Everyday Beauty

She (to me):  You see beauty in "everyday" things.

Me (to her):  Yes. I. Do.  All the time!

tools of my trade

These pens.

They were all I wanted for Christmas, and I got three of them.

They are harder and harder for me to find in stores.

Usually I go for the orange (red?) barreled ones - they are fine point.

But these, medium points, are working just fine.

This date book.

I've used this format for several years now.

It begins the August before the new year so has already been broken in.

Every year, I look over other formats

but return to this one.  It works just fine for me.

by candlelight...

Our electricity went out last night.

Rumor had it that it would be 1:30 a.m. before power was restored.

By the remaining light of day, I gathered candles and hunted frantically for working flashlights.

By nightfall, we were comfortably settled in to enjoy a calm, quiet evening.

I think I'll just let these candles sit on the tray and light them now and then

when I want another calm, quiet evening

(and restock our flashlights' bulb/battery supply).
As happy as I am that power was restored,
there is something to be said for the peace and calm of an evening
without all the "artificial" pleasures that electricity enables.

"we need wabi-sabi"

I've got quite a BIT of wabi-sabi in my home

and have found the book Wabi-Sabi Welcome encouraging and relaxing just to read it!

"simply showing up, not showing off"

"live large, open lives"

 "largely about learning to pay better attention"

"uncluttered way of living"

ALL this and so much more..

Especially I like "learning to embrace the imperfect"!

a smple grill

Purchased several years ago for $15 at a garage sale,

this simple grill is getting a workout this spring.  

We're using it more than ever now that my father has come to live with us,

and we're eating more meals at home!

Last night (in spite of cooler temperatures), Gary grilled leg quarters -- 3 large ones.

Enough meat left over for at least another meal for three!

I tried something new to me.

Employing a small, old cast-iron skillet, I sliced some golden Yukons

and added onion and garlic salt.  

I poured a bit of melted butter over them 

(probably should have used olive oil), 

covered it with foil, and put it on the grill.

We will definitely do this again! 

And next time, I'll slice one more potato!

So simple.  So delicious.

door dressing

 Our lives have become simpler in many ways since my father moved in with us.

I've come to enjoy cooking again 

(as opposed to running over to the local cafe frequently).

My crockpot is currently working for me,

wafting scents of a combination of pork, potatoes and green beans

covered with cream of chicken soup and a bit of dried Ranch Dressing mix.

I'll add some applesauce to our menu, frozen earlier this autumn.

Meanwhile, outdoors...

my husband is putting finishing touches on our front door.
New paint and a brass kick plate.

"Novembers have never been more beautiful," I think to myself.

simple and free

 It doesn't get much thriftier than free

(or purpler than above)!

 After church this morning, my husband and I

parked the car and set out for a leisurely walk

through an unfamiliar (to us) neighborhood.

 I used my cell phone now and then to capture sights

that interested me.

 I wish I'd taken more photos now.

There were so many unique features and lovely landscapes.

 This last one seemed especially significant and reassuring

as we returned home to the news of the horrific happening in Orlando.

Thankful that the best things in life are simple and require no money--

including prayer.

should I be embarrassed?

Should I be embarrassed to admit that I pulled this out of a cabinet and lit it this morning?

We'll be traveling for Thanksgiving 

so I don't have a strong reason for 

Thanksgiving/Harvest decor to occupy my time and efforts.

Instead I find myself needing light on these evenings when it is dark by 5:30!

So this it is.

It was "won" at a gift exchange at a gathering of our small group from church last year,

so it comes with memories and reminds me that our lives have changed

dramatically this past year. 

I don't go "all out" for Christmas decorating.

Give me a few candles, a strand of lights or two and carols playing in the background

and I am content! 

No.  I'm not embarrassed.  

I'm content and thankful for Christmas and all the blessings 

that came along with the First One.

I plan to enjoy the season as long as I can stretch it!

idea harvesting

 I spent a couple of hours "idea harvesting"

at Barnes and Noble this afternoon.

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of new magazines on the stands, and 

(though I shouldn't have been)

by how many Christmas issues there were already.

 I was attracted to the first photo because of the layers of color,

textures, and patterns.  The room is full and interesting, in my opinion.

The last photo was attractive to me because of its simplicity.

If I remember correctly, it appeared in an article about 

savoring silence and "alone" time during the holiday season.

As usual, I returned home with fresh ideas

and enthusiasm to tweak my personal surroundings.

