its floors in over a month.

I keep a clean house, so this has been driving me nuts! This past weekend we went shopping and after hitting one of the local markets, I finally found my vacuum bags.  I woke up yesterday morning, put on my best June Cleaver apron and pearls and decided to get to work! Mr. Michie put the bag in for me and plugged me in, so I could go, go, go.

As soon as we turned it on, there was a poof, a lot of smoke, a lot of dust and a high pitched squealing noise; we couldn't even see each other through the haze in the kitchen.  So, we turned it off and ran to open the front door to get some fresh air in, looked at each other and then just had to laugh, because it was either that or cry! So, that is why they took the bag with them when they finished, they realized that they had broken it and there was no way for us to know until we were able to find replacement bags.

So, I shook out my apron, dusted off my pearls and turned to the internet. Thank goodness for Amazon! A new BAGLESS vacuum cleaner is now on its way to my little cottage and I will have a sparkling home once more!

Gather Here

We are just a little over a week away from Thanksgiving. Not a holiday here in England, but we still celebrate it in our little cottage. There is something to this time of year, as we approach Christmas, there is just so much more hustle and bustle and everything takes on a more frantic pace.  There also seems to be something in the air lately, everyone seems to just be fed up!

Maybe, it is because evening crawls in sooner and with less hours of daylight we feel pressured to complete more tasks than usual. Maybe, it is simply the pressure the media puts on us, there is not one store I have entered lately that is not stock piling their Christmas displays or has already decorated to the nines. It seems that as we approach Thanksgiving there is more pressure than ever.

Thanksgiving, can be a stressful time for many, you are possibly dealing with family that you would prefer not to see, you are anxious that your turkey will turn it out just so; the new bride cooking for everyone for the very first time. All this pressure, seen and unseen, seems to mount for everyone and comes to a head.

I think, of all the Christmas gifts, I have to buy and what seems like no time to do it in. I think of all the things I have to do at home and only the weekend to complete everything. I feel the pressure, that Thanksgiving seems to be the "hurdle" we have to get through on our way to Christmas, and once Christmas comes we can all sit back and take a breath.

I refuse to look at holidays like that. I want to enjoy them for all that they are, I want to soak up every drop of time I spend with my family. I want to simply take a breath and be open to just being, not be pressured by society to have everything just so and by a certain date, I am willing to just take it as it comes and drink in the moments as they present themselves. Because, I believe that I am where I'm supposed to be right now and I will come to it with not only an open heart but a grateful one!

(Image by Craftily-Ever-After)

Stop the Clocks

I tweeted this post out: "Paris Flat Unopened for 70 Years", a few weeks ago and kept the article in my Instapaper account to read over again. I re-read it this morning and I am still as intrigued as I was the first time.

The flat was owned by Mrs. de Florian, who left it and moved to the South of France before the outbreak of WWII. She recently passed away at the age of 91 and her estate came into the public eye when experts were asked to inventory her possessions.  It was through this research that the treasures in her abandoned flat were discovered.

I could not imagine having a place I never returned too. I wonder why she never did? Was it the memories that it held? Was it the memories that it didn't? Maybe she simply had no ties there. Stepping through the door and in to that world must have been like stepping through the looking glass.

Other than the dust and cobwebs strewn about the flat, it looked as though the inhabitants had just run out to pick up something from a shop.  One of the most startling discoveries was a painting, by the artist Boldini, who's muse was Mrs. de Florian's grandmother. Which has been auctioned off for €2.1 million, a record sale for the artist.

What I love most about this article, is that today, even with all the technology we have, there are still some discoveries left to be found, hidden worlds yet to be opened.

A Secret Nook

Tonight as the rain softly falls and the wind whips around the house, I crave to just be still, to sit in silence and just be in a secret nook where I can hide away and get lost in a deliciously good book. There is nothing better than getting lost in a book, what a guilty pleasure that is! Especially if it is enjoyed with a hot cup of cocoa with lots and lots of marshmallows.

Alas, I still have a lot of work to get done this evening and a Christmas gift that I am beginning to work on early for someone special. I want to take some time to read the directions for it and then work on blowing up the pattern, I can't say any more at the moment because it is a secret, shhhh!

But, as I work away I will dream of hiding out in a secret nook like the one above surrounded by walls and walls of gorgeous books.

(Image from "The Holiday" found on Hooked on Houses)

Leaves

The weather is changing now, as if Mother Nature knows everyone has gone back to school. Summer is slowly but surely dipping into Fall.  We went on a walk over the weekend and the crunch, crunch, crunch of leaves under our feet made a happy sound before it melted into the sludge of wet ones buried underneath on the wooded path. 

The evenings are getting darker sooner, the mornings are taking longer to light and there is a cozyness in that, we are moving into hot chocolate weather! I miss not being home this time of year. I grew up near the prettiest mountains on the face of the earth and I got to watch them evolve with the seasons.

This is the time for hay bales and pumpkins, Indian corn hung on your door in fat bunches, apples dipped in warm ooey gooey melty caramel and harvest moons. The leaves are beginning to crunch under our feet, I feel that it will soon be Fall.

