Love Notes

Hang onto your spring bonnets - this one's a big one.  Welcome happy Monday morning!   I arrived home from my Florida adventure last Monday to be greeted by a sea of hellebores, daffodils, forsythia, camellia and tulip magnolia in full bloom.  Mother Nature's welcome party - WOW thank you!   I dragged my "HEAVY" bags into the front hall, and out the back door I skipped, eager to survey nature's blossoming ladies in waiting. 

Strolling through the garden, I found myself in full conversation, "Oh my how you've grown Miss Camellia, almost halfway up the fence now aren't we?"   I had worried about her and her two sisters during our unusually frigid winter here in Virginia.   READ MORE

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A friend's husband once called me "the gift fairy".  Gifting is definitely my love language.  In my version of heaven, I would just give all of my jewelry away ... "You have the most beautiful auburn hair and hazel eyes, these earrings would be perfect on you".   "Oh, you love the Brindle earrings?  Then have these!"  "Off to Tortuga, Robin? - here!"  Vail, Jane? - "This is for you!"   Can you hear me wistfully sigh now, "if only..."  READ MORE

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Notice anything odd about my Autumn table above?  It needs some plates!   I've been plate shopping (actually, when did I ever stop plate shopping), and I have some fun finds for you today, along with some clever trickery for Autumn entertaining with simplicity and aplomb.   READ MORE

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"Well there's nooooo place like home for the holidays" ... go on, sing along with Bing.  But what is home, exactly?   Maybe it's not a place so much as a feeling of being with people you love.    READ MORE

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I think my house could be divided into two camps - those who love vegetables, and those who would be perfectly happy if their vegetable intake was henceforth limited to mashed potatoes, french fries and caesar salad.  My dog Chester and I anchor the first group.  Read more

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