Sunday, March 25, 2012

Retro Living

Welcome!

(Please note, because of all of the projects with which I am currently involved, I have decided to write my blog posts only on a limited basis for a while.  I'll either have an abbreviated version of the post, or no blog posts some weeks.  Any blog posts I publish will still be posted on Sundays.  Thanks and love, Becky)



                                                      Preview of a Future Blog Post

Recently, Greg and I enjoyed watching one of our DVD's that featured comedies of the '50's.  One of the shows depicted a family of four at mealtime, gathered around the dinner table, discussing the events of the day.  The mother was wearing a dress, partially covered by a pretty apron.  She was serving a meal she had lovingly prepared herself.  The father was in business attire, since he'd just come home from a day at work.  The two children were clean-cut and polite.  This charming scene was perhaps somewhat idealized, but, actually, not too far from the truth.  It was so refreshing to watch this show from the past, because it made us feel so good.  There was gentle humor and a respect for others.  There was even a moral to the story.  What an example shows of that era set for their audiences!  (At the risk of sounding negative, moralistic, and "square,"  the truth is, in my opinion, that, unfortunately, most of the comedies of today are nothing more than junk, and smut, passed off as sophistication!)

I began thinking more about how wonderful that time period seemed.  It was a simpler time without all the high-tech gadgets, etc. of today. 

There are, now, however, some modern conveniences in our lives that most of us would not give up for anything.  For example, I'm so thankful for the dishwasher, because without it, I'd never get the dishes done!  I am also attached to my computer, cell phone, and improved household appliances.  (I don't believe I need to elaborate on the benefits of those items!)

Beyond the above-mentioned items, however, most of the newer high-tech items are not for us.  In many respects, I guess you'd say that Greg and I actually live somewhat of a retro lifestyle.  For instance, we don't even own a microwave.  (When I mentioned this fact to one of my relatives, she compared me to Tasha Tudor [an American artist who lived a retro lifesytyle] which I took as a compliment!)  Most of the meals I fix are more or less from scratch.



 Greg says he enjoys my meals, but, believe me, I'm no (Fill in the blank with the name of your favorite TV chef!).

We take herbs instead of medicine and use natural cleansers instead of the usual toxic ones.

During warmer weather, we open our windows instead of turning on any air conditioning (which is cheaper!).

I still enjoy sending people note cards and greeting cards.

We don't do text messaging and aren't interested in owning any of the latest high-tech, constantly-evolving array of hand-held devices that quickly become obsolete only to be replaced by other short-lived devices.

Instead of video games, we prefer Chinese checkers and card games.





                                   Sometimes Kallie even enjoys getting in on the fun!


Instead of watching TV, we'd rather sit on the front porch and enjoy the natural beauty of our area and check out the animals across the road.




We take long walks instead of being slaves to the modern lifestyle.

However, I still don't bake my own bread from scratch or make my own clothes, and probably never will   (I'm afraid I'd never have made a very good pioneer or even a home ec. major like my aunt!), but I don't have to.  Greg and I do what we feel is right for us.  We make our own personal rules which anyone can easily do.

The way we live our lives may not be for everyone, but it suits us just fine.  In fact,  living retro is not going backwards, for us, it's simply going in the right direction.




Featured Photo:



   Several of us recently helped Mike celebrate his birthday at a wonderful party after having supper out.

Positive thought: Be yourself, not what others expect you to be.

Thanks for visiting!
Until another time on a Sunday, Becky

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Henpeck Village Market

Welcome!




Greg and I recently visited a truly unique place in Franklin, Tennessee, Henpeck Village Market, which gets its name from the street that runs beside it, Henpeck Lane.




Henpeck Village Market is a combination of several different things.  It's a restaurant, a market, an ice cream parlor, and a gift shop all rolled into one!

The decor is very interesting with images of chickens all around, including original oil paintings of roosters (that are for sale) as well as pictures of a hen on the ladies' room door and a rooster on the gents', all of which add really cute touches. 

In addition, the tables and chairs were of different designs which made it a fun chore to decide just where to sit.





                                                      A Few of the Grocery Items



                                                           The Ice Cream Parlor

When we finally decided on a table, we, with the help of our efficient waitress, Diane, chose sandwiches.  I got the pimento cheese with fries, and Greg had his usual favorite, a cheeseburger with fries.  Everything was delicious.  In fact, we concluded that they were among the very best sandwiches we'd ever tasted!



                                                                Plenty of Food!

We were too full for dessert, but we left with a piece of Italian cream cake, to enjoy later.  The cake, in a word, was delightful!



                                                                      Yum!

In fact, our compliments to the cook, the staff, and to the owners, Sharon Moore and Carl Moore.  Those that we met were friendly and helpful.  Sharon Moore said that running Henpeck was a team effort.  For example, one lady makes the delicious biscuits.  The cashier, Rebecca, makes whole grain loaves of bread to sell there.



                                                              Ready to Go

Sharon describes their food as "Southern home cooking" which is "made from scratch" with an emphasis on healthy food such as the salad bar.  The menu is still evolving into selections that their customers prefer such as the tuna salad that several people requested.

For those who'd rather dine outside, there is The Patio which even has a fireplace to warm you on chilly days.  On warm days, it would be a great place to eat ice cream while enjoying the pretty scenery.  Sounds like a plan!





                                                         A View from The Patio




As if all of this weren't enough, lucky diners will soon get to enjoy live musical entertainment on certain days of the week.

