Women's Notes
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Wednesday, September 30th, 2009Storytelling seems to come naturally in my family. All of my siblings — inspired by a love of history, a curiosity in how people and things connect, a view of the world seen through the heart, and, some may say, the ability to embellish the truth with a mischievous sense of humor — come by [...]
New Dress Redux!
Thursday, September 10th, 2009The other day as I was sitting on my porch in the North Carolina mountains (I’m nestled between the Blue Ridge and the Smokies) enjoying a late afternoon thundershower, I had a memory flash! An image popped into my mind’s eye of a favorite new “back to school” dress I had as a little girl (worn with embarrassingly [...]
How Do You Know?
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009“When I was a little girl, I asked my mother, ‘Mommy, how do you know when you are in love?’ She sighed and replied, ‘When you try to imagine living your life without him, and you can’t, that’s love.’”
~ Lavinia Plonka, from her article “June Bride”
What would be your answer if someone posed that [...]
Abundant Days
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009Driving through the Blue Ridge mountains the other day with friends, scattered amongst the late summer Black-eyed Susans, I got my first glimpse of goldenrod. A sign of autumn approaching, the spiky goldenrod blooms became a reminder of going back to school — accompanied by a knot in my stomach — and I shared the [...]
Memories in Clay
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009[I thought you'd enjoy this excerpt from an article in a past Weddings of Grace online magazine.]
Transplanted Asheville, North Carolina artist Michael Hofman’s parents’ 50th wedding anniversary was coming up and he realized the idea for the perfect present was at his fingertips. Michael works in clay, making beautiful objects—vases, platters, bowls—with subtle lace patterns imprinted in [...]
A Woman’s Mystery
Friday, June 26th, 2009With the warmer days here in the mountains for the last month, I’ve enjoyed moving my office to my front porch — with my laptop perched on a little make-shift desk. Here I write and watch the various birds with the glorious mountain-scape all around me.
To my delight, one of my early visitors was a [...]
Celebrating the Skin We’re In!
Sunday, May 24th, 2009I heard an intriguing interview recently on NPR’s “Fresh Air.” Host Terry Gross spoke with Ryan Murphy, creator of the satirical plastic surgery television series “Nip/Tuck.” The opening line of each episode (taken from the writer’s real-life experience) is by the doctor inquiring of a new patient, “What don’t you like about yourself?”
Hmmmm. Someone having [...]
Love Without Diamonds?
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009Join the Discussion on “Conflict Diamonds” and Advantages of Buying Vintage Wedding & Engagement Rings!
In the current issue of Weddings of Grace Online Magazine, I continue the discussion of “to diamond or not to diamond?” — “new rings vs antique?” — “no engagement ring/just wedding band?” (See details on the Cornelia Recommends page.)
Would love your [...]
Here’s Something to Share
Thursday, April 30th, 2009The May-June issue of Weddings of Grace is now online! You don’t have to be a bride to enjoy the heart-opening story on the Rituals of the Heart page, Through the Simplicity Comes the Joy. Although not a traditional Quaker wedding, the featured couple wrapped themselves in the reverence and simplicity of the Friends Meeting House [...]
“Notice What You Notice!”
Saturday, April 18th, 2009Poet Allan Ginsburg wrote, “Notice what you notice!” Reading that immediately makes me pause, pay attention, become more aware. Like a call to be inwardly and outwardly aware at the same time.
Professional photographer Jacquelyn Schechter of Mindful Photography interprets Ginsburg like this: “He was calling us to be mindful of our surroundings by embracing a [...]