Wednesday- February 10, 2021

Dear Marion,

  Hard to believe but we are facing this weekend with Chinese Lunar New Year, Presidents Weekend, and Valentine’s Day. Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog saw his shadow and said we have 6 more weeks of winter. Next week the traditional parades for Mardi Gras will be held virtually on Tuesday, February 16 with the first day of lent falling on Wednesday. I don’t recall all of these celebrations ever colliding in one week albeit virtual. 2021 is off to a quick start leaving the blur of this past year with its fewer opportunities to mark occasions on the calendar in the way we had grown accustomed to. It has been helpful for us to decorate, cook, and bake for special holidays so that we could acknowledge some long-standing traditions and keep positive energy in this potentially lonely pandemic year. 

  Valentine's Day is a hugely commercial day with profits flowing in the chocolate, flower, date night, and all things hallmark market...but I am still a fan. At some point, it became popular to celebrate with girlfriends or to splurge on your single self in addition to or rather than with a partner/date. My mind began a train of thought toward love and all the types that can be celebrated… and yes to the cynics we should celebrate year-round and not just on this holiday. 

  As an adolescent, I looked forward to your celebration plans for us. We would eat in the dining room and the table would be pretty and uniquely yours with a small, red, heart chocolate box on each of our plates. You would make a special meal and a super yummy Red Velvet Cake. I have tried following in your footsteps through the years with heart-shaped pizza, heart-shaped waffles, etc. When your grandchildren were small, they would help make Sugar Cookies decorated with fancy colored sprinkles. They loved selecting pieces of chocolate, the multi-colored heart candies with words imprinted on them, and sprinkling into a pretty bag with a note. Often these were handed out to teachers and those that worked at their school...and of course, classmates. Everyone got so excited and ...sugared up. The best part for me? Watching them prepare and just before they would hand them out they would get a little visibly nervous about the yet unknown reaction they would receive. Pure excitement, mega smiles on each of the recipients’ faces, and often a hug. 

  This week I have been reading From Scratch by, Tembi Locke. It has taken me out of this cold and gray location to Italy for some words to fill my soul...food, love, and descriptive scenes from a land so full of beauty. My experience in Italy whether shopping, attending yarn shows, visiting museums, or simply walking the streets has always filled me with awe. There is so much history and passion everywhere you turn. A love of design and its resulting experience is evident in the food, the drink whether wine, liqueurs/aperitif, or coffee, etc, and they take the time to enjoy it. I always love to see how they present or design their space because it too affects the experience and I have rarely been disappointed. Though it has been quite some time since I have traveled to Italy, a mere mention and I feel all of my senses fill to capacity.

  Love infused into a design whether through decorating for a holiday, designing a space, baking or cooking, fashion, or writing adds a level of passion and a story that helps me feel something that rings true and authentic. It doesn’t need to be as obvious as some of my photos included but you taught me it is worthwhile to consider when I am putting a project together. Thoughtful design that has been researched will always benefit the finished result. 

  I am craving more thoughtful concern and conversation these days. Could this be a result of this pandemic, the political climate, the long grey days, and raw cold weather inherent to this time of year combined with our local geography...coast without any green grass, trees, or flowers? Yes...when that sun peeks out from behind the grey it warms me both physically and emotionally. Note: I thank my lucky stars for our fireplace and candles. As for the rest, I heard a beautiful story the other day on the morning news that I wanted to share with you. This is a loose summary from John Meecham’s book about the late Congressman John Lewis. In his youth, John Lewis walked into a bus stop and encountered three Ku Klux Klan members who proceeded to beat him both physically and verbally. Fast forward decades to the year President Barack Obama was sworn into office. One of the aforementioned men called John Lewis’ office and asked to speak to him with the result of an invitation to meet the congressman in his office. It was there that this man apologized for what he had done to him and asked John Lewis for forgiveness. John Lewis forgave him and they became friends. I had placed this book on my to-read list but have since moved it up to my next read. What did this story fill me with? Change… it can happen. Love… there are all kinds of love that we can celebrate this weekend, throughout the year, and even in all forms of our design.

Talk soon,

Forever Yours

Quote:

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”

Charles M. Schulz

American Cartoonist, husband, and father

1922-2000