Why we love lighthouses

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I'm a lonely lighthouse, not a ship out in the night 

I'm watching the sea 

She's come half-way round the world to see the light 

and to stay away from me 

There is a shipwreck lying at my feet 

Some weary refugee from the rolling deep 

Ah, could you lose it all and fall for me? --"Lighthouse, " James Taylor

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Why are we fascinated with lighthouses?

There are few things more beautiful and noble than a lighthouse...its very existence aimed at saving lives.  Lighthouses are the stuff of romance, of danger, of history, and as such, they are fascinating.

Today is National Lighthouse Day, so I decided to pay tribute to this ancient and lovely structure.

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From Wikipedia:

Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, safe entries to harbors, and can also assist in aerial navigation. Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and replacement by modern electronic navigational systems.

Lighthouses go all the way back to ancient Egypt and Roman times. Probably the most famous lighthouse is the Lighthouse of Alexandria,on the coastal island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt. It was built more than 200 years before the birth of Christ, and is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Lighthouses also provide spiritual symbolism.  Scripture urges us to be "a light on a hill."  An old gospel song, "The Lighthouse," compares Jesus to a lighthouse:

 I thank God for the Lighthouse

I owe my life to Him

For Jesus is the Lighthouse

And from the rocks of sin

He has shown a light around me

That I could clearly see

If it wasn't for the Lighthouse, tell me

Where would this ship be? 

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While modern lighthouses may be less beautiful and more functional, there are groups like the World Lighthouse Society that are committed to preserving and restoring lighthouses around the world.

Photograph by firefighter.kevin on Flickr

I leave you with Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale," a hauntingly beautiful song.

Today is National Fresh Breath Day. Do you know where your Altoids are?

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Yep, today is National Fresh Breath Day.

From this website:

Dentists and oral care professionals across the nation are hailing Tuesday as a day dedicated to fighting bad breath.
“National Fresh Breath Day is the perfect excuse to jumpstart your oral health routine and stop bad breath once and for all,” says DenTek Brand Manager Rachel Scharfman.
DenTek is one of the nation’s leading producers of oral care products designed to fight the causes of bad breath.

 Most of us know that bad breath can be caused by illness, our diets, dental problems, etc.

But often, correcting bad breath can be as easy brushing your teeth, popping an Altoid or chewing some gum.

BEST TOOTHPASTE FOR KEEPING YOUR BREATH FRESH (IMHO):

I'm very conscious of my breath at all times, so it's rare that you'll find me without a tin of Altoids or my favorite gum, Orbit bubblemint.

Working in radio, I've interviewed people whose morning breath or coffee breath was so offensive I felt like turning away.  I never want to be that person!

A 1950's Listerine ad in which a smelly-breathed teen mourns her bad experience at a party
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The article I linked to above has some tips for keeping halitosis at bay...including drinking at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day and flossing regularly.

Ironically, the article nixes mouthwashes containing alcohol (don't they all?) and breathmints containing sugar.  (I chew sugar-free gum, but I think Altoids might contain some sugar? They certainly DO work on garden-variety bad breath, though.)

How about you?

Are you conscious of how your breath smells to other people? What do you do to keep your breath fresh and clean? Any favorite, effective products? Let me know in my comments section!

Visible Monday: How do you feel about headbands?

Headbands are in style.

They're everywhere you look these days...and they come in an endless variety of colors and styles.

I must say, I was slow to hop on the headband bandwagon (say that 3 times fast.)  I couldn't get rid of mental images of Hillary Rodham Clinton "standing by her man"...or myself in the fifth grade.

Also, I've unfortunately, down through the years, seen many women-of-a-certain-age wearing headbands to a rather frumpy, dumpy effect.  

Finally, I realized that headbands can be quite attractive, and a fun way to change up your look.

I purchased the headband above at a local dollar store.  I got three or four headbands there...they were all name-brand (Goody, I think).  This one, and the black one at the bottom of this post, are the kind that go all the way around your head with an elastic base.

The above was probably my least favorite headband look for me...curly with no bangs.  I'm self-concious about having no bangs at all.  I kept thinking, "Is my forehead too wrinkled? does my face just look too plain without bangs?"

