Make that wish!!

I just said to my husband the other day – I NEVER see dandelions here in Charleston. I miss them. I remember seeing them growing up (much to my dad’s chagrin). The bright, happy yellow flowers were so pretty. Then I heard some people made soup with them… hmmm, I’ll pass on that one. But when “it” gets to the stage pictured above, the white fluffy things (ok, seeds) were the best part – because that’s when you take it, make a wish and blow on it, watching all the “little fluffy white things” blow in the wind like snowflakes.

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The 323 House Plan by Truoba!

323 House Plan by Truoba – Back View

Looking for a contemporary house plan? This plan checks the blocks for a having great features without being overly large. This is the back view of the house – pretty spectacular covered porch, isn’t it? There is a lot of living to be done with this much square footage outdoors where you can forest bathe to your heart’s content!

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Marinated Chicken, Brown Rice, Black Beans, Guac and Pico!

This is a quick meal, and if you grill extra chicken breasts you have it for the next day or two, which comes in SO HANDY, especially when you’ll be out and don’t have a lot of time to whip something up. Using good ingredients (vs. processed or pre-made ingredients) can only make it healthier, right?

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Featured Artist: Lisa Shimko

Home Roseate Home by Lisa Shimko 48″ x 24″ Acrylic on Canvas

Lisa Shimko. An artist with quite an imagination – her paintings are vibrant, have a fun, story-like vibe to them. They’re happy, energizing pieces that will bring a smile to your face wherever you hang them. I want you to know, Lisa’s website has more than her paintings – it has information regarding flooding events, which in our (Charleston, SC) area have become a real concern for the future.

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A Portrait of Poison Ivy…

A portrait of Poison Ivy. It’s so vital and healthy looking. It seems to really thrive wherever you find it. It’s easily transferred onto you either by touching it directly, brushing against it and then touching clothing, or walking a dog who walked through it and then you pet the animal. Misery ensues. You’ll live through it, but it’s no party. If you happened to touch it by mistake and need to know what to do, follow these steps:

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Featured House Plan: Meadow House by Prim Haus!

The Meadow House Plan by Prim HausView of Back

The Meadow House plan is a clean and modern plan with great living spaces. This particular plan would look fabulous with a mix of interior design styles – really, the sky is the limit with this plan. I love the separated spaces, allowing guests to reside on one side, owners on the other, where they can come together and cook, chat, and live. This is a spectacular plan both inside and out, front and back. I love the layout. The Meadow is three sections with two glass hallways connecting them together. The halls are reminiscent of a dog trot plan, but are enclosed, which is nice. This is the back view – on the left is the master suite, on the right are the guest suites and connecting them is the living space (kitchen/living). Can you imagine this plan situated on a picturesque lot? It would be absolutely breathtaking!

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A favorite scent, sunlight and a blooming Christmas cactus in April…

I was walking through the house the other day and the sun was hitting my Christmas cactus (which is blooming, yet again, in April!) – and it highlighted one of our favorite scents. The scent of this particular diffuser is clean, refreshing and fragrant. I’m sensitive to strong scents (including the jasmine outside which is so strong right now), but this is nice. Note, I don’t put all the reeds in the container – then any scent is too much for me. It’s absolutely lovely!

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Another Monday in Paradise!

Out on a walk and saw this stunning specimen – not sure what it is, but it’s beautiful – especially looking up through the tree branches. #alwayslookup The sky is blue, the air is warm, but not hot. It’s a great time of year with so many people outside taking advantage of the low humidity. Charleston, South Carolina in the spring is perfection.

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Fresh Cut Pansies Make Me Smile

I love the orange/black color combination. This past fall we bought a beautiful orange pansies and planted it in a glossy black pot. It is gorgeous! It’s been gorgeous all winter long, all through the spring – and all I did was deadhead and water. It blooms unreal. One after another… It’s just starting to look tired from the few warmer days we’ve had. So I tried snipping a few flowers and putting them in a small jar of water on the window sill. STUNNING!

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A Quick Meal: Bowtie Pasta, Tomatoes, Chicken Sausage, Arugula and a Divine Vinaigrette!

This pasta salad is one of our favorites for warmer weather – when we grill nearly every day (by “we” I mean “he”) – a tasty vinaigrette pulls this together nicely. I don’t usually use sausage with the feta version, but did so by mistake – it was fabulous! (Olives on top are also nice)! This salad is good right when you finish making it – we have half of it leftover as a side dish for another meal. What you can’t really see are the copious amounts of arugula that this pasta salad is on top of. I like an equal amount or even a little more arugula (or fresh baby spinach). It’s delightful!

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Sculptural Live Oak Tree with Palm

In our area of Charleston, SC we are so fortunate to be surrounded (literally) by Live Oak trees. Their majestic beauty makes this older neighborhood so special. I love how people ride through this area admiring the beauty. One couple stopped us while we were out walking. They passed by in their car and we waved. They circled the block and then stopped to say that they were out admiring the beauty of our neighborhood – they said they truly enjoyed it. #wow Our neighborhood works hard to keep our character – in a city that is ever-changing – we are trying to hold on to something so special.

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The Jib House Plan by Allison Ramsey!

The Jib House Plan by Allison Ramsey Architects (16404-1)

A new collection from the team of architects at Allison Ramsey! They’ve been hard at work in Belize (of all places!) and they’ve turned out some stunning house plans. I think this is a great plan for so many people (and so many living situations)! The Jib has a great look both inside and out. I absolutely adore this porch, all the windows and the back screened porches!

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Emeril Lagasse’s Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin

It’s always good to have a plan for a new somethin-somethin for dinner. We don’t usually eat like this, but it’s a treat once in a while – a nice splurge. My mom has made these au gratin potatoes for years. Instead of making a béchamel sauce – it’s much quicker, which is nice when time is limited as it was this year. I made these potatoes ahead of time since I knew we would be out. Then finished baking when we got home. They were delicious!

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