Monday

I don’t really know what to say about these photos, they are just images I’ve collected recently and I guess they make me feel calm and today I know I feel thankful for holidays!
When Dan and I have a day off together, like today, it normally involves a lot of eating and possibly some music making or dancing…  which are the best kind of days!
Recently my time has been filled with a lot of trips to Tatamagouche, rearranging our house/spring cleaning and patiently awaiting warmer days…. hopefully they will be here soon.
Another new thing in our lives… Dan and I finally gave in and got iPhones! Prior to this we only had a land line. I will admit that having an iPhone has made me pick up my camera a little less often which is not a habit I want to get into… I think life is always about finding balance, something I am working on all the time. Wish me luck!

1. New reading material 2. Tiny Quail eggs 3. So cute! 4. Mug gifts are the best 5. A tiny ‘topper’ ring (it sits just below my first knuckle!) and a solid perfume I’m obsessed with

X

-Ceilidh

The newest thing

I bought this coat a couple of weeks ago from J&R Grimsmo, Grimsmo is a really sweet shop on Barrington St, and the ladies who own it are the greatest.
I had been looking at this coat for a long time and finally decided to go for it.
It has the perfect pockets, the perfect shape and a really good-looking lining!
Halifax can get pretty rainy so having a cute little rain coat certainly helps with all the grey days.
You can see more of Lauren Moffatt’s clothing here.

x

-Ceilidh

Sap

You know it’s spring when the sap starts to run in the Maple trees.
Growing up my family always gathered sap, boiled it down outside and bottled our own maple syrup.
Now my parents are making it again after a long hiatus and my sister and her family are carrying on the tradition.
No maple syrup compares to the kind that is boiled down over an open fire outside…. with a beautiful family member tending to it, sometimes until it’s late in the night.
It’s smokey tasting and each bottle is a little bit different from the last…perfect!

x

-Ceilidh

Cocktail Sundays

Hey! This post is written by Dan & I am really excited to welcome him to the blog!  You’ll notice this post is a day late, but better late than never.

While in Toronto last week, I (Dan) took the opportunity to pick up some bitters that we can’t get here in Halifax. I bought a bottle of Peychaud’s and some Boker’s. Also, my mom had a bottle of Angostura Orange bitters lying around that she gave me. All three of these bitters are essential to creating classic cocktails. This week I wanted to pick a recipe that would showcase some of these delicious bitters and the Old Hickory Cocktail is perfect for that.

With only four ingredients, this cocktail is super easy to make, but will taste incredible if you keep a couple of things in mind. First of all, you must use fresh vermouth. As a wine-based spirit, once opened, always store your vermouth in the fridge and use it within a month or so. If you find it lying around for longer than that, it’s great for cooking. Secondly, this drink really does require Peychaud’s bitters and a good orange bitters, they are what make the drink! So here you go, the Old Hickory Cocktail:

Old Hickory

1 1/2 oz. Italian Sweet Vermouth
1 1/2 oz. French Dry Vermouth
1 dash Peychaud’s Bitters
1 dash Angostura Orange or Regan’s Orange Bitters
Lemon peel for garnish

Add all ingredients except garnish to a large mixing glass. Top with plenty of ice and stir until well chilled. Strain through a julep strainer into a coupe or small absinthe glass, squeeze the lemon zest over the drink to release its oils and place on the edge of the glass.

-Dan (& Ceilidh)

Mail

I used to write and send a lot of mail… actually, that is how Dan and I ended up together but that is a story for another day!
For some reason I had gotten out of the habit of making mail so I am now giving myself a goal to send something in the mail each week.
I always hope to get something in the mail for myself so I figure sending mail is the best way to make sure this happens, since people will often write back.
I also think that subscribing to magazines is special and it obviously guarantees you will get something in the mail!

It’s  starting to feel like spring in these parts and it is a beautiful sunny day so I took the opportunity and took some photos with the help of the sun light!
1. A card for some great friends 2. Tea to enjoy while writing 3. All the mail- three pieces this week! 4. Kinfolk came in the mail! 

x

-Ceilidh