From the Archives: A Cup of Kindness

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(originally posted October 8, 2010)

I believe kindness has a ripple effect. This quote by author Dean Koontz says it beautifully:

Not one day in anyone’s life is an uneventful day, no day without profound meaning, no matter how dull and boring it might seem, no matter whether you are a seamstress or a queen, a shoeshine boy, or a movie star, a renowned philosopher or a Down’s-syndrome child. Because in every day of your life, there are opportunities to perform little kindnesses for others, both by conscious acts of will and unconscious example. Each smallest act of kindness—even just words of hope when they are needed, the remembrance of a birthday, a compliment that engenders a smile—reverberates across great distances and spans of time, affecting lives unknown to the one whose generous spirit was the source of this good echo, because kindness is passed on and grows each time it’s passed, until a simple courtesy becomes an act of selfless courage years later and far away.

--Dean Koontz, From the Corner of His Eye

More quotes about kindness..

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.-- Charles H. Spurgeon

Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are.--Author Unknown

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How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.--George Washington Carver

Papa steals a kiss from our grandson, Payton

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again. ~Og Mandino

..the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control...--Galatians 5:22,23

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Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Tudor/Elizabethan Fashions

I just finished To Die For, by Sandra Byrd, a fresh look at Anne Boleyn through the eyes of her lifelong friend, Meg Wyatt (read my review here).

I loved being immersed in Tudor England for a few days, and I think the book's cover is one of the loveliest I've seen. The dresses they wore in those days truly were to die for!

So for my Semi-Wordless Wednesday, I thought I'd have some fun looking at Tudor/Elizabethan fashions. Enjoy!

Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I

Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn in Anne of a Thousand Days

Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Natalie Dormer as Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in The Tudors

Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn in The Other Boleyn Girl

The Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I, attributed to George Gower

Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I in Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Elizabeth I at around age 13--portrait usually attributed to William Scrots

Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors

Richard Burton as Henry VIII and Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn in Anne of a Thousand Days

Scarlett Johannson as Mary Boleyn and Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn in The Other Boleyn Girl

Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn with child actress playing Elizabeth in Anne of a Thousand Days

Photo credits: all images from Tumblr or Google Images

I'm participating today in Semi-Wordless Wednesday--click on the link to find out more!

Can you believe it's August 1st?

My favorite Spiderman, Tobey Maguire

Summer is flying by! It seems here in Northern Illinois, we went from longing for winter to end, to praying for the high heat and violent thunderstorms to let up!

Well, whatever the weather, today is the first of August...and a quick peek at halife.com tells me it marks several "observances." Here we go:

--Today is Spider-Man Day, making the Duper heroes debut in 1962 in issue #15 of "Amazing Fantasy" comics. Nerdy teen Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and soon developed the spider's powers as well as its web shooting talent and "spidey sense." Spidey got his own comic in March 1963.

--World Breastfeeding Week begins today.



---August is Family Fun Month and National Toddler Month.

My little toddler grandson, Josiah Daniel

--Today is Respect for Parents Day.

--August is Happiness Happens Month, sponsored by the Secret Society of Happy People in Lewisville, Texas!

--August is National Panini Month.--What's your favorite way to make paninis? Let me know in my comments section!

--And, of course, August is National Back-to-School Month! It still seems a little strange not to have to buy school supplies for anyone!!

--Today is Bookish Images Monday in my book blog, Cindy's Book Club! I'd love for you to go over there and participate--it's easy! Just click on the icon below...

Happy August, everyone!

Thursday 13: Beautiful Bedrooms

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I'm getting really tired of the way my bedroom is now, and I'm longing for a change! I'm thinking along the lines of light blue and white. Maybe sometime in the not too distant future...until then, here are some beautiful bedrooms for inspiration!

Which ones are your favorites? Let me know in my comments section!

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Go here to participate in Thursday Thirteen!

Wednesday HodgePodge!

I'm participating today in Wednesday HodgePodge, hosted by From This Side of the Pond!


