Table of Contents

I'm no longer maintaining this site, due to serious technical difficulties. It's been a huge pleasure to put it together, until the technicalities stormed me!, and I hope one of these decades to come out with a book very loosely based on this idea. Meanwhile, perhaps someone will enjoy looking at the old posts, which if the site works is one for each day of the year...


To make it easier for you to get to various dates, here's a clickable Table of Contents. Enjoy, and may you have a beautiful day...in a good place...and not need anything sustaining but if you do may you find it quickly and enjoy it thoroughly.

January 1-29 (and some of December) Dec30-Jan29 

January 30 through February 29 Jan30-Feb29

March March

April http://bkofhappydays.blogspot.com/

May 1-26 May1-26

May 27 through June 26 May27-June26

June 27 through July 27 June 27-July27

July 28 through August 27 July 28-Aug27

August 28 through September 27 Aug28-Sept27

September 28 through October 28 Sept28-Oct28

October 29 through November 28 Oct29-Nov28

November 29 through December 29 Nov29-Dec29

December 30 through January 29 Dec30-Jan29

April 30

According to Susan Wittig Albert, tonight is May Eve, and one should "be on the lookout for fairies"!!! Okay!!


Perhaps they'll be wearing the latest from The House of Ellwand, as described in the delightful Fairieality book by David Ellwand, David Downton, and Eugenie Bird.
http://www.amazon.com/Fairie-ality-Fashion-Collection-House-Ellwand/dp/0763614130

At least in my copy from zinio.com, it included wonderful home designs for our small friends as well.

Yum, back in mortal land it's national Raisin Day!

April 29

It's Duke Ellington's birthday! He was born in 1899!

April 28

Today a guest post about A Beautiful Day, from my mom, who very well may be the most clever person at the world at planning beautiful days...

I finally got around to requesting the book by Susan Wittig Albert concerning Beatrix Potter, and found our library had several. They're fun, Susan Wittig Albert writes well, makes it a pleasant read. I don't read mysteries, but these are different -- I know I would have enjoyed knowing her in person!

My agenda today is cleaning the sunporch, taking upstairs our lovely bed linens (gifts from you and your husband :)) and exchanging for another set. When I'm done I hope to have time to just sit and enjoy, either the clean sunporch, or the seat on our front porch and read some more of my book.

Yesterday was FULL, 2 hours cleaning up the bed behind the stone bench and Rose of Sharon bushes, making a pot of chili, 4 hours at the museum gardens. Tired! But today will be more relaxed, not strenuous.

And tomorrow sounds like a grand day. I'm finally going to go to the nearby herb meeting at the Botanical Garden, the theme is fun-sounding, about the start of the herb garden there. They always have such nice hors d'oeu'vres, good programs, and the friends there are great (they love gardening, and there's something special about those people :)). Then at 1 I have an appointment with the owner of my favorite consignment shop, Change of Seasons, she's going to have her hubby take charge for an hour of the shop while she and I go to a restaurant or somewhere to discuss the style show she's going to put on in June at the museum during the 'Living Large on a Tight Budget' tea I'm organizing. Then I'll do laundry, before going to the class I'm taking in the evening. All lovely times with friends and no work. Don't you love a day like that :).

And for future pleasure, I signed up for a trip to  "The Big House, a 32 room mansion of Pulitzer Prize winning author Louis Bromfield, and another tour of this vast working farm, which is the largest environmental education destination in Ohio." Doesn't that sound like a perfect day!


There's more about the fabulous Beatrix Potter mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert at http://www.cottagetales.com/index.shtml .

April 27

Ludwig Bemelmans was born today in 1898. I love his Madeline books! Their official site is http://www.madeline.com/ .

April 26

It's John James Audubon's birthday (he was born in 1785). What beautiful art he made.

Ooo, when I looked for some Audubon art, I ran across this beautiful blog!
http://threesixfiveart.blogspot.com/2011/04/happy-birthday-john-james-audubon.html

And if you're in the mood, at least as I write this the Metropolitan Museum of Art's shop has some beautiful items based on his work. I found them again via a search at http://store.metmuseum.org .

It's also national Pretzel Day!

April 25

Now that's what I call camping I could actually enjoy! From http://blogs.cotemaison.fr/archiboom/2012/04/29/une-maison-tres-design-tout-en-angles .

April 24

The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is an Asparagus Salad.

April 23

Birthdays for people in theater  today -- William Shakespeare was born today in 1564; Shirley Temple Black in 1928.

There's an official Shirley Temple website at http://www.shirleytemple.com/ .

The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is a paté. Hmm, perhaps one could dine on it while watching a Shirley Temple movie at lunch, and enjoy the leftovers while reading over a favorite play in the afternoon.

