Adding beauty

“I’d like to add some beauty to life “ said Anne dreamily. “I don’t exactly want to make people KNOW more…though I know that IS the noblest ambition..but I’d love to make them have a pleasanter time because of me…to have some little joy or happy thought that would never have existed if I hadn’t been born.”

                         ---L.M. Montgomery

 

When I first discovered the internet I was in full teacher mode and was astounded at the resources for teaching that suddenly became available to me. I could research any subject from Charlotte’s Web to math graphs and find appropriate lessons for my class. At first it was an information tool.

 

Then I discovered blogs and found such beauty out there everywhere I looked. For a house voyeur like me it was like being in a big city and going to open houses on the weekends. I saw the way women shared their style with pictures and articles about their homes. There were do it yourselves, hints for cleaning, reviews of products, and gardening and landscaping ideas. It was HGTV on demand.

 

 

 

So I started to blog just at first as a journal of my life for me and my family and friends. I still feel that is my audience. I never have strived for readers the way some other blogs do. I just hope as Anne in the quote above that I make someone have a pleasanter time because of me.

Salad anyone?

 

My first ever Cobb salad was in Indianapolis, Indiana while I was at a national conference for PAGE the association for gifted children. I was lucky enough to teach gifted classes for nine years. I was able to create my own curriculum and I consider those the best teaching years of my life.

So today I decided since I'm starting to feel a little better that this would be the day that I started eating better too. I made two huge Cobb salads for Don and I for lunch. On mine I used light Olive Garden dressing. I should have realized that I couldn't finish a huge dish of salad in one setting even if it was my complete lunch. And neither could Don. My mother once told me that when you are older you wouldn't be able to eat the way you once did.

So we saved half for dinner. That's ok.

Do any of you use Dashlane? It's an app or program that contains all your passwords and automatically fills them in for you so you don't have to. My sister Diane swears that it's so helpful so I downloaded it today on my phone. I also downloaded it on my computer and there is where the problems began. The program worked fine. But when I went to my yahoo email I had to sign in every single time. And then the bar with the reply, forward, delete, etc buttons was completely dulled out and wouldn't work. What good would that be? I tried all the suggestions first to make it work. I downloaded the latest version of Firefox. I eliminated all the cookies and history from the computer. But nothing worked. So after all that frustration and time I just uninstalled Dashlane and what do you know? My email was back to normal. Has anyone else had those problems?

Now I'm ready to settle down for the afternoon with a book to relax. Sometimes this techy world just does me in.

 

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Union Tea Cafe

I love a tea room. I remember distinctly one blizzardy snowing dark afternoon when my sisters and I collapsed onto a fluffy cushion of a small couch tucked away inside a small tea house in Ligonier, Pennsylvania after and afternoon of being out in the weather skipping from one small gift store to the other. There was a coffee table made out of a root of a large tree and shined to perfection where we set down our warm teacups. As we sat there I didn't know the word hygge but it was exactly what we were experiencing at the time.

My sister Linda and I went to Richmond, Virginia to high tea at the fancy Jefferson Hotel where I felt it would have been more proper if I had worn hat and gloves. So elegant.

And once it was a little tea shop where we could go into the back room and choose hats, pearls, and boas to dress up in while we sipped our rhoobis.

So you can imagine how excited I was to find a tea room opening right in the next town. I checked it out a few weeks ago and it didn't disappoint.

It was small but perfect. The decor made me feel like there was a great effort made to give me the tea experience. On the wall was a board with so many teas listed that it was almost impossible to choose one.

There were small tables and glass chandeliers hanging above. I went to the counter and placed my order...French lemon ginger tea with a cranberry scone.

I was given a cute tea sign to place on my table and the tea would be brought to me later.

The tea arrived in a large ceramic pot of solid bllue along with instructions to let it seep for five minutes. A clear glass large cup the size of a small bowl with saucer allowed you to see the color of tea when poured and retain the heat. My scone was good and dry as scones are but accompanied by a small pot of clotted cream and another of jelly which were perfect for the occasion. Both the tea and the scone were delicious. As I lingered I watched the small shop get busier and busier as lunch time approached. The girl beside was lingering taking her time doing a crossword puzzle and enjoying her tea and lunch. The cafe offers many kinds of food including interesting sandwiches.

I loved everything about the experience and am longing to return.

 

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Are you at magazine reader?

