Florida Thanksgiving and Southern Hospitality

My friends and expert horse women

We celebrated Thanksgiving with our close friends at their ranch in Florida.  This spectacular ranch has a small mountain, several lakes and magnificent aged trees draped in Spanish moss.

View as we rode along

The menu, luau style (fire deep in ground covered with sand) 2 turkeys, wrapped in burlap, then encased in tinfoil, wrapped in green leaves, buried in the sand and  slowly baked for eight hours.  Our host spent 24 sleepless hours caring for the fire and ensuring accurate temperatures, for this gourmet feast.

Treasures included 2 turkeys and a roast

We saddled up some horses and rode and talked and visited.

Riding and visiting

Cydney on Star

Our  hosts decorated this table themselves

Burlap tablecloth,notie the fresh flowers hanging from the rafters

Two pals and their dogs out jaunting around

Alexander, Chris, Matt and Tyler catching up

Uncle Tyler and Coner

Someone called that dinner was being unearthed

Mithell, Mark E.  John Jn entertain m3

Turkeys and a roast ready for carving

Notice the burlap pattern on turkey. 

My dear friends

Dwight Holmes and Artist Mary Rose Holmes enjoying family and friends at Thanksgiving

Each guest brought their favourite vegetable or dessert dish  and believe me when I say Martha Steward would have been envious of the skills of our cooks.

Mark E, Helen Tilston, and little Mary Rose

Friends linger over coffee following dinner

I am truly thankful to my family, my friends and all who make life worth living each day.

Forever Chic

The door-bell rang and Spice Girl, our dog, charged to the door, wagging her tail.
My recent purchase from Amazon had arrived. A Rizzoli book, Forever Chic by Tish Jett

Spice Girl is grooming too

Spice Girl quickly returned to her warm spot on the couch and knew it was story time.

"Once upon a time a beautiful stylish American woman, named Tish went on an adventure to France.
She brought with her a resume or CV, if you will,  and it told of her past experiences, such as Editor at The New York, Daily News and Detroit Free Press (Yes, Detroit, this is where you, Spice Girl saw your first snow storm three weeks ago)

Spice Girl sees her first snowfall, near Detroit, three weeks ago

In Paris, Tish's talents were quickly recognized and she became Editor of International Herald Tribune and then the Paris correspondent for the Chicago Tribune as well as the last Editor of American Elle while it was still in Paris.   (Spice Girl, You know I still have those recipes which were easily torn from the magazine and yes I will make you chicken livers for supper tonight.)
Rather than returning to New York to work with Elle Magazine, Tish decided to remain in Paris.
She met her Prince. I think his name is Mr Jett  (Spice Girl I do not know if they are part of the jet set, we must never assume)  This brings me to the best part of the story.   
Every girl and woman has a dream.  It begins early in life and for me, at aged fifteen, it was my love for make up, purchased at Woolworths on my weekend trips to Dublin.  I clearly remember pan stick, orange lipstick and tubes of sparkly blue and green eyeshadow, which I would apply, without a mirror, once I was a mile away from my parents farm. I was going to Dublin and nobody would know me.   Even in a big city somebody always knows you and a miserable old woman told my mother that she saw me walking down Grafton Street and that she mistook me for a clown. 

Oh Spice Girl if only then  I had  Forever Chic I would have learned from Page 24

"ENOUGH ALREADY:  Natural is your aesthetic raison d'etre.  Minimal make up, hair that moves, when you do, nothing fussy or fixed....."


 There are conversations with professionals and friends accumulated in the quarter century that Tish has lived in France.  Tish is a keen listener and a sharp observer and I know you will love this book.


I feel every teenager, young adult and "femme d'un certain age" will get so much from this book.
I know this one is a keeper.

Many are already following
Tish's blog


I purchased my copy of Forever Chic fromhttp://www.amazon.com/Forever-Chic-Frenchwomens-Timeless-Substance/dp/0847841499/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384869137&sr=1-1&keywords=forever+chic+tish+jett


Ok Spice Girl, thank you for listening,  I will now take you for a well deserved walk

Great Design -the world's best design explored and explained

Sending love from Indian Rocks Beach Florida to Victoria

I won.

To my great surprise this past week my copy of Smithsonian Great Design arrived on my doorstep.
Smithsonian's GREAT DESIGN book, written by Philip Wilkinson and published by the British DK publishing house.
Wilkinson takes the reader through an awe inspiring and thoroughly collection of the world's best design. 

This coffee table book is will entertain, bring joy and knowledge to all who peruse the pages.

The gracious and beautiful Victoria from Art House Design generously gifted me with this very precious present.

Victoria's blog is one of my favourites.  She writes about art, travel, family, design and recently is experimenting with the most delicous breads.   Please stop by and say hello Victoria