Dream Big!

My Mom and I went to the Aberfoyle Market for Mother's Day.

It was a chilly May day and as we wandered through the wide variety of vendors, we entered one stall and this piece caught my eye.

Of course almost anything horse/equine related draws me in, but there was just something about this brooch that pulled me over to it.

I picked it up and took it over to pay for it and the woman who was selling it let me know that there was a story behind this piece that she just recently was told. Intrigued, I inquired and of course, she obliged.

She went on to tell me that the artisan who made the piece had stopped by and told her that the horse at the bottom is actually a statue of a horse and that the horses above him are the horses he dreams of every night, hoping to be them one day...real, live horses that could gallop across paddocks and feel the wind run through their mane.

I had already thought this was a beautiful piece, but knowing the story behind it just added to the beauty. I absolutely love the sentiment behind it and it now has a place on my nightstand to remind me to dream big, no matter what!

RR

J'Adore Paris!!

Does it get any better than Paris in the Springtime? I would say no...it really doesn't....

A gal pal and I had been talking about getting away to Paris for a few months and after seeing so many beautiful photos of Paris in the Spring on our Instagram feeds, we decided it was time to go!

We hopped on a flight Thursday evening and landed Friday morning for 4 unforgettable days in the City of Lights. We took the Roissy Bus to the Opera and after a beautiful walk to our gorgeous hotel, Hotel Bachaumont, we dropped off our bags and began our adventure!

We walked....and walked....and walked (almost 20km our first day)....literally in awe with every, single step! Everything from the cobblestone streets, to the incredibly detailed and jaw dropping architecture, to the Parisian fashion/style, the luscious and manicured gardens, to just experiencing 'that feeling'...we just let it all soak in! 

This is my photo diary of our first day in Paris...one of the most awe-inspiring days I have lived to date!

L'Opera

A cute little flower shop en route to the Hotel...

The Louvre

As you can see, we covered A LOT of ground...from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower and back. I took hundreds of photos and as I look back, each one brings a huge smile to my face. 

That was a day that I will never forget!

J'adore Paris!

RR

Character and Charm...

It was a sunny day, I had some new hikers to break in and I decided to go for a walk through the beautiful city that I call home....Guelph.

This city has some beautiful established neighbourhoods and magnificent older homes. I feel very lucky to live in a neighbourhood full of trees, grass, gardens and character. As I set out on my walk, I soon became distracted by the many homes that exude charm, historical beauty and stunning architecture...

Even though the day then started to cloud over, I couldn't help but stop and take photos of these homes (so much for my brisk walk). Here are just a smattering of the homes that truly make this city unique and full of character!

The detail and care taken to maintain these homes is nothing short of amazing. From the slate and/or cedar shake tiles, pillers, turrets, covered porches, trim choice and colour, shutters, brick work, landscaping etc etc....the list goes on and on as to what makes these homes so stunning and inviting. You just don't see architecture like this anymore and it saddens me.... 

I feel very grateful to live in a city where I can walk through neighbourhoods filled with homes that have stories, that have had generation after generation live within their walls. 

If only those walls could talk......

RR

New York, New York - Part Two!

The first 24 hours in NYC were fantastic and I was bound and determined to make the most of my second and final day there, sore feet or not (That's what happens when you walk over 20km the first day!).

I woke up and headed to a bagel shop around the corner (people were literally lined up out the door). I spoke with a lovely man from Texas while we were waiting in line (who had just happened to be in Guelph on business a few weeks prior...yes, it's a small world!) and after getting all the goodness that comes with a NYC bagel and cream cheese, I headed off to Dean and Deluca for one last caffeine fix. With a latte and bagel in hand, I headed towards Central Park, with a wee detour by Saks 5th Avenue. I had to have one last look at their Christmas windows!!

Saks 5th Avenue

Tiffany's

I then kept heading north towards the Park and literally had Breakfast at Tiffany's! 

Every time I'm in NYC, I go to Tiffany's and get myself a little something as a momento. Their windows were absolutely gorgeous and you  can't help but get into the holiday cheer when you're surrounded by such beautiful creations! THE, yes THE Tiffany Yellow Diamond was there too and it literally took my breath away! I was completely mesmerized ......

After picking out my piece and taking one last look around magic that is Tiffany's, I headed out to the Park. It was such a beautiful day, with the sun shining and the crazy warm weather, I just couldn't believe it! I felt like I had hit the jackpot!

