Aponovich and Johansson At Home and Away

FOR HOUSE and GARDEN

2012-02-21T08:13:00.001-08:00

It is a leap year, adding one extra day to February. Over the past few weeks James and I have found ourselves visiting greenhouses, flower shops and antique shops. I think that this is a trend we follow this time of year, waiting for gardening season outdoors to begin,while bringing something of that into our home, or at least dreaming about it.

"Gardening gives one back a sense of proportion

about everything - except itself."

May Sarton

Plant Dreaming Deep, 1968

Scale and portion thrown aside here! It would take a home and garden of grand scale to be fitting for this graceful statue of Artemis and the flanking garden urns. How about for a Tuscan villa or in the courtyard of a Roman palazzo.

(Still , the urns might work somewhere in our garden.)

Artemis is known as the goddess of the moon and of the hunt,as well as being the twin sister of Apollo. She is a little too much of a statement for our garden, but the classic waves of her hair and draped sleeves of her garment called for a closer look and demanded a photo.

We all can dream, can't we.

This little figure holding a garland was of a less monumental scale but ever so sweet. We already have a garden figure, the fountain statue that we refer to as 'Squirt'. I think she would be rather jealous if we added this one to our garden.

Out of the garden for moment and into the house and studio........

Each time I come to this shop I am attracted by the arrangement of hotel silver in this cabinet. It is a monochromatic still life with shapes created by spouts, lids and handles. These objects seen individually are one thing, but grouped they mingle becoming an architectural like landscape. I will take my sketchbook in and draw this....soon before they are gone.

Here color is key with the white of the orchid set against the deep green foliage mixed with the orange of the terracotta all highlighted by dramatic light.

There was a time not too long ago when orchids were not on my favorite plant list. But I have grown to like them and now have a few in the sun room. I think my attitude about them changed once I had one rebloom. Success!

.....back to the garden.....

In an antique shop, on a table surrounded by much grander objects was this very clever planting box. At first I thought it to be a small mock up for a full scale garden structure, but it was probably just made for what it is, a trellis like planter. Who knows? I do like this design and can imagine it as an entrance to our planned herb garden .

Indoor gardening.... Just what is called for in late winter, a pleasing arrangement of objects and plants.

Designing our gardens or our interior living spaces we consider many things including proportion, scale, form, color, pattern, perspective.

It is the same in drawing and painting. It is about finding and creating beauty for ourselves and for others to contemplate and perhaps enjoy.

Resources:

Bowerbird, Depot Square,Peterborough, NH

Bob Withington Antiques, Route 1, York, ME

Coles Nursery, Concord, NH

Jardiniere, Deer Street,Portsmouth NH

SNOW MOON .....over New England and Umbria

2012-02-08T09:11:00.034-08:00

The February Full Snow Moon is seen here rising over New Castle, New Hampshire. The late afternoon sun lights up the coastline.....the snowless coastline. This winter in New England has been unique for the lack of snow and higher than average temperatures. Normally, at this time of year we are more likely to have at least knee deep snow cover and bitter cold temperatures. Last winter the snow was unyielding. Snow piles so high it was difficult to see over them making getting around by foot or by car impossible at times.

This winter, however, James and I find ourselves taking walks nearly every day.....on our dry dirt road, in the city on pavement or on open seaside paths. Can you believe that we were sitting outside on a bench just yesterday!

February Surprise!

Sotta la Luna

We received an email with photos the other day from Italy. Surprise! February 1st, with the Snow Moon rising, it had snowed in Panicale.

Panicale is the lovely Medieval hill town where we stay on visits to Umbria.

We have seen pictures of snow taken there in the past.

The pictures hang in the local forno ( bakery), and I think there is one at Bar Gallo, also known as Aldo's. The pictures are on view to show Panicale in snow because it is a rare thing. We understand this storm covered with region, both Umbria and Tuscany with about a foot of snow! It even snowed in Rome.

Panicale under snow

The village, which overlooks the Umbrian plane, looks beautiful and magical in the snow.

I cannot help but wonder about the glorious fig and olives trees under this heavy snow. This is a place where Palm trees live and rosemary grows tall into hedges or cascades over walls. So, February's Snow Moon has found Panicale in a unique and rare winter as well. New England for the most part is without snow on the ground and Umbria is blanketed in snow.

The Universal Snowman

Everyone loves a snowman. This photo brought a smile to my face.

The Piazza Umberto Primo is the center of town and hub of activity in Panicale. In the morning there is cappuccino at Aldo's where nicely dressed women pass by heading to the markets to do their daily food shopping. Afternoons, the piazza fills with school children, often with a soccer ball. It is a lively place for a small village with restaurants, shops and cafes. We hear that during wine festival this fountain is filled with wine. James and I have never been in town during wine festival so cannot verify this. But, at Easter there is a festival race, the object is to roll wheels of Pecorino cheese from the top of the town.... down...down to the bottom finish line.

Here, this snowy February morning, the fountain in the middle of the piazza is a gathering place to build a snowman!

Panicale is built in an elliptical design on a hill that is south of Lake Trasimeno. From the piazza all roads lead around through medieval archways and narrow passages, some go up and up to the top of the town where the Bell Tower or Campanile is located. Many of these ancient roads are impossibly narrow and is rather startling to see a car drive through. The bells sound on the hour and again with a different and distinctive and ancient sounding ring at the half. The village of Panicale is beautiful and it's people are delightful.

Back to the snow..... Pictured is one of the gates, Porta Perugino, that passes through the ancient walls of the town where you enter or depart. This car will likely stay put for a while.

An art note.Porto Perugino is named for the artist Pietro Perugino. Perugino, an Umbrian, painted a fresco The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian ( 1505), here in the Church of San Sebastiano.

We will be visiting Panicale again this spring and we will stop in as always to look at the Perugino. By then the poppies, broom and even roses will be in bloom.

Vediamo in primavera!

But for now.....

New Castle, New Hampshire

Here in New Hampshire we took a walk through the charming village of New Castle spending time to draw at the town common. Yesterday, as we walked along Seapoint Beach in Kittery, Maine, we had to remind ourselves that this is February. Our daughter lives the area so we are frequent visitors here. There are times in winter when James and I find that we need to look at the ocean. It is about seeing that horizon line against the blue sky paired with the sea air that renews us.

This winter has not been one of white and gray as most winters are. The sun on our open field is golden and daily walks have reduced our "cabin fever".

The nights have been cold and clear creating a perfect venue for watching the

Snow Moon rise into the February sky.

For another look at the Snow Moon click on: Aponovich 52

Grazie, Katia!

Thanks to Katia Mughetti for use of the photos of Panicale.

Fireside Dining......Street Noodles

2012-01-19T06:39:00.001-08:00

At this time of year, deep winter, James and I like to dine fireside. With the cold air and dark setting in early, meals by the hearth bring added pleasure to dinner.

Roasts, stews, soups, ragu's, and other warm and hearty dishes are prepared in our kitchen when the temperatures drop. Winter cooking is different than summer cooking due to choice of available fresh ingredients and that the meals we cook often require stocks. Stocks are a big part of meals this time of year. Summer cooking is more reliant on what our vegetable garden provides.

There are times in January and February that we need a step back from winter meals. So comes the time to prepare something that speaks more of summer dining. James might shovel a path out to the Weber and grill a butterflied leg of lamb and vegetables, rotisserie a chicken, or throw some ribs on the hot coals. A picnic meal, by the fireplace is a favoritedeparture from winter fare around mid-February.

Tonight, in keeping with our summer menu in winter we will make a 'street noodle' dish called DanDan Noodles. I am not sure why this feels like a summer dish to me , but it always does. We serve it in bowls. On the side we usually have a refreshing cold salad of cucumbers in a light vinaigrette or a simple arugula salad. Sometimes we serve grilled chicken with it, but tonight James will saute a chicken breast and serve that cut into thin slices over the top of the noodles.

DanDan Noodles

noodles in a spicy or not so spicy peanut sauce

This recipe has been adapted over the years in our kitchen, from a recipe that we first read in John Thorne's, The Outlaw Cook.

1 pound of Chinese noodles ( dry spaghetti can be used)

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced

4 tablespoons soy sauce ( preferably low sodium)

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1-2 teaspoons cayenne hot sauce ( depending on your heat index)

1/4 teaspoon chili powder or paste(optional)

*1/2 cup chicken broth /low sodium ( a vegetable broth can be substituted)

*additional broth may be needed

In a food processor add the peanut butter, then with the machine running add the garlic and ginger. Then add sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, peanut oil, hot sauce, and chili powder ( a bit a chili paste works as well). I prefer not to add additional hot sauce at this

point, but it can be put out as a condiment for those who like additional heat. Blend this all together, then add the broth a little at a time until the mixture is saucy and smooth.

In the meantime, cook the noodles. Check package for cooking time, it will vary depending on the noodle used. Fresh Chinese noodles cook more quickly than dry spaghetti. Once the water is boiling add salt. Cook noodles and drain.( Note: If you use a dry pasta save some of the pasta water before draining). Transfer the drained, cooked noodles into a large warm bowl and pour in some of the DanDan peanut sauce, toss to coat. ( if needed: a little of the saved pasta water can be added, or some additional broth to make it silkier).

I like to serve this in individual bowls. Add a portion of the sauce coated noodles to the bowl and top with a little more of the sauce. If you like, sprinkle on some chopped green onions or some chopped peppers & chilis and don't forget to put out the hot sauce for those who like it spicy!

Enjoy!

This dish can be prepared in a slightly different manner. Once the noodles are cooked, and this is especially true for fresh Chinese noodles, drain them and rinse them in cool water. Shake off as much water as possible before adding the sauce.

WINTER COLOR

2012-01-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

Bluebirds arrived yesterday. Today the first snow of the winter and the Bluebirds bring winter color to the garden. It has been quite magical watching them fly around all morning in the blowing and falling snow, stopping at times to dine on rose hips .

We noticed that there was an unusual amount of bird activity outside our windows. A flock of bluebirds had arrived and they were checking out the bluebird boxes. Along with the bluebirds came a whirlwind of goldfinches.

And then, the pair of cardinals showed up together, as they are known to do.......they are very sweet to watch. The red of the male is incredible and the color of the females beak is intense, a gorgeous red-orange. Pure color against the white snow.

The fan of color in the wings of the male Cardinal would make for a good art school project in mixing color; where each primary color, red for example, is first mixed with white to create a spectrum of tints, then mixed with it's compliment ( in the case of red it would be green), to create a range of shades.

So so much for the art lesson, Mr. Cardinal is off to the neighboring apple tree where he might find some shelter from the first snow of the winter (2012), here in our New Hampshire garden.

January Morning New Hampshire...First in the Nation Primary....

2012-01-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

Morning light from our window.

A January morning in New Hampshire marked by the fact that there isn't any snow on the ground yet and that today is Primary Day. New Hampshire takes great pride in hosting the first in the nation primary.

The sunrise this morning over our field to the mountains beyond was soft and radiant. Here between me an the distant mountains is our garden still in darkness where morning has not yet reached.

The sun is still low casting long shadows. James and I decided to take a walk into town, our town Hancock, New Hampshire, for a cup of coffee and a New York Times. This field, which in the summer is full of Dorset and Shropshire sheep, laid quiet and sun drenched as we walked past.

Hard to image this as January in the glow of this morning sun. The smell of the earth , dirt, grass and dried leaves, is in the air. Did I mention that is no snow on the ground?

The center of town is held by The Hancock Inn, a lovely old New England Inn. In the mood for a country weekend, this would be a perfect place to stay. For us locals, we go to it's tavern for a chicken pot pie or James' favorite trio; Caesar Salad, Cheeseburger and Martini!

The Hancock Inn has been in continuous operation since 1789 providing hungry travelers with food and weary travelers with rooms.

Our walk follows the sun and continues down Main Street. All of the buildings on Main Street are listed on the national Register of Historic Places so a walk here takes one back to the 18th Century.

The far end of Main Street is still mostly in shadow . Here morning arrives with light on the chimneys of the houses and the steeple of the Meeting House. In the steeple of the meeting house there is a Paul Revere bell that stills rings on the hour.

Hancock Meeting House, Vestry and Post Office now in full light after our

morning coffee at Fiddleheads Cafe back at the center of town.

The polls will be open soon and we understand that there will be snow on Thursday.

Time to walk home and return to our studios.

WELCOME YULE !!!

2011-12-24T12:23:00.001-08:00

Wishing all a Joyous Holiday Season

and

a happy , healthy and peaceful New Year.

