Category Archives: A Good Life

Slow Cooker Applesauce

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Washed and ready to go.

Since 2020 has had so many lowlights, I figured this was the perfect fall for me to also cut back on seasonal sweets for health reasons. Why not make things even more miserable? I can go one autumn without homemade desserts like apple crisp, apple pie a la mode (topped with a little cheddar cheese), and Disneyland apple slices with dipping caramel. My waistline will thank me, even though my sweet tooth feels abandoned. But then we come to homemade applesauce.

Slow cooker applesauce to the rescue. I love making applesauce in the fall in the slow cooker, with plenty of apple and cinnamon scents wafting through the home. I eliminate the added sugar, often as an experiment to see if it turns out sweet enough. After all, when I bite into a raw apple, I don’t sprinkle sugar on it. It is plenty sweet on its own.

When I was a fourth grade teacher, as did many of my teaching colleagues, I’d make slow cooker applesauce in the classroom every fall. The apples would soften and warm all day long and the classroom smelled much better than usual. Many teachers do this for Johnny Appleseed Day, which may be a celebration merely to give a theme to making homemade, or classmade, applesauce during the hours of academic life. What a little sweet treat for the students in the afternoon!

Here is the recipe I used this year. I used all the apples we had around the kitchen. I’m not sure of the brands. I don’t peel them either. We like a more rustic applesauce around here. And I love skipping that step. I did not add any butter.

The recipe is from WW (Weight Watchers).

The first batch of apples I cut into were bad on the inside. You can read more about that here. I had to use other apples. These are said to not taste great. One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, contrary to the popular saying.

Why Apples Are Brown on the Inside

I substituted other apples and washed them off to use.
Squeezing the fresh lemon juice to add to the apples.
All chopped and piled into the slow cooker.
Looking through the lid, slow cooker on low, and the cinnamon sticks stand at attention like little spice soldiers.

The sweet and cinnamon aroma filled the afternoon, building anticipation of a homemade evening treat.

Such a rich color and flavor!

Later that night, we enjoyed small bowls of homemade, delicious, chunky, rustic applesauce and added some whip cream, just to add a little pizazz. The applesauce was sweet enough, even without the added sugar.

Fall foods and cooking are part of the season, even in a pandemic. I am grateful for these simple traditions and pleasures. Next up, butternut squash? Perhaps. We’ll see.

Simple pleasures. Simple blessings.

Stay saucy, friends. Applesaucy.

Birthday Love Long Distance

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Long Distance Daughter – Part 2 (For Part 1: Click here.)

Here’s an idea for those with aging parents living far away or those who cannot have visitors currently. I know this can bring heartache and frustration. With the pandemic, circumstances beyond geography may limit how we share the love and care well for our parents. Here are two ideas that could encourage you to find a way to care creatively.

Back in January 2019, as my mom’s 95th birthday approached, I felt challenged by some of the limits placed on celebrating this milestone. If you have loved ones far away, you might identify.

  • My mom and I lived about 2,300 miles apart.
  • She had specifically instructed me that she did not want a party. I always try to obey and honor her.
  • I felt guilty that I was unable to travel to be with her.
  • I knew she did not want a gift that needed storage, display space, or dusting.
  • I felt societal expectations and pressure to do something big for her.
  • I felt internal pressure out of my love for her and desire to honor her.

A little idea came my way. I had no idea how it would work. I want to share it with you now, in case it inspires you to borrow and adapt it or it prompts new creative ideas for celebrating your long-distance loved ones. Here’s what I did:

  1. Created a postcard non-party invitation, using a resource, Vistaprint.
  2. Picked a design and color she would like.
  3. Added a photo of her as a young woman.
  4. Added the information announcing her birthday and no party.
  5. On the other side, some of my mom’s favorite activities were listed.
  6. Recipients were invited to select one activity to do in honor of my mom, to think of her in that, and to have fun!
  7. If they wished to let her know, they could do so. I provided her address at the bottom of the card.
The front of the card sent to her friends and family….

