2018-01-01 22:51
I've been dancing around this door for years, wishing it would close on its own, sparing me from making a hard decision. But the time has come to put my big girl panties on and close the gat… Read More
Blog Directory > Design Blogs > Architecture Blogs > Rattlebridge Farm architecture Blog >
Rattlebridge Farm Blog
designsbygollum.blogspot.com
A daily blog about interior designs with ideas and tips
2017-12-18 20:28
In this house, small changes can take longer than a massive overhaul. Around Thanksgiving, I decided to work on the dining room. I removed heavy, green-gold draperies that had come with the… Read More
2017-12-13 06:42
Christmas is a season of magic.Time moves in all directions--past, present, future. I stood on my tiptoes, hanging a wreath on the tall mirror, and I glimpsed my reflection. I didn't se… Read More
2017-12-11 07:26
Last Christmas, the house was completely decorated by early December. I'm taking an unhurried approach this year, and I'm enjoying the process. Over the weekend, I drank hot cocoa and watche… Read More
2017-12-05 06:16
My 90-year old mother claims that I was raised by a dog--a Weimaraner named Cindy. Mom wasn't kidding. During my childhood, Cindy was my protector and companion, and if I whimpered… Read More
2017-11-29 21:49
I'm way behind on decking the halls. Tyler and I couldn't agree how to hang the live garlands on the windows, so we looked at last year's photos. We decided to wire two garlands togeth… Read More
2017-11-28 01:36
I've lived in the ranch house for two years, and I've just now started working on the dining room. It takes me forever to pull the trigger, but I don't mind waiting. I'm glad I did.Continue… Read More
2017-11-20 23:47
The editors of InStyle Magazine are celebrating the publication of their beautiful guide to chic, effortless gatherings--Instyle Parties: The Complete Guide to Easy, Elegant Entert… Read More
2017-11-08 01:25
"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."-- Ralph Waldo EmersonThe speed of modern life makes it easy to overlook mysteries and magic in my own backyard. But when I bend close to t… Read More
2017-11-01 05:10
"November comes And November goes, With the last red berries And the first white snows.With night coming early,  &hell…Read More
2017-10-31 05:00
This week I'm participating in a week-long Thanksgiving tablescape blog hop, organized by Chloe at Celebrate and Decorate, and I'm looking forward to a daily dose of inspiration. You'll find… Read More
2017-10-28 05:11
Like many Terrier owners, I'm a tad obsessed with our Scottie . . . and smitten. Continue Reading » Read More
2017-10-16 08:00
I know a place on the edge of wildness, where brambles twist up from the ground, green and alive, welded to the barbed wire. Just beyond the old fence, you'll find a world untouched by devel… Read More
2017-10-14 00:23
I've always liked exterior brick walls. They are downright pretty, adding texture and subtle color, creating a pleasing backdrop to vines, hydrangeas, or trellises. Also, they can be wonderf… Read More
2017-10-11 05:20
I've been meaning to paint inside the She Shed, but it's just too hot. Still, there's plenty to do outside the little house. Want to join me for a brainstorming session?Continue Reading &raq&hell…Read More
2017-10-09 17:17
I love October's temperature extremes. A hot-as-blazes day can turn into a crisp evening, prompting me to reach for a lightweight sweater. This is the month to play in the yard, to relish th… Read More
2017-10-08 00:06
"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October." -- Nathaniel HawthorneThe slig… Read More
2017-10-04 06:26
I haven't had a dedicated writing room since the late 80s and early 90s. It was a narrow room with built-in white cabinets and a north-facing window. Tulip-covered wallpaper gave me the gard… Read More
2017-10-03 05:00
Every October, I pull out the Halloween goodies and decorate the house with childlike delight. When the boys were small, I put up spooky trees and iced spider web cookies, loving every momen… Read More
2017-10-02 06:33
