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The Goodbye
The 18th-century French poet and novelist Anatole France said “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.” Those words rang so true as I spent the past few weeks saying a bittersweet goodbye to the place I have called home for the last 22 years.
Full Circle
As I prepare to put this current year to rest, I eagerly anticipate the unknown of what is coming in the next one. I started thinking about this blog that I started over 11 years ago and thought it would be apropos to repost an edited version of how it all began. The message is still the one I am passionate about and I’m amazed how it still parallels my journey then, and now. If this blog has taught me one thing it is the understanding that life is a constant process of deciding what to keep and what to let go of.
The Nest Test
Fall is a beloved season of transition when the highly charged summer months are behind us and we ease into the change of pace that comes with winter. A walk out of doors, through rustling leaves and browning plants, we are reminded of the bounty of the natural world. The flora and fauna that selflessly showed up for duty in spring, and stayed to delight our senses in summer, have completed their cycle and are now bowing their autumnal adieu.
On a recent afternoon of putting gardens to bed, I came across a beautiful bird's nest. Carefully crafted from twigs, mud, and pine needles it had been built with the singular purpose of sheltering its newly hatched inhabitants. Vacated months ago, it had completed its mission and was readying its return to the elements of the earth. I started thinking of the parallels between the nests of twigs and mud and the homes we make from lumber and cement.
Ancient Wisdom
I’ve recently fallen in love… with a country. A summer vacation in Greece not only ticked off another bucket list item but it’s left me deeply impressed for many reasons. One was the beauty of the culture and history of the land. Another was the kindness and good humor of the people. Yet another was the sheer beauty of the land and sea. But one of the things that struck me most was the way the titans of their ancient mythology still weave their way into their modern-day lives.
Who’s Style is it Anyway?
Welcome back, friends. I hope you all had a few relaxing months off the hamster wheel. I know I did. Bidding farewell to summer is always tough for me. It takes me until August to finally get into the groove and then, poof, the world snaps back to what seems more fast-paced and less playful.
Just when I was feeling the atrophy that comes from summer brain, a friend asked me a very interesting question, which fired me right back up again. She said she’d been thinking of a way to arrange her thoughts into words that formed just the right question to pose to me. She was finally able to distill a pretty complex question into a few simple words…”How do I find my style?”
Tell Me A Story
We’ve all been watching a lot more television lately, and going to see films once more has been a real joy for me. While most people are interested in the handsome hero or the shocking cliffhanger in the storyline, I am paying greater attention to the character that is present in every scene, yet never speaks. To me, the background interior sets are the loudest storytellers and speak volumes about the characters that reside there.
I Need a Magic Wand
As an interior designer, one of the worst parts of my job is having to tell someone that there are some problems that just can’t be fixed, or if they can be, the costs will be sky-high. Since pulling back from my full-service design business I have concentrated solely on doing consultation work. Last month alone, I had the unfortunate job of telling three lovely homeowners that same bad news. They all said the very same thing, “I wish I would have known to call you first”.