April 22

Think about the planet -- today in 2012 at least is Earth Day.

A guest post:

I enjoyed a sandwich yesterday in Findlay, a long favorite old-fashioned hamburg establishment there, my husband and I ate there once, Wilson's. My aunt, in fact, took me there for lunch several years ago when I visited her. I was close to the long-anticipated tour of homes, on a lovely balmy Sunday afternoon, and I needed some nourishment for the coming hours.

It was such a lovely day. I saw beautiful homes, loved and cared for, in their glory of wonderful craftsmanship. And I was so happy to see 2 of the homes that I have always wished I could find on the tours...and even more so was able to converse with both of the owners at length. They were delightful ladies, both have lived in these homes built at the beginning of the 20th century with their families for quite some time. One is a huge 3 floor 'castle', the other has a huge doll house in the second story window that always caught my eye as we'd drive by. A grand-daughter just loves coming to visit in Grandma's 'castle'! And it looks so like one, with turrets, stained glass windows, unbelievable doors that are layered, i.e. cherry wood on one side, walnut on the other...each one SO interesting as you can see the edges of each wood...a sweeping staircase crafted by a French Canadian master builder who took approximately one year to carve this magnificent butternut stairway, he lived with them while doing so back in 1886, on the third floor during this time, his room is still there the paperwork the owner has relates, marvelous pages that will become a part of her book she's working on of her home's history.

Then I stopped at the shop we loved behind the antique place, and bought a simple tall black iron 3 legged tower to plant a vining flower near perhaps, then, stopped at a friend's to see her lovely garden, and she gave me a sweet pea start to plant at it's feet :). What a perfect day.

Today my husband and I will likely stay indoors, because it's thundering and raining out our windows! I wanted to plant that sweet pea, and perhaps work on the City Park garden, instead we'll enjoy a day of relaxing.

April 21

Another beautiful library. I have a note that it's Riggs Library, but I need to check all these...

April 20

Today is national Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day. Perhaps you feel like doing a lot of baking today? The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is a homemade Oatmeal Yeast Bread.
from Shabby Blogs, thank you so much:

April 19

Hmm, it's national Garlic Day!

April 18

Here's one of my favorite take-a-break songs, by Enya -- "Lazy Days" -- in a surprising but fascinating science fiction setting!

April 17

The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is a Grapefruit Salad you make by placing grapefruit pieces on lettuce and pouring over a mixture of sherry and sugar! I have to try that!

April 16

It's national Eggs Benedict day!

April 15

Leonardo da Vinci was born today in 1452.

April 14

Happy birthday to Sarah Michelle Gellar! It's also the day Loretta Lynn was born, in 1935.

It's also national Pecan Day -- mentioned by the very talented writer Susan Wittig Albert in her charming All About Thyme: A Weekly Calendar of Times & Seasonings newsletter in 2012 -- in case you miss this issue, here's what Mrs. Albert suggests for national Pecan Day:

"On National Pecan Day, plant a pecan tree! (You'll be celebrating the first Arbor Day, as well). If you don't have room for a pecan tree in your yard, bake Susan's favorite pecan pie. And yes, pecans do qualify as an herb (naturally!). The Comanche Indians used the leaves to treat ringworm, and the Kiowas drank a decoction of the bark as a treatment for tuberculosis. (Personally, we prefer pie.)"

 You can read her most recent issue at http://www.abouthyme.com/dayletters/latest.html . (Note I don't do herbal stuff, but I really admire her writing and her other ideas.)

April 13

What a beautiful blog! Such as this post...
http://thedaintydollshouse.blogspot.com/2012/05/10-ways-to-sparkle-more.html
with ideas like 

If you've been feeling uninspired lately: You need to broaden your horizons, step out into the world and discover something new. Take a random trip to a place  you've never been to, a store you keep passing, but never stop to look inside. Visit a museum or a library or bookstore and randomly choose a book to read something new. Listen to nature or a piece of music. Trying something new can spark the imagination and bring on new inspirations. You may try something and find out you didn't like it, but if you tried it the next time another way, it'd be something new in your life. Instant inspiration!

and pictures like...

Of course I'm adding her to my blog list here...

April 12

Happy birthday to very creative, brilliant people: Beverly Cleary in 1916; David Letterman in 1947; and Herbie Hancock in 1940. I'm crazy about what Herbie Hancock has done with the already amazing Gershwin...


Today in 1709 Richard Steele published the first issue of The Tatler.

It's national Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day!

April 11

I'd like to live for some time in this fairy-tale-but real place in Oxfordshire, the Garden Cottages, built in the 1500s. Better yet, I'd like to own it; it was for sale at least in late 2011, and there was a beautiful brochure available from its agents, Savills. The floor plan is of the smaller cottage; I adore the hallway with windows on each side leading to the bedroom.

