A BRIEF HALLOWEE'EN TOUR

It's been a while since we had a little walk around the Casa du Borghese. What a better time to have some small peeks into my sanctuary then at Hallowe'en time. Our tricks or treats was last night, so I Ieft work a tad early to do some things around the house. People at work were griping about Halloween and decorating and such, and I have no idea why since they don't decorate or "do" Halloween. I myself love most holidays but Halloween and Thanksgiving are my two favorites. But remember when Halloween meant running the entire neighborhood until your legs gave out and mischief night? You would carefully take weeks to select your boxed costume, have a pillowcase or cute bucket to collect the candy and a crew of you would go out and were to be home by 10pm. You'd hit every house, rank them by their candy. Full size candy bars were legends. The house with boxed raisins? Not so much. Then you'd trade candy on the livingroom floor like Wall Street brokers and wake up November 1st with a sugar hangover. I feel sorry for kids these days never knowing the magic of the Halloween night, the decorations and such.  Now? Kids get chauffeured house to house like tiny celebrities. Parents idle at the curb, or they go to this weird trunk or treats in a parking lot where buckets are filled in 15 minutes. Efficient? Sure. Magical? Nope. And in the neighborhood like here last night, it now only goes from 6-8pm!!! WHAT? At least the kids made an effort. I have some friends in neighborhoods where teens show up not even dressed up, or the little ankle biters aren't even dressed. At least the ones I saw here last night were cute and they seemed to be having fun.And for the love of the Goddess Halloween lands on a Saturday this year...so there is no excuse to not have tricks or treats that night, plus it's not a school night! I will continue to embrace the magic.

Upon getting home I did some branch and leaf burning in the firepit...or was a conjuring the dead? Then it was off to get the beggers candy bags ready.

One of my favorite rooms...the living room. Warning ahead. Sophie is a photo bomber. My sofa is comfy but the desk and the chair next to it are my go to places to be.

Love the ginger jar from the Arhaus Dynasty. There is another one that sat with this one but I don't know what Ms.Moorecock did with it. "Ms Moorecock,Anita! What are you hiding in the corner for? What did you do with the other Arhaus ginger jar?" "Don't you remember, you lush? You crashed it." "What do, what do you mean I crashed it?" "Don't you remember that happy hour weeks ago you got carried away with the houseboys and gin? We had to send it out to the restorers." "Oh this is ridiculous, it should have been here for this brief tour."

A few touches of Hallows in the kitchen.

In the spare bedroom are these works of art. These are from the talents of blog buddy Ms. Scarlet who hails from the UK and is very talented with her beautiful calligraphy and colleges. Yes, Ms Scarlet, I even framed the envelope!

And of course you heard the Mistress loves her juice. And here's the "juice bar". Oh. excuse me a minute. "Ah... Ms. Moorecock! Ms. Moorecock, there's not enough juice out here, I'm talking about the juice we keep in the house. It's quite barren if I have to say." Well let's keep moving.

Then we have the boudoir, my favorite room, where the Mistress also like to slumber, read, and I do some of my best entertaining and wheeling and dealing. Never mind the murderess on the bed.

A view of the front porch last night. I craved two pumpkins and I'll have you know I even roasted the pumpkin seeds with several spices and truffle oil. They were fabulous!

Well kids, thanks for joining in on this Hallows tour! I say embrace Halloween. But for now, I have only one thing to say.....

HENDRICKS!!!!!!!!

BLOOMS

 

After the rotten dirty email Travel started my weekend off with yesterday...I had to go find some pretty and therapy to get the email out of my mind. It has been a glorious weekend weather wise...sun, nice warm temps, no gales, and today was spent getting the gardens empty of leaves, felled branches, and dead debris. Loosen the tanbark away from plants. The sun felt wonderful on the skin. I was happy to see many of the plants are all breaking the ground with little stems...peonies, bleeding hearts, spring bulbs, columbines, lavenders, dianthus and the herbs and delphiniums. I also can't wait to get more wildflower seeds in, especially since the garden will be expanded since the burning bush was removed. Yesterday I went to the Dame's lovely shop to place an order of some more daffodils, and to place an order for my arrangement for the upcoming Easter dinner, and another arrangement to be sent to the good folks at the dental oral surgeon and staff for their welcome, friendly and great process they assisted me with, and making me feel at ease, not to mention making me gorgeous again. I got myself a small nose gay. As always, his shop never disappoints. I hadn't been in since we did the windows.

I stayed and went out for dinner with the Dame and his hubby which was delicious. Of course his home was also looking like spring and Easter.

It has been another glorious weekend. Much to look forward too in the next few weeks. But glad the garden is now cleaned out and ready to go. My day even started out with a homemade breakfast burrito and potatoes this morning, along with a pot of coffee.

A treat I haven't enjoyed in three months!

YULETIDE AT HOME

 

Well, here are a few snaps of the Casa du Borghese and the decking of the halls about two weeks ago. I'm never one to decorate early for two reasons. One, I like to give Thanksgiving it's due during the beautiful autumn time, and two I generally keep up the decorations till the week after New Years, where most people tear them down, right quick right after Christmas. Of course, longtime readers will tell you the previous Casa du Borghese was for years done in all red lights. Appropriate right? I will go back to that eventually, but the last several years I have been enjoying colored lights again. I have many things still in storage. White lights were for a while ALL OVER, everywhere and I got burnt out of seeing them too. Most of all my decorations we have are all vintage or antiques passed down. And I also enjoy not going to overboard...and I like using natural items like candles, greens and love protea all over the house too. But to be certain, when decorating, it's always like a trip down memory lane. It seems everything has a story attached to it.

A collection of bottle brush and Christmas Pyramids, two of my favorite things about the season.

We use to have a whole set of these angels...but alas, it's all that is still around.

In the kitchen on the table...

Some of my holiday spirit. I MUST talk to Ms Moorcock...the juice bar is looking a bit baren.

A view of the boudoir...

Some of the sand tarts that I made last weekend for neighbors. This year I made three double batches of sand tarts.  Below is the front door wreath this year, in addition to other outdoor lights I put out.

Do any of you recall having any of these items of yester year? They have such wonderful memories attached to them.