Author: Old Herbaceous

What Went Well: Advent Edition
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What Went Well: Advent Edition

My “three blessings” this week all relate to the Advent season.

  1. We had a real holiday dinner party with four other adults and it was a big success! It also motivated us to clean up the house, put up the tree and set out other Christmas decorations, so everything looked really nice and that is helping us feel the spirit of the season. Because we are so fortunate, and thankful for the gifts we have already received.
  2. Our son had a short solo in last week’s Lessons and Carols service at his school. He sang the first verse of “Away in a Manger” then the rest of the choir joined in — we were very proud, and the music was lovely. Because he works hard to meet the music director’s expectations, and we feel lucky that he has not one but two outstanding choral teachers, one at school and one at church.
  3. I found two potted Christmas roses to put on the dinner table, which made me very happy. Because I love hellebores and both my holiday tablecloth and my winter china have Christmas roses on them.

Happy Advent, Hanukkah and other holidays of the season!

Spode Christmas Rose

 

Crystallised primroses
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Crystallised primroses

I think trying this will make me very happy …

lucieandaimee's avatarTwins in Two Cities

These pretty and natural decorations are perfect for decorating cakes and desserts. We use them a lot at Easter as that’s when the flowers are in season. The technique may look daunting but its not too complicated. It is best to prepare these at least a day before you need to use them as the drying process can take a while!

Ingredients:

  • 12 edible flowers (freshly picked)
  • 1 egg white
  • 4 tablespoons white caster (superfine) sugar

Tools:

  • a shallow cardboard box or tray
  • baking or greaseproof paper
  • 2 elastic bands
  • small paint brush
  • teaspoon

The flowers are best when they are just picked so do the preparation steps (1-4) before picking the flowers.

Step 1: Prepare a shallow box or tray by covering it with baking parchment or greaseproof paper. Secure it in place with two elastic bands.

Step 2: Cut twelve holes spaced about 3cm apart (or as large…

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(Black) Fragrance Friday update
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(Black) Fragrance Friday update

When last heard from, Gentle Reader, I was about to be dragged by three offspring into the wilds of “Black Friday.” Negotiations resulted in the acceptable compromise of avoiding all malls but going to an outdoors shopping district that is much less crowded but has many of the same stores. I clung to the hope that in the midst of gift and clothes shopping, I might encounter some fragrance deals.

Success! Continue reading →

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What Went Well

A banner week for What Went Well! I mean, it included Thanksgiving. Which is basically the whole point of What Went Well Wednesdays – to be mindful, and thankful, about the many blessings in one’s life. Even if we only describe “three blessings” per week. So here goes:

  1. My oldest came home from college for the long weekend and the whole house lit up with laughter, noise and happy bustle. Because she and her siblings are happy, cheerful young people who love each other and truly enjoy each other’s company.
  2. I did some serious gardening for the first time since breaking my arm this past summer! Because my arm is doing much, much better and I had groundcovers to get started between the flagstones of a new little patio. Not to mention daffodil bulbs, some of my favorite flowers. Now if I could only find some good lily of the valley pips …
  3. I got some Christmas shopping done early. Because my kids dragged me out on Black Friday but had enough mercy to avoid the mall and other horrors.
  4. And one extra, in honor of Thanksgiving: the turkey came out perfectly, and all the food tasted great. Because we are so fortunate to be able to enjoy the abundance of the earth.

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving! What are your “three blessings” for the week?

(Black) Fragrance Friday
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(Black) Fragrance Friday

OMG, it’s Black Friday which I normally hate and avoid like the plague, but my teenagers want to go out shopping. Our compromise is that we will not go to any of the indoor shopping malls or on highways, but we will go to the hipster outdoor shopping district near our house. I plan to console myself with much sniffing/sampling of scents! And maybe I’ll find some good buys too. I’ll update later! Wish me luck!

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What Went Well

I normally post this on Wednesdays but this week I’m posting on Thanksgiving, as I’m feeling particularly thankful for all that went well this week.

  1. I had a lovely though melancholy visit with my aging mother, who suffered a stroke almost two years ago and has steadily declined in health since then. But she still knows who I and my sisters are and we enjoyed our time together. Because at the end, love is what matters. Period.
  2. My oldest child came home from college and the whole house lit up with laughter and noise. Because she and her two younger siblings love each other very much, despite occasional squabbles, and they are very affectionate with each other and with us. Joy!
  3. I found the perfect groundcovers to plant among and around the newly installed flagstone patio in the back garden. Just because.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! Thanks for reading!

Fragrance Friday: S(c)en(t)sory Overload
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Fragrance Friday: S(c)en(t)sory Overload

This is the fragrance story I was going to share last Friday, before I heard about the attacks in Paris. So last Friday was a Fragrance Friday moment of silence in honor of one of the world’s greatest fragrance cities. This Friday, I’ll describe my recent (and first) visit to Los Angeles, the Broad Museum and the Scent Bar.

I was in Costa Mesa for a conference; an old friend had recently moved to Los Angeles and invited me to spend some time with her downtown, where she lives. We made plans to spend the morning at the new Broad Museum of contemporary art, where she works on weekends, then eat lunch in Little Tokyo, then make our way to the Scent Bar, storefront and home base of http://www.luckyscent.com, a noted online retailer of independent, niche and hard to find perfumes.

First, the Broad Museum. Continue reading →

What Went Well
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What Went Well

Lots of wonderful things went well this week!

  1. I spent 24 hours with an old friend, who has moved to LA to make a new life after several major transitions, and we had a fantastic time, as if we haven’t been apart for several years. Because she lives in my heart, even though we don’t see each other often any more.
  2. I visited a fantastic new museum, thanks to my friend: The Broad, in downtown LA. It was an amazing experience and it has a wonderful collection of contemporary art. Because its founders, the Broads, are generous philanthropists who want to share their art collection and because my friend is an engaged participant in LA’s Arts District.
  3. We also visited a spot on my bucket list, The Scent Bar, a fragrance store that specializes in niche and independent perfumes, where the staff could not have been nicer or more helpful (I’ll write more about it on Fragrance Friday). Because my friend and I decided to be a little adventurous and do some exploring. So much fun!

What went well for you this week?

Photo: NPR.org

Fragrance Friday: A Moment of Silence
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Fragrance Friday: A Moment of Silence

I had a wonderful fragrance experience to share last Friday, then I heard the awful news about the terror attacks in Paris. I love Paris and have spent some summers there. My husband and I got engaged in Paris and later spent part of our honeymoon there. It is the City of Light and one of the world’s cities most associated with fragrance and perfume, as well as so many other things of beauty and creative spirits. So this week’s Fragrance Friday is a moment of silence for Paris, but also a statement of my conviction that its true light will not be extinguished. Vive la France!

Photo: eiffeltowerfacts.org.

What Went Well Wednesday
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What Went Well Wednesday

What went well this week?

  1. We saw “Cinderella”, the Rodgers and Hammerstein version that made its debut on Broadway two years ago; it was originally written for television. Wow, it was incredible theater! Because so many gifted people worked really hard to create a magical evening for us all.
  2. We celebrated a daughter’s birthday, together as a family. Because we still enjoy each other’s company so much, and I love that even my oldest wants to come home from college for this kind of celebration.
  3. I actually took a day off work to try to beat a bad head cold. Because I am REALLY TRYING to take better care of myself and not let my workaholic tendencies get the better of me.

How has your week gone so far?

Photo: CinderellaOnBroadway.com