Going Home to our first New York Summer in the new place!

On May 26, 2025 By halfpassLeave a comment

We will be leaving Florida on Saturday. I cannot believe how long it’s been since posting here. We have a new buddy for Schuyler. His name is Jamie and he’s quite the rascal! I’m a little worried about the car and hotel room when we travel this weekend.

As always, these last two weeks in Florida are bittersweet. I don’t want to leave but I do want to go home for the summer. I find myself watching home design shows and thumbing through my design books. I’m always on the hunt for inspiration. But I am embracing the slow motion school of design. I really rather be underdone than overdone!

Going through my photos, I’m frustrated not to have enough new ones to share.

When Carmine was home last, he took this photo of the pool house cupola with the light working. I haven’t seen it in person yet. But since this is a bit of an homage to my backyard, I’m glad to have it.

We haven’t had a summer here yet, so I am adding winter and fall photos for the heck of it.

This one is good. The pool is closed of course, as is the cabana. I haven’t even begun to address the cabana yet. That will be the first project when I get home. I want to place a fire pit in front of those doors and surround it with seating. Wood burning of course!

This is the other place I’m yearning to dress. Back porch. I’m hoping for breakfasts, suppers with friends, a comfy chair for reading in the shade. Naturally, tons of flowers.

Hiding behind the hydrangeas is a small summer kitchen. I say parties large and small this summer need to be planned.

Random shot of a chocolate martini last summer at one of our local regular spots, “Fat Fish on the Bay.” I haven’t even begun to keep refining my own variation of this called, “Starry, Starry Nights”. I love a chocolate martini, especially in the summer.

Looking forward to dining on the bay at another favorite hangout, “Tres Palms.”

And finally, enjoying sunsets over the bay from the master bedroom balcony.

Busy

On October 6, 2024October 6, 2024 By halfpassLeave a comment

I haven’t been keeping up here, so this is just an exercise in discipline. Be back for more October stuff later.

We lost our beloved Spencer two weeks ago.

Spencer on Fire Island. I love this photo.

The hunt is on for a buddy for Schuyler. Those updates will be shared.

Enjoy this lovely weather we are having in the northeast.

Canals on the Great South Bay

On August 21, 2024 By halfpassLeave a comment

I’ve been wanting to share canal photos. The mainland shore of the Great South Bay is made up of rivers, creeks, and many man made canals. Since the early days of the fisherman, sailors, and merchants, Long Island’s South Shore has been a magnet for those who love the water and can’t bear the thought of not being on the water. The South Shore villages and towns date back to the colonial era and vestiges of that history can be found. Today I just want to share some canals. But at some point I’m going to create a photo essay of some older homes near the water.

Private beach where the canal meets the bay-West Islip.

I will be back with more. See you next time.

Midsummer 2024

On August 8, 2024August 8, 2024 By halfpass1 Comment

I’m late posting the midway vignettes of summer. I am truly enjoying my coastal lifestyle since moving last year. We are making more changes moving forward but will just let them happen as they will!

The chocolate martini is emerging as my summer drink. Who can resist an adult milkshake?

Dinner on the bay. Windswept and delicious. Fat Fish on the Bay.

My son in law
and me at my nephew’s birthday.

I do plan more summer photos as the summer evolves.

I will leave you with a glorious night sky .

And the projects are piling up

On June 12, 2024June 12, 2024 By halfpassLeave a comment

I know it’s Wednesday, not Monday, but I’m starting my project list. I do hope to break it all down into manageable jobs. I decided one inside task and one outside. I need an outside one because the weather has been too good to miss.

I’m still coughing so I will cut myself some slack!

Going to start by weeding the raised bed and clipping back the peonies as they are finished for this year

Hopefully, I will get the get the raised beds weeded , composted and started this week. The sunniest beds are for my culinary herbs, some lavender, and tomatoes. Until I get the overgrown hedges clipped ( not by me!) I think the back shadier box I will give over to flowers that can take a little less sun. I’m not going crazy this year with too many veggies although I may try some cucumber.

Stopped at Young’s Farm and got some beautiful rhubarb and tomatoes. Hoping to create something fun like a fool, a crisp, or even just stew it. The color is glorious.

Gorgeous rhubarb, tomatoes, and a little blueberry pound loaf from the farmstand!

Hopefully I can show progress soon!

And we are back….

