DECORATING NUMBERS

I'm getting early spring fever, I believe.   The warm days make me twitchy to play in the dirt and, the cold days .. ah, whatever with the cold days.  Even with the ups and downs of this crazy weather, just the anticipation of a new season on the horizon, gives me the little push I need to shake some things up. I have 4 big windows in my bedroom and think they need a little "oomph", a little "pow".  I definitely don't want to bring anymore into the house, but I'm thinking curtains.  I don't have a decorator's eye - the eye that can see vision of stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something totally wild and different.  I've been going through all kinds of magazines for a little inspiration.  I have a few ideas up my sleeve.  In this process, I've been working on the length and width, size rods, etc and I'm telling you, that part just sucks the fun out of it.  What I found to help me in this madness has been a little guide I torn out of a book or magazine a while back which clearly lays it out; that's all I want, just give it to me.

1.  Curtains should be 2 1/2 to 3 x the width of the window. If you're doing 2 panels, each should be 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 x the window width.  Buy a rod that's 20" wider than your window so it extends 10 inches on either side.  Your window will seem much wider than it really is.  Mount curtains as high as possible to give the room height, and let them break 1 1/2 inches on the floor.

Here are a few more tips I found along the way that might take the guess work out of things.  I have always guessed or just eye-balled things.  I've never been too far off,  but now I have some real numbers to work with to take the guesswork out. 

1.  The bottom of a dining room chandelier should hang 36 inches above the table. 
                              

2.  Install light switches 36" above the floor and 1 1/2 to 2 inches  to the side of the door rim.

3.  One gallon of paint will cover about 400 sq. feet of wall.

                                   

4.  For a standard 84 inch sofa with exposed legs and a tight back, you'll need 14 yards of plain 54 inch wide fabric.  Add 2 yards for a skirt.

5.  A 36 inch wide rectangular table is good for conversation.  A round table with a diameter of 48 inches seats 6; a 60 inch round will handle 8 standard dining chairs or 10 ballroom chairs.

6.  How big should an overhead light fixture be - Add the length and width of the room in feet, and whatever number you come up with is, in inches, your guide for the fixture's diameter.  A 15 x 20 foot room would need a 35 inch wide chandelier. 

7.  A kitchen island should be about 38 inches high - a little taller than the countertops to be comfortable for prep.

                  

Are you feeling a little like me ~  wanting to change it a little bit.  Are you looking through seed catelogs thinking you might grow something a little "strange" this year just because you can OR tired of the winter hodrums and wanting to take a walk on the "wild side" of decorating.  IF you are - well I'm with ya.  It will be a work in progress as it always is - an ongoing wish list, to do list, wanna have it, gotta have it, but don't need it, don't have it list.
     
Guys & Dolls - Seize the day!  Debi              

                                                                                       



Is That Snow??

                       
              


                                              

                                                                   Yesterday was glorious. 

The sun was shining beautifully.  I worked all day moving compost to all the flower beds.  The horses were out in the pasture, all the dogs were on a hunt for something.  I even wore a short-sleeved T-shirt to work in. 

Today, however, things changed dramatically.  It started off very windy.  Don't ask me why we still have the umbrella up.  Never mind that now. 

                                                                             

The temperatures dropped incredibly fast and low and the forecast calls for "a little" precipitation of a "weathery mix". 

                                                                                              

   

As the afternoon went on, the winds blew harder, the rains came that turned into sleet, and then a gentle snow began to fall.  I believe this might be all we 

      get here - at least that's all I hope we get. 

                         

Please don't stick. 

What a contrast of days.  

                                                                                                                                                              

                                        What's your weather?  ~ Debi



Valentines - An Emotion

  

Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment.^[1] Love is also a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection; and "the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another".^[2] Love may also be described as actions towards others (or oneself) based on compassion, or as actions towards others based on affection.

Feel the Love Every Day

http://www.celebritydairy.com/

Tonight

The honey and I are going over to Celebrity Dairy Farm

for an evening Valentine's meal.

 Celebrity Dairy is a 300 acre working dairy farm

in Chatham County, North Carolina.

A very special Valentines meal will be served in several

courses with selections prepared by Chef Chip.

For those of you who live nearby and want to visit, Celebrity Dairy is well known for it's

award-winning cheeses. 

They have 100 or so goats and during kidding season, about 150-200

goat kids are born.  The farm celebrates this season with

Open Barn Weekends.  Check out their web site for all the information. 

You will have a great time especially if you have children (or not).    The

third Sunday afternoon of each month, Celebrity Dairy

has a gourmet dinner using local seasonal farm products served at

a common table (reservations required, of course). 

I hope this love day will be good for you.  Love your dog, your goat, your horse, somebody.   I heard yesterday a hug should last "20 seconds".  Have you tried to hug that long!!  That's really a longggg.....hug. 

