Ted Kennedy Watson

Paperwhite Happiness

December 29, 2023

Flower Friday all about a garden pot full of blooming paperwhite bulbs in the living room that is creating all sorts of happiness. I like to call it paperwhite happiness! From my beloved Cedar Farm who always takes such good care of us this time of year with pot after pot of flowering goodness. We have them dotted all around the house. But this one is the star. As if on cue when family arrived the other eve for our annual ‘Day After Boxing Day’ supper, the flowers opened up ever so gorgeously. I pulled from our big collection of Veuve corks (which is housed in the coffee table which was an old pigeon coop) to use in place of moss or some other filler to cover the dirt. Actually I really don’t mind seeing a bit of the dirt as you also get to see the top of the bulb which I think is so beautiful, but the Champagne corks just seemed festive for this time of year. Which leads me to, happy almost New Year! Hope your weekend is lovely celebrating it as you see fit. From Hawthorne, T2

Getting The House Holiday Ready

December 27, 2023

We arrived late Christmas Day to Hawthorne. Slightly bedraggled but also energized to host our family ‘Day After Boxing Day Supper’ on Wednesday. So it was a day of getting the house holiday ready which we both love. Caretaker Bill had things spotless for us so we had a lovely blank canvas to get started. He also picked up a Christmas tree for us and had it lit, as a day turnaround time to host a party and hunting for a tree just not in the cards. A beloved customer of ours in Alaska sent us the most divine halibut her husband caught so that is on the menu today. I like to say “it takes a village” as that is very true in our lives, which we are so ever grateful for.

Sublime potted paperwhites and amaryllis from Cedar Farm dotted here and there. Two small lit tabletop trees, one in the living room and another in the front sunporch give a quick hit of holiday happiness. By the end of the day we were both pretty tuckered out so I only clicked a few pictures. More on the way! This house always hugs us in the biggest way. To be able to fill it with family today and friends the rest of our stay such a highlight to our lives in the Hudson Valley. Oh, did I mention, a puppy might be in our future? Absolutely more on that later too.