There it was when I opened my email this morning... Thank you for your site. Very sweet, encouraging, & interesting! Words of encouragement from someone I don't even know. Welcome words of encouragement. She didn't know I'd gone to bed last night feeling discouraged because I haven't been here with you since March! She didn't know how much I've missed my time to write and tablescape and take photos. She had no idea. But for some reason, she took the time to click on my contact button and write a few words of appreciation and encouragement. I've already hit "reply" and thanked her... but I'll thank her here, too. Thank you, Pamela—wherever you ... Keep Reading...
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Rustic Easter Tablescape: Humbled by the old, rugged cross
It was a table for 10. Shoulder to shoulder in our dining room, we ate and laughed and shared our hearts. Men and women, all fairly new friends of ours, but we hold one important thing in common: We celebrate Easter. Mikasa Italian Countryside dinner plates, Tiffin King's Crown glassware, and vintage damask napkins brought a simple elegance to balance the "rustic" feel of seagrass placemats and bird's nests. Three rock-filled vases of yellow tulips and carnations paired with blossom-filled pear branches to continue the rustic elegance vibe. At the base of each stood a cross. Easter is nothing without the cross. If Easter is all about the ... Keep Reading...
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The night Richard Simmons ate cake—and read my aura
A few days ago, Renaissance Man received a call from someone at the New York Daily News asking him to confirm that Richard Simmons (yes, THAT Richard Simmons) had indeed purchased a well for our Hope Unlimited for Children campus in Campinas, Brazil. Confirmed. Obviously they were working on a piece, and so we started watching for it to come out. Over the weekend, it did. The story raises so many unanswered questions—and brings back some really intense memories for me. I really don't know how to respond other than to sit here and write, putting those memories on virtual paper. Be forewarned: There are a lot of memories... I met Richard Simmons in August 2013—and shared the ... Keep Reading...