December in the Gardens of Strawbery Banke, Portsmouth, NH

2011-12-15T06:03:00.000-08:00

This is the Sherburne Garden at Strawbery Banke Museum. It is the oldest garden here and dates to 1695. It remains on it's original site framed by a Colonial house, a board fence and Roxbury Russett heritage apple trees. These raised beds supplied not only food but medicinal herbs for the family.

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine your food."

A quote by Hippocrates from text at the museum.

Continuing our garden walk......

Up the path, inside a fenced yard of this 18th Century house is this wonderful pergola. This is my favorite garden structure here at Strawbery Bank. If I could duplicate one for our garden this would be it.

Portsmouth was as important trade port in the 18th Century, so new plants, from China for example, were introduced into gardens .

James and I were both interested that Strawbery Banke Museum has an Heirloom Seed project. It made sense since their mission here is to preserve not only buildings that span four centuries but also the gardens. We are certainly interested in learning more about this and the program Historic Foodways.

Follow a path towards a multi-tiered fountain, through an arch formed by the cedar and find yourself in the formal Victorian garden, circa 1862. I love walking under the cedar arch, it sets the stage for a romantic Victorian garden.

Paths lead to this garden building with decorative painted iron chairs. Here in the Victorian garden things taken on a more formal appearance, and the use of annual bedding plants for color and pattern.

A rose post adorns the corner of the Victorian garden. We first saw a rose post in the gardens here several years ago, when we were fortunate to have a private tour of the grounds and gardens. Our guide was John Forti, The Curator of Historic Gardens & Landscape at the Strawbery Banke Museum. It was a memorable tour that we often recall. Back then there was a small garden shop on the grounds where we bought a number of herbs including sweet cicely and bronze fennel that remain in our garden.

Here we are in the restored 20th Century Colonial Revival garden. There is so much going on here with plants and structures. Come along as we wander through .....

In this Colonial Revival garden the use of textural paths of stone and brick lead to an interesting pergola that connects the garden to the house. I have never seen a garden structure quite like this. I can imagine dining under the shade of the pergolas canopy in the warm months. It is impressive.

This garden will be glorious in the spring and summer, but this time of year the structure is the star.

The urn sits proudly on top or the trellis like structure. This garden has a good sense of scale.

The Herb Garden

This garden has been planted as a teaching garden. The bench adds an interesting focal point against the dark greenery of boxwood. The pea stone gravel paths are like what we have in our own gardens, I love the feel under foot and the sound of footsteps walking through the garden.

One of the reasons we are visiting the gardens here today is that we are considering changes to our garden. Our plan is to revise and edit our rose garden. Certain rose will remain others moved. Moving roses is a task and not always successful, but we must be courageous and move ahead! In their place herbs will be planted. So we came here today to see and fill our heads with the herb gardens.

A detail of the Herb Garden. It looks very pleased to share the names of all the plants.

Here we are at the Victory Garden reading the helpful text. Many American households relied on their backyard Victory Gardens to help provide food for their tables due to food rationing during World War II. We learned of a tomato that was new and planted in many of these backyard gardens called "Mortgage Lifter" a name appropriate to those difficult times. We have

since planted a couple Mortgage Lifters in our garden each summer.

The Victory Garden

The stakes remain where summer tomatoes grew. Next summer,with the cooperation of nature and human hands tilling, renewing and enriching the soil,they will once again be heavy with ripe tomatoes. Canning fruits and vegetables became more common in the American kitchen in efforts to let the garden feed the family.

In another garden, summer finds cabbages, garlic and foods that represent the cultures of the immigrants that came to America and to this area of the seacoast.

The shadows grow longer as the afternoon passes. On our way out of Strawbery Banke we stop for a few moments, we each make note of this garden entrance. How inviting it must be on a warm summer day to rest on the benches beneath a cover of shady green. This is the entrance to the Heritage Orchard, where heirloom apples are being grown.

I think we will return next summer to see what this all looks like then, and return home to our garden with a few ideas.

May I suggest taking along a sketchbook or notebook on your visit.

For information on the historic gardens click on: Strawbery Bank Gardens

The museum offers programs on traditional recipes cooking including hearth cooking, as well as use and preservation of heirloom produce. For information on these interesting demonstrations and programs, click on:

Historic Foodways

A DECEMBER WALK THROUGH HISTORIC STRAWBERY BANKE, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

2011-12-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

The Strawbery Banke website opens with,

"Strawbery Banke is about connecting with the past."

This is a living museum. It is our opportunity to have a glimpse of life in this seacoast village from the late 17th century to the mid-2oth Century.

Dirt roads and paths lead past ordinary houses , fancy homes, a store, sheds, artisan shops and gardens. The oldest of the 42 buildings dates from the Colonial times circa 1695. The most recent building here takes us up to World War II, with a Victory Garden behind it.

With Four Centuries collected here, we find many of the buildings have been preserved and several are in the process of restoration. These buildings are here thanks to citizens that understood the importance of historic preservation.

The restoration continues. There is a program called

The Heritage House Program,

it's goal is to restore and preserve ten additional properties on the site.

We visit on a warm and clear December afternoon. The sun is low in the sky creating long shadows and of course there will be an early sunset. But the day is beautiful and it is quiet here. We are happily lost in time.

Along this street some of the buildings have been restored others stand waiting their turn to be brought back to what they once were.

A window draws attention to itself against the plain wooden boards. One of the oldest buildings on the grounds, this house has spectacular form and the diamond window panes are a lovely detail.

On the other hand, down another street we climb into the time machine and travel ahead a few hundred years. A feeling of nostalgia seeps in when approaching this building, a restored general store.....from an era not all that long ago.

A restored home is seen in the distance with a dory here in the foreground, put up for winter. Portsmouth has been an important seaport since the 1600's, so boats, both large and small have played an important role here. Boat building, trade and fishing are central to this seacoast community.

This area where Strawbery Banke was once an immigrant community known as Puddle Dock.

This fence is just a glimpse of some of the details and structure of the gardens that can be seen on a visit here. But more on that soon. Here we look through the fence to the surrounding neighborhood that is Strawbery Banke.

There are some interesting gardens to explore at Strawbery Banke. Behind this fence is one of those gardens that we will enter in an upcoming story!

As we exit the grounds we follow along the edge created by this unique white washed fence. This December evening is the annual Holiday Candlelight Stroll, a very festive occasion celebrating the season and this special historic place in the heart of Portsmouth.

Strawbery Banke

www.strawberybanke.org

Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll

Sat. & Sun. Dec. 10& 11

Sat. & Sun. Dec. 17 & 18

For further information and tickets for this season's Candlelight Stroll click on:

Candlelight Stroll

Gundalow Company

Puddledock Boatyard

www.gundalow.org

A Travel Journal......With darkness setting in early the travel plans begin!

2011-11-28T05:57:00.000-08:00

Rome, the pines on the Palatine Hill

Now, with Thanksgiving behind us we move forward into the dark and cold part of the year. Although I must say that the temperature outside today is in the 50's, unseasonably mild and welcoming. With the darkness setting in early by late afternoon the light in the studio becomes too dim to paint. It is then that I work on travel plans for the spring trip to Italy. Later in the evening James will often light a fire and we dine in front of the fireplace. These are two remedies we have found to brighten this time of year.

I began this blog, At Home and Away, prior a trip to Rome when James was a Visiting Artist at The American Academy in Rome in spring of 2010. So in part the blog became our travel journal. This time the blog will again serve as our travel journal beginning with the planning and preparations for our trip.

Thoughts and suggestions are most welcomed.

When we travel it is to Italy. James and I go to look at art and gardens. We find the Italian people really lovely and kind. We love eating, cooking and certainly drinking Italian wine. The landscape of Tuscany and Umbria is breathtaking and Rome is an incredible city.

So, where do we begin? Where do we go this time that we have not gone in the past?

One change, on this trip our daughter and her husband will be with us for about two weeks.

James and I generally rent an apartment in Panicale, Umbria as a home base. Renting an apartment works well for us due to the fact that it is economical and we can cook. We are renting again, but the Panicale apartment is not available for our entire stay this year, so we have to consider other options for the remainder of our time there.

There are places we love that we want to share with them, Rome, Siena, Florence, maybe Lucca. There are small villages and hill towns to explore with medieval alleys to walk. There are cathedrals and abbeys of remarkable architecture filled with art. Palazzos with loggias and courtyard gardens. Gardens both hidden and small as well as the grand gardens to visit. Art, there is art in museums, but for us the best place to see art in the place it was meant to be, the place where it was created; a fresco on the ceiling of a Baroque Basilica or Renaissance fresco on refectory wall of an abbey. There are trattorias that cannot be missed. Always, always new places to find.

So, it is now the planning begins. The apartment in Panicale is rented, for at least a portion of our visit.

I am reading Rome, by Robert Hughes. I just completed a book on

the design genius of both Bernini and Borromini.

My notebooks and sketchbooks from past trips sit on my desk, pages open. Travel guides line the bookshelf for reference. My mind is filled with Italy...Rome, Tuscany & Umbria.

I will keep you posted.

Ideas to share? Know a great place to stay, a delicious trattoria, a place to see a remarkable painting, a quiet and hidden garden. Something not to be missed, let me know!

Countdown to Thanksgiving

2011-11-19T07:30:00.000-08:00

Bon Appetit, November 1980

Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey

This 1980 issue of Bon Appetit magazine helped to ignite our desire to cook. We were familiar with both Craig Claiborne from his New York Times articles and cookbooks and Pierre Franey from his cookbooks and history with Le Pavillion restaurant.

I am fairly certain we have prepared every recipe in the article from the Jalapeno Cornbread Stuffing, Kathleen Claiborne's Pecan Pie, Roast Fresh Turkey and so on. The article not only gave us recipes but taught us how to truss a turkey, and gave us ideas for wines to pair with the meal.

Remember, this was 1980. This was eye opening for us. Now 2011, the magazine remains part of our tradition. Some years we may use only one recipe that Craig and Pierre brought to us, or just have it on the table for a quick reference, but it remains a treasure in our kitchen.

We have a collection of Johnson Brothers "Wild Turkey" and "Barnyard Turkey" plates that we use on Thanksgiving. The fancier Barnyard Turkey plates were a gift to me from James, along with a large platter. The Wild Turkey plates, cups & saucers came from a church sale in Maine. I spotted the familiar trademark Johnson Bros. plates barely visible in a box on the floor where the white elephant sale items were. A great find!

The very first cookbook that James and I bought decades ago, was Craig Claiborne's Herb and Spice Cookbook. That took us to the New York Times Cookbook. From there we found James Beard, Pierre Franey, Julia Child & Elizabeth David. We collect cookbooks , and we read about food. When we find a recipe we always cook directly from the recipe, after that we often make changes....adapting it to our own needs and likes.

Cooking and eating well is important in our kitchen and dining room and garden. When the opportunity to dine in an exceptional restaurant arises we jump at it. We also love eating at small trattoria family run places.

But for us, Thanksgiving is about home and sharing food with family and friends. This year, along with our daughter and son-in-law, we will host 20. We will have sheep and goat cheese and eggs from local farms to begin.

Fresh organic Vermont Turkey will be the star accompanied by two stuffings, gravy (started with a great turkey stock). A puree of sweet potato with praline topping, mashed potato casserole a la NY Times Dining section, Cranberry- Lingonberry Sauce ( a nod to New England and my Swedish ancestry), haricot verts with pancetta, garden fresh multi- color carrots, and of course an assortment of pies will all be part of our feast.

As you can see this magazine is well worn. It has seen us through many Thanksgiving Feasts.

Keep cooking.

Be thankful for family, good food, home gardens and small farms that provide fresh food for us all to enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

October Morning

2011-10-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

This October morning brings an unusual sight for this time of year, an abundance of snow.

Here the rose garden with the trellis crowned in white while everything else is blanketed in the snow that fell overnight. A strange looking landscape with so many trees still hanging on to their autumn color leaves.

With the early snow comes some interesting patterns in nature with form and color.

The golden yellow of the maple leaves creates a stunning contrast against the fresh white snow and the greys of the distant woodland.

The crab apple that is outside our kitchen window is heavy with fruit, leaves and now snow.

The view from my studio across the field. The oaks with their branches full of russet and burnt orange color leaves the trunks and branches outlined in white by snow.

James was able to get most of the terra cotta pots and garden furniture stored. These remaining benches where on nice evenings, sometimes even in October, we enjoy a glass of wine, can now measure the snow fall amount.

I guess we will be sitting in front of our lovely fireplace in the evening, at least until spring.

Sadly, one of our old apple trees was quite damaged during the storm. This year the tree was in it's glory full of bright red apples and still in leaf. We will get a better look at it in the next few days when the snow begins to melt.

