The ignorant man marvels at the exceptional; the wise man marvels at the common; the greatest wonder of all is the regularity of nature. ~ G.D. Boardman < What an absolute joy it's been this weekend to watch Nature wake up all around me. Even in the midst of mundane tasks like laundry and taxes, Renaissance Man and I made time for walks around the yard to clear our heads. Even robins know you have to take a rest every now and then! How amazed I am when an overnight rain seems to bring an immediate change in the landscape, with something new to see every day. I haven't always noticed such things. Maybe I appreciate them more the older I get ... The Birth of the Flowers Mary McNeil Fenollosa God spoke! and ... Keep Reading...
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Shamrocks and Artichokes … Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
If you've been visiting My Place for awhile, you may remember a few months ago when I shared a beautiful Fall tablescape by my "I met her in Blogland, but she doesn't have a blog" friend, Bonnie Bee. Well, you're in for a quick treat again today because Bonnie sent me a picture of what she called a "pretty low key" tablescape. There will be only two of them celebrating at their house this year ... Bonnie and her husband. But since I happen to know he has a very Irish surname and a long history of celebrating St. Patty's Day, I think I can depend on them to enjoy the day enough for Renaissance Man and me as well. Me thinks at Bonnie's house there are some Irish eyes smiling twinkling with a great sense ... Keep Reading...
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A Softer Side of St. Patrick
I don't know what it's like where you live, but here in East Tennessee we're having Spring-like days ... and I'm loving it! Renaissance Man's tulips are just beginning to bloom, and I cut the first ones today. They were just what was needed while playing in the dishes! Several months ago, I found three of these sweet plates in the bottom of an auction box. Has anyone ever seen this pattern? I guess you can see why I've been saving them until now ... Update: A big thank you to Cherry Kay at Entertaining Women who identified this pattern as Haviland Schleiger 113A. Its makers mark signifies it was made from approximately 1895 to 1931. The backstamp says they were made by Haviland France for Chas. C. Cullen & Co. ... Keep Reading...
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Breaking the Cycle of SHAME
shame SHām/ Noun: A painful emotion caused by a strong sense of guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, or disgrace. Last week while working in Brazil, Renaissance Man forwarded this letter to me. It was written by Philip Smith, one of the founders of Hope Unlimited for Children. He and my husband are partners in ministry ... constantly encouraging and learning from each other. Tonight during the service at the graduate church I saw one of our outstanding graduate girls, out on her own for almost two years now, quietly kneel at her seat during the prayer time. I wondered what serious issue she was grappling with. After the service, she approached Pastor and handed him a plastic zip-lock bag containing something ... Keep Reading...
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From Flowers to Feta: A Cheese Lover’s Table
If I were in Texas visiting family today, I'd fix a pretty little plate of cheese and olives and bread and sit out on the back patio where Spring flowers are already spilling over the brick wall ... and relax! Can you believe it was the flowers in a text I received from my Dad earlier this week that inspired this tablescape inspiration board? I'm telling you ... inspiration can come from anywhere! Thanks, Daddy! Renaissance Man doesn't like cheese, but the daughters and I (and Little Man) make up for his disdain! I'll quickly admit that my daughters are much closer to being "cheese connoisseurs" than I am, but they taught me a long time ago to branch out from a half moon of good ol' Longhorn and a can of grated ... Keep Reading...
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When Life Screeches to a Halt …
Contentment (or lack thereof) It's been discussed recently on several blogs ... and referenced in books I've been reading ... and talked about on the radio. It's come up in conversations with friends. It affects people of all ages. I don't think it has a middle ground; we're either content ... or we're not. Some say that to be content means to be satisfied or happy. While there are certainly aspects of both in my view of contentment, I like the definition that includes "ease of mind." That evokes a sense of inner peace, don't you think? As I've seen and heard the topic discussed, it's been in one of two contexts ... I'm learning that all the "stuff" I thought was important really isn't, and I'm ... Keep Reading...
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SEASONAL SIMPLICITY: Practicing the Disciplines
It's unseasonably warm here in East Tennessee, and everywhere I look I see both the dead foliage of Winter and the early harbingers of Spring. It's that "in between" season, and I'm never quite sure how to respond to it. I'm just a little afraid to fully embrace the beauty of Springtime ... because it's not unheard of here to have sub-freezing temperatures in April. I just try to wait patiently, but that takes a lot of practice and discipline, and sometimes I do that better than others. It's also one of those "in between" times at my house. Renaissance Man just returned from a trip yesterday ... and he leaves for Brazil tomorrow. Today is all the time there is to catch up on laundry and conversation and family happenings. But since ... Keep Reading...
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Saying Bye-Bye to Google Friend Connect
"Follow me" statue at the National Infantry Museum (Fort Benning, GA) You know what? I'm just going to admit right here up front that this is a frustrating post to write. I'm conflicted about the topic and not even sure where to start ... but I think I have to address it. To you faithful visitors, this time it's not about poverty or neglected children. I know how I feel about those things, even if I am uncertain how to "make it all better." In some ways, this is petty and distracting, which is perhaps exactly why I have to write about it. I'm a firstborn. I have a natural, God-given gift of leadership ... and a sometimes not so blessed (but thankfully less prevalent as I get older) "gift" of Bossy. ... Keep Reading...
