A Saturday Thought
September 16, 2023
Ted Kennedy Watson
Big Bundles of Scented Geranium Clippings
September 15, 2023
This is the time of year I look so forward to in the scented geranium department. When all the island pots get a major trim and we bring that all into town to enjoy on the dining table and the entry hall. Simple treats can often be the best, and this definitely falls into that category. Many would just toss these, but we find great beauty in these stems. Plus each day I walk by the arrangements I rub my fingers against a leaf so it releases some of the prized scented geranium oil. Heaven. The gift that keeps on giving. Hope everyone has a spectacular last official weekend of Summer! X, T
Bailey in Candlelight
September 14, 2023
Each evening we get home in Seattle first thing I do is light the candle in front of the Bailey painting and have a little chat with our girl. It is such a soothing ritual. She may not be with us any longer in body, but her spirit stays with us in so many ways.
A Website Refresh
September 13, 2023
When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade, was an often heard saying during the pandemic. I actually quite liked the saying as it is so true. It is sort of how we have always lived our life. You must take the good with the bad, and to thrive, you must make the very best of it. This past year has brought much family illness on both sides of our family with some of our siblings, which has been heartbreaking. On top of that the company Intuit sprung on all of its users at the end of last year that in October of 2023 it would no longer be providing QuickBooks point of sale. It was the system we used to run all of Watson Kennedy for the last 20 years. I can’t begin to tell you the amount of time, energy, stress and money that has been eaten up this year to implement new systems for the shops as well as the website. The finish line is almost near! We took it as a challenge and have done our best to make the very best of it. Let’s just say, aloooootttaaaa lemonade was made. Our spiffy new website of 2019 completely had to be rebuilt, so we made it even better and better. This is the reason for today’s post. This photo was taken yesterday as we refresh lots of the images on the site, while keeping the look pretty much as it was, as we liked it as it was so much, as did our customers. Look for the launch in the coming days. Cheers to lemonade! X, T
Nibbles
September 12, 2023
I had such a fun time in Eugene last week doing a Q&A with the crowd before I ended up signing a book for everyone. One of the questions asked was what do we like to serve right when guests arrive. Above is a visual for some of what I talked about. We like to call them nibbles. Things set out for folks to nibble on before a beach walk or to have while they wait for me to finish making them a cocktail. It is not intended to be a full meal, but it certainly could if you would want it to be. Here are a few ideas. A platter of pâté with a big dollop of Dijon mustard along with cornichon. A few cheeses. Along with a bowl of crackers & bread. A big bowl of small tomatoes next to a bowl of French sea salt for dunking. White bean dip. Cut up cucumbers. Cheese coins and cheese sticks. Always a bowl of nuts or some nut mix. A big bowl of cherries. And lastly, a tin of sardines, along with mustard, cornichon and a pile of Triscuits. Truly, set out what you have on hand. This is what we came up with for a recent gathering. It varies each time. Just know your guests will be quite happy to have a nibble or two while chatting away at your next soirée.
Ted’s Tip No. 450
September 11, 2023
A bunch of chopped up kale lightly sautéed in a bit of extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of salt makes a lovely addition saddled up next to an egg dish at breakfast, brunch or lunch. It adds a nice healthy heartiness to the meal.
7 Sunday Thoughts
September 10, 2023