Thursday, July 30, 2020
Pointing you to my Wordpress blog at elizabethprata.wordpress.com
By Elizabeth Prata
See you at elizabethprata.wordpress.com
I've had this blog for 14 years. I've written on on and off all that time.
When Wordpress came along I added a blog there too, in case this one was suspended by Blogger. I don't own the content on blogger, Blogger owns it. They can shut down the blog without notice for any reason. In these perilous thought-times, this is happening more and more. So I thought it'd be a good idea to have a mirror blog at Wordpress.
That means I've been posting here AND there. When I write on The Quiet Life blog, I post here AND there. It's getting burdensome to post and re-post. WP doesn't handle things the same way as Blogger so essentially it means I am writing it twice, every day.
Blogger is introducing a new interface this month. I don't like it. So...I think the time has come to move exclusively to Wordpress. I will continue to write every day, but only over there. The address is
elizabethprata.wordpress.com
Still written by me, still the same name of the blog. Just go to
elizabethprata.wordpress.com
See you there!!
Saturday, July 04, 2020
Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Buoy
By Elizabeth Prata
Did you know that the spot where Francis Scott Key penned the verses to what became the National Anthem of the Star Spangled Banner is in the Patapsco River, and marked by a red-while-blue buoy? It's maintained by the Coast Guard, explained here (excerpt):
It felt good to look at the buoy as we passed it, and to refresh our memory. That is exactly one reason why we traveled, to learn more about our country and to see where important events in our nation's history occurred. It's sad that we have a current climate of ravening, ignorant crowds pulling down monuments willy nilly. Monuments are important. At least this buoy is in a spot where they can't get to it.
I enjoyed sailing past the buoy and learning more about that spot and the history behind our national anthem. If you pass a statue or plaque or marked spot somewhere on your daily routines or travels, please take a minute to learn why it's there and the history behind it. Someone thought enough to put it there for a reason.
Did you know that the spot where Francis Scott Key penned the verses to what became the National Anthem of the Star Spangled Banner is in the Patapsco River, and marked by a red-while-blue buoy? It's maintained by the Coast Guard, explained here (excerpt):
 |
| The US Coast Guard tending the buoy. It's not for navigational purposes, rather, it's a monument to our history. Photo source |
On Sept. 14, 1814, Key was a prominent Georgetown attorney, and he was aboard a flag-of-truce vessel, trying to secure the release of William Beanes, a Maryland doctor imprisoned by the British for arresting English soldiers near his home. It was then that 25 British ships began their bombardment of the port of Baltimore and Fort McHenry. Through the night, Key witnessed cannon and gunfire pummeling the fort, and, when he saw the flag still flying at dawn in an unbeaten defiance, he immortalized the scene in a four-verse poem. More at linkHere's what Baltimore Harbor looked like in the early 1990s when we sailed past that buoy and anchored in the harbor.
It felt good to look at the buoy as we passed it, and to refresh our memory. That is exactly one reason why we traveled, to learn more about our country and to see where important events in our nation's history occurred. It's sad that we have a current climate of ravening, ignorant crowds pulling down monuments willy nilly. Monuments are important. At least this buoy is in a spot where they can't get to it.
I enjoyed sailing past the buoy and learning more about that spot and the history behind our national anthem. If you pass a statue or plaque or marked spot somewhere on your daily routines or travels, please take a minute to learn why it's there and the history behind it. Someone thought enough to put it there for a reason.
Thursday, July 02, 2020
The Perfect Vignette
By Elizabeth Prata
I like design shows and tips for upcycling and home decorating. I like to make my place look nice, be functional, and have pleasant surprises for the eye. I'ts hard to do on a budget and within 410 square feet, but I manage. I like the challenge, too!
There are free short videos to watch on the new Design Network. (https://www.tdn.tv/) This is an online channel started by Jason Harris, CEO of Furnitureland South, which is "located in High Point, NC, Furnitureland South is the world’s largest furniture store, with 1.3 million square feet for home furnishings showrooms. Recognized in 2018 as America’s Best Large Independent Furniture Retailer, Furnitureland South represents over 1,000 of the finest brands and offers nationwide white glove delivery," according to the company's blurb.