With many decorating blogs becoming so cluttered

and many resorting to advertising,

I found the current magazines an enjoyable alternative today!

confused. very confused

 

Wearing its first coat of paint already....

  I really WAS going to get back on the wagon* this week.

Then, I read "Let's Celebrate the Art of Clutter".
Now I'm confused.  Very confused.
 Consider this quote:

In accumulating, we honor the art of the potter, sitting at a wheel;

we appreciate the art of the writer, sitting at a desk; 

we cherish the art of the painter, standing in front of an easel. 

From "Let's Celebrate the Art of Clutter" 

Pottery, books and paintings definitely occupy a large part of my "clutter".
Who am I to not honor, appreciate and cherish the art that surrounds me?
If the topic of downsizing, decluttering and simplifying interests you,
you may enjoy the read AND join me in my confusion.

I'll be interested to hear what YOU think about Dominique Browning's musings.

*See my prior two posts for enlightenment about the "wagon".

simple, thrifty and refreshing - a great combination

Not all Thrifty Style here involves thrifted "treasures".  Thrifty Style includes simplicity at many levels--including food.

Now sometimes it is simpler to go out to eat, but that's not exactly thrifty.  However, our evening snack tonight is both Simple AND Thrifty.  It's one of my favorite combinations - pineapple, oranges and bananas.

When I shop, I notice what's on sale in the produce department and try to incorporate it into meals.  This week, it was fresh pineapple!  Soon I hope to be enjoying another favorite combination - green grapes, cantaloupe and pineapple.

Do you have a favorite fruit combination?

a little blue

 In the process of not simply de-cluttering but de-owning,

 I emptied (and sold) two small hanging spice racks (with doors, etc.).

 Inside one were these miniature bottles.

 They are awaiting my decision about whether to de-clutter or de-own them.

This is HARD!

my hospital 'do

This is a simple post about a simple axiom:

Appear as you are. Be as you appear.
(Posted by annie s. on Twitter)

It truly makes life simpler.

I'm currently in the hospital rehabbing after slipping and falling on ice last Saturday.

I got new hip parts in an early Sunday morning surgery.

I was already overdue for a haircut when it happened.

Now the trick is to do SOMEthing with my "bed head"...

This seems to be the simplest.  

Maybe I'll get used to it.

There. That's Done!

Last year I got rid of a lot of excess "Halloween" decorations.

I stored everything left in one basket.

 I'm glad I did it.  It made decorating the mantel this year
SO much easier!

 One thing that was NOT in the basket was this box (below).

I found it while looking for the basket!

I have NO idea when/where I got it....

but it is PERFECT for holding the chalk I use

when changing the message on the chalk board that hangs next to the mantel! 

"95% PURE CHALK"

Oh.  You know how they say, "Step back.  Take a look and remove one thing"?

I removed the gold sheep that you can see

on the far right hand side in the top photo.

What WAS I thinking!
Then...I thought it best to move the basket to the outside...

The Final Draft

this is war!

Vix commented on my last post about my recent journey to keep my kitchen counters and sink clean:  "I'd love to develop that habit but I think I'm genetically predisposed to being messy and maximalist!"

And I replied, "Oh, Vix! Me, too. But (for me) there was just something about the piles that accumulated on "my" kitchen counter! I could tolerate them about so long...and then my head exploded thinking about going through the piles."

I HAVE resigned myself to the fact that I MUST be genetically predisposed to being both messy and maximalist.  But I MUST have an equal predisposition to becoming overwhelmed by stacks of paper and miscellany that seem to accumulate out of NOwhere and grow like Jack's beanstalk - overNIGHT!

So, in the words of Elaine (another blogger friend), I "soldier on".  

One small step after another.  

Simplicity is relative.

That's why I labeled one of the pictures, "Relatively uncluttered"

My counters will never be as sparsely furnished as some I see.

But it's not a competition, and that's not my goal.

  Living with my two warring, genetic predispositions IS!

a simple habit

My weekend delight is the simplicity of clean counters.

For some, that may not be a "biggie", 

but it has  been a challenge for me the majority of my life.

For the past 19 days, I've been faithful at cleaning off counters

and keeping up with the dishes.

What a difference it makes in my mind and emotions!

I believe I have 2 more days before this becomes

an official habit.

Guess it's about time.

Is there a simple habit that YOU'D like to establish

yet in your lifetime????