Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home: Obituaries

Good morning sweet blog friends. My heart is saddened this morning. I have just learned that my favorite Christian artist, Charles F. Humphrey passed away on November 19th. Mr. Humphrey was a watercolor artist that incoporated encouraging words as well as verses from the Holy Scriptures in his beautiful work. He became well known through the work he did for Home Interiors and Gifts, Inc. Mary C. Crowely was his friend and fellow member of The First Church of Dallas, TX. I had always been told that Mr Humphrey, an architect by trade, had done some paintings for the Sunday School classes and that Mrs. Crowley approached him to do some for her company. The rest is history. I know that this brother in Christ is home with our Lord. His work reflected his love and devotion to our Lord. I have a link to Mr. Humphrey's obituary for you here:

Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home: Obituaries

I have several of his beautiful works of art bought from Home Interiors and Gifts, Inc. all around my cozy home.

I smile every time that I see them. The beautiful scripture verses hold such meaning for my life and the colors that he used are so pleasant to behold. I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person but have often thought of trying to find his address in order that I might write him a letter or send a card to let Mr. Humphrey know just how much his paintings mean to me.I wish that I had done this, alas, time gets away from me and I never did get that letter written. I wanted to share this with you along with a reminder to take time and write those cards and letters while you can. To the friends and family of this dear brother, I am sorry for your loss. I know that he will be greatly missed. From my heart I say, good-bye Mr. Humphrey, thank you for sharing your God-given talent with so many. To you my friends, God bless and hope you are having a beautiful day.

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

Thanksgiving Day at Our Cottage

Good afternoon, dear blog friends! I hope that each of you enjoyed a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving's Day gathered in with your family and friends. We had a wonderful day here at the cottage! I got up around 6:15 to the sumptuous aroma of the turkey baking in the oven. We bake our turkey over night at 275 degrees in our good old covered roasting pan seasoned with seasoned salt, poultry seasoning and a stick of melted butter poured over the top~mmmmMMM!!! I got online for just a few minutes to wish everyone on Facebook a Happy Thanksgiving and then set about turning off the oven and starting the process of preparing the side dishes for our meal at 3:00. My sweet husband and son got up around 9:00 and I had coffee and breakfast ready for us to eat by 9:30, too. Caleb and I watched most of the Macy's parade and we called family and friends to wish them "Happy Thanksgiving" and Caleb added "Happy turkey day", as well~lol! My sweet hubby got the turkey out of the oven and placed the meat on two separate platters; one for light meat and one for dark~we had to sample it, of course...mmmm. My daughter and her family got here around 1:00 and she brought rolls and a delicious venison roast with carrots, potatoes and celery in gravy. I usually am not real fond of venison, but this was very good. My son-in-law's cousin came along with them and we were very happy to meet him and have him join us for our celebration. I had most of the side dishes finished by then with the exception of the mashed potatoes and the gravy which I had just started working on. Next came two of our sons and their families and everyone had a good time visiting as they waited for all the food. My daughter and daughters-in-law helped me finish the meal. My hubby asked the blessing and thanked our Heavenly Father for the wonderful blessings of food, family, home and His Grace in our lives. And then, it was time to eat! We had two tables set, one in the dining room and one in my office/learning room (yes, I had to take my computer down yesterday so that we could use this BIG old table in here~lol). After our meal my two dear cousins, Kay and Nancy stopped by to visit a while. I was so glad to see them!!! They brought some new books for our ever growing homeschool bookshelf and told my hubby that they wanted to make sure they took some of his famous stuffing home with them. They love his stuffing~it is really good! Our grandchildren had a great time playing together; watching movies, playing with their favorite toys, drawing and making paper frames for their pictures. Elizabeth brought her saxaphone and played some Christmas tunes for us after dinner. My brother stopped by later that evening with my niece and nephew and a sweet friend from NC and we had a great time visiting, too. Most of our kids were still here, as well and they were glad to get in a visit with their uncle and cousins. We had phone calls from our daughter in NC and other dear family members, too that added to our joy! Needless to say, everyone had plenty to eat and wore themselves out visiting and laughing and talking! It was a wonderful day! I didn't get photos as I have decided that the visit is sweeter without the camera being in our faces. I did get a picture of the dining tables BEFORE:

My house looked like a bomb had exploded AFTER~LOL, but it was a blessed mess and will remain dear in my memories always! Love to all and hope you have a great weekend.

