Pictures and prose

I have been "under the weather" these past few days. I'm hoping the yucky feelings and higher blood sugar levels end soon. Whatever was keeping me on the sofa also raised my blood sugar. One becomes their own medical detective...

I went to the eye doctor last week, who told me she had good news and bad news. My eyes are very good for someone who was misdiagnosed (as a Type 2 diabetic when I actually had developed Type 1) and went without insulin for so long.

Unfortunately, there is a spot on the retina of my right eye. She wants to check it again when we get back from New England to see if it goes away on its' own or if I have to see a specialist. I'm praying a lot! Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness.

I thought you might like to see the 25 cent teapot cozy I found at the Mission Thrift Store a few weeks ago. It was on the same shelf that I found the elegant cozy for $1.00.

As I wrote before, I have been influenced a lot by the book The Gentle Art of Domesticity and the Daisy Cottage blog to bring in color.

This is the perfect size for my smaller teapot, the one I use all the time but it can stretch to fit the bigger teapot.

Since our coffeepot broke, I've been making tea for us each morning, as well as our usual green tea in the afternoon and evening. Both of my everyday teapots are getting lots of use.

The clearance valance turned out to be lovely. After living with the beige for years, the green adds just enough color while still being calming. The two valances it took for this window cost a little over $8.00. The original cost was around $180.00 for the two... a significant savings.

We all love our old soft and cozy family room sofa. It has seen a lot of years and quite a few moves but it is still so comfortable. Christopher sleeps there quite often when he arrives home from studying late. College students are on a different body clock than normal people. :)

I read such a lovely book while resting on the sofa. It was purchased with a gift from a wonderful blog friend, who knew just what I needed to take my thoughts from Sasha for awhile.

It is a very good novel by Karen Andreola called Lessons at Blackberry Inn; Adventures with the Gentle Art of Learning. Although it is the sequel to Pocketful of Pinecones; Nature Study With the Gentle Art of Learning, you need not have read the first book to enjoy this one.

Both books follow a family who homeschools using the Charlotte Mason method, the scenes are about domestic arts, homeschooling, nature studies, mother expecting another child, taking care of the poor, hospitality... lots of great ideas in fiction format. I think they are suppose to take place in 1940s America.

Karen wrote my favorite book about teaching with the Charlotte Mason style called A Charlotte Mason Companion; Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning. Although a nonfiction book, it reads like a novel.

I've added all three to my Amazon recommendations widget. I just love all of them. Some may find the two fiction books a little too "sweet", for me they were so relaxing as well as informing. As Karen says when talking about the fiction books, they show more what we would like our home to be about.

I enjoyed the book even though I no longer homeschool, it is a pleasant novel for anyone who enjoys reading simple fiction with a domestic setting. Stephanie has a copy of Pinecones already, the latest book is on the stack of "things to pack for the trip".

Speaking of my daughter and Charlotte Mason... she has added another post about her Ambleside trip... here.

Picture: The shelves in the family room which show my inner child... the remnant of a former teddy bear collection.