Despite the Snow,We Still Have Flowers

2011-10-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

It is October and the snow has already found New England. The garden chores that James and I usually spend late October and November doing, storing garden furniture, terra cotta pots and tools all must be done now. This early storm may leave us with a foot of snow. The arborvitae is wrapped to keep them from becoming a meal for a family of deer, wood is stacked, our boots and gloves brought out into the mud room....far too early.

But here, in our studios there are still flowers in bloom!

Here is the story

told in a few pictures.

Helen Elizabeth Poppies

Elizabeth Johansson

charcoal on paper

Late Summer Hydrangeas

Elizabeth Johansson

oil on panel

Siena:Still Life with Agapanthus (detail)

James Aponovich

oil on canvas

Calla Lillies ( in - progress detail)

James Aponovich

oil on canvas

With the snow just beginning to fall, I took the pruners out to the garden. First I cut an assortment of herbs, thyme, parsley, tarragon, mint, sage and oregano. If the forecast holds true, the herbs will be under a foot of snow by morning. Then, I searched through the garden and found a large handful of remaining flowers, foliage and added a few herbs to create the final bouquet of the season.

When I came in to the kitchen with the herbs James began cooking. We will prepare a warm meal for tonight's dinner and prepare something for tomorrow, a ragu Bolognese I think, for we might just loose our power in this storm.

But we still have flowers.

Tomatoes.....Gifts From the Garden

2011-10-05T11:06:00.001-07:00

Our garden has seen a frost, so the final harvest of tender plants yielded plum tomatoes,peppers, eggplant and swiss chard. One of our favorite ways to prepare plum tomatoes is to roast them. Roasting the tomatoes provides a delicious ingredient as well as creates a wonderful aroma in the kitchen . A duel pleasure.

The first step is to peel, core and seed the tomatoes. This is accomplished by putting the tomatoes in boiling water just long enough to loosen skins, then transferring them to an iced water bath. Cool, core, remove skin then cut in half and remove seeds. ( I like to save the seeds along with the pulp and juice for possible use later). Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

I line a baking sheet with parchment, then arrange the tomatoes cut side up.

The tomatoes are readied for roasting with a generous drizzle of good olive oil, salt and pepper. I like to add an herb such as chopped fresh basil, but in this case I use fresh thyme. What little basil that remained in the garden succumbed to the frost.

The tomatoes go into the oven for several hours, generally 4-5 hours. I check them after about 3 hours and determine whether to continue roasting. I would say on average to plan on about 4 hours roasting time at a low heat or 200 degrees.

The Roasted Tomatoes.....out of the oven at last!

Allow them cool then place them in a bowl with any of the pan drippings and then drizzle additional olive oil ( high quality) coating them. They can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.

The tomatoes can be served as is, as part of an antipasto plate, in a salad, served on toasted bread as a bruschetta ( with or without cheese). For a simple pasta dish, spaghetti tossed with olive oil,

garlic, red pepper flakes and grated pecorino or parmesan cheese.

A more complex pasta dish would be to prepare a ragu featuring roasted tomato.

Bowl of Pasta with Ragu of Sausage , Porcini, and Roasted Tomatoes

Recipe : Ragu with Sausage, Porcini and Roasted Tomatoes

A ragu is a sauce, a meat sauce found in kitchens and on menus all through Tuscany and Umbria. A ragu might contain sausage meat as this one does but boar, veal , lamb or duck are commonly used as well. This recipe is very adaptable to any ground meat or even a braised meat shredded into bite sized pieces. James and I both are fond of porcini mushrooms, so we add those to this dish, here we use dried that are soaked in water just brought to a boil, turned off and left to stand for about 20 min. , then removed from water ( reserve liquid).

In the meantime finely chop : 1 onion, 2 carrots, 1 stalk of celery and 1-2 cloves of garlic.

Heat oil in saute pan, cook onions until translucent, not brown. Remove from pan and reserve.

Saute carrots and celery until they begin to become tender. Add garlic and saute, being careful not to let brown. Remove vegetables from pan and reserve with onions.

Heat oil in pan to saute meat, in this case about 12 oz. of Italian sausage removed from casing. Cook slowly, do not quite brown it. When fully cooked, add chopped porcini mushrooms and cook through. Add 1/4 red wine...hopefully Italian wine! Add one and half to two cups chicken stock ( or other meat stock) along with reserved porcini liquid. Add the roasted tomatoes and reserved juice.

Season with salt and pepper, a bay leaf and a few sprigs of fresh thyme ( alternatively, fresh sage can be used).

Simmer on a low heat letting the sauce slowly reduce, adding additional broth a quarter cup at time, as needed. Adjust seasoning. This should simmer for about one and a half to two hours. Toss with pasta. I prefer to use wide pasta like papperdalle. Serve with grated pecorino or parmigiano reggiano cheese.

ITALY TRAVEL TIP:

The best duck ragu we ever ate was at a trattoria, La Porta, in Tuscany in the medieval village of Monticchiello that looks over the Val d'Orcia. It was heavenly yet balanced with an earthy richness. At La Porta the duck ragu is served over the regional pasta called pici.

BEHIND THE SCENES

2011-09-30T07:12:00.001-07:00

Here is a behind the scenes look at the filming of a television segment at our home/ studios for WCVB Channel 5, Boston for Chronicle.

Ted Reinstein, reporter for Chronicle, is interviewing James on his year long project

Aponovich 52,

52 paintings in 52 weeks.

This is what we refer to as a painting marathon.

A break in the questioning!

James at his easel talking about the Aponovich 52 project, also demonstrating that there is work beyond the project that continues in the studio.

The paintings in this project can be seen in a weekly blog for all interested in following along.

There you will find still lifes, a portrait and a few landscapes of places James has visited in the past 26 weeks.

So,now 26 paintings down, 26 paintings left to go.

Our thanks to Ted Reinstein and Chronicle Crew for taking interest in this project. In the art business this undertaking in known as working in a "time-based arena". I like the sound of that, it keeps me working. At the conclusion of the 52 weeks ( and after a few weeks of rest) these paintings, along with sketches and related works

will be on exhibit at Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA, June 2012.

INFORMATION & LINKS

The segment airs on Chronicle / WCVB TV/Thursday, September 29 at 7:30

Chronicle Website; CHRONICLE HD

CLARK GALLERY

Lincoln Station, Lincoln, MA

781- 259-8303

The Blog:

APONOVICH 52

and this just in from the garden.........

2011-09-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

A trip to the vegetable garden this morning was made to gather nasturtiums for a painting that James is working on. More than nasturtiums made it back to the house.

Plum tomatoes, bell peppers were only part of the mornings harvest.

And the nasturtiums were not forgotten in the bustle of the harvesting.

Beautiful eggplant at last!

These vegetables all bring Italy to mind.

I see cooking in our future.

These past several days of summer weather have been beneficial for the vegetable garden.

Winter squash, carrots, swiss chard, plum tomatoes, so many wonderful ingredients to work with at this time of year. The garden also provides us with flavorful and fragrant herbs for our kitchen.

Figs

What is better than fresh figs in the garden?

Figs are my favorite fruit, at least at the moment.

Now that this bounty is in our kitchen, what shall we do with all these wonderful fruits and vegetables?

The activity in the kitchen has just begun......more on the figs and plum tomatoes coming soon!

Rose Hips, Scarlet Beauty

2011-09-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

The rose hips light up this plant. Their colors span the palette from a pale cadmium yellow into orange to a fully saturated scarlet.

Vermillion or crimson would be the color I would use to identify these rose hips.

Their full round red forms punctuate the leaves which are now shifting from green to yellow.

In spring the new bright green growth of leaves and the small buds form. As days grow longer and warmer the buds open to delicate roses that are so fragrant in the summer sun.

Here in September, with the day light shorter and mornings cooler, this beautiful transformation of the rose notes the nearing of the end of the summer cycle of the garden.

The rose hips carry on the beauty of this plant in the autumn garden.

Coast of Maine: SEGUINLAND...a place of extraordinary beauty where artists gathered.

2011-08-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

Small Point

A recent invitation by friends took us to Phippsburg, Maine. During our visit they took us to several of their favorite places showing us many aspects of this enchanting place.

A stop at Small Point found us on the porch of a grand and charming shingled style building the likes of an old hotel. The porch, with wicker and rockers, faced the sea. Visible from the porch is an island with a lighthouse, Seguin Island Light.

By the way, this lighthouse where the Kennebec River meets the sea,was commissioned by George Washington in 1795

Etnier House

The house on the distant shore belonged to an artist Stephen Etnier (1903-1984).

He was only vaguely familiar to both myself and James, so it was interesting to find out more about him. Our friends and hosts had a book about Etnier, so we recognized the house and the interesting boat launch from paintings and photos. I later read that Etnier originally arrived in Maine in 1928 to study with Rockwell Kent.

It is no wonder that artists have been attracted to this area.

This place, "Seguinland", encompasses both the Phippsburg and Georgetown Peninsulas, flanking the Kennebec River.

Georgetown and Phippsburg attracted a group of artists, Modernists, during the first half of the 20th Century.

During the mid 1920's into the 1930's many renowned artists left their NY studios for the summer seeking a cooler climate and beauty of Maine. Here in Seguinland the likes of artists such as Gaston Lachaise, Marsden Hartley,

John Marin, Marguerite and William Zorach worked, gardened and gathered to savour life here.

Photographers Alfred Stieglitz and Paul Strand also found themselves drawn to these breathtaking Maine peninsulas.

Low tide, Phippsburg

We found this place to be a visual symphony of water, sand, rocky shore, dark pines and clear light. Water creating patterns in the sand, water carving out granite, water shimmering in the sunlight. The sound of gulls and the surprise of a Bald Eagle exiting a nearby, very nearby tree and soaring out across the cove.

A day of exploring followed by a perfectly clear evening on the porch enjoying lobster and champagne.

Our evenings entertainment....The Milky Way and shooting stars.

The next morning the fog rolls in, yet another Maine experience.

It is lovely, soft and atmospheric.

It is clear why so many artists have spent time in this special place.

We had a splendid time.

For more on "Seguinland" visit the Portland Museum of Art to see two

current exhibitions:

Maine Moderns: Art in Seguinland, 1900-1940

June 4- September 11, 2011

John Marin: Modernism at Midcentury

June 23- October 10, 2011

Another exhibit on painting in Maine can be seen at Bowdoin College Museum of Art.

Edward Hopper spent several summers painting and drawing

in Ogunquit and on Monhegan Island, this show is a collection of those works.

Edward Hopper's Maine

July 15 - October 16, 2011

A MAINE ISLAND

2011-08-04T06:53:00.000-07:00

With the boat moored and all passengers and provisions delivered to the island by multiple dinghy trips, our island adventure begins. We land on the rocky north shore of the island.

Baker Island, now part of Acadia National Park is in Frenchman's Bay and is one of the Cranberry Islands. Stepping out of the dinghy into the water we find the water cold , but not chilling. The dinghy is tied to a rock. We all gather our bags and make our way up a mowed path through a vast meadow, probably once a meadow for grazing cows.

Every few yards everyone stops to look in awe at the utter beauty of this place.

It was in 1806 when the first settlers, the Gilley family, came to the island. They came here to farm, a labor intensive endeavor. The idea of transporting animals and crops to and from the island to the main land for marketing is daunting. They were certainly a hearty and determined group and must have cherished island life to withstand the hardships of daily tasks. It must have been love or being overcome by beauty that kept them here.

The view over the Gilley house out across the field and bay is so quintessentially Maine.

Images painted by Fairfield Porter, N.C. Wyeth, and John Marin fill my head.

It's spectacular here.

Time to continue on. Trees begin to line the path, tall fir trees, and spruce. A lighthouse becomes visible, sort of, as it is now overcome by the surrounding woods. The wooded path across the center or the island is cool and moss filled, it is magical and lovely.

The sound of the ocean can be heard.

The shadowy wooded path opens to huge rocks, open sky and an ocean that goes on forever, or at least to the Canary Islands!

The Dance Floor

Gigantic flat granite boulders became known as "The Dance Floor". The name originating when in the past island settler's would hold dances here on these pink granite dance floors. It is quite an amazing structure that the sea and nature have created.

Beyond dancing this makes a great site for a picnic, followed by some sketching!

For a look at a sketch that James drew from here, and then took back to the studio where he made a painting

click on Aponovich 52, week # 19

Timing is everything. Our "Dance Floor" picnic was delicious and some sketches made, the weather's turning..... time to head back to the boat. Retracing our steps back, the island is again breathtakingly beautiful and even more dramatic with the

weather over Mount Desert .

