Last Sunday I hooked up our clothesline. We have one of those pulls and hook set-ups. The memories that are wrapped up in fresh clothesline linens and old-fashioned clothes pins put a smile on my face. When I was a kid most all households had some sort of clothesline. They were usually in the backyard, but if you lived in the country you would probably place your clothesline close to the kitchen door or basement. Most washers and dryers in those days were either in the garage or the basement. On a sunny summer day along a Missouri country road, you'd see bed linens blowing in the wind along with farmers' denim shirts and a large gathering basket sitting below the line. Seeing this always gave me a sense of nostalgia and hominess feeling. You still see such things if you travel north to the Amish country, but not as frequently. As with all things they come back. Watch for the wave of clothesline popularity to return. I will welcome its return. If you're thinking about having one in your backyard here's a quick and easy way to do that. Your reward will come after you climb into your bed and place the crisp fresh air top sheet over you or reach for the clean fresh-smelling towel after bathing.
The Peonie bushes have almost withered away. I'm sad to see them go, but appreciate their beauty and amazing scent while they last. I snapped the stunning blooms early in the morning. There's something about the fusia-colored blooms blending with the light pink ones. Let's just call it magic! My gardens are filled with layers of blooms. Some bloom early in the spring while there are others that thrive in the hot summer sun. It's what I call a layering of blooms that scatter about proud and joyful just when you least expect them to. One of the things that I love about gardening is that each year is different. Sometimes you'll have a hearty crop of hydrangea and roses, while other times you'll have Shasta's and lemon balm. It's never the same. Your flowers evolve just like you do!
The paper scrolls are one of my favorite styling tools! You can find them here. I warn you, it will be a challenge to choose!
The Bulgarian Rose Oil is here! The green bottles are here! This means that we will soon start the Back to Basic Collection. After the sale is over, I'll begin to work on the new line. The ideas are fresh in my mind and will transform into an aromatic assortment of summer body essentials that will help calm you and cool you in a most marvelous way! The excitement grows!
My cookbook is coming along. We're making final choices on covers and the recipes have been carefully chosen for this book. Most of which are recipes that have been handed down from my great grandmother, grandmother, mother, my Aunt Vivian, and myself. It's interesting how over the course of time your method of cooking and eating evolve. I'm a Southern girl at heart, so my cooking reflects that, but I'm also a clean eating girl, and the dishes that I make simmer around that too. When my grandmother Lola owned her restaurant she was best known for her fried chicken. When I was a kid growing up we'd always go to grandma's house on Sundays and she'd prepare her famous fried chicken and potatoes and gravy. All of those soulful memories are wrapped inside Taste & Eat. I'm not only honored to share these recipes but excited for you to try them in your kitchen. Cooking is and always has been a way for me to show love. My son used to say, you've got to put love into it, mom! This is a trick that most good cooks already know. It's like the great cook code!
The shipment of beaded bracelets is here! I like to think of these artfully crafted cuffs as works of art. Which they are and kind of our jewelry trademark pieces at the shop. They are well made and this soap maker's go-to pieces. Sometimes I prefer wearing a bracelet over a necklace. I'm kind of weird about jewelry-wearing. I used to layer, but now I gravitate towards just a few favorite pieces like the beaded bracelets. If you were to look at my jewelry shelf you'd see more than several of these bracelets. I love wearing them!
Years ago after my mother-in-law passed we inherited that old Hoosier. I really didn't know how to style it in our home and finally decided that I'd place my home office in the antique cabinet. It's worked out great. Technology changes and now we have wireless connections for everything but that old Hoosier never changes. It has lots of nook and crannies and storage space and it sits just off our 1921 kitchen. I really have always loved having my office off of the kitchen. I can pour myself a cup of tea, gaze out the window, or fix myself a snack. Old homes do have a charm about them that can't be found in a new one. I've lived in both and can happily say that I prefer old over new. My roof is solid oak! If you're not familiar with roof material, you won't get it, but I will say that you would be hard-pressed to find a solid oak roof in any home, new or old. The reason I know this is that when we had a new roof put on the guys shooting the nail guns had a heck of a time getting their nails in that hard oak. They couldn't believe that we had an oak roof and said that they had never seen it before.
Our Porch Sale is this weekend! This event offers a perfect opportunity to pick up some early holiday gifts or gift closet stash. If you are on our mailing list you'll soon be getting an invite, but invitations are not needed to attend. My friend Deb will be helping with the sale. She's so much fun to hang with. I'm looking forward to visiting with her. We always have a blast during these special events!
We have two cubby holes next to both sides of our fireplace. When we moved into our home we tore out some cabinets that were there. I kind of wished that we hadn't gotten rid of them and have been looking for the perfect piece to fit in the two spots. After searching for months, and years, I finally found a cabinet that would not only fit but offer some additional storage. When you live in an old home one thing you're short on is storage. Anytime that I can replace a piece with functional storage it's a good thing. You can see my fiddleleaf fig that is going crazy! Both the ones at the shop and at home grow like crazy. Folks are always asking me how do you get them to grow like that? I'm at a loss for words as I really don't know. I kind of neglect them most of the time, so maybe that's something they like. I water them once a week, very little and that's it. They have had an assortment of north, south, east, and west exposure, and no matter where they're placed they seem to thrive. Let me tell you that I do not always have this type of luck with plants. Norfolk Pines and Petunias hate me!
We're planning a low-key holiday weekend with some grilling with family and friends. I'm doing the grilling and have just recently discovered these. They're inexpensive and a healthier way to start your coals. I'm going to add some applewood chips to my chimney. I love the smoked taste of wood in grilling!
I'm looking forward to seeing you at the sale!
Enjoy a safe and happy holiday!
Jill
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