I've also tried it straight without bangs, although I don't have a picture of that.  Not my favorite look for me, but I've seen many other women rock it beautifully.

I do love that headband, though...my sister picked it up for me at Old Navy.

I liked this one...curly with bangs and a black-bow headband that goes all the way around.  Again, a dollar store purchase.  

I purposely put a light filter on this one so you could actually somewhat see the headband...it's not very visible in this picture.  My 20-something daughter has since adopted this headband, and I must say it looks adorable on her.

How about you?

Have you gotten into the headbanding trend? Let me know!

If you want to give it a go, be sure and pop into a dollar store...you can experiment without committing a lot of money!

I'm taking part today in Visible Monday, hosted by Not Dead Yet Style! Join the fun!

Five on Friday!

I'm taking part today in a bloghop that I learned about through the charming Cici of Cici's Corner...Five on Friday.

 Basically, it's just any five things you want to talk about on Friday.

 Here I go:

 1)  Farewell...for now...to a precious friend

 On Monday, a sweet friend came to the end of her struggle with cancer. I attended her memorial service yesterday. Lori was only 35 years old. She was a teacher who loved her students deeply, married to a wonderful young man named Jason, and always so full of life and joy.

We'll dearly miss her.  We're heartbroken, but  we know we'll see her in heaven someday.

 After the service there was a balloon launch. Hundreds of pink ribbons--fittingly symbolic of the fight against breast cancer--floated skyward. It was a beautiful farewell.

2) I've been reading some really terrific fiction lately...from the library.

I do enjoy reading Kindle books on my Nexus 7, but sometimes it's nice to just hold a book in your hands...and not worry about whether your battery is charged enough!

I recently finished this really enjoyable one:

This is from Goodreads:

Twenty-five-year-old Julie Jacobs is heartbroken over the death of her beloved Aunt Rose. But the shock goes even deeper when she learns that the woman who has been like a mother to her has left her entire estate to Julie’s twin sister. The only thing Julie receives is a key—one carried by her mother on the day she herself died—to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy.
This key sends Julie on a journey that will change her life forever...

The book was well-written, intriguing, romantic, and full of exciting twists and turns...in other words, right up my alley!

Are you on Goodreads? I've found I enjoy being a part of the site, because before, I never kept track of what books I read or how many I was reading.

3) My husband's doppelganger...

Even when we were dating back in the 70's, I thought my husband looked like actor Jeff Bridges.  But since Jeff has gone bald in the Iron Man movies, the resemblance is uncanny.

We staged a re-enactment of a photo from Iron Man to illustrate it:

What do you think?  Separated at birth, or what?

4) Can I talk about the weather?

We have had an extraordinarily mild, lush, green, often quite cool summer here in Northern Illinois.  I, for one, am not complaining!

Last summer was horrendously hot and dry.  I've been thoroughly enjoying the mildness.

Here's a picture of the Rock River (I often stop and take pictures of it on my way home) just before a downpour the other day:

I must admit I love rivers, lakes, oceans, creeks, ponds...pretty much all bodies of water!

5) If you've been following my fingernail fiasco:

I blogged not long ago about the saga of my poor fingernails.  I've struggled with keeping them healthy and a decent length...then went and ruined it all by getting what I thought were gel nails, but actually were acrylic nails.

My nails have been taking forever to recover, but I'm happy to report that they're finally showing some improvement:

Well, that's my Five on Friday! Feel free to join in the fun.  And please don't leave without dropping me a comment.

Have a fun, safe and happy weekend!

Thursday Favorite Things: Are your roots showing?

But first, this message:

Yay! I'm co-hosting Katherine's Corner's Thursday Blog Hop!

When I first discovered Katherine's Corner, I fell in love with this lovely blog.  Katherine's Corner is what I'd like my blog to be when it grows up, if that makes sense.  It's just a classy mixture of prettiness, information and fun.

I'm so happy to be a co-host of Katherine's Thursday Favorite Things. What a great way to get to know other bloggers and even increase your circle of readership and influence!

