On the Road

the gondola on the way down

Here it is the half-way point of the year and I’m not quite sure how we got here so fast. We’ve been on the road.

the athletes before team open water swim practice
the bike stage
the early morning sky from our bedroom deck

Sixteen of us gathered in Mont Tremblant to cheer on second son Maxwell while he competed in the 70.3 Ironman. It was an achievement on so many levels: he doing the triple athletic crown, us doing the summit get together.

the arrival of London girl and Boston girl. They met up at the Montreal airport. There were so many moving pieces to get us all in one place.
tank tops and denim were on full rotation
cross-body bags too for walking all over
Rory and BaPa in matching fits; unplanned
Gang’s all here
race day cheer squad

There were times husband and I couldn’t string together a full sentence or think a clear thought, we were organizing and hosting all of it. Every moment as they say priceless.

precious and handsome
all in for Peyton
we all love pasta 🙂
we all love beer too
Ethan grilling for the crew
Apricot and plumb
oysters are always a good idea
beautiful and handsome
denim rules
every day is a new day

Anyway, back in the USA now and trying to prep the country house for 4th of July activities. Went to two nurseries and almost all plant materials are gone, picked up what I could and decided I was just going to go for it. We have the full property to get ready for guests by the coming weekend, it’s full tilt go time. I know I do most of it for my own satisfaction, I also know that when family and friends arrive they expect the full experience, again, my total doing.

Back in the USA and came home to this fine display
yay hydrangeas, husband and I planted these seven seasons ago
gathered these annuals to fill our pots, it feels late in the season yet doing it anyway
the potting area
Flat lay of the neutral wardrobe with a very good book, thank you Diana 🙂


Here’s my thought: go with your gut and gather supplies in a color palette you know and love. When time is of the essence it’s hard to try new things. I chose red, blue, yellow, and chartreuse, all colors I wear on my body when not wearing neutrals. I chose the best plants they had on hand and leaned into making good things happen when I was deep down feeling anxious and stressed.

Anxiety and stress won’t get those plants in their pots. Head down, and dug in.

Home or away, it seems we’re always on the road.

root bound, but it’s okay. I teased them about before planting
while boating, she decided she was done so she simply got her binkey and put herself horizontal on the floor, love that

day 8, or is it 9

Instagram Stories at work today, Per Se by Carlisle sweater, Joe’s Jeans leather cropped boot, Golden Goose sneakers

Started the day in the pool at 5:30 am for lap swim, something I’m uncomfortable with yet I know is good for me and feels incredibly good when done. Followed that wet half mile with an hour of spin (including very hard push-ups) and try to get that double session in once a week. Other days its Tracy Anderson or maybe walking lunges and sit-ups or maybe even just walking. It’s a good day when that MyMotiv ring circles in at 16,000+.

Went for the annual physical and passed, with pretty good marks. Had some problems with the close-up eye screen hahaha and the nurse practitioner told me I could use my readers and then we were just fine. I honestly think that good health is closely related with making your bed, wearing good clothes, and eating good food.

Tomorrow I’m meeting again with Williams Media for another go-round of blog overhaul and marketing talk. They too are making me uncomfortable, yet like those laps in the pool it’s a very good thing. Have I used the word ‘good’ too many times? Posting to Instagram Stories twice a day is where I’m not passing. 🙂

Anyways, today I was all about black leather jeans with a little kick at the hem, a striped cashmere ‘jumper’ like by blog crush Alyson Walsh of That’s Not My Age would call my sweater, and a good pair of sneakers. If you don’t know of her jump on over to her here by clicking on this link: That’s Not My Age. Her post today about what to keep and what to chuck so timely with the city house cleaning overhaul going on. She also wrote a few books, her most recent ‘Know Your Style‘.

jeans and knits and sneakers forever

In these photos here I most definitely know my style: jeans and knits and sneakers forever, whatever the textile may be. We should all get and be and feel comfortable with what we wear.

Every day dress, clothes: leather and cashmere, food: leftovers, ha!. 🙂

Day 8, or is it 9? check. xoxo

day 7

Citizens of Humanity Emerson cut | husbands sweater

Last summer husband and I basically Marie Kondo’d the country house, nothing like having an on-site wedding to get you going, and now I’m feeling the urge to purge city-side too.

We were a family of eight living hard and large with kids doing all kinds of sports and activities. Most of them are launched, two come home this summer from college.

We built our house from the ground up and it was brand spanking new when we moved in. Like most things after fifteen years I’m feeling its age, and well-loved wear. I can’t do a complete overhaul, completely out of the question, so I’m taking whole days and some whole weekends and doing a clean-sweep.

online cooking school told me to store meats on the bottom shelf as its the coldest area, here you see chicken
really not much in the pantry, kind of lean towards fresh
used to do tons of canning, all those jars sitting empty

It’s me doing the work, and it’s okay, and therapeutic. Started with the fridge and pantry because of course that gives immediate results. Clean fridge lends a cleaner mind. Actually, those are the first two things I organize when home from a trip. Kept on cleaning and last night I even washed down walls.

cashmere joggers, black tank, of course

As for style when working at home I’m all about a favorite pair of blue jeans, these are boyfriend style, can’t really get on the high-rise kick, a tank for when it gets hot, and simple, easy cashmere pieces.

Every day dress, clothes: denim and knits, food: took my mom out to dinner.

Day 7, check!


day one

double denim and vintage ski

I have a bad habit of making things harder than they need be. Here we go with day one and I’m supposed to post twice a day and maybe to Instagram stories and I still haven’t totally figured that out yet and supposedly it’s super easy so I’m going all old school with photos from the camera.

just the beginning, needed to just start…

It was Sunday, and the day before husband and I drove to buy pansies by the dozens as I just can’t wait for spring. Planted most of those pansies in pots on the terrace and cooked up this month’s Food & Wine Italian Spring inspired Stewed Chicken Legs and Thighs with Fresh Herbs and Olives, Sautéed Chicories with Chile Oil, and Pear Crostata.

every spring it’s pansies in the pots
simple symmetry
mixed chicories before the heat
stewed chicken never really takes a good photo
plated up with the salad it looks a little bit better, it was really delicious
pear crostata, burned the first go-round, had to dump it

Really didn’t know what Chicories were, and now I do: Chicories are closely related to lettuces, but heartier and with a bitter edge. Cool weather crops that come into season in late fall (and last in temperate climates through early spring), chicories provide a lot of flavor to seasonal fall and winter meals. Thank you to The Spruce Eats. I guess I sort of did because Food & Wine didn’t specify radicchio and I picked that up at market anyways.

peonies and ranunculus, $3.50 a bloom from the grocery

Planting and cooking took most of the day, also got in a long walk and some yard clean-up. Outfit of the day was denim on denim and vintage Bogner ski jacket.

Day one, check.