THREE WORDS ...

I use to watch the Oprah show religiously. I didn't always agree with everything she thought and said but she certainly paraded some interesting people across her stage.  I was sad when it ended. One show, in particular has stayed with me. Maybe its just a piece of the show... I really can't remember all the details. What I do remember is that she asked this question...

"What three words would you use to 

describe yourself?" 

Her premise was that if you picked your words carefully and accurately it would be a window into who you really are. So three words... I didn't think that would be too hard. The first one wasn't, the second I had to dig a little deeper and the third didn't come for years.

Here are my three words....

First word ... BEAUTY  

In the innermost part of my soul I am visually and thus emotionally motivated by beauty.  I love it in all of its forms, color, nature, fashion, interior design, fabric, art, wood, music, architecture, literature and poignant moments.

"I have always said that the day was wasted if I didn't 

laugh and cry." 

The crying wasn't because I was sad, it was because I was moved by something beautiful. It feeds my soul and motivates my decisions. I remember living in a little old rental house when I was first married. When Spring came I planted petunias in the front flower beds and the owner was shocked... "Why would you do that at your own expense" All I could think to say was because it makes it beautiful. Oprah's formula is right... this first word is WHO I AM. I want to live surrounded by beauty.

Second word ... GENUINE

I want the real deal, no imitations. When we built our house I wanted two things... a wrap around porch and river rock on the front.  I got them both.  I LOVE my rocks because they are real. I scrub them every spring and when I go in and out of the front door I like to brush them with my fingers.

                                                                                                                        MY HOME

I like genuine things but mostly I like genuine people. I am not a person who has "secrets" Ask me anything.

I like the phrase "What you see is what you get" and even if it isn't good news I like people to be straight up! "Two faced" is just so disingenuous!

Transparency sometimes comes with a price. Five years ago a women walked into my workplace and verbally tore me to shreds.  As hard as it was to hear, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Not all, but some of what she said was true. I didn't like it so......... I fixed it. I CHANGED!  Haven't seen her since that fateful conversation but if I ever do... I will thank her. Some of my rough edges are gone.

Third word... HISTORY

I didn't realize that history was an important part of who I am until I went back to work as the school librarian. It was a journey that took me full circle.

I was a very, very, young 17 year old when I graduated from high school and headed to college. I had never really made many decisions... I just did what I was told to do. So when I arrived at Brigham Young University I was thrilled to be on my own. Turns out I wasn't all that good at making decision. First mistake... I played and never went to class.

I remember thinking maybe I should at least make an appearance in my history class. I walked in and surprise, it was the mid-term exam. I FAILED. In fact on my transcript it says... American History "F"  All of that abruptly changed when my mother received a notice that I was on academic probation. I began to study but the "history thing" always haunted me.

Fast forward about 40 years to the library where part of my job is to tell "stories"  I quickly recognized that fantasy and fairy tales were not my favorite genres. What I ran into were stories from history. Real life stories so incredible that if Hollywood had made them up people would say... "That could never happen" But they did happen... they are real.

I have always been a storyteller, now all of that got wrapped around HISTORY. I began to collect real stories and I am passionate about it... just can't seem to stop telling them.

One of the first stories I shared with my students was the history behind the Iditarod Race that happens every March in Alaska. The story of "THE GREAT SERUM RUN OF 1925"  is incredible and I will share it with you on Monday.

So... until then...

I hope you will leave a comment and reveal at least one of the 3 words that describes you...  this could be fascinating.

 I FEEL PRETTY ...

DRESS $200.00 White House Black Market

PURSE $130.00  Nordstrom (This little clutch also comes in pink and white)

I love scallops and this dress has plenty.  I like that it is very versatile... mix it with the printed handbag and it becomes casual, add a little white shrug or a structured jacket and its more refined. Either way its a beautiful piece.  

HANDBAG Dooney an Bourke $198.00 Dillards

Then there are all the shoe options, here are just a few...

SHOE 1  $125.00  White House Black Market

SHOE 2  $130.00  White House Black Market

SHOE 3  $128.00  Banana Republic

WHAT'S YOUR STYLE ...

A few years ago a friend of mine claimed that she did not care how she looked. I didn't question her but I also didn't believe her.  This was a woman who regularly had her false eyelashes done and was big on pedicures and manicures. The strange part was that she didn't seem to care what she wore and in her high profile job it was sometimes a problem.

So...  when she said... "HELP" I tried.  I had the best of intentions but I got it all wrong. I remember telling her to buy V-neck sweaters and collared shirts. If I bought a pair of shoes she bought the same pair in her size.  This went on for a while until we looked like fraternal twins...NOT A GOOD THING.

My style on the left... hers on the right.
 

Looking back I realized we really had very different styles and she needed to be HER not ME.

Everything about this woman screamed softness and femininity.  With her beautiful blond hair she was striking in any pastel, especially pink. She needed ruffles and shawls, swishy skirts and tons and tons of jewelry.

She finally figured this all out on her own... no thanks to me!