Tide going out, weather changing, it is time to board to boat and return to Northeast Harbor.

This has been one of those "days of wonder".

This day will make for memories of a day spent with special friends on a classic Maine Island. I am certain more than one painting will be created from this group to remember our island adventure.

The excerpt below is from a letter written by artist John Marin, to photographer Alfred Stieglitz (1932), might just reflect the thoughts of the Gilley family and early island settler's of Maine's islands.

"OLD MISTRESS - MAINE - SHE MAKES YOU TO - LUG - LUG - LUG -

she makes you to - pull - pull - pull - she makes you to - haul - haul - haul -

and when she's thrashed you a plenty - between those thrashings

she's lovely

she smiles

she's beautiful

with an unforgettable loveliness - an unforgettable beauty

turns masculine - borders big and mighty - against - the big and mighty Atlantic."

ON OUR WAY TO AN ISLAND IN MAINE

2011-07-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

We were invited to join a group of friends to visit their favorite place on the Maine Coast. This place just happens to be an island and they just happen to have a boat. So our adventure begins in Northeast Harbor as we climb aboard and set off with a picnic basket full of food. The journey across the bay, past the Cranberry Islands is stunning with the mountains of Mount Desert Island spanning the view towards land. This must be what Champlain first saw as he approached from the sea in 1604.

Bear Island Light

The Bear Island Light is quite a sight from the water. It brings to mind the painting Bear Island, Northeast Harbor, 1855, by Fitz Henry Lane. In Lane's painting the lighthouse stands on cleared cliff top, without trees, a change from how it is seen today.

The marker (seen below) was painted by Frederic Church 1851. This is how it looks today.

It is quite amazing almost startling to see places that were painted by the likes of Church, Fitz Henry Lane, John Kensett, John Marin and Marsden Hartley, here along Maine's coast. It all feels so familiar and is an artist's paradise.

Frederic E. Church

Beacon off Mount Desert Island, 1851

Passing the red gong buoy we continue to our island destination. Our experienced Captain and First Mate making way across the bay.

The island approaches and we head for a mooring.

See you on the island. We hear it is magical.

BLUE HILL, MAINE....A Garden on the Bay

2011-07-21T06:08:00.000-07:00

Blue Hill, Maine

James & I were invited by friends to join them for a few days at their house in Blue Hill. We happily accepted.

James and I ( as well as our daughter Ana) spent many summers in the tiny hamlet of Sargentville, Maine. Sargentville is just to the south of of Blue Hill, on the shore of Eggemoggin Reach. It was here that I learned to garden. My mentor, Julia, was an elegant and gracious gardener from Atlanta that kept a summer home and garden here in Maine. For me, her garden defined a Maine perennial garden. Julia's garden was filled with tall phlox of white and pinks, blue dephiniums, pale yellow yarrow, white astilbe, lavender & pink somniferum poppies and perennial yellow foxglove .The flowers were always swaying in the cooling breeze.

So, with that bit of nostalgia it's time to move on to a garden that was part of the recent Blue Hill Garden Tour.

The gardens began at the front of the house, in an area surrounding the front porch. There were lovely perennials including delphiniums, roses, and campanulas. Very lovely against the simple white columns of the porch.

But around the back of the house was the real show. The narrow path along the side of the house opened up the a garden on the bay.

Sun dappled ferns and astilbes line a path leading to stairs that descend to the rocky shore.

Japanese Iris add color and grace with a beacon of chartreuse Lady's Mantle below.

This garden makes the most of it's place at water's edge by using the bay a garden element. Maine has no shortage of rocks. This garden had both rocks left by nature and beautifully constructed stone walls.

One of the things I loved about this garden was the rhythm and structure the trees played. It's the old "reveal and conceal" concept. Trees limbed up to allow us to look through, yet in the distance a lower tree left as specimen at the shore. It's a brave gardener to do this and not give way to cutting clear the entire shore. This garden extends out to a small peninsula where there is plenty of water to see all around and those two sculptural trees to give scale to that stunning view.

When we began a garden here in NH, we found it rather different than gardening on the Maine coast. The season in Maine in condensed, so plants that flower over 5 months in NH, flower over 3 months there. In our NH garden we have plants that started in Julia's garden, were divided to begin our Maine garden, now continue in our current garden. The plants love the moist often foggy air sea air followed by north wind clearing. Who's to blame them.

***********************************

It is worth a visit to a Downeast Maine garden, whether in Blue Hill, Mount Dessert area.

Garden tours provide a great opportunity to see private gardens.

While the Blue Hill Peninsula is very beautiful I cannot think of a public garden . There are a few public gardens on Mount Desert Island:

The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden , designed by Beatrix Farrand

The Asticou Azalea Garden and Thuya Garden, both designed by Charles Savage

For more on our trip to Blue Hill, Maine from the painter's point of view, click on:

APONOVICH 52

(week #17)

SUMMER ROSES

2011-07-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

Before it is too late it is time to take a walk through the Rose Garden.

This charming fountain, known here as Squirt, was a gift to me from James. She stands in her pool in the center of the rose garden. She always seems to be smiling.

It is difficult to single out favorite roses, but right now I would choose the following three....

Rosa Mundi

This rose is splendid. What color! It is a favorite of bees and a favorite of ours.

It has been the subject of two paintings by James, one of which is in the collection of

The New Britian Museum of American Art, New Britian, CT.

The Apothecary's Rose

This is the rose that started it all.

In our garden it is always a favorite, outstanding in color and fragrance. This rose is the one we dry for small bowls of potpourri for the house.

Great Maiden's Blush

The third rose on my list of this year's favorites is the 'Great Maiden's Blush'. The fragrance of this rose says "rose". It is impossible to walk past shrub rose and not stop to put your nose to it. I always carry a blossom back into the house. Intoxicating!

Roses are just beginning to climb the rose post that James designed and built. We chose a hearty Canadian Explorer Rose 'John Cabot' to climb, with 'Shropshire Lad ' (Austin) at it's base.

Departing the rose garden I walk out through the lavender lined walk. I have been cutting and drying the lavender. The dried lavender and rose petals will be a fragrant and lovely reminder of the garden when the snows of February cover the garden.

FROM THE GARDEN TO THE KITCHEN

2011-06-23T05:27:00.000-07:00

Five Pears

James Aponovich, oil on canvas, 2011

This is the summer of theme shows. James and I currently have have paintings included in an exhibition

From the Garden to the Kitchen

at the George Marshall Store Gallery in York Village, Maine.

Chili Peppers

Elizabeth Johansson, oil on canvas, 2011

Mary Harding, gallery director states,

" The theme of From the Garden to the Kitchen speaks to the landscape, the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, the inspiration of cooks and chefs and the gathering of friends to enjoy the bounty."

As artists, we found working on paintings for this exhibition of particular interest because it brought together our interests in gardening and cooking. When James completed the painting Five Pears, the perfectly ripe pears became a luxurious dessert of

poached pears with a creme anglaise!

This exhibition includes the work of thirty artists. James and I each have two paintings included in the show.

The gallery is housed in a charming historic building on the York River and is part of the Museums of Old York.

This is Part I of a two-part exhibition . Part I, June 4- July 10, 2011

We hope you have an opportunity to visit the gallery!

For additional information

www.georgemarshallstoregallery.com

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE PEONIES.... Exits and Entrances

2011-06-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

The entrance. The blossoms are ahead but this is my favorite time in the peony garden. True, it is about the possibilities of bloom and color that await here, but more it about the beautiful and simple form the peony bush takes on in early June. The young blossoms rolled tight atop their sturdy stems are playful looking with skirts of deep green leaves.

James and I had a neighbor in Maine that we were fond of. This neighbor, Don,

grew only three plants, peonies, lilacs and wisteria, with wondrous results. During June it was not unusual to go out our back door and find a bouquet of peonies filling a bucket!

It was with Don in mind that we planted our peony walk. I too wanted to be able to fill buckets with armfuls of peonies!

Peonies have a long history. Greek mythology gives us the botanical name Paeonia. The story goes that Paeon, a student of the revered god of medicine Asclepius, surpassed his teacher in skill.

The old story. Well, the jealous Asclepius attempted to do away with Paeon but Zeus stepped in turning Paeon into a flower to save him. The flower was the peony. So the story goes.

During the T'ang Dynasty (618-906) peonies commanded such high prices that they were found in the gardens of the Imperial Palace and placed under Imperial protection. The peony was used in Traditional Chinese medicine, believed to have healing properties. (This of course reminds us of the Paeon/ Asclepius myth.) The beauty of this flower captured the attention of Chinese artists and was used an a image in paintings, woodblocks and porcelains.

In 19th century Europe the peony became popularized in gardens and painted by artists such as Renoir and Fantin-Latour, and Pissaro.

And certainly not to be overlooked, here in the 21st Century in the studio right next to mine. James (Aponovich) paints flowers from our garden as they come into bloom. Peonies of course, are being cut and brought into his studio now. There will be more about this later on his blog

Aponovich 52

As days pass, those round buds unfurl and the peonies begin to show their colors until they are fully open revealing themselves and their intricate petals and centers. Then I wonder, possibly this is my favorite part of their show. The fragrant ones are beguiling.

With the lavender tuning from a blue haze to full flower the garden completes itself for this moment. The two make a lovely couple. For a few days they will share this garden, but soon the robust flowering of the peonies will come to an end . An end

for this season leaving the lavender to take the spotlight.

******************************

A FEW NOTES:

When James & I began collecting peonies we searched out places that featured peonies.

We first looked for heirloom varieties, then added others just because we liked them!

We also sought to have varieties that were early, mid-season and late to extend the season.

We bought several from Countryman Peony Farm in Northfield, VT, where they taught us to buy peonies with "good habit", meaning strong in stem and good form. Here at Countryman we were introduced to 'intersectional' peonies and now have a few of those in our garden. The intersectional peony was developed in the Tokyo in the 1940's by Toi chi Itoh. These colorful plants are a cross betwee a tree peony P.x. suffruticosa with a herbaceous peony.

Uncanoonuc Perennials in Goffstown, NH also provides a nice variety of peonies.

FRESH EGGS and CHIVES FROM OUR HERB GARDEN

2011-06-09T12:02:00.000-07:00

Looking through the cookbook section at the local bookstore, I noticed a trend towards cookbooks that are media personality driven. Then my eye caught a glimpse of something interesting. One book stood out from the crowd, and I was eager to buy it and bring it home to our kitchen.

This found treasure is At Elizabeth David's Table.

James and I were given a book by Elizabeth David about 15 years ago and spent some time with it, but since a move we can no longer find it. Still packed away in a box somewhere is my guess.

Elizabeth David was preparing and savoring real food in France and Italy when people I knew had meals often containing canned peas, canned soup, white bread and orange- colored American cheese slices. The worst

for me was when the hallmark of Sunday dinner the mashed potato was replaced with the boxed "instant" version.

It was the likes of Elizabeth David followed by James Beard and Julia Child that began to change how we shop for food, cook & dine.

Farmer's Markets have made it possible to purchase marvelous ingredients all season long including fresh eggs, greens, artisanal cheeses, and farm raised meats.

In our own garden we have eight large raised beds where we grow a wide variety of vegetables. We find ourselves growing larger quantities of herbs as our use of them in the kitchen increases. Cutting herbs for the omelette I found that a charming and fragrant bouquet was in my hand, it is now in a vase on the kitchen counter. Flowers from our gardens also fill vases throughout the house and often are subjects for paintings.

These are the things that fill our lives and bring us joy. We are fortunate to be able to step out the back door to gather herbs from the kitchen garden. A handful of fresh tarragon or a few leaves of basil to add to a sauce or a salad creates an immediate connection to what we grow in the garden and what we cook in our kitchen. Time spend in the garden and kitchen is time well spend.

We do not follow the "it's too much work" mantra when it comes to garden or kitchen!

Last evening as I read Elizabeth David's essay on omelettes I knew what

tomorrow's lunch would be.

James had brought home fresh eggs from the Farmer's Market and growing in the herb garden are chives, tarragon, parsley, chervil and thyme.

An omelette is a prized lunch here and now with a few new ideas provided by Ms. David, it will be heavenly. The simplicity of an omelette requires the finest ingredients and attention to detail.

Starting, as she suggests, with a warm ( not hot) pan, and stirring the eggs rather than beating them. Our 3 or 4 egg omelette is readied for the pan.

The flavor of the egg should be the star. We choose to add a moderate amount of finely chopped chives, parsley and tarragon to the center before folding the omelette, letting it cook a bit more than carefully plating it.

Elizabeth David tops the omelette with a knob of butter. Perfect. Added flavor and lovely sheen.