Try it ~ give some hugs today ~ Debi

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Old man winter finally hit our area.  The wind is blowing so hard out tonight that it sounds like it's going to blow the roof off.  I keep getting up to check the barn and the trees out in the pasture.  I have one tree that is leaning and that bothers me badly on nights like this.  I shunt the barn up good, but left the upper swing door on their stalls open.  They have their blankets on, but their water buckets were already freezing when I went up and tucked them in for the night and gave more hay.   It will be SOOOOO cold tomorrow morning when I go feed; not looking forward to that.  My dogs have to be pushed out the door only to quickly do their business and run back in.  One of my daughters is in the mountains with snow up there tonight. I tried a new soup tonight, a corn chowder, which turned out fantastic for this cold night.  I saw it today on FoodTV.  The "Pioneer Woman" was on there making this soup.  Have any of you ever watched her?  I think something just blew off my deck.  I'm going to have to go investigate.  Anyway, it's VERY cold.   I love my flannels - get a life Victoria's Secret!       Later - Debi

DREARY DAY OUTING

What a very dreary day.  It has gotten cold again and it's just wet and icky outside.  The horses have been out already kicking up their heels and tearing up the pasture.  Gosh, what will it look like come spring time.  I'm staying in today keeping the home fires burning - Really - I have the fire going in the woodstove and it's just about as cozy as can be in here.  I just fixed myself some Green Dragon tea.  Yesterday was like today, but I had errands to run but spent HOURS in my favorite store, Southern Seasons, over in Chapel Hill.  I'm telling you, I'm their biggest fan.  Yes, it's awkward handing someone your camera and asking them to take evidence pictures for you, but I'm guilty.  Actually, it turned into quite an ordeal.  I have pictures I just cannot post because they were so stupid-looking and I began having way too much fun in there. 

Since I spend quite a bit of time in the cheese department, here is me and my cheese guy.  I'm telling you, they fix me up with pairings of wine and cheeses all year long for farm get togethers.  Absolutely love their advice (and the samples they allow me to taste ..ummmh/yummy).  Love these guys. 

This pottery below is made by Siglinda Scarpa, a pottery maker who has settled in North Carolina and runs Goathouse Gallery. This is a design for Valentines.   It's pricy - no kidding, but it's gorgeous.  This whole tablescape was stunning done in white, black and red and silver tableware.  Google her - she's a good gal and very interesting. 

Let's see - maybe dinner for 12???

Moving on ---- I always check out the olive oil sections.  Since I usually buy the olive oil at Weaver Street or Whole Foods, it's always fun to step out and check out the new young oils.  Get to taste that too.  This guy is always so helpful and you can tell he knows his stuff.

OMG - This little couple has their own dipping sauce they have come up with that they were showcasing yesterday.  It is called "Zing Sauce".   I was a little hesitant - but they showed  me how to dress it up and what to mix it with and,  Oh Mama!  I making some tuna dipping stuff tonight for what?   - Just the biggest football game EVER!

I headed on down a little later to another little shop I just have to peep into every now and then.  This is called Branching Out - a very appropriate name.  Love, love, love it.  Very unique specialty store in Chapel Hill.  How convenient for me - just right up from Southern Season's. 

It's lit up like this all the time.  I just walk in and say "WOW" to me little self and just touch, stare, want, need, inspiration station, etc.  You get it. 

She has this whole little doggie section going on.  I just like looking at it too. 

Lots of antiques and lovely books.  It's all displayed just right making you want it.  I'm hoping she's watching out for some old silverware for me.  I'm looking for some engraved pieces.

I really like her needlework pet cushions. 

My last picture here is just one of her displays for Valentines Day.  She has many more "love day" displays all over the store.  Lots of red and those little twinkling lights to showcase it all.  Just makes you want to go home and bring out a little red. 

Hope all of you had a great weekend and the beginning of your week will get off to a great start.   ~ Debi



Party Food

Whew - almost forgot to post this for ya.


If you still have time to get your Superbowl food together, this is a dip you might want to try - OR if you just want make this for yourself and hide in a closet and eat it, that would be okay too.  Because - it's just that good and SO easy and FAST.  Here goes:


1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)


1/2 sour cream


1/3 cup mayo (You can add herbs if you like, but I don't)


1 cup cocktail sauce


1 and 1/2 lbs shrimp, cooked, deveined, and sliced up


2 cups finely shredded sharp chedder cheese


Scallions


3/4 cups chopped tomatoes


Mix together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo.  You can use a mixer if you need to.  Spread this all out on a medium sized platter.  My platter is an oval about 12-14" end to end. 


Cover this with about 1 cup of cocktail sauce.


Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded sharp cheese on top of the cocktail sauce.


Layer the 1 and 1/2 lb of the cooked and cup up shrimp all over the top of the cheese.  Add the chopped tomatoes over all of this and lastly, sprinkle the 6 or so cut up scallions all over the top for beautiful presentation. 


Serve this with some sort of sturdy cracker to dip it up with.


This is a great "go-to" dip for any occasion,  People will love you when you feed them this.  You will be the queen or king for the day.  You can tell them it's a family recipe and you can't share it.

Delicious - Enjoy!    ~ Debi