"We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry."
E. B. White
My youngest was home for Easter weekend from college. It is nice
that he is only a few hours away and can drive home about every
three or four weeks, when he completely runs out of clean clothes!
So, every month or so, I wash every single piece of clothing he owns,
plus a few items belonging to his roommate, that are mixed in. He
always says, "
Mom, you don't have to do my laundry for me!!" But I
tell him I like to. Besides, I do have a new state of the art washer and
dryer that I would have loved to have had, back when I had a
housefull! Unfortunately, those large appliances last just long enough
to raise a family, then finally bite the dust when they are all grown and
gone. We suffered from staggering sticker shock when our washer
died last year. Because they were so pricey, we purchased the
washer first and bought the matching dryer a few months later. They
were the odd couple; a buff husband and a frumpy middle aged wife,
standing side by side in my laundry cupboard. When, finally, I had both
sleek black models, they were so huge and modern they reminded me
of sporty new cars. My humble laundry area had become a small
garage! Most of my "motherly chores" are over now and I feel a twinge
of nostalgia which fuels me to grasp onto the few small things I can do
for my kids. It seems like just yesterday, that my little buddy was
helping me with the laundry on a regular basis, while his brother and
sister were at school. Afterwards, we would curl up on the couch
with some graham crackers and watch old Lassie episodes on TV.
Ah, those days are gone too soon!
I framed this great little print by the talented artist, Rima, and hung
This weekend was the last of the seasonal monthly antique shows at 
As I have mentioned before, I love vintage things. I am attracted to 
I follow the scent of falling rain
This is the first year that Grandpa is not here for his birthday. He passed away last year at the ripe old age of 93. I miss him terribly. He was a quiet man, who did not show a lot of emotion, but I especially miss him because he brightened my day with emails for the last ten years. He fondly called me "Kid" and we talked about genealogy, telling me many interesting stories from our past.
Okay...this is not exactly on my “get skinny before May” diet, but
My Great Grandparents, Glenn and Ida Belle were married 95 years
Irish Sweaters
I saw this painting a few years ago at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
A Lark in the Clear Air
One big item on my long term wish list is new kitchen countertops.
Today is my Auntie Dee's birthday. Dee is one of those rare individuals who can give you just the right encouragement at just the right time, like a ray of sunshine. It is always very intriguing to see what subject she is currently into. She jumps into what ever it might be with such exuberance, embraces it as her own and it spills off onto everyone she knows.
"The Hunt"
Well, our lovely, cozy, snowbound weekend is drawing to a close. 
Snow...snow...snow...snow!! And it's not over yet. They say
I never thought that I would like a bread machine. I like the feel of the dough and enjoy the process of kneading and baking. But how many times do I actually knead and bake? Not many. Last year I gave in and purchased one. Now, I don't know how I existed without it. You just throw the ingredients into the machine and turn it on. That's all. There are hundreds of wonderful bread machine recipes out there. The only thing is, I have to be careful not to make bread too often, or we will gain hundreds of pounds! Pictured above is one of my favorites, Squaw Bread. My world traveler teases me every time I make it, reminding me of my Native American heritage. It is absolutely delicious!
Spring is just around the corner! It's hard to believe with snow
