Every time I walked into the room, I smiled. Every.single.time. It didn't hurt that the view was breathtaking and the company delightful... or that the food was "to die for" – but I smiled because I experienced the JOY of Simplicity. Rather than filling the dining room at The Cliffs Preserve (Patagonia, Chile) with an overabundance of flowers and "expected" table decor, the staff practiced what is perhaps a tablescaper's best kept secret: ... Keep Reading...
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The Gardens: Old House Renovation Story
Over the past few weeks, I've shared with you our Old House Renovation Story. You saw the rebuilding of the front porch – and the house itself. You saw the garage/Mudroom addition. If you missed any of the tour, you'll find links listed at the bottom of this post. Today, I'll show you the back patio and some of Renaissance Man's gardens. Fortunately, our century-old house came graced with several beautiful trees (oak, white dogwood, redbud, magnolia) and a few pretty plants (Lily of the Valley, holly, old roses). Beyond that, virtually everything in the yard was added over the past seven years. Plantings... Fencing... Brick patio... We're told there was once a brick mill behind our house, and we found evidence ... Keep Reading...
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Feeling discouraged? Read on…
Bom dia (Good morning) from Brazil! The last time we were together here at My Place, I wrote about young girls in Chile... but I've spent the past week in Brazil with the kids at Hope Unlimited for Children. The days have been long – and the nights short – but we've accomplished a lot. We introduced the children and staff to two prospective Board candidates – and gave the candidates an "up close and personal" look at the organization. We welcomed two women from an El Salvadoran residential care facility (as well as a mutual donor) – and trained them to use our highly-successful graduate transition program with their own students. We're still working with a world-class photographer and his ... Keep Reading...
