a summer spot in September

“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” 

― Lewis Carroll

Lake Winnipesaukee is fast becoming one of my favorite places on this green earth. 

We've just returned back to Boston after a weekend full of

boats, the warmth of a new autumn sun, delicious food and heavenly ice cream, 

a very successful football Sunday, long afternoon naps,

and the company of friends. 

With a cool breeze woven through the sun's slowly distancing rays --

there is something magical about the perfect summer spot in September. 

Who could be so lucky?

“Who could be so lucky? Who comes to a lake for water 

and sees the reflection of moon.” 

― Rumi

Tall trees line the lake  |  beautiful mountain ridge  |  afternoon boat rides  |  a sleepy bird on a boat  |  the most delicious ice cream  |  the view from our bedroom  |  sleeping in with my favorite two people  |  rope swing below

We spent the weekend among friends on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. 

I am so thankful for sweet friends who opened up their beautiful home to all of us. 

I would not have changed a thing about the weekend...

even the promised thunder clouds loomed far away during the day.

It was hard to leave that beautiful lake 

and those trees lining the water tall - swaying gently in the breeze.

And as November nears, 

it is even harder to imagine leaving these friends we hold dear.

This time in our lives has been so full of the most unexpected, 

and so sweet in its many blessings. 

Who could be so lucky?

Harbor Islands

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.” 

― William G.T. She'd

Mr. D got off work early on Saturday, so we took a ferry with friends to one of the

Boston Harbor Islands. I love that Boston is right on the water!

I probably wouldn't recommend the island we went to, but it was still so nice

to spend the day outside with such good company. 

a weekend on a lake

“One June evening, when the orchards were pink-blossomed again, when the frogs were singing silverly sweet in the marshes about the head of the Lake of Shining Waters, and the air was full of the savor of clover fields and balsamic fir woods, Anne was sitting by her gable window.  - L.M. Montgomery

We spent the weekend with friends at their house on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. I do love this part of the country. Where pine trees line sprawling glass lakes and every town you pass by has such an english name that for a moment you pause just to remind yourself which side of the gigantic pond you are actually on. 


No alarm clocks. Delicious cinnamon rolls. Early morning kayaking. And lots of mid-afternoon naps. 


So thankful for our friends up here for making us feel more at home and for such a relaxing weekend on this dreamy northern lake. But we are back to our new reality and a full week ahead. 


Happy Monday!


[33 week post coming soon!]

Happy Birthday, Lucy!!

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. 

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,

where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace.” 

― Milan Kundera

Our Lucy girl is a whole year old. 

We celebrated with Logan and Janelle at one of Lucy's favorite places, The Dairy Godmother. 

She enjoyed every lick of her peanut butter puppy pop. 

Poor girl is still growing out her hair from her recent shave, 

but she was a hit with her party hat. 

Those first few puppy months weren't easy...but I can't imagine our family without her now.

She is such a good little companion and constantly has us laughing and smiling.

We are pretty convinced she's the best dog around.

Happy Birthday, Moose. 

a blizzard blows through Brooklyn.

“I love you because no two snowflakes are alike, 

and it is possible, if you stand tippy-toe, 

to walk between the raindrops. ”
― Nikki Giovanni

 We arrived in Brooklyn in a legitimate, full flung blizzard.
There was something wonderful about 

driving up through the first snow storm of the season in a car full of good friends.

First stop, Grimaldi's for some delicious pizza. 

There wasn't even a line because so few had braved the white stormy weather.

The weekend was wonderful and filled with so much delicious food -

 I so wish Monday hadn't arrived so soon.

The weather cleared up beautifully [although quite chilly] on Sunday 

and we headed to Brooklyn and stopped by the flea before piling back in the car for drive home.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend

and Happy Halloween!!

the road to New York

“Afoot and lighthearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world before me.”
― Walt Whitman

 Hot chocolate warming my hands, I'm ready to hit the road.

We are going to NYC this weekend with friends - 

a trip that we have been talking about for awhile now.

I can hardly wait to pile into the car 

and chase the changing leaves (and snow?!) North. 

We are leaving sweet Moose at a kennel for the first time.

She had to go to an orientation all day yesterday in preparation...

everyone loved her! But it sure was sad leaving her.

Hope you have a happy weekend!

photo here.

New York on my mind

“I would give the greatest sunset in the world 

for one sight of New York's skyline. 

Particularly when one can't see the details. Just the shapes. 

The shapes and the thought that made them. 

The sky over New York and the will of man made visible."

- Ayn Rand

 Mr. D and I got back from NYC late last night. 

And if you think our eyes look tired in these pictures, you should see them now!
We are exhausted...
but would do it all over again in a heart beat.

Talking with dear friends until 3:00 a.m. | Cuddling their new baby Eloise, the cutest little French Bulldog | Visiting the 9/11 Memorial | Birthday celebrations at Cipriani and the most delicious bread | The High Line - a new favorite | Brunch with friends at Eatery | Meandering through Eataly and swooning over the pasta and cheeses | Subway sounds and a growing new skyline

This weekend was devine. 

But its the friends we saw that made it so fun and worth the while.

Now we are back in the District [much to Moose's delight] 

full of memories and longing for a much needed and highly anticipated nap. 

my best.

"True friends are always together in spirit."
— L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

This past year has been so full in so many ways

but one of the greatest gifts has been this girl who is

much more like a sister than just a friend to my blood sister-less self.

She is one of the strongest most resilient women I know 

and too dear a friend for mere words to recount.

I'm hoping to see her soon - its been months too long. 

-------------

Irene came and went taking quite a few trees from our neighborhood along with her

but she left the most beautiful weather in her wake.

The air is crisp and the sky so blue.

when words become unclear...

"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. 

