If you follow me on Pinterest you know I have a Board titled Doors and Windows that get my attention…
They both have fascinated me since childhood…..
I see them as gateways to wherever I wish to go or be.
I wish everyone could have a magic door that opens up to joy, peace and love…..actually, everyone does…..because of this most magical holiday that began so long ago…..
Ask and it shall be given…
Seek and ye shall find…….
KNOCK and the door shall open…..
Marry Christmas
THE Season OF White~
Christmas is the time of year when decorating rules simply do not apply!
Well, at least in my world….
The look has to be something….why not Striking
The mood has to be something..why not inviting
The color has to be something…why not white
Breakfast at Sage Hill House ….wish YOU were here
The Joy of Christmas…let me count them one by one…so many, you’ll be sleeping before I’m done.
There’s holly and cedar, rosemary and Red Birds…
Paper Whites and Poinsettias , Red Roses and Tartan skirts…
Stockings of red, green and beyond….bows and bells….oh my, what great fun…
Candles in the windows, sleighs by the stoop, hot coco and mama’s homemade soup….
Snowflakes and snow-balls for some there will be…alas, just rain and wind I see…
Chestnuts by the fire…cranberries strung above…and a toast to the one you love…
Pretty paper, pretty ribbon, pretty cards from far and near…
Silent night and happy dreams for those you hold dear…
Chocolate, red velvet, coconut and caramel tarts…
Snickerdoodles and Thumbprints, all tugging at our hearts…
Memories and flashbacks, from days carved in stone…
History indeed, but never really gone…
Carols for the neighbor…prayers for our Troops…
Christmas trees of all description-Presents all around-everything Merry and Bright…not like in Bethlehem…
Look into your heart-and find the tiny spark-turn up the flame and light the way….for yet another Christmas Day.
God Bless and may we keep the spirit of Christmas always in our hearts.
BRK~
Christmas Through the Eyes of Dickens~(1812-1870)
( a cry for social justice )
Christmas in Scrooge’s day…in 1843 Christmas was much less commercial. Many people went to church, and many followed the ancient tradition of making merry. however, nothing was allowed for or geared to the working class or poor classes of people
We all know the heart-tugging story of “A Christmas Carol” by- Charles Dickens…what many may not know are some of the historical facts that inspired this classic.
The English Christmas was at a low ebb when Dickens was a youngster.
his desire was to make it understood and to change how the working poor lived from day to day. Dickens loved his city and spent his life wandering the streets, by the time he was 15 he know it well…yet never stopped exploring and writing about its restless energy.
Much of today’s London was built in the 19th Century,
it was full of dark alleys and lanes, the streets were crowded, noisy, and very dirty.
Almost anything was bought and sold, the atmosphere was more akin to a modern third-world city than modern London. Many of the vendors were children-there were no child labor laws such as we have today. Many worked as young as 5-sweeping the streets.
The growth of the city exploded in the 1800’s and became know as “the Fever-Patch.” It was the first big industrial city in the world, and it was dirty, extremely polluted and unhealthy. disease spread quickly…there were four cholera epidemics in Dickens’s lifetime. plus regular outbreaks of typhoid, scarlet fever,, and other ills. Two hundred open sewers ran into the Thames River…and more than half of the London population took their water from it for cooking, laundry, bathing and drinking.
“A Christmas Carol” was written in 1843, as was the first printed Christmas cards. However in 1843 many very old traditions were still being celebrated. Some dated from ancient pagan midwinter festivals-which were celebrated long before the first Christmas. The latter part of the 1840’s began to see signs of new customs and ways that brought London out of the disgusting conditions it had become famous for.
The year after ” A Christmas Carol” was published , nine London theaters staged versions of this book…it has been a favorite of stage and screen ever since. The classic being the 1951 version.
After the success of ” A Christmas Carol” Dickens wrote a Christmas story each year for the next several years, including The Chimes,(1844) and The cricket On The Hearth (1845)-none were as popular as A Christmas Carol. It added a new word to the English language (“a Scrooge” is a miser…very few stories have done that.
Today’s Christmas is commercial in a way Dickens could not have dreamed of…but in part and thanks to him, we still feel that Christmas should be a time for family warmth, wholesome fun, kindness to others and especially children…his vision lives on~ RIP Charles Dickens.
Tis The Season~
Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free;
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be;
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
_”Simple Gifts.” (c.1875) Shaker Song
Live with purpose; love with Passion;
Speak kindly; dress pretty, and share the Joy!
Tis the Season~
For everything there is a season, All good things must end, When one door closes, another door opens…and oh so many more little truths that confirm we never stop and start over, we simply shift directions…..
To simplify this message…Sage Hill Farms began in 2004 as a teaching project…that quickly became a project that demanded a product…a retail product that demanded a lot of hands on work that spanned 15 years…..
Come January 1, 2019…the direction shifts back to the teaching project…..Sage Hill is retiring all retail products.
I will miss you (customers/clients/) However, only the product is going away…I will still be available in other ways if you have a need…consulting, education…we can chat about it!
The store is almost completely Sold Out…..If you wish to purchase, take a peek and see what’s remaining of your favorites…
A new schedule for classes, speaking engagements etc., will be posted in December.
A new online program is available now, a well designed program for taking your health to a better level…Not a diet, Not an exercise program…..Something New and Workable… and Works !
Interested??
https://sagehillgardens.com/healthy-after
Or PM or email me for more information
bea.kunz(at)gmail.com
Thank you for so many fabulous years…now it’s time to chart a new course that promises to be fun and freedom!!
My interest is more on the culinary side, there I can really attest to the value of all it has to offer.
Sage has a light lemony flavor; when dried it has a stronger, mustier taste.
Dried sage is a staple in poultry seasonings. The herb is compatible with rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley, and bay.
In the summer garden the lovely blue or dark reddish flowers make a special and colorful addition to a tossed salad.
If you are thinking of growing sage, know that it needs a sunny location in light, dry, alkaline soil. It can be grown from seed or cuttings.
Harvest the leaves before the plant flowers, and cut the plant back after flowering. It must also be pruned frequently.
Most often the plant will become woody after about 3 to 5 years and must be pulled up and re-planted.
A few faces of Sage are: Clary….A wild variety that grows in America’s Southwest. It’s used in American Indian foods such as breads and cookies.
Mexican Sage….Grows up to four feet tall, has beautiful gray-green leaves and lavender flowers.
Variegated and Golden Sage….Has a very mild flavor and not my favorite for the kitchen. It is lovely in a garden bed.
Pineapple Sage….Has large pale green leaves that blushes into scarlet in the late summer and peaking in December. Has the most awesome red flowers. When touched it releases a heavenly pineapple scent.
Then there is Purple Sage…my favorite. Extremely aromatic with soft, purple foliage. It has a strong flavor that is perfect for tea.
Sage as many other herbs make wonderful plants for flower beds and require much less tending.
Why not get to know this awesome herb and introduce it into your garden and your life.
Bea Kunz
Almost finished with phase 1 …flooring…a few trim-sets to go and then phase II..stairs will be last on the list…Regardless, my next move is color and update/replacement of furnishings….nothing major…(love my stuff!)
Before and After… office, guest bedroom and hallway
Walls are a mystique shade of lavender , reflects different shades of same with changing light exposure. Can and does go from the lightest shade of lavender to the lightest shade of gray….these walls will stay as they are….washed and polished…still good…
Walls on the downstairs will get new paint…. ( staying with the Cape Cod design colors.
Doorplates still to go down.
Next…Colors!! Gonna be fun!! Stay tuned…
Carpet is out, wood flooring is down in the guest bedroom….hallway and closets tomorrow…
A deep, rich American Walnut
I’m loving it … full room view later
The makeover has begun…..Oh my…going to be a noisy one for a few days…
Today was the first day of removing upstairs carpet…tomorrow the first hardwood will go down…a beautiful rich walnut in the guest bedroom and my office…separated by a full bath and hallway….wood for the hallway also…bath has slate tile so that will stay.
Some pics of the carpet being removed.
I have so enjoyed this flooring…it’s an old world design and part wool…
Many years of great service but it is time to go….No carpet downstairs, so this is it for flooring change. (Yippie)
Oh…except the stairway…those too will be converted to wood….
