LAVENDER SUGAR

My sister Mary has been in town for this holiday weekend.  It has been a delicious visit.  Her past two trips home she has brought along an entourage of college chums.  This visit her friend Elaina (fondly known as Lai Lai,) accompanied her.  I love Lai Lai.  She has laughing brown eyes and it turns out she's a great volleyball player!  

The girls spent Saturday morning with me in Midtown.  We brunched and crafted and shopped.  While together we found a tea party treasure!  Lavender sugar!  It is perfect to sprinkle into fresh squeezed lemonade, hot or cold tea, custard or homemade ice cream.  But when I bought the sugar, I had cookies on my mind, so we have since gobbled up an entire batch of Lavender Shortbread Cookies!  Didn't I say it had been a delicious visit?  Here is the recipe in case you are enticed by these crumbly pictures:

Shortbread Cookies

8 ounces butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (OR lavender sugar)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients; use hands to knead until ingredients are blended.  Press into ungreased pans (or chill and roll out to about 1/2-inch on a floured board and cut into shapes.
Bake at 325° for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

BIG NEWS

Good morning from Cherry Street.  I picked these flowers up at the farmer's market.  I have enjoyed them so much.  To me, the white flowers resemble living lace with their winding buds.  

Well, two wonderful things have happened all at once!  I have been waiting for them to happen for a long time.  And now they have and deserve quite a fuss and celebration.  First, my brother-in-law has proposed to the sweetest little pixie you’ll ever see.  My brother-in-law carefully planned to surprise her at the beach.  He made dinner arrangements where he presented the music box he had made himself. (The George men can build anything.)  And finally took her down to a pier where he popped the question.  She is a cheerful ray of sunshine and I couldn’t choose a lovelier girl with which to share this family.

A second proposal took place up in Chicago between my college roommate and a perfect gentleman.  Thinking back, we had hardly made it through college orientation before my stunning roommate was attracting interest from freshman fellows.  In her final year at school she announced she had met an amazing guy.  While I was skeptical at first, it didn’t take long to see that he really is amazing.  He is thoughtful, kind, and a hard worker.  He designed her engagement ring himself, and even flew her parents from California to be a part of their special weekend. 

Ben and Becky… Jill and Dan, I feel like my cup runneth over!  May the joy and excitement of this season exceed your expectations.  

BEGINNINGS

    Good morning friends.  Take a look at this wispy little feather discovered on my windowsill.  A few weeks ago I cozily lay in bed and blinked and looked at what had floated to my windowsill.  As adoration bubbled up for how soft the feather looked in the soft morning light, I knew that this feather must be photographed. 

    Several mornings following this event, my mom and I were swapping Pinterest posts and pictures when I showed her my photographed feather.  She said it reminded her of the book, “The Dream Giver,” by Bruce Wilkinson.

    In this story, the brave character named Ordinary lives in the town of Nobodies when he discovers a feather placed on his windowsill.  The feather indicates it is time for him to pursue his big dream. 

    Have you ever made the first steps towards a big dream?  For several years now I’ve had a cautious curiosity about blogging. Blogging seemed to me, a way to visually express and record the beauty and uniqueness of life.  A way to decompress the present while preserving the past. 

    Often, our big dreams are paired with big hesitations however.  I have had many excuses and insecurities about beginning a blog.  But this year I have felt more empowered through little stepping stones, such as a photography class and writing club and increased journaling.  After my husband and I bought a new computer last week, I realized I had run out of excuses!  And here I am, writing my first post for this new baby blog.  I hope that this blog opens your eyes to the beautiful details of your daily events, as I strive to record my own.