Savoring Time Together
We met with friends in the high desert this past Thanksgiving weekend. A feast we had, but what we really savored was our time together. My goal was to plan, organize and prepare before...
Making Butter with a Thankful Heart
I tried to complicate my Balcony Girls lesson this week by looking for the perfect lesson. I finally came up with having my girls make their own butter, and we’d spread it over warm...
Do I Have to Reciprocate?
Hospitality gives without expecting something in return.From past emails I have received from readers, this is a hot topic! Earlier this year, when I wrote my Ten Commandments, here is an excerpt from my...
No More Store-Bought Jams! by Abby Coughlin
Hello, my name is Abby, the daughter of Sandy, and my mom asked me to write this post today. I am here to tell you why my family does not like store bought jams...
Fresh Flowers
Plant a seed of friendship; reap a bouquet of happiness. -Lois L. Kaufman Earlier this year a special friend came to lunch at my house, Dottie J. In her hand was the most beautiful...
Double the Trouble (& Chicken Pot Pie)
Let’s face it, moms! To put a meal on the table for the family takes planning (take meat out of freezer?), organizing (what time do I need to start preparing?), shopping (what do I...
Okay to Cancel?
Have you ever looked forward to an upcoming dinner date, and then at the last minute the hostess cancels on you? Or are you the Reluctant Entertainer who has planned a dinner party for...
Confidence Builder
We are all faced with great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must...
Teaching Over a Box of Pears
I don’t usually think of myself as older, but today I did. My niece came over today to learn how to can pears. I remember as a child watching my mother’s hands work a...
An Unexpected Lesson (& the RE Message is Spreading!)
I didn’t think I’d write a post about Balcony Girls this week. But two things happened. A thrill for cooking was reignited in me. And the girls learned a powerful lesson again! Our time...
Thank You Notes Required?
Each time I entertain, do I anxiously await a thank you note from my guests? No.When I receive a “thank you” in the mail, or even a phone call or an email the next...
A Simple Happy Birthday
“Where thou art, that is home.” —Emily Dickinson A child can feel at home anywhere, especially if she is loved, accepted and treated well. And particularly when it’s a birthday, no matter where the...
