This is a post from last winter . . . came to mind with today's forecast for Washington, DC and most of the east coast.
If cabin fever is setting in despite the fact that you've played all the board games you can stand, watched an Oscar-nominated-movie marathon, baked your favorite cookies, and simmered a stockpot of stew, it's time for a new approach: Use the time you're stuck inside to: - start something, - finish something, or - revisit a stalled project Start Something Grab a piece of paper and map out your new project. What will it take to get started? Do you need to gather supplies, buy new tools, enroll in a class, or talk to an expert? Make a list, an outline, or draw a diagram. It's the first step in getting your project off the ground. Finish Something Wrap up some loose ends. Finish what's nearly done, but isn't. Clean, organize, and inventory your gear, tools, and supplies so you'll be ready to jump right in when it's time to start something new. Revisit a Stalled Project If you put aside a project because you were stuck, lost your inspiration, or became overwhelmed with other things in your life, take another look. You may be surprised by new ideas and solutions that percolate when you get back to it.
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Whenever I stop to talk with my neighbor, he gives a big parting wave and says, "Hug your baby!" Turns out, that's good advice, hugging is good for us. Chalk lettering in progress . . . This is a Calendar of Days post.
We were young twenty-somethings, just settled in a new apartment when a large box arrived—an unexpected box. It was a gift from my husband’s grandparents who had just returned from a trip back to Ireland, the country they had both emigrated from years before.
Inside we found a lovely tea set. To say we were delighted and surprised would be an understatement. We were at the time, living together, unmarried, with no nuptials planned anytime soon. It was, it seemed, a blessing of sorts. A sign that they had faith in our union? Perhaps, though its first service would be steeped in panic, sweetened with kindness and humor. It was soon after receiving the box that we received word that “Big” Nan was coming to visit my husband’s parents. Nan stood nearly 5’3”, petite and utterly charming. Her Irish brogue as sweet as the apple crisp I would present at our first tea service. Upon hearing the news I suggested we invite Nan for tea. And yes, my husband agreed. He promised to call his mother and arrange a date. But there was no rush, Nan would be visiting for nearly a week, plenty of time to make arrangements. Or so we thought. It was Friday, late afternoon when the call came. “Nan and I want to stop by for a visit,” my mother-in-law said, “and we’re on our way.” What? I couldn’t refuse them, but I was alone. Their son/grandson had just left. Ten minutes earlier he jumped into the passenger seat of his buddy’s 1970s AMC Javelin and pulled away. This was before cell phones. No way to get in touch, no way to bring him back. I was on my own. And if nothing else, I had to serve tea. With a 20-minute window to pull things together I peeled a few apples, spread them in a baking dish, dotted them with butter and brown sugar and turned the oven on. Though I’ve overcome my early shyness, this was a stretch for me. I was nervous. Stumbling through my first tea service, I forgot to put out forks for the apple crisp, only recognizing my omission when I saw sweet little Nan politely eating her dessert with one of the souvenir spoons I had laid out for stirring our tea. Oh, we laughed, and they gushed over the dessert, the apartment, and how nice it was to visit. Their kindness soothing my nerves. It was a lovely visit. And then they, too, pulled away . . . 10 minutes before the return of my Irish sweetheart. This is a Calendar of Days post. It's Popcorn Day!
Guest Post by Lisa Parker, Cakes for All Seasons I love plain popcorn. I don’t need it slathered in butter or sprinkled with salt. Just plain popcorn for me, thank you very much. But not microwaved popcorn. Can’t stand the smell. I’d rather get out a heavy pot, put in enough oil to lightly coat the bottom, and add a single layer of kernels. Put the cover on and wait for the pop pop to start, shaking the pan until the popping ceases, dump it in a big bowl, and start munching. Yum. In high school I was on the “college prep” track which meant that we weren’t supposed to take shop or business classes. I rebelled and took both wood shop and a personal business class. My folks have a much-cherished butcher-block table to show for my efforts, and I learned to balance a checkbook. Everyone should take these classes . . . but that’s another blog post. One day our business teacher arrived with two kinds of popcorn: the fancy Orville Redenbacher brand and the plain, store brand. We had just completed a week of discussions on buying store brands vs. name brands, checking unit pricing and bulk vs. smaller unit buying and assumed that popcorn was an end-of-week treat. It was, but it also provided a valuable lesson. She poured a cup of each brand and proceeded to pop them separately. We checked the number of unpopped kernels and measured the amount of popped corn for each. Our findings? While more expensive per ounce, the Orville Redenbacher yield was higher and there were few if any unpopped kernels (aka old maids), left behind. We did some algebra and determined that in the end, the Orville Redenbacher was a better buy than the less expensive, lower-yield store brand. That lesson of 36 years ago was so powerful that when I buy store brands today, I still wonder if I’m really getting a better deal. Yesterday, I decided to re-do the popcorn experiment and popped a half cup of each. Happily, nearly all the kernels in each popped, but the Orville Redenbacher batch yielded 30% more — it was fluffier. Today’s cost difference is far more than it was four decades ago: six cents an ounce for the store brand vs. 16 cents for Orville’s kernels. So is 30% more volume worth almost three times the cost? Nope! And, if you dress up the popcorn, can you really tell the difference? Check out these recipes for flavored popcorn I found at the Food Network Magazine site. What’s your favorite way to serve popcorn? Lisa Parker has been playing with desserts for years. After 20 years of baking desserts and playing with cake, she attended the French Pastry School in Chicago and graduated, with honors, from the L'Art Gateau program. She creates “delicious, joyous cakes and desserts” for wedding couples, party planners, and party goers in southern and coastal Maine, southern New Hampshire, and the Mt. Washington Valley. Lisa can be found at Cakes for All Seasons where she says, “Let’s meet, I’ll bring the treats!” This is a Calendar of Days post. Today is Thesaurus Day.
