Check Out Instagram

Sometimes I take a photo here and there and never share it on this blog so today I am sharing some photos I posted on my Instagram account. 

I turned an old post office box into a tea caddy. The dividers are paint color samples.

I used to keep flour in this glass canister. I decided to put tea in it instead.

I was asked to do an open house for a million dollar condo in Beacon Hill. This is the view from the dining room.

And here is the dining room. This is one of three fireplaces in the home. Sigh!

My friend Don came over and he tried to get a good shot of Oscar who is very camera shy.

A display at Maison Décor in Reading. The background is a paper panel made up of vintage wallpapers. I want to buy a sheet just not sure where I could use it in my home.

I represented my company at a homebuyer fair in South Boston. We Bostonians call this part of town  Southie.

This was dessert at a work function. I can't believe I ate the whole thing! Who remembers that commercial?

I am signing up for a photography class at the Griffin Museum in Winchester. I love this door.

This building is so cool and sits on a pond near the center of town. I am looking forward to the class.

Percy and I shared a lazy Saturday morning with coffee and home décor books.

A lovely antique buffet sits on a checkerboard floor at Brackett's Oceanview Restaurant in Rockport. Every time I see this piece I want to take it home with me.

A friend invited me up to her rooftop deck and we had an impromptu appetizer party. It was a gorgeous afternoon.

So there you have it, lots going on as usual. Sometimes I just forget to share it all with you.

More Adventures in Catsitting

I have been asked to cat sit again. Three cats, 14, 5 and 2 years old. Sounds familiar. My cats are 12, 7 and 3. In fact, Sammy looks a lot like Percy don't you think?

Milo is the baby of the family. He has the softest coat and he is very sweet. Yesterday he didn't eat much but today he was fine.

Lexi is the eldest of the brood. She is all white and she has two different color eyes. She is a love bug and like my Molly, she growls at the boys if they get too close.

Birdwatching is a favorite pastime in this household and why not?  The house is located on a hill surrounded by trees and birds.

 

Lexi enjoys the window too, when she's not rubbing her face on the perch her Daddy made for her.

 

 

Lexi, the birds are outside the window not in the house! The chirping is so loud you might think the birds were inside.

The kitties' backyard is an oasis from the rat race. Repurposed items decorate the garden.

Look at this arbor. It has seating for two. A neighbor was throwing it out so my friend got it for free. It certainly fits that spot perfectly.

The neighborhood is filled with colorful Victorians and well manicured lawns. Talk about pride of ownership!

I snapped this quickly as the UPS truck was about to spoil my shot. Also it was starting to rain quite heavily.

And this is where Lexi, Sammy and Milo live. They are allowed outside but just in the yard. But not on my watch. I already told them they would have to stay in until Momma gets home. The weather has been cold and rainy anyway.

This was taken on Monday. The last day we had sun I think. The morning light was beautiful in the yard.

Hopefully, the weather will improve but regardless I look forward to seeing those cute kitty faces again tomorrow morning.

Spontaneous trips are best

Yesterday while lunching with my sister I mentioned that I might go to Rockport in the evening to photograph the sunset. I told her I wanted to do something fun. We have two parents not in the best of health so weekends are not always fun.

"Aw, I want to go!", my sister said. So we made a plan for the evening. We would have dinner in Rockport and watch the sun set. Our spontaneous outings are always the most fun. Less plans equal a better time.

We had dinner at Brackett's Oceanview, a gem of a restaurant on the main drag in town. We split a clam roll and I had a cup of chowder too. Since we didn't call for a reservation we did not get an oceanview table. We didn't care. We were by the ocean on a beautiful night.

After dinner, we walked down to the boat launch. We could hear the waves rolling in. The breeze was just perfect. The temperature was cool, just to my liking. The sights and sounds were heavenly. I love exploring off the beaten path.

We did not think we would get a glorious sunset and we didn't but we didn't mind. It was peaceful by the boat launch and the sky with it's soft pastel hues was magnificent.

The houses by the ocean are not mansions but they have such charm. My sister said the trees over the red house looked spooky and should be in Salem not Rockport.

The sky got pinker as we stood watching the colors develop. I could have watched all night. It is such a special place. I think it could heal whatever ails you.

Here's a better picture of the spooky trees. As you can see, the houses are modest here.

I was losing the light at this point so forgive the blurry photos. Tulips in a garden by the sea.

You see this type of garden and fencing on Cape Cod too. Beach gardens are fascinating to me.