Next, on the reverse side, I…

  1. Listed some of my mom’s favorite activities
  2. Invited people to select an activity to do in honor of my mom.
  3. Included her address, in case they wished to let her know what they did in her honor and for greeting cards.
And the back with fun ways to honor her.

I was sneaky prior to this. On a previous visit, without her knowing, I’d taken photos of her address book to have names and addresses to mail the announcements. I addressed the envelopes, stamped them, and sent them on the way with a hope and a prayer prior to her birthday.

Here’s what happened:

  • She got many, many lovely cards from her beloved family and friends.
  • People wrote amazing messages and caring thoughts to her.
  • People did fun things in her honor and shared the stories with her.
  • Someone sent a gift card to the Olive Garden, with instructions for my brother to pick up tiramisu for her to enjoy.
One group, business associates, sent a photo seated in a room eating tiramisu.
  • Someone sent flowers.
  • The cards kept coming.
  • Someone sent her violets.

My mom was so touched by it all. She had the best time checking her mail. She was so amused by the whole idea. I never could have imagined the sweet impact this would have on her. She said to me, “I feel like my life really made a difference.” That still fills my heart with so much joy.

I had no idea how this would fill her heart with love on her ninety-fifth birthday. Needless to say, I was so happy. What started as a desperate attempt to celebrate a precious woman from far away, to ease my guilt of being a long-distance daughter, turned in to one of the most memorable things of her recent years. I was deeply touched as well.

Four months after that fun time, my mom passed away. I had the peace of mind that all those written tributes, words that might have been shared at a funeral, were shared at just the right time. She got to read them all. And over and over. Sometimes, even in situations where we feel so limited in what we can do, love breaks through at just the right time in the perfect way.

May 2018 (Mom at 94-years old)

By the way, she didn’t want a funeral either. We honored her request.

Stay creative in loving others, my friends.

P.S. Here is another idea that brings sweet joy, too. My friend made this amazing photo wreath for her mom’s recent 95th birthday. My friend is also a long-distance daughter with her dear mom living just under 2,000 miles away. I love this idea! Getting creative to show our love long-distance goes a long way.

Well Fed. Well Said.

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Happy Thanksgiving weekend, friends! We traveled to my hometown for turkey dinner and visiting with my family. We had a great meal together at the local Cracker Barrel restaurant. However, I did experience “the empty chair,” since my dad is no longer present at the table. Others have a different sense of longing, after surviving one of the California fires. The empty chair can be a symbol for many situations.

A high school friend shared this blog on her Facebook feed and I would like to feature it in my blog for this week. I could not have said it any better. Well written, sweet truth, and many of us will relate to it. To quote my friend, Lynette, “We all have empty chairs.” I hope, if you have an empty chair in your life, you find this an encouragement.

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Holidays and Empty Chairs

I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with blessings, even if peppered with a sense of longing, of missing. I give myself time and permission feel both, and that’s OK.

Stay charming, my friends. And stay real.

Weekends Are for New Recipes

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Sometimes a slow Saturday is perfect for slow cooking. And fall is always a good time for a hearty stew. Weekends sometimes bring a break in busy schedules affording time to prep, cook, clean-up, and the energy to do it. So I took the time and had some fun on a recent Saturday afternoon chopping, measuring, and prepping our dinner to try a new stew recipe.

The new recipe I wanted to try was Hearty Pork & Ale Stew, from Midwest Living magazine. It’s described as “This main-dish stew celebrates autumn with assorted root vegetables, apples, and tomatoes simmered with melt-in-your-mouth pork sirloin.”

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Hearty Pork & Ale Stew Recipe

Slow cooking can be so relaxing. It’s definitely rewarding. I love combining ingredients, smelling the aroma while cooking, and then tasting the result. All that work to feed people you love good food brings a feeling of satisfaction. Not to mention the fun suspense of trying a new recipe. Would it come out right? Would we both like it?

