Soup Like Baxters

I've never eaten Baxters Soups before, but their latest TV advert really speaks to me. Last-minute company coming for dinner at your isolated stone cottage in the beautiful, windblown countryside? Just drag out an old wooden table and chairs and an armload of candles, get a small bonfire going, and head outside with wool-sweater-clad family and friends and, of course, your adorable dog, to dine upon warming soups and crusty bread amidst laughter and reminiscences. Sunset over the lake makes it just that much better.

Around Here Lately

Sorry I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks. I've been spending more time on Pinterest lately; in fact, that's become my new repository for cool things I find online (including great finds via other Pinners, of course!). But here are some photos that will show you a few things we've been doing lately:

Here is The Husband with his Scottish friend, both be-kilted and ready to cheer on the Scottish national soccer team at a match down in Lichtenstein.  The Tartan Army was on the move! 

Bagpipers instead of cheerleaders: a good choice, in my opinion--just sayin'.

And back in our neck of the woods: these fluffy, curious cows hang out in a field out behind our village. They are so adorable, but one of them is not very kind to the other one.

This is the nice one.

If you're out walking or riding on the paved roads that cut across the fields, you'd better be on the lookout for these road-hogs.

Here's the reason we were out on our bikes, dodging the road hogs that afternoon: foraged sloes and rose hips! We had our first frost the night before, so it was a good time to pick. I'll be getting more soon!

Real School

As a devoted, ardent Anglophile, I'd love to have slightly easier access to England. Yes, I know I'm comparatively close, but it's no simple thing just to hop over from Germany on a weekend--it's possible, but unlikely for several reasons, financial and otherwise. Anyway, I think it would be pretty cool to be able to attend the occasional workshop at River Cottage (even the males in my family go gaga when they watch Hugh cook).



There are also wonderful-sounding classes at brilliant Alain de Botton's The School of Life, in London. How to Spend Time Alone, Words for Life, Dinner with Virginia Wolfe? Sign me up! Of course, there are many and varied reasons for going to England; these are just two life-skills-related ones that popped into my head this afternoon, when Monica's post touching on the concept of bibliotherapy reminded me that The School of Life actually employs bibliotherapists. Could bibliotherapist just possibly be one of the coolest jobs ever?

Magazine Love: A Shot of Green

It's starting to turn chilly here now, after a few fits and starts over the past several weeks.

But just before all thoughts of color turn toward oranges, browns, reds, and yellows, let's behold the green glories of the holiday home (I think?) of Helma Bongenaar and her family, in Amsterdam. When I caught a glimpse of this wonderful house, I had to buy the August 2010 issue of Vtwonen right away. I've been meaning to share this feature here for a while.

I especially love the kitchen, of course!

It's all so vintagey-gorgeous! Hope you like it as much as I do. Now, Autumn--full speed ahead!