 

Today is Cheese Fondue Day; perhaps I'll make some with English cheese as I dream of my "cottages in the country." (FYI one may want to save some cheese for tomorrow.)

April 10

 For your restaurant-choosing dreamy pleasure, by Aime Stevens:

April 9

Mark Twain got his pilot's license for Mississippi steamboats today in 1859.

April 8

The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is homemade winter squash/pumpkin yeast bread – yum! It's Easter today in 2012 -- maybe some rolls like this would be lovely with your dinner!

April 7

Happy birthdays to William Wordsworth (1770) and Billie Holiday (1915).

It's national Coffee Cake Day, yum!

April 6

It's a Middle Earth big holiday!
Elves' New Year

It's also national Caramel Popcorn Day!

April 5

Booker T Washington was born today in 1856.

April 4

April showers and all that -- remind me of a favorite (and my-award winning) song, Eddie Rabbitt's "I Love a Rainy Night."

April 3

Lots of brilliant people were born today! Washington Irving in 1783; Eddie Murphy in 1961; Alec Baldwin in 1958; and Jane Goodall in 1934. The first, and still my favorite, vintage book I ever got was by Mr. Irving. And of course I adore learning from Ms. Goodall, and Mr. Murphy and Mr. Baldwin make me smile.

April 2

Hans Christian Andersen was born today in 1805. I'd like to reread some of his stories (in translation)...and visit his statue in Central Park!

One of my favorite childhood movies was Dannie Kaye playing Mr. Andersen!

April 1

Merry Christmas! I mean Happy April Fools Day!

March 31

Today the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire was born; there's a charming post about her at http://patrickleighfermor.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/chatsworth-celebrates-the-many-lives-of-deborah-devonshire/ .

Joseph Haydn was born today too, in 1732.

The first installment of Charles Dickens' Pickwick Papers was published today in 1836; it's one of the funniest books I ever read.

Happy national Potato Day!

March 30

The first issue of Charles Dickens' periodical Household Words was brought out today in 1849. Note to self: Find a copy!

March 29

I'd like to give my highest award to some thoughts from the beautiful Ali MacGraw. I read them in Town and Country, February 2012, in a profile by Leslie Bennetts.

"I really love my own company, and I think that cultivating every single kind of friendship is the protection against being alone. The older I get, the more I value friends of every possible description. That's what carries you."

March 28

Today is national Black Forest Cake Day. Yum!

The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Cheese Fondue.

March 27

 For your restaurant-choosing pleasure, here's Louis Anet Sabatier's Cafe Scene in Paris, from 1884.

Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Hungarian Fruit Roll, a pastry on which you put a filling of raisins, currants, apples, nuts, citron, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon peel, and roll it up and bake it.

March 26

Happy birthday to the beautiful Diana Ross! It's also the day Robert Frost was born, in 1874.

It's national Spinach Day! And for another healthy dish: The luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Tomato Gelatine Salad served on lettuce with a bit of mayonnaise.

March 25

It's a huge holiday in Middle Earth!
The Ring Is Destroyed

Elton John was born today. Happy birthday! Thank you so much for your amazing music!

March 24

 Here's a restaurant for you by Georges Croegaert:

 

William Morris was born today in 1834. What wonderful thoughts he had on living life beautifully.

March 23

Food day today! Fannie Farmer was born today in 1857; it's also Chip and Dip Day. Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Greek Stuffed Eggplant.

I am entranced by books that give me ideas for every day. (Oh, you'd noticed?) So I immediately ordered Williams-Sonoma's Salad of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year and Soup of the Day, and am considering their One-Pot-of-the-Day matching volume.

Weekly is good too. I am really enjoying the Italian-meal-a-week cookbook by Lisa Caponigri (called for some weird reason Whatever Happened to Sunday Dinner, because I may very well use it another day). It includes an an appetizer, a pasta or soup or grain course, a main course with a side, and then a dessert -- and they all look very manageable because she's not afraid of having some stuff premade and otherwise making things easy. Very nice! And if you don't happen to have a big family or much company over, you'll end up with lovely leftovers for other days of your week.

Another weekly: The Meat-Free Monday Cookbook, done by the McCartneys and some others. It gives generous ideas for every meal of the day, even including both a normal lunch and a packed lunch, and a dessert, and a side or a snack and sometimes both. It's nicely organized by season, and I'm working through each season as they come up.

Lastly, sometimes I like being told what to do minute-to-minute so I get a break from planning! By the (short) time I work through one of Jamie Oliver's amazing menus in his miraculous Jamie's 30-Minute Meals, I have a remarkable meal with no stress.