When crisp, chilly October days arrive in Tennessee, I start dreaming of one-pot meals. They're for homebodies. However, one-pot meals aren't for exhausted cooks. When you are frayed and wea… Read More
2017-09-30 20:40
A week ago, I was in the middle of a long overdue DIY project: transforming a 70s era pool house into a She Shed. I plodded along, working diligently and passionately, if ineptly. While the… Read More
2017-09-24 19:34
Last weekend, I grabbed the camera and followed Jasper and Tyler around the yard. My goal is to create a puppy journal, but it's a challenge to take photos of a fast-moving Scottie. Usually… Read More
2017-09-23 03:14
For a long time, I'd had my eye on the pool house. It was self-contained, with heating, air, sinks, and a bathroom. It felt like a quiet, simple retreat (rather than a typical pool house), a… Read More
2017-09-19 22:53
"Every leaf speaks bliss to me,Fluttering from the autumn tree."-- Emily Brontë, English Novelist and Poet After a few days of chilly weather, the trees took notice. It'… Read More
2017-09-17 20:00
As the warm, golden days of September blend into chilly evenings, I start to crave spicy foods. Last weekend, time and energy collided, along with crisp weather--it was the perfect moment to… Read More
2017-09-13 05:00
Five months old, and Jasper is a comedienne in a fur costume.Continue Reading » Read More
2017-09-12 05:09
The smell of freshly peeled apples defines early autumn. As a result, when September arrives, I begin my search for a just-right apple cake. On Labor Day weekend, I finally had time to… Read More
2017-09-11 05:15
This post really should be titled, In Praise of Raised Beds or Gardening for People Who Don't Have Muscles. Otherwise, you'd be reading about one of my failed apple cakes. Luckily, our… Read More
2017-09-10 03:49
The mild, sweet days of September have awakened my gardening soul. I drove to the greenhouse and picked out a few mums and replaced my ragged gloves. I'm not quite ready to buy pansies, but… Read More
2017-08-30 11:00
September is almost here, but I'm not quite ready to cook hearty meals. Warm, muggy evenings call for something light and refreshing--and easy. What's more perfect than a colorful, flavor-pa… Read More
2017-08-29 05:28
I'm delighted to join an amazing group of bloggers for a fall tablescape blog hop, organized by the talented Chloe Crabtree of the popular blog, Celebrate and Decorate. You'll fin… Read More
2017-08-23 05:40
August gives us a chance to savor the very best of summer. Seasonal produce is vibrant and abundant, calling out from gardens and roadside stands. Soon enough, we'll be knee deep in cinnamon… Read More
2017-08-22 06:04
The total solar eclipse ventured into my neck of the woods on August 21st, putting my hilltop in the path of totality--a 70-mile wide band stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. The last… Read More
2017-08-21 05:41
Mid-August is heat lightning and crickets, blazing sunsets, county fairs and tent revivals, iced tea in tall frosty glasses. The long, humid days cry out for a simple meal. No side dishes or… Read More
2017-08-19 18:18
It's 78 degrees this morning, the ideal time to walk around the yard and take notes. First, we'll stop by the pond and feed the baby koi. This spot feels private and peaceful. Each side is b… Read More
2017-08-13 03:25
“Be faithful to your own taste, because nothing you really like is ever out of style.”-- Billy BaldwinBut haven't you ever bought something you liked and later, you had seco… Read More
2017-08-08 23:45
Rain was on the way, so I took advantage of a breezy, sunny moment to eat on the porch. It's soothing and quiet out there, a place to regroup and reflect. A Medrol Dosepak left me feeling li… Read More
2017-08-07 05:00
The other day, a fit of decorating wildness came over me, and before I knew it, I'd decided to shake up the sunroom. Continue Reading » Read More
2017-08-06 02:10
"Our perfect companions never have less than four feet."-- Colette Our Scottie puppy, Jasper, is 4 months old. Though we bought him a few summer outfits, Jasper thinks they're horrible… Read More
2017-08-03 05:00
"My idea of gardening is to discover something wild in my wood and weed around it with the utmost care until it has a chance to grow and spread."-- Margaret Bourke-White, American phot… Read More