Until later, Stay Cozy,
Charlotte :-)

A Brief History of Interior Design and Decoration (Part 4)

Greetings sweet friends!!! I am finally taking a minute to sit down at my faithful old computer and write a little bit on my blog today. I have been a busy momma this morning with a swirl of activity including working with Caleb on his lessons, helping my sweet hubby set up our little Winter Village on the living room shelves and working on getting our house ready for our family's Thanksgiving Day dinner!!! I can't wait to have everyone gathered in and enjoying a wonderful meal together! I didn't want to forget my Design History post today and hope that you are enjoying my little series. Today's slice of history includes a little bit of church history, as well. Grab a cup of tea and join me in a little travel back in time:

Early Church and Byzantine Period: A.D. 330-1453

During the time in history known as the Middle Ages, A.D. 330-1453, the focus in Rome turned from the civic order of the Roman Empire to an emphasis on spiritual awareness found in the newly recognized Christian church Before this time Christian followers had met in secret within the deep catacombs beneath the streets of Rome or in the modest homes of fellow believers. Since most of the parishioners of these secret congregations had no guiding example for the design of church structures, the challenge came with the question, “what should a church look like”?

The immediate answer was to look toward the temple buildings of ancient Greece and earlier Rome. The columns that once honored the gods of Greece and earlier Roman emperors would be resurrected to honor Christ the resurrected Son of God. Over time the descendants of the aristocratic families of the Roman Empire began to adopt the new faith and came to the church for protection from attacking barbarians that had spread through the empire. They were willing to give their wealth to the church in exchange for their assistance. The building of the old Church of St. Peter established the beginning of the Early Christian period in Rome. The building exhibited a style that was based on the Roman basilica and had a narthex area toward the front with five parallel aisles that opened onto a formal atrium area. The widest center aisle, or nave, featured a curved apse area at its end. Other building styles that were used for early ecclesiastical structures included the central plan that included round and polygon forms. These buildings styles were often used for mausoleums and baptisteries. Mausoleums held the large stone sarcophagus under the central dome built on columns.

During this period the principals of the Vitruvian School gave way to new passions in the interest of relating the gospel through art and architecture. The façade of early churches maintained a form that was minimal in ornamentation while the interiors boasted beautiful frescos and carved moldings developed by the Greek, Egyptian and Celtic cultures. Coptic designs from Egypt were seen in illuminated manuscripts, glass, ivory and sculpture. Intertwining designs of knot work from Celtic lands became a popular motif for church interiors combined with rinceau carvings. Mosaics that portrayed Christian saints and martyrs could be seen on walls of nave corridors.

The military appeal and grand scenery of the ancient city of Byzantium drew Constantine to relocate the capital of the Roman Empire to its location toward the end of his reign. He renamed his new capital Constantinople as this was the custom of the day. The styles of architecture and decorative techniques of this near Asian city became a large part of the new structures built by the Roman government. This is the period that is known as the Byzantine, although it coincides with what is referred to as the Early Church.

Much of the same outward ornamentation of the earlier religious buildings of the Christian churches was used in the buildings of Constantinople. The first buildings held true to the Basilica or the central plans, however, eventually many buildings took on the form of the Greek cross and were topped with domes that rested on corner structures of either squinches or pendentives. The interiors were often supported by piers crowned with intricately carved impost capitals.

Materials often used as ornamentation included mosaic work that had long been a Roman favorite. The examples found in Byzantine architecture became more detailed with even smaller tesserae and a very stylized appearance. They also adopted a technique similar to cloisonné using precious stones and hammered metals. These can be seen in many of the dome interiors designed with elaborate patterns.

