Photography

Swimming pools, movie stars

~ MaryG ~ 4 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What does your ideal home look like?
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GenXers will recognize “swimming pools, movie stars” as the last line of the theme song from the Beverly Hillbillies, a TV show that was popular when we were young children. Basically, some poor people find oil on their property in Appalachia, get rich, and move to “Cally-phonia” in a dilapidated truck. It was pretty dumb. The theme song was definitely the best part of the show.

From the Beverly Hillbillies to Downton Abby to the Kardashians, I’ll admit to being fascinated by the lifestyles of the very wealthy, particularly their homes. Honestly, most of them do not look that comfortable. They’re too big. Everything is so spread out. Kim Kardashian is basically living in the Louvre. She has to walk miles just to get to the back of her own closet.

BUT, it would really be cool to have a big swimming pool and a view. Those are the two features I would have, if money were no object.

Here are a few photos from a visit to Newport, Rhode Island in July. We toured Marble House, one of the Gilded Age mansions. And yes, of course I watched “The Gilded Age” on HBO and am eagerly awaiting Season 2 starting on October 29. My husband likes to count the number of times the word “luncheon” is said per episode.

Marble House (Newport) – one of the filming locations for Julian Fellows’ The Gilded Age
Marble House dining room – the very definition of “gilded”
Lest you think Mrs. Vanderbilt and her friends didn’t discuss serious things at their luncheons, here are her Women’s Suffrage dishes.

Summer is our Glory in New England

~ MaryG ~ 4 Comments

Why do you blog?

These prompts are starting to feel repetitive. Here’s an old post I wrote called Why Blog?

We’ve had so many rainy weekends in New England this summer. It’s great that we’re ending on a high note!

Summers are short, but glorious in New England. I know some people really love autumn, but it does not hold a candle to summer. Winter is horrible (unless you like skiing) and “spring” is not a thing. There’s like one warm day in May (if we’re lucky, it’s Mothers Day).

So here’s to New England in the summer.

The “Farm Coast” – Rhode Island/Massachusetts border
Quicksand Pond, RI

TGIF

~ MaryG ~ Leave a comment

How are you feeling right now?

I’m glad it’s Friday. I work in Boston and things get hectic in late August when all the students move back to the city for the fall semester. We call this time of year “Allston Christmas,” when you can pick up anything from a toaster oven to a Bob Marley poster for free on the curb. Traffic gets MUCH worse. Occasionally, it comes to a complete standstill when some poor parent from the Midwest drives a too-tall rental truck under one of our too-low underpasses and gets stuck. This is called “getting Storrowed” and it happens every year.

Anyway, Labor Day weekend is the calm before the storm—or perhaps it’s the eye of the storm. I liked I.V. Greco’s post about sharing our super moon photos from Wednesday night. It’s so hard to get a good photo of the moon, but I like the sky in this one that I took. Peace.

Moon Sky, 8/30/23

Coffee is King

~ MaryG ~ 5 Comments

What’s your favorite time of day?

I like the morning coffee hour, but only if it doesn’t start too early. If I’m up at 5am drinking coffee, I consider that a sleep failure.

A couple years ago, my nephews gave me an Ember smart mug. I didn’t know if I’d like it, but I do. It keeps your coffee at the right temperature, so you can sip it slowly and not have to reheat it in the microwave.

Mornings are all possibilities, no regrets, as long as you slept well.

My set-up. Cute little cactus and candle were gifts from my thoughtful daughter. My sister-in-law crocheted the coaster.

Monthly delights

~ MaryG ~ 4 Comments

Tell us about the last thing you got excited about.

For Christmas 2019, my husband got me a 3-month subscription to BloomsyBox, a monthly delivery of beautiful flowers. By the end of the three months, COVID had hit and we were stuck at home, so I kept the subscription going. It was just so nice to have these gorgeous blooms to look at, especially in the winter.

Three years later, I still get these monthly deliveries. Each one is different and quite stunning. And I get excited about each one.

Here’s this month’s. Yellow is such a great color.
July’s were exotic – hot and tropical
June’s were really gorgeous. My birthday month.

TIP: I ordered and paid for an entire year of deliveries on Black Friday and saved hundreds of dollars.