Have you ever found a penny or a dime and felt that it was a sign just for you? If you have read my blog, you know that I have a thing for feathers. At least I used to find feathers all the time when I was on the journey to having our children. Every …
For the last two weeks I have been swimming through the muck and mire of our worldly possessions. Some days, I felt like I was drowning and other times, as I found my stroke, the waves parted and I could see the white shores of home. As I write this though, I’m finally over the …
“Hence I cannot be silent, and indeed I ought not to be, about the many blessings and the great grace the Lord has deigned to bestow on me.” ~Saint Patrick~ And oh, like St. Patrick’s quote above, “I’ve been surely blessed!” Stepping away from de-cluttering for a moment, to celebrate the up and coming …
Irish Stew, Irish Soda Bread and Apple Sauce Cake Read More »
Three’s…. a Magic Number! Three isn’t just a magic number when it comes to children (although, I like the number 8 too) but it’s also the magic number when it comes to the three R’s. The R’s that stand for, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. With earth day only a month away on April 22, 2015, …
Even in the mud and scum of things, something always, always, sings.” ~ ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~ Have you ever noticed that when you are on a certain path all sorts of affirmations meet you at the exact time that you need inspiration. Well, I have been receiving messages almost daily and not surprisingly, they …
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free, ’tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, and when we find ourselves in the place just right, ’twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gained to bow and to bend we shan’t be …
Thanks for popping in as I’m excited to share a few tips I have discovered on my early “moments” towards minimalism. The first one became very apparent to me yesterday when I woke up bleary eyed from a brief four hours of sleep the night before. (I had been writing my first blog about minimalism …
Minimalist Journey, TIP 1 & 2, and Spicy Bran Muffins Read More »
‘Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment.’ ~Thich Nhat Hanh Last year, in my spare moments, I started to Google simplicity. I visited our local library seeking every book they had …
“Not all those who wander are lost.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring As you may or may not know, I’m a HUGE Lord of the Ring fan. Well, maybe not as massive a fan as my daughter Alyssa, who could probably teach a University level course on Tolkien’s writing and Middle …
~Saint Teresa of Avila~ I’m back! After a month long hiatus from my blog, I want to declare I am well. My computer however needed serious healing with the local computer geeks…but it now seems well too. While it was being repaired though, I was able to plough through my latest book club selection …
Wisdom to heal is within each of us Little did I know but this blog post was inspired early this morning, when I selected one of the tiny wisdom cards from my seashell. The words on the card said, “Slow down~When you move too fast, you miss so much.”~ These precious cards were given to …
This is what the lake and surrounding hills looked like on Christmas day 2014..so much for a white Christmas And then, this was a picture from our deck yesterday, January 5th, 2015. Looks like winter is finally here And not only has winter finally arrived but yesterday and today were SNOW DAYS! I don’t …
I had many creative ideas and things I wanted to share with all of you over the holidays but once December came, an avalanche of birthday parties, Christmas affairs, concerts and basketball games over took me. There really wasn’t even time for me to do my usual monumental baking fest. All I was able to …
Cranberry Bliss Bars and Eggnog Lattés~Happy Holidays Read More »
Welcome December and my busiest month of the year. Welcome to The Spa at Orchard Ridge As if this month isn’t busy enough, we have three children who all have birthdays in the next couple of weeks. We eat a lot of cake this month. Clark our oldest son, will turn 22 on December 20th …
After a really tough week, yes another tough week, I’m so very grateful. If you have been following along with what’s going on in my life, things have been falling apart around here; zippers, dryers, furnaces, and then on the weekend I broke a tooth while eating popcorn watching a movie. Yes, I’m doing the …
Oh the blessing of free will. Some may call it a curse. Some may call it a gift. Last week, I made a number of excellent choices and then some that, in hindsight, I wished I had not made. But then even as I write these words I know, even our worst choices bring insights …
This was a shot from our deck at 7:30 this morning…our first snowfall of 2014 To put you in the mood as you read this blog post, play the following YouTube video clip. It’s from one of my favourite Christmas movie’s called, “White Christmas.” It’s called, “Snow.” (click on the hyper-link if you can’t view …
My dryer is broken. My Ruby red LG dryer–broken dryer You may remember reading last week about my belief in Murphy’s law, coinciding with D’s business trips. Something ALWAYS happens when he goes out of town. Of course, if I truly believe in the law of attraction, which I do, I will start reciting this …
Today was pajama day at the twins preschool. They have been talking about it since last week when their teachers gave them a sneak preview of the upcoming event. I kind of wish they hadn’t done that, since every night since then, before they went to bed, they asked with hopeful smiles, “is …
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. ~An excerpt from Laurence Binyon’s poem, “They Shall Grow Not Old”~ What does Remembrance day and lentil soup have …
Dearest blog readers, I’m sorry I haven’t written many posts this week but it’s been a birthday week for me. First, to celebrate my best friend T’s birthday on the 5th, and then mine yesterday. I’ve spent the whole week being introspective and reflecting on my wishes the last time I blew out a blaze …
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart” – Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor was right on. She must have had a really good friend to inspire her to write the above quote. Does that friend still send ripples of love out into the …
This year I made a scary Farmer out of paper mache and surrounded him with pumpkin friends Over our front entrance is a large spider made out of a stuffed garbage bag It’s over for another year! Spooky memories and fun dress up moments are behind us. My camera packed with oodles of pictures …
BOO! Okay, so you’re not scared. It’s only a picture of our twins, trying on the Halloween outfit they will wear to their preschool party on Friday. I couldn’t resist though as they were so darn cute. But going back to the word,”BOO!” Was I ever a bit scared four years ago this week, when …
The Places That Scare You!~Chicken Casserole with Chocolate Cake Read More »
When you’re finally up at the moon looking back on earth, all those differences and nationalistic traits are pretty well going to blend, and you’re going to get a concept that maybe this really is one world and why the hell can’t we learn to live together like decent people. — Frank Borman, Apollo …