Taking it Off~

Now this little gal looks as if she 'gits whatever she goes after', so......................I think she will be my role model, as I attempt to 'lasso' the extra pounds on this short, pudgy body of mine!

I just joined our local 'Y' 2 weeks ago, & you talk about a MAJOR deal! Just 'gittin' there everyday for a 1 hour workout.............well, I got a feelin' it's about as much work as ropin' a newborn calf!

Honestly, it has taken the determination of a bull to get me there each day! I can't believe how out of shape I have gotten over the last 5 years. After walking faithfully for 1 hour a day for nearly a year, I lost 25 pounds in the process..........until ONE DAY, when I just couldn't 'do' the cold, I quit! Cold turkey...........just quit! Now, 5 years later, I have an EXTRA 35 pounds on my body, & I can't IMAGINE the amount of work , not to mention, deprivation, it's going to take to get it all off!

I would imagine there are more of you gals out there with the same problem. I was never one to want to go to a gym, & be around all those sweaty people (of which now, I am one!) , but, I have to give credit where credit is due~it's the BEST place to be if you are serious about your health and serious about doing the work required to get in shape. My mother struggles from the devastating effects of severe osteoporosis & multiple myeloma~bone cancer. I have seen a once vibrant woman, who could run circles around me, & with the figure of a teenager, reduced to a hunched over , fragile , wisp-of-a-thing in a mere 3 years. She is only 79, but 3 years ago, could have passed for someone in their mid-50's. It's caused me to take a second look at where I want to be at that age, and seeing that I or my siblings might carry the genes that have caused our mother so much misery, I hope to stall and even ward off the onset by taking better care of this one and only body I will ever have.
Yeah.................I think I'll try to 'lasso' in the waistline. Anyone want to join me?
PS~the picture came fromRee Drummond of "Pioneer Woman".

Boston Design Elements

I just returned from a trip to see my sister over the weekend. She lives in a town called 'Winthrop by The Sea', in Boston, Mass.
A light rain fell for most of my stay, which just added to the charm & beauty of this place. Coming from the Midwest, it is a virtual 'culture shock', to say the least! I am always enamored by the architectural elements in historic buildings, & this trip was no exception. Here are just a few pictures I snapped of the intricate details that make Boston so unforgettable. (The mermaid in the store window was life size, & absolutely BREATHTAKING !) I am in love with the 'Bwaaa-ston' accent !

"Just Checking!"

If you look closely at the bottom left-hand corner of this picture, you will see a pointed ear, with fur on it. Yes, that is the ear of our Corgi, Jasmine. Now, you see that 'Shabby Hamper'? It contains the VERY things that Jasmine LIVES for~my shoes!!

Since Jasmine came to join our family nearly 2 years ago, she has managed to destroy SEVERAL shoes, making what used to be a "pair" totally worthless! She was always quite sneaky about the whole deal: she would grab one when I was preoccupied with some other task, & head STRAIGHT for her carrier, which is where she: 1) sleeps 2) runs to when she's in trouble 3) burrows in to eat on shoes and other 'treasures' she manage's to cart off when noone's looking!
This little hamper became a necessity, placed strategically by the front door, to deposit our shoes in to keep them away from this little scoundrel! Little does she know that with only a slight nudge, she could upset the lid & dive into "Shoe Heaven"! (I wonder how many things that look insurmountable in my own life carry the same amount of ease to overcome???)
!

Weston, Missouri~Pure Delight!

This is '5B&C0.'~an ADORABLE candle shop in the heart of Historic Weston's shopping district. This is a candle wonderland, gals, filled with the most delicious scents imaginable !
The owner , Marsha Martin, has managed to create clean- burning, soy based candles that permeate your home or workspace with long-lasting fragrance. You gotta have a sense of humor to offer scents like: "Monkey Farts"~a distinct banana fragrance! ; "I'm the Boss Applesauce"~a creamy apple scent; & "Smelly Cat"~ one of my favorites, that actually neutralizes odors, like a cat box, for instance!!
For more information, go to www.freesniffs.com







This shop is home to "Missouri Bluffs", a distinctive boutique that features the most feminine clothing styles around~from everyday casual, to romantic styles fit for a bride & her court! Go to www.missouribluffs.com
F.Y.I.~the jewelry selections are nothing short of GORGEOUS, with designs to give any outfit that "WOW" factor!!









The Historic Weston's shopping district is sheer delight, with beautiful vignettes at every turn~my favorites being the lush potatoe vines & silvery "Silver Mound" that always seem to intensify the colors of the flowers that surround them.

"Angel Eyes"

These sweet porcelain angels found a home with me upon the closing of my mother's antique shop, 'Cherishables', nearly 2 years ago.
These little cherubs have stolen my heart~don't they have the most precious faces??

The other picture below was taken at the monastery I wrote about . I just couldn't believe it when I realized that the intricate carving on this frieze captured the faces of three adorable cherubs, so similar to the ones I had at home!
I just wonder what the significance could be, except maybe just "three angels, watching over me!" Ha!

A Sanctuary in Clyde, Missouri

Seemingly, in the middle of NOWHERE , lies one of the most idyllic spots that could very well be the closest thing to the American version of "The Sound of Music" . Set in the rolling hills of Clyde, Missouri, just north of St. Joe , is the monastic community of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.
The pristine beauty of this place is just almost beyond description...........from the spires of the 'castle' , to the perfectly manicured lawns dotted with Austrian pines that have stood like sentinels since the mid-1800's.
It was on these grounds that a dear friend & I spent the last several days, slowly releasing the stresses of our lives to the heavenly peace & quiet that permeates the very air of this glorious retreat.
Punctuating the precious hours of our days were the moments spent in worship & prayer in the most breath-taking chapel I have ever seen! Truly, the beauty of this place lent a sense of reverence to every aspect of our day~from a leisurely stroll along a tree-lined lane, to the Vanilla Nut coffee we enjoyed after a shared, noon-day meal with these gracious Sisters.

For more information on how you , too, might enjoy the benefits of personal and/or spiritual retreat, go to www.benedictinesisters.org.

Nell Hill's in Atchison, Ks

Mary Carol Garrity is the proprietor of 'Nell Hill's', a "home furnishings emporium in Atchison, Kansas." It is a treasure-box , full of garden-y things that just steal your heart!, and home accessories & furniture that DARE you to leave without them! Mary Carol is one of the most delightful people I have ever met, & even though her store is bustling with activity, she makes you feel like you are the ONLY ONE in the room when she is speaking to you..........which she always does, welcoming you with her beaming face that always wears a smile!
Set in the little town of Atchison, Amelia Earhart's birthplace!, it is a calling card to women near & far, who desire to bring a bit of class , & panache!, to their own homes. It is a MUST if you are in the area (or not!)
Mary Carol has written several books, one of which is "Feather Your Nest"~'It's All In The Details. It is a total DELIGHT , as each page spills over with beautiful photographs, depicting not only the irresistible accessories found in her store(s) (she has a new one in Kansas City, as well!), but room settings & beautiful vignettes that simply transport you into another world!
Just google "Nell Hill's" for more information, & directions to all of her stores.
FYI~don't forget to always 'look UP!' when in any of her stores! The most fantastic displays seem to ALWAYS be at the ceiling!