Another form of art incorporated into decorative furnishings was carvings in ivory. The ivory was generally derived from the tusks of elephants and the pieces show a great level of detail. Ivory as a whole is small in nature and was often supported by a wooden base. The carved pieces were most frequently applied to thrones or hinged panels called diptychs, two, or triptychs, three. Because the focus of this new era concentrated primarily on ecclesiastical buildings, very little is known of the domestic structures of the day.

Because the Byzantine styles were eventually adapted by buildings in Rome as well the two periods of architecture began to blend together. The styles differ in their appearance and their approach in relating the world of the divine to their inhabitants.

Early Christian structures took on a serene simplicity that is basic in nature while overall monumental and powerful. The addition of later ornamentations seemed to demean their sense of order and logic.

The Byzantine approach had included an element of mystery from its beginning with the new idea of placing domes on a square structure. The use of the complicated patterns and new techniques added a great deal to this impression of wonder and awe.
 
Until next time, Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

Simple Woman's Daybook (November 16, 2011)

FOR TODAY (November 16, 2011)

Outside my window...
It is drizzeling rain and is dark and cloudy. A blustery sort of mid-autumn day.
I am thinking...
that it is so wonderful to have a nice, warm, cozy home to be in on a day like today!
I am thankful...
for every sweet blessing from the Lord in my life! I am so very blessed with dear family, wonderful friends, a warm home, good food to eat and the love and grace of my Lord! So very much to be thankful for!!!
From the learning rooms...
We are learning about the Space Race in the 1960s. We watched "The Right Stuff" the past 2 days and Caleb really enjoyed learning more about Chuck Yeager, Gordon Cooper, John Glen and all of the Mercury astronauts. We are still learning about Genetics for science and percentages in math! We will be making some of our ornament projects today!
In the kitchen...
I just finished having toast with apple butter and my cup of coffee for breakfast~mmmm! I think that today is the perfect day for homemade veggie soup for our supper!
I am wearing...
must confess, I haven't changed out of my good ol' floral nightgown yet. I will be putting on my favorite "mom jeans" and tee shirt in a bit to get started on my day.
I am creating...
several little crafts: light bulb ornaments, felt ornaments and some jar gifts in the kitchen. I had a blast this past week-end doing some craft clay mini sculptures with one of my sweet grand-girls! I have a box of FIMO and Sculpey clay that a friend gave me a couple of years ago that I have just never taken the time to work with. My creative granddaughter, Elizabeth and I got it out Sunday afternoon and made several items that could be turned into refrigerator magnets or holiday pins; a Christmas tree, a wreath, a turkey....it was SO much FUN! We are thinking of getting a toaster oven just for our FIMO crafts and making some things for a craft fair this summer!
I am going...
nowhere today, too icky outside. I think I will just make some good tea and stay in for the day!
I am reading...
Country Woman Christmas 2002, Country Woman Christmas 2004 and Better Homes and Gardens Christmas From the Heart! I love looking through books with great Christmas crafts and recipe ideas!
I am hoping...
that all of you will have a Blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends next week. I still cannot believe that it is already time for Thanksgiving this year. The time has really just flown! I am also hoping to get all of my Christmas projects completed on time. With November this close to an end, December is just a blink away!
I am looking forward to...
having our family here for Thanksgiving dinner next Thursday!
I am hearing...
the comforting sound of warm air coming from the forced air vents! So thankful for a warm home!
Around the house...
things are a bit of a shambles with crafting and school projects. A lovely mess! :-)
I am pondering...
the many seasons of our lives. Some years are hectic, some are mellow, some are brimming with happy moments and some are consumed with sadness....and God is in each of them; standing beside us, arms embracing us with His love and mercy to enable us to face them all!
One of my favorite things...
warm fuzzy slippers on cold mornings!
A few plans for the rest of the week:
working on projects, writing some poetry, taking time to call friends and family.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Some front porch decorations
a couple of weeks ago

I hope you enjoyed a glance into my day through this Daybook post. A BIG thank you to Peggy for hosting the Simple Woman's Daybook! If you would like to post your very own Daybook entry, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook for complete instructions!