The challenge was this. After sitting around for three months during broken ankle and surgery recovery, would I have the stamina? I did. It went well. I had a good time. We enjoyed a delicious stew for dinner on a lovely fall (91 degrees) evening, while watching Purdue University (I’m a graduate and fan) surprise undefeated Ohio State (I’m a Buckeye fan by birth) with an upset.

Back to the stew…I found the recipe in the book Seasons of the Heartland. I’ve provided the link to the online recipe in the beginning of the blog. (Just click on Hearty Pork & Ale Stew above.)

 

Pork & Ale Stew Dijon Mustard 10-20-18

I typically overlook one ingredient when checking to make sure I have everything. This time it was Dijon mustard. I discovered we were out as I was browning the meat. I was sure we had it, but didn’t check in advance. My husband to the rescue! He dashed to the store and was back just in time for me to add it in. Practical love.

One of the interesting things about this recipe for me was the inclusion of Granny Smith apples and tomatoes. Tomatoes are common in soups, but tomatoes and tart apples seemed unusual to me. Plus, I’d never had apples in a stew. It was interesting and delicious.

A fun afternoon. Lots to clean up because, as usual, I dirty plenty of bowls, cutting boards, spoons, knives, and measuring spoons and fill the entire counter. My husband, who cleans as he goes (he’s a good cook!), hasn’t been able to break me of this habit. That’s why when I cook, I clean. When he cooks, he cleans. Marriage rule from the early days.

The stew was delicious and offered a variety of interesting flavors and textures. I plan to make it again. Looki leftovers – another gift of slow cooking.

Pork & Ale Stew 1 10-20-18

Stay charming, my friends! And eat well in this season.

 

 

Good Old Dog Days

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Puppies - Sam's Litter

Samson 2 was born in March 2004, the same month our previous dog, Samson, passed away. Some of his brothers and sisters are pictured above in a photo the breeder sent prior to picking him out. We brought him home from the breeder in April 2004 at about six-weeks old. We began raising a puppy, a challenging time with great reward. I had no idea how much time and consistency it would take to help him grow healthy, happy, and well-behaved. He’s been our best beast ever since. His breed, the Labrador Retriever, is known for their amazing and loving temperament, and he was no exception.

Sam - Bringing Home Sam 2

I got to hold Sam on the car ride home.

When we got home, we introduced him to Ashley, our mature black lab. We had adopted her years earlier from another home. She helped train and entertain puppy Sam, as transition dogs do. She granted us time off from playing. He would climb over her and bug her. She’d look at us as if she were thinking, “What have you done?” Raising a puppy demanded time and energy from all of us.

The video below, taken on an old flip phone – pardon the low quality, demonstrates the energy Sam brought to our home. I think Ashley is safely in the background, and you can barely see her. He was a crazy spinning dog, and eventually out grew that tendency. We were grateful.

 

When he was new to us, he was so tiny in his crate which he soon grew to fill.

Sam - Baby in the Crate

We took him to puppy training school. So many friends post photos of back-to-school moments. I was happy to capture one of Sam.

Sam - Puppy School

Our young grand-nieces, Brianna (in blue) and Abby (in pink), enjoyed visiting Sam.

Sam - Brianna Kisses Sam

Sam with Abby

Fast forward to now, Sam 2 is fourteen years and seven months old, outlasting the life expectancy of labs which is supposedly twelve to fourteen years. He is in his late eighties in dog years. That is old. He still eats and drinks well, shows interest in people, moves around the house and the yard, but he struggles.

Samson on Bed - Sitting Up

At this point, he cannot hear very well. We still talk to him in complete sentences and repeat commands. Like that will work. It doesn’t, but we forget and try anyway. Getting up is difficult, more difficult some days than others, but he never gives up and works at it. That may actually keep some muscles stronger.

Sam does seem confused at times. He doesn’t always get outside to do his “business.” Almost daily we go on an “Easter egg hunt” to see where those indoor dog logs have been laid. We are comfortable with that now. It is what it is. We keep our clean-up supplies around the house: rolls of paper towels and Thieves cleaning solution in a spray bottle. We limit the rooms where he can wander. We are grateful it is usually solid waste.

