Mountain Greenery

Yes, I have become that person that takes pictures of trees. After so many years of living in the city you forget that there is something called trees, this wonderful, natural creation which transforms seasonally. Every single morning I wake up and look out my window – and there they are. No matter the season, they always seem so happy to see me.

One of the main reasons I bought my little country house was because of the trees. When my real estate agent asked me what I wanted, I told him I wanted a chalet, and gloriously tall birch trees lining the driveway. The minute I saw the house I knew.

The entire house is surrounded by the most glorious firs you’ve ever seen – and then some. I didn’t know what to do with them at first. I’d never seen so many trees so close to someone’s home before! I had this overriding fear that one of them would spontaneously fall right into my roof, and brought someone over to consult me on having some of them taken down. “Don’t take them down,’ he said. “The trees are here to protect you.” Sure enough, that’s exactly how it feels.

I certainly hope they appreciate all the rain we’re getting these days. I think they look like they do. Don’t you?

There’s this great Rogers & Hart tune called Mountain Greenery which will have you humming for days on end. There’s a reason Mel Torme, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald and The Supremes have taken on this zippy little tune. Listen in on Ella’s rendition of the song, and feel free to sing along. (You know you want to!)

On the first of May, it is moving day,

Spring is here, so blow your job,

Throw your job away!

Now's the time to trust,

To your wanderlust,

In the city's dust you wait, must you wait

Just you wait.......!

In a mountain greenery, Where God paints the scenery

Just two crazy people together.

While you love your lover,

Let blue skies, be your coverlet,

When it rains we'll laugh at the weather.

And if you're good, I'll search for wood,

So you can cook... while I stand looking

Beans could get no keener reception in a beanery

Bless our mountain greenery home!

Simple cooking means More than French Cuisines

I've a banquet planned which is

Sandwiches and beans

Coffee's just as grand

With a little sand

Eat and you'll grow fatter, boy

`smatter boy? Huh, huh! `Atta boy.

In a mountain greenery,

Where God paints the scenery

Just two crazy people together.

How-how-how-how-how we love sequestering

Where no pests are pestering

No dear momma holds us in tether

Mosquitoes here,

Won't bite you dear,

I'll let them sting, me on the finger!

Beans could get no keener reception in a beanery

Bless our mountain greenery,

Far from life's machinery

Bless our mountain greenery home!

La Libellula (The Dragonfly)

I’ve always loved the look of dragonflies, but had never really experienced them first hand until I moved out to the country and saw how truly magical they really are. Dragonflies come in the most luscious colors, brilliant blue, emerald green, bright scarlet and a whole array of shimmering shades.

Many, many moons ago, before scientists uncovered the benign agenda of this gorgeous creature, they were thought to have had magical and often sinister powers. Early-American children were forewarned that if they behaved badly, a dragonfly would sew their eyes and ears shut in their sleep. In Swedish folklore, dragonflies worked for the Devil himself, and had the power to weigh human souls – and pick out their eyes. Poor dragonflies! It would be centuries until they got the love and appreciation they deserved.

Asian cultures regard dragonflies as holy animals. In fact, the Emperor of Japan named his city “Akitsushima” which translates as “The Isles of the Dragonfly”. Today, Japan is the global leader in the study of dragonflies. However, in some parts of Asia – they love them…to death! And eat them as a delicacy. This is not that unusual. In Bali, dragonflies are fried with coconut oil and spices. In Thailand, their larvae are served roasted.

Let’s change the channel for a second, and have a think about a lovely drink called The Dragonfly. I may have to raise a glass in the real dragonfly’s reverence, as it is a symbol of victory, courage and happiness.

1 1/2 oz gin4 oz ginger ale1 lime wedge

In a highball glass almost filled with ice cubes, combine the gin and ginger ale. Stir well. Garnish with the lime wedge.

But dragonflies aren’t just a pretty face. They are bugs which establish a specific fight pattern to patrol their given area for food. The dragonfly, believe it or not, pre-dates the dinosaur, its needle-like body frightening onlookers. But dragonflies have no stinger, and really only want to go about their business – so if you see one, don’t kill it! It’s thought to bring about an entire string of unfortunate events. Merely observe and know how lucky you are that one of these gorgeous daredevils found you. In Zuni legend, they ar shamanistic with supernatural powers. If you’ve ever seen one in person, it’s hard not to believe this is true.

Star Light, Star Bright

I grew up on the South Shore of Boston, and my grandparents had a beachfront house on a small island off of Scituate Harbor called Humarock. We spent all of my summers there, and some of my happiest memories began the moment my parents’ car crossed that tiny little bridge and my lungs filled with fresh, salty air. I spent the first two decades of my life initiating summer this way, with long days under the sun, only to be called in by my mother’s insistence to eat or put on a hat (both actions, I assure you, were met with much resistance).

As with most beach towns, there was little to do besides explore, in and out of the water. To the right, was, eventually, the public beach and never of much interest. But to the left were “The Cliffs”, a desolate residential area where the houses braved atop gigantic boulders, and the sandy beach gave way to mossy rocks, and anything and everything the fierce Atlantic Ocean had forced ashore.

The greatest of all currency was sea glass (glass perfectly dulled by the ocean), which we would collect and trade, along with the most beautiful shells and rocks. If we were lucky, we would find a jellyfish, and attempt to save it by tossing it, lovingly, Frisbee-style into the water. And if we were very, very lucky, we would find a starfish.

Here is my lucky friend Christine on a recent trip to Jamaica!

A long, long time ago starfish were considered magical creatures. And with excellent reason. How many other living things possess the ability to regenerate pieces of themselves? It was believed that starfish possessed a connection to the stars in the sky, and the people thought to reside there.

I recently gave four of my favorite girls starfish earrings I made to commemorate the opening of our kids’ tour at The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. The starfish charms themselves are metal and the posts are 14K gold plate to protect sensitive ears like mine.

Shells, seahorses and starfish speak “summer” to me, and I can’t get enough of the three. I have a seahorse necklace that’s very popular, strung with white and aqua glass beads, so beautifully made that they look like real seaglass! This double strand necklace also has clear glass with light green and blue crystals. So pretty!!!

Summer jewelry is so much fun – the brighter the better! I use shells so often in my beadwork. Sometimes throwing them all together in multiple strands, like this glass and shell choker, and long strand shell charmer.

As I was searching for a recipe to include in this post, it came to my attention that there really is such a thing as starfish soup! It doesn’t seem like it would be my personal taste, so I decided, instead, to include this sweet, refreshing summer drink called The Starfish:

· 1 oz. Moët and Chandon White Star
· 1 oz. Lemoncello
· 1 oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
· 1 oz. Un-sweet Iced Tea
· 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
· Muddle orange slice and mint leaf in Collins glass.

Rome has no shortage of stars in the sky, but I was lucky enough to stumble into a beautiful side street decorated with star-gazing lights. Just goes to show that there are cosmic connectors the world over, and found in the most unexpected places.