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Grand Canyon Inspiration
Hello all! I don't know about you, but this is a busy week at My Place. Renaissance Man and I had the unexpected great fortune of taking a weekend vacation with our Little Man while his sweet parents worked to ready the nursery for his little brother ... and I've been behind ever since. Think I care? Nope! The result of all my play time, however, is that I'm pulling out a tablescape inspiration board I put together (but never shared with you) last Fall while on our California-to-Tennessee road trip after The Big Event. (Check it out if you have no idea what I'm talking about!) I still think it's "grand," so I'll share it today. Some of you will remember seeing the beautiful Aspen bark in this ... Keep Reading...
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How To Remove Berry Stains from Linens
Pretty in pink? Not always! If you're a regular reader here, you'll recognize the above tablescape as one I did for a Valentine Dinnerfor a special group of ladies. "Pretty in Pink" was my go-to mood while planning the party. But I'll let you in on a little secret: Even lovers of pink have to admit that on occasion, pink isn't really pretty ... like when it's actually strawberry stains on vintage linens. Via Juice from the pretty strawberry fan garnishes on the ladies' dinner plates ended up right where they were supposed to: on their napkins. (Please forgive the smartphone pics and shadows. This post was a last-second thought as I prepared to launder the linens at the end of a long ... Keep Reading...
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Valentine’s Dinner for Women’s Shelter: LAVISHED and ADORED
Hello all! If this is your first time to stop in for a visit, I'm so glad you're here ... and I hope you feel welcome and return often. If you've been here before, you're making my day by stopping in again! As I've told you, one of the items on my Sally List was to host a Valentine's Dinner for the ladies at our local women's shelter ... complete with tablescape, of course. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, and when I started my Sally List, it was near the top. (What's a Sally List? Click HERE to read about it.) On Valentines Eve, I put a big check mark by that item, and I do believe a nice time was had by all. I set three different tables ... in three slightly different styles ... but all done in soft pinks ... Keep Reading...
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Repurposing a Vintage Trunk
Do you have a paper drawer? I have a friend who loves all things paper. Stationery, greeting cards, journals, cocktail napkins ... you name it. She named her business, The Paper Drawer. Perfect! I, too, have a "thing" for pretty paper. I suspect some of you do, too! Several years ago when I began packing to move my paper "collection" into our newly-renovated old house, I realized that it had gotten a bit out of hand and needed to be contained. Fortunately, the previous owners had left behind a small trunk that was exactly what I needed. UNfortunately, however, it was UGLY. I don't have a picture of the "before," but it looked a whole lot like this... Source One day I had the bright (and ... Keep Reading...
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Snippets of Love … From One Hopeless Romantic to Another
Source My name is Susan, and I'm a hopeless romantic. That means, of course, that I'm also a wedding junkie. I love all aspects of weddings. The dresses, the flowers, the invitations, the music ... but especially the details. I once thought I'd go the wedding planner route, but thankfully I didn't, because while I love "all things wedding," I do not love the stress or "attitude" that so many people bring to the planning process. I could NEVER be a wedding planner. Helping my own daughters plan their weddings was a pleasure, and dabbling with friends' kids' weddings is a blast, but that is E-nough to scratch my "wedding planner" itch. These days, if I can set aside the concerns I have about the exorbitant amounts of ... Keep Reading...
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Is SPREADING THE LOVE on Your List?
1. Work on writing project - making good progress 2. Tablescape - pics and post DONE 3. "If It's Paper" theme: choose items, take pics (started) 4. Pay bills 5. Send cards/notes to several people 6. Catch up laundry after having company - making progress 7. Work on Valentine Dinner plans for Samaritan House This was my to-do list for last week, but I didn't finish it. (Debbie, you must be having a negative influence on me! Anybody else read the "list" post at Words On Wheels?) The truth is, I felt more like Janette who went to the doctor (five years late) and got all sorts of hassle from the nurse about not showing up sooner. So she's not a sickly person. Good for ... Keep Reading...
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Valentines of Hope
Happy weekend, friends! Several of you have blessed me so much by contacting me this weekend about the Valentine Project for the girls of Hope Unlimited for Children. (If you don't know what that is, it's not too late! Just click the link above to read about it on Renaissance Man's blog.) You've been working on your Valentines ... writing blog posts about the project ... organizing groups of friends to help you. Oh, how excited the girls will be when they receive your sweet gifts of love! Thank you for caring. Here are the answers to the main questions I've received ... 1) How old are these girls? Most will be in the 10-17 age range. 2) What language do they speak? How will they know what I ... Keep Reading...
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Shadow Dancing with St. Valentine
Thank you to everyone who has told me you'll be making Valentines for the girls at Hope Unlimited for Children. (Some of you have already started!) Others of you plan to gather friends and make it an "event." Bless you! Don't know about the Valentine Project? Check it out HERE. One of you wrote with a request: Would you kindly let your fellow bloggers know that the coming 'heart day' is ST. Valentine's Day; not just Valentine's Day ... no one would say Happy Patrick's Day when it is well known as ST. PATRICK'S DAY. She is absolutely correct that Valentine was a saint like Patrick ... and absolutely correct that most of us (myself included) tend to shorten the name of "heart day" to ... Keep Reading...
