Everyone, no matter what culture they are from or how long they have lived, has a basic need to feel content. Contentment is something that some seem to have naturally, while others appear to struggle for it throughout their lives.…
The Elegance of Patina
New objects have an effusive glow, freshness and flawlessness that have a strong allure to our innate sense of the imperfect nature of life. Because they cannot remain new for long, new things have a transient rarity. Things seem to…
A Chest Full of Memories in Resales Stores
I have found that there are few places that can stir my emotions and memories more than a resale store. Not the high-end antique stores, mind you, because the focus there is on rare and precious items that are highly…
The Wonder of Autumn
The gentle turning of time’s cycles ushers in each season in a seamless and undramatic fashion. But, there is no season that is more tranquil, soothing and sublimely beautiful than autumn. Summer’s heat wanes and is replaced by a delicate…
Seasons, Revisited
This season is remaking itself, slowly and daily. After the equinox, it seems to accelerate, rushing towards summer with an impatient temperament. The stirring rubs off on me. Every year at this time, I feel a craving for travel. Some…
The Enchantment of the Turn of Seasons
With the passage of time comes change. Seasons are one way that we mark this change, realizing that things come and go in cycles and rhythms that work beyond our control. In any season, and in our lives, there are good…
The Importance of Heritage
Within each mature tree is a solid core of wood that was formed during the first couple of decades of life. It is, in essence, the pillar upon which the rest of its life is built upon. Although the outer…
Gourmet and Handcrafted Foods
The most delicious, honest and truly gourmet foods are handcraft foods. What I mean by handcraft is that they are created by artisans in small batches, not mass-produced or highly processed, and made from ingredients that are locally-grown or locally-produced.…
The Beauty of Handcrafted Quilts
I have been fortunate to have grown up with hand-made quilts. My aunt Elizabeth was born in the late 1800s on a rural Iowa farm with outdoor “facilities”, no running water and no electricity. She lost the tips of her…
The Satisfaction of Accomplishment
The feeling of accomplishment is perhaps one of the most important that can be acquired. Accomplishment comes to us through our own hands; it is not one of those feelings that is evoked by another’s actions or activities, nor is…