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Painting the World in Tie Dye with Sherri’s Shirts & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #139
Did you know tie dye was trending? It seems kind of odd calling tie dye a trend when it has been a classic garment in American culture since the 1960’s. However, it has been around in the States since as early as the 1920’s and remained popular through the Depression era as people used tie dying techniques to redecorate their homes by refreshing old fabrics into new and unique pieces. But it dates even further back than that as a classic method of dying clothing in Ancient Asia. As far back as 6th century India, tie dye techniques were used to color fabrics for garments and this dying process is…
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Reminder: The Good Buy/Good-Bye Book-Lace & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #138
On September 15, Nancy and I will be posting the next edition of The Good Buy/Good-Bye Book and we would love for you all to join us! It is that time again to share some of your favorite and least favorite items for September’s Good Buy/Good-Bye Book. This month we are featuring all things Lace. Whether it be dresses, kimonos, wraps or scarves. Maybe skirts, pants, or jackets are your thing. Even socks or lace tights will do! It could simply be trims or other lacy details on your favorite (or least favorite) pieces. We want to see them! What is The Good Buy/Good-Bye Book? It is a monthly series that Nancy and I will…
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Where Would I Be Without GPS & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #137
I am always fascinated by the migratory habits of animals in the wild and how they navigate their way back and forth to the same locations thousands of miles apart every year without missing their mark. Especially marine animals. Whales that travel thousands of miles under water to the same place at the exact same time every year for just a few days to mate only to return the thousands of miles back to their primary habitat. How do they do this? I know animals have internal navigation systems and ways to communicate with one another to stay together within their packs as they travel. Scientists believe that many of…
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Will the Circle Be Unbroken & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #136
Will the circle be unbroken? When you are surrounded by the kindest, most loving, down to earth folks in the middle of the Pennsylvania mountains, the answer to that question will be a resounding yes. An unbroken circle of friendship, of music, of gratitude, good will, tenderness, and universal affections. There wasn’t a person there who lacked in benevolence and grace and it felt very much like home. I spent this past weekend at the 17th Annual Hickory Fest held at Stony Fork Creek Campground in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. Hickory Fest, also known as Music in the Mountains, is a nationally recognized music festival held every August in the rural area…
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Living in the Moment Right Meow with Rosegal & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #135
Living in the moment. Isn’t that what we are supposed to do to enjoy life to the fullest? It is a way of life that I embraced at a very young age. I recently published an article on Medium, There is a Certain Beauty in Death, detailing my experience with witnessing death. A morbid topic, for sure, but an experience that literally changed the way I live my life. It’s a strange thing really, looking back on the past 27 years, I don’t know how my life would have been different had I not watched one of my peers die in front of me at the very young age of…
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Sunshine Blogger Award Part 3 & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #134
A few weeks ago, Shugunna of Nzuri N’ Simplicity nominated me for my third Sunshine Blogger Award. Earlier in the year, I was nominated for this peer blogging award by Rama of Chez Rama and by Jess of Elegantly Dressed & Stylish. You can read those posts here and here. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with this award, the Sunshine Blogger award is a peer recognition award given by bloggers to other bloggers for their work that inspires positivity and joy. It recognizes creativity in the world of blogging for those who spread sunshine throughout the community. So it is always an honor for another blogger to…
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Date Night in Baldwinsville, New York & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #133
Jeff and I haven’t had a date night since our anniversary in January. And the stars seemed to align perfectly when I received an email from Bandsintown early last week informing me that Yonder Mountain String Band was playing in Baldwinsville, New York, on Saturday night. The in-laws were in town so we didn’t need to scramble for a babysitter and everything was super easy from a planning perspective. That, in and of itself, is a blessing. So we grabbed hold of the opportunity and headed out Saturday afternoon for the one and a half hour drive south for dinner and a concert. Neither of us have ever been to…
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The Best of Times in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #132
Have you ever visited Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania? It really is one of the coolest little towns in Pennsylvania. It is a small mountain community in Carbon County with a total area of less than 15 square miles and a population of under 5,000 people. Yet it draws tens of thousands of tourists each year because of its picturesque Victorian beauty and quaint romantic atmosphere. The narrow streets bustle with people dining at the many provocative eateries that offer an eclectic array of culinary choices. There are all sorts of shops imaginable and the local residents who run the businesses in downtown Jim Thorpe all welcome you into their establishments as…
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My Bluegrass Summer & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #131
It seems that maybe I have caught the bluegrass bug. Or just a festival bug in general. It just so happens that I have been stalking bluegrass festivals in my area in the hopes that I can see my favorite band perform live. I described my first experience seeing Fireside Collective perform a few weeks ago and now that I have had that experience, I want more. All of the time. On a whim, I decided to attend the Busy Bird Bluegrass Festival in Berkshire, New York, this past Saturday. The location was just about two hours from my house and I was hesitant about driving by myself and then…
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My Asheville Experience & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #130
My experiences are generally about the people. The people we meet. The people with whom we make connections. We all exist within a different context depending on the people around us. The chemistry is different with each and every relationship. The structure shifts depending on our environment and what and whom surround us at any given moment. We are relational beings and as such we exist directly within the context of each relationship. Whether it be a brief encounter or a long standing friendship, our relationships with other people contribute to the definitions of us. Last week, I wrote about my experience traveling to Millheim, Pennsylvania. While much of that…