TDN features lots and lots of channels of short videos offering tips on most any style of design you enjoy. By short, I mean about 7-20 minutes. Some of the titles of TDN's videos I've enjoyed include
I also watch AMB Design Inc. which is Utah designer Ann-Marie Barton on youtube. Her channel has a lot of different videos but I like the channel Gracious Living. She has a quiet and relaxing way about her, and she explains why this element or that element works in the room she is designing for her client. She speaks well and not a word is wasted in her short videos.
Finally I also enjoy CoralTV, again, on Youtube. They will produce short videos on 'How to Style Your Bed' or '1 Couch Two Ways'.
These are free and since they are pretty and short, sometimes enjoy watching one before bed. The tv-host professionalism varies from designer to designer, and some have a voice for the shower only and not TV, lo, but all in all these ate cute videos and helpful too. If you enjoy home design.
There are spots on my apartment I enjoy, that are just perfect for me. The designers are always talking about 'this moment in the room' meaning this little vignette or spot where something surprising or cute is happening. I like how my teacups are arranged on my kitchen counter. I like the art hanging over my desk in the bedroom. And I like this:
I had found that little stand at a resale store. It's not meant to be a bookcase per se, but I needed something small to go in a narrow spot, so I turned it into one. I like that there is space underneath to put my slippers. My bookcases, all 7 of them, are arranged thematically. This one holds my Puritan library. I am proud of my library. It's taken a long time to accumulate exactly the books I want. I'm happy that I have them and that I've made a way to store them conveniently and in a pretty way despite having so little room.
On top I especially love this vignette:
These three items are some I enjoy. I bought the painting a few years ago at the High School art show. It's done by a student. The style reminded me of Maine artist Marsden Hartley. His work hangs in the Smithsonian and Museum of Modern art, among other museums. Here's Marsden-
I like being able to support a budding artist. I also enjoy the scene itself. The turtle in the bowl was a gift from a friend who'd visited the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and brought that back for me. Finally the bowl is mid-century modern and I think it's cool. I like to look at it.
Anyway, today was change the sheets day. Not that I have a particular day, it's just when I feel like it. My bed doesn't move so in order to get the fitted sheet on that back corner I have to fling myself toward the spot and wrestle it under the mattress while I am laying on it. Quite a feat. What is it about making up a bed with fresh sheets that makes you want to lay on them right away? At least this time Murray was snoozing in his little bed in the kitchen and didn't try to scoot under the sheets AS I was putting them on the bed!
He figured out where I was soon enough and came to check it out. His favorite spot. He enjoys watching the many birds in the yard from the window there. And this morning somehow a moth had gotten in and he woke me up by chasing it all over the bed. Murray is a good watch-cat. He saved me from the moth. All is well now.
When I make the bed up for the first time with fresh sheets, I like to make everything symmetrical. The medallion on the bed centered, and the fringe hanging just to the bottom of the bed rail and as straight as I can make it. I know, it might be obsessive, but when I walk into the room, MY vignette, MY 'moment', is seeing everything in order, straight and neat. Who doesn't like that? Here it is-
My plans for the rest of the day is to feed the cat, who is bugging me even as I write this. He has dry food. But he knows the wet, delicious, terrific food is coming. So pretty much after noon time he is relentless. he stares at me from 4 inches away. He puts a paw on my arm. He winds around my feet. Sigh, cats, you know?
Then I'll probably head to the library to pick up a book on hold. It's about the Titanic. Maybe head to The Special Store after that to see anything new that has come in. I binged on a bunch of TDN/Gracious Living/Coral design videos and now I'm fired up. Of course, on the videos, they are busy gutting the 50 foot kitchen in their vacation home in Cabo San Lucas, while for me fired up is buying a saucer. Different strokes! I hope you have a great day and a nice holiday weekend!
I like design shows and tips for upcycling and home decorating. I like to make my place look nice, be functional, and have pleasant surprises for the eye. I'ts hard to do on a budget and within 410 square feet, but I manage. I like the challenge, too!
There are free short videos to watch on the new Design Network. (https://www.tdn.tv/) This is an online channel started by Jason Harris, CEO of Furnitureland South, which is "located in High Point, NC, Furnitureland South is the world’s largest furniture store, with 1.3 million square feet for home furnishings showrooms. Recognized in 2018 as America’s Best Large Independent Furniture Retailer, Furnitureland South represents over 1,000 of the finest brands and offers nationwide white glove delivery," according to the company's blurb.