Have a wonderful week and Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

History of Interior Decoration and Design (Part 3)

Good morning sweet friends!!! I kind of got behind on my blog posts last week as we had quite a busy week here and then were blessed to have three of our granddaughters over on Thursday night with two of them remaining with us through the week-end. Our son, Caleb went to his brother's house to visit and the girls and I had fun doing all kinds of crafts and writing some poetry, too. I did not get any pictures as we were having so much fun just living in the moment that the camera just never came out. It was wonderful just spending time with them!!! I want to get back on track this week and so I am posting the third installment of my History of Design series for you. Hope you have a beautiful week!!!
Roman Civilization 753 BC – AD 550

The Roman culture was intrigued with constant change and finding new ways to express their creativity and political views. They would often adapt the architectural influences of cultures that they had conquered into their design of buildings and furnishings. This is exhibited greatly in the Greek influences seen in the culture. The Roman styles of architecture, furnishings and fine art pieces were manifest adaptations of previous Etruscan and Greek designs combined with innovative new materials and philosophies of the Roman world.

Builders of the Roman Empire used columns and entablatures found in the three previous Greek orders of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The Corinthian order ornamented with the profuse leaf pattern of the acanthus plant became a favorite among the builders in Rome and were later adapted and combined with features of the Ionic order to create a new Roman order called Composite. Another order of architectural structure created by the Romans was the Tuscan order. The columns and entablatures of this new order were artfully simple in line and ornamentation. The most identifying features were the lack of fluting on the shaft of columns and the smooth plane of the frieze. Buildings used for commerce known as basilicas, appeared to be inside-out versions of Greek temples with columns and ornamental frieze areas. Because Greek structure had many variations from builder to builder, the Romans explored methods that would unify and better define the orders. An official set of codified standards created in the first century AD and referred to as the Vitruvian Principals; which were the primary source used by Roman architects.

The use of arches in Roman buildings brought many innovations to architecture in this brave new world. The Roman arch was a masterpiece of mathematical balance and allowed architects to place weight over a broader expanse of space than any earlier culture. Arches were used for bridge construction as well as in buildings and were later adapted into the form of vaults. Vaulted ceilings used the concept of the arch over extended areas and created curves overhead. A single vault created a tunnel effect known and the barrel vault and where four vaults joined at right angles a groin vault was formed. The discovery of concrete by mixing together lime, pebbles, sand and water gave the architects of Rome a new and inexpensive material and new levels of creativity that had never been experienced in previous cultures. Columns, arches and vaults could be formed by concrete in molds for later use in less time than it would take to carve the structure from stone. Veneers of marble, alabaster, brick and stucco were added to further enhance the exteriors of concrete construction.

Interiors of Roman temples, buildings of commerce, and individual domiciles were far more elaborate than those seen in earlier Greek culture. While the citizens of Greece preferred plain white walls, the majority of Roman buildings boasted a number of ornate treatments for walls and floors. A new interest in art was expressed in the use of paintings on plaster walls called frescos. Divided into panels, the earliest forms of frescos resembled painted marble. The panels developed over time and later included a form of portraiture within the panels. Mosaic tile work on floors in Greece was brought to a new level in Roman times and further developed onto walls. Small pieces called tesserae made from shells, terra cotta, mother of pearl and other materials were used in wavy patterns to create emblemata of human likenesses and vistas. Patterns used for flooring became more complex and combined geometric shapes with curved patterns. Decorative carved motifs most often used on the interiors as well as the exteriors of Roman buildings included wreaths and garlands of laurel leaves, the popular acanthus leaf in varying patterns, and small cupid like angels called putti as well as griffins, humans and oxen.

