Rainbow Moments

Los Angeles Rainbow

SCOTUS and Rainbows

It's been quite a ride these past weeks with decisions that the Supreme Court has handed down.

The Affordable Care Act has been secured.

 Gay Marriage is now the law of the land.

The proverbial Pot-of-Gold at the end of the rainbow 

has been realized 

for those who have been health care deprived 

and 

the LGBT community.

Wonders never cease.

Independence Day is fast approaching.

Perfect timing to reflect. 

We don't always get it right

but 

when we do 

be reminded  to

never stop looking for that 

rainbow  at the end of the storm.

Counting Our Blessings

Counting Our Blessings - Susan Branch



What blessings can you count this Thanksgiving?

The obvious ones are with us each year;
Family, friends, good fortune of health.

I will add to that the benefit of having grown up
knowing what the holiday of
Thanksgiving is really about.

'Black Friday' had no meaning
and 'Cyber Monday' would have sounded
like a sci fi story.

The panic was not to get the 'deal of the season'
but rather
to have everyone's favorite dish
on the Thanksgiving table.

Trying to find a store open on Thanksgiving was unthinkable.
If you were traveling the gas tank needed to be full
because  few stations would be open.

All that was open were the mouths of hungry guests
 waiting to dig in to the bounty on the table.

No one was camping out for days in front of stores.
The only early rush was to not miss
the Macy's Parade on T.V.,
 or in person if you were lucky enough.

The 'good old days' were not always so good,
 only a fool would venture to think so.

For this particular holiday, however, it truly seems to apply.

Thanksgiving now gets little-to-no respect
even though
it's a holiday without prejudice to race, color or creed.

Let's focus on those thoughts.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving.
Count your blessings!

My Special Veteran

Veterans' Day 2014


This is a "thank you" to my special veteran.

My husband, Walter served three years in the army during the Cold War era.
He was stationed in Germany, his birthplace, and served at a Ground-to-Air Missile base.

He spoke little of those years.
 Memories were made, friends were lost and life moved on.

Now he is retired and we are living the 'good life' in sunny Southern California, far from our home state of New Jersey and further yet from his family in Europe.

Walter is now a veterans' volunteer.
He is an exceptional one at that.
He spends forty hours or more every week at the
Greater Los Angeles Veterans' Hospital
assisting hospital staff and needy veterans alike.

When asked why he gives so much of his time when
he could be doing so many other things, his reply is always the same;
"I do it for the Veterans."
A simple answer and what more needs to be said?

So today I thank my husband for being a Veteran and for his selflessness in taking care of other Veterans who are not as fortunate as is he.

Blessings to all who serve; past, present and future.

Well, hello again!

Photo Courtesy of Susan Branch

Well, hello again!

It's been many moons since I have posted. 

Shame on me. 

Airing out the laundry, I suppose. 

It's time to get back to the keyboard

and 

share my musings, meanderings and memories. 

For now I'll just say that it's good to be posting again and can't wait to pick up where I left off.

Best to all.

The Prince of Chintz

Mario Buatta
Fifty Years of American Interior Decoration

Mario Buatta, the "Prince of Chintz," has a newly 

released tome of his fifty years of work; as depicted above. The greater body of his creations has been in the English country manner, but the book shows that he has accomplished many forms of design.

Room by Mario Buatta
Illustrated by Jeremiah Goodman

The room above shows Buatta's talent for the

 monochrome room, always punched with 

a surprise of color and whimsy.

Room by Mario Buatta

The bedroom above marries chintz, his signature fabric, with checks and solids. The result is a "room of her own." 

The book is a great gift for anyone who enjoys the 'eye candy' that his designs never cease to provide.

For more examples of chintz, see my 'Hints of Chintz' board on Pinterest.

Happy Chintz to all!

Labor Day - The American Workers' Day of Recognition

Labor Day Poster by Ricardo Levins Morales



Labor Day 2013

Today we give recognition to the many American workers whose hard work, determination and might
 built this country from the ground up.

Ricardo Levins Morales depicts in his poster with great detail the accomplishments of the
American Labor Movement.
The individuals and the multiples of
the American work force
and their respective achievements
are often overlooked
but can never be denied.

I give a special call out to my father,
a Union Leader who fought each and every day for workers' rights and recognition. His efforts improved the living standards of many who knew him and benefited many more who never had the good fortune to meet him.

Happy Labor Day!

Linens on the Line

"La Biancheria" - John Singer Sargent  Watercolor 1910


Laundry Day!

Loving all things vintage,
I especially have fond memories of
 taking the laundry down from the clothes line.

The chore itself had no great attraction
but there was something magical
about the scent of the items
after they were dried by wind and sun.

Ready to be folded and returned to their stations
 in drawers, closets and armoires,
the clothes retained that lingering outdoor scent
 that only Mother Nature can provide.

This watercolor by John Singer Sargent
 is currently part of a Sargent watercolor exhibit
 at the Brooklyn Museum.
The artist is famously known for his portraits
 of the affluent Edwardian ladies and gents of his time.

His talent went far beyond those iconic renderings.
Sometimes it is in the most simple of life's daily actions
 that creative talent may depict the greatest beauty.

There is a movement to return to the days of old,
reduce our carbon footprint and
hang the laundry once again.

Not for everyone, for certain.
But inhaling those crisp and clean scents
 are still a wonderful ending to such a perpetual chore.