Sometimes I doubt my new life, it feels like I stand alone and am pressed to create my own future as if it is an ongoing, draining chore. Then I remind myself.... this is what I signed up for.... this life is my life and now is it. THIS is it! I have the luxury to create my own life; plan diligently or fly by the seat of my pants, cook a meal or eat cereal for dinner. My future is up to me. I look around in my world to surround myself with others who live a similar life.... Continue reading

Note to self: Live in the Moment. Use the fancy soap. Looking forward to cocktail parties, a weekend get away or a day off of work can be great fun but what about the rest of your life? What about the time we spend running to the dry cleaner, filling the tank with gas or doing laundry? Much of our lives are made up of a string of dull, uneventfull tasks. Do these moments count? Is this it? When is the real life going to begin? I say it's here and this is it. Let's celebrate living in the hear... Continue reading

Friday night's Friends of the Baldwin Public Library used book sale is one of my favorite events of the year. Not only do I feel quite priviledged to attend on "member's night", I feel totally honored to be browsing alongside of Birmingham's finest book nerds. A self dubbed book nerd myself, there is nothing like scouring through thousands of hard and soft cover books ferreting the perfect find! I landed a few great cookbooks and was fortunate enough to find an ol fave, the Moosewood Cookbook. Never heard of it? Well, it was groundbreaking in the year 1977 when it... Continue reading

The cooler weather is upon us. No room for complaining though, the month of October here in Michigan was simply gorgeous; sunshine in abundance and crisp cool breezes catching leaves in their wake. I still enjoy my daily walks with Oliver breathing in the invigorating air. Each day looks different; bigger piles of leaves, dead branches on the ground and the bare trees a stark contrast against the sky. Fall is a spectacular time of year. It is also a favorite time for me. It represents the end of summer and the beginning of the long cold Michigan winter. I... Continue reading

I wear jeans... a lot. I love my jeans. My love affair with the sturdy cotton 5 pocket pants began sometime in the early 70's. My first pair of cool denim... sometime around 1973. I purchased a pair of red tag Levi's at McQuade's Department Store. The relationship started a bit bumpy since I knew they were what I wanted and needed to be part of the in crowd, but at that time, Levi's were not specifically designed for women that were shaped like - well, shaped like women. So I purchased a pair of men's Levi's, for approximately $13.00.... Continue reading

" Trees" I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the sweet earth's flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree. Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918 Till next time, Marnie xoxoxox Continue reading

This post is about ordinary; living ordinary, being ordinary, feeling ordinary and looking ordinary. It is not about the glamerous, the rich, the famous, the perfect, nor the special. Today, I thought about the ordinariness of my life, the common, the plain, the uneventfulness of it all here at 1111 N. Old Woodward. And while I was contemplating the usualness of my being, a very odd feeling occured. I felt content.... Content, that word that has so eluded me for most of my 50 years. For I, like K.D. Lang, have always felt a 'constant craving' a sense that what... Continue reading

Fall is here.... can you resist the smell of chill and earth in the air, the beautiful deep green, rusty orange and vivid reds of the leaves? The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day here in Michigan. This morning, I went to a local half marathon, "The Brooksie Way" not to run but to cheer on my dear friend Jesse. I brought her two little guys, Jackson and Max and we parked, grabbed the wagon and made our way to the finish line. The energy was electric.... so many runners all shapes and sizes pushing their bodies... Continue reading

It has been seven months since I have last blogged. I have gone back and forth in my mind about whether or not to keep my blog going; to share my desire to write from my heart, share my perspective of life and leave a virtual legacy for my darling daughters. Well today I was inspired to continue to share with you. I was inspired by Rachel Scott, the first student of 13 victims to die in the Columbine High School shootings in 1999. I was so moved by Rachel's story, her positive outlook on life and her blind trust... Continue reading

Erma Perusallo, I miss you so. Here is an ode to you. My memories of my grandmother were mostly of her standing in the kitchen, wooden spoon in her hand, wrapped in a very stylish 50's era ruffled apron. She was rarely without an apron. So here we are...my daughter Juliana and me, baking our hearts out in honor of the most wonderful grandmother a girl could have. Erma could cook, she made gnocci from scratch, cakes, cakes and more cakes, fresh pasta and sauces. Always accompanied with salads full of vegetables my grandfather grew in the backyard garden.... He... Continue reading

We have had a "dud" of a winter here in southeastern Michigan. Only a couple of snows and fairly warm temperatures. What I would call a "dud". For those who like to master snow angels and make real snow cones with real snow...well you may have to wait a bit to practice your crafts. But glory be! I awoke today to a breathtaking snow.... big, fat, clumpy flakes that were in no rush to hit the ground. They floated and danced in the air like dandelian seeds in a spring breeze. Just gorgeous...... As much as this time of year... Continue reading

As part of my home restoration, I am letting my imagination run wild and filling the little place with love. I am a great lover of French Country, Farmhouse Chic and the New England rustic look. My custom cabinets are devine, I love every inch of them. From the old chicken wire to the dovetailed corners, they are truly a sight to behold! And what better way to enhance the feel of my kitchen than by using fabric to line the cabinet shelves! So I donned my apron, gathered my supplies and crafted up my shelves! Here are my plain... Continue reading