 Here's more about this fun bloghop:


Its Time For Thursday Favorite Things! Thursday favorite things is where you can link your favorite post or write a post about your favorite things and share it with old and new followers. Please link to your post and not to your blog. You gain visibility for your blog ( it posts on three blogs) and you make bloggy friends too!
Please share the hop with your readers and let Katherine know if you would like to co-host.

Here are the rules, yes there are rules. But just a few:

Please DO NOT link and run...visit a few of the wonderful blogs that are sharing at the hop.
Follow your hostesses Katherines Corner, Sew Crafty Angel And Me and let us know if you are a new follower.
Visit as many blogs in the list as you can. Please leave a comment and let them know you are hopping over from the Thursday Favorite Things hop!
Share the button or a linklback on your post. Grab the hop button code from Katherines button page a Link back to Katherines Corner is always appreciated but is not mandatory
No adult content blogs or links directly to your shops please ( they will be removed)
Yes you can link giveaways ( they are everyone's favorite thing) Add your giveaways to the Win It Page at Katherines Corner too!
Have fun and link up below.


Now on to our regularly scheduled blog post:

Are your roots showing?

As you can see, I'm not talking about hair...although come to think of it, I'm due for a color touch-up1

The men in the pictures above are my grandfathers...my paternal grandfather, Thomas Valco Garrett on the left, and  my maternal grandfather, James Zarafonetis on the right.

 My Grandpa Garrett was mainly Scots-Irish...a name derived from the fact that his ancestors originated in Scotland, moved to Northern Ireland (Ulster), and ended up in America.

  Along the way, his family married into regular Irish (for lack of a better adjective), and his own mother was a Hispanic/Creole woman named Orelia DeSoto.

On the other hand, my maternal grandfather was the American-born son of two Greek immigrants, Harold and Georgia Demas Zarafonetis.

My mother's mother, as far as we've been able to ascertain, came from Irish and/or English roots.  (Interestingly, my maternal grandmother's father, Charlie Carroll, was a Texas Ranger...not the baseball kind of course, but the original, highly-respected law enforcement kind.)

From all of that, there's me.

I'm kind of bummed that I didn't get even a bit of my Grandpa Z's dark complexion...he was one of the darkest Caucasian people I've ever encountered!

I did, however, get the Scottish-Irish complexion that in my youth was, I daresay striking with my original dark hair and green eyes.  (I've long since given up on trying to preserve the dark hair!)

Of all the strains in my blood, I have to say the Celtic calls to me with the loudest voice.  I dream of visiting Scotland and Ireland, and if I ever get there, of course I'll have to check out England as well.

But I also dream of cruising the incredibly lovely Greek isles.

How about you?

Have you done any digging into your family roots? Does it fascinate you as it does me, or do you even give it a thought?  Have you ever thought about the way your family's background contributes to the person you are today?

I'd love to know!

What a Beautiful Old Church in England Has to Do With Me

(From the archives)

Credit: Steve Oatway

 Owston Ferry photographer Steve Oatway sent me this beautiful photograph, taken by him, of St Martin's Church in the snow

I love this moody, evocative portrait of St Martin's Church in Owston Ferry, England

St. Martin's Church, Owston Ferry, England (Wikipedia)

Not long ago, I blogged about my connection with a murder in a tiny English village. It's a pretty fascinating story, if you have a moment to read it.

Granted, my connection is tenuous. It all revolves around a book called Red Knights from Hy Brasil, and this sticker inside the book:



Shortly after writing that post, I got an e-mail from a photographer named Steve Oatway who lives in Owston Ferry and actually knows Peter Torn and even the vicar who signed that sticker (now retired.)

Steve offered to send me some photos of the village, and I haven't received them yet. (UPDATE:  Steve has now sent me a photo of St Martin's, which I posted above.)  But I got curious about St. Martin's Church, and turned up some fascinating photos and info about it on the internet.

Photo by Paul McConachie via

A very old place of worship

When Steve Oatway told me that St. Martin's is 600 to 800 years old, I was awestruck. We simply don't have buildings, much less churches, in America that are that ancient.

