Novice approaches.

Welcome to amateur hour. And no, not the sleazy, breezy type. More like your grandmother garden variety. This warmer-than-most-March-es weather has had me dropping in on my local Home Depot quite often these past few weeks. A little daisy here. A little rununculus there. Its become the perfect spot; a quick hop, skip, and jump around the corner during lunch. With that said, I've already started spotting my garden with a few fresh flowers. With each new splash of color, I've quickly become overwhelmed by the daunting task of filling every garden bed. There are so many gorgeous colors and combinations, it's hard not to get turned around by the first bright purple pansy you see. And so I've taken to mapping out sections of my garden, section by section. Quick, rough sketches, easy to see and easy to read. 




Included: sunny spots, perennials & color schemes. Its provided some much needed direction and allows me to bypass the pretty, color-clashing petunia, while shopping for my nearest and dearest additions. What have you done to prepare for Spring this time around?


Helpful hint: Keeping flower tags creates an easy mix & match option for future seasons

The Sunday way.

Sunday brunch day. It's most appropriate that way isn't it? I'm missing last week's brunch at Olive Branch Restaurant, an adorable little locale in West Chester, PA.  At my sister's suggestion, we visited the cafe with her and her boyfriend for some midday crepes and oh, were they delicious! All very affordable, this spot does everything right - from the unique glasses, to the presentation of parfaits, roses and berries alike. As if I wasn't already convinced, visiting their website brought on the flow of a Frank Sinatra tune from my computer speakers. Now I know I'm in love!





What are some of your favorite places to brunch on Sundays?


Backyard accessories.

In honor of this absolutely gorgeous weather, I decided it was time to hang a home in our backyard. What attracted me most to this little birdie retreat is the dark green color, for as much as I want to be able to see the house hanging, it doesn't need to clash with the backdrop either! What little touches of Spring have you added this week to your surroundings??
 

All of the toppings.

Pizza toppings, that is. Delicious, colorful veggies. Oh, and cheese. Can't forget the cheesy delight!

When the invite was extended to friends for a Friday dinner date, I hadn't anticipated the meatless requirement that came along with their religious beliefs. And did I mention I don't eat fish? Having an audience, I didn't feel the timing appropriate for me to try my hand at it for the first time either. What's a host to do? So it was, a pizza making dinner date was born. Everyone likes a good cheesy pizza, right? Not to mention it's interactive, with each couple having their hands on the creation of a customized pie. Add in some card games and wine...and voila! A perfectly paired evening.

The pizza making station.
Wine corner.
The guests of honor.

Thinking of feeling.

Do thoughts cause emotions? Or do emotions cause thoughts? Really, because I'd like to know.  Maybe it's both. Or maybe it's neither. Maybe it's all just chemicals and hormones. If you think about it, thoughts haven't even had time to enter our consciousness yet first thing in the morning, but there are those special waking moments when a certain mood prevails nevertheless. Unless, that is, we're blaming it on dreams. And then there are those other times when you can't stop your mind from swirling with thoughts and ideas and it definitely makes you feel certain emotions, good or bad.

I'm pretty sure we can control neither. Thoughts or Emotions. Sure, we all feel like we do. Everyone believes they're in control of their thoughts, in particular. But the brain, it's really just an organ. Like any other. And it can malfunction, like any other. You don't see people blaming someone for having a faulty kidney though, do you? I think people have difficulty grasping an illness that effects the mind in general. Even though it's an organ like any other. Because even if our thoughts may only be responses to chemical or hormonal reactions, we're still in control right? Don't our thoughts make us who we are? Who are we without our thoughts? Isn't that our entire identity? Although, even if I didn't have thoughts, I guess you would still categorize me as having a certain identity or personality, one way or the other, based on your own opinion.

Okay, okay. I'm getting a little off topic. I know. But it's actually kind of interesting. And somewhat relevant given certain recent viral videos surfacing of a certain charity founder. It actually makes me feel more sympathetic towards that man. He has a wife. And a son. A family who's affected and watching. You may want to try and truly consider the entire situation before you judge! Think about it.

Oh, the irony....

A little Monday morning sunshine.

The sniffles left me weary of the green this weekend so I steered clear of the leprechauns and four leaf clovers, which is saying a lot considering my red hair practically makes me a St. Patty's Day mascot. That's not to say that our weekend wasn't brimming with other eventful festivities though, all of which I can't wait to share! BUT before I do, a little sunshine for Monday morning. My favorite flower of all time, the great rununculus. Another beautiful Whole Foods find. Hope you enjoy!

Tea at three.

I'm convinced I should have studied abroad in London. Not only for the flats and pubs, but because I have an unusual fascination with tea. So, I've begun a new tradition in my office. Tea time at three. Announced and enjoyed daily with a welcoming invite to all. How darling? And then I decided to compliment my beverage with a home-made cookie. One for each occasion. After a week and a half of this new ritual, I can honestly say that it's been a lovely addition to my day. Not to mention, it gives me something warm and cozy to look forward to during one of those most seemingly drawn out hours of the afternoon. Do try it and let me know what you think!

A city of strangers.