Like the homes of Greece, Roman houses were also built around central opened areas. While the main function of a home in Greek culture was private and focused on family use and only used on occasion for entertaining male dinner guests, the Roman’s saw their homes as a place to conduct business, welcome political contacts and impress visitors with the family’s affluence. The Roman house was called a domus and contained a series of separate areas placed around an atrium area that led into a more formal outdoor garden area adorned with statuary called the peristyle. The atrium had a partial roof with a compluvian that was used to direct rain water into a basin, or impluvian, below. Doorways beginning at the entrance and continuing into the peristyle were aligned with each other and referred to as enfilades. Along the outer façade of the home were areas reserved for shops where the family conducted business in the community. The dining room, or triclinium, was an important space situated just off of the peristyle and used for entertaining guests. The room was furnished with small tables and three sofas that were larger variations of the earlier Greek klini called a lectus. The lectus used in the dining area was called a klinium but it was also used in bedroom, cubiculum, areas of the homes and was sometimes doubled or tripled in size and had a headboard, or fulcrum, and a footboard. Another important room in the Roman house was the tablinium located off of the atrium and leading to the peristyle that was used as a welcoming area for guests. Family records or awards and images of ancestors were placed in this area as a symbol of status. Accessories used throughout the home included small tables and candelabras with pedestal bases and tables that were the forerunners to the modern sideboard.

Through the course of time Roman architecture and furnishings would continue to change and include the influence of the tastes of their political leaders as well as other cultures that became part of the Empire. While Greek philosophies leaned toward an attitude of “Less is More”, the motto of the Roman Empire seemed to be “Bigger Is Better” in almost every area of their society. The evidence is seen in the innovative and exaggerated methods that they used to adapt and expand the styles of previous cultures to fit their ever changing needs.
You can see a sample floorplan of a Roman Domus by visiting this link!

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

The Simple Woman's Daybook (November 4, 2011)

FOR TODAY


Outside my window...
it is overcast and looks like we might get some rain later today. This is typical weather around here for this time of the year. Most of the trees are now bare or left with only brown or dark golden leaves, the slendor of red, burgundy, bright gold and green are now, for the most part, gone for the year.
I am thinking...
about the coming Thanksgiving holiday and starting to plan our menu. I had tried a different sweet potato recipe last year and it was not a real hit with our kids. I guess I will go back to our usual favorite sweet potato casserole recipe for this year.
I am thankful...
for so many wonderful blessings!!! First of all for my Lord's saving grace and His steadfast love and care!!! I am so blessed to have a good husband and family, our sweet little cottage, good food, warm clothing and so much more! I will not say that I never complain, but am always so ashamed of myself when I do as I truly have everything I will ever need! God is so GOOD!
From the learning rooms...
we are getting ready to move from the 1950s to the 1960s in our history lessons, we will be making some Christmas ornaments from old light bulbs in November, math is still focused on percentages and we are continuing to learn so much about genetics and DNA for our science lessons. I have also started teaching Caleb some of the old time hymns and we focus on one Character trait a day as I feel that it is such an important part of growing. You can never be reminded enough the importance of having a good and honorable character. 
In the kitchen...
I have steaks laid out for our supper and we will be having baked sweet potatoes and mixed vegetables to go along with them~YUM!

I am wearing...
my favorite slacks and a good old tee shirt. Just being comfortable today!
I am creating...
some Christmas crafts: light bulb ornaments, felt ornaments, some pretty bookmarks and a little craft with Fimo clay. This time of year brings out my "crafty"~lol!
I am going...
to a HUGE rummage and hot dog sale at the annex building at our church tomorrow morning! It is being sponsored by the youth of the church and the proceeds will go toward some of their trips and projects. The building is loaded with all kinds of wonderful treasures offered at a good price and the hot dogs are always DE-LISH!!! They had a sale back in the spring and I found some wonderful little items, I am hoping to find some good stocking stuffer items at the sale tomorrow.