On June 10, 2024 By halfpassLeave a comment

Accompanied by a bad cold. We’ve been home a week already. Yesterday I finally felt caught up to myself. And such a shame, because I missed a week of really glorious weather. Naturally it rained yesterday morning. The rest of the day was great. We even went to Nick’s on the Bay for an early dinner and ate outside. Next time I will take photos. Good food and great bay and marina views.

The hydrangeas have begun to bloom! I snipped a few in their burgeoning honor.

The first hydrangeas in the kitchen window.

I’m really enjoying morning tea in the conservatory, just watching the weather and the water. And of course the flowers.

The rain makes a pleasant softness to the windowpanes.

Just before we came home, we had the entire house, garage, and flower shed power washed. I was so surprised by the shingle color change! From dark gray to a rather light beige. My husband likes it but I confess that I look forward to the salt doing its job and turning them silver.

So we are here with masses to do. I still have boxes of books to sort through and shelve. Still rooms to be painted. A tree to take down. Patio furniture to buy. Thinking about a big open house the week after the Fourth of July!

And January comes…

On January 7, 2024 By halfpassLeave a comment

Happily, I’ve gotten Christmas packed away. Back to the boxes! I’m making a real push this week to finish up before we head to Florida next week. I really haven’t gotten a chance to decorate. We are still in the “ unpack and put it away” stage!

But there are vignettes beginning to emerge, even if just temporary. The entry stairwell table pleased me, so here it is.

Fun that it’s the year of the Dragon! I have a lot of dragon themed blue and white.

As you can see, the rest of the foyer is a bit bland. We will get to it!

Hoping the next boxes of books yield the ones I need for the living room built ins! For now, I have to depend on the collies for ambiance!

Saying adieu on 123123

On December 31, 2023December 31, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

It’s been quite the year. I sold my beloved Bella Blu Farm, moved to a smaller home in Florida, my dearest Joylena has a new and wonderful owner, then the we sold the Cove House and moved into our new lovely, but flawed, place on the Bay in West Islip.

I’m still unpacking. And yeah, I’m tired. Definitely too many goodbyes for me this year. Looking forward to 2024, which SHOULD be uneventful by comparison. But, you never know!

Here are some photos from the last 2 months. Most are holiday but I’m trying to give you a sense of where we are on “ before and after “ here at the new place.

Living room from the pass through of the kitchen.

Still thinking to paint the built ins white to open the space up.

So much still to unpack so the foyer was only modestly decorated.

Before the gray got eliminated! Loving it white.

Schuyler and Spencer dreaming by the hearth.

Hoping, as the boxes dwindle, my posts increase. We are off to Bella Blu South soon. Wishing everyone visiting my blog a happy and prosperous New Year!

I know! It’s been a while

On December 5, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

So the move from hell continued. We finally closed October 27 and it’s been tough ever since. We’ve been painting for the last two weeks which basically means shifting boxes, dogs, and humans from room to room. We can’t unpack anymore until the painting is done! So, we aren’t too comfortable at the moment.

The good news is: the bedrooms upstairs are done. We get to sleep in a bed! One’s own bed should never be overrated. And we can watch tv in the evening as we await getting our family room back.

Everything is going white or pale blue currently. Although, when we paint the kitchen (to be sprayed while we are in Florida this winter) I’m going to do navy on the base cabinets and bright white on the uppers. I’m craving clean and crisp just now. Just need to be careful we don’t make it too cold feeling.

Going to share a few “befores”. You’re just going to have to wait for some “afters”.

Not too bad. But the beige chair on the left is blocking the dining room.

The library blue needs to be corrected. A little too 9 year old boy for me. Will go lighter and slightly grayer.

Paint done here. Decorating can begin soon.

That’s it for today. Trust me, more mess will come. But, hopefully, it’s going to look great eventually.

In the final days

On October 9, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

This Friday is the closing. We were at the house on Thursday to inspect the pool. Unfortunately, the sellers had not recently serviced the pool! So the inspection was incomplete. It’s now getting cold and we need that pool closed and we don’t know if everything works properly. Grrr!

On the upside, the sellers have removed all their patio furniture. The garden is rather shaggy and needs pruning, but I have some clean shots of the house. I’m really happy with the space and look. When we get patio furniture, I’m looking for the classic Hamptons to Maine style: lots of teak, cedar, wicker! I am excited about our new backyard.

Just some photos from Thursday.