A (not so little) Little Happy

Recently my dear Mother gave me a gift card to Anthropology. One beautiful, sunny day Caity had time to go with me to do some shopping, just for fun, so of course Anthro was on the list. I love their dish towels, which I learned my my dear sister, Janet in MS, gave me one a while back. So when I came across these I knew they were going to be part of my "happy".

They also have some great dishes and I've been looking at a set for quite a while. I don't really "need" new dishes so I've just enjoyed looking. I do however always "need" more serving bowls of various sizes so these were just perfect.

Caity found a book she'd seen there previously and really liked so she got a "little" happy too. :-) We had a great day. Thanks Mom!!!!

reflections in a cup of coffee

I'm sitting in the corner of a favorite coffee shop with my best friend in the chair next to me, a Carmel Dulcé and a Maple Scone between us. I smile as the sun warms my shoulders. My computer beeps; I receive an instant message from my sister--my heart is glad; the hub-bub of chatter forces silence between us in our little study-nook; I glance over, there is a glint in her eye; I type back and wait for her smile; esprit. As I watch the tide of community ebb and flow as coffee is brewed, bagels are toasted, scones are baked, and orders are delivered, I am impressed with the community that evidently exists between the friendly people. A neighborhood policeman stoops to talk to a young friend about the books he is reading. The boy must head out the door with his dad--they will be late for school. Four people crowd around a 2-person table. Another coffee is ordered and a fifth chair is scrounged up and squeezed into the circle. Parents and their two kids, swing by to pick up coffee and hot chocolate on their way to work/school. Newspaper pages flip; two more computers add to the already-long chain of laptops; another coffee is finished. It is snowing. The people are just going through their daily routines, they have shown me just what it is like to share a moment of time to invest in someone else--like the old man smiling right across from me. I have an assignment due. I must focus before my computer dies.

what a commentary

On my Mac, I get daily comics (as anyone in my family can tell you, I don't read them often, but today I did). This one stood out to me.
Whatever happened to taking pride in making something beautiful--even with something as simple as handwriting? The days when people actually wrote letters and knew how exciting it was to open the mailbox and find hand addressed envelopes instead of rubbishy magazines. O, the joy of opening a letter covered in beautiful, dark curls and swirls of ink! Texting is useful--sometimes--but really, wouldn't most of what is said in txt messages be much more meaningful in a letter or phone call? What happened to being willing to take the time to be more personal with those you care about? It has been replaced with a false sense of familiarity with lots of people instead of with the few who really care.

Take some time to invest in those you love and share with them the joys of simple beauty.

My Stick Family from WiddlyTinks.com

fashion finds

...that I have added to my collection

“As to matters of dress, I would recommend one never to be first in the fashion nor the last out of it.” John Wesley

"They think him the best dresses man, whose dress is so fit for his use that you cannot notice or remember to describe it." Ralph Waldo Emerson.

adorable Anne Klein pumps: “Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.” Plato

A woman's true beauty is not in her figure, in the clothes she wears, or in the way does her hair. A woman's beauty is seen in her eyes, because they are the window to her soul the place where love dwells." Audrey Hepburn

“The only rule is don't be boring and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in.” Paris Hilton

and a little gem from Anthropologie with all kinds of design, couture, and style tips:

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common - this is my symphony. William Henry Channing's Symphony: some background, and its appearance in an Arthur Brisbane editorial - from the 1906 collection, "Editorials From The Hearst Newspapers"” Williiam Ellery Channing

food and fabric

our Sabbath-day Feast

turkey soup, a delicious salad, french bread, and sparkling apple cider

a new apron

A Spring like this....

deserves some spring cookies.

Tuesday I heard the first hummingbird of the year, so the hummingbird feeders are out! =)

fun treat

It was just a little bit cool this morning and so I thought I'd make a midmorning pick me up for everyone. A friend gave me the MarieBelle cocoa and I'd not really tried it yet. I made a few cups worth and ladled it into these tiny cups I'd picked up at an estate sale (so cute!). Yummy!