TDN features lots and lots of channels of short videos offering tips on most any style of design you enjoy. By short, I mean about 7-20 minutes. Some of the titles of TDN's videos I've enjoyed include
- Commissioned, Follow talented artists as they tackle a commissioned artwork piece with design in mind.
- Design(ish) with Genevieve Gorder, who is always a delight to watch
- Dressing Rooms with Carson Kressley and Gina Alem, who take a client's outfit and bring elements of their outfit into the room. It's interesting.
- Design Smackdown with Thom Felicia
- MidMod Then & Now, I really enjoyed. Two designers go through a Palm Beach luxury home and demonstrate how the actual mid-century modern has been updated and referenced in today's designs Fascinating.
I also watch AMB Design Inc. which is Utah designer Ann-Marie Barton on youtube. Her channel has a lot of different videos but I like the channel Gracious Living. She has a quiet and relaxing way about her, and she explains why this element or that element works in the room she is designing for her client. She speaks well and not a word is wasted in her short videos.
Finally I also enjoy CoralTV, again, on Youtube. They will produce short videos on 'How to Style Your Bed' or '1 Couch Two Ways'.
These are free and since they are pretty and short, sometimes enjoy watching one before bed. The tv-host professionalism varies from designer to designer, and some have a voice for the shower only and not TV, lo, but all in all these ate cute videos and helpful too. If you enjoy home design.
There are spots on my apartment I enjoy, that are just perfect for me. The designers are always talking about 'this moment in the room' meaning this little vignette or spot where something surprising or cute is happening. I like how my teacups are arranged on my kitchen counter. I like the art hanging over my desk in the bedroom. And I like this:
I had found that little stand at a resale store. It's not meant to be a bookcase per se, but I needed something small to go in a narrow spot, so I turned it into one. I like that there is space underneath to put my slippers. My bookcases, all 7 of them, are arranged thematically. This one holds my Puritan library. I am proud of my library. It's taken a long time to accumulate exactly the books I want. I'm happy that I have them and that I've made a way to store them conveniently and in a pretty way despite having so little room.
On top I especially love this vignette:
These three items are some I enjoy. I bought the painting a few years ago at the High School art show. It's done by a student. The style reminded me of Maine artist Marsden Hartley. His work hangs in the Smithsonian and Museum of Modern art, among other museums. Here's Marsden-
I like being able to support a budding artist. I also enjoy the scene itself. The turtle in the bowl was a gift from a friend who'd visited the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and brought that back for me. Finally the bowl is mid-century modern and I think it's cool. I like to look at it.
Anyway, today was change the sheets day. Not that I have a particular day, it's just when I feel like it. My bed doesn't move so in order to get the fitted sheet on that back corner I have to fling myself toward the spot and wrestle it under the mattress while I am laying on it. Quite a feat. What is it about making up a bed with fresh sheets that makes you want to lay on them right away? At least this time Murray was snoozing in his little bed in the kitchen and didn't try to scoot under the sheets AS I was putting them on the bed!
He figured out where I was soon enough and came to check it out. His favorite spot. He enjoys watching the many birds in the yard from the window there. And this morning somehow a moth had gotten in and he woke me up by chasing it all over the bed. Murray is a good watch-cat. He saved me from the moth. All is well now.
When I make the bed up for the first time with fresh sheets, I like to make everything symmetrical. The medallion on the bed centered, and the fringe hanging just to the bottom of the bed rail and as straight as I can make it. I know, it might be obsessive, but when I walk into the room, MY vignette, MY 'moment', is seeing everything in order, straight and neat. Who doesn't like that? Here it is-
My plans for the rest of the day is to feed the cat, who is bugging me even as I write this. He has dry food. But he knows the wet, delicious, terrific food is coming. So pretty much after noon time he is relentless. he stares at me from 4 inches away. He puts a paw on my arm. He winds around my feet. Sigh, cats, you know?
Then I'll probably head to the library to pick up a book on hold. It's about the Titanic. Maybe head to The Special Store after that to see anything new that has come in. I binged on a bunch of TDN/Gracious Living/Coral design videos and now I'm fired up. Of course, on the videos, they are busy gutting the 50 foot kitchen in their vacation home in Cabo San Lucas, while for me fired up is buying a saucer. Different strokes! I hope you have a great day and a nice holiday weekend!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)