Greens native to Virginia adorn the mantels.

These are some of the finest homes in Fredericksburg bedecked in their holiday finery. Visit http://www.hffi.org/eventscalendars.html  for information on times, tickets, etc.

Thistle, the flower of Scotland, pays homage to the homeland of Braehead's 19th century owners, the Howison family

Be sure to allow time for shopping in the historic district. You will find one-of-a-kind gifts in the galleries, antique stores or the Gift Shop for the Candlelight Tour. Grab a bite to eat in one of the many cafe’s and coffee shops. Enjoy the holiday street entertainment. Before you know it, you’ll be humming “Jingle Bells”!

Special thanks to my amazingly talented Design Team, volunteers Michelle Bristow, Jackie Mason and Grace Riley. Braehead is glowing with holiday light thanks to your hard work. I could never have completed this project without you.

Photos by Grace Riley

You will need:
Paperwhite bulbs (Narcissus Papyraceus) – Look for fat bulbs with no soft spots or mildew. Try to find loose or bagged bulbs so you can see what you’re buying. Avoid bulb kits which include a container, bulbs and soil. Check a good garden center.

A large glass hurricane vase

River rock gravel (available in pet stores for aquariums or at hardware stores)

Live moss (optional) I harvested mine from my yard. If you have a stone or brick wall in your garden, you probably have moss. Just peel some off. You can also use dried moss available at craft stores.

Add gravel to your hurricane to make a depth of 2 – 3”. Set bulbs, pointed end up, into the rocks. Don’t be afraid to crowd them a little. Add a few more pebbles or larger rocks to secure the bulbs, but don’t bury them.

Add small bits of moss, if desired, for contrast. Just tuck lightly between some of the rocks. Don’t cover the rocks completely, and try to avoid too much contact with the bulbs, as this may cause rot.

Now add water. Dampen the moss as you do so. Watch the level carefully. You want the water to just barely touch the bottoms of the bulbs. Now place in a sunny spot and watch the magic! You will need to add water, perhaps daily, to maintain the proper level. Growth will start almost immediately and flowers can be expected in about 4 weeks, depending on the health of the bulbs and the available sunlight.

Paperwhites can be grown in almost any water-tight container. But, because the bulbs are not buried deeply into the soil, the flowers and foliage can be expected to fall over without support. That’s why I’ve chosen to plant my paperwhites in glass hurricanes this year. The plan is that the sides of the vase will hold up the plants. We’ll see…I will post a picture once they bloom.

This project is great to do with children. They can help with the planting and will be amazed to see how quickly the plants grow. Since these are planted in clear glass containers, the roots are visible, too. It’s fascinating to see how quickly they fill in between the rocks.

Start at the front door with a leafy wreath and a collection of pumpkins. Choose flat ones in various colors to stack, and a few round ones, too!

Think beyond mums! Use gourds, pumpkins, dried corn, branches and leaves.

A simple collection of pumpkins and small gourds can adorn a deck or porch.

A few berry branches create a dramatic arrangement.

A bunch of wheat tied with a satin ribbon is a quick way to add autumn texture to a table or mantel.

A half-dozen sunflowers in an antique pitcher add a splash of autumn sunshine to a kitchen counter.

A small "pie" pumpkin on a window sill

Pie size pumpkins are perfect to place in a row on a mantel or across the top of a doorway. A single pumpkin is all that’s needed to adorn a window sill, bookcase or end table. A mini pumpkin next to the faucet in a guest bath or powder room is a simply elegant touch.

Display your autumn produce in a basket, bowl or bucket.

Mix natural materials with artificial. Already have a floral arrangement you like? Add some branches or pheasant feathers to make it feel more seasonal. Pine cones, nuts and seed pods from your garden can all be incorporated.

An arrangement of dried hydrangeas, oak leaves, pods and tallow branches create a still-life on a foyer table with small white pumpkins, Osage oranges and a small basket to catch the mail.

Use your imagination to bring some of Autumn’s splendor into your home, but remember – keep it simple. A single branch pruned from a shrub or tree, a bowl of walnuts, a glass hurricane filled with tiny lady apples or mini pumpkins…simply beautiful…simply autumnal.

Have you always wanted to host the holiday festivities at your house, but your dining room seems inadequate?  Let’s fix that problem this year! Now is the time to make a plan of action. If painting is on the list, we need to select colors and get on the painters’ schedule. Custom window treatments can make the whole room pop, but they need to be ordered within the next few weeks to ensure installation before Thanksgiving. (In fact, my 20% off linen drapery promotion is back again starting September 1. Perfect timing!) Do you need new furniture or can we freshen up what you have with some new fabrics or refinishing? Either way, we need about 8 – 12 weeks.

How about lighting? Do you need a new rug or can we have the old one cleaned?

Then there are the finishing touches: centerpieces, table linens, accessories.

If you want to be ready for holiday company, contact me today.  Whether your style is traditional, contemporary, mid-century or eclectic, we’ll get your home all decked out so you can just relax and celebrate the season with those you love. And get ready…for compliments!

Let me know what treasures you find!

The cooking method of roasting concentrates and intensifies the flavor of the tomatoes, so don’t be put off by the fact that they shrink. Each little morsel packs a punch of flavor.

If you don’t have cherry or grape tomatoes, slice the larger varieties into thick slices and use them instead…or use a mixture. You can add in sweet peppers as I did, or small chunks of peeled eggplant if you want. Or just stick with the tomatoes. I also cooked some small slices of Italian sausage and stirred into my dish, but all veggies is great, too. Enjoy!

Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Slice tomatoes or cut small ones in half.

Add peppers or eggplant if desired.

Add finely minced fresh garlic to taste. I used one large clove for two servings.

Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil.

Dust with a healthy pinch of dried oregano, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Toss to coat evenly and spread into single layer in pan.

Roast for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours, stirring once or twice. Remove from oven when tomatoes start to caramelize.

At this point, you could cool the mixture and put into freezer bags to save for a winter’s day.

But life is short…why wait? Toss with your favorite pasta and top with grated Parmesan cheese. With a piece of crusty bread and a glass of pinot noire….mmm…mmm…good!

Our CSA shares from Frog Bottom Farm have been generous – so much so, in fact, that I’ve turned to the farmers for advice and recipes. This recipe for Refrigerator Pickles came from Frog Bottom Farm. I made a batch a few weeks ago as a test before I relayed the recipe to you. Every one of my pickle eating guinea pigs have loved them! I have never made pickles before and they really were as easy as described below.

From Frog Bottom Farm:
“If, like me, you have been meaning to make your own pickles for what seems like a decade now, I am here to tell you: get up from your computer this very instant and go to your kitchen! It takes about nine minutes! These fridge pickles from Donalyn Ketchum are, in a word, perfect. Crunchy, garlicky, and just sour enough, I can’t stop reaching for them. You make a simple brine of water, vinegar, and salt. Then you pour that over cucumbers, garlic, and herbs. Leave the jars alone for a few days, and voila! Pickles! They aren’t canned, so they need to be stored in the fridge. They’ll keep at least a couple months in there — if they last that long!”

Ingredients (3 quarts or 6 pints)

For the brine
•2 quarts water

•1 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

•1/2 cup canning or pickling salt (kosher salt is also fine, but may result in cloudier pickle brine)

For the pickles
•Cucumbers, enough to fit snugly into your jars, washed well and sliced into spears

•Garlic, 1-2 cloves per pint jar or 2-3 cloves per quart jar, smashed and peeled

•Herbs (dill is classic; we also love thyme), 1-2 sprigs per pint jar or 2-4 sprigs per quart jar, rinsed well [note from Merry: I also used rosemary and oregano]

Instructions

Preparing the jars
1.Clean your jars thoroughly with soap and water. They do not need to be sterilized.

For the brine
1.Combine all brine ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally to be sure the salt dissolves completely. While the mixture is coming to a boil, prepare the rest of the ingredients.

For the pickles
1.Place a smashed garlic clove or two in the bottom of each jar.

2.Add the sprigs of your chosen herb.

3.Fill the jar the rest of the way with cucumber spears. Really cram them in there — otherwise some spears will float above the brine when you add it, and this can lead to premature spoilage.

4.Add another smashed garlic clove to each jar — wedge it down between some cucumber spears so it won’t float when you add the brine.

5.Pour the simmering brine over the vegetables, being sure they are completely submerged. If your brine isn’t simmering, bring it back to a simmer before pouring it over the vegetables.

6.Put a lid on each jar.

7.Leave at room temperature for 2-3 days (less time when the weather is very hot, more when it’s cold) and then, if you can stand it, put them in the fridge for an additional 1-2 weeks. We usually break into the first jar right away but give the rest of the jars the additional slow fridge fermentation before eating them.

Heavenly pickles!

Thank you, Frog Bottom Farm! www.frogbottomfarm.com

8'2" x 10' 1" with hand knotted fringe

This gorgeous Indo Azerbaijan rug was handmade in India. It is 100% wool, very thick and heavy. Neutral ground with pale blue, butterscotch, clay, clover green and black accents, the vegetable dyes give subtle striations and shadings that mimic the appearance of age. This is not a new rug, but it is not an antique – $450.*

Indo Azerbaijan detail

Indo Azerbaijan detail

The next rug, below, is a traditional design by Saray Hali.

6'7" x 9'10" with hand-knotted fringe

This lovely carpet was machine made on Wilton looms in Turkey. It is 100% worsted wool. The colors in this rug pop! Nothing faded and subtle about this one. Crimson, ivory, wheat, clover green and navy comprise a traditional pattern with no center medallion. This makes it great for a room where the furniture might be off center. An ivory sofa would look amazing on this rug. Though not new, is in like new condition – $350.*

Saray Hali detail

Both of these rugs are in great shape with no stains, tears or other imperfections. They have been rolled up and in storage for several years, however, and could probably benefit from a light cleaning just to refresh them. Both rugs to the same buyer – $700.*

*Plus delivery charges, if required.

If you are interested in either or both of these rugs, email me (link at left of this page) or post a comment below.

Toby

This is my favorite time of day, and my favorite place on Earth. In this special, quiet time, I remembered the words of an old hymn my grandmother, Annie, taught me.

“I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses. And the voice I hear, falling on my ear…The Son of God discloses. And He walks with me and He talks with me, and tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.”

The song was written in 1912 by C. Austin Miles. I wonder if he knew, that 100 years later, his beautiful words would mean so much to someone.

Even the spider webs were beautiful this morning.

Take a few moments every so often for some quiet time of your own. Remember your grandmother or the words of an old song. Pray, or just be silent and listen to God speak to you. To truly flourish, we need to feed our minds, our bodies and our souls.