I thought I'd share some pics of the early bloomers in my garden while I shamelessly plug my e book available on Amazon. I'm in the process of writing a query letter and find it much more difficult than it was to write the novel! So far I've scrapped several versions of why Windsor Wainwright Across the Pond is such a fun, quirky mystery. Is it because she is a middle aged housewife who finds herself unexpectantly widowed and broke?... Continue reading

When my phone took a nose dive into my tea cup yesterday I was horrified. I knew that i phones and water don't mix. But then I thought to myself, "Hey, this is the season of miracles, blah blah blah. I bet it will be working by Easter morning!" I got up today to see if perhaps the Easter Bunny, instead of hiding eggs had fixed my phone. He had not. Tomorrow I'm off to the Apple store to get... Continue reading

I love this time of year! New things popping up in the garden, baby chicks starting to arrive at the feed stores and chocolate bunnies everywhere you look. Between wet snow storms last week I planted the Sweet Peas and the Morning Glories. This weekend I'm going for the potatoes, radishes, and salad greens. The yard has been bunny proofed (not the chocolate kind obviously) and I've got chicken wire at the ready to keep the songbirds out of the... Continue reading

Yes it's already that time of year again. The Sweet Pea and Morning Glory seeds are soaking and ready to go into the ground. This year I decided to be a bit more careful and soak each variety seperately so I would actually know what I was planting and where. I doubt it will make a bit of difference but I enjoyed repurposing some old crystal salt cellars for the job. Just the right size for a half packet of... Continue reading

There are three people in our household. From this picture it looks to me as though we are headed for an intervention (my defense is that I only drink decaf.) I'm not including two other French Presses and Julian's college espresso maker which is lurking in the basement. My personal favorite is the hand held one that looks like a bike pump. It goes to the bike races so it's only fitting. Our latest and most beautiful addition arrived home... Continue reading

As many of you may know I finally published my first novel Windsor Wainwright Across the Pond (writing as T.T. Willis) onto www.Amazon.com a few weeks ago. Thank you to everyone who has read or is reading it! Since then it has been a whirlwind as I emptyed my studio, and started painting, and sewing. The "Builder's White" that I've lived with for the past year just had to go. As did the red bookcases and curtains which made me... Continue reading

Just taking a moment to reflect on how much my life has changed in the last year. Moving back to Colorado from Santa Rosa, CA has been a huge change. Especially in the gardening department. This picture was taken in early March two years ago. Flowers from my own garden! I won't see flowers from my new garden in Colorado until mid to late April. Hopefully I won't be seeing them from under a cover of ice and snow! In... Continue reading

About a year ago I was still living in California and this orchid was blooming away. I was knee deep in packing boxes and other chaotic debris that goes along with moving house. It was my intention to give it to a friend at the last minute but somehow I forgot. The moving company came and went and I didn't give it another thought. Two weeks after driving through blizzards and having had our household goods delivered, I opened a... Continue reading

Even though the last day of Christmas was technically on Saturday I've decided to extend the season! Our tree came from a local family that does mountain property fire mitigation. They cut the trees that would otherwise become fire hazards or get choked out by bigger trees. Then they bring them down to Boulder and sell them as Christmas trees. I haven't had such a fresh tree in years- in fact it has scarcely dropped any needles. Since January is... Continue reading

Our gifts are delivered, our stockings are hung. The last batch of cookies are finally gone. Tonight we will feast on pizza and wine-after so much sugar I don't feel divine! These chocolate biscotti we get to keep-they took so much time I wanted to weep! Jokes a side I was glad to be done with the baking. In addition to a major fruitcake bake (dried fruit and nuts and delicious) Julian and I baked over 900 cookies this year.... Continue reading

However you celebrate the holidays, may they be filled with joy and people you love! Happy holidays and see you in the New Year! - Lou Lou Continue reading

Having spent the past five Christmases living in Northern California I couldn't wait to get back to Colorado and a romantic white holiday season. But alas we seem to be in a drought! I am still watering the yard once a week and cutting fresh herbs. Luckily I have a lovely miniature village that I started collecting for Julian when he was small. Every year we add some small piece and in our new house we have a space that... Continue reading

Happy Friday! This has been a busy week for me as I continue making gifts, decorating and getting ready to start baking cookies by the thousands. Luckily Julian helps with the cookies or I'd never get them done in time to mail! In the midst of all of this frivolity I decided I couldn't live with the dining room light. I won't say it's horrid but I would never have picked it myself. It's acceptable in the summer but with... Continue reading

As we enter The Festive Season I am making presents like an elf, including some knitting. Knitting is not my forte but I am in love with yarn so I keep trying! About a year ago I made this organizer to hold my knitting needles and I think it would be a cool gift to recieve so I thought I'd share it with you. It's also great for art supplies like paint brushes and pencils. I'm sure it could be... Continue reading

Let me start by saying that I don't usually skip straight from Halloween to the winter holidays. But this year I just felt like taking a break from cooking for a crowd, much as I love it. Let's blame the long hot summer but I'm tired of pumpkins and squashes and I don't need dried corn to get inspired to cook a turkey. I plan to spend Thanksgiving in my pajamas watching the Macy's Parade and like most Americans I... Continue reading

This past week has been super fun. My sister has been in town and I feel like I am on vacation! Last night I carved a pumpkin (to be posted tomorrow) while she made our masks for Halloween. Gorgeous! She designs ice skating dresses but I think she should branch out. Who else has a mask with real Swarovski crystals? I can't wait for tomorrow night to wear this incredible piece of art. In the mean time our household is... Continue reading

Autumn is my favorite time of the year. Now that I am living in a four season climate again I love it even more. This time last year I was replanting the flower pots with "Winter" flowers. This year I'm just taking in all of the wonderful smells of decomposing leaves and enjoying the last of my flowers. We had an entire tent city built over the garden last week and it was well worth it now that the weather... Continue reading

When I saw this gorgeous head of lettuce at Whole Foods it stopped me in my tracks. I mean, in my tracks. Lettuce wasn't on the list but I wanted it like a small child wants a toy in the shop window. So I bought it and brought it home and floated it in an antique bowl as a flower arrangement! After a few days we ate the bottom leaves as I couldn't bare to destroy this beauty and then... Continue reading

It's been an incredibly busy summer in our household. I've been so busy in fact (mostly having fun,) that I haven't had the time or inclination to photograph and write about it! Does that ever happen to you? You just get so caught up in the moment that you don't even think about recording it? Anyway, the other night I made a very delicious fry up for dinner. Bacon and eggs. French toast. American Toast. There was some fruit in... Continue reading

Today I spent most of the day cheering Julian on in the U.S. Pro Cycling Challenge. It was really fun except for the part where my dog decided to "mark his territory" by peeing on my leg! We all split up for the most part although The Lovely Husband and I met up on the Peak to Peak Highway to watch the riders come through. The riders were actually the least of the entertainment. Why people feel the need to... Continue reading

One of my favorite things about summer in Colorado is the stunning wildflowers. Given the record breaking heat and drought this year I wondered if we would even have any rain, but we did! Somehow the mountains west of Boulder have been blessed with monsoonal rain and the flowers have survived. They give me so much joy and hope. If they can thrive in the face of so much adversity then so can I. I would love to know what... Continue reading

Having had enough of magnolia white paint in every room of my new house, I have started to add some color. Now that it is summer the lack of color isn't as noticeable because of the leaves on the trees and flowers in the garden. But when I remember back to February when we arrived in a gray snowstorm I realize that now is the time to get some color up on the walls. I don't know about you but... Continue reading