The kitchen...

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The kitchen...

The heart of our home would definitely be the kitchen....the most used room in the house. From the time I push the brew button on the coffeemaker early in the morning 'till I turn the lights on above the stove at the close of the day, I am in and out of the kitchen many times in a day. Like the farm house where I lived the longest growing up, you walk right into the kitchen from the entry in this house. These old craftsman houses almost always positioned the kitchen at the back of the home, apart from the other living spaces. 

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A morning walk...

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A morning walk...

Woke up in Plain Saturday morning and took a walk with my husband along the River Road. There was no traffic and the sounds of nature were all around us...the river rippling over the rocks, the birds chirping and singing, the sweet smell of pine. As we walked along, I remembered a post I had seen on Facebook where someone interviewed a 94 year old woman about her secret to such a long and healthy life. Her secret? Get outside for at least 20 minutes every day.

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Staging 102...

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Staging 102...

Staging a home for resale can be challenging, particularly when it is completely empty. Not long after staging a mountain cabin for sale, I was asked to stage a small cottage in Leavenworth. Dropping by with the realtor to check it out, I knew I had my work cut out for me. You see, all the previous places I had staged in the Leavenworth area were definitely the mountain cabin vibe...but this little cottage definitely was not! Instead of the rustic pine that is infused in most cabins, this one was all sheetrocked and painted interiors...in colors like pale yellow, lavender, and seafoam green.

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Leavin' on a jet plane...

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Leavin' on a jet plane...

I just returned from a wonderful get away to the Midwest...loving the chance to once again connect with the land of my birth, the place I went to college, and my mother's people. Though Mom has been gone for many years now, being with her three sisters is like having a part of her back. And there's just something about the Midwest that I love...the warm hospitality, the slightly different speech, the bit of mugginess in the air, the mosquitos (NOT!), the lush green trees, and the abundance of lakes. Minnesota is often called "The Land of Ten Thousand Lakes" and I don't think Wisconsin is far behind!

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Aquafest is coming...

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Aquafest is coming...

I just love our local hometown festival, Aquafest...held the last full weekend in July each year. Though it has changed over the years, there are certain key elements that remain the same...the parades, the Aqua run, the 3 on 3 basketball tournament, a softball tournament, the food court, the rides, the crafts fair, the pet show, the Firemen's breakfast, the boat parade, the fireworks on the Lake, to name a few,  and a highlight for me...the water skiing and wake board competition.

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Summer Iced Coffee...

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Summer Iced Coffee...

I'm a coffee lover...pure and simple! Though I still drink my first cup of coffee black early every morning...out on the front porch or even out on the deck when weather permits...by the afternoon I sometimes need a little pick me up. During the other seasons of the year, a tall hot cappuccino is a my drink of choice (usually from Starbucks!). But, when summer comes, hot drinks in the afternoon hold no appeal for me.

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Love of S'mores...

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Love of S'mores...

Now that summer is officially here, I've been stocking up on things we use and foods we like in the summer. When you live by a lake, it's always good to have a supply of sunscreen and beach towels on hand...along with marshmallow skewers. I don't know how, but those always seem to disappear by the end of summer! We love s'mores! It's just such a fun little treat to make at the end of the day, down at the fire pit by the water.

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Retro Chocolate Bars...

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Retro Chocolate Bars...

You know how you can hear a song on the radio or Pandora and it transports you to an earlier time and place? Like when I hear Carole King sing, "You've Got A Friend," I am immediately transported back to the Junior High cafeteria! The cafeteria sound system played a lot of Carole King...Rod Stewart...Creedence Clearwater Revivial in my day! Well, certain recipes do that to me too. 

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Time to "Summerize" the house...

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Time to "Summerize" the house...

Even though I no longer have kids in our local school system, it really doesn't feel like summer to me until school's out. Maybe I just have enough friends who are employed by the school system that can't "come out to play" until school is done...I don't know! In any event, school is finally out and I finally had some free time to change out some "spring" decor and "summerize" the house.

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Elegant Almond Bars...

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Elegant Almond Bars...

It's been a tough week for the most part...dear friends experienced a troubling cancer diagnosis, a family member lost a parent, and a friend's daughter was struggling to not miscarry her baby. Yet, in the midst of all that, two other friends rejoiced in the birth of their first grandchild. Isn't that how life is sometimes...in the midst of pain, there is a glimpse of joy.

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A house to see in Turks and Caicos...

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A few months back...seems like way too long ago now...we took a break and visited the Turks and Caicos Islands, just below the Bahamas. Our stay on the island of Providencialis was wonderful....beautiful beach...warm turquoise water...delicious food...fun things to do.  I would go back in a heart beat! The temperatures stay pretty consistent so these islands attract visitors even in the summer. Looking for a place to stay? Here's an idea....

One day my husband and I walked quite a ways down the beach from our resort. We passed several resorts and then walked along open beach, until we came upon a beautiful house...all by itself. Since I am fascinated by houses, especially lovely ones like this, I crept a little closer and noticed a sign. 

Interesting...it had a website! I instantly realized the house...Coral House...must be available to rent. We continued on around the corner and got a better look. 

And, an even closer look...

The doors and windows were open so we knew someone was staying there. We didn't want to invade their privacy so we didn't go any closer...but oh, I was wishing I could take a peek inside. Eventually, we turned around and walked past it one more time...and I put it out of mind...until I got home and began to look at my photos. When I saw the photo with the sign, I googled the website and sure enough...up came a rental listing for Coral House. And, I finally got to look inside!  The interior of this six bedroom home is simply beautiful...classic....timeless. The perfect beach house. Their website does not allow me to copy pictures to the blog but I found this little video on You Tube that shows most of the rooms. 

Coral House is also listed on a vacation rental website called Villas of Distinction and you can see all the rooms here as well. The rental comes with a staff including a butler, chef, housekeeper, and groundskeeper....ahh...a little rich for my budget! A girl can dream, right? The closest I will probably ever come to renting a beach house would be something more along the lines of this...

But look at the view and proximity to the beach!

Happy Wednesday, friends! Hope you are all planning some fun little (or big!) getaway this summer.

Another tragic shooting...

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Another tragic shooting...

I'm sure most of you have heard by now about the tragic shooting that took place on the campus of Seattle Pacific University (SPU) last Thursday. I heard the news when my younger sister, who lives about a block away from the school, called. We both immediately thought of our niece who attends school there, about to graduate. My sis promised to let me know if she heard anything else and soon we all got a text from my older sister, the mother of said niece, saying she was fine, but one student had been killed and three others were in the hospital, one critical. 

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