Domestic arts
-
Little sparks of daily joy
“Joy has been leaking out of our lives. The small pleasures of the ordinary day seem almost contemptible, and glance off us lightly.…So, perhaps it’s a good time to reconsider pleasure at its roots. Changing out of wet shoes and socks, for instance. Bath robes. Yawning and stretching. Real tomatoes.” ~ Barbara Holland, Endangered Pleasures There’s not much happy news in the world lately. We can count on a depressing cycle of mass shootings; political turmoil; war casualties; vicious winter storms. Which is why I always look forward to David Muir’s “America Strong” segment on ABC’s “World News Tonight.” Concluding the nightly news show, “America Strong” highlights uplifting stories of…
-
Everyday luxuries
“Using fine china, updating bedclothes to something ultra-soft and cozy, framing a favorite photo, or polishing a cherished piece of silver fosters such delight. And it doesn’t have to break your back or the bank.” ~Cheryl Richardson A few years ago, I decided to start using a set of my “good dishes” every day. The set isn’t particularly fine or precious — but it includes several handy serving pieces, mixing bowls, and accessories. Most of these were stored in our basement, or otherwise out of reach, until we hosted company for dinner. To make room for the whole set in the kitchen, I sold my old everyday dishes in a…
-
Getting cozy
“It was so wonderful to be there, safe at home, sheltered from the winds and the cold. Laura thought that this must be a little like heaven, where the weary are at rest.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder The Scandinavian concept of “hygge” suggests a sense of comfort and contentment. The word possibly stems from a Danish word meaning “to give courage, comfort, joy.” Another theory suggests that hygge was derived from the Old Norse word “hugr” — which is the origin of the word “hug.” Hygge has become a popular marketing term in Scandinavia in recent years — and we’ve embraced it here in the northern United States, especially in the cold winter months.…
-
Get comfortable
‘People aren’t longing to be impressed. They’re longing to feel like they’re home. If you create a space full of love and character and creativity and soul, they’ll take off their shoes and curl up with gratitude, no matter how small, no matter how undone, no matter how old.” ~Shauna Niequist, quoted in Bella Grace Some of us spend way too much time trying to make things perfect — especially when we’re getting ready to entertain. Others have been brainwashed into thinking that a living room should look like it was styled by a magazine editor in order to be worthy of visitors — and avoid sharing their homes because…
-
“Lost & Found” department
“If you want something, it will elude you. If you do not want something, you will get ten of it in the mail.” ~Anna Quindlen Today’s quote makes me smile every time I remember it. It applies to every type of item you can name, from misplaced reading glasses to a hard-to-find ingredient for a recipe. Right now, I’m thinking of a new novel I’d purchased but couldn’t locate anywhere in the house. Of course, it wasn’t on the shelf where I usually keep new books — and I didn’t find it until I’d lost interest in reading it. As Anna Quindlen suggests, the best way to find something —…