Whether you call your pursuit a hobby, a passion, or a pursuit, they all enrich our lives in ways we can't even imagine until we begin. Find your pursuit. This is a Calendar of Days post. The kitchen junk drawer, do you have one? I open mine daily, but if I'm honest, it's usually just to grab a rubber band or a clip. The other things I use once a month, maybe, and should probably be stored elsewhere. There are keys (for the padlock?), finger covers (I cut my finger a year ago), a pencil, a corkscrew (we have two others in another drawer), a tape measure (that's handy), scissors (I use those a lot), matches (almost never), and nail clippers. Hmmmm, time to rethink the junk drawer. Marie Kondo says we don't need a junk drawer. I think she's right.
Marie Kondo is the author of the wildly popular book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. It's a little book with a big message: less is more. And her technique for deciding what to keep and what to toss (or donate or give away) is inspiring. Ask yourself one simple question: does it spark joy? If less clutter and less stuff leave space for more joy, I'm in. This is a Calendar of Days post: Get Organized Month I considered not posting today because it's Nothing Day, and that would be an easy out, but my goal this year is to post daily. It's only the 16th of the month and I've made it happen each day. The challenge now is to keep it going. But, I realize that may be difficult to maintain. I don't know. What I do know is that I'm going to try. It's challenging and interesting.
It feels good to be at day 16. Using the Calendar of Days is my best idea yet to develop content and ideas for posts (it came to me last summer, but took six months before I decided to commit to it). The calendar is designed to prompt all of us to try new things, break out of a rut, and maybe on occasion develop new traditions based on one or more of the entries. I'm learning as I go and want to create posts that are longer, more varied, and more of what people want to read. It's exciting to talk with people who have a passion for what they do. People like Julie at Ampersand Elements and Dorinda at Queen of Hats. It's a real challenge and a learning process for me (my note-taking skills definitely need improvement!). If you're reading, thank you. If you have ideas, I'd love to hear them. In the end Nothing Day is quite something! Hats off to Dorinda Putnam, milliner, Queen of Hats in Portland, Maine. Hats are her business, and Dorinda says, “I love, love, love them.” Her earliest memories reach back to when she was just four years old, “I remember very vividly going to Sunday school. Everybody dressed, you had your hat and your gloves,” she said, “and I never gave it up.” No matter the season, Dorinda wears a hat. This winter she favors the Lilli & Cohoe line—impeccable styling with discreet, sewn-in ear flaps. And when the weather is warmer? “I love my straws,” she said. I asked Dorinda if there is a current trend with hats. “A lot of women are wearing men’s fedoras,” she said. “There’s not a thing wrong with women putting this on,” she said, slipping on a black fedora. Styles may come and go, but whether it’s Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, wearing a fascinator, or Downton Abbey’s Edith Crawley in a stylish cloche, it’s hard to deny hats elevate an outfit like few other accessories. The Kentucky Derby may be a horse race, but just as important are the hats. “Big, time,” Dorinda said, “you’d be surprised how many people from Maine go.” Sometimes the store gets so busy, “you can’t even touch a needle to the straws,” she said. But touch a needle she does, offering embellishments and custom millinery for men and women.
Whether you’re looking for a fascinator or fedora, the Mad Hatter or a Stetson, you’ll find it at Queen of Hats— a shop brimming with style. January is Soup Month, and as I researched this post, I came across this proverb. It caught my attention because it made me think of how often we hold off pursuing something until we have everything we think we need to start (or finish).
Good manners dictate that we eat soup with a spoon, but you can also slurp it from the bowl. It may be less dignified and even messy, but it won't affect the flavor of the soup. January is Creativity Month, and if you remember our post from Monday, this is Letter Writing Week . . . talk about having your cake and eating it too! Mail lovers rejoice.
Getting mail is always fun, and now it’s even better. I discovered this gem at a local craft show this past December and just had to have one. They are designed by the very creative Holly Karolkowski of Art for Small Spaces. Holly's creativity doesn't end there. She's also the creative genius behind Lost Monster Designs . . . take a peek! Contact Holly for cake and monsters! My slice is going out later this week for a January birthday . . . sweet! |
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