A sprinkle of herbs on top give clue to the additions.

Absolutely simple.

Absolutely devine.

If this were dinner we would have a salad of lightly dressed mixed greens and certainly a glass of wine.

Our herb & vegetable garden will add a bounty of ingredients to our summer kitchen and beyond.

****************

The book referred to:

At Elizabeth David's Table

Classic Recipes and Timeless Kitchen Wisdom

( preface by Ruth Reichl)

Harper Collins Books

********************************

APONOVICH 52

James is at week 11 is this odyssey of 52 weeks 52 paintings.

Check out this week's post Sant' Anna Pears

An inspirational trip to Tuscany to see the frescos at Abbazia Monte Oliveto Maggiore

and Sant' Anna in Camprena.

A Quiet Walk in the Garden

2011-06-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

Walking out the front door into this cool and breezy early June morning I am consumed with the fragrance of lilac. It's presence in the garden is commanding. Time stops for the moment. My senses are overcome with the scent of the lilac filling the garden air.

It is time for a quiet walk through the gardens. Walk with me but you promise not to make a sound.

Look, listen and remember to breathe.

The end of the walk .......for today.

LILACS

2011-05-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

Greek mythology has it that a beautiful nymph by the name of Syringa ( lilac's botanical name), was pursued by Pan, the god of the forest. Pan chased Syringa through the fields and forest. To avoid capture she turned herself into a bush, the fragrant and most beautiful lilac.

Our garden is lush with lilacs. Lavender, magenta, white and blue blossoms create hedges that offer beauty and aroma to walk along on a spring morning. Later , after a day in the studio, a walk ( "passeggiata") through the garden before dinner with a glass of campari & soda, is ever so rewarding.

This is also the time to fill a bucket and cut lilacs for tomorrow. More on that later.

lilac 'Krasavitsa Moskvy'

A white/pink variety that is my favorite this season. I find it especially stunning when used solo in a vase.

" And where are the lilacs?"

Pablo Neruda

The Spanish poet Pablo Neruda was familiar with the lilac and used it symbolically in his writing. A line from a poem written during the Spanish Civil War, asks the question where are the lilacs. The use of lilacs in the phrase often interpreted to point to innocent children that go into hiding in time of war, or noting of the absence of happy times. The lilac representing youthful innocence and humility.

The common lilac ' Syringa vulgaris' is part of the olive family, with it's origins in Europe and Asia. The lilac's popularity and hardiness prompted the early colonists to transport it to the New World. The earliest known lilacs in the USA are in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. These lilacs at the Governor Wentworth Mansion date back to 1750 .

Time to bring lilacs into the house to be a visual treat and add fragrance to fill the room.

Here is what I have found to be the most successful way of cutting lilacs for a vase.

The best time to cut lilacs is early in the morning or at the end of the day. In this arrangement I have featured Wedgewood Blue, Ludwig Spaeth, and President Lincoln lilacs

TIPS ON CUTTING LILACS

First, fill a clean bucket with warm water, then take it with you into the garden along with a sharp pair of pruners. Cut the stem at an angle, remove the lower leaves, and immediately put it into the bucket of warm water. Once the desired amount of lilacs have been cut, place the bucket in a cool, dark place for at least 5 hours, overnight is desirable. Re-cut the stems at an angle before placing them in a water filled vase.

Along with lilacs there are tall late tulips and the viburnum 'opulus' is just starting to flower with it's characteristic chartreuse color. The chartreuse color is a great alone or as a punctuation in an arrangement.

Still ahead in the garden are the later lilacs, 'James Macfarlane', ' Miss Kim', 'Miss Canada' and another favorite and perfume filled meyeri 'Palibin'.

The Over-the-Top Colors of May

2011-05-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

Look at the color of this old crabapple tree!

After a long NewEngland winter of white and shades of gray it is such a thrill to see this old crab apple turn to a jewel .

Standing beneath it one is illuminated in crimson, bathed in that glowing crimson.

Trying to mix this color from tubes of paint is just not to be, almost but not quite there.

Nature is good at reminding us that we are mere mortals!

How over- the- top the color of these blossoms are. What joy they offer us!

Once I can leave the lovely old crabapple I walk to the lilac hedge where beauty and fragrance draws me in for a closer look. Lilacs are a favorite here in our garden, this one is President Lincoln. This lilac hedge was planted nine years ago and is quite mature now. This is one of the first to flower each year, with the other following close behind. The lilac is the state flower of New Hampshire, so it is a must-have in our garden. I adore lilacs.

My four favorite fragrances in the garden start with lilac followed by lavender, Apothecary rose and Old Maiden's Blush rose. It is just impossible to walk past any of those flowers without being captured by their fragrance. All, of course, make it into the house to perfume the rooms .

These Rembrandt tulips light up the back garden. They also are cut to become subjects of paintings, or fill vases that bring color into our table.

Tulips punctuate our gardens,there are always Rembrandt tulips, Parrots, Fringed ,and the tall elegant French tulips.

Savour these now for they are all fleeting, but as days pass the late tulips, nepeta, viburnum opulus and an early peony are to be looked forward to as their blooms unfold to delight us!

PRIMO MAGGIO

2011-05-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

Happy May Day!

Daffodils are in bloom at last!

May Day, Primo Giorno (the first day of May), is a national holiday in Italy. The holiday, called Festa Dei Lavoratori is to honor workers and can be compared to Labor Day.

Our first experience with this Italian holiday happened several years back. We were sitting in a bar (cafe) in the small hill town of Panicale. This region of Umbria is quite agrarian.

An area of farms with sheep grazing on fields of grass, hills patterned with olive trees, vineyards, and apple orchards. The land around the nearby Lake Trasimeno is where tiny lentils are grown, that are unique to Umbria.

That morning, sitting with cappuccino to our surprise trucks, large tractors, impossibly tiny utiliatria ( 3-4 wheeled trucks), every type of farm vehicle on wheels began to fill the piazza.

This was quite amazing since Panicale is a walled medieval town with a rather small arched entrance into the piazza. It was delightful to see the farmers in their "Sunday finest" and their farm vehicles polished for this parade!

This was a Festa dei Lavoratori gathering, a workers demonstration with speakers, a poet and more speakers.........essentially "workers are the heart of the community, workers unite!"

For us, May Day is a day to get more serious about the garden. We are happy to see the daffodils proud in full bloom. Lilacs are setting flower buds. Each morning the pale green of new leaves increases on the trees just outside the window.

Some of the seeds that have been started inside come outside to adjust to the still cool air. Peas will get planted, then planted again in another week or two. Greens, spinach, rabe and chard are next on our list of soon to be planted seeds.

A picnic! Deviled eggs with chives topped with smoked paprika. Grilled chicken and a salad of fresh greens. The chives are from our garden and all the other ingredients for our porch picnic are from local farms.

So, our May Day has Italian roots. We begin to plant our garden. We start our picnic with a toast to the farmers who the heart of our communities. Providing good fresh food for our tables is tireless work.

Celebrate the farmer and support local farms!

Happy May Day!

gift of tulips!

2011-04-12T10:00:00.001-07:00

While I wait for the tulips in our garden, James surprised me with a bouquet of parrot tulips!

We grow parrot tulips, along with Rembrandt and fringed tulips in the garden, not only for their beauty but to cut and paint. Tulips have been a favorite of painters for centuries.

A gift of tulips..............how thoughful and sweet!

Meanwhile, we wait for the tulips in the garden. In the peony walk we plant 'French tulips' also known as single late tulips.

French tulips are tall and elegant. My favorites include, Menton (pictured above), Dordogne and Maureen.

Once the tulips just begin to show color and flower heads are ready to open I will head out to the garden with a bucket of cool water and some sheets newspaper or newsprint . After cutting the tulip I immediately put the stem into water. Once I have 8-10 stems cut I wrap the bunch of tulips in the paper, fairly snug, then quickly return them to water. I will put the tulip filled bucket in a cool place, out of sunlight, for several hours ( or overnight). Unwrap tulips, re-cut stems , and arrange in a vase. Did you know that tulip stems continue to grow for 24 hours after being cut!!

It will be some time before the tulips in the garden are flowering,

but the daffodils will soon be showing their color!

Can't wait!

(never combine tulips & daffodils , or anything from the narcissus genus, together in a vase)

A ROMANTIC NOTION: the Pansy

2011-04-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, James and I drove past a garden center where carts of pansies were outside in full view. Arriving home, I found my email included the announcement of The Mixed Border garden center opening in less than two weeks.

Gardening season is here!

I did stop at that roadside garden center to buy some enchanting pansies and violas. Who could resist??

Later,I became curious about these lovely little pleasures, so I did a bit of reading.

The pansy, as we know it, has been popular since the mid 1800's. Claims to its origins vary.

The pansy is derived from the viola, viola x wittrockiana and viola tricolor hortensis.

Lady Mary Bennet of England is said to have introduced the pansy in 1812. Her garden planted with every variety. It must have been a breathtaking sight! Meanwhile, at the English estate of Lord Gambler, it is claimed that the gardener, Thompson, began work with the viola tricolor species to achieve the pansy .

So the origins of the pansy seem to belong to 19th Century England.

Ophelia, in Shakespeare's Hamlet,

" There is rosemary, that's for remembrance: pray you, love,remember. And there is pansy, that is for thoughts."

Shakespeare wrote of the pansy as did Nathaniel Hawthorne and D.H. Lawrence.

Georgia O'Keefe painted the pansy, more than once.

Some say that you can see a loved one in the face of a pansy.

I find that such a romantic notion.

2011-04-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

A second blog has been launched !!!!!!!!!

APONOVICH 52

52 WEEKS / 52 PAINTINGS

A Painting Marathon

www.aponovich52.blogspot.com

ARTICHOKES IN THE STYLE OF ROME

2011-03-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Food shopping in Rome is an adventure. The fruit, the produce, the cheese, the flowers all beckon......buy me, buy me. It is hard to have restraint.

Spring is artichoke season, and the artichokes in Rome are something special.

At the open air markets in Rome the vendors clean the artichokes as you wait. This is routine and a great service. I purchased these gorgeous long stem artichokes at the outdoor market in the San Calisto piazza .

I also purchase fresh mint, lemon , parsley and garlic.

My mission was to make Roman style artichokes, which I had sampled in a few restaurants here in Rome.

An amazing display of the spring season's signature item....the artichoke!

From our home kitchen I have adapted the recipe for Roman style artichokes to fit the type of artichoke we have available in our local American markets. This can never taste as good as an artichoke purchased, prepared and eaten in Rome, but then who would expect it to! This variation is really quite good and fairly easy to prepare.

ARTICHOKES in the style of Rome

4 fresh artichokes

1 lemon sliced plus juice of 1 lemon for water bath

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint ( additional mint for garnish)

2 cloves of garlic sliced thin or chopped

2 tablespoon chopped parsley chopped

1 cup water

1/4 cup white wine (optional)

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

In Rome, artichokes are prepared and served whole. For this recipe the artichokes

are cut in half which makes cleaning out the 'choke' much easier.

Have a bowl of iced water ready, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the water.

Snap off the tough outer leaves from the artichoke. Trim stem, leaving as much as possible.

Cut artichoke in half ( long ways/ top to bottom). Cut off the top inch , more or less, of each artichoke.

With some care, remove the choke from the core of the artichoke .

Place prepared artichokes in the ice water bath until needed.

Remove artichokes from water bath. Pat dry the cut sides and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle a bit of mint on each ( using about 1 tablespoon of the chopped mint).

Find a pot that will hold them quite snug . Place them stem end up , face -to-face, looking as if they were whole artichokes.

Distribute the sliced garlic around the artichokes . Scatter the remaining chopped mint. parsley and lemon slices around the artichokes.

Drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil .

Add the water and wine. If you do not use wine add an additional 1/4 cup water (or chicken stock).

Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer until bottoms are fork tender,

about 25-30 minutes.

Remove from burner and let rest, still covered, for 5-10 minutes.

Remove artichokes from pot.

Serve with a generous drizzle of olive oil , a sprinkle of mint, a bit of salt and pepper and a quick squeeze of lemon is nice.

These can be served warm or at room temperature. They can be served as a first course or as a side to an entree.

****************************

I am Interested to know if you try this recipe or have other artichoke recipes .

NEW BLOG COMING SOON!!!!!

We are adding a second blog. The new blog will be art centric.

James will be at the helm.

Stay tuned.

NEW BLOG COMING SOON!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-03-23T07:55:00.000-07:00

Along with this blog we will be adding new blog

We will keep you posted!!!!!!!!!