According to the church's website:

The earliest reference to a church in Owston Ferry is about 1150 CE. As none of the present fabric dates before 1280, there must have been an earlier building on the site. The site itself is within the inner bailey of the "Motte and Bailey" castle which formerly stood there.

A triple archway was built in 1859 at the entrance to the avenue of trees leading to the church.

photo by wiatrak2 via

Stained glass window inside the church

Another website relates:

The parish church, situate at the western end of the village of Owston Ferry, is dedicated to St. Martin and contains much of interest to the family historian, not least are those tombs therein of local gentry, the family containing most being that of Pindar, prominent in the Isle since the mid-sixteenth century.
... On the south side of the Church can be seen the mound on which stood in former times the keep of a "motte and bailey" castle, said to have been built shortly after the Conquest and held at one time by the powerful Mowbray famiLy. It was taken by Geoffrey, Bishop elect of Lincoln, in 1174, on behalf of Henry the Second and was later destroyed and never after rebuilt.

A view of the church's interior, from a Church of England website

St. Martin's choir members (also from this Church of England website)

As a confirmed Anglophile and lover of history, all this fascinates me. How I would love to visit England someday and see this incredible old church for myself.

In the meantime, I hope you've enjoyed these photos.

Note: Every effort has been made to give proper credit for these photos, which do not belong to me

Top 10 Nutrition Tips for Kate...well, really all new moms

Are you excited about the Royal Baby? Well, I am!  I've been a fan of William and Kate from the get-go, and I'm happy to see them blessed with a new little son.

Kate's not the only new mom in my circle of acquaintances, so I was interested when I came across these tips from  Dr. Stan Cohen, one of the top experts in the fields of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition in the country and founder of the Children's Digestive Research Fund (disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, and you should take Dr. Cohen's advice only at your own discretion.)

TOP TEN NUTRITION TIPS FOR KATE, KIM, AND ALL NEW MOTHERS IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS AFTER BIRTH

1) Breastfeed if you can. Breast milk has wonderful immune factors to lessen infections and doctors visits. Breast milk even helps to lessen asthma, diabetes, obesity, reflux and a host of other conditions. You'll also lose your baby weight faster, by the way (and you will decrease your own risk for breast, ovarian and uterine cancers).

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2) In those first days after birth, put the baby to the breast often to help your milk come in. The baby isn't going to take much at a time (his stomach is only the size of a small marble). Let the skin-to-skin contact help stimulate your flow and let all that bonding nurture both you and the baby.

3) Don't give up easily or assume breastfeeding is totally natural. I actually almost did this as a brand new mom.  Thanks to a supportive husband, I stuck with it, nursed all my children, and I'm so glad I did.  It may not be easy right away, but beleive me, if you persevere, you'll be so glad you did.

4) Breastfeed as long as you want to, though Dr. Cohen recommends at least 6 months if possible. The longer you continue, the more you may help to diminish any tendency to allergies and increase the baby's intellectual and social development.

5) This was a new one to me, but Dr. Cohen says to Make sure you eat fish 2-3 times a week* to increase your supply of DHA that will cross to the baby. DHA is one of the factors that optimizes the baby's brain and visual development, beginning in the last trimester of pregnancy through the second year of life. *These should be fish that do not contain high levels of mercury (swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, shark). If you are allergic to fish, you can take DHA supplements or get it from other DHA-enriched sources (eggs, for example).

Go here for a yummy-looking recipe for grilled snapper

6) Continue your prenatal vitamins --and Dr. Cohen suggests that you consider taking extra vitamin D, some of which will get to your baby.  He also recommends giving the baby vitamin D drops as well. 

7) Don't let all of the emphasis on breastfeeding cause any guilt if you are unable to breastfeed or choose not to.   I agree with this one.  I've seen new moms agonize when breastfeeding didn't work out...or feel guilty for choosing not to do so for various reasons . Dr. Cohen says that formulas are quite healthful. They were developed to match breast milk and the outcomes of feeding breast milk as much as possible.