 

I know this is the age of computers and devices and I see heads down all time lost in thumbing through whatever is taking their interest at the time. Even in doctor's offices now that stacks of magazines are ignored while adults and children alike are enthralled with what is on a small screen. I know that sales of magazines has plummeted as more and more people are choosing to read on devices instead. And there's even an app for that. One where you can subscribe to many different magazines at once.

Even though all that is true it still doesn't stop me from getting a thrill when I reach in the mailbox and along with the usual bills I find a large plastic wrapped magazines. With all the ads and bills usually there it is a pleasure to squeeze the larger package out of the box to find out which one is there to make my day happier.

I've always been a magazine subscriber. Once when Don and I were on our very first year of marriage a salesman came to the door and sold us some subscriptions (which we thought were a bargain but turned out to cost us a lot more for five years) for Life and Look and a few others. Later on I turned to Woman's Day and Family Circle, Ladies' Home Journal and Better Homes and Gardens for food, decorating and family advice. And even later Oprah magazine. There were very little years that there wasn't some kind of magazine being delivered to my door. There were always school fundraisers which begged you to purchase them.

But I soon like others noticed that the ads kept getting more and more pages and the articles leaner. And some of the pages were ads in disguise like the 10 top beauty products (Which always included where to purchase them and for how much). The magazines grew smaller with less real content.

It was on Cape Cod that I discovered La Vie Claire a magazine by Claire Murray an artist and rug designer. As soon as my hand touched that thick paper and sturdy cover I was enthralled. The photography was spectacular and the articles well written and interesting. It covered things in the New England area which I would never see or experience but nevertheless it made me yearn to. We were given a free copy to take home from the bed and breakfast and I ordered my own subscription as soon as I got home. I continued it until they were no longer publishing.

To replace it I discovered Southen Lady which presents a genteel life where luncheons and hats abound. The place settings and linens, gardens and garden rooms, and recipes for luscious southern dishes made me want to have that kind of life even though I lived in the north. I still subscribe to it today and each time it shows up in the mailbox it reminds me that even though I am a Yankee I was born in Georgia and it is in my soul.

I still subscribe occasionally to Southern Living or Country Living when my grandchildren send their school fundraisers.

My newest favorite now is Bella Grace a magazine which is nothing but reader submissions of poetry, quotes, photgraphy and lists which make your soul fly. I am also getting a subscription of a magazine from England called English Home which I had picked up on the free shelf once at the library.

I don't feel a home is a home unless there are stacks of magazines around and a magazine rack in the bathroom.

 

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Apology

I am apologizing for my absence on this blog this week but I was very sick. I won't go into all the symptoms except to say I have never felt like this and I've never convulsed. I went to the doctor today and found out I had a very bad UTI. Thankfully Cipro has already started to work after only two hours and I already feel better. All I can say is the next time I have chills and fever with low blood pressure I will get myself to a doctor sooner. I'll be back blogging soon.

We never got Sadie to buffalo this Thursday since not only was I very sick but a tree blew down across a road with the wind. It even blew my chimes down and they have survived many many winters.

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The light was just right

If you live in the south you take sunshine for granted but in the hills of western Pennsylvania it is a little different. The weather moves over the great lakes, pick up moisture and forms clouds which sometimes cover the sky all day. So when we have a day where the sun comes pouring in this winter it is time to rejoice.

I may be rushing spring to be here but I picked up these tulips and birdcage over last weekend’s shopping trip in Virginia and couldn’t stop myself from putting them out on the table.

The flowers are faux but the spirit is there and it lifts my spirits considerably. I know some people would never, never have fake flowers in their houses but I am practical and know that I don’t care.

I love them fresh or faux. This will do till the real thing comes along.

Is it Sunday already?

These days seems to be flying by. It is the end of February already. My father once told me that when you get older the days go by faster and now I know exactly what he was talking about.

 

Last week was so busy. I didn’t get home until Tuesday and then on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had two or three things to do each day. I welcomed the weekend so I could get caught up on my rest. I rested yesterday and spent hours watching Amazon Prime. I think the made for Amazon series are the best out there. Currently I am watching Newsroom with Jeff Daniels and Sam Waterson about a tv news station. The writing is so superb and I wasn’t at all surprised to find out it was written by Aaron Sorkin who wrote my favorite tv program West Wing.

 

Last evening Don and I went out to dinner at the Runway Cafe at the airport. Delicious. I had the chicken cordon bleu and Don had the prime rib. Now today I am catching up on housework.