James & Elizabeth

PRIMAVERA

2011-03-20T13:52:00.001-07:00

According to our calendar today, March 20 is the first day of spring.

During the past few weeks it has been routine for me to go to the window looking to see if the witch hazel has blossomed . Everyday looking, hoping for the first hint of a yellow flower emerging on a branch.

Waiting, waiting, waiting and watching.

Finally today , Primavera, , this first day of spring the flowers appeared!

We planted this witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia), 'arnold promise', for two very good reasons. The first very good reason is that is such an early bloomer here in NH. The other reason we chose this particular variety is that it was developed at the Arnold Arboretum.

Near to the witch hazel are these two Adirondack chairs that we purchased many years ago from a workshop in Brooklin, Maine. Much of the winter they were buried in deep snow. Over the winter after each storm we watched them as a measure of snow depths. Now they become a measure of snow melt! They have at last freed themselves from the winter.

WELCOME SPRING!!!!

**************

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

is the oldest public arboretum in North America

For further information go to their website:

www.arboretum.harvard.edu

From Our Sketchbooks

2011-03-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

The sketchbook is a journal, a diary that transports you to a moment in time. It recalls a visual statement that has been put on to a sheet of paper.

James was struck by the quiet of this garden in a busy city (Rome). The way this garden structure framed the distant building nestled into greenery was or interest to him. So, this simple line drawing captured that moment.

Both James and I both keep sketchbooks and pencils at hand.

The study of 'Helen Elizabeth' poppies came from my garden sketches. It may remain simply as a sketch but I am considering incorporating the image into a painting sometime in the future.

I did this very quick sketch of peonies at the flower market in the Campo de Fiori in Rome. The market is a fascinating place, with endless subject matter. Flowers, fruits, vegetables... all devine!

It is remarkable what you really observe about a place, person, an object, landscape, garden or architecture when you draw it.

What is it that captures a person's interest about a place, object, etc., enough to record it in a sketchbook?

For James & I drawing is essential. Observing, recording , note taking & interpreting on paper and canvas is part of daily life here in our studios as well as when we are away from our studios.

Drawing is thinking. It is like meditation, it seems to slow life done for a time.

Carry a sketchbook, you never know what you might see.

Evoking Japan

2011-03-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

I was in a green house yesterday looking for spring. What I found were these 2 Japanese umbellas . I stopped. My thoughts awakened to the people of Japan . When I think of Japan it is often in terms of the culture and beautiful gardens created by their people. Now, the country is ravaged, the people of Japan suffering great loss and hardship.

Our hearts and thoughts go to Japan and it's people.

Reflecting on Rome; Overhead and Beneath our Feet

2011-02-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

Church of the Gesu

This has been a long winter. My thoughts take me to Rome. A walk down the Via Giulia ( or most any street for that matter) , I feel the varied levelness of the square black cobblestones beneath the thin soles of my shoes.

In a church the texture under foot changes to that of smooth, cool marble. The floor may have an exquisite pattern.

The Gesu

Rome is a place of layers. Rome unfolds in front of your eyes. We found in the church of the Gesu that we were always looking up. The Baroque fills the space. Figures fill corners, domes,
walls, and chapels. No space here goes unadorned.

Annibale Carracci, Palazzo Farnese

Inside the Palazzo Farnese ( now the French Embassy) is a room that was painted by Annibale Carracci. Our time was short here , but the room is remarkable, with all the walls & ceilings painted. The corners were of particular interest. Must return for another look!

Palatine Hill

The ancients looked up to this hill. On the hill is the remains of the house of the Emperor Augustus and the house of Livia (wife of Augustus). Cicero also lived on the Palantine Hill. From the hill one can look down into the ruins of the temple of the Vestal Virgins.

Fresco by, Fillippino Lippi, Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Santa Maria sopra Minerva was built around 1280 (completed in 1380) on the foundation of what was a temple to Minerva dating to about 50 BCE.
There were changes made to architecture and interior in the 1500's & 1900's

Filippino Lippi, Santa Maria sopra, Minerva (1480's)

Filippino Lippi was commissioned to paint the Carafa Chapel in the Basilica .The fresco fills the walls & ceiling of this chapel with extraordinary color and visual vitality!

Steps away beneath the floor of the Basilica is the tomb of painter Fra Angelico.
He died in the Basilica's adjoining monastery, which is also the building where Galileo was tried.
The body of St. Catherine, patron saint of Italy, lies in a tomb beneath the alter.

Here the layers of Rome unfold to reveal treasures of history, religious beliefs, art and architecture.

The Pantheon

Not far from Santa Maria sopra Minerva is the Piazza della Rotonda where the Pantheon is found. Here is the ultimate " don't forget to look up" experience! The building seems to sit right on your shoulders. Likely, the most magnificent space ever built.

We have just started to peel away the layers of Rome. It is said that Rome takes a life time to see. I am sure this is so.

ZERO SUMMER

2011-02-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

On this February day, Valentines Day, our garden is fully hidden by the snow. Pictures remind us of our rose garden in June. Poetry by T.S. Eliot recalls in words something of summer and remembrance of a garden .

Allow but a little consciousness,

To be conscious is not to be in time

But only in time can the moment in the rose garden

The moment in the arbor where the rain beat,

The moment in the draughty church at smokefall

be remembered; involved with past and future

Only through time time is conquered.

(from the Four Quartets, T.S. Eliot)

...Of snow, a bloom more sudden

Than that of summer, neither budding nor fading.

Not in the schemes of generation.

Where is the summer, the unimaginable

Zero summer?

(from The Four Quartets, T.S. Eliot)

If you came this way,

Taking the route you would be likely to take

From the place you would be likely to come from,

If you came this way in May time,

you would find the hedge

White again, in May, with voluptuary sweetness.

(from The Four Quartets, T.S. Eliot)

*******************

So, here in the middle of February we think of the garden and of the sweetness of spring and the bounty of summer.

We plan a spring menu for dinner. We select flower & vegetable seed from the catalogues.

We paint, bringing color into our lives and the lives of others.

We buy tulips, roses and hyacinths and violets to fill vases for our house.

We wait for signs of spring.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Flower Identification

Photos / top to bottom:

Rose, William Baffin

Lilac,' meyeri palibin'

Rose garden with: Heritage Rose, Ballerina Rose,

Sweet William

Heritage Rose

February Garden

2011-02-04T05:21:00.000-08:00

A look out the window this morning finds the garden still in shadow. It has been reduced to form and a minimal palette of grays.

A painting immediately comes to mind, Piet Mondrian's, Grey Tree (1912).

A Sweet Bay Magnolia rises gracefully above the deep snow of February.

A Lobster in Winter

2011-01-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

It's January. Here in New England we are locked into extremely cold temperatures and in what seems to be a cycle of weekly snowstorms. No better time to have lobster. I took these photos last summer at Sanders Lobster Company in Portsmouth , NH. It is therapeutic to look back and remember summer. It will return.

But, in the meantime, why not have lobster. Let's head over to Sanders, the best fresh, live lobster in Portsmouth.

At Sanders we order 2 , two pound lobsters.

Sanders ships tons of lobsters each year around the world. It is still possible to go in and order fresh caught lobsters.

They will sometimes ask if you want soft shells, hard shells, culls, etc.

If you do not know, do not hesitate to ask questions. You will find them very helpful.

They know lobster.

I noticed that at the corner of Pray & Marcy Streets, on the Sanders sign which is a lobster with an arrow, that an additional sign was tacked on announcing "Native Shrimp"

During these winter months there is often fresh native shrimp available. Very local, very fresh and always delicious.

A photo from July 2010 of a view across the water towards the historic south end of Portsmouth, NH across the water.

Currently there are piles of snow everywhere in Portsmouth, and all over the rest of New England, but then it is January!

Here is a working lobster boat at a pier with a view of Portsmouth in the distance.

At best the work of the lobstermen (women) is tough. In these January days it is hard to even imagine the conditions that these lobstermen work in.

A big" Bravo" shout out to them!

It is all about eating local!

Classic steamed lobster, with drawn clarified butter and a squeeze of lemon and maybe a biscuit.

How delicious.

How New England!

Here is a recipe that we learned when we lived up near Blue Hill, Maine.

We found the recipe for "lobster fried over cold" in a book SaltWater Seasoning, by Jonathan Chase. He got the recipe from a lobsterman.

We have adapted it over the years, but the soul of it goes back to Maine.

NASKEAG LOBSTER

(sauteed lobster)

Lobsters

Butter

Lemon

Fresh chopped herbs such as tarragon or chives

Have the lobster pound cook your lobsters, or take them home live and steam them.

(slightly undercook,if possible)

Take the lobsters home in a cooler.

This recipe is great for those who can't or are not keen on cooking lobsters.

The recipe is also good for left-over lobster as well.

Remove cooked and cooled lobster meat from shells.

Heat sweet butter and clarify. (pour off top fat layer).

For two, 1 1/2 lb. lobsters you can start with about 4-6 tablespoons of butter.

Once butter is hot add lobster meat, larger pieces first.

You are only heating the lobster through , not re-cooking it!

Add a good squeeze or two of fresh lemon to brighten the flavor.

If you like, add fresh chopped herbs. We like a little chopped tarragon. Other herbs that work well are, thyme, chervil or chives. Use just a small amount of any fresh herb, the lobster is the star.

We serve with a small amount of drawn butter, but this is optional.

Try to divide into equal portions into bowls or plates so that each serving is equal to a whole lobster. No one wants to be cheated out of a claw!

We often serve this with a cream biscuits ( recipe will be in a future blog).

Asparagus, artichoke or corn when in season go well with this dish. In winter we will have a coleslaw and small roasted potatoes with fresh herbs.

Lobster bibs are not necessary!!!!!!!!

Summer will return, but in the meantime lobster,

is just as good in winter as in the long days of summer.

Don't forget the native shrimp, it is only available fresh in the winter.

**************************

Sanders Lobster Company

54 Pray Street (at end on wharf)

Portsmouth, NH

(603) 436-3716

www.sanderslobster.com

************

Sanders Fish Market

(lobsters. fresh seafood & fish)

367 Marcy Street

Portsmouth, NH

(603) 436-4563

www.sandersfish.com

open daily

**************

Next to Sanders Fish Market is one of our favorite wine shops:

Very helpful with a nice selection. They will help you pair seafood/lobster with wine.

South Street and Vine

359 Marcy Street

Portsmouth

(603) 430-2984

www.southstreetandvine.com

******************

Our Winter Garden: As New England gardeners we plan for "winter interest in the garden", but at times Mother Nature adds a deep blanket of white snow

2011-01-17T09:29:00.000-08:00

The snow was falling at a rapid rate on Wednesday.

The Adirondack chairs, backed by the witch hazel, Hamamelis, 'Arnold Promise', measure the deepening snow. The chairs are barely visible by the time the snow stops later in the day.

This is the"Italian Garden". During the nor'easter the boxwood become fully covered, their forms hard to find at the end of the storm. Well, at least I understand there was snow in Tuscany and Umbria this winter, so perhaps the gardens there looked similar in recent weeks!

The snow stops. The sun returns. Time to dig out!

A path is shoveled to the garden and we carefully free the boxwood from the snow.

The sun sparkles on the fresh snow.

The summer view (sensa snow) of the Italian Garden. This garden was inspired by a garden in Rome. There is an April 2010 blog posting on the garden at the Villa Aurelia, where our inspiration was created.

A few days after the storm we see the long shadows of winter.

In our back mixed border garden we have a 60" long stone wall , and a retaining wall nearer the house of equal length. At the summer solstice , at noon, the shadow of our house falls at the retaining wall. At the winter solstice, at noon, the shadows reach all the way to the other wall.

Sweetbay Magnolia , magnolia virginiana

A January sunset over our New Hampshire garden;

the Italian garden and petite allee.

A Maxfield Parrish sky over our garden!

The painter Maxfield Parrish , lived, painted and gardened in Plainfield, NH. He was part of what is known as the Cornish Colony, which included a talented group of painters, sculptors, authors and the like. A visit to NH should include a trip to Plainfield and to the St. Gaudens

Historic site, here one can visit the sculpture studio and garden of August St.Gaudens

***************

Well, it is time to head into our kitchen to prepare something warm and delicious for dinner.

Chicken under a brick

Risotto with wild mushrooms and fresh thyme (or rosemary?)

Arugula salad with clementine slices

maybe a few roasted carrots?

A glass of wine, Italian of course!

******

Note: If in NYC, there is the mural of Old King Cole by Maxfield Parrish. It is in the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis Hotel.

If you can, find a seat at the bar where you can not only enjoy the mural and also the best martini in NYC!