We feel privileged to have shared life with this dog for so many years. He is still good company.  He’s shared his gentle ways with our toddler guests. We hope he will make it very clear to us when he’s done with his work here, and then we will grant him rest. Many of you know this path we are on. You can appreciate the dread of the pending loss of man’s best friend and the heartache that will follow. We are in the good company of friends and we’ve shared those days in the past for many beloved dogs gone on.

Our young housemate, Oliver, also enjoyed time with Sam.

Oliver with Sam

 

Oliver in Jammies with Sam

 

One of our earlier housemates, Pete, often played with Sam, as shown in this video.

 

In the meantime, we will enjoy him every day. We will smile when he seems to be running free in his sleep. We will giggle at his old man snoring. We will envy him for all the naps he takes. We will pet him, feed him, thank him, and make his days the best they can be. What a grand gift a good dog is to living life well! Of course when you risk loving, you risk loss. That’s OK. It’s still worth it. Good dogs are forever in our hearts.

Cindi (feet) and Sam on Porch Side-by-Side

Samson Close Up w Tongue - 8-2018

Stay charming, my friends! Cheers for life with good pets!

New Dishes – A Fun Change

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We got new dishes last week. We are taking the older dishes out to make room. We’ll donate those. I like the new dishes, but moving out the old ones triggered thoughts and emotions, like highlights on a timeline.

Changing Times

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In the late 1970’s, my parents purchased a set of dishes for me when I first moved into my own place after college. The entire J.C. Penney dish set cost about $35 then, and I was thrilled. My mom promised I’d never get tired of these plates because there was no pattern on them. She was right. As usual.

They served me well for years and years. In fact, when we moved into our current home in 1996, I donated most of the set that remained to create space in our cupboards. I have saved one plate, pictured above, for the sweet memory of that early part of my adult story.

This first set of plates reflected a change in status. I had finished college and was going to set up an apartment with a great friend in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. That adventure in independence involved a move eight-hour west, leaving my childhood home, my parents, and life in Akron, Ohio.

 

In 1992, I married Glen. We picked out a set of dishes. Our marriage has lasted twenty-six years, but our plates have not. We have two remaining dinner plates. One is pictured below. It is time to replace them. I remember picking them out when we were engaged and registering for wedding gifts at a local department store, the name I cannot recall, that no longer exists.

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These plates also show a change in status. I was thirty-seven and we were starting our married life. After years of being single, I stepped into sharing life with my husband, learning to love him, and choosing to care every day. We’ve shared many meals and memories with friends and family over the years with these dishes.

Changing Tastes

Through the years, I collected random plates with the common color of blue. I liked the eclectic look of those plates. For me, they reflected diversity and unity around the table. The plates did not match, but they were each beautiful to me. That was a metaphor for those gathered around our table through the years. Each person is unique, yet beautiful. The shared meal represented a sense of unity in that time spent together with good food. This collection will now be donated to make room for the new dishes. They have served us so well, and even started conversations as people asked why they are different and don’t match.

My tastes have changed. Those plates were fun for a season. Currently, I am drawn to certain colors that reflect the earth, sky, and colors of water. I want those echoed in our home as we refresh this 100-year old house for the season ahead.

The dishes below caught my eye online at one of my favorite stores, Crate & Barrel. They came in the colors I wanted. Rather impulsively, I ordered them. The first shipment arrived last week. I love simple design. We washed them and arranged them in our cupboards. And our old plates got bumped out.

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Did you notice they still don’t all match?

Shared Opportunity

It is time to box up and donate the old plates. It surprised me, however, when the moment came to do that, I felt sentimental. Plates and table settings are a form of self-expression and art in the home, as much as they are a practical tool.

I wonder who we will share meals with using the new plates. I look forward to seeing the good food presented on the plates to nourish us, slow us down for conversation, and share time with others. Our small group* met at our house for pizza and encouraging, thoughtful conversation last week. They were the first guests to use the new dishes.

