Citrus Pomander “Christmas – that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance – a day in which we think…
Well, I’ve gotten most of the Christmas decorating done. In the process of doing a thorough cleaning and reorganization of my kitchen (and completing #62 on my “Day Zero” list! YAY…) I was washing a vase and cut my hand. It was so bad I thought I might need stitches, but Jeff went out and…
Hello friends! What are you doing on this fine Saturday? Today in the Mississippi river valley we experienced cold temperatures, but we did have sunny skies…so that’s something to be thankful for. Thanks for all of the emails and comments concerning me, my books and my blog. I really appreciate the support and encouragement. Sometimes…
~Smelling~ The rich scents of banana, real butter and chocolate as my chocolate chocolate chip banana bread bakes in the oven… ~Seeing~ The beautiful snow encrusted trees and ground when I look out the kitchen window. There is something comforting about being inside while a fire blazes in the fireplace and I can watch the…
“Wonder is that extravagant state of bliss induced by something new–The strange, astonishing, mysterious, and the unexpected. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow…Nothing in particular and everything that surrounds us. Open your eyes, perk up your ears–suddenly you’ll find wondrous things in the most surprising places.” ~Sarah Ban Breathnach Romancing the Ordinary A few nights ago I was…
“Every ancient tradition holds that from this still core of the self, this infinitely fertile emptiness, springs all that is authentic about you: your identity, your ability to recognize truth, the real operating instructions for your life.” ~Martha Beck The Joy Diet One of my favorite writers on the subjects of life, getting what you…
Hello friends! I’m still busy writing the novel…writing the tea book…and having fun learning how to take pictures for the tea book. I definitely have my work cut out for me. 😉 Yesterday I took a much needed day off and did a little more antiquing in Cannon Falls. I found this tea pot and…
~Seeing~ The brilliant colors of gourds and mini pumpkins, and candlelight in this centerpiece I put together today. To make your own: pile mini pumpkins and gourds in a large, clear hurricane lantern. In the winter I use vintage glass Christmas tree bulbs, in the summer I use lemons, and in the spring watercolored Easter…
” ‘You played this game with your parents?’ he asked skeptically. ‘Yep. And Mom always won, the dirty bitch. I guess being older she’d been around more than me and Carrie,’ Sophie said, extracting replacement tiles from the box. ‘Although I don’t know what Dad’s excuse was. Lack of imagination, I guess. Your turn.’ ”…
“What is elegance? Soap and water!” ~Cecil Beaton When it comes to relaxing rituals, there are few that I enjoy more than the simple pleasure of using a bar of handmade soap while taking a long, luxurious soak in my clawfoot tub. I like the earthy scents: patchouli, lavender, tea tree, orange-clove, fig, and oatmeal-almond…