2017-08-02 05:26
In November, we will have lived on the hilltop two years, and I still have so much to do, mainly because I decorate in the turtle style. Continue Reading » Read More
2017-08-01 06:11
"I must write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it's being conscience of living."-- Anne Morrow LindberghWithout having a solid plan or expectations… Read More
2017-07-31 05:50
During the 31-Day Challenge, I found myself questioning the definition of joy. The word is used as a synonym for happiness and contentment, but are they interchangeable? And what about other… Read More
2017-07-30 05:00
During my 31-Day challenge, I wrote about the quest for joy and the roadblocks that prevent us from developing a resilient foundation. Sometimes I think I wrote more about the roadblocks, bu… Read More
2017-07-29 05:00
Through the ages, talented women have been squeezed into narrow pigeonholes. We were expected to be wives and mothers, and our avocations were supposed to enhance our primary role. When I wa… Read More
2017-07-28 05:00
I remember a Thanksgiving in the blue mountains of the Cumberland Rim, the air spiced with roasting turkey, sauteed onions, browning rolls. Visitors came and went, catching up on stories. On… Read More
2017-07-27 05:00
Each summer my mother sent me away to live with my Southern grandmother. Mimi loved Jesus, lemon pound cake, old fashioned roses, and afternoon tea. As she hummed "In the Garden," she brewed… Read More
2017-07-26 05:14
I remember a hot summer day in 1985, when my youngest son was a toddler. I filled a plastic wading pool in the backyard, and he entertained himself by dipping cupfuls of water out of the poo… Read More
2017-07-25 11:00
At times, blogging reminds me of a fast-moving river, its powerful current rushing downstream, washing away everything in its path. Rocks are eroded, creek beds are carved out, and debris is… Read More
2017-07-24 14:24
A few years ago, I took a writing course to help me better understand my characters and their motivations. The class delved into a personality tool called Enneagrams. It consists of 9… Read More
2017-07-23 18:15
During my search for a slower, sweeter lifestyle, I kept track of daily speed bumps--a whole cluster came from social media. I just couldn't believe it. After all, I am a Facebook Failure an… Read More
2017-07-22 18:00
"When one door closes, another opens." That's what my mother always said. "And don't forget about windows," my grandmother would add. Apparently this quote isn't in the Bible, and it is attr… Read More
2017-07-21 19:57
Joy has its own music, a spiritual hymn with movement and melodies, the notes playing through our days. And it can be muted by the sheer busyness of living. Without realizing it, we can beco… Read More
2017-07-20 16:06
Do you live a LOUD life?Or a quiet life?Continue Reading » Read More
2017-07-19 05:00
During the long winter, I studied positive affirmations, and I slowly began to understand that I was like Dorothy Gale, stuck in Oz, unaware that I had the power to return home by clic… Read More
2017-07-18 05:00
What if joy was a rare event, occurring only once a year? Not only would we look forward to that day, we would also worry that something might steal it. What if a catastrophe ruined our spec… Read More
2017-07-17 19:26
In the Medieval period, people believed that life's ups and downs were governed by the Wheel of Fortune. When the zenith was reached, the inexorable, downward journey began. From peasants to… Read More
2017-07-16 19:10
"And they lived happily ever after. . . ."A storybook life only happens to fictional characters. In real life, the prince turned out to be a compulsive philanderer, gambler, drug abuser, or… Read More
2017-07-15 19:43
Our lives are shot through with colorful threads. Some dangle out of reach, luring us with a metallic sheen; others lay behind us in hopeless tangles. We may reach for a thread that's so sho… Read More
2017-07-15 00:17
"This is your old house," a friend said, pointing to an image on her iPad. I bent closer. Sure enough, the boxy architecture looked familiar--the same four-over-four windows, an L-shaped por… Read More
