Fostering a new renaissance through creativity, authenticity, spirituality, and art
This website and daily blog have been going for a year! Thank you so much for your continued readership. It is fun journeying with you and I appreciate all your ongoing comments. Keep them coming! It seems appropriate to review some of the best posts from my blog of 2009, as we look forward to … Read more
We really enjoyed this new movie about the young Queen Victoria and give it five stars. It beautifully portrays her rise to the throne at 18, and her early challenges in that role, but mostly this is about her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert. This young queen has hutzpah along with a frolicking warmth … Read more
I had a wonderful day. It helped that we had no big expectations of it. We needed to take my 12 year old to a poetry workshop which was followed directly by an activity another mother was going to drive her to. This meant we needed to drop her off 45 minutes from our home … Read more
This page represents December 17, 2009 to December 28, 2009 See close-up entries below. Enjoy!
the question of what makes life meaningful, as well as a study in the universal language of music. I give it 4.5 stars. Walter is a tuned out widowed professor that is “pretending” to live his life. He is disconnected and numb, just going through the usual paces, marking time. He is required to go … Read more
Immaculate One Self (innocent, perfect, pure) conscious (cognizant, alert, attentive, sentient) communion (trustingly at one) with God (inseparable omniscient ever-presence) contemplating… mediator way of salvation manifested in glory connecting transparent; comprehending conception (origin, existence) of being (life eternal) unconfined, unencumbered… Messiah (promised deliverer) hope, full-orbed complete fulfillment – encompassing perpetual peace – astonishing but true … Read more
These three pages of jottings in my journal were done in church as the celebration of Jesus’ birth approached… May we all focus on the reason for the season!
The indulgence of these pears at Christmastime is a family tradition for us. They are amazingly succulent, tantalizingly sweet and lusciously perfect. You can see we lit into this and ate one before I realized I should photograph it for this blog. They come from Harry and David (see here) and are called Royal Riviera … Read more
The assignment to the seventh grade social studies class is to have an idea that will change the world and then to put it into action. Trevor in that class has the idea for “Pay It Forward.” He will help three people out in a big way and then instead of paying him back, they’ll … Read more
Virginia’s 18th Birthday My oldest turned 18 quietly and without fanfare. She danced in her day at an end-of-the-term waltz party and celebrated with college friends by inviting them to a tea party in her dorm room. (She also served Boursin on snowflake Ritz crackers.) She had a Facebook message and text message from me … Read more
This is not where we usually shop. We come here twice a year, once to get our Christmas tree and again in the spring to get annual bedding plants. They were weird about me taking photographs; the security guard told me I couldn’t unless I asked at the courtesy desk; the courtesy desk said it … Read more
I really enjoyed this book. I give it five stars even though it is neither important nor profound – just nice – because sometimes well written “nice” is just what you want. There is a separate chapter on each person in the cooking class which reveals their backstory as well as the growth and progress … Read more
This page represents December 5, 2009 to December 16, 2009 See close-up entries below. Enjoy!
This tastes better than that picture looks! Sometimes you need some comfort food that is easy to make and that makes wonderful leftovers zapped in the microwave for busy days. This dish fits the bill on both accounts. The base recipe here is my mother’s delicious homemade macaroni and cheese recipe. I have that … Read more
I loved this movie. I give not only the film an enthusiastic five stars but give them to Nelson Mandela as well. This is definitely a feel good movie with a large message. And I am the farthest thing from a rugby fan. This is the story of the South African rugby team the year … Read more
My family had left at the crack of dawn for the FIRST Lego League State robotics Tournament. I stayed behind because I had a lot of work to do. It feels odd whenever I have the house to myself because it is so rare. I felt like I wanted to play hooky from church because … Read more
I like a lot of things abut New York City, but the variety and quality of food to choose from is definitely one of them. Most of these photos were taken on a stroll through Dean and Deluca (click here for their website) where this time we only bought Parmesan cheese straws and a drink … Read more