Well we’ve made it to December, and I think we are all more than ready for some much needed Holiday cheer. Despite all the challenges we’ve faced, I feel like people are truly embracing this season. We all need a little happiness and joy in our lives and nothing makes us more grateful for having those we love close, whether physically or in our hearts. My message is simple this year. I wish you all the joy this season brings to you and your families and may you find peace and comfort surrounded by those you love.
Yes, it’s true November is here! I think it’s no surprise that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. What could be better than a day dedicated to friends, family, food, reflection on our blessings and nowhere to go!! Be sure to check out the Entertain section for my tips for stress free entertaining. Also look for some of my favorite recipes if you are the one hosting the big day. I’ve been requested to put together a menu which I’ll be posting sometime soon. This is a great month to start turning our thoughts to long cozy winter days and dare I say, start dreaming of the holiday season ahead. In my book, it’s never too early to start planning. My MO has always been, get as much done early – shopping, Christmas cards, etc. The early bird gets to relax by the fire when the bustle begins! Be sure to check out The Hive Shop (on the left) for items I’m adding everyday, plus it’s a one click link to the Amazon site for all your shopping needs! Have a most beautiful November and Thanksgiving my friends.
I’m finding it hard to believe that I’m posting October already! September flew by quicker than the leaves dropping from trees. Regardless, October has arrived and with it much cooler temperatures. It’s time to cozy up inside and embrace all that is Autumn. Here in the northeast this change of the season is the most striking of all. The vibrant colors, overflowing pumpkin patches, dried corn stalks and farmers stands brimming with winter squashes of every variety. I know I’m ready to turn the oven on and start cooking long braised comfort food and baking apple treats! Look for plenty of my favorite recipes in the “From the Kitchen” category. Be sure to check out my store The Hive Shop for new items added in the Fall Category. In the meantime, get outside and enjoy the natural beauty of this fleeting season. Follow me on Instagram for a daily dose of inspiration! Wishing you all a glorious October!
Shortened days and cooler nights have come sneaking in and once again September is upon us. I’ve said often enough that September always seems to be more like New Years for me. This is the season of such visible change, in nature around us and in our lives as well. Children off to school, starting a new grade and new adventures. It is true this season will be different for us all, but it is also an opportunity to embrace that which seems foreign and take on the challenge. Home has become so much more now and in this season of slowly moving indoors, its nice to truly make that our comfort zone. Light the candles and pull out the cozy blankets. Trade out the decor for warmer colors and layer on the throw pillows. Remember to check my Hive Shop for lots of Autumn accessories and for those days when we want lucsious smells wafting through the house, check all my recipes for baking (it is apple season after all!) and slow cooked meals. A happy September to you all my friends. Welcome to Autumn.
Whenever I sit down to post my monthly intros, I try to find an image that captures the mood for that month. This month, a view from my cutting garden felt like the right choice. The gardens are flourishing in the abundant sunshine we’ve been having and summer is in full throttle. The season has felt quite a bit longer than in previous years, but that is most likely due to all my children being home much earlier, and I am grateful for that. Summer is typically so fleeting, but I feel like we are squeezing it for all it is. This month look for my fresh salad recipes and inspiration for fresh meals to prepare with all the abundant produce available at roadside stands. I’ve also added many new items to The Hive Shop, so breeze on over and take a look. I’m excited to be trying a new skin care line from an exclusive spa and I will be posting and giving my feed back on that in a few weeks. Be sure to check back often for updates and as always follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration. August is here my friends, lets get out and savor every minute!
Love this idea of carving a hole in a watermelon, inserting a vase and creating a fun centerpiece!
Happy July everyone! Time for all things summer and I couldn’t be happier. While typical summer activities such as summer camps, vacations and travel may still be different this year, I think it is also opening windows on how to be more creative in enjoying our own kind of summer fun. The resurgence of drive-in movie theaters for example is proof that people are embracing what used to seem old-fashioned and seeing it in a new light. An adirondack chair by the water, a hammock in the woods, a canoe out on a quiet lake, a rainstorm viewed from a covered porch, capturing lightning bugs in a jar. Aren’t these just some of the things that define summer? The simple things have always been the best things anyway. Lets remember to just slow down and savor all the moments. Here’s to having a terrific month. Welcome July!