I am wondering...
what my sweet kids, my mom and my dear cousins are all up to today.  What are you doing today, dear blog friends?
I am reading...
lots of cookbooks right now, my favorite poetry books and a couple of really good devotional books, too.
I am hoping...
to get all of my goals accomplished this month and to have some added business for my web stores for the holidays, too.

I am looking forward to...
the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years celebrations that are coming up. I can't believe it is already that time of year, again. I do love seeing everyone and wishing them Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I relish our annual traditions and all of the good times with family and friends, not to mention all of the good food!

I am hearing...
Caleb as he plays a video game (he gets kind of vocal when he does good at them~"whoa, yeah!!!", and the hum of my computer and some favorite music playing, too.

Around the house...
LOTS of housework that still needs to be done for the day, but that will still be here until I am finished with my writing. Some days a girl just has to write~lol. I have some clothes that need to be carried upstairs and put away and some morning dishes to wash. The usual daily chores.

I am pondering...
the fact that this time last year my dad was still with us, though very weak. He still had his wonderful sense of humor and loved to talk to his friends and family daily on the phone. I can hardly believe that it is almost a whole year since he went to be with the Lord. I still miss him so!!!
One of my favorite things...
Warm Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
the rummage sale, Church on Sunday, visiting with our son and his family tomorrow. The rest is always open for whatever opportunities come our way!
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...


A little gift from me to you! Right click the image
and save as a photo. You can print this out on
card stock or fine stationary paper for framing. It
will print out at whatever size you choose from your
photo program.

 Hope that everyone is having a beautiful FRIDAY!

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte


______________________________

A Brief History of Interior Design and Decoration (Part 2)

Happy MONDAY again, sweet friends!!! I can't believe it is the last day of October! This month has really flown!!! We have had some warm and beautiful days this month as well as some really chilly, dark and drizzly ones. Today it is chilly and overcast and looks like we might be in for some rain later on this afternoon. I am still hoping that all of my friends that got snow this past week-end are doing well and staying warm. I have been working on my regular Monday household chores around our home this morning and decided to take a break while one load of laundry is washing and another load is drying to post this week's decorating and design history installment. I hope that you will like it and that you might learn a little something you may not have known before.

  Ancient Greece 2800-146 BC

Greek architecture and furnishings reflect a great understanding of the elements and principals of design that continue to be used by the architects and designers in the 21st century. In contrast to the use of symbolism in the Egyptian world, the Greeks emphasized the use of line, repetition, variety and form in their buildings, homes, furnishings and art work. This is most evident in the buildings that were used for worship, government and commerce and the fine arts and furnishings of the culture.

The monumental official buildings of Greece exhibit a grand scale with tall columns spaced in rhythmic rows and a variety of elaborate entablatures. The buildings were skillfully designed with precise symmetry and balance, generally rectangular in form and usually constructed of stone. The roof lines were supported by a system of trusses constructed in a triangular configuration that added strength to the roof and formed the pediment area of the building façade. The pediment was decorated with repetitive patterns and moldings. The various styles of these moldings and patterns are the origin of those seen in many modern structures. These include the egg and dart, bead and reel, dentil pattern treatments as well as cyma, fillet, fascia, torus and ovolo moldings. Under the Pediment was the entablature divided into three areas: a cornice, a frieze and an architrave with additional moldings and carvings of trigliphs and metopes in the frieze area. Perhaps the most identifiable element of all Greek architecture was the stately columns. These strong vertical columns were admired for their ornamental qualities rather than structural strength. The shaft of the columns were carved and fluted and given a slight curve, or entasis, perhaps as a method of aiding water shed. They were then topped with capitals that were indigenous to their particular architectural order. These three distinct orders of Greek culture were the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders. Doric columns had capitals that were simple, Ionic columns were topped with scroll like capitals and Corinthian columns had profuse carved Acanthus leaf motifs at their crown The Corinthian order was a late historical category and not preferred by the architects of classic Greece. Rare substitutes for columns on buildings were tall female figures known as caryatids. The form was generally used as a chair or table leg design, but they were occasionally used to adorn Greek structures. Furnishings used in these stately structures included the highly decorated thronos and the diphros stool with legs that were either fixed or folding.

