I grew up in Northern California. A little over an hour from my hometown, near Sutter Creek, there is a hill that is transformed every spring into a carpet of daffodils. It is, in short, an amazing sight to behold. Planting Hope Daffodil Hill. Planting Hope Daffodil Hill First-time visitors gazing over the fields always ask, “How did this happen?” The answer is simple, two women made this beauty possible. The property has been in the same family since the late 1800s. One of the ... View the Post
Forty Things
I’m on a mission. I am striving to go through every inch of our home and find 40 things to donate or recycle every week for a month. Yep, my goal is to remove 160 items that are no longer used, appreciated or are merely trash from our home. I’m doing this as a way to observe Lent. Forty Things. Forty Things For those of you who may not be familiar with Lent, it is a time of self-examination and reflection in preparation for the coming of Easter. There are a total of 40 days that began ... View the Post
Seeking Happiness
Today marks the last day in a month that is notoriously famous for people making very specific goals. They tend to fall under the categories of health, organization, education, or employment. I’m not really one to make resolutions, but on January 1st I made a promise to myself. I will be Seeking Happiness. I was going to actively seek happiness every day. Now this concept is nothing new. Truth be told a few years ago I tried keeping a gratitude journal. #fail Seeking Happiness But ... View the Post
What The Toucan Taught Me
It’s been quiet, save for a few crickets, on the DTA blog and FB pages. I’ve been off of the electronic grid for almost three weeks, the longest time span away in almost a decade. It truly was the cure for what had been ailing me. Here is What The Toucan Taught Me. What The Toucan Taught Me In mid-December, I took some time to look within and decided I wanted to slow down. I made the decision to step away from the blog and facebook except for a few scheduled posts. I then just turned ... View the Post
Winning the Holidays
The day after Thanksgiving I mailed out 97 Christmas cards complete with a charming holiday newsletter and family photo. It was like Winning the Holidays. Every single room at Storybook Cottage was decorated by the first week of December and photographed for not I, not II but III holiday home tours. All gifts were purchased, wrapped and, if necessary, shipped to friends and relatives far and wide by the second week of December. Cookies were baked and shared with the neighbors. A ... View the Post
Searching For The Quiet Days of Christmas
Raise your hand if you’re a bit burned out and Searching For The Quiet Days of Christmas. Searching For The Quiet Days of Christmas It can often happen this time of year. We can believe that there is simply too much to do in too little time. Two months ago I made the decision to take a 6 week semester off from college. Trying to maintain a happy home life along with straight A’s had worn me out completely. To try and do it during the holidays seemed overwhelming. It was a ... View the Post
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