When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence." 
— Ansel Adams

On a whim, we decided to go to the National Gallery of Art

and within 5 minutes of driving, we were downtown and parked literally right in front of the Gallery.

As we meandered through the wooded walls and grand halls

I couldn't stop thinking how lucky we are to live where we do - 

and as we stared at the Capitoline Venus

(on loan to the United States for the first time)

I suddenly wanted to spend hours learning from and being inspired by

all of the great minds and artists whose work is literally moments from our doorstep.

Afterward, 

we walked a couple of blocks to meet up with some of our favorite DC friends 

and eventually we all ended up at Good Stuff Eatery where the peaches n'cream

milkshake swept my heart away. 

There are so many places to go when words become unclear...

this summer, I plan to make the most of being right here.

summertime weekends.

"Summertime is always the best of what might be."
— Charles Bowden

 Im thinking of turning my whole windowless box into 

a large version of this picnic suitcase.

 -------------

Ive never been happier for a weekend to arrive.

Mr. D got home last night which has made the whole day seem so bright and

I couldn't stop smiling all morning.

The weather here in the District is supposed to be sunny and beautiful

and we are going to a BBQ cook-off downtown with friends tomorrow.

All I need is a real picnic to make this weekend perfect.

Here's to summertime weekends, family, friends and lots of good food!

photograph found here.

waffles in bed.

"The power of finding beauty in the humblest things 

makes home happy and life lovely."
— Louisa May Alcott

 Home.

Yesterday morning, I woke up in our tree house nestled between pillows and draped in sheets

to the sound of pantry doors and drawers being opened and closed...

shortly thereafter, I was served husband-made waffles in bed

and this rush of blissful joy ran through me.

Immeasurable gladness to be home with Mr. D.

Weddings take on a whole new meaning to me now that I'm married -

I have never been more thankful or in love with my husband.

The wedding was beautiful and the friends enduring.

After the wedding we drove to Vegas and hung out 

with a handful of couples who I so enjoyed spending time with.

And now, its good. So good. 

To be home.

----

the ground beneath my feet.

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." 
— Augustine of Hippo

Husband's best friend is getting married and so we are heading westbound. 

I've been gliding above ground lately -

acutely  aware of the hard surface beneath my feet. 

But I can't feel it. 

And I feel so blessed to be here, 

 yet I am looking forward to every moment moving forward

and somehow a little lost in beautiful memories of the past. 

And so this weightless timeline

has me longing to travel - to take as much in as I can 

to really feel it in my chest and touch it with my hands.

Because I know the ground is there

somewhere beneath my feet. 

---------

I am looking forward to going on this trip with Mr. D -

he is my very favorite person to travel with...

and I get to see my best friend on Friday which is simply the most amazing gift. 

Hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week!

photography by Amber of liveitoutphotography

through a lens

"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see."
— Edgar Degas

 Mr. D and I had the honor of being photographed by Amber and Jon of Live It Out Photography

a little while ago and we have since become friends with the talented pair. 

We did another shoot with them a few weeks back 

and can't wait to see how the all photographs turned out. 

But in the mean time...

you can see shots from our first shoot. 

I'll post the link tomorrow!

Photography by Amber taken with her holga

a house full of reminders

"But I love your feet 
only because they walked 

upon the earth and upon 

the wind and upon the waters, 

until they found me." 

— Pablo Neruda

I love that our house is full of things that remind us of how blessed we are...

a corner hutch built by my grandpa when my parents were first married,

a civil war trunk that I can remember from when I was little, 

oil paintings by an artist I know as my mom, 

a leash hook that looks like Lucy girl from my mother-in-law and sister-in-law,

a reading chair that was in my first bedroom 

among a ton of other hand-me-downs that we truly cherish.

And now, 

we are surrounded by wedding gifts - so many I can hardy believe -

and each reminds me of their giver.

Mr.D and I are so thankful for all that we have been afforded and blessed with. 

And while true riches are not gathered in material things, 

the people behind them could never be replaced.

PS  I swear that even water tastes better in our new orange glasses...

cake & flowers

"When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. 

When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too."
— Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist 

 Whenever I get a little stressed thinking about the day or the next 6 months...

I think about our wedding day - a reminder that everything always works out, 

a token to just enjoy every minute.

On New Years Eve, the day before our wedding,

we went to the flower market in NYC to pick out flowers

and later that night we walked a couple of blocks to this little bakery on the Upper West Side

where the sweetest old women anxiously whipped together our wedding cake. 

I treasure each and every person we ran into that weekend

and their shared excitement and joy even though we were strangers.

 Hope you enjoy every minute of the weekend -

knowing full well that it works out...

sometimes even better than you could have imagined.

photography by Carin Davis

birds and lace.

"I've got nothing to do today but smile."
— Simon and Garfunkel

We celebrated this weekend dancing with those we love.

And tonight we are about to fall asleep feeling more 

blessed than ever before.

Toasts that made my eyes water with thankfulness and joy

and well wishes that mean the world. 

I will never forget this weekend and how much it meant to us.

a time to celebrate

"We should consider every day lost 

on which we have not danced at least once."
— Friedrich Nietzsche

 A tiny sneak peak from the photo shoot in April with Amber and Jon of Live it Out Photography.

It was really so much fun to work with them - their creative energy is seamless and dreamy.

I can't wait to see/share all the pictures! 

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Today is my last full day at work as we get ready to celebrate this weekend!

I can't believe how blessed Mr. D and I are - so many people are flying in and its been 

better than Christmas at our house with such amazing gifts appearing on our doorstep.

We are seriously so thankful and overwhelmed with all the kindness shown from friends and family.

I really can't wait to be with everyone and dance.  
A lot of dancing.

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Photograph by live it out photography