Saturday, September 17, 2011

Autumn Daydreams...


It's a balmy autumn afternoon and we're starting to prepare for a little dinner party tonight to celebrate David's birthday. The house is quiet except for the opera (I listen to Saturday Afternoon at the Opera on CBC as often as possible).

I also hung my new PARTY banner...! Isn't it pretty?!

My chocolate cake's frosting was a bit of a catastrophe (the butter was too hard) but I salvaged it by heating the entire cake in the oven for 1 minute! Then it spread like...well...butter!


I am also day dreaming about our new painting, which we just bought from a wonderful art dealer in Massachusetts, from whom we purchased a landscape painting (see it here and also in the photo above!) this time last year.

The new painting takes me back to my student days in Paris:
The painting is by American Impressionist painter Gabriel Spat (1890-1967), who lived in France most of his life (and shipped his lovely paintings back to America for all the francophiles to covet). The painting is entitled "Promenade au Bois de Boulogne". It resonated with me as I lived in Paris as a graduate student and frequently visited the Bois de Boulogne. I also took English riding lessons for several years and still love the equestrian arts.

I can't wait 'til this rather old and lovely painting arrives and finds a new home in our living room! Hope you are having a sunny autumn day...

12 comments:

  1. I love your new painting. Wonderful that it will remind you both of Paris and your vacatIon in MA.

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  2. happy Birthday to David too!

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  3. I love your chandelier! Everything looks beautiful.
    Lisa

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  4. absolutely wonderful painting - I admire your eye and your growing collection...you will always treasure these...donna

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  5. Good tip for getting the cake frosted. I'd never had dared attempt that save, but won't hesitate in the future.

    Oh your room looks so lovely for entertaining and celebrating David's birthday. Hope that he has a very happy day and a great birthday weekend.

    The painting is lovely and all the more special because it has such meaning for you. Do you still ride?

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  6. That entire comment adds up to one grammatical nightmare. Chalk it up to paint fumes. ☺

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  7. I'm glad you bought that painting. It's really beautiful! A gem, really.

    I also love the * P A R T Y * bunting. Did you make that?

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  8. Happy Autumn, my sweet and happy birthday to David! Your banner makes me happy, your cake frosting solution made me giggle and your new painting made me swoon.
    I can't wait to see it in your home.
    xo isa

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  9. That is a great painting! It speaks to two of my favorite things. Happy birthday to David.

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  10. Such a romantic image and such beautiful memories. I'm sure the painting will give you great pleasure.

    Anna

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  11. The painting is gorgeous. What a beautiful place for a party!!

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  12. Love the painting and esp the details of the frame....and of course the party banner is snazzy too!

    Hope all is well.

    Alex

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