8) Watch for early hunger cues, especially when your baby is smacking his or her lips or seems to be sucking or rooting for your breast. It's much easier to initiate a feeding than when the baby is already shrieking with a hunger cry.

9) Neither breast nor bottle fed babies need to have a rigid feeding schedule. Nor do they need to finish a bottle just because you prepared it. Overfeeding can result in an uncomfortable baby or one who brings back the excess. My addition to this thought? As a new mom, you'll feel your way with this.  Do what feels right for you and your baby.

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10) Ask for help if you need it--from your husband, your baby's doctor or others. Dr. Cohen says not all babies are professional feeders, and they may have problems that others can assist you with, even if it's just to watch the baby so you can refresh and pamper yourself for a few hours. I totally agree with this! Just an hour or two away from the baby...for a hair appointment, a pedicure or coffee with a friend...can go a long way to making you feel "normal" again.

Note: Dr. Stan Cohen is the author of What to Feed Your Baby: Cost-Conscious Nutrition for Your Infant

Any other suggestions? Feel free to put them in my comments section!

If you love all things Scottish...

The original cast of "Monarch of the Glen"

Anyone who knows me knows that I've always (and by always I mean since I was a very little girl) wanted to go to Scotland.  And Ireland. And England.

Lately I get my vicarious UK thrills from watching BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) shows on Netflix.  My latest addiction?

A show called "Monarch of the Glen."

The show actually hasn't aired since 2005, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

The premise (from Wikipedia):

While trying to carve a living out of the London restaurant he runs with his girlfriend Justine, Archie MacDonald is called back to his Highland home, to the bed of his dying father, Hector. When he arrives, however, he finds that the news of his dying father was just a ploy by his dotty mother, Molly, to get him to Scotland and tell him face-to-face that he has inherited his father's large estate and castle, Glenbogle. Archie faces a tough decision: whether to help the debt-ridden Glenbogle, or to return to Justine in London.... To please all, Archie faces the challenge to save Glenbogle.

Right now I'm at the beginning of Series 4 (the BBC calls them "series" instead of "seasons.")

Things I love about this show:

--The scenery

Monarch of the Glen was filmed on location in the Scottish Highlands, and often just the backdrop when two characters are talking is breathtaking.

The show was filmed in and around Ardverikie House.  If you're a Downton Abbey fan, as I am, you'll love this house as much as you love Downton.

I mean, just look:

And look:

--Archie

Alastair Mackenzie is just adorable as Archie, who is desperately trying to keep Glenbogle alive despite everything going against him.

Alastair Mackenzie

Sadly, Mackenzie didn't stay with the show for its entire duration...but I'm enjoying him while he's still around.

Other things?

The gentle wit of the show...the Scottish accents (although Archie himself doesn't have one)...the laidback pace of life in the Highlands.

I just feel like I'm taking a little visit to Scotland every time I watch it.

Oh, and as for its connection to Downtown Abbey?  Well, Julian Fellowes, the creator of DA, is also involved with "Monarch of the Glen" and is actually a recurring character, the humorous Kilwillie.

Someday, I hope I really will make it to Scotland.  Until then, there's always pleasures like "Monarch of the Glen."

10 Old-Fashioned Baby Names that are Back in Style

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"These classic names went out of fashion, but now they're back as parents go vintage" --(from Parenting.com):

1) Clara

2) Eli

3) Naomi

4)  Charlie

5)  Alice

6) Henry

7)  Olive

8) Leo

9)  Lillian

10)  Jasper

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Rounding out the top 20 are Amelia, Everett, Nora, Silas, Adeline, Max, Hazel, Owen, Stella, and Oliver.

Go here for a lot more info about the names, their meanings, their re-emergence in popularity, famous people who have them, etc.

And if that's not enough, this site  lists "10 vintage baby names we want to see in 2013, including Ada, Cora, Florence, Josie, Murray and Graham.

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How about you? Have you named your baby a "vintage" name...or do you plan to? What's the reaction been from family and friends? Inquiring minds want to know!

Some beautiful ways to say "Happy Independence Day!"

