Gorgeous at Christmas: Marble House
A special holiday treat I like to give myself is a stroll through Marble House in early December; it truly puts me in a festive mood. With 500,000 cubic feet… Read More
Seasonal
It’s Beginning to feel a lot like Christmas
I was thrilled for many reasons to return to Texas this month for a talk and book signing at the magnificent sixty-six acre Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. But little… Read More
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving celebration!
This year, we are reminded to be grateful for the small things in life; ever mindful of the silver linings in challenges we face; thankful for the opportunity to gather… Read More
Embellishing Autumn in Newport
While it is the majestic beech trees for which Newport is so renowned, come this time of the year it is the graceful, multi-hued Japanese maples that steal the show.… Read More
Fall Decorating 2021: Part 2
Last week’s blog “Fall Decorating 2021: Part 1” highlighted fall decorations for the outdoors, including the front door and other chosen spots around the grounds of Parterre. Today, I’m focusing… Read More
Anticipating Fall
It’s October 12th and I’m off to Tyler, Texas for their annual (and much-celebrated) Rose Festival. This rose lover has been counting the days. And by the time I return,… Read More
New Beginnings at Parterre
Easter and new beginnings are taking on a special meaning at Parterre this year. Only a very few times in the twenty years that we’ve lived here have I ever… Read More
A Taste of London at Christmas
Of course I know Newport at Christmas, and New York, for sure, but I’m not as familiar with London — so off I went, right after Thanksgiving had been celebrated,… Read More
Christmas at Marble House
One of the reasons I chose to go to England in early December was to visit Blenheim Palace, home at the turn of the twentieth century to Consuelo Vanderbilt of… Read More
Blenheim Palace: Dressed for the Holidays
It has been almost thirty years since I last visited Blenheim Palace, and it brought back a wonderful whirl of happy memories. Fourteen of us were ostensibly in Woodstock for… Read More