Good Things by David

  It's Thanksgiving, a day to be thankful for what we have. I have my health, as does my husband. Our baby cat is healthy and happy. The house is warm and our plates are never empty. Mom, dad, my brothers, sisters-in-law, my niece and nephews are all healthy (they're  celebrating the holidays responsibly). Every day I am thankful for this. My family are never taken for granted.  Peace and love to you and your cherished ones. Happy Thanksgiving,  David

I came across an antique tobacco sorter, also known as a tobacco sizing box, that I could not pass up.  Little did I know that such tools have been used for about two centuries in this country by tobacco farmers to size the leaves of the tobacco plant upon harvesting.  After a lengthy discussion with a good friend of mine who has gone tobacco picking on a farm in Massachusetts, I was surprised at what an ingenious tool this wooden frame really was for farmers.   At first glance, you might come to the conclusion that it is a spice rack, much like the one that I own ( click here ).   Did you know that a tobacco sorter such as the one above was the actual inspiration for my Martha by Mail spice rack? The first time I saw a tobacco sorter was on the set of Martha Stewart Living Television several decades ago.  I assumed it was a spice rack or a spice shelf, because that is how Martha was using it on the set (above).  Little did I know I was comple...

Several weeks ago I came across a large bolt of vintage fabric that I knew I had to have.  The linen was new-old stock from the 1950s with a lovely green-striped pattern along the edges.  In my mind I was already turning this fabric into something for my kitchen, because the cream colored background and the green-striped edging of the linen looked like it would be an exceptional match with some of the green kitchenalia that I collect. I love how creative some people can get with their hand stitching, embroidery and various sewing creations.  Unfortunately I don't fall into the category of being adept with a needle and thread, so I rely on knowing people who are.   After approaching a local seamstress about what I had in mind, she quickly walked me through what she was going to do.  The 10 yards of fabric would be cut into 1 yard pieces, and each piece would then get a stitched hem to create the kitchen towels of my dreams.  Since I specifically a...

Summer is a time of bounty for us.  Several sets of catbirds have raised a few broods under our back porch and next to the house, the bees have been busy visiting the wildflowers, our resident groundhogs (we have two this year!) can't seem to stop eating, the robins, cardinals and bluejays are as active as ever, and gardens around the neighborhood are ready to burst with vegetables, fruits and herbs. I'm the first to admit that we're spoiled here in our part of Pennsylvania.  The more-than-average rainfall has been good to everyone's garden. I spent a morning over the weekend harvesting a few vegetables that were ready for picking, and I collected some eggs which were greatly needed in the kitchen. The kirby cucumbers are crisp and delicious right now (garden gloves were needed to pick these because of their very prickly skins).  I love using them in my salads, but they also make great pickles.  The carrots are also sweet and crisp.  If I'm not snac...

Spring officially begins for me with the first sightings of our beautiful crocuses and snowdrops which surround our house.  It doesn't matter what the calendar tells me, these little harbingers of the coming season, signify that our landscape is slowly but surely waking up.  In a matter of weeks, everything will be green! I simply had to go outside early this morning to cut a few dozen snowdrops from the sloping glade behind our house.  There are literally thousands upon thousands of snowdrops surrounding our home, that bringing in a few dozen feels like nothing.   With a pair of sharp scissors and a small basket, I gathered as many delicate snowdrops as I could, and began making small arrangements. Spring is a very good time for me to dust off and wash my beautiful collection of jadeite (jadite) glass, because it looks absolutely wonderful on the dining table, in my kitchen cabinets and on the counter.  This alluring green glass happens to b...

The latest book to come from Martha Stewart Living is dedicated entirely to the growing, cultivating, cutting and arranging of splendid blooms.  'Martha's Flowers' is out February 27th, and it's a publication that you won't want to be without, because it is beautifully organized, well written and  gloriously photographed.  The hardcover book co-authored by Martha Stewart and Kevin Sharkey, gives us an intimate account of Martha's favorite flowers as they bloom throughout the year.  Written from the perspectives of America's most trusted lifestyle expert, and her friend and colleague, Executive Director of Design at Martha Stewart Living, 'Martha's Flowers' will take you into the homes and gardens of Martha Stewart. The first thing that you will notice when perusing the book, is how beautiful it is.  It reminds me so much of Martha's second Entertaining book; a large hardcover tome filled with truly breathtaking photographs.  ...

I want to show you our Thanksgiving table before we sit down to dinner in a few hours.  This year is all about setting a table with earth tones that connote the season's best colors.  I love gold, black, caramel, deep yellows and and creamy taupes.  With that in mind, I took out a good Wedgwood pattern that gets used a lot here at home, and then I complemented it with a golden-colored linen tablecloth, some black linen napkins and mismatched bakelite.  The glassware was etched Depression glass. I love the simplicity of our table. This is an overview of the table looking toward the kitchen.  The sheaves of wheat centerpiece was surrounded by a flock of caramel glass, L.E. Smith turkeys.  These are going to be used to hold cranberry sauce for guests. The flatware is vintage and not-so-vintage bakelite.  I didn't want to set the table with silver this year, so I completed a mismatched place setting for each guest. The wine glasses are qu...

It is often said that we don't really choose our pets, they're the ones that choose us.  I found out how true that really is a couple of weeks ago.  My neighbor and dear friend Pam was taking a walk near a client's house the other week when she heard some crying coming out of a drainpipe.  When she took a peek, she found a little abandoned kitten.  Rather than going straight to the vets she brought it over to me at the cafe and asked if I wanted to provide the baby with a home.  I was instantly smitten! Henry loves to be held.  He's so tiny in my arms! This was the first time I held Henry in my arms. I remember Pam holding this tiny little bundle of black fur and feeling instantly like I had to protect the little one and give it a home.  I won't forget how his meowing stopped the moment I held him in my arms.  I think he knew that I could be trusted and that he would be safe with me.  The decision was made right then and there. ...

The trees this year have taken their sweet time turning, but I'll have whatever they give us because it's my favorite season.  For some reason the Beech trees seem to be some of the most beautiful specimens around the property.  Tall, healthy and long-lived, each tree is absolutely perfect.  The landscape would be incomplete without them.     I was having a long discussion with a loved one about old-growth trees and how vital they are to the ecosystem.  We recently noticed that a couple of neighbors have had the impudence to cut down such trees on their properties, much to our horror.  There is nothing worse than seeing large healthy trees being cut down, and left sitting in great, big heaps waiting to be chipped.  I can't think of any good reason, other than having a diseased or dead tree, to remove an old-growth tree just to tear down a home and perhaps erect a larger "stately" home.  It's extremely unsightly.  Alas, not eve...

I had the most marvelous afternoon this past weekend while visiting my friends' property nearby.  If you remember a short while ago, I promised you that I would visit the chickens that lay those beautiful eggs, which we've been partaking of here at home.  I finally took that much-needed trip to see the "ladies" and visit my friends. When I arrived, I noticed that some of the flowers near the home and around the outbuildings were still in bloom.  The garden planted by my friends, Luke and Alicia, was bursting with vegetables ready for harvesting.  To top it all off, the sky was as clear and blue as the ocean.   Our area of Pennsylvania has been experiencing very warm temperatures of late.  The days have been feeling more like midsummer than early fall, but you won't hear me complaining because I don't mind sunny days and eighty degree temps.  I'll take this weather and whatever the garden has to offer, any day. Years ago, I visited this b...