For your enjoyment, some examples of pretty 4th of July typography and art.  Happy 4th, everyone!

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What Celtic Woman and Charlie Daniels have in common

Mairead Nesbitt of Celtic Woman

It was while sitting in a country music show in Branson, Missouri in 1997 that something dawned on me:

I love fiddle-playing.

Especially when it's imbued with a healthy dose of Celtic flavor...which country fiddling is, very often.

This is National Old Time Fiddler's Week, when some of the nation's top fiddlers meet up in Weiser, Idaho for competition.

When I ran across this fact, it made me think about how much I love the sound of a well-played, Celtic-tinged fiddle.

Pictured at right is Mairead Nesbitt of Celtic Woman, who makes an art form out of fiddle-playing.  She definitely throws herself into it completely.  Check out this video of Mairead performing "Granuaile's Dance."

American fiddle

It makes sense that country fiddling often has that Celtic flavor.  This from Wikipedia:

Early influences were Irish fiddle styles as well as Scottish and the more refined traditions of classical violin playing. Popular tunes included Soldier's Joy, for which Robert Burns had written lyrics, and other such tunes as Flowers of Edinburgh and Tamlin which were claimed by both Scottish and Irish lineages. Soon these tunes were Americanized and local variations developed in Northern and Southern colonies...

One of my favorite examples of country fiddling is Charlie Daniels' "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."  While the tale of Satan and a young man having a fiddling competition over the young man's soul is far from theologically correct :), you have to love when "Johnny's" fiddle solo definitely trounces the devil's.

Now that's some good fiddle-playing.

I'm participating today in the Thursday Blog Hop, hosted by Katherine's Corner--join the fun by clicking on the button!

How I Got Ripped Off When it Comes to My Fingernails (Literally!)

A cautionary tale about fake fingernails

About a year ago, I made the decision to stop picking the nail polish off my fingernails.  I held to that decision for several months, and I loved the results.  My fingernails became strong, and with fairly regular professional manicures and polish changes, the looked pretty good.

I blogged about it in this post, Winning the Battle with My Weak Nails.

Here they are at the height of their healthiness:

As happens with many addictions, I fell off the wagon and my nails became weak again.  I managed to keep them from total collapse, but...

A couple of months ago I was invited to help em-cee a bridal fashion show.  Included would be borrowing a dress from David's Bridal and getting my hair styled for free.

I wanted my nails to look great.  So I decided to take the plunge into gel nails.

Or should I say, I THOUGHT they were gel nails.

I went to the nail place I had been frequenting, even though I found their work less than excellent and their attitudes bordering on unfriendly.

I asked for gel nails.

This is the result:

Looks great, right? And I was very pleased.

But appearances can be deceiving.  Turns out, these weren't gel nails at all, even though I specifically asked for gel nails.  I found out later that if a nail tech uses a mix of powder and liquid on your nails, they are acrylic, NOT gel.  If they're putting gel nails on you, they will actually be using GEL.

How can they get by with such deception?  You got me.  But I talked to one reputable nail tech who said before her nail tech days, she spent a year getting what she thought were gel nails, but were NOT...and it pretty much destroyed her nails.

Getting rid of them...

As you'll know if you're a veteran of nail stuff, growing out these nails isn't pretty.  You have to come back on a regular basis and get them re-done, or they grow out looking odd...with a noticeable hump where your real nails end and the fake ones begin.

I didn't want to go back to the same place to pay to have them removed. But I wanted them OFF.

 My own hairstylist, who also does nails, tried to get them off for me...but the usual process wasn't very successful.  They were not going away without a fight.  She managed to take a layer or two off.

I finally ended up popping them off, but along with the fake nails came my real ones.  What was left was a ridged, scarred (from having them sanded down by a machine), ugly mess.

Feast your eyes on what my nails look like now:

Yeah. NOT pretty.

I'm trying to pamper them to get them to grow back into a somewhat healthy state.

If you are a nail-knowledgeable person and have any advice, please share!

Also if you have any nail horror stories of your own, please share!

I'll keep you posted on the ongoing saga of my fingernails.