Category Archives: Our Cottage

A Christmas Tea 2020…

Posted on December 23, 2020 by Marcia Ren

🎄Be truly glad…there is wonderful joy ahead.🎄 -Peter 1:6 Hello, sweet friend… Merry Christmas! Recently I asked Joe what he would like for Christmas…he said he didn’t need or want anything…that all my cooking during this pandemic was the biggest most wonderful gift of all. He went on expressing gratitude for my efforts in preparing meals while also creating a beautiful cozy home for us. Honestly, I was a bit gobsmacked! I thanked him and while handing him my Christmas wish list (giggle) I knew just what to give my charming husband… I would surprise him with a Christmas Tea! 👩‍🍳 What’s Cooking… Along with a variety of simple tea sandwiches such as egg salad, smoked salmon and cucumber… I also baked semi-homemade scones using a can of mandarin oranges with a handful of chocolate chips. I baked Krusteaz lemon bars and pulled out a few sugar cookies I had … Continue reading →

Posted in A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Our Cottage, Together Apart, What’s Cooking? | 7 Comments

The Love of Home…Decorate…Bake…Repeat…

Posted on December 10, 2020 by Marcia Ren

“He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.” -Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe Hello, sweet friend… Today I thought I’d share a bit of my Christmas decor… This is admittedly the most decorating… I’ve done… since our move from SoCal five years ago. I’ve had so much fun this season… decorating trees & mantels. Decorating has been a labor of love for me… and realize that… my style isn’t for everyone… So I definitely encourage you to find your own. That being said… Coming home will always be the best feeling in the world to me… and though this Christmas… may be a little different than last… I hope… you will always be… merry in your hearts. Here we are at the top of the stairway… where I’ve wrapped a bit of garland & red bows around the banister… 👩‍🍳 Let’s Bake… Sugar Cookies Everyone … Continue reading →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, My Style, Our Cottage, Together Apart, What’s Cooking? | 4 Comments

The Lights of Christmas…& A Recipe For Gingerbread

Posted on December 3, 2020 by Marcia Ren

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime. – Laura Ingalls Wilder Hello, sweet friend… This is the time of year… where most people begin their Christmas decorating… unless they were like me and couldn’t wait for the sparkle, twinkle & shine to begin. The lights on a Christmas tree automatically brings a smile to my face. This year more than ever I want to make the most of this magical time… before it’s gone. Over the next few weeks I thought it would be fun to share how I’ve decorated. But for now what do you say we grab a cute apron…something warm to drink (it’s chilly where I live) and bake! 👩‍🍳What’s Cooking? Gingerbread Last year a friend that I met via Facebook (Jill) told me about the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Our Cottage, Together Apart, What’s Cooking? | 4 Comments

Homeward Bound…& A Recipe For Peach Cobbler

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Marcia Ren

Our truest life is when we are dreams awake. –Henry David Thoreau Hello, sweet friends… This weekend marks one year living in our home…and so I thought it would be appropo to share how things have evolved. So far, (due to the pandemic) half of the year in our new home has been spent at home. There’s a big difference between living in a place that you simply rely on for necessity and… living in a place that you really feel at home in. I’m not certain how much the pandemic has altered my view of home… however it has changed the way I’ve experienced it these last few months. My thoughts now include that “Home” is where the rags in my life can be turned into quilts…lemons become lemonade…and those few extra pounds are simply welcomed as “more to love”… That being said this past year also brought the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Our Cottage, What’s Cooking? | 6 Comments

A Quarantined Life…What I’ve Learned About Myself…(so far)

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Marcia Ren

Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all. Hello, sweet friend… There has never been a better time to get to know yourself —intentionally or not… This week I decided to take Joe’s suggestion and write about masks. I’m now realizing that perhaps he was referring to the cute ones I made… that being said… I’ve been able to see and experience another part of myself day-to-day…week-to-week in this whole evolution of quarantine time. It’s a strange revelation, during a time of social distancing, just how important a healthy relationship with yourself can be. As life pauses and reorganizes… I’ve found this time as a unique opportunity to embrace these changes, by being more loving …kind and compassionate to myself. I’ve always thought ( been told ) I was an extrovert as I excel in social situations… don’t have trouble talking to (never) or in front of (seldom) … Continue reading →

Posted in A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Cooking, Our Cottage, Together Apart | 9 Comments