So when another friend approached me recently and said, "HELP"  I took a step back. I didn't want to go down that road again. I finally said,

"I can help you with the basics, and I can even give you my opinions but FIRST you need to figure out what your style is."

ARE YOU A...

Classic clothes, that stand the test of time, make up the foundation pieces for this style. With clean lines and a neutral color palette this wardrobe is iconic. Some pieces can last a lifetime. If this is your style it is easy to slip in something unusual once in a while and still maintain your polished look ... its a "class act."

I love casual clothes that still have a sense of style... khakis, a go to leather jacket, even well cut "work-out gear"  Comfort is a very important element but there is no need to sacrifice your persona. Even running errands this woman can still look "put together."

Elegant takes your breath away. With a flair for the dramatic it always makes an entrance. Think of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. I have done this on occasion but really it feels exhausting to me. Everyday is a performance. 

With "Fancy Nancy" there's no such thing as too many accessories, ruffles, embellishments or lace. It's the height of femininity. My mother dressed me like this when I was young and although I love to see it on somebody else... I just CAN NOT wear it. I am a minimalist at heart!

Street Style is a very personal way of expressing who you are through fashion. Its edgy, it has attitude and it's an urban trendsetter. From demolished jeans to mixing the un-mixable, it is definitely not off the "rack"

I'm sure there are other categories and probably there's a little of each of these in all of us. 

I've been building a wardrobe for a long time... a mix between CLASSIC and SPORTY. I am beyond bored with all of it... change is definitely in the wind.  I am going to think outside the box and see what I am missing. Should be fun... 

DISCLAIMER - Pretty sure I won't be wearing ragged jeans or a leather bustier!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY ...

In the early 80's my brother moved his animation company to Ireland. At one point or another we all went to visit Uncle Don. I even let my 8 year old daughter fly over with Grandma and Grandpa.  My heart nearly stopped when her plane took off. She came home singing and dancing and Ireland has been a little part of our family ever since.

When you visit Ireland don't miss the "Dublin Doors."  It is said, mostly by tour guides, that the citizens, were ordered to paint all of their doors black, in mourning for the passing of Prince Albert. Instead, to show their rebellion toward the crown, they painted them in a rainbow of colors. 
                  
Another story has it that the wives decided to paint their doors bright colors so that their drunken husbands wouldn't enter the wrong house and crawl in bed with the wrong women. 

I painted my front door blue.

Either way... don't miss the "DUBLIN DOORS"

A limerick gets its name from Limerick, Ireland where this type of poetry was popular in the pubs and taverns. It dates back to the 14th century.

There once was a lady from Leeds,

Rashly swallowed six packets of seeds,

In a month, silly lass,

She was covered in grass,

And she couldn't sit down for the weeds.

_________

A flea and a fly in a flue,

Were imprisoned so what could they do?

Said the fly, "Let us flee."

"Let us fly" said the flea,

So the flew through a flaw in the flue.

Here's Brigham Young University "Vocal Point" singing 

DANNY BOY

On a side note (no pun intended) the lead singer on this song, Kieth, is the son of one of my good friends. It is so satisfying to watch our kids be successful!

Have a wonderful day!

A PLACE IN THE CHOIR...

The Irish are full of music. On my mother's first trip to Ireland (mid 80's) she came home singing this little song. My children immediately latched on to "grandma's song." I can remember them giggling about "the hands or paws, or anything you've got now" It's become part of our family culture.

 Have a Happy Sunday!

Sadly, I just learned that principal singer George Donaldson passed away from a massive heart attack on Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at his home in Glasgow, Scotland. He leaves behind his wife, Carolyn and daughter, Sarah, 13, who he described as the "light of my life" He was 46 years old.

IT'S A WRAP...

WRAP DRESS - Nordstrom $198.00

RED SHOES - Mod Cloth $29.99

CROSSBODY HANDBAG - Dillards $148.00

Here is a larger view so that you can see the pattern better

IRISH STEW 

Better get your green on!

                 

from... SIMPLE RECIPES 

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/irish_beef_stew/

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 pounds well-marbled chuck beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 teaspoons of salt (more to taste)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups beef stock or broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup of Guinness extra stout (optional)
• 1 cup of hearty red wine (sub with tomato juice)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
• 1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
• 2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots (3 to 4 carrots, can substitute some of the carrot with parsnips)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

METHOD

 

1 Sprinkle about a teaspoon of salt over the beef pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large (6 to 8 quart), thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Pat dry the beef with paper towels and working in batches, add the beef (do not crowd the pan, or the meat will steam and not brown) and cook, without stirring, until nicely browned on one side, then use tongs to turn the pieces over and brown on another side.

2 Add garlic to the pot with the beef and sauté 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the beef stock, water, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, then cover and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

 

3 While the pot of meat and stock is simmering, melt the butter in another pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots. Sauté the onions and carrots until the onions are golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside until the beef stew in step 2 has simmered for one hour.

4 Add the onions, carrots, and the potatoes to the beef stew. Add black pepper and two teaspoons of salt. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off any excess fat. Transfer stew to serving bowl. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.