I’ll schedule a pick-up with the Salvation Army. They will drive to my home and get the box of old dishes from my front porch. They can then sell them in their thrift store, support their community efforts, or give them to help others rebuild their lives. I feel happy about that opportunity as I send the dishes off. If someone else will enjoy them in their own home, it is time to share. When more people benefit, everyone wins.

Soothing Colors

The plates I selected are the pale green, dark blue, light blue, and white colors in the Hue Dinnerware Collection. These are calming colors to me, from the cool color palette. These colors reflect the sky, grass and trees, and the variant hues in the water found in rivers, oceans, and lakes. I love being outdoors. These colors are one way of bringing the outdoors inside.

We’ve got two each of four colors to mix and a match. I couldn’t decide which color I liked best. So problem solved!

Crate & Barrel dishes

From the Crate & Barrel web page…

Sacred Moments

Meals with loved ones can be sacred moments. For me, it makes me think of God’s provision in my life. The soil, wind, air, water, and sun all contribute to good foods. I Farmers and ranchers work to bring food to market. Having enough to eat is a basic need and I cannot provide all that alone. That turns my heart toward God, who I believe sustains me and food is a gift.

Slowing down around a table to eat, taste, share stories, and connect with another — these are essential moments in the day to sustain our spirits. A good meal engages all the senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and we feel textures on our tongues. Shared meals are important to love, to community, to acknowledge there is enough, and see how we depend on one another to get food to the table.

For those of you who spend time reading the Bible, you may have noticed how many stories and images center around the table. Even communion with bread and wine, happens at a table with a group gathered for a celebratory meal. I love those images.

So dishes are practical tools, but the life that happens around dishes and meals is not to be missed. It’s time for new dishes and more memories in our home! May your meals be meaningful and enjoyed throughout the days to come!

Stay charming, my friends!

*A small group in this context is a group of eight friends that commit to meet together most weeks for support, friendship, and accountability as we learn to live as better people for a better world using Christ’s example and the story of restoration found in Scripture as our model. Our small group eats dinner together as part of our rhythm of sharing life. We have met together since 2008. This is a high priority for me as I navigate life with others who offer a safe space to talk, question, and grow. And eat!

Sanctuary

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For those experiencing “personal or political heartbreak,” Carrie Newcomer, an artist new to me, composed a song called Sanctuary that may speak to you. I connected with it. I am currently reading Parker Palmer’s life-giving book, On the Brink of Everything. This beautiful song,Sanctuary, is referenced in this book, and that’s how I found it and recently listened to it.

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In the notes for The Beautiful Not Yet album, Carrie wrote this about her song,

This song was written after a conversation with my friend Parker J. Palmer. I asked him, “What can we do when we are personally or politically heartbroken?” He responded, “We take sanctuary. We gather with those we love, in places like Brown Chapel. We remember, we share stories or we sit in silence until we can go on.”

I am in a season of political heartbreak right now, and some personal heartbreak. Maybe you are, too. This song brought to mind people and places that provide sanctuary for me – a good meal shared with loved ones, the beauty of nature and cathedrals, cultivating my faith quietly, the solace I find in God, moments of solitude, and connection in my local church community. I need to be more intentional about taking sanctuary in difficult times, remembering I wasn’t made to do the hard in life alone.

Here are the lyrics. I like to read lyrics. Perhaps you do, too.

Will you be my refuge

My haven in the storm

Will you keep the embers warm

When my fire’s all but gone?

Will you remember

And bring me sprigs of rosemary

Be my sanctuary

’Til I can carry on

Carry on

Carry on

 

This one knocked me to the ground

This one dropped me to my knees

I should have seen it coming

But it surprised me

 

Will you be my refuge

My haven in the storm

Will you keep the embers warm

When my fire’s all but gone?