I spent almost the entire day at the park...wandering, sitting, strolling....just letting all of the NYC goodness sink in! From the skating rink, to the lake (and there were people out in boats..in December!!), to the trees, the artists, the people, the sunshine.....I was in heaven!

After a few hours in the Park, I left with an absolutely goofy grin on my face....it has to be one of my favourite bits of NYC...the touch of country green space in the big city. 

I was off to meet a friend of a friend who took me on a fantastic tour through the city, down to Grand Central where we tried the Whispering Gallery, had samosas, drank in the architecture & history and enjoyed the 'hum' of people moving through the station en route to who knows where. She was a wealth of information about the city and it's buildings and the stories she was able to share were fantastic! It was the perfect way to wrap up my trip!

It was then back to the hotel to gather by bags and wait for the car to the airport....

I sat in this gorgeous little parkette across the street from the hotel, closed my eyes and let the city sink in for one last time.

I can't wait to get back to this wonderful city and I'm so grateful to have had the 48 hours there and all that they were filled with!

See you soon NYC!!

RR

New York, New York!!

I had a few vacation days to use before Christmas, so I decided to take a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday off. Wednesday I took some 'me' time and did some reading, a Robin Sharma webinar on 'Game Changers' and then I began to look at some old photos.... I kept going back to the ones of NYC as it had been a few years since I was there. 

 And then it dawned on me, between Robin's words on optimization & moving towards the future and the photos, I thought to myself ....Why not go back?? So.....off to the bank I went and after almost fainting at having to pay $140 Canadian for $100 American, I booked a flight and a hotel room and at 6:00am Thursday morning, I was off to the Big Apple.

After landing, my first stop after dropping my luggage at the hotel was Rockefeller Centre to watch the skaters and have my first Dean & Deluca of the trip.

From Rockefeller it was then off to the Bryant Park Market where I sat and continued to watch the skaters there till the little boutiques opened and I could wander through and check out their wares. It was then off to stroll the High Line (LOVE it!). Such an amazing concept to turn something that likely would've been demolished and turn it into such a wonder space. By then it was time for lunch...I was in the West Village and decided to try Barbuto. I sat on their patio (it was December 10, the sun was shining and it was 15 degrees Celsius so of course I had to!), enjoyed a glass of wine, some amazing pizza right out of their wood fired oven, capped it all off with a cappuccino and then it was time to start walking again.

I then walked along the Hudson River all the way down to Ground Zero.... It was the absolute most perfect day to be outside and just enjoy the city.

The last time I was in NYC, they were just starting to rebuild One World Trade and the 9/11 Memorial Pools were under way. Every time I'm there it takes my breath away, my eyes well up with tears and I cannot get over the enormity of the space and how that day changed our world forever. After sitting there amongst the trees they've replanted and the hundreds of others there to pay their respects, I then began my walk back up to Mid Town (right past the Chrysler Building) to my hotel to rest a bit before dinner. 

As it turns out, I walked well over 20km that day and my feet were ready for a bit of a break! 

I was meeting a friend for dinner who happened to be in town for business. Every time I'm in NYC, I MUST have an Ugly Burger so I suggested that we head to The National (also because my feet were now throbbing and it was just around the corner!). We sat there, shared a bottle of wine, dove into our burgers and and got caught up.It was nice to see a familiar face after a day spent with strangers.

We were both pretty tired so after  a long day, so back to the hotel I went to relax and get some sleep so I could get an early start on day two. It was so great to be back in that city....and I couldn't have been more happy with my last minute decision to travel there!

Stay tuned for another post on my second day of my 48 hours in NYC!

RR

A Journal of January 2016

Welcome 2016!

This is me, plain and simple (thanks Dad, for your blue eyes and rosy cheeks!), out for a walk on a snowy January/New Years day at the Country House. I can't believe it's already the 31st of January (and that I haven't yet blogged this year..bad me!) and I also can't get over how much fantastic "stuff" has already been packed into this year. This post is a photo journal of the comings and goings of 2016 so far....and what a fantastic time it has been!

I had a furry friend with me on that snowy walk at the Country House! Charlie absolutely loves the snow...My almost 11 year old pooch turns back into a puppy whenever he's outside in the white stuff!

It was then time to sit down (ok, or maybe lounge in bed) and set some plans into place for the year ahead. Whether it was personal or professional, I got out my Danielle LaPorte Planner, my notebooks and some sources of inspiration (The Happiness at Work Program - stay tuned for an upcoming post on this - and The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up) and began to map out my 2016. There won't be any drastic changes, huge epiphanies or enormous lifestyle changes...but it always feels good to get thoughts out on paper and see how to guide myself into a year that I know will be filled with fun, great times and success!