Garden Chores Continue in Winter: Providing Cover for the Lavender before the snow.

2011-01-11T12:05:00.001-08:00

A view down the 'peony/lavender walk' in early July.

Our front walk is lined with peonies that flower from Memorial Day through June.

Just as the peonies end their show the lavender begins to flower, first a blue mist, then full flower of a vivid blue-violet borders the walkway.

Every January the Christmas tree is deconstructed to provide a blanket type mulch for the lavender. This year with a pending snow storm, James was sure to cover the lavender prior to the expected foot of snow.

So, even in winter there is work to do in the garden. After the snow has fallen, the boxwood will have to be freed from the deep snow, and a fresh path made to the bird feeder.

In our northern garden we grow lavendula angustifolia, 'munstead' and 'hidcote'. So far we have had good success with these two varieties. Every spring I prune them back about one third.

These plants have been in the garden now for about seven years, some are getting rather woody. Last summer the blooms were beautiful and even today their fragrance lingers in our house from the bouquets I gathered.

On a snowy day like this it is good to think about peonies and lavender. A few days ago, we brought in fresh thyme from the garden for our Sunday roast chicken.

The rosemary from the garden is now in our sun room. Tonight's dinner will include roasted potatoes with rosemary.

The herbs really do extend the gardening season right into winter.

BACK TO WORK! We are attempting to get back to a solid work schedule although it is difficult to do in this week between Christmas and New Year's Day

2010-12-29T12:10:00.001-08:00

With Christmas behind us and our family returned to their home, it is time to focus on painting once again.

It takes a day or two in front of a canvas to get involved with it once again.

In my studio there is a painting I began weeks ago, now with the orchid blooms waning it is time to get back to work.

Almost time to ring in a new year.

BEST WISHES to all for the New Year!

After that we must really get serious and get back to our easels!

CHEERS!

WISHING ALL PEACE, JOY,and GOODWILL this Holiday Season

2010-12-24T04:56:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

BUON NATALE

JOYEUX NOEL

GOD JUL

FROHE WEIHNACHEN

WESOLYCH SWIAT

GULUKKIG KERSLFEEST

FELIZ NAVIDAD

TO ALL!!!

Season's Greetings

PEACE

HOPE and JOY

Mushrooms from the kitchen.....not from the woods.

2010-12-21T16:28:00.000-08:00

I first found a recipe for meringue mushrooms in a Bon Appetit magazine. The issue dates to November 1980 with a cover that features noted cooks and food writers, Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey. Looking back, this issue has played a part in the development for our love of cooking.

Every Christmas since 1980 these meringue mushrooms, along with a Buche de Noel have been part of our Christmas dinner.

Piping the meringue mushroom caps

Piping the meringue mushroom stems

After baking, sifting cocoa onto the mushroom caps

Dipping the top of stem into melted dark chocolate connect the stem to cap

RECIPE:

MERINGUE MUSHROOMS

This recipe has been adapted over thirty years from a variety of recipes beginning with the one from a 1980 Bon Appetit magazine article by pastry chef Albert Jorant.

2 egg whites at room temperature

1/2 cup superfine sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa (for dusting caps)

2 oz. semisweet chocolate, good quality, finely chopped for melting

Line two baking sheets with parchment, one for mushroom caps,one for stems.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Beat egg whites , when soft peaks begin to form begin to add sugar slowly.

Continue beating until stiff peaks form and the meringue is still glossy.

Spoon meringue into a pastry bag with a large plain tip.

(I stand the pastry bag in a tall sturdy water glass while I fill it).

Pipe out the caps on one sheet and the stems on the other. Keep count so you end up with equal amounts of caps to stems.

Note: Have a small cup of water so that you can dip your finger in to gently smooth out the tops of caps if needed,and to tap the tops of stems to make a flattened surface. This will make it easier to attach the stems to caps.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until crisp, but not browned.

The stems make bake quicker then the stems.

Turn oven off, let the meringues remain in oven for another 10 minutes to be sure they are dry.

Remove from oven, cool on wire racks. Put the caps on separate cooling rack with a piece of parchment or waxed paper beneath it. With caps tops up, lightly sift cocoa over the almost cooled , still warm caps.

Cool completely. Over hot (not boiling)water, melt the chocolate. When melted dip flat end of stem into chocolate and attach it to the cap.

Note: I find resting them on their sides on a parchment covered baking sheet, propped up against the edge, helps keep them together as they cool.

Let chocolate cool completely.

Serve with a Buche de Noel

or in an attractive basket.

They really do fool the eye and taste devine!

************************

This 1980 issue of Bon Appetite brought James a recipe for English Butter Toffee that he makes every Christmas. It brought us through our first turkey roasting success.

Cookbooks by Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey were our earliest guides for cooking and enjoying food. This is not only about

cooking for holidays, but for James and I cook together every day. We have been on this food journey ever since!

Standing Rib Roast of Beef with Popovers, a Christmas tradition in our home.

2010-12-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

Pictured, a roasted two rib roast of beef

HERBED STANDING RIB ROAST of BEEF

(serves 6-8)

Rib roast is expensive but nothing says "holiday" quite like it. Ask your butcher to select the ribs from the small end because of it's succulent flavor and compact shape looks attractive. We are fortunate to still have fresh thyme in the garden and a pot of rosemary that we brought inside before the cold weather set in.

Remember, it's a feast for the eyes as well!

1 bone in standing rib roast of beef (3-4 ribs) trimmed & tied

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon olive oil

Prepare the roast: trim fat and meat from between bone ( frenched) and use trimmings for a beef stock. Tie the roast between the bones. A good butcher

may do this for you, but have trimmings saved.

Prepare the herb paste: Mince garlic and combine with salt. Add thyme and rosemary and mince until fine. Add dry mustard and pepper. Using the flat side of knife mash the ingredients into a paste. Put into small bowl, drizzle in olive oil to make a slurry. Rub slurry all over beef, then transfer beef to a roasting pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Cook the beef: Let beef stand at room temperature for one hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roast the beef for 20 minutes then reduce the oven temperature

to325 degrees. Roast the meat until the thermometer (inserted into center of beef) registers

110 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours (90 min.). Remove beef from oven and let stand loosely covered with foil for about 20 minutes for medium rare. Carve and enjoy!

Roy's Market, Peterborough, New Hampshire (USA)

Noel, our go - to butcher here in Peterborough.

More on Roy's market coming on a future blog.

Small local markets....the best places to shop!

POPOVERS

(makes 10-12)

Popovers add a festive note to a meal. there are three important things to remember when preparing popovers. The eggs and milk must be at room temperature, the prepared pan must be hot before pouring in the batter, and resist the temptation to open the oven door while they are baking!

1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter or rendered beef fat for preparing the popover pans.

(A muffin tin can be used as well and will produce a somewhat smaller popover.)

Batter:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)

1 1/2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (for batter)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups whole milk (room temp)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Preparing batter and baking:

In a bowl mix sifted flour,salt, eggs ( beat eggs first in a small bowl, then add), and milk.

Cover bowl and allow batter to rest for 30-40 minutes.

Add the 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter to batter. To prepare pan distribute beef fat or the additional melted butter, into each pan. Put prepared pans in oven for 2-3 minutes until hot. Remove pans from oven and pour batter into hot pans, filling each until they are a little more than half filled.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately!

Remember, resist the temptation to peek into the oven while they are baking!

***********************

Shop local and use the freshest and best ingredients that you can find.

If you can, use remaining herbs from your garden for all your cooking.

***********

The current issue November/ December of

NH HOME Magazine features this recipe along with photos of our entire dinner.

www.nhhomemagazine.com

A SUGAR-COATED DAY. The first snow of the winter brushed us overnight and left behind a magical winter landscape.

2010-12-16T06:50:00.000-08:00

The Italian inspired garden looks as if it has had a powdered sugar sifted over it. Meanwhile, down the road tracks of a snowshoe hare were left behind in the fresh layer of snow.

The walkway to our front door with the lavender in flower sometime early last July.

The walkway this morning with a light blanket of snow.

Looking out the kitchen window I find , first one , then two and suddenly five robins dining on the tiny crabapples of the Sargent crabapple tree.

Our neighbor, naturalist Meade Cadot, tells James that see observed a Great Horned Owl on the roof of our house.

Is it an omen, or just a nature moment?

Meanwhile, inside the kitchen I am joined by friend, neighbor and author Sy Montgomery for our annual holiday cookie baking marathon.

This photo was carefully staged and taken only after all the flour, cocoa and sugars had been

successfully cleaned up!

The cookies!

Here is a small selection of the cookies we baked for this holiday season. Seems like we used walnuts and / or pecans in everything.

The 1924 Glenwood stove. This has the best oven for baking.....and warming the kitchen. The cookies are all boxed up.

Time for a cup of tea.

****************************

For information on books and tour schedule for Sy Montgomery go to:

www.authorwire.com

**********************

For cookie recipes our thanks to:

Yankee Magazine, NH Home Magazine,

Thomas Keller (AdHoc), Martha Stewart ,and some old dog-eared file cards that came from my sister Sue for Swedish butter cookies.

A Trip to Walker's Green Trees.....Time to grab a saw and select a tree!

2010-12-03T07:59:00.000-08:00

Each year around this time we make a pilgrimage to select and cut our Christmas tree at Walker's Green Trees in Madbury, New Hampshire (USA). Ian & Melissa Walker are the warm and charming owners of this tree farm, where the most beautiful evergreen trees are grown.

Ahhhhhhh! The perfect tree!

The tree caught our eyes immediately.

This is it! This tree comes home with us.

Here at Walker's the tree gets shaken.

They say to it is to remove leaves, or snow, but I think I have seen families of squirrels and raccoons fly out when the shaking begins!! (not really, of course!)

Chilly after being in the cold air cutting a tree? Find warmth, perhaps some mulled cider, ornaments and friendly faces inside the small out building covered in wreaths made here at the farm. This is a true family operation here at Walker's.It sets the tone that starts our holiday season!

A few years ago we helped Ian & Melissa plant tree seedlings at the farm.

Ian gave us 10 fraser fir saplings to bring home and plant in our field.This year,for the first time,we will have this tree grown in our field (pictured above) on our porch decorated with white lights and Swedish wheat ornaments.

The 8' tree from Walker's will be in our living room . It will be decorated with hand blown glass ornaments made by local artisans.

We have been collecting these ornaments for 30 years.

******************

Check your newsstand or online:

Look for an article on Walker's Green Trees in the Nov./Dec. 2010 issue of

New Hampshire Home Magazine

www.nhhomemagazine.com

Walker's Green Trees

124 Perkins Rd.

Madbury , New Hampshire

Open daily Nov.24 - Dec.24

You don't even need to bring a saw.....they will provide one!

Do bring a pair of gloves , maybe boots (depending on weather) and head out to find the perfect Christmas tree.

You will find it!

THANKSGIVING TURKEY POT PIE

2010-11-19T14:15:00.000-08:00

A tradition at our house is to have turkey pot pie the weekend following Thanksgiving.

This recipe can be made with left over turkey but, we prefer to roast a fresh turkey breast (from a local farm, or a good free range turkey ).

Recipe for Turkey Pot Pie

(Pastry dough recipe follows)

3 cups roasted turkey breast (more or less)

8 oz. button mushrooms

8 oz. shiitake mushrooms (or other)

3 carrots peeled and sliced into rounds

1 small onion diced

1 leek diced (white part only)

Butter and /or canola oil for sauteing

2 celery stalks peeled and sliced

4 tablespoons butter (for roux)

4 tablespoons flour ( for roux)

2 1/2 cups homemade turkey stock

1 cup heavy cream

3 sprigs fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon lemon

salt & pepper to taste

Roast turkey breast. Let cool and tear/shred meat turkey into bit size pieces.

Saute mushrooms until golden, set aside on a plate. Saute onions & leeks until translucent. Add celery, saute. Par-boil carrots until just tender, drain.

Make a roux. Melt butter over medium- low heat until hot (do not burn!). Add flour and stir until flour is cooked or until flour looses its raw appearance and looks slightly golden. It will smell nutty. Gradually add hot (not boiling) stock, stirring constantly until smooth. Increase heat and slowly adding stock , while stirring, until sauce covers back of wooden spoon.

Add chopped or fresh herbs, salt & pepper and the cream. Let cook over low heat for about 10 min., until yummy.

Add cooked vegetables and shredded pieces of turkey.

Drizzle with a squeeze or two of lemon juice to brighten the flavor.

Important! Let this mixture cool for at least 20 minutes before filling the pastry shell.

