RANCHO LA ZACA, Calif.–To my old-fashioned self it seems a little early to decorate the house for Christmas and put the tree up and all–mainly because by Christmas all the greenery will have to be replaced at least once. But I left the ranch yesterday until the 27th, and it […]
Flowers & Gardens
A Barrel of Inspiration: Felipe Hernandez
Hey, want to start your Saturday off with a barrel of inspiration? Okay may I brag? Wine is beauty, harmony and joy, right? So it has a place in this blog, if only once in a while, and this is one of those whiles. A stupendous fellow named Felipe Hernandez manages the vineyard–and many other things–here at the ranch in Los Olivos where I am lucky to live part time. He also manages vineyards of some of our Santa Ynez Valley neighbors, including the well-known Koehler vineyard and winery just down the road.
An Al Fresco Autumn Dinner and Thanks to Jackie
RANCHO LA ZACA-Calif. I’m on a gratitude kick lately. Decorating tips to follow, I promise, but bear with me: In last Thursday’s post, One Little Thing, I talked about the big benefit of doing the one little thing of a gratitude journal. The idea came from author and motivational speaker […]
The Perils and Pleasures of Thanksgiving Decorating
Doing something for the first time can be daunting, even if it’s something you know how to do. This is as true in decorating and entertaining as in anything. I will never forget the feeling near terror as I faced decorating the great room at Rancho La Zaca last year […]
Using Herbs to Make Pretty Arrangements
BEE COTTAGE-This will be my last weekend at Bee for a while, sorry to say. The Hamptons International Film Festival is in full swing here in East Hampton, and there are a lot of people walking around in all black. Bee Garden is still showing some color, happily, and the […]
An Afternoon Walk – Garden Come to Gown
NEW YORK-Back in the city, reluctantly, on this beautiful Columbus Day, walking home from Midtown. Did you know Columbus came to the New World four times and never realized he was not in the Far East? And that that’s why our American Indians are called Indians – because he thought […]
Sunflower Power
RANCHO LA ZACA–I’m not at the ranch now; I’m in New York, but it’s been gray and drizzly day here and I thought some California sunshine might be nice. California sunflowers, better still. We planted a patch of them in June and in August they were in full flower. Who […]
Quick Update: Bee Cottage in House Beautiful and Hurricane Irene
Can it really be Labor Day? Here’s a quick update on the Bee Cottage series in House Beautiful: If you missed the first back in February, you can catch up: http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/home-makeovers/living-room-makeover-pictures-0211. Just now out in the September issue, page 68, is Part 7, “Front of the House.” And I should […]
Talk About Blooming Where You’re Planted
Some determined and optimistic urban gardeners have willed this wonderful little garden onto a patch of dirt beside red brick row houses just outside New York City–in Queens I reckon. I was on the bus riding out to East Hampton last week and just happen to look up and see […]
Bee Cottage: Welcome to My Garden
EAST HAMPTON–Summer is finally here, and Bee Garden is as happy about it as I am. Here is a peek, with more to come in the days ahead. I am so grateful to the lovely and talented garden designer Jane Lappin and her crew at Wainscott Gardens who keep it […]