Interview at Bright Copper Kettles

I am pleased as punch to have been asked by Rayna, from Bright Copper Kettles, to be interviewed for her blog.  By the way, isn't that the sweetest name for a blog - the song, My Favourite Things, from The Sound of Music just floods me with happy memories.  And isn't that the sweetest thing that she asked me to be the first person she interviews for her new series, Simply Lovely Interviews.  
I bet you are dying to know how I came to be a blogger, some of my best travel tips, and other interesting tidbits about me. Come on over and have a read - you can find the interview here. Were you a strange youngster too (I bet you are curious to know what I mean - check out question #1)?  I'd love to know.
Thanks Rayna - it was a lot of fun thinking about the answers to your questions.

Bright Copper Kettles

WISH Wednesday #44

Now that we are all up to speed on what a bunkie is (check here if you missed it), I thought I would share one of my all-time favourites - Sarah Richardson's bunkie at her Georgian Bay cottage. It seemed appropriate because I've been away at our Georgian Bay cottage for the past three days.  We don't have a Sarah Richardson style cottage or even bunkie, but I do know firsthand how gorgeous the Georgian Bay islands are.
I think this is the cutest little guest cottage and would love to wake up to such pretty furnishings. I love the soft blues and the coral she used with the white furniture in this room. And the birch lamps are the perfect woodsy touch for the side tables.

HGTV

I really seem incapable of sticking to one WISH Wednesday photo these days, but I just had to show you the other side of the room.  I love the gray and white striped curtains and the wicker chair in the corner.

Here's the bunkie from the outside - gorgeous, no?  

Sarah Richardson's bunkie - HGTV

I'll have some photos coming soon of our part of Georgian Bay.

Late Summer Woodsy Sideboard and Mantel

I haven't been motivated to change up the sideboard or mantel ... until today that is!  In fact, yesterday I was just telling my husband that I was going to leave what was there until September so I could transition directly into Fall decor - even though the sideboard and mantel had not been changed since the early spring.  Well, then I woke up feeling all motivated to change things up.  

I got the faux bois vases last week at Loblaws so had to include them.  The dried wheat is my nod to it being August and that Fall is right around the corner.

I know there are birds everywhere these days, but I needed something to break up all the symmetry of two large and two small vases and two turquoise sap buckets.

I even have a matching vintage tablecloth out.  Please excuse the wrinkles, but I just didn't feel like ironing it.

  

Let's spend a little time considering how lovely faux bois vases are.  I love the squiggly lines and the fake knots.  Love.  Them.

At the same time I thought I would change up the mantel.  I stuck with the woodsy look that I had happening on the sideboard.

I put out some of my best birchbark,

and some driftwood sticks along with my aged metal sap bucket and lanterns.

Do you change up your mantel and sideboard with the seasons?  I like to, but I don't always get around to it.

Linked to WOW Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style,
Sizzle into Summer at DIY by Design

S'more Brownies

Did you know August 10th is National S'more Day?  It's true - I didn't make that up.  So in honour of the day, which also happens to be our eldest pride and joy's birthday (Happy Birthday Malcolm), I made s'more brownies.  

I made the graham cracker crust from the Blueberry Cheesecake Squares recipe and pressed it into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
Then I made my favourite brownie recipe which you can find here. I added 1/2 cup of chocolate chips since there wasn't going to be any icing and I felt the need to make it as chocolatey as possible.

After baking the brownie for 20 minutes at 350F, I let it cool and then cut it into squares.  I cut large sized marshmallows in half and put two on each brownie.  I put them under the broiler for about two minutes, but you will need to watch them like a hawk as they brown faster than you can say "mmm mmm good".

Then we enjoyed them and said a thank you to whoever had the genius idea to make it National S'mores Day.  

Is it just me or do you get the feeling you are being watched?

Oh, and if you missed the best s'mores tip ever (that I posted here) you will thank me for directing you to it.

Linked to Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence,
Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors,
Overflowing with Creativity at It's Overflowing,
WOW Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style,
Sizzle Into Summer link party at DIY by Design

Simcoe Day at Fort York

This past Monday was the Simcoe Day holiday here in Ontario - although to be honest that was news to me as I have always just called it the August Civic Holiday. As it turns out Simcoe Day was named in honour of the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe.  Lord Simcoe was a busy and important fellow around these parts.  He founded York (later named Toronto), established many of its institutions, abolished slavery (long before it was abolished in the British Empire as a whole), and in 1793 authorized the building of Fort York to defend the new settlement of York.  

You can certainly see why Simcoe Day is rather a big deal at Fort York. There were special events planned so, of course, we had go visit the fort and join in the fun.  

Guards from two other Ontario forts -  Fort Erie and Fort George - were visiting for the day. 

  

I loved watching the fife and drum corps,

and seeing the guards standing at attention.  Don't they look smart in their uniforms.

The present Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, David Onley, gave a speech and inspected the troops.  

They may have looked like toy soldiers, 

but they certainly produced a powerful bang when they fired their muskets

and the cannon.

The guards had to run through the smoke to form the next firing line.

and then they finally disappeared altogether in a cloud of smoke.

It was all very impressive!
Naturally, I was interested in one of the guards in particular - Kate our daughter.  Not only did she do a terrific job with the marching and formations and firing her musket, but she was the one who helped take the flag down at the end of the day. She did a fine job and the flag was lowered with due pomp and ceremony.

I also enjoyed touring the Officer's Barracks and Mess and seeing the historic cooking and I bought a plate, a small glass decanter, and porcelain box at Fort York which I'll show you soon.