When Dan and I were in France last, we had the delightful experience of having dinner at the home of one of my favorite French lifestyle bloggers and authors, Sharon Santoni. It was a truly magical evening, because Sharon is a gem. So when her new book was released, My French Country Home, I asked … [Read more...]
Pamper Yourself with a Beautiful Bed
I’m not very good at pampering myself. You won’t often spot me at the spa, getting a mani/pedi. It’s rare for me to take a day off from Nell Hill’s. And, I almost never go on vacation, to Dan’s dismay. But there are two things I do to indulge myself, refilling my tank to keep that bounce in my step. … [Read more...]
The Joy of Dining: A Spring Table at My Cottage
As the flowers poke out of the ground, and the leaves bud on the trees, another force of nature comes back alive: my desire to entertain. In the winter months, Dan and I don’t have folks over as much, preferring to cocoon when we’re home. But one of my rites of spring is dressing my table and … [Read more...]
A Summer Dinner at Sharon Santoni’s French Country Home
Sometimes you get to live a dream. One of mine was to dine at the French country home of Sharon Santoni, author of the newly released My French Country Home: Entertaining Through the Seasons. She’s been one of my favorite bloggers for years, and we were thrilled to have her come to Nell Hill’s a few … [Read more...]
A Magical Dinner in the Courtyard
On lovely summer evenings, the best seat in the house is outside. That’s why I entertain al fresco every chance I get when the weather is nice. Today, I want to take you back in time a bit, to the courtyard at my old home in Atchison, which was one of my favorite places on earth. For … [Read more...]
Welcome to My Garden at Innisfree
It seems right that every home with wonderful interior spaces should be surrounded by equally stunning gardens, doesn’t it? At my lake cottage, I’ve been hard at work on the inside stuff. But, unfortunately, I am an abject failure when it comes to gardening. Once, I made a feeble attempt to bring … [Read more...]