2017-07-13 05:55
No one can sustain a joyful state. Bad days are just part of being human. Yesterday was packed with challenges, and my pulse zoomed, fast and irregular, like a squirrel racing across piano k… Read More
2017-07-13 05:48
The journey to happiness begins in the mind. It starts as a kernel, and the kernel turns into a decision; the decision turns into a plan, and the plan turns into actionable steps.With steps… Read More
2017-07-11 05:07
At some point in your life, you may have put on your favorite striped outfit and asked a quintessential question: "Does this dress make me look fat?" The question beneath the question is, "D… Read More
2017-07-10 05:07
A few times a week, the neighborhood cat, Gladys, puts dead birds and moles on the doormat. These unwelcome gifts made my chest tighten, so I bought her a collar, one with bells. But she was… Read More
2017-07-09 05:00
The phone rang in the middle of a cold winter night. It was New Year's Eve, 1975. Even before my husband lifted the receiver, the ringing continued in my mind. Something was dreadfully wrong… Read More
2017-07-08 05:42
I began a 31-Day challenge on July 1st, and a week later, I still haven't offered step-by-step ways to infuse joy into our lives. It's tempting to create a punch list, drawn from cliches. Yo… Read More
2017-07-07 05:42
July 7, 2017My grandmother used to say that choices are like desserts in Morrison's Cafeteria. We make decisions based on emotions, memories, and available information. As we pass thro… Read More
2017-07-06 06:07
A few months ago, I thumbed through my 2016 diaries. The pages reminded me of a long and winding road, each thick, spiral notebook filled with twists and hairpin turns. The volumes were a re… Read More
2017-07-05 05:00
July 5, 2017Nurture Your CreativityEvery morning I take vitamins for seniors. I'm "only" 63 1/2 years old, but why quibble? On the advice of my doctor, I drink easy-to-digest Ensure (the 80… Read More
2017-07-04 05:45
July 4, 2017When I was a girl, my family celebrated Independence Day at Center Hill Lake. Daddy launched his boat, and we caught crappie, bass, and the occasional blue gill. At home, M… Read More
2017-07-03 05:00
July 3, 2017 The other day, as I looked at images on Tumblr and Pinterest, I stopped feeling inspired and began to fidget. What was wrong? Didn't I enjoy looking at layer cakes and bord… Read More
2017-07-02 15:34
Do you define yourself as a blogger? A writer? Artist? Musician? Baker? Blogging/writing/baking are things we do, not who we are.Inside, you are filled with mysteries and magic. Yo… Read More
2017-07-02 01:00
July 1, 2017Since the end of March, I've been struggling with my garden. Maybe the problems are age and infirmity; or maybe I've got too many petunias.Whatever the reasons, I'm determinded t… Read More
2017-06-15 01:37
When it comes to Scotties, most people imagine a fiesty, short-legged terrier with quizzical eyebrows, a distinctive jaw, and a black coat. Actually, they come in three colors: black, wheate… Read More
2017-06-13 01:23
And suddenly it's early summer and the hydrangeas are in full bloom. They add color, grace, and a certain playfulness to the yard. They remind me to retain a child-like joy. As I drag… Read More
2017-06-05 18:04
Last Saturday, I attended the Scottish Terrier Rescue Picnic and Fun Day, and a delightful feature included a Scottie-themed camper, owned by glamping enthusist and Scottie lover D… Read More
2017-06-04 00:24
Every June, an extraordinary event happens in my neck of the woods. The Scottish Terrier Rescue of Tennessee hosts a picnic and silent auction at the local fairground. The magic begins with… Read More
2017-05-22 23:42
Two months ago, after an unexpected detour, I wondered if I'd ever get back into the kitchen. But time, rest, and an iron-rich diet helped me get back on my feet. Now, I'm doing a litt… Read More
2017-05-21 00:59
Rain is on the way, but we have time for a quick walk around the yard. Continue Reading » Read More
2017-05-17 22:50
When May temperatures soar to 80-plus degrees, the soul cries out for a cold, creamy dessert. I remember hot, humid summers in my grandmother's Southern kitchen. I'd climb on a stool a… Read More