Note to self: Be as you are. This is the new mantra, the manifesto, the holy grail of resolutions, the quintessential intention. Sammy Davis Jr sang it out loud way back (quite suavely I may add) in the 60's "I Gotta Be Me"! So this is it, I am finally growing into myself at age 49..... and I gotta be me. Be as I am. Be comfortable in my own skin. So far...it feels good. For me , it is a process. I have to remind myself I am who I am. It is OK. I am OK. For all... Continue reading

Nearly a month has passed since I last blogged. I have been super busy and not making time for my writing. So, I thought I would blog about why I am not blogging!The Ferndale House - ahhhh such a sweet sounding name. Ahhhh - the Ferndale House. What a time suck....whose bright idea was it to buy an abandoned, rundown, money pit in Ferndale? Isn't there more to life than walking around with spider eggs and webs hanging from the heel of my sock? What about the temporary bathroom? (a bucket!!) What about the mismatched window moulding and door trim?... Continue reading

Every year, I go through the same thing. I watch in awe as my friends, family and neighbors share their Christmas spirit with those around them. Lights, a decorated tree, baking, shopping, planning, partying.... where do they get their spirit??? Here I am stuck, still reeling from Thanksgiving with not an ounce of holiday sparkle to be found! I try to plan and get into the holiday groove..... I listen to carols, I admire the lights, I talk to my kids about their Christmas lists. I even look for new recipes of yummy treats and sweets to bake. It seems... Continue reading

Taking Myself Out to Lunch Wow! I had the wonderful experience last week of taking myself out to lunch. It was a fabulously uplifting and freeing thing to do! The icing on the cupcake was that I dined in the North End of Boston! If you have never been there, please add it to your places to see. You will love it. There are narrow, cobblestone and brick streets, the heavy smell of garlic lingering in the air and old Italian men walking around in old Italian suits..... Bakeries, coffee shops, little grocery stores that sell Cappicola, Prosciutto and olives.... Continue reading

My Flowered Doc Martens My flowered Doc Martens make me soooooo happy. Being somewhat of a TomBoy (although I dislike that term), I sometimes struggle with the feeling that I am lacking a feminine persona. But these boots are the best of both worlds...... boy and girl. Black chunky ankle boots coupled with a pretty, girlie floral pattern..... wow, I love them! I wear them once in a while and they make me feel good; like I am just a tad bit different than other middle aged women and moms. They help me assert my personality and never fail to... Continue reading

Friends Like Sisters If you are lucky, you have a girlfriend that is like a sister to you. I have my Anna. Anna and I go waaaaaay back. I was 5 and she was 3. Who would have known a little oopsie off the swing set would shape our destiny? Well, shape it - it did. Our lives have been interwoven and interconnected throughout the years, some times farther from each other than other times. But as you know, when friends are like sisters, it does not take much to jump right in right where you left off. Even if... Continue reading

Roses Need I say more? The Rose Family by Robert Frost The rose is a rose, And was always a rose. But the theory now goes That the apple's a rose, And the pear is, and so's The plum, I suppose. The dear only know What will next prove a rose. You, of course, are a rose-- But were always a rose Till next time......XO Marnie Continue reading

Day Three. Thrift stores!!! I love them. They make me so happy. There is something about wandering the aisles, flipping through the clothes... seeking the little gems that are surely tucked in there. This is me to myself in the jeans aisle...." yuck, yuck, yuck, maybe, yuck, yuck, yuck, Oh my God"! And there it is! A awesome pair of Lucky jeans or Ann Taylor; and in my size! I spend hours in the Salvation Army, Value World and Council Thrift, it amazes me what some folks give away. I have found absolute treasures cast in with the pilly sweaters,... Continue reading

Day Two : Mosaics Ciao amici bella!! Day One of my personal challenge 28 joyful ways for 28 glorious days was a smashing success! I am enthusiastically yearning to share day two with you! For today, I would like to share my love of mosaics with you. As a mosaic artist myself, I have no greater pleasure than feasting my eyes on a intricate pattern infused mosaic piece. Look around, mosaics can be found in lots of places! I have seen them in airports, on sidewalks, in restaurant bathrooms, on tables, chairs, office buildings, flea markets and garage sales. They... Continue reading

This is day 1 of my personal challenge - 28 Joyful ways for 28 Glorious Days. I am setting my sights on 28 things that make me happy, that tickle my fancy and make me smile. No... it is not a new piece of Tiffany's jewelry or a trip to Italy or 100 pieces of Lindt dark chocolate. This is my personal challenge to chronical 28 simple, everyday things that bring joy to my life. I do tend to be a fortunate soul that recognizes things for their easiness, noticing the plainness and simplicity of life. I thank God for... Continue reading

Well, today I opened my daily piece of chocolate - a little bit sized Dove to be exact - and what was waiting for me inside? A message sent from up above, from the great beyond! Inside the foil wrapper were the words "Accuntuate the Positive" printed on the underside....ummph, how did the messanger know right at that moment I was accentuating the negative? I just thought it was so dang cute to recieve that message at that time and it changed my whole outlook and brightened my entire day! The little message reminded me of the old time song... Continue reading