Will you remember

And bring me sprigs of rosemary

Be my sanctuary

’Til I can carry on

Carry on

Carry on

 

In a state of true believers

On streets called us and them

Its gonna take some time

‘Til the world feels safe again

 

Will you be my refuge

My haven in the storm

Will you keep the embers warm

When my fire’s all but gone?

Will you remember

And bring me sprigs of rosemary

Be my sanctuary

‘Til I can carry on

Carry on

Carry on

 

You can rest here in Brown Chapel

Or with a circle of friends

Or quiet grove of trees

Or between two bookends

 

Will you be my refuge

My haven in the storm

Will you keep the embers warm

When my fire’s all but gone?

Will you remember

And bring me sprigs of rosemary

Be my sanctuary

‘Til I can carry on

Carry on

Carry on

 

Where do you find sanctuary, a place of refuge or safety, when you can’t do it on your own? When the heartbreak makes it tough to get up and go on alone?

If you stop to watch the song video, may it encourage you and strengthen your heart, because maybe – just maybe – you needed this today.

Stay charming, my friends! And find sanctuary on dark days.

 

For more…The Growing Edge with Carrie Newcomer and Parker Palmer

 

 

5 Steps to Good-bye Stuff

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Here in California evacuations are a real thing. Perhaps a fire in the area, rain and mudslides, or earthquakes. I watched evacuations on the news so often this fall. It made me think about what I would take and what would get left behind. That has prompted a new round of clearing the clutter in our home.

My Other Motivations

I’m in my early sixties and that’s a good time to go through our house and get rid of stuff, to simplify. It would be life-giving to live in a home with only what we enjoy and use surrounding us. It would bring peace of mind to pare down to the essentials, giving us more freedom from worry, storing stuff, cleaning, and caring about all the stuff that accumulates over the years.

We have no children. I don’t want to leave a massive project to others to come in after us and clear out our house. I don’t want to have that on my mind as I age. Someday, if we need to move into another living situation, I’d like the process to be as easy as possible.

While working little by little with my ninety-four year old mom on clearing out her apartment, I have come to the conclusion that it will never be easier to part with my precious things than it is right now. I have the energy and the ambition to work on it now. I do not want to be burdened by possessions in my later years. Also, it has been my observation that you have stronger sentimental attachment to your things as you age.

The Layers

Home Decorations: My decorating tastes and style changes over the years. Yet I hang on to decorative items that no longer bring joy or hold meaning for me. I pass through rooms throughout the week, not even noticing this or that until I have to pick it up to dust it. It’s dated and has served its purpose. Yet it continues to be stored in my home. Time to part ways.

Sentimental Items: Then there are items that carry sentimental value. I am learning when a thing carries value in telling life’s story, it is difficult to part with that item. I have learned that the story remains, even after the item is gone. I do like taking a photo of the item before I donate or dump it. The image in the photo triggers the memory and is easier to store.

One thing that helps me, from the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, is to thank an item for the joy it brought or good it provided, and then say good-bye, as I walk to the donation box. That sounded so silly when I first read it, but it has worked to give me a push to part with things.

Hidden Things: Often the most challenging things to sort through and clean out are the hidden things in files, closets, basements, and garages. The papers, clothes, and various things stored around or in a storage unit take some discipline to go through and get rid of. We had to tear down our garage recently. We had to empty it out by a deadline. That really helped us get it done. I’m so glad to have that behind us. We vowed to never have that much stuff stored in a garage that we really didn’t need or use.

The “Too Many” Category: Collections, cookbooks, books, shoes, photos, sweaters. Whatever it is, I have too many of certain things. That’s an easy way to spot a hobby, passion, or favorite. Those are hard to get rid of for me. But I’m making progress when it’s time.

