Artiste Extraordinaire

Posted on Apr 13, 2015 in All Blog Posts, Gifts

Artiste Extraordinaire

When I found this handkerchief with its soft gray border showcasing Van Gogh’s painting of a gypsy caravan, I knew exactly what I had to do – gift it to my artist friend Elizabeth Barlow. . . Van Gogh invites the viewer to join this vibrant and inviting scene of sun washed travelers with their gaily painted carts. So, too, Elizabeth’s paintings draw you in; they tempt you to pause and enjoy. Her art tells a story, beckoning you to discover the unspoken tale contained in the image. Let’s take a look. This painting is titled Happy Birthday, and you know from the sheen of the satin the present...

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Happy New Year

Posted on Jan 3, 2015 in All Blog Posts, Calendar, Entertainment, Food, Holidays and Celebrations

Happy New Year

Oh dear, looks like this hapless chap may require a bit of “hair of the dog” to restore him to his former glory, or at the very least to an ‘upright and locked’ position. Note the wobbly-kneed stance so cleverly depicted by the four-footed stumble of our staggering celebrant. Or is it just our own double vision? If you’ve ever attempted to “party hearty” like this sad creature, your sympathies are with him, I’m sure. Aside: Hair of the Dog dates back to the time of Shakespeare, and is a term we use today to refer to treatment for a hangover. Apparently the Scots believed that a...

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The Handkerchief Flirt

Posted on Dec 11, 2012 in All Blog Posts, Romance

The Handkerchief Flirt

“Flirting is a woman’s trade. One must keep in practice.” Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë Recently, I attended a graduation at Stanford as a guest, and found myself immersed in a throng of families, friends and parents of graduates at a reception. Many were alumni, and related tales of “when I went here…” or bemoaned the changes that inevitably come with time.  One remark that caught my attention came from a grandfather with whom I’d been speaking earlier. Apparently he had met his sweetheart at college and later proposed at a landmark on the campus. “Kids today” he sighed, “have lost the art...

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The Accidental Collector

Posted on Sep 3, 2012 in All Blog Posts

The Accidental Collector

The reasons for collecting are as varied as the collectors themselves. Some folks are accidental collectors – they inherited Aunt Ruthie’s depression glass or Uncle Bill’s antique pen collection.  For others, a hobby becomes a passion.   I know an executive with a museum quality collection of toy soldiers. “My collecting” he explained, “was accidental. I was sick as a child, and had to entertain myself while spending months in bed.” He used to keep his soldiers in shoeboxes under his bed. They now occupy an entire wall of custom built glass shelves in his office.  He has hundreds of...

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