January has also been a month of 'sprucing things up' around the house a wee bit. Some new pieces of home decor, tidying up, organizing and really just continuing to make my City Cottage my home. And yes, as the sign says, feel free at anytime to get me drunk and ask me about New York...I have some great stories (keep an eye out for an upcoming post on NYC from my trip there in December).

Life wouldn't be complete without gal time and what a fantastic gals weekend at The Rock again this year in Port Elgin (Thank you soooo much Carlie!!). As is always the case when you get a bunch of women together, there is plenty of yummy food, lots of laughs and many new memories made! We even made it to MacGregor Point to go skating through the woods and hiked along Lake Huron at sunset. Thank you to all the Donut Dolls for a fabtastic time!

I've also been spending the odd Saturday at WillowHouse In Cambridge. If there was ever a store I would want to move into, it would be this one! Kim, the 'out of this world' owner of this beautiful shop, has such an amazing eye and sense of hitting every little detail just perfectly....Thank you for allowing me to become part of the 'family'!

One thing I really do want to focus on in 2016 is trying new things and making memories! I've always loved the quote, "Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to share, not stuff to show". I plan on doing this by pushing past my comfort zone and really living every moment possible. A friend and I decided to go out for dinner on Friday night to Manhattans here in Guelph to enjoy live music while dining on terrific food! It had been a very long time since I'd been to such a venue and it was SUCH a fun evening!! The band, the Eclectic Vinyl Orchestra was fantastic and uber entertaining and our dinner was scrumptious...Thanks so much Em for the wonderful suggestion!

So cheers to 2016... I'm really looking forward to seeing what this year has to bring!

RR

A Lot Can Happen In A Year!

2015..

A year I will never, ever forget... a lot sure can happen in a year.

A year of heartache, new beginnings, new paths being built, time spent in the country, time spent in the city, time with family, time with friends, tears, laughter and reflection...

I want to say a HUGE "Thank you" to family and friends for your love and support this year. I can honestly say that you have all been what has kept me going on many occasions this year..... Again.... Thank you! xoxo

The photo above is a snapshot of my 2015 and it not only reflects the year that has happened, but the year to come ahead too....

Time spent with friends, time spent outdoors, time at home, healthy living, my Charlie Bear, diving into home decor inspiration and liking the small joys that a simple life brings.

I plan on continuing to live a simple life, enjoying the little things, making memories and really embracing life and living it! Every single moment!

2015, you prepared me for just about anything life could throw at me.

I've grown personally and professionally. I've developed a few more life lines (ie. wrinkles) and a thicker skin. There has been much laughter and many tears. Through it all, I've remained me and have hopefully become a better version of me.

Cheers to the year ahead....2016, I'm ready for you!!

RR

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!

It's Boxing Day and I'm sitting here at the Country House beside the Christmas tree in a partial food coma. It's been a mix of emotions the past few weeks but as I sit here, I'm feeling very lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful family and friends and am very grateful for their love and support!

I will admit, I found it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit this year and I know many others expressed the same feeling. I think it had to do with the fact that we had double digit temperatures (in the positive #s) and green grass that could have almost used a cut on Christmas Eve. There's just something about a fresh blanket of snow to realllllly get you in the Christmas mood (not that I'm complaining at all about this amazing weather we've been having!).

I wasn't going to let the lack of snow dampen my Christmas decorating and I had such a good time decorating both my City Cottage and the Country Home. You saw the decor for my City Cottage in my Winter Neutrals post and I will say, the evenings I spent wrapping at my dining table with a warm adult beverage and sweet treat (see above), the magic of Christmas was in the air...finally!

Since that post, people have been inquiring as to where they could find similar rustic and natural decor pieces. If you want to create a similar look as that above and in the Winter Neutrals post, some sources for the decor items include:

• Hive - Bayfield
• Willow House - Cambridge
• The Garage - Belmore
• Achesons - Harriston
• Folmer's Landscaping - Walkerton

Then it was time to decorate at the Country House. One of the great things of country living is that so many of the elements from your back yard can literally be used in your decorating.

I literally walked around the `back 50`, cut some some cedar, pine, spruce and red willow branches and voila, we had urns! 

We went to a local tree farm and found the perfect tree (with Charlie`s help of course!). We got it home, let it drop, hung the lights and after adding snowflake themed decorations, we could just sit back and enjoy its beauty! I`m sitting here, with the lights all aglow and it makes me wish I could freeze time...that we could leave the decorations up all year long... 