The Last Slice

I have been working hard these last few days. I don't seem to have gotten very far however, this week has been unbelievably busy.  I have been out of the house more than I have been in and trying to do all my sewing in the in-between.

But, tonight I am inside, the dishes are done, the iron is hot and I am just about to make some Jenny Wren tags to sew into little bunny and bear legs. Before I do that, I am going to eat the last slice of this:

The marble cake we made for the Fourth of July has managed to stick around a few days longer than I thought since we have been out so much.  So, the last slice, is mine! After all, a girl needs to keep up her strength when sewing so many little creatures together...

Heidi

I have always loved this story by Johanna Spyri. I especially loved watching the Shirley Temple version when I was growing up. Seeing her play with Schwanli and Baerli, her two little goats. Running through the gorgeous Alps, picking flowers and eating her lunch of crusty bread and fresh cheese out of a little pail lined with gingham fabric with Peter by her side.

But, most of all, I loved her little bedroom. Being tucked up in the eaves of the house, her window overlooking the mountains, the smell of fresh air and warm hay around her as she drifted off to sleep.

Yesterday, I felt just like her. The day was just so perfect! A Spring day that gives you a taste of Summer yet to come. I stripped the bed and washed the duvet cover. I let it finish drying over the airer and it was slowly baked in the warmth of the sun, as its edges rippled from the breeze coming through the window.

I fell asleep last night to the gentle pitter-patter of rain and the smell of the sun and fresh air against my cheek. I felt just like Heidi nestled in her little loft with the sweet smell of hay surrounded by the beauty of Spring.

Happier Than A Bird

It is beautifully sunny today and might get up into the 70's. There is a delicious breeze blowing, I have beach music playing on the radio and as the voices of The Platters drift over me, I can only think of being little; the window rolled down, the wind whipping at my hair, my fingers catching the updraft as the smell of pluff mud fills my nostrils, the beach is on the horizon and the diamond dazzling reflection of the sun off of the water makes me squint and very soon I know my toes will be in the sand...

So today as the sunshine sinks into my pores and nourishes my soul, I am more than content! I hope there is something making you happy on this beautiful sunny Friday!

The Holiday

I have the couch to myself, our Easter package has arrived from my wonderful parents and I am sitting curled up with a blanket and some jelly beans (I love the pink colored ones) and as the key holder of the remote control I am blissfully watching the wonderfully delightful movie "The Holiday"! What could be better than a Christmas movie on TV?

Right now, I can't think of anything better than this, this is happiness! I love this film, I would move in to that cottage tomorrow. It is a shame that it doesn't really exist, because I am in love with it - her kitchen, with its duck egg blue cabinets and giant fireplace,  her glorious bookshelves and inviting looking furniture.

I can relate to living in something so cramped and cozy, unfortunately though, I don't have a fireplace in my bedroom like Kate Winslet does, that would be a dream. But, that is probably a good thing, because between that and my very comfy fluffy bed, I might never leave my room...


Hope there is a little drop of rainbow happiness in your day!








(Images from the Hooked on Houses Blog)

Going on A Twig Hunt!

This past weekend we went on our annual twig hunt for the Easter Egg tree. Normally we come back with a selection of different sized branches, but this year we actually found a fallen branch that looked more like a little German Christmas tree. So, home it came with us to be decorated.

The woods are very slowly starting to come to life. Daffodils are peaking their crowned heads up, polka dotting everywhere with sunshine yellow. We came across 2 muntjacs who were making their way down to the pond to drink, they saw us and leaped and bounded in the other direction. The smaller one, however, stopped behind a tree and just watched us for a little while as we watched him.

It was cold on Sunday, so even though we were bundled up we didn't last long in the woods the damp just oozed in to your pores. But the smell of fresh earth and clean air was so nice after a winter of not being able to walk in the woods, it wasn't too long though before we headed home to decorate our tree.




It was bigger than we thought! The scale of the woods made our little branch look "little". It wasn't until we got home and tried to get it  through the door we realized we had a problem!

After some laughing and cutting down the longer branches and trimming away some of the bottom we finally got it up. It is my first bit of Easter and there will be more to come this week. If the sunshine won't be outside, I can at least bring it inside!

My husband loves to hang the eggs on the tree. The first year we were married I found a German Easter Egg kit to dye eggs with. We searched and searched for white eggs since the grocery stores here only carry brown. Eventually, we found some lighter colored ones and after carefully blowing them out we spent an afternoon dyeing them.

He had never dyed an egg before, as this is not a British Easter tradition and it was such a delight to watch his sweet face light up as he hovered over his little pile of eggs making sure they changed to just the hue he wanted. That is how it should be, the simple things should never cease to please us!

Put the Kettle On...

Put the kettle on, I'm making scones this morning. I am making The Pioneer Woman's delicious scones today. However, I have made a few adaptations, there are some things that I can't get at my local grocery store in Jolly Ole' England, so when in Rome...

The house smells like a cozy tea room and makes me yearn for the little cottage we stayed at in Cornwall with the sun shining so brightly today it would be perfect for a walk down the coastal path and a stop at Daisy's for a doorstop sandwich and then some cake and tea.

