Happy Thanksgiving. Those words have always rolled off my tongue. But this year I’ve been thinking a lot about what happiness REALLY means in my life since Covid19 has completely uprooted absolutely everything. Instead of feeling happy, let me change that word to GRATEFUL. I am grateful that I have so many wonderful memories of […]
More Derecho Donations Than One Pickup Could Hold!
Donations Galore…AGAIN! My phone began to blow up with MORE offers of derecho recovery donations to deliver to the folks in Cedar Rapids. And those offers were happening as we drove back from our FIRST delivery! (Read about THAT trip right HERE.) Soon a steady stream of generous people began to parade up the street […]
Derecho 2020 – We Filled Peepaw’s Pickup-And More!
Derecho That weather word was new to me. But in one hour on one day this summer I learned first-hand what it was. And the horrific damage is still being felt here in Iowa. The Oxford Dictionary definition is this. “A Derecho is a line of intense, widespread, and fast-moving windstorms and sometimes thunderstorms that […]
The Wind Of 2020 – A Summer Storm Like No Other
Wind storms in Iowa are actually not uncommon. But a Derecho? That’s a whole different matter! The Calm Before The Storm August 10, 2020 started off as a beautiful summer day here in Iowa. So I hopped in the car that morning and took a drive into the country. I was on my way to […]
Solar Success – An Upgrade On Our Deck
Sometimes watching DIY shows can lead to a lightbulb moment. A SOLAR one, that is! One of the designers stuck solar lights into antique lobster buoys and placed them on a deck. And that got me thinking. For years I have stuck small amber colored glass votive holders into the wrought iron sconces I hang […]
Newman Singers – A Treasured Tropical Day In SoFlo
The University of Iowa Newman Singers will always hold a special place in my heart. I have enjoyed their music for years during Mass at The Newman Center near the University of Iowa campus. And I have served them breakfast on several occasions on Sunday mornings between those services. Those college “kids” are truly some […]
The Appetite Comes While You Are Eating – Ten Courses!
“Lappetito Vien Mangiando…” The Appetite Comes While You Are Eating Bring your appetite! The long awaited day for sharing details of our ten course rustic Italian dinner is finally here! I apologize in advance for the HUGE number of photos I’ll be sharing…but I believe these pictures ARE worth a thousand words. Especially on a […]
Ten Courses? No Sweat! Cooking in Jim’s Kitchen
Does the thought of cooking a ten course dinner party make you sweat? Not me! Not as long as my favorite foodie friend Jim is by MY side! Our long awaited dinner party was scheduled for a Sunday evening. So Thursday was our major league shopping day, and Friday was venue decorating day. “Plan Ahead” […]
Decorating For A Ten Course Dinner – Planning Is Key
Decorating for any event has always been important to me, and I learned many years ago to start that process early. It ALWAYS takes much longer to complete that labor of love than you might imagine. My decorating bug started by watching Mom prepare for company. She would pull out all the stops when setting […]
Meemaw To The Rescue…
It’s not often I can come to the rescue for any of our family members. God knows I’m not a great swimmer, and I can’t scale tall buildings in a single bound. Heck, I can barely walk to the corner without complaining about my creaky knees. But several weeks ago I got a frantic call […]