I went out of town and came home to a kitten. This happened to me twice. Seriously. My mother did not like cats. It is one of those questions I wished I had asked her before she died. Why didn’t she like cats? Growing up we only had dogs, no cats. By osmosis I suppose,…
For many years, we would host our annual Valentine formal dinner party for 12 people. So why not this year? It took me all of January to recover from the holidays! And before I knew it, it’s February. Lack of good planning on my part. Instead, this Valentine’s Day table inspiration is a romantic setting…
The human-canine bond dates back thousands of years. In the United States, over 48% of households have a pet dog. A hundred years ago, essayist and naturalist, John Burroughs wrote that with a dog, “You are alone and not alone; you have both companionship and solitude.” For me, that goes for all our pets. When…
It is hard for me to believe that we are beginning a new decade. It feels like yesterday that we were celebrating the beginning of a new century. The concept of time is so fleeting, isn’t it? In a blink, 20 years has passed. Most “new” years, I am excited for the fresh beginning, the…
It was a very rainy Christmas morning here in Phoenix~~just perfect for lighting each of the fireplaces. This is one of the first years we didn’t have guests, so it was just our family. That set the tone for a very relaxing and easy day. After reading Santa’s letter and opening presents, Dad made his…