beaux rêves

It is no secret that I adore Montréal, & the plethora of talented people that call the city home.




Fabric designers Holley & Gill are one example of the fantastic creative forces to be found on L'île. Their beautiful hand-printed head boards make me feel luxuriously sleepy just looking at them... not to mention the feather print would fit right in at our petite maison. Ah, a girl can dream...

from here via here

a bird in hand

I was always aware that I loved birds, but it wasn't until putting up artwork when we first moved into our home that I realized a good number of our pieces have birds in them. Now, I do realize that a few years ago bird motifs in the design world were all the rage, but our collection predates that time & has to do with the fact that I've long had a thing for feathered creatures.

Anna Wili-Highfield's gorgeous work would be very much at home in our little aviary.

Her charming sculptures made from torn paper so aptly capture the lightness & grace of her feathered subjects.

images from here

Love of birds runs in the family; while studying ornithology as an undergrad I spent some afternoons at the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, a particular thrill for me as my Grandmother helped collect some of the specimens for their waterfowl collection. In fact, the much beloved photograph on the banner of this blog shows her in action...

Ella in the 1930s

brunch & buggyrides

Sunday marked the third annual Greenhill bacon brunch & croquet opening, as well as a birthday celebration for our dear friend & neighbor. There was a bounty of delicious food & champagne to savor amongst friends in some of the nicest weather we've experienced all summer.

the birthday boy & his celebratory "candle"

Perhaps it's a bit curious for a vegetarian of 20 years to be writing about bacon & the absolute joy it brought to the gathering, but I suppose this is when the biologist comes out in me. With the understanding that a vast number of humans do indeed eat meat & that our culture has woefully gone the way of large-scale factory farming, I admire those farmers & consumers who, when able to choose, support farms where the animals are treated humanely, as little as possible is wasted, & it is eaten in moderation & with thoughtfulness. Plus it had better be good.

That said, the bacon was purchased from the Dunning's Mile Hill Farm stand at our local farmer's market, a small, family farm just north of us whose pasture-raised livestock & approach to organic, sustainable agriculture assured us it was the best possible choice for the carnivorous aspect of our celebration. Not to mention the fact that those who partook deemed it most delicious, & appeared to delight in the ritual of cooking it outdoors on the camp stove in a big old cast iron pan.

burgeoning

Last night we were awoken by a theatrical thunder & lightening storm that sent down sheets of drenching rain & lowered the temperature to afford us a most comfortable rest.

The garden looked very happy this morning...

weekend DIY

This spunky little table is made from an old door; I like its simple construction, & the sunny yellow legs set at a jaunty angle lend it such personality.

how-to here via here

nice curves

I wouldn't turn this Finn Juhl sofa away from my doorstep...

Trained as an architect, Juhl designed the graceful & perfectly proportioned Poeten in 1941 for his own home. Available in the present-day here.

from here

la fête nationale

Paris in the 80s on Bastille Day, through the lens of my fabulous old rangefinder

I plan to faire la fête with a glass of wine or champagne this evening, & ponder ways I can topple the metaphorical monarchies in my life. Bonne fête!