5 Steps to Help Simplify Stuff

  1. Schedule: Set aside an hour a week to simplify. Perhaps 15-minutes a day on four days or whatever works, using a room-by-room schedule, and remember the goal is progress not perfection. No time scheduled? It will never happen.
  2. Story: What items hold a story for you when you see them? Take a photo. Easier to capture the story that way than by holding on to too much stuff over time.
  3. Sort: Divide things into categories – keep, dump, donate, or not sure yet. Maybe add the sell category, depending on if you want to bother.
  4. Sitting Around: Go through the broken things, mismatched things, things that are missing a part, craft to make one day, and meant-to’s – those “I meant to follow-up” things. So follow-up, fix it, or get rid of it. Some things are never going to get the attention you planned to give, so let those go.
  5. Satisfaction: There is progress and a sense of reward, a feeling of satisfaction as you move through a room, drawer by drawer. Embrace that good feeling!

Have you noticed how stuff continues to accumulate? I have to clean out yearly to stay ahead of it, but that gets easier the more we keep up with it. What are your tips for simplifying your possessions?

Stay charming, friends! Here’s to less cluttered homes!

 

Find Beauty Anyway

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In the midst of uncertain times and difficult events, find beauty. In others. In your surroundings. In moments. In nature.

I spent some time recently with a good friend in Old Town Orange, California. I rode the Metrolink train to Orange and walked a few blocks to the quaint center of town. We started our day with mid-morning muffins at the Blue Frog Bakery.  As we sat, enjoying the treats, coffee, and conversation,…

…an agitated woman with a shaved head came in the bakery, and demanded the money in the cash register. When that didn’t happen fast enough for her, she grabbed all the money in the tip bowl. Thankfully, the situation did not escalate.

Next, the stranger went down the row of tables yelling person to person, “You look homeless. Buy a cup of coffee!” She proceeded to give most customers a one-dollar bill, including my friend and I, and stormed on out the door. Many customers put the dollar bill back in the tip jar, but some people kept the money. They may not have known it came from the tip bowl. The police came quickly, just as the woman headed out the front door of the bakery. They intercepted her there, and talked with her. My friend and I passed by the woman on the street two more times that day.

In times gone by, we’d just take moments like that in stride. But now days, no one is taking any chances in situations where there is odd behavior. We live in a needy world. Aggression and violence, even in extreme weather, are more commonplace and more instantly covered by the media, creating heightened awareness. And anxiety. Find beauty to help stay balanced.

After things settled down at the bakery, my friend and I headed around the corner to Country Roads Antiques and Garden. My friend has an eye for antiques. I have a low to no tolerance for antique shopping, but a high value of our friendship, so I go along for the companionship. We did find beauty and I’ll share the photos below.

My friend and I looked for images of interest and collected ideas. I took photos of all sorts of things, capturing the beauty I noticed. We had a wonderful time talking, wandering, and hunting through the random, everyday things. After exploring to our heart’s content, we headed to lunch at The Filling Station to celebrate her birthday.

The Filling Station - Orange 2018-3-9

We soon learned about another tragic shooting in progress, including hostages, at a veteran’s facility in Yountville, California. Our hearts ached on many levels. For the victims,  their families, the survivors, the responders, the frequency of these incidences, and the frustration of our inability as a society to protect against these senseless crimes. Even on a fun day out with a friend, we encountered two moments of brokenness. We needed the beauty of the garden visit and of friendship to balance out that day, too.

Here are some photos from our outing. May they bring beauty to your day, too. In spite of the heartache in our world, there is beauty in images and friendships to keep us strong and hopeful. Enjoy the photos! I’m amazed at the beauty created by clever gardeners and designers.

Chandelier Corner 1 - Orange 2018-3-9

Orange Flower - Close-up - Orange 2018-3-9.