Of course I had to check out the gift shop, The Loft, which is chock-full of fantastic items.



This is a small sample of what's upstairs in the loft.  (Soon, many more items which are for sale will be on display downstairs for those who'd rather not navigate the stairs.)

My overall impression of Henpeck Village Market is that it's original and charming, sure to delight anyone who decides to stop by for a visit!




F.Y.I.
Henpeck Village Market
1268 Lewisburg Pike at Henpeck Lane
Franklin, TN 37064
Phone (615) 807-2117
Fax (615) 807-2120
( A website is in the works.)

Positive thought:  The vernal equinox is March 20.  Welcome spring!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next time (Sunday, March 25), Becky

Sunday, March 11, 2012

St. Patrick's Day

An Irish Welcome!

"Here's Cead Mile Failte to friend and to rover
There's a greeting that's Irish as Irish can be
It means you are welcome
A thousand times over
Wherever you come from, Whosoever you be"



                         Design from a Shandon Tee Shirt Which Was Made in Ireland


In honor of St. Patrick's Day this Saturday, March 17, I have decided to devote this blog post to all things Irish.

The Irish:
"Be they kings, or poets, or farmers,
They're a people of great worth,
They keep company with the angels,
And bring a bit of heaven here in earth."




A bit of Irish wisdom in this proverb:
"Who gossips with you will gossip of you."

Friendship:
"May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty."

Irish Toast:
"May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks.
May your heart be as light as a song.
May each day bring you bright, happy hours.
That stay with you all the year long."




Funny Irish saying:
"Only Irish coffee provides all main essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat."

Greg and I are both part Irish (as are most people from our part of the Appalachian Mountains).  That fact could not be more evident than in our love of potatoes.  So, I'd like to share with you the following potato soup recipe which is a favorite of ours:

Potato Hamburger Soup

3 large potatoes
1 medium onion
3 ribs of celery
2 cups water
1 pound hamburger, browned and drained
3 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper (op.)
Garlic (op.)

Boil potatoes, onions, and celery in water.  Add hamburger, milk, and butter.  Heat and serve.  Add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. (This will be hot.  Let cool a bit before eating.  Enjoy!)

And, who can forget the old Irish favorite:

"May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you
In the palm of his hand."




Anniversary!

March 5 of this week marked the first anniversary of this blog post.  To commemorate this occasion, I've decided to announce the beginning of a new blog that I'll be starting some time in the near future (if all goes according to plan) on a subject that I have only touched on in this blog.  It will most likely be published every Wednesday.  I will keep you updated about this upcoming blog as things progress.  I'd just like to express my thanks to those of you that have taken the time to read my blog posts this past year.  You all are the best! 



Last year at this time, people were coming into an art shop in Southwest Virginia on meet-the-artist day (which just happened to fall on St. Patrick's Day) when I was the Artist of the Week.  Some came dressed for the occasion!

Positive thought:  Remember to wear green on March 17! (Everyone is a little bit Irish on St. Patrick's Day!)
Thanks for visiting!  Until next time (Sunday, March 18), Becky

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Favorites

Welcome!

We are all unique beings with our own unique preferences.  (Even animals have preferences for certain foods, etc., as most of us pet owners know, especially if you have a cat!)



We should all give in to the things we love.  We should surround ourselves with the colors, styles, scents, sounds, etc. of which we are most fond.  (Of course, if we live with others, we should honor their preferences, too.)

We need to be ourselves instead of just following the herd.  If a certain style of dress is in, but is not really to our liking, I believe it would be better to save that money for something that we'd much more prefer.

One day, while shopping for a top to wear, I noticed a gorgeous, rather fancy denim jacket on sale that I absolutely loved.  I was tempted to try it on, but I then started wondering what people that I knew would think if I wore something so different from what I usually wear. I tried to dismiss it and went on with my other shopping, but the image of that denim jacket kept popping into my mind.  I decided to go back and to at least try it on, but when I got back to that rack, I noticed it was gone!  I looked everywhere, but to no avail.  I learned a lesson that day.  I vowed to myself that if I saw something I really liked, and it was within my budget, I would get it.  Sometimes you're given only one chance at something, and you'd better take it before it's too late.  Just try to please yourself instead of trying to please others.

I actually do have a built-in gauge that lets me know if something really resonates with my being.  I call the "wow" factor.  If I see or encounter something that I truly love, I immediately react with my whole being while thinking "Wow!"  That's just my intuition's way of prompting me to go in that direction.  I've discovered that if I simply follow my intuition, life goes much smoother. 

Using intuition applies not only to material things, but to really important aspects of our lives as well.  For example, the very first time I met Greg, I had my wow-factor experience.  It does work, for we have been happily married for 28 years!

In the wonderful musical, The Sound of Music, Maria sings about her favorite things, ..."Silver white winters that melt into springs."  (How appropriate for this time of year!)

Here are a few of my favorite things:



                                                     Warm, Sunny Weather



                                                               Beautiful Flowers



                                                    Visiting Interesting Places



                                                   Photographing Interesting Things



                                                                Arts and Crafts



                                                                Celebrations



                                                              Costume Jewelry


Another favorite of mine is "Woman's World" magazine with its positive slant on everything.  And, it's news anyone might use. 

What wows you?

Positive thought: You are special!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next time (Sunday, March 11), Becky