A few more French postcards

 

 

Such a busy day yesterday. After coffee with my friends I had an appointment in Olean for a hearing aid check. I got hearing aids two years ago when I found that I was missing conversation and having to turn the tv louder. It was the best decision I ever made. I love being able to hear well again. After that I stopped at the new Union Tea Cafe...pictures to follow later. What a treat. It was like being in a big city. They were very busy and the tea...French lemon ginger...was delicious.

 

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If life was all roses

I wish pets lived longer, cookies had no calories and everything was on sale.

Life is wonderful, but sometimes it isn't. We all face bumps in the road. Our bump is Sadie. I'm worried about our darling girl. The new medicine which is a chemotherapy drug has done wonders for her. She is more alert, her joints are not swollen, and she seems more pain free. But the lupus has caused damage to her front feet and made them turn out at an awkward angle. The vet is very concerned about this as are we. It makes it difficult for her to walk easily. She is getting up and walking more but only sometimes. We are still doing hydrotherapy every day to keep her muscle tone. The vet suggested that maybe a brace would help her. We bought one but she doesn't like it and won't use it. We go back to the vet next week. It is so sad to see a dog with such intelligence not able to run around or play.

 

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LITTLE TREASURES

There are shoppers and there are not. I certainly fall into the former category. I love the thrill of the hunt. My husband doesn't understand the concept at all. To him you only go to the store if there is something specific you need and sees no reason to go otherwise. But you know I love to search among a lot of interesting items to find just the right thing that calls my name.

And that was the case over the weekend when my sisters and I joined by her sister in law went shopping. Now we don't shop anymore at the large malls. We are much more interested in the little gift shops, resale shops and antique booths. There is where we will find unique treasures. We slowly walk past tables full of merchandise of all kinds..glassware, plates, small items of all kinds and some real old fashioned things like pickle forks. Our eyes scan right and left taking it all in and occasionally coming to rest on something that needs further inspection. We stop..pick it up and instantly decide if it is worth consideration. A number of factors determine whether or not this item is worthy of having a place in our homes. How well do we like it? We are very discriminating and we must be in love with the item for it to be taken on our trip home. How much do we want it? We tend to collect garden objects so when Linda spotted a large cement pedestal she had to add that to her collection. You can always find a use for something like that in a vignette. Is it unusual and something that you can't find at home? I brought home a lovely turquoise scarf with peacock feather motif. Does it have a special meaning to you? I found this darling fox made in Japan (Nippon). The fox holds a special meaning to our family since on my mother's side Todd was originally Todhunter in Scotland which means hunter of the fox and on our family crest are three foxes.

But the most important thing is does it call your name? I am a FRancophile and when I saw four framed French postcards that were so colorful and just the right size I knew I had to have them for my kitchen.

I put two underneath the shelf in the kitchen. The other two are hanging on the other side of the kitchen.

Every time I glance at them they will remind me of the antiquing trip I had with my sisters.

 

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52 Moments

 

This week's 52 Moments prompt is Window. This is the view out of my sister's window this early morning. There's a fire in the fireplace just to take the chill off and it's so cozy here. We arrived yesterday with a temperature of seventy to greet us. Diane met us at the Liberty Train Station restaurant where we enjoyed a wonderful lunch. Linda and I split an carmelized onion burger and I had a little sweet potato casserole. Then we shopped the antique stores downtown in Bedford. So much fun. This morning we are off to a tag sale then Diane's sister in law will be joining us for an afternoon of shopping fun.

Now back home after a full day. We hit some antique stores. I will show you my treasures later.

 

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Taking a break

We interrupt this program for a needed blogging break. I have had enough of snow and hopped in the car and headed south. It was snowing when I left this morning and all the way to southern pa but in Virginia it was sunny but cold. Tomorrow we are going to Diane's lake house for the weekend. It promises to be seventy and I could use the warmth. See you soon.

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Love Songs

Do you have a favorite love song? A song that brings back romantic memories every time you hear it? Songs can be very powerful and make you recall when and where you were when you heard it. My first real boyfriend was Bob when I was in the eighth grade. He was Italian and I fell hard and so did he. I remember the day he gave me his ring. We stood outside the classroom door and he put it around my neck and kissed me while my classmates watched from inside the door. We would talk on the phone every night for hours. In the background he would play Vic Damone's Italian love songs and I would swoon.
   For Don and I our song was Paul Anka (1963) Put you Head on my Shoulder. It was perfect for us. We sang along while we danced. Even now when it comes on our XM station we start singing along and remembering those young love times. I wonder what love songs the modern generation will remember. 