Once the filling is added to the pastry lined pie dish, roll out dough for the cover and place onto the filled pie dish. With the tip of a knife make a few small slices (vents) for air in the top then brush the pastry with with beaten egg.

Put the pie dish on a baking sheet and put into a preheated 425 degree oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

*************

(While waiting for the pot pie serve a salad of fresh green with a champagne vinegarette & good olive oil, top with some dried cranberries.)

Pastry Dough

2 cups all purpose flour

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

4 tablespoons cold Crisco

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons ice water

( 1 beaten egg for egg wash)

Mix ingredients by hand or with mixer. Ingredients should be cold.

Put flour in bowl, add salt. Cut butter into small cubes, add butter & crisco to flour.

Mix until butter is incorporated . Add ice water, mix until mixture comes together, being careful not to over mix. Make into a mound, taking about a third for the top dough and two-thirds for bottom dough. Wrap each piece into plastic wrap, forming a disk. Chill for 1 hour.

Remove larger disk of dough from refrigerator . Flour a clean surface, dust with flour and roll out dough for bottom crust. Carefully line a deep pie dish / baking dish with dough. Chill this for about 10 minutes. Remove remaining disk of dough from refrigerator , roll out. Fill the pastry lined baking dish with cooled turkey filling. Cover with dough for top. Crimp edges, slice air vents in top and brush with egg wash. Bake according to above directions.(425 degree oven for approximately 35-40 min. or until golden brown).

The finished pie on a Johnson Brother's Wild Turkey plate.

Buttery crust stands up perfectly to a silky & savory filling.

Enjoy!

This holiday turkey pie tradition in mentioned in a feature article in the November/ December issue of NH HOME Magazine, "An Artistic Touch for Christmas." The article by editor Andi Axman with photos by John Hession, is about the holiday traditions at our NH Home.

www.NHHOMEMAGAZINE.COM

Check the blog for more holiday recipes and traditions !!!!!

At Home for the holidays with artists James Aponovich and Elizabeth Johansson

2010-11-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

On the Newsstands Now (at least here in New Hampshire/New England!)

The November/December issue of NH HOME Magazine is out! The cover and feature article are about the holidays at our home. The article was written by the editor, Andi Axman, the photos are by John Hession.

The story includes a recipe for Herbed Standing Rib Roast of Beef. Other recipes mentioned in the article will be featured here on the blog over the next several weeks, in words and pictures.

******

This issue also includes an article on the inspiring garden of Terry Reeves & David Baum, A Garden's Gift of Solace. Terry and David are some of our comrades-in-gardening, we were delighted to see this article joined with photos that walk you through their beautiful garden.

******

Check out the article TLC for Christmas Trees.

Walker's Green Trees is by far the best place to cut a Christmas tree. We head there (with our daughter & son-in-law),the weekend after Thanksgiving to select & cut our tree. It also is an opportunity to say hello to our friends Ian & Melissa and family.

It has become a holiday tradition.

If you are looking for a tree or wreath, the story on Ian & Melissa Walker will surely send you to Madbury !

************

Check out the NH HOME Magazine Calendar for all kinds of events and entertainment.

www.nhhomemagazine.com

Check our blog for upcoming recipes!

OCTOBER SUNRISE, A story told mostly in pictures.

2010-10-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

The field across the road early this morning.

Through the oaks, rays of sun just reaching the allee .

A backdrop of russet and orange broken by the vertical trunks of the oaks.

There was rain last night.

The water creates a halo along the branches of the chamaecyparis.

Main Street.

A trip into town for the NY Times.

Sheep grazing. They are hoping to have a feast of pumpkins delivered soon!

A beautiful, warm and atmospheric October morning here in New Hampshire.

Splendid!

All content on this blog is the exclusive copyright of

Elizabeth Johansson

Canterbury Shaker Village: A tour and a new broom

2010-10-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury, New Hampshire, is a well preserved example of a Shaker Village. The Shaker community was established at Canterbury in 1792 and remained active for about 200 years. The word simplicity comes to mind when thinking about Shakers, but industrious, pious and inventive can also be used to define this community.

Communal work and dining were daily routine here. Shakers were practiced celibacy, but took in children to their community, and they cared for the poor. They were pacifists and believed in equality.

By 1848 there were 100 buildings at the village and the community had grown to 300.

The buildings have a simple understated beauty. The village is visually stunning. The proportions of the structures, window fenestration , paint colors, and quality of wood work all lend to the appeal of the buildings.

Print Shop and Broom Making Shop

The lower part of this building houses what was the Shaker print shop. The Shakers kept up with "technology" and for it's day, had the latest in print machinery. They printed items such as seed packets for their own enterprise, but also took in printing from the outside to generate income.

Upstairs is the Broom making shop. This was a real treat!

Everyday the village has volunteers at the various buildings re-creating Shaker craft or explaining the life-style of the community. The day we visited Jack was at the Broom Shop making a broom.

Here is Jack explaining the craft of making the broom. What is it that makes a Shaker broom unique, beyond is wonderful craftsmanship? The fuzzies. At the bottom of the broom, the tips of the broom corn are not trimmed. The tips have a fuzzy texture and that is why a Shaker broom really sweeps cleans, leaving not a trace of dirt behind!

Brooms are hung on wooden pegs that also made by the Shakers. We were told, " the broom should only touch the ground when in use!"

Broom Corn

Before we left the Broom Shop, Jack urged us to visit the garden to see where the broom corn used to create these brooms, is grown .

We found the broom corn . The garden also contains vegetables and a large variety of herbs, some that were unfamiliar to us.

A view of the garden to the garden barn and shed (1828). Here the herbs were dried and packaged for culinary and medicinal use. These herbal products were used in the village and also sold to the public. Seeds saved from the garden were also packaged in beautiful packets printed in the print shop and sold through a catalogue. The Shakers were industrious !

The garden supplied the community with food as well created income to support the village.

Up until 1870 the garden only served functional needs. It was just about this time that decorative gardens were first planted here. A new twist in Shaker gardening.........gardens for ornamentation!

On our way out of the village, a lone figure in a barn, sweeping.

On this visit to Canterbury Shaker Village we had family visiting. We thought this a good place to get a look at a piece of New Hampshire history.

Before we left the village we stopped at the Museum Shop.

Jack had just delivered the broom we watched him create. We bought the broom. Then we remembered that it must be hung when not in use. We bought a wooden peg board.

The broom hangs proudly on a peg in the mud room, like a piece of art. Yes, we do take down from the peg and sweep with if often.

It is the best broom we have ever owned!

*********************

Canterbury Shaker Village

288 Shaker Rd., Canterbury, NH

603-783-9511

www.shakers.org

Upcoming events:

November 13, 2010

Shaker Thanksgiving

A benefit: Thanksgiving meal served in the historic Dwelling house.

(call for details and reservations)

November 26-28

Gift In Hand

a three day event , shop for handcrafted items, food & wreaths

For additional information schedules, tours, events and tickets go to the website.

Greenwood's Restaurant ( at Shaker Village)

open for lunch

Dreaming of Tuscany and Umbria: Remembering A Day Trip To A Few Of Our Favorite Places

2010-10-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

A view from Montechiello (Tuscany)

The drive through the Tuscan landscape is enchanting. The destination is Monte Oliveto Maggiore, 36 km. south of Siena

The Cloister,Monte Oliveto Maggiore

For us, a visit to Tuscany is about art, food, drawing, cooking, gardens,wine and of course the lovely people. The drive to Monte Oliveto Maggiore, through the Crete Senesi is unbeliveable.

In May, the landscape is jewel green with hillsides defined with cypress trees and houses topped with terracotta tiled roofs. There are sheep, olive trees and vineyards. In Fall, the crete landscape becomes evident with an strange turned clay soil, that completely startles the first time you see it. It is amazing!

The Great Cloister at Monte Oliveto Maggiore holds a Renaissance masterpiece.

Along the walls of the cloister the story of the life of St. Benedetto ( St Benedict),which unfolds in frescos painted by Antonio Bazzi ( 'Sodoma') and Luca Signorelli. This a truly wonderful example of a Renaissance fresco cycle. Not only are there these masterfully painted frescos, but they are surrounded by decoratively painted columns and panels.

A visit here should include the upstairs library and the abbey if they are open.

****

On our walk past the tower to the abbey, I could smell food grilling and immediately made reservations for lunch at the restaurant on the grounds, La Torre. After filling our eyes and souls with the frescos we dined on the best bean soup we had ever had. After the soup came the grilled guinea fowl and chicken that caught my attention earlier, along with zucchini flowers Dolci (dessert) was a young and lucious local pecorino. On return visits we have also had terrific house made pastas.

Pienza

Lovely Pienza, here Pope Pius II had a palazzo designed that was sensitive to the landscape. The loggia overlooks a Renaissance courtyard garden and the view continues out across the Val'd'Orcia. Next to the Palazzo Piccolomini lies what many say is the perfect Renaissance piazza. The piazza was designed over a period of time from 1459-1462 by Rossolino, a student of the great architect Leon Battista Alberti.

Spend some time here sketching to really see what is going on with the architecture and scale.

***

Pienza has a subtle aroma of pecorino cheese! The shops selling this local favorite line the streets. The pecorino's are heavenly, from the youngest that are soft and mild to to the aged bold flavored ones. We hear spring time when the sheep are feeding on new grass is the best time to taste pecorino cheese, especially the young, fresh variety.

The Garden at Villa Le Mura

Just outside the walls of Panicale, which in not in Tuscany, but Umbria, is Villa LeMura.
A grand villa that made me think of Henry James, with it's parlors and library.
After a full day, a spectacular day, it was perfect to sit on the terrace just off our room, with a glass of wine and enjoy the remainder of the day. I remember the sunset.....it filled the Umbrian sky.

Nice to think back on and plan for the future!
For today I am dreaming of Italy.

************************
Abbazia Monte Oliveto Maggiore, Tuscany Italy
South of Siena, near Asciano
www.monteolivetomaggiore.it

Osteria La Torre ( at Monte Oliveto Maggiore)

Villa Le Mura, Panicale, Italy (Umbria)
www.villalemura.com

More recommendations:
Bar Gallo, Panicale(Umbria)
Ristorante Masolino, Panicale (Umbria)
Trattoria Latte di Luna, Pienza (Tuscany)
Osteria La Porta, Montechiello (Tuscany)

*****

The Palazzo Piccolomini, Pienza

A worthwhile tour is open to the public.

All content in this blog are the exclusive copyright of Elizabeth Johansson and may not be reproduced without written permission.

THREE MASTERWORKS, TWO POINTS OF VIEW: The Artist and the Curator

2010-10-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

Join a conversation between painter James Aponovich and curator Kurt Sundstrom as they discuss three masterworks from the collection of the Currier Museum of Art. Hear the historian vs. artist and how each view a work of art.

This conversation will be centered on works that are part of the current exhibition, The Secret Life of Art: Mysteries of the Museum Revealed.

James Aponovich & Kurt Sundstrom

Currier Museum of Art

Monadnock Region Outreach Group

Friday, October 8, 5:30-7:30

Peterborough Historical Society

Peterborough, NH

For information about this event call (603) 669-6144

For more information on exhibitions & events at the Currier Museum of Art:

Website: www.currier.org

Blog: curriermuseum.typepad.com/the_secret_life_of_art

Image shown: Madonna & Child, Circle of Perugino , 1505 (collection of the Currier Museum)

AUTHORS ON THE ROAD: Howard Mansfield & Sy Montgomery

2010-10-04T07:41:00.001-07:00

Authors ( and friends) Sy Montgomery and Howard Mansfield are on the road with their new books.

Howard's book Turn and Jump examines how time and place fell apart. "This is a book about time and place, they were once inseparable."

Mansfield writes,"Before Thomas Edison, light and fire were thought to be one and the same. Turns out they were separate things all together."

Sy's newest book Birdology, is a story of birds told as only she can tell it.

Adventures with a pack of hens, a peck of pigeons, cantankerous crows, fierce falcons,

hip hop parrots, baby hummingbirds,

and one murderously big living dinosaurs!

***

Howard and Sy bring their stories to life.

Their appearances are informative, and entertaining. When they visit a library or bookstore in your town you must attend!

They have just returned from Portland Maine and Portsmouth NH, where they were well received!

Next stop is Wilton, NH, then on to Concord NH.

October 5 at 7:00pm: Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library, Wilton, NH

October 7 at 7:00 pm: Gibson's Book Store, Concord,NH

a joint reading and signing.

***

For more information on the authors, their books, and a complete schedule of the authors upcoming events go to authorwire.

www.authorwire.com

Hope you enjoy the books!

2010-10-04T07:41:00.000-07:00