For His Glory and Our Enjoyment

The aspen trees are starting to leaf out

And the fruit trees are blooming
They smell wonderful too.

apple-pecan cinnamon rolls

-sorry no picture-

this recipe is actually my Nana's that we use for biscuits and crescent rolls, but it makes fantastic cinnamon rolls too! It makes a lot of dough, so you have a couple options. Split it in half (works great), store the leftover dough in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!, or use it all if you're baking for a crowd. =)

Biscuit Dough

5 cups of flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup shortening (don't substitute with butter--it doesn't work)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon yeast

2 tablespoons warm water

2 cups buttermilk

mix together the dry ingredients; cut in the shortening. dissolve the yeast in the warm water and stir into the buttermilk. add the buttermilk mixture to the flour and blend well. preheat the oven to 375* turn the dough out onto a greased counter. divide in half. roll the dough out into a rectangle--make sure you don't roll too thin, as the dough will break (I'd say 1/2"). smear with melted or softened butter and cover will sugar and cinnamon. I like to include a bit of brown sugar...it just seems to make them taste even better. now slice an apple very thin and lay the pieces on the dough. sprinkle with chopped pecans and roll up. place in a greased pan. you'll want them fairly close together. when the rolls bake they will be more like a coffeecake then individual rolls (this keeps them SO moist, even you happen to over bake them a bit). now repeat with the other half of the dough if desired. let them rise in a warm place and then bake them for about 25 minutes (until they are lightly brown, or however you like them). now it's time to ice them. I like to make a cream cheese frosting, but just milk, p.sugar, and vanilla is great too. enjoy, especially when they're hot!

if you omit the apples and pecans you will have a basic cinnamon roll--they are really yummy that way too, or with carmel on the bottom =)

the end of spring break

last friday Mother Dear took us kids to Art Attack to paint some pottery. what fun we all had!

the finished products

*~*~*

I did actually sew some last week too--pictures will be posted soon =)

Really? Truly?

I do believe spring is finally here. The winds have come, the juniper pollen is blowing, the temperatures are swinging back and fourth between the 50's and 70's, and yes, even the flowers dare to bud. =)

A beautiful, lonely, tulip budding in the back yard.

Another sign of spring, is that Mandy is now going for a swim every day.

My old alarm clock broke and before I pitched it, I took out the batteries and opened it up to have a look inside. =) I find things like this fascinating and I'd love to know how all that works!

Some pretty house plants

Easter Lilly

Beautiful hydrangeas given to us by some friends

Daffodils

Fruit tree blossoms

HAPPY EASTER!

Resurrection Sunday Morning

John Chrystostom's Easter Homily

"Are there any who are devout lovers of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!

Are there any who are grateful servants?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary from fasting?
Let them now receive their due!

If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their reward.

If any have come after the third hour,
let them with gratitude join in the feast!

To one and all the Lord gives generously.
The Lord accepts the offering of every work.
The Lord honours every deed and commends their intention...

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!

You who have kept the fast, and you who have not,
rejoice, this day, for the table is bountifully spread!

Feast royally, for the calf is fatted.
Let no one go away hungry.
Partake, all, of the banquet of faith.
Enjoy the bounty of the Lord's goodness...

Christ is risen, and you are cast down!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life is set free!
Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead.

For Christ, having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Christ be glory and power forever and ever. Amen!"

Our Feast

leg of lamb, mint jelly, and gravy, rice-a-roni, apple-pecan salad, crescent rolls and jam, and jello (on the table already)

and Peach Trifle for dessert

a hymn of gladness

"The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad;

the Passover of gladness, the Passover of God.

From death to life eternal, from this world to the sky.

Our Christ hath brought us over with hymns of victory.

Our hearts from evil, that we may see aright.

The Lord in rays eternal of resurrection-light.

And, listening to his accents, may hear, so calm and plain,

His own 'All Hail!' and hearing, may raise the victor strain.

Now let the heavens be joyful, let earth her song begin;

Let the round world keep triumph, and all that is there in;

Invisible and visible, there notes let all things blend,

For Christ the Lord hath risen, our Joy that hath no end."

-John of Damascus

I wish you all a joyous day, celebrating the resurrection of our Savior and Lord!