Quote of the Day

"Pickett excused himself, watchful of Longstreet. Pickett was always saying something to irritate somebody, and he rarely knew why, so his method was simply to apologize in general from time to time and let people know he meant well and then to shove off and hope for the best. He apologized and departed, curls ajiggle."
-Michael Sharra, The Killer Angels

What I'm Listening to Right Now.....

Lovisa Elisabet Sigrunardottir, better known by the stage name Lay Low, is often called the Patsy Cline of Iceland, and it's not hard to hear why. Her latest record, Farewell Good Night's Sleep, draws inspiration from country music of the 1950s and '60s, and even replicates recording techniques from that era.

Click here to listen to her fabulous style! I also adore the sliding guitar in Country Ballad.

In addition, here are a couple clips I uncovered on Youtube:



Apparently, this was on a Chanel commercial-very sultry, but classic and remniscant of the 60's:

What My Daughter Wants For Her Birthday....

It's on sale, marked down from $96.00 to $71.00. Now all I have to do is justify this with Rick! I can just hear it now-"Do you think I'm made of money?" The girls are in dire need of spring clothes....I wonder if E could wear this to school one day? Would this count as an outfit?

May you have a lovely Saturday!

Happiness Makes Up in Height for What It Lacks in Length
by Robert Frost

Oh, stormy stormy world,
The days you were not swirled
Around with mist and cloud,
Or wrapped as in a shroud,
And the sun's brilliant ball
Was not in part or all
Obscured from mortal view—
Were days so very few
I can but wonder whence
I get the lasting sense
Of so much warmth and light.
If my mistrust is right
It may be altogether
From one day's perfect weather,
When starting clear at dawn,
The day swept clearly on
To finish clear at eve.
I verily believe
My fair impression may
Be all from that one day
No shadow crossed but ours
As through its blazing flowers
We went from house to wood
For change of solitude.

Why I Love My Horse So Much

My friend sent me a link to the Parelli website; she said "You need to read this page - this is what I've been trying to teach you to do with your horse and what I've learned to do over the years. It will greatly help you understand and build your relationship with your horse better."

One of the interesting things on this site was how to figure out your horse's personality. Horsenality is the proper term. I found out Dancer is a left brain extrovert. Click here to see how I arrived at this conclusion.

As I continued perusing, something else caught my eye and struck a chord. It was a description of just how special the relationship between a horse and a human can be."It's about more than just the horse, it really dips into the personal development side of things. You learn about yourself, you learn about communication, about leadership, about truthfulness, about consequence and responsibility. You learn about love and imagination. The horse becomes the animal that tells you the truth about yourself in all these categories." (Thanks to Linda Parelli for this!)

Coincidentally, this week, I penned the first in a series of monthly musings for the Emmitsburg News Journal that will share my ongoing trials, tribulations and high points with Dancer as well as witty observations about my life, my kids and anything else I fancy. (okay, don't roll your eyes, lol.) It occurred to me that what had taken me about two weeks and 1500 words to describe in my article, Linda had just eloquently and artfully captured in a few insightful sentences.. But, alas, with my tales, you do get the bonus of getting to know me and my family just a bit better. I always find it fascinating to occasionally have a glimpse into other people's lives; I am awestruck by the human psyche; why people do the things they do, what drives them... My husband often suggests that I might have been a good case study for Carl Jung, himself. But then again, any one could be, right? We are all really such incredibly complex creatures, are we not?

I have so much to share about so many things-I hope you can follow me as I skip around incessantly! I promise to keep it as upbeat and as fun as humanly possible.....Now go out there and figure out your horse's personality! Or just go grab any horse and try it. On second thought, well, that might not be such a good idea......remember the saying, don't try this at home? I wonder if the Horsenality thing would work on dogs or babies?

A Unique Recording: A Gettysburg Witness

This is fascinating!

"Jay Allison unearthed a unique recording: the voice of William V. Rathvon, who as a nine-year-old boy, watched and listened to Abraham Lincoln deliver his address at Gettysburg in November 1863. The story was told in 1938 and recorded on a 78 r.p.m. record." Click here to listen to a portion of the recording, courtesy of NPR.

