When guests come to my home for dinner during the holiday season, there are two things they are guaranteed to find: a meal made by someone – anyone– besides me and a table dressed in plaid. This time of year, I am firmly committed to never, ever cooking. And, to filling my life with as much plaid as … [Read more...]
Thoughts on Preparing for the Holidays
Ready or not, it's here … the holiday season. For most of us, the first step in making the holidays magical is dressing our homes for the season, from trimming a tree to decking the mantel to setting a table for parties and feasts. Before you crack open all those boxes marked Christmas Decorations … [Read more...]
A Holiday Tribute to our Pets
“If the world was all Golden Retrievers, there would never be any arguments,” Dan once told me. Who knew I was married to such a wise philosopher? Whether the furry source of love and joy in your home is a dog, a cat or some other critter, you know exactly what he means.Those of us who are … [Read more...]
My Three Essentials for Holiday Decorating
Whether you want to fill your home top to bottom with holiday cheer or add a few festive touches here are there, my advice is the same: Start with a fabulous base. Amazing greenery and show-stealing ribbon are the essential bedrocks of a sensational holiday treatment.I was … [Read more...]
A Tale of Two Bedrooms
My mom loved a party. So I’m pretty sure that when our big, noisy clan gathers together in the little cottage next door, where she lived at the end of her life, she smiles down on us from heaven. This little nugget of a house, perched on the edge of the lake, has become our favorite … [Read more...]
A Warm Welcome for Holiday Guests
I can’t wait. On Christmas Eve, my big sister Judy will come spend the holidays with us. I am so thankful that she keeps coming back because, to be honest, I have been a pretty rotten hostess in years past. Absolutely no food in the house? Check. Complete lack of toilet paper? Check. Within hours of … [Read more...]