These cookbooks are finally reteaching me something I'd barely remembered because of my ridiculous number of years in a country with no reliable food supply: One can actually make grocery lists and expect to find most of the stuff! That happened like twice where I used to live. America is a wonderful country! Thank you, grocers and farmers and cookbook writers! You make it possible for me to plan and enjoy wonderful meals.

from a movie I can barely wait to see -- the hobbit-kitchen set of The Hobbit -- with the brilliant director Peter Jackson:

Lastly, allow me to invite you to a site I do with friends about food: http://bestfoodthisweek.blogspot.com/

March 22

From E.F. Benson's Book of Months:

One occasionally wins back the old primeval, prowling, excited joy of being alive, to the bliss which childhood knows...

March 21

Gary Oldman was born today in 1958, another reason I love the movie Fifth Element!

Here are some ideas for celebrating birthdays from actress Connie Nielsen, in an interview in the November/December 2011 Traditional Home:

"Our morning birthday ritual [involves] silver trays, candles, flowers, champagne, chocolate, and oodles of gifts." 

I am entranced by the idea of some of these things in the morning! I believe this photo is from a beautiful blog on living beautifully; I'm sorry, I must get you the link later:

March 20

Fred (Mr.) Rogers was born today in 1928. Once he sent my children a charming note, and I shall always be grateful to him for the gentleness and wisdom he shared with them. I remember my very young son wisely singing as he played one day, "I like to take my time..."

It's national Ravioli Day. Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call French Waffles, which sound a lot like Belgian Waffles.

March 19

Bruce Willis was born today in 1955. My favorite movie is his Fifth Element!

Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call German Sweet Pretzels, flavored with lemon peel and topped with "powdered sweet almonds."

March 18

George Plimpton was born today in 1927. I so enjoyed his Paris Review, and still do his successor's -- and also the fabulous collections of interviews with authors which he brought out. I enjoyed too listening to Mr. Plimpton in New York one evening years ago...

Speaking of Paris, the luncheon suggestion for today from 365 Luncheon Dishes (from 1902) is Onion Soup. Perhaps you could make it a French Onion Soup; today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call French Apple Soufflé.

March 17

Happy birthday to several people -- Patrick, naturally, and also Nat King Cole from 1919 and Kate Greenaway in 1846.

March 16

The model Carolyn Murphy lives in a charming home near the ocean in Los Angeles described in the March 2012 American Vogue:

Murphy takes great pleasure in…perfecting heirloom dishes….She also needlepoints, sketches, and sculpts tiny birds from clay at her Gustavian drawing desk….Murphy is converting her standalone garage into an art studio, with French doors and kilims piled on the cracked concrete floor….She eyes [her to-do] list. Her daughter needs to be picked up from school, and lunch sounds nice, so she saves [the rest] for another day. It's time to go home.

(from "Model Home: Supermodel Carolyn Murphy Brings French-Farmhouse Living to Los Angeles" by Emily Holt)

Happy Artichoke Hearts Day!

March 15

 A restaurant painted by Gotthardt Kuehl...

March 14

Some outstanding humans were born today -- Albert Einstein was born today in 1879, and Billy Crystal in 1948.

It's national Potato Chip Day (save some for March 23)...

March 13

Happy birthday to Alastair Reynolds! I really enjoy your books!

March 12

James Taylor was born today in 1948, and Jack Kerouac in 1922.

It's national Scallops Day; I love them!

Today's so-called exotic dish suggestion from the 365 Foreign Dishes, published in 1908, is what they call Japanese Salad – consisting of celery, apples, truffles, and edible flowers garnished with hard-boiled eggs and olives! Sounds intriguing but unlike the Japanese I've tried; perhaps these ingredients were fashionable in Japan at the time??

Let's choose a dream restaurant, shall we...
by Alexandre Auguste Hannotiau:

March 11

Some entertainers were born today -- Douglas Adams in 1952, Bobby McFerrin in 1950, and Lawrence Welk in 1903.

It's national Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day!

I so enjoyed a visit to Windsor Castle years ago...

 

March 10

I love reading and listening to André Leon Talley, a brilliant writer for American Vogue. Here, from the April 2012 issue, in "Haute Away from Home," he writes of the Ritz Paris where he would spend Paris' Fashion Week:

A favorite memory is the year I spent Christmas there....The staff even prepared a roast hen with chestnut stuffing for my solo Christmas Eve dinner served en suite....When Oscar de la Renta was designing Balmain couture, he, his wife, Annette, and I would wait for the room-service trolley of grillet fillet and sautéed spinach for dinner....

This is the Ritz's official site, though I understand the beautiful hotel is or will be undergoing renovation: http://www.ritzparis.com/ . There are beautiful pictures at http://www.interiology-ny.com/hotel-design-the-ritz-paris .