After we viewed the gardens, we walked downtown. We browsed through the merchandise at Wicked Peacock and conversed with the owner. Further down the street, we started talking with some women who were fundraising for Rockport Fireworks and Illumination Night. August 9th will be a fun night in Rockport. There will be lanterns hung in the town center and fireworks over the harbor. We marked our calendars and gave a small donation. This is a grassroots effort by a couple of women. Very inspiring!

Speaking of illumination, we walked back to the other end of Main Street and marveled at the newly constructed Shalin Liu Performance Center. This building is set oceanside and behind the stage is a glass window with the ocean behind it. It is the coolest venue for a concert. The outside is just as impressive. Functions are held here too.

Here's a closer look at the Performance Center. I hope to see a concert there this Summer. But even if I don't get tickets I will definitely be back to relax, hear the crashing of the waves and watch the pink skies over Rockport.

Quote of the Day

 

“Those who live by the sea can hardly form a single thought of which the sea would not be part.”
― Hermann Broch

What we've been up to at Cafe Chatelaine

Spending a relaxing evening at home on a Saturday. I love it. I love to have no plans and just unwind every once in a while, don't you?

Earlier I took photos of the Wyoming neighborhood in Melrose. The trees had flowered. So pretty!

The building ahead is so cool. Condos upstairs with rooftop decks and retail space below. The building is quite old.

The commuter rail station or the T station as it is called in these parts, is always gorgeous this time of year.

Has a bit of an Asian feel with the tree in full bloom and all the windows in the waiting area.

I used to watch the comings and goings at the station from the bakery across the street. Sadly the neighborhood bakery closed last year.

The area can be bustling depending on the time of day. Not so around 7 PM on a Saturday.

Apple blossoms were fragrant and plentiful near my friend's house today. I got a nice whiff as I walked by.

We gathered for a Kentucky Derby Party. My horse didn't even place or show.

Earlier, I watched people sitting in the sun outside Starbucks. It was exciting to see the Sun. It so rarely appears anymore.

The Sun was out on Friday morning when I took this shot from my dining room window.

I had lunch with my sister at Aroma Café on Friday and I discovered caramel cappuccinos. Bad, very bad!

Oscar was finally ready for his close up last week. I don't know why he is so shy around the camera, he is such a handsome boy!

Molly with her beautiful eyes and magnificent whiskers is happy to oblige the paparazzi.

This happened on Monday. It was cold and my upstairs neighbor's heat kicked on. Her radiator was leaking and the water came through to my ceiling. She has agreed to pay for the painting of the ceiling so I can't complain.

Percy inspected my new mug. I bought it at the Melrose Arts Festival last Saturday.

Molly pretends she is under a sun lamp. It was the only sun she was going to get pretty much all week.

I bought my cat mug from Julie Fox, a local potter. I really like her work.

Thom Ciulla, a photographer from Melrose, made this art piece. The base is an old wallpaper roller and he added vintage sheet music to ceiling fan blades. It is a steampunk dragonfly. I had a nice conversation with him about steampunk and photography.

My friend Lisa O'Connell of Snap Kick Studios had lots of cool items for sale. I bought a digital print of a Provincetown Shack from her. I love it.

My sister and I had been invited to our friend Jolie's for dinner. You may remember Joie as the person with the killer Christmas parties. She is a fantastic cook as evidenced by these cream puffs.

Poor Buddy was waiting for me to drop some of my dinner. Sorry Buddy, no chance I was sharing anything. It was too good!

Chicken with lemon extra virgin olive oil, panko, thyme, oregano. Mini raviolis stuffed with gorgonzola.

Oh my, oh my. Jolie said she just threw it together. I don't even want to discuss when I try to just throw something together.

This was the salad. This could have been the meal. Fresh and absolutely yummy!

I had friends over for dessert Easter evening. This has become a tradition for the last few years.

Everybody brought something for dessert. Mary made a cream cheese pie. To die for! My lustreware kitty pitcher made an appearance.

I bought a Easter Bunny chocolate pound cake and put him in a vintage crate.

Oh yeah, I served my favorite cheese, white stilton with mango and ginger. Everyone loved it.

 

Here's a shot of the tablescape. If I don't take a photo before the guests arrive, I often forget.

Oscar was preoccupied with the birds outside the window. That bookcase turned window seat works perfectly for the kitties.

Easter Mass was beautiful at Saint Patrick's Church in my hometown.

I've been using my Boston Strong wine bottle as a night light in my kitchen. The loving cup I bought a few years ago is a vase turned utensil holder.

Now you are all up to date with the goings on at Café Chatelaine. Hopefully the weather will turn warmer and drier and I can do a few daytrips. Then I'll really have something to blog about!