Shopping in person

“Women who shop by telephone do not know what the pleasures of buying are.” The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen.   It is true that people who shop by telephone or as it stands now, by internet miss the communication that shopping in person allows.   When buying fabric one touches and feels [...]

Pavarotti sings Lucio Dalla’s Caruso

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Caruso! In 1986, Lucio Dalla wrote the words and music for this amazing song. The song relays the pain and longing of a man about to die while spending time with the woman he loves. Luciano Pavarotti took it a step further with his emotional and amazing voice. Pavarotti expressed the agony and pain Dalla [...]

Two of O Henry’s Beloved Short Stories

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One of my favorite authors ever is O Henry. Opinions differ strongly on the man’s work but he is as realistic in his recounting as Norman rockwell was in his painting. Having read then left his stories on a shelf for a long time, in the last few days, I ran across them when downloading [...]

Book Review: Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley

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Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley Aldous Huxley Book Cover: Crome Yellow I kept waiting for things to happen in this story but you could say my mind is marred by the fast pace of the present. At a lazy and wonderful pace of the country home, things do happen. A true 20s piece of literature, [...]

Book Review: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

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A Little Princess: Book cover Frances Hodgson Burnett Refuse to allow the hardships of life to stop you from the joys it holds. In this charming story, through the character of the heroine, we find grace, kindness and generosity in the face of ugliness and cruelty. With simplicity and succinct clarity Burnett wrote, drawing the [...]

On My Walks What I See

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Summer days in Hawaii have harsh sun but evenings are heavenly sent. After changing my routine from day person to night owl, I have reveled in my discoveries and enjoyment of the island. Nighttime walks are the best. Quiet, cool and yet warm Trade Winds never disappoint. Here I share with you some of the [...]

Iris in Progress

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My husband Steve is working on a project and asked me for some pictures of Iris. No, he did not want photographs, he asked for drawn and colored ones. Here is the progression of my work. I show you the first one to the last as I experimented and tested my skills with oil pastels [...]

Pleine Air Painting Oahu Hawaii

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Almost every night, my husband and I walk on the boardwalk in Ko-Olina on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. And every single night we go, it is a different sunset. If one could paint the variety and splendor of those evenings, it would take a lifetime. One could specialize in Ko-Olina sunsets and nothing else. [...]

Limoges and Sevres are my Passion

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As I complained that my knowledge of antiques was nil, my bet friend’s mother suggested that ignorance was a choice. All one had to do was pick up a book, start some research and learn how to see and judge what one sees. Sound advice for a twelve year old who took her seriously. As [...]

When You Want It Perfect Do It Yourself

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“You never ever get rid of anything,” says my daughter Nadya, all the time. It is true if I can conceive of using whatever could be thrown out. I use raw shrimp for my recipes and I keep the raw peels. I double bag and freeze them for the time I need and want a [...]