Love Notes

Nov 05, 2023 • #blue

Lady Sings the Blues 10/30/23

Today's theme is all about blues, although I'm feeling anything but blue ...

"Fish in the sea, you know how I feel,
River running free, you know how I feel ...
It's a new dawn, it's a new day ...
And I'm feeling guuh-ooooood"
as sung by Nina Simone

Nov 05, 2023 • #fall #soup

Put Another Log on the Fire 10/23/23

There is a story about a hiker making his way up a spectacular trail in the Shenandoah National Forest. About midway, he remarks on the large number of downed trees across the path. He grumbles something about horrible trail maintenance, and is annoyed enough to start counting the number of obstacles blocking his path. Upon reaching the summit in all its Blue Ridge autumnal splendor, the hiker has what my late father would call an "attitude adjustment meeting with himself". On the way down, he instead counts the number of cut out logs, making an inventory of where someone before him has cleared the way for others yet to come. READ MORE

Oct 10, 2023 • #dinner party #fall #Tablescape #Tablescapes

Home and Hearth 10/9/23

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

Oct 10, 2023 • #fall #italy

Tuscan Travels 10/2/23

I hope you can bear with me for one last romp around my Tuscany trip. For your infinite patience, I'm hoping you might be rewarded with a few useful travel tips, most of which have taken me a half century to discern. READ MORE

Sep 29, 2023 • #italy

9/25/23 La Dolce Vita

Hold onto you hats - this is a fun one. I've just returned from a glorious trip to Tuscany with these delightful ladies. Meet my 19 new (and 1 old) dear friends. And this is the phenomenal villa we had to ourselves for a week. Our fearless leader, Tricia Heaton of Island Hopper Adventures, stands in the center in white, flanked to the left by her daughter Courtney (Director of Operations), while my wee head is the third to Tricia's right. READ MORE