 I hope you had a great time with your family and friends and that you had the opportunity to make many more wonderful memories this Christmas! All the best!

RR

A Winter Wedding in the Country...

From the day my childhood neighbour got engaged, she had one dream for her wedding day...... 

.....To be married in the hay loft of the barn on their family farm.

Their farm is beautiful and as you can see from the front porch of the farm house above, every detail has been taken into consideration over the years in the ongoing development of their property.

I spent hundreds of hours in that hay loft growing up and only knew the loft to be full of hay, straw, chickens, farm equipment and a variety of other odds and sods. I will admit...knowing the loft as I did, I was having a somewhat difficult time imagining the transformation into a space for a wedding.....

The day of the wedding arrived and as we walked up the gang plank to the man door of the hayloft, the large doors monogrammed with the initials of the bride and groom and conifers & greenery lining the entry, her brother handed me a program and then, we stepped inside...

I stepped onto the barn board floor of the hay loft and as I looked around, my jaw dropped, I was utterly speechless and happy tears filled my eyes.....

It was INCREDIBLE.....absolutely PERFECT!!

The work this close knit, loving and hard working family put into making this day the day of the bride's dreams, warmed and filled my heart to no end.... 

This space, where we used to play tag over the bales of straw and built hay forts, had been transformed beyond belief to the most incredible setting for her winter wedding. 

As the sun shone in through the cracks of the barn board walls, there was a warm glow from the lanterns and fire place. The gorgeous rustic chandelier and fairy lights hung overhead. Every little detail was thought of and put in place, from the musical duet playing in the background to the hot chocolate bar to help keep the guests warm and toasty, to the cones of 'snow' that we showered the bride and groom with after they said 'I do'... nothing had been forgotten.

The bride couldn't have been more beautiful, the groom more handsome. The smiles on the face of the family, wedding party, friends and neighbours said it all.... This day, in this unbelievable setting, would never, ever be forgotten!

The ceremony was too cute and so touching. As the bride and groom walked back down the aisle as man and wife, they were absolutely showered in shimmery, glistening 'snow' ...we were going to give this couple their winter wedding whether there was snow outside or not!

After the ceremony, family and friends gathered around the fireplace and hot chocolate bar to keep warm and cozy. 

I didn't want to leave! I just wanted to stay in this space as long as possible, soaking it all in and marveling in the transformation!

No matter how much I wanted to stay....the time came to head to the reception. It was being held at the community centre where the bride and I and all of the kids in our families learned to skate, had spent countless hours volunteering at and had learned what community really meant!

I couldn't wait to see how they had the hall decorated!

We arrived and I was immediately drawn to this....

The head table!

Could there have been a more wintery  rustic-glam setting? The shimmer of the table skirts, those re-claimed doors (all from the farm house), the chandeliers, the greenery....

Again....just perfect! 

Cheers to B&B....it was an amazing day/evening and I wish you a lifetime of happiness and joy! Thank you for including us in your day!

BB

Winter Neutrals

Not only have I been neglecting my blogging this year, but I've also been neglecting my home decor. That being said, Friday night was the night for Christmas to arrive at the city cottage!

I make a point of decorating more so for Winter versus a scheme that is 100% Christmas as I enjoy leaving the decor up as long as possible, seeing as I'm not home all that much to truly enjoy it!

This year was no different....I decided to go with a neutral, rustic theme this year, with a bit of metallics added in for some sparkle (it is Christmas after all). I put on the Love Actually soundtrack, cleared off the sideboard and raided the many rubbermaids downstairs that are overflowing with Christmas/Winter decor. The sideboard was soon transformed into a neutral, rustic centerpiece for my home.

The photo above was taken at about 9pm, shortly after I finished (my apologies for the not so great photo quality) and I just love the glow of the lights, the variety of textures, the rustic charm and natural elements.

I was so happy to wake up Saturday morning and love the sideboard as much in the daylight as I did at night. 

As you know, I have an affinity for trees and I try to use them in my decor as often as possible in some way shape or form. What better time of year to incorporate them then during the winter months? 

Fur, feathers, wood, glass, metal, burlap....all the elements that speak to me in their rustic ways and when they all come together, a little magic happens!

I've done a few little tweaks here and there since Friday and just love how it all came together!

As I'm writing this I've just come in from decorating the outside of my cottage (more to come on that soon) and I'm sitting down to enjoy a latte, an amazing cinnamon bun and just take it all in.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend and have been able to find some festive cheer to incorporate into your home!

RR