Love, love, love

Do you remember when Valentine’s Day was such a big deal? When we were kids it was all about making a valentine’s decorated box from a shoe box and waiting in anticipation for it to fill up with valentine’s from classmates. We read a meaning into the one given to us by our crush. That still happened when I was teaching. The kids loved the day that they could rush around the room filling the valentine’s envelopes and having a special delicious treat. As an adult it is still a special day. My husband NEVER forgets and there are  always flowers and a great card. He’s the best!

I love a good song

Did you watch the Grammy awards last night? Now I have to tell you a little bit about the area where I live. We are away from big cities and definitely aren't urban. So sometimes when I hear a song on the Grammies ( here's an aside....is grammies the plural of grammy? Or is it Grammys? I've always used the rule change the y to i and add es but I saw it put as grammys on tv. So which is right my grammar police?) it is the first time I have heard the song at all. To give you an idea if you push scan on the radio in your car it only stops five or six times. And most of those are country stations. We don't have a pop station so I don't get to hear songs on the radio. I do have XM in my car and when I tune to the latest hits I finally can hear what the rest of the world hears. But a lot of the time I'm listening to podcasts or the news and don't bother with the hits. When I'm traveling with my husband he prefers music from the fifties. So last night when I heard Shape of You by Ed Sheeran I was blown away! What great rhythm, what a great song! I hope that you enjoy it too. I loved his Thinking Out Loud...a classic for weddings. 

Do you binge watch?

At Christmas time I decided to join AMazon Prime simply because I was sending so many presents out of town. It gives you free shipping which is great but the selling point is that you get your package in two days. I have continued my trial subscription into the new year since Chris got us a new television at Christmas with "smart" capabilities. There are so many movies and tv programs to choose from as well as made for Amazon special series. One that we are enjoying is Goliath.

Billy Bob Torton plays Billy McBride, formerly the hottest of hotshots, the silver-tongued attorney the juries loved. Billy is now living at a rundown motel in Venice Beach. He's an alcoholic, suffering from sleep apnea, divorced from his wife (Maria Bello) and apathetically settling court-appointed cases for a few bucks. Everything changes when a stranger (Nina Arianda) brings him a quickie case that turns out to be related to a major company with shady government ties represented by Billy's former partner Donald Cooperman (William Hurt), the head of a cutthroat firm that also employs Billy's ex. Soon, Billy's trying to straighten himself out and rekindle the sparks of his genius, but as the case gets more twisted,

Amazon and Netflix as well as Hulu and Acorn have changed the way we use our television. I began to learn about binge watching when I found programs on Netflix. I was happy that they would release all the episodes at once so I could watch it at my leisure as many episodes as I wanted at a time. I started with Kevin Spacey in House of Cards. Then saw Orange is the New Black and Grace and Frankie. It made my tv watching easy and on my demand. Now that I can stream Amazon I am enjoying Goliath. It is intelligent with great writing. I recommend it.

 

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Sitting by the fire

Finally a quiet day. After having coffee with my friends and going to physical therapy I spent an hour sitting in front of the fire and reading the latest Fanny Flagg book. Ahhh....

Sadie's new medicine seems to be working. She has actually gotten up a few times on her own and walked a little.

 

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Taking time

I’ve had such a busy schedule this week but I’m so glad yesterday that we took some time for family and friends. Our good friend had a knee replacement that has been needed for quite some time and we went to Coudersport (about an hour and half away) to visit with him. He is Don’s best friend from when they were kids. Their birthdays are one day apart. He was the best man in our wedding and has been a great pal over the years. He is doing so well and is pleased that he can straighten out his leg finally.

  After our visit there we stopped in another town to see Don’s sister and husband who came up for a week from Tennessee. Ginny made us a lovely dinner and we had a great chat. Family is so important to us. Today I had my coffee friends up to play marbles. What a fun time.

Those two monkeys climbing up the wall on the right are my two grandchildren. They are fearless. I’m so happy that they live where they do near Knoxville. There is so much for them to do around there. Can you believe that Sara is only six? She’s amazing!


She looks so funny with half baby and half adult teeth in her mouth at the moment.