Living

The Delicate Daisy

“I think scent is sensual. I guess evoking a mood or a spirit is key, and I think with the women’s fragrances we have evoked different types, moods, or sensibilities of a woman – whether it’s Daisy with the sweetness and the innocence or Lola which is more provocative, sexy, and sultry.”

~ Marc Jacobs

The Beauty of a Peony

“I want to encourage women

to embrace their own

uniqueness. Because just like

a rose is beautiful, so is a

sunflower, so is a peony. I

mean, all flowers are beautiful

in their own way, and that’s

like women, too.”

~ Miranda Kerr 

Flower Power in Rose-Coloured Glasses

As many of you have discovered, maintaining and following a blog can be quite time consuming. Yes, it has its rewards and challenges. And I wouldn’t change it for anything! When I’m not preparing dishes in Gail’s Kitchen, posting recipes, or snapping photographs, I’m……EATING MY WAY THROUGH THE ALPHABET!  
You would think it’s taking a toll on my waistline. Not so. Instead, I needed to upgrade my eyeglass prescription. I guess that means I get to make a fashion statement, too. All kidding aside, I am so excited about my new glasses. They are from the Drew Barrymore Eyewear Collection called Flower. What do you think? Will they make me look wiser? Or younger? Or more creative? Or will I simply continue to see the world through “rose-coloured glasses”? You tell me. 

Stubby, the Cat

LOST in TRANSLATION 


“I call him Stubby, The Cat. 
He thinks I said, “Studly, let’s chat.”
In the air goes his nose
With a debonair pose
And a “Meow” (or two) following that.”

~ Gail Dorna

Press On With Linen and Lavender 

I like to iron. I find comfort in it.  Maybe it’s because I’m a Baby-Boomer who grew up in an age where common sense meant making choices that gave one an advantage, a leg up, so to speak.  My family lived on a very limited income, so making the most of what we had was often all there was to make ends meet.  My closet contained a few skirts or dresses for school and special outfits for church.  Thank goodness I had older cousins who gifted me with hand-me-downs.  Yet, I didn’t mind.  My mother had a rigid schedule:  Wash clothes on Monday, Iron clothes on Tuesday, Clean the House on Wednesday, Mop the floors on Thursday, and so on.   

I began ironing my blue jeans when I was a teenager.  It came about more out of necessity simply because, at a time when most girls averaged between 5′ and 5’5″, my legs were very long.  And I was tall and skinny, which had me towering over my brothers and  most boys.  I discovered if I used a steam iron, I could stretch the denim to make the jeans longer.   Well, one thing led to another and before I knew it, I was ironing everything from tea towels to tee shirts.  
Nowadays, I revel in ironing my Turkish tea towels and French linens by spritzing them with Mary Ellen’s Best Press lavender-tinted starch alternative.  It smells like I’m ironing in the south of France.  The end result?  Everything is left with a crisp, new finish.  Yes, I still iron my blue jeans and tee shirts. Old habits die hard.  Every once in awhile I sneak one of my husband’s Oxford shirts into the laundry basket and mist it with the heavenly scent of French lavender while pressing it wrinkle free. Perhaps its lingering fragrance takes him somewhere in time.  Back to the days when we strolled down ancient cobblestone streets, sipping strong coffee in open cafés, basked in the warm sunshine holding hands, stealing kisses, eating baguettes, and drinking French wine.