In an effort to enjoy the unseasonably warm temperatures yesterday, hubs and I went on a little stroll with our four legged family member through the city streets of Philadelphia. The sheer number of undiscovered corners still amazes me. Little markets here and there, Italian Ice stands, gorgeous blocks of well-manicured row homes. We're trying to soak it all in, knowing that this time will be short lived and that someday a move will be made to  the driveway laden suburbs. It did occur to me, on our post-appetizer stroll, that we're living in a city full of strangers. It's a unique experience. To be surrounded by so many people, yet to know no one. Or very few, comparitively. And it's kind of ironic too. Take our entire block of row homes, for example. I can only call by name people from, oh.. maybe 3 of the homes? Compare that to "larger" neighborhoods where the houses are separated by grassy acres, and I feel like you actually know more of your neighbors. Not just the person directly across from you, but the neighbors three houses down. Or is that just my imagination? Is our knowledge of names and faces always limited to a 4 house proximity?

We're always just one in the masses.

Mad about you.

It's no secret that I'm a huge (HUGE)  Mad Men follower. The subtle messages and sleek outfits are enough to make my head spin with excitement. And finally season 5 is fast approaching. In addition, I just discovered that none other than Estee Lauder has boarded this time traveler train. And I LOVE it. Can I pretty, pretty please splurge? Someone do say yes!

Little lovelies for sale here.

Limonata.

Occasionally, when perusing the aisles of our local market, I stumble upon a truly fabulous find. A little gem among the regulars in my basket. And this weekend, I happened upon the most adorable 6 pack of lemonade. We all know the gorgeous Italian sparking mineral waters that come in the pretty green bottles, right? Well, these are them, garnished with a twist. I can already envision them served up in our next backyard soiree. So sweetly sour.


Home remedies.

It's amazing what just a few knick knaks here and there can do to spruce up a small space. I thought it time to add some flourish to our family room, a space we inhabit quite frequently.  I have a very bad habit when it comes to our house though. Occasionally (alright, often), when I start cleaning our home, the rooms start to close in on me and I feel utterly overwhelmed. All of a sudden that wall that needs re-painting, the fan that needs replacing, the bathroom I want to renovate... they all scream at me to spend more time and money. And soon, room by room, I'm drowning in a multitude of to-do lists. Then I stop. And I remember to just breathe and be happy with what I have in life. It's not about material possessions. Ahh, so that's a great lesson. I think we can both agree. I will also be the first to admit, however, that I don't take that to mean I'm unable to treat myself every once in awhile to a few new, albeit small, purchases. This weekend's splurges: New candles, to brighten and sweetly scent the room, and beautiful blue hydrangeas I was immediately drawn to from Whole Foods. Sometimes little details feel fresh enough to liven up an entire room, and make you forget about all of the cracks everywhere else. Don't you agree?

Love, the way I see it.

My lovely little scores:
5 Words of Affirmation
7 Quality Time
2 Receiving Gifts
8 Acts of Service
8 Physical Touch


Well, that was telling! I saw this on a fellow blogger's site and had to share. Apparently there's an entire book dedicated to the theory that everyone loves differently, or at least, that everyone views love differently. It was interesting to compare results with my husband and not so surprising to see the results. What's your love language?


Easy peasy. Follow the link below and answer your little heart out!
www.5lovelanguages.com/assessments/love/


Did your results surprise you or sum you up perfectly?

Time travel.

My family is going to laugh at this post. I'm about to show some colors. I didn't just name this blog "Reflections of..." for no reason, after all. Sometimes some pretty absurd thoughts come to mind. Lucky you.

I was driving home one day and thinking fondly of past moments. Isn't that always the way? The past is so nicely coated in nostalgia. Even the not-so-pleasant moments are dripping in a film of appreciation for things being long past. I remember my sophomore year in college when this concept first dawned on me. I found myself thinking back to a year earlier, living in the dorms, with a sense of almost longing. Hah! So I thought to myself, what's really amusing is that one day I'll think back to this day, and feel the same way. And what do you know? But of course I did. And still do. College is a memorable string of years engulfed in a sense of great pride.

So that's the past. And then there's this thing we call present. It's almost too quick to grasp. It just is. Right now. It's this moment and the one next. Kind of like water, being completely fluid. There's not really any differentiation from right now. and right now. It always feels the same. Really, because all we can ever do is live in the moment. In right now.

And then there's this thing we call the future. It's a nice concept really. Basically just our imagination's way of playing  with what it might feel like or be like in the future moments. 

Yeah, yeah. So you're probably asking yourself why is she babbling about this?

Past.
Present.
Future.

The past is definite. It's the moments we can no longer re-live. But, the future, well, it doesn't really exist. You know why? Because when you get there, it will always be the now. You can't actually reach the future. It's made up solely of right now moments. Right now. And then eventually they're the past. Maybe it's just me. Being crazy. Humans have evolved over time to view and categorize the world in certain ways. To make sense of it all. But sometimes, just sometimes, I'll think about it and it doesn't quite make sense to me. So that whole great, "live in the moment" slogan.... well go ahead, I dare you not to!


And yes, I was completely, 100% sober when my mind tried to make sense of time. I think it might be time for a drink . Now :)