The homes of Greek citizens were much simpler compared to the impressive scale and magnificent ornamentation of ceremonial buildings. Nonetheless, their homes incorporated furnishings decorated with patterns that added contrast and interest to their every day lives. The central feature of these domiciles was the open courtyard areas with all other rooms placed around it, often in a radial balance. There were no windows in these early homes and the sun from the courtyard was used as the main light source. The interior walls were constructed of sun-dried bricks of mud and early examples had simple plaster or whitewash as the finish. In later periods color pigments were added to provide variety. Rooms in most homes included a living room focused around a hearth, called the oikos, a kitchen and a bath. The room most prized by the men of these homes was the andron. This was a covered room off of the courtyard with an alter to the family gods where men would meet to dine. The andron often had decorative mosaic floor treatments and would accommodate seven or more klini, or reclining couches, to be used by the guests with individual tables, called trapezas, with three legs. The legs of tables and klini were often designed with wooden legs ornamented with turnings. The most graceful form of furniture developed by the Greeks was the klismos chair. These chairs were used throughout houses and semi-public buildings. The klismos had a splat back and elegant outwardly curved legs and is frequently represented on painted pottery vases from the Hellenistic period of Greek history.
The pottery of ancient Greek vases was one of the crowning achievements of Greek culture. The vases in their varying shapes were created for functional uses but were also highly prized because of their painted surfaces. The two major styles of vase paintings were the black figured and red figured forms. The earlier black figured vase had a red clay background with images painted on in black ink while the later red figured versions used the opposite method of painting the background in black and leaving images in the red clay state. Greek artisans were also well known for their work in sculptures of stone and bronze. These sculptures developed over time from the simple work of the archaic period (600-480 B.C.) in early Greece to the highly detailed and animated work of sculptures during the Hellenistic period (323-146 B.C.). Among the pieces that best represent the work of the latter Hellenistic artists is the statue of The Laocoon Group that portrays the Trojan priest and his two sons as they strive to free themselves from snakes sent by Apollo to destroy them. The degree of agony expressed in the faces of the figures is great and lifelike as are their torsos represented in stone as writhing and twisted.
The architects and artisans of the ancient Greek world began to develop and better understand the elements that define strength in design. Throughout the course of Greek history a great number of designs that are used as standards for the development of modern buildings, furnishings and art forms came into being. The quest for quality and clarity of line and purpose pursued by the craftsmen and architects of ancient Greece is a attribute that is rare. As cultures continue to emulate the forms that made up the structures of this ancient civilization few come close to their simple perfection in design.

I have included a link to a site about Ancient Greek Art and Architecture. There are many wonderful resources and images there. I hope to post a Daybook entry sometime tomorrow. For now I will close and wish you a good day.  May your day go well and I hope that you will accomplish all you have on your "to-do" list! Sending you ((Hugs)) from WV!


Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

Reshuffling Stuff and Just Hanging Out

Greetings and good afternoon from my cottage to yours, sweet friends!!! We are having an ABSOLUTELY BEA-UTIFUL day here in good ol' Dunbar, WV!!! The sun is shining, our skies are blue and the temperature is cool, but not too cold! I have seen some wonderful photos of SNOWY-WEATHER from some of my dear friends in other parts of our country on Facebook! There is snow in the upper part of our state and in PA and some of my friends in the central states further west of us are having some pretty heavy snow, too. I like a good snow day, but am VERY glad that it has not come our way just yet. Hope that all of my friends in "white weather" territories are staying warm and have their power! Think of me as you sip on your hot chocolate or hot apple cider, it won't be long before that powdery white stuff will start falling around here, too. I am almost sure that we will have some before Thanksgