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Best Gift ’Twas the night before Christmas — and all the gifts were wrapped and under the tree. Uh oh. Maybe not, but if they haven’t gotten there yet, hopefully, they soon will be! And be wrapped in the perfect paper with beautifully tied ribbon. Okay—at...
Nandina is a lovely choice for decorating this time of the year, and here it's perch in a styrofoam ring atop a Williamsburg hurricane globe. No water is needed to keep this beauty alive for days, making it a colorful last minute addition to your Christmas...
In Keeping With Days Merry And Bright Ah! The thought of breakfast in bed—it's an extravagant idea. Maybe if you are cruising a luxury liner it wouldn't be too much to ask! But this time of year many of us are caught up in the rush of holiday preparations. Breakfast...
Peppermint candy canes have a colorful history--or colorless! They began as straight white sugar sticks! Personally, I'm ever so delighted that red stripes were eventually added! Where would my arrangement of peppermint and roses be without them? History of the...
Welcome to my world of Christmas decorating! Typically, there will be a few birds showing up in the midst of bobbles and bangles whenever my opinion counts. Birds are one of my favorite decorating elements. That fact is most obvious at Christmastime. Whether a pair of...
First, I Want Your Honest Opinion.Does this bow make me look fat? Because if it does then my mom is in real trouble. She and I have gone 'round and 'round about how to make the season really special this year. I just don't want to steal the show by looking too...
Layer Upon Layer of Autumn Beauty for the Thanksgiving season is showing itself in mirrored reflections. It’s a good time to get going on holiday decorating. But let’s not overlook that it’s way too early to go glitzy! You can do what I call "layering". A little...
Gratitude, Ready, Set, Eat! Here it is—the perfect time to bring out gratitude, traditions, and a healthy appetite. Most of all, gratitude. I don’t know when the focus of Thanksgiving became football and, more recently, shopping. This much I do know: my...
What’s All The Fuss Over Spooks? Halloween is all about them. Of course it is! Spooks of all descriptions show up on the doorstep of my home just after dark on that appointed night. So my dog is leery. She’s ready with her mask and a suspicious eye. I remember...
Reasons, Visions, and Challenges The Good Kind What reasons can you claim to rekindle enthusiam and ambition that may have dwindled? What would truly set determination in motion for you? As an author, I've learned that I require a burning reason to write. And it needs...
Love Is Magical What’s not to love about love, especially the kind that sweeps you off your feet? That kind of love is the magical kind—the remarkable, exceptional, outstanding, incredible, unbelievable, astonishing, astounding, staggering, marvelous, magnificent,...
Scotland — Right Here In America I doubt if I’ll ever see anything more beautiful than the three-hour drive in springtime, going north from Lexington, Virginia toward Washington, D.C. Highway 81 winds through the Shenandoah Valley, and on a sunny May morning the...
Be Safe Dogs like safe places! And there are some thoughts about hiding out that are relevant to us as humans. Hiding out in their kennels where they are safe from all alarms, dogs have the perfect place to land after a day of rough play and rowdy interactions....
Because He Lives The first time I heard the song Because He Lives written and sung by Bill Gaither, something about the melody and the lyrics grabbed my attention—and held it. I was mesmerized by the words. They filled the room with a sense of power and promise. Why?...
Something Beautiful Springtime is quite simply miraculous! The fact that it’s filled with wonderful surprises gives hope for the future. Springtime shows us new beginnings and new life. There is a song sung by the Gaithers with the lyrics by Bill Gaither. It’s words...
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“Be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, And tolerant of the weak… Because someday in your life you will be all of these.”
George Washington Carver
“Be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, And tolerant of the weak… Because someday in your life you will be all of these.”
George Washington Carver
“Be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, And tolerant of the weak… Because someday in your life you will be all of these.”
George Washington Carver
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