Oh, I hear my kettle whistling, I wish you were here, you could join me for a spot of tea and a pecan scone....

Getting Organized

I am trying to get organized in our house this weekend. The Spring Fever Bug has bit me! So today I am cleaning and getting the house ready to go into the weekend, so tomorrow I can tackle the pantry.

The pantry is not only a place for food storage, but living in a little cottage it has taken on the role of having bookshelves packed with books, holding my cleaning supplies and most importantly all my sewing bits and bobs.

It has gotten quite messy at the moment since I have been in the throws of creating bears and bunnies and now when you open the door you just hold your breath. It is like those can of snakes, you pop the lid and they all come shooting out, well, when I open that door, I am waiting for everything to come shooting out at me! (it is not that bad I am being a bit melodramatic, or am I?)

So, I have donned my June Cleaver pearls and I am going to wax my way out the door to go grocery shopping. Tonight we are making bean burritos with queso sauce and making my sister's guacamole, yumm!

(apron image from Stitch Thru Time)

Good Morning!

After pulling an all nighter Monday evening to finish up the last of my RosaBlue order, I am very content this morning to munch away on my lucky charms cereal, with the hum of the dryer in the background as I get caught up on laundry and just be!

Oh, Mt. Laundry, I will tackle you today! I will reach the top and wave my banner of accomplishment high! Or at least come close to chipping away at your peaks!

The wind is whistling around the house, so I think a cup of hot chocolate will be the next thing I make as I slowly move into the kitchen with my green shamrock cladded socked feet! Hope you are having a nice morning wherever you are...

Shake! Shake! Shake!

Shake! Shake! Shake! Oh! Shake! Shake! Shake! Shake that snow globe, shake that snow globe!

We awoke this morning to another snowfall, this time it was just a lovely dusting of snow. It is like living in a little snow globe world.

I think I am the only person in the whole of England who is still happy there is snow underfoot!  I watched, over a steaming mug of tea, as big fat flakes gently fell to the cold earth. Winter is such a graceful and hauntingly beautiful woman.

Staying Cozy

Snowy Morning

Wake

gently this morning

to a different day.

Listen.

There is no

bray of buses,

no brake growls,

no sirens howls and

no horns

blow.

There is only

the silence

of a city

hushed

by snow.

- Lilian Moore, The Golden Book of Poems for the Very Young

We were kissed by the Snow Queen this morning.  Awaking to more snow, swirling around in big fat flakes, like we were living inside a snow globe being shaken up. I love these mornings!

I am off to make a warming cup of hot chocolate and take my "lambiekin" clad feet back to bed for awhile to just enjoy the morning's peace...

(Snow Queen Image by Angela Barrett)

Little Christmas

Happy Epiphany! Today, I moved my little Wiseman to the manger. We always celebrated "Little Christmas" in our house. There was always a small treat waiting at our places at the dinner table. It was that last little special time of Christmas. Once, there was a very big Epiphany present waiting for us.

Our Church was raffling off a Nativity Set and my sister and I bought so many tickets we were convinced we had won. But when they announced the winner at midnight mass, it was not us. That was alright, we thought, another family needed it more than us.  But the Church store had one left and my parents bought it for us as a surprise. We could not believe it. Lovingly touching the beautiful little figures we were in awe, that was a wonderful Epiphany dinner we had that night admiring our little set placed on my Great-Grandmother's hutch.

I love nativity scenes. One of my favorite belongs to my Grandmother. My Great-Grandfather, Papa Nome had it built in Italy for their Church. It is so exquisitely crafted. The colors on the 1950's Italian style Creche are still as vivid today as it was when he first pried open the wooden crates and lifted them out of their hay beds.

When I was younger the Church decided to replace it with a smaller version and were going to throw this set out. My grandmother would not allow it and brought it home, where she proudly displayed it on the hall table every Christmas.

It was the first thing you saw when you came in through the door. It said very simply to me, "Christmas", Christmas is here.  Some of the pieces are a little worse for wear and the donkey is missing an ear. But the colors are still bright and the story is still there and as I moved my Magi this morning to the stable door, I thought of her doing the same thing.

One More Sleep till Christmas...

There is only one more sleep till Christmas! I don't know if I will be able to sleep, the excitement in the air, stirs so many childhood memories for me.  May the spirit of Christmas be in your heart at this time and all the year through.

(Images from Christmas in the Country, copyright 1950)

Everybody Neat & Pretty? Then on with the Show!

Today, I am busy attacking my house! Ironing Christmas tablecloths, dusting, vacuuming and putting away things I don't have room for when all the Christmas decorations are out. We are going to decorate this weekend. I can't wait!

The poor house has been neglected at the moment since I have been busy finishing up orders. But it is smiling and gleaming once again! I am still in my pajamas, listening to Christmas music and it is so frosty and bitterly cold outside today it has truly set the tone for a silvery wintry feeling!!

Well unfortunately the elves are busy helping Santa this time of year so I will get no help from them or the Kitchen Fairies, so it is back to work I go.....