Here are the questions and my answers:


1. July is National Ice Cream Month...your favorite flavor? Soft serve, hand dipped or frozen yogurt-which do you prefer? And technically yogurt is not ice cream but its hot outside so I'll let that slide for today.

I have to be careful about ice cream, but my current favorite is Kroger Churned Lite Fun Munch Cookies 'n Cream. You'd never guess it's "Lite"--delicious! But when I have ice cream away from home, I'd say I prefer hand-dipped.

2. When you travel do you tend to pack too much or too little? Far too much--and I'm determined to remedy that! Last time I flew, my bag was actually a bit over the limit, but the skycap let it slide. I'm determined to streamline it next time.

3. What's your favorite cleaning product?--Lately I've been loving Mr. Clean® Disinfecting Bath Cleaner with Febreze® Freshness. It leaves a wonderful, light fragrance. For all-around cleaning, I favor Lysol products.

4. What's the greater tragedy-an innocent person imprisoned or a guilty person set free? Explain. --Tough one, but I think an innocent person imprisoned is nightmarish. If a guilty person is set free, yes, they may end up committing more crimes, but I think eventually their sins will catch up with them.

5. What's the longest trip you've taken by car?--Is "van" OK? In 1984, my husband and I took a group of high school seniors from Rockford, IL to Washington D.C., then down to Florida and back up to Rockford! That was quite a trip.

6. tennis-golf-canoeing-biking...pick one. I would have to say biking. I don't currently have a bike, but I would love one!

7. What sound drives you crazy?--At a Wal-Mart I go to, there is a high-pitched beep you can hear when you're in the check-out lane. It's horrifically annoying! I ask the cashiers how they can stand it, and they say they've tuned it out. I'm this close to complaining about it.

8. Insert your own random thought here.--I can't believe summer is going by so quickly!

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From the Archives: Penelope--A Whimsical Movie with a Good Message

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(Originally posted 9/10/08)

My daughter and I watched a charming movie the other day that must have completely escaped my notice when it first came out. It was Penelope...a whimsical, funny tale that I think has a good underlying message about self-esteem for young girls.

Penelope is a young woman born into a rich family that has been cursed. The first daughter born to the family will be born with a pig's snout...and will remain that way until she is loved by "one of her own kind."

Christina Ricci does a good job as Penelope, bringing just the right touches of humor and longing. Although it's obvious she wants to be released from the curse, she's able to laugh at herself and create a rich world in the privacy of her own room, to which she's pretty much been exiled.

Catherine O'Hara is hilarious as Penelope's mother, who is frantically bent on getting her daughter married off to a blue-blood so the curse can be lifted. Her character should give pause to moms who unreasonably try to change their daughters.

But the real charmer in the movie, for me anyway, is James McAvoy (you'll remember him as the faun in The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe) as the guy who falls for Penelope without seeing her...and whose love proves true even when he does get a load of the snout.



Although hiding his beautiful Scottish accent with an American one (why? there are lots of other British accents in the film), it's easy to fall for his character. Who wouldn't love a guy who sees past a horrible defect to the beauty of the girl inside? McAvoy is not conventionally handsome, but he was quite attractive in this movie.

Although modern, the movie has a fairy tale feel. The creators of the film said they tried to portray it as taking place "any time, anywhere," and they pretty much succeeded.

Best of all, besides being fun and entertaining, the movie says good things to young girls in an age where eating disorders and teen-age plastic surgery are all too common.

I enjoyed it very much.

(Originally posted 9/10/08)

Life Made Lovely: Men in Period Costume

Tumblr is a great place to find images of just about anything. One Tumblr blog I enjoy is one called Vintage Dudes. Basically, it's pictures of actors in historical costume.

It shows you that some of the apparel worn by men is years past was really, really cool and attractive.

On the premise that "life made lovely" is enjoying beauty of all kinds, here are some of the vintage dudes! (Photo credit: All images are from Vintage Dudes.)























I'm participating today in Life Made Lovely Monday--click the icon for more info!