The Newsletter...

Alexandra's Newsletter has posted.

A House Divided...

Since I have been reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's book, Team of Rivals, I wanted to watch this again so that I could see the sights that are mentioned in the book. I think this is an amazing program and so relevant to so much that is happening in our country now.. see it if you haven't had a chance. (available through netflix)

Liberty Forever...

These little star boxes are available in

The LOve Boxes Etsy Shop

today....

Please read every bit of the post below to find out about giveaways in July...

*** these sold out very quickly... next year I'll make more :) Thanks everyone!

All Wrapped Up...

Dearest Friend...

I promised that I would recommend a few of my favorite books appropriate to the season. This book was given to me for my birthday one year and was a favorite gift. I just love it. Women are left out of history because they were not allowed to be the major players. Abigail Adams was one of the first women to look after the rights of the "ladies" and she had the brains to do it.

Thanks to her prolific letter writing, we have some insight into the thoughts of a great patriot as she wrote to her, "Dearest Friend" and many others as well.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is where she says this, "I begin to think that a calm is not desirable in any situation in life. Every object is most beautiful in motion, a ship under sail, trees gently agitated with the wind, and a fine woman dancing... man was made for action." It's a good thing that she felt that way because she was a woman who was forced to work very hard in her life. She accomplished greatness.

I am so appreciative to Ms. Withey for her efforts in writing this book. I am very touched by the integrity that she has as an author. I felt that she did not try to put words or thoughts into Abigail's head, but allowed Abigail's own words and the words of the other founders speak for themselves. This is the hard work of the dedicated historian and I felt that Ms. Withey took the road less traveled and it did indeed make all the difference. Reading this book was an experience that I am very grateful to have had.

North & South...

This film has nothing to do with the Civil War, but is definitely in the spirit of period costume dramas that I adore. And, again, the BBC just does a brilliant job here. This film is based on Elizabeth Gaskell's 19th century novel of the same name; she also wrote Wives and Daughters which has a BBC production of its own.

I was especially impressed by the depth of this story which includes themes that are very relevant today. Elizabeth Gaskell was not one of the Romantic writers but has a style very similar to Charles Dickens who was born just two years after Gaskell in 1812. They were both reformers who wrote very sympathetically of those in desperate conditions.

The script in this production is tight as a drum and the acting is spot on. Don't miss this one. (available through Netflix)

The "G" is for Guts...

I am amazed at the kinds of jobs given to very young people in war. This book is about the WW2 Glider Pilots whose job it was to fly large gliders loaded with fuel, troops, ammunition, food and supplies and crash land those gliders behind enemy lines and then fight their way out only to do the whole thing again.
This book shows the resolute courage of some of those pilots who remember still, the terrible cost of liberty.

Put this book on your July reading list.

Weekend in Midway...

We had a wonderful weekend spending some time around the campfire with lots of our good friends, C and little c had a dip in the pool while I finished up a great book, and we topped the weekend off by having a beautiful luch at our favorite Park City Restaurant... Terigos. The weekend just flew by.

Pretty Pink Petunia...

Petunias are amazing these days. The no longer need "dead-heading" (which does not mean that they have to be restricted from following a certain band), they spread all over with a little Mircacle Grow and they pile up in a petunia pouf by the middle of July. I love some of the trailing varieties which people are using for window boxes and hanging baskets... I used to hate the poor common petunia, but now it's a favorite as it really works for the Granny Chic garden I'm going for. It's just a lot of color for your money.

More Lilies...

Luau...

Help! I am hosting a Luau for sixty people. After spending $20 on these leis, I have eighty dollars left in my budget. I already have plates, napkins etc... I just don't know what to make that is delish, cheap and really easy.

Dear Frankie...

It takes me until about 2 years after a film has gone to DVD for me to see it these days. I finally saw this film last night and I'm so glad that I actually watched it because I've been short on time and I almost just sent it back unseen.

It is a very well written, well acted film about a mother who leaves a brutal marriage to protect her son. She is unable to tell him the truth about his father and so she pretends that the boys' father is in the navy and she writes the boy letters that come from his father's travels all over the world.

This is such a sweet film. I really enjoyed it and I don't want to give away any more so you'll just have to see it.

Keepers...

Some books are borrowers and some are keepers. By that I mean, some books are meant to be checked out at the library and returned and some books are meant to be purchased for your home library, kept and treasured. This is a treasured book. Beautifully written, and very straightforward, Benson Bobrick allows the Founding Parents to speak in their own words instead of making thoughts and assumptions for them as is so popular with many historians. When you finish this book, you will know the founders better, you will understand their values and you will see the seeds of a new kind of thought begin to take root and grow into the concept of self-government.

Over the next few weeks, I plan to share just a few of my favorite American histories with you. I believe that we ought to know the history of our country and even (this is where I'm pathetic) the history of our world. We can't possibly know enough about our past. I think that more than any other learning, learning about our past as a nation and as a human race, can help us avoid terrible mistakes in the future. I love this quote by Edward Gibbon, an Englishman and historian who wrote one of the world's very important books, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, "I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know no way of judging of the future but by the past."

Target...

Someone at Target likes the 4th of July. I love it myself and thought I might check and see what red, white and blue they might have. I did a "July" search and found 123 products. They've got red rubies and flag plates, you can buy a costume and dress up as Ben Franklin, they actually have all your colonial needs and if you get really in the spirit of things... you can dress your kid up as Uncle Sam.... (no I'm not kidding) and you can get all of this stuff with out even leaving your chair. Amazing... If little c ever wants to be in the parade, I know where I'm looking first.

Red, White & Blue...

If there is anything better than candy, it has to be holiday candy. Tootsie has taken quite the long time to jump on the holiday candy band wagon, but when they did... just look! Aren't these just sooooo fun!

Lily of the Valley...

I finished painting this box yesterday. It only needed that last coat of varnish but it was difficult to work that in when with swimming lessons and two ballet rehearsals. Little c and her cousin J make such beautiful little Autumn Leaves. The recital is based on the 4 seasons... it's been so fun.

Leggo My Eggo...

I love these things because I am not a hot breakfast maker, little c has tired of toast and cereal and all the other two second deals (lean pockets are my next move I think), but as long as you don't overdo on the syrup they are 2 Waffles @ 180 calories and 6 grams of fat... not too bad and there are 6 grams of protein which is actually pretty good. It's not scrabbled eggs, but it only takes 2min. Hooray!

Mom & Me...

My mom gave me these cute pictures over the weekend. Not to be braggy, but aren't we kinda cute?

The Audrey Movies...

Of all of Audrey's fun films, these two are my favorites. We watched How To Steal a Million last night. I never get tired of it. The script is so fun and the clothes are so beautiful, with the exception of a hat or two which just seem ridiculous (one looks like she's wearing a Q-tip on her head).

About nine years ago, I was able to aquire one the original 14X36 inserts from How to Steal a Million. It wasn't at all expensive back then. I framed it and hung in by the TV. Since we like classic movies so much, it feels appropriate there. I think that it gives the room a touch of the Granny Chic that I love so much.

Dandelion Quilts...

I guess that I've been interested in quilts lately. I love the bright and original designs of Dandelion Quilts.. See her beautiful shop here. How about these gorgeous colors!