A Summer Almanac

The countryside in early July, Prince Edward County

Summer's Bounty

"In summer, the song sings itself." 

                                                                     -- William Carlos Williams

Living in southern Canada means enjoying all four seasons to their fullest.  Summer is filled with long warm days and -- at the best times -- beautifully balmy sunsets and nights.  We also experience great rolling thunder storms, many hours of daylight, and periods of downright hot temperatures.  All this leads to a region with a long growing season; home gardens and farmers' stands abound with produce: berries, stone fruits, melons, root vegetables, squashes, herbs and a plethora of other vegetables, including maize, tomatoes, peppers and green beans.  Such a bounty makes for easy summer eating and entertaining.



Pickled produce preserve the bounty

Farmer's stand in late summer

 In the Kitchen

Just picked from the garden -- organically grown tomatoes

Fresh summer salads are a staple.  A bumper crop of tomatoes means this salad extends easily into September.



Summer salad



Tomato Salad 

         Dressing:  1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
                          2 garlic cloves, minced
                          1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
                          freshly ground black pepper
                          sea salt
                          1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

                          Whisk together first five ingredients in a bowl.  Continue whisking while pouring
                          the oil in a slow, steady stream until oil is emulsified and ingredients are well
                          combined.  Alternatively, place all ingredients in a jar, close lid tightly and shake       
                          vigorously until well blended.

         Ingredients: 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
                            1/3 cup diced red onion
                            1/3 cup dry feta cheese
                            8 fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and sliced into ribbons
        
         Salad:  Place tomatoes, onion, feta cheese and basil in a bowl.  Top with 3 Tbsps. of    
                    dressing and gently combined.  Serves 4.




Roasted Green Beans in Three Easy Steps:

       Step 1: Wash and trim green beans.
 

         Step 2:  Place beans on pan lined with parchment paper.  Scatter with sliced shallots. 

                     Drizzle with oil olive, and season with minced garlic, cracked black pepper and
                     sea salt.  Roast in a 450 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes, tossing occasionally.
 

       Step 3: Serve warm.

Easy Party Starter:

Three-ingredient simplicity and delicious taste made this hors d'oeuvre a favourite starter. 

         The How-To:  Cut small baguette into 1/4-inch thick slices.  Arrange slices on rimmed baking
                              sheet.  Top with herb goat cheese; drizzle with olive oil.  Bake in 350 degree 
                              oven for 15-20 minutes.  Top with pesto.  Serve warm.



Goat cheese pesto crisps

Photos: D. Sleziak

Recipes: Tomato Salad, D. Sleziak

Roasted Green Beans adapted from Molly Stevens's All About Roasting
Goat Cheese Crisps, M. Stewart





 

Rise Up

Oprah advocates that our homes should rise up to meet us. What a compelling notion.

Fragmented hand-painted 18th-century Chinese wallpaper

Don't you agree that the best homes are the ones that reflect the owners and meet their needs?  Our homes are an intimate expression of who we are.  Yes, intimate.  Think about it.  When we leave our homes, countless strangers see how we present ourselves to the world, while only those few we invite into our homes, see us in that oh-so-personal environment which we create for ourselves and within which our daily lives unfold.  And, according to Oprah, this space should rise up: It is not just a repository for all of our "stuff," but a place -- one hopes -- of comfort, of joy, a refuge and a shelter; a space that celebrates our lives and who we are.  The means by which a home can accomplish this are as varied as the owners who reside within them.  For one, a tattered treasured find is pieced together like a collage to make the most of a beautiful old paper, and a bedroom is transformed.  How exquisite.

The beguiling beauty of the papered wall
as viewed from hall

For another, it might start with a prettily painted front door, the kind that evokes a sense of welcoming calm every time you see it.

Alternatively, you might prefer a door that radiates sunshine and makes you smile; once you open it, a tranquil oasis awaits you.

Perhaps you value a relaxed, comfortable environment with sink-into-me-and-stay seating that encourages prolonged conversation...

Or, you're a glitz-and-glamour guy or girl, who feels most at home in a light-filled, art-graced room of sophisticated elegance.

Whatever your style or taste, here are a few ideas on how your home might rise up to meet you.

For Your Consideration: Why don't you...

 

Only bring in things you really love or really need.  This doesn't mean your space needs to be bare-bones minimum.  Look at the kitchen below -- it's chocked full of china, but with the restrained palette and the beautiful presentation, it wows. 

Clear the clutter.  Closely linked to the philosophy above, and supported by sound organisation, when everything has a place, clutter can be kept at bay.

Add a dose of your favourite colour (if it isn't there already!) somewhere, anywhere.  It is guaranteed to bring you joy every time you see it, so indulge.

Give the things you love centre stage for easy access.  This homeowner ensures her favourite books are close at hand for daily perusing by making them the core of her coffee table display. 

Honour mementos.  Placing meaningful family photos in the space the family most often uses -- brilliant!

Skip the trends and embrace your personal style.  Not a touch of mid-century modern, industrial chic, or whatever the latest trend is, just simple, fresh beauty.

Finally, be inspired by interior designer, Michael Whaley who painted his front door his favourite colour: a deep but vivid purple.  "It makes me smile every time I come down the driveway," he states, "and I love how it complements the green glaze of my [garden] pots." (House Beautiful, Sept 2012)  Now that's a home that is certainly rising up.