The Beauty of Words....

Endymion (extract)
by John Keats

Book I

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

Quote of the Day....

Outstanding in the Field

Can you imagine how cool this would be on the Gettysburg Battlefield? Come on, some clever person out there could easily organize this!!!! I think I am going to forward the info from Outstanding in the Field to the Friends of Gettysburg.....we have some great resources around here-think Sidney in East Berlin or Pomona's in Biglerville. And, if it didn't work out at the battlefield, well, there are endless sites to hold such an affair; how about Quaker Valley Orchards or Hauser Winery....(I know, I know, its the event planner in me.)

I wish there was a way to figure out how I could personally afford to attend this with a few close friends-what a fabulous way to celebrate, well, life, of course! An evening that would be well spent with friends, good food and a gorgeous setting. The closest event to us will be either Hamburg, PA or Upperville, VA or Rehoboth Beach, DE.I love the idea of getting together with a large number of people and celebrating a few of the many things I feel most strongly about in life- food and local agriculture. Note the beautiful locations and humble, rustic decorations....Here is an excerpt from their site:
"Our mission is to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food, and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it.

Outstanding in the Field is a roving culinary adventure – literally a restaurant without walls. Since 1999 we have set the long table at farms or gardens, on mountain tops or in sea caves, on islands or at ranches. Occasionally the table is set indoors: a beautiful refurbished barn, a cool greenhouse or a stately museum. Wherever the location, the consistent theme of each dinner is to honor the people whose good work brings nourishment to the table.

Ingredients for the meal are almost all local (sometimes sourced within inches of your seat at the table!) and generally prepared by a celebrated chef of the region. After a tour of the site, we all settle in: farmers, producers, culinary artisans, and diners sharing the long table".

Some Eye Candy For Spring

I came across this lovely site, Terrain, and couldn't help but share-and lo and behold, it is a sister of two of my very favorite stores, Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters. (I am trying to figure out a way to own these lovely drapes from Urban Outfitters...

Happy Spring Everyone!

Accidentally On Purpose

Recently, I read an article written by Mary Pols, the author of a book, Accidentally on Purpose. (CBS thought it worthy material for a sitcom). I almost never watch TV and will most likely never see any of the episodes, however something she said in a recent interview resonated so strongly with me I had to share. It went like this:


"I wrote it because I'm a writer, and this experience was the weirdest, most terrifying, but also the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. The book was about letting go of expectations; this was not a life I ever would have planned for myself."

So true, Mary, so true.

What Does This Guy Have to Do With Anything?

Nothing, absolutely nothing. But when we went to Distelfink's recently, we saw an old truck piled high with junk and the cutest lab waiting patiently for his owner in the front seat. The girls went up to the window to say hello and he didn't budge from his watchful post, eyes never wavering from the door of the building, waiting for his master to emerge. I couldn't resist taking a shot.

We found our way inside the old drive in restaurant, and the girls ordered icecream and french fries-a safe choice, while not the wisest, but(hey, it was Friday evening),and it was the start of the weekend. You have to pick your battles, right?Aaah, the weekends.....if life could always be this lovely and simplistic-having such struggles about figuring out what flavor icecream to pick and looking forward to the wonderful spring weather.....

(By the way, that lab's owner, a crusty old man with weathered hands and a wiry beard which grew down to his belt, returned to his faithful four legged friend with a freshly grilled hamburger. A fitting reward for sitting so patiently!)

Another Poem to Share

Happy the Man
by Horace

Happy the man, and happy he alone,
He who can call today his own:
He who, secure within, can say,
Tomorrow do thy worst, for I have lived today.
Be fair or foul or rain or shine
The joys I have possessed, in spite or fate, are mine.
Not Heaven itself upon the past has power,
But what has been, has been, and I have had my hour.

"Happy the Man" by Horace, from Odes, Book III, xxix. Translation by John Dryden.

Quote of the Day