Lampshades in the Garden - Orange 2018-3-9

Garden Door - Orange 2018-3-9

Gold Orange Flower - Close-up - Orange 2018-3-9

Country Road Antiques Window Boxes - Orange 2018-3-9

Pansies - Orange 2018-3-9

Chandelier Corner 2 - Orange 2018-3-9

Orange Flowers on Bench

Old Sink Planter - Orange 2018-3-9

Lorna Waves Thru Window - Orange 2018-3-9

pink-and-blue-flowers-orange-2018-3-9.jpg

Purple Flower Basket & Hazy Window - Orange 2018-3-9

Red with Black Center Poppy Close-up - Orange - 2018-3-9

Shoes on a Bench with Plants - Orange 2018-3-9

Pink Flowers & Log - Orange - 2018-3-9

Purple Pansy - Orange - 2018-3-9

Purple Flowers Against Wood - Orange - 2018-3-9

Window Panels in Garden - Orange 2018-3-9

Weird Plants Sold Here - Orange 2018-3-9

Wreath, Frame, Old Clock - Orange 2018-3-9

White Flower Basket on Fence - Orange 2018-3-9

The Filling Station Blue Umbrella - Orange 2018-3-9

The Filling Station Color Umbrellas - Orange 2018-3-9

Lorna - Framed Friends - Orange 2018-3-9

Friends in a frame

P.S. You may have noticed I did not post last week. Time just got away from me. That happens from time to time, but I did miss meeting you here. Have a good week!

Stay charming, my friends!

 

Capturing Stories from Life and the Week

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It has been an exceptionally busy work week, so this post shares a few quick thoughts on recent life. I hope something will be of interest  to you or something you can relate to as you read.

School Shooting

I am sickened that yet another tragic shooting has occurred. As a former classroom teacher, I would not agree to carry a weapon.

God help us.

Reflections from a Mother’s Heart

I want to recommend a tool to you, if you still have parents living and relationships you treasure. This past fall, a friend of mine shared that she’d used a book, Reflections from a Mother’s Heart, to capture some of her mom’s stories. I ordered the book from Amazon. I also got the similar book for fathers, A Father’s Legacy (now unavailable, sadly). I took both books home with me for an October 2017 visit with my parents. It prompted great conversation which unfolded stories of their lives, some of which were new to me.

Some parents complete the book on their own, but I used pages that appealed to launch the conversations and jotted down notes as they answered. I’m so grateful I did, for my father passed away a month later. His stories from that October weekend keep him close at heart.

Now, once a week, with my mom on the phone, I talk through some of the prompts in the book. She may not always have an answer, but the prompts always lead somewhere to great memories of her younger days. Those stories keep the young, vibrant woman clearly pictured, though now in her 90’s.

I’d discovered this book makes it easier and fun to continue to get to know my mom, and helps trigger memories from her past which honors her as a person who had a full life. Those are precious times. We live about 2,000 miles apart, but our friendship is strengthened through this book.

The great thing about these books is that they can be used with any older friend or family member that is important to you, whose legacy you want to keep. I do need to mention it has sections that are religious, so if that is not part of the life of your loved one, you can pass by those pages.

Winter Weather

The southern California weather has been typical this year. That means some hot summer days, and then some cool winter days. We’ve not had much rain this winter, which bothers many of us because we need that rain. However, in the areas ravaged by fires, no rain means no mudslides.

This week is particularly chilly. I have to laugh as I write that. I grew up in the Midwest and survived bitter cold. So now when the temperature is down in the 60’s, and I feel like I’m freezing, I know my blood has thinned. I’ve adapted to my California habitat. That temperature would feel like spring when I was living through winters in the Chicago area!

Last night, I checked the weather app on my phone and I could not believe my eyes. My town was the coldest, compared to Chicago and Akron – cities where I’ve lived in the past. Crazy! Hopefully you are not visiting in southern California this week to escape from the cold midwest.

temps 2018-2-20

The Olympics

My husband and I have spent some time recently watching the various events of the Winter Olympics. The sports capture our interest during these weeks. I just love the Olympic theme played so often during the NBC broadcast. Here’s an interesting little article on the theme and a silly video I found on the KUSC website. I wanted to share these if you are teaching a unit on the Olympics. Or maybe you are an Olympic fan, too.

The Olympic Theme Explained

Here is the silly rendition of the theme, described as “Shaun White and Michael Phelps play the Olympic Fanfare on melodicas. Get your melodica here at http://www.melodicamen.com.”

Stay warm and charming, my friends!