Images via the following: Elle Decor, House Beautiful,

Martha Stewart, tumblr and Vogue

Roll With It

A wooden wonder silhouette at dusk

The quintessential American summer past-time: the Amusement Park visit.











All photos by D. Sleziak



Rock On

Overview of Olympic Stadium transformed to the streets of London with a coloured flag created
by world-famous British visual artist Damien Hirst

While the much tooted Danny Boyle opening ceremonies of the London Olympic Games was an entertaining (the storyline of the young lovers in the age of modern media), moving (the minute of silence as a tribute to all the losses of the Great War), beautiful (the village green of pastoral Britain), and even cheeky (the Queen as a Bond girl) performance, it was last night's closing ceremonies that rocked -- literally and figuratively.  What a brilliantly conceived spectacle!  Building on the concept of the stadium floor as the bustling streets of London and the British flag transformed as thoroughfares leading to the heart of the city, the entire show was a cohesive visual and auditory extravaganza that celebrated British culture.  Bringing together some of the best British artists, singers, dancers and entertainers, it was a creative tour de force.

Marks of Creative Brilliance

Transforming the stadium floor to a party on the streets of London.

Using colour blocking for visual cohesion and interest as the Pet Shop Boys sing their hit, West End Girls.

Marrying Russell Brand, Willy Wonka and the Magical Mystery Tour bus.

John Lennon on screen singing Imagine accompanied by a children's choir dressed in white, while performers create a 3-D image of Lennon in the centre of the stadium.

Freddy Mercury on screen followed by Queen band members Brain May and Roger Taylor performing We Will Rock You with singer Jessie J -- fabulous.

Incorporating iconic British images like...

            Winston Churchill popping out of Big Ben;

       
          The Spice Girls cavorting on the top of London cabs;

          beginning with London's trademark skyline;

          pairing the red-coated, beaver-hatted British marching guards with Monty Python's Eric Idle;

          and clothing the crowd-control performers in Bobbyesk costumes with light bulb topped
          bowler hats.

Finally, my best of the best...

          A vibrant George Michael singing Freedom 90,

          Streets lined with newspapers highlighting British literature,

          And Liam Gallagher performing the Oasis hit Wonderwall accompanied by the London
          Philharmonic Orchestra.

All images via The Huffington Post

A Return to Elegance

Her History

What is age but a number?  At twenty, she was starting to show hers.  With roots in Louis XIV France, she came from a great line -- noble, elegant, classic.  A real beauty.  Unfortunately, she was looking more ugly duckling than serene swan.  A tear down? it was foolishly suggested.  I think not!  A resurrection is what she needed: To be buff and sanded, primed and painted -- after some detailed repairs, that is.  Today, she sits, a crowning jewel in the garden.  She is the architectural structure that creates perspective, acts as a focal point, and provides privacy.  She is our gazebo, a place in which we entertain, or simply sit and enjoy the patterned shadows she creates.  In a few weeks, the work crew will reassemble for a party, and we will be toasting her and the next twenty years. 



With a brick floor, she is painted and ready for
planting along the exterior walls



Her Lineage

Pavillion Frais at Versailles, France

Steeped in history, the origins of treillage traces back to the 12th century when gardeners constructed rudimentary structures or frameworks called treille on which climbing plants were trained.  In the 17th century, Louis XIV hired landscape architect Andre Le Notre to design the gardens at Versailles.  To create an architectural presence and elegant formality, he employed treillage; while it would take years for trees, hedges and topiaries to reach maturity, treillage offered instant drama and structure.  As other royal households sought to emulate everything French, the art of treillage spread throughout Europe.  Today, treillage can be found inside and outside the home: in the garden it can add interest, create a strong focal point, establish a sense of depth, train climbing plants, bring beauty to a facade or offer privacy; inside, latticework fabric or wall covering and treillage-inspired furniture can bring a strong graphic element to any room. 

Her Makeover

It included new hardware and footings,

And new woodwork,...

And new paint -- "Stone Hearth" by Benjamin Moore, inspired by the stonework that frames our house's windows.



Now she is ready for her closeup.

 The next steps: furnishing, planting, decorating (a.k.a. the really fun part).



Her Inspiration: Other Well-Placed Treillage

 

                              A charming rustic trellis in a garden
                              photographed by Francois Halard.

       

    



    



     In its most traditional and simplest form: as an         
     obelisk supporting climbing plants.

                           Here, trellis work graces a fence, vase,
                           bench, and chairs (and is the inspiration
                           for the patterned cushion) for a very
                           formal and elegant look.
                      

 
  In a more contemporary setting, it provides
  privacy between neighbouring balconies.












In a more formal setting, again, it acts as a strong focal point in the garden providing architectural drama and support for climbing roses.

     




      On the left it adds simple graphic appeal to a garden door, and
      below, it creates a poolside focal point and suggests a sense
      of depth through the mirrored archways in the centre of the
      structure.

 

Photo Credits: Opening image and "Her Makeover" section, D. Sleziak;

Francois Halard picture through Trunk Achive; Trianon vase via Elle Decor;

Other images from Accents of France.