2017-05-10 16:59
A few weekends ago, Bandwidth and I attended another dog show. I'd brought his camera (just in case he decided to try his hand at being a puparazzi, like his mum). He went in one direc… Read More
2017-05-09 03:58
My mother and grandmother always referred to peonies as "funeral flowers. That seemed odd, considering these flowers have a brief, if memorable, blooming season. Surely a mourner would be ha… Read More
2017-05-03 04:29
If you love dogs, raise your hand.Continue Reading » Read More
2017-05-01 21:27
How does that song by Carly Simon go? Anticipation . . . . As we wait for our puppy, we feel something greater than lil' ole anticipation. Necessary equipment has been gathered, along w… Read More
2017-04-02 23:38
Last week began with so much promise. I had the pleasure of visiting with my darling granddaughter, Annabel, and it was clear that we shared a love of gardens and old watering cans.Continue… Read More
2017-03-28 05:34
"And suddenly you know: it's time to start something newand trust in the magic of beginnings." -- Meister EckhartFebruary - March 2017All journeys have a beginning. After t… Read More
2017-03-27 05:51
Last weekend, I attended a dog show in West Tennessee with my family. Bandwidth and my husband went in one direction; I went in another. By the time we reconnected, we couldn't stop smiling… Read More
2017-03-13 06:02
We're dog people. My mother says that I was co-raised by dog--a blue Weimerainer named Cindy. This 60 pound beauty would gently prop her nose into my crib and make sure I was breathing… Read More
2017-03-08 06:00
I need no prodding to enjoy an afternoon on the porch. In early March, the trees haven't fully leafed out, and the view shows a wide sweep of sky and mountains. It's a view with an expiratio… Read More
2017-03-01 06:04
Continue Reading » Read More
2017-02-28 07:27
February Weather Journal2/1/17-- The month begins with 58 degrees and clouds. Is it too much to hope for sun? The temperature is supposed to drop tonight, and rain is on the way. I am leery… Read More
2017-02-27 06:31
Winter's hearty stews and casseroles left me with a desire to lighten the menu...but not too much. With more spring-like weather on the way, I need a transitional dish, something that stradd… Read More
2017-02-25 07:15
February gave a taste of simple, sweet, slow living, yet it broke all the rules. Warm, sunny days awoke the garden, setting off a premature blooming season. As I walked around the yard, whit… Read More
2017-02-22 08:04
Ask any writer, and they'll name dozens of ways to hone a manuscript or post--weeding adjectives, eliminating unintentional rhyme, varying sentence length (and reducing the number of words t… Read More
2017-02-21 07:13
When I look back on my girlhood, I don't linger on memories of dances or old beaus--I think about chicken salad. Even then, I was a bit obsessed with food, and my mother didn't have to cajol… Read More
2017-02-20 08:44
On a cold, sunless day in January, I took down the festive holiday garlands and tucked away the woodland ornaments. The house looked off-kilter, bare in some places and cluttered in others… Read More
2017-02-14 06:49
When I think about the heart, I tend to be scientific, worrying about plaque and hardened arteries. But when trouble strikes, I put a steadying hand on my chest. Indeed, the ancients believe… Read More
2017-02-13 08:20
"What a pretty bouquet," the check-out lady said. "Are you having a party?"No, just brightening the house, I answered. Flowers always have a way of creating a little magic. As I walked out o… Read More
2017-02-01 00:06
Each summer my mother sent me away to live with my Southern grandmother. Mimi loved Jesus, lemon pound cake, old fashioned roses, and afternoon tea. As she hummed "In the Garden," she brewed… Read More
2017-01-16 06:33
It's all in the wording, of course. I didn't bake anything. However, I had a ball making a four layer naked cake, and it took five minutes.How to Make a Naked Cake the Easy Way2 frozen… Read More
Subscribe to Rattlebridge Farm
Get updates delivered right to your inbox!