As I write this I find myself asking is it really June already? I have a love/hate relationship with this month, love because it’s really here, the promise of so many special days ahead, warm weather, summertime. Hate, because for whatever reason as soon as June hits, time seems to go into overdrive just as I want it to slow down so I can savor every moment from sunrise to sunset. There is amazing change that takes place in the gardens on a daily basis and I find myself lingering to admire it all as I stroll the grounds. Then, for weekend warriors as we are, we live those days filled with activities on the water, cookouts with friends and s’mores around the campfire until exhausted, we collapse, slightly sun burnt, into bed, happy and ready to do it all over again. There is a happy delirium in this season. That child like abandon of living for the moment and the pure joy of chasing fireflies. As we enter June, my wish for you all is to look through the eyes of a child, soak it all in and enjoy. Summer is here, we all deserve this rewarding season. Go out and make your memories! Happy June everyone.
I found these beautiful Ranunculus flowers at the local grocery!
Well we’ve made it through probably one of the most unusual April’s any of us have ever known. Corona virus has changed all of our lives in one way or another, some perhaps permanently and hopefully, most of it, temporarily. Through it all, however, I’ve tried to stay positive and look at the upside of the situation. Staying home has never been a problem for me, hence the birth of this blog. I see this time as the ultimate gift with my young adult children who are all home at a time when they would not be, and even more special is how happy my youngest one is (still in 7th grade and was so missing her college-aged siblings). Just a few months ago, after I tucked her in, I remembered thinking of how quiet my house was. I remind myself that I may never have this much time again with everyone together, under the same roof. What I have missed is being able to just venture out casually, to see friends, entertain, shop, etc. As we enter May, my hope is that some sort of normalcy returns for all of us. It is a changed world for certain, but at least we can get outside and start to enjoy the warmer days ahead. Happy May my friends.
Sitting down to write my monthly intro, I am a little uncertain of where to start. March began innocently enough, but within weeks were all in a ‘new normal’ so foreign to us, it took us by surprise and shock. Shock that something like a pandemic would, could, ever actually happen in today’s modern world. So here we welcome April and the uncertainty continues to loom as we are all sequestered in our homes whiling away the days in ways we are not accustomed to. So friends, I offer you this. My blog originated because of my strong convictions about the importance of home life. Finding the joy in the everyday. Things that seem mundane are all the wonderful things that create that special place we call home. I think, if there is a silver lining to this crisis, it is the fact that people are rediscovering these simple things and actually embracing them and finding fulfillment. I am certain that as soon as the green light flashes the all clear, we will go back to our busy lives, but there will be that weird wistful feeling of gratitude for this time we were given to be close with the ones we love and see our homes through new eyes. I think we will have a new appreciation for enjoying the simple things and accepting some forced down-time. Hang in there, take a deep breath of that wonderful spring air, exhale. We will get through this better and stronger.
March may be coming in like a lion here in the northeast, but thoughts are turning to springtime here in blogger land. I think everyone is starting to feel the need for warmer temperatures and longer days. I’m finishing off my indoor house projects and organizing my list for work that needs to be done outdoors, as soon as the weather allows. Check out some fun spring decorating ideas in the Decor section. I’ve added a few new recipes as well and of course my Irish Soda Bread will keep you making more!! The Hive Shop has been updated and offers some beautiful products for your home. In the meantime, don’t be discouraged if the weather turns unfavorably, March means the countdown is officially on!
Hello, my name is Bernadette. I believe in living each day fully and enjoying what each season has to offer to all facets of life. I am a wife and mother to four beautiful children. I’d like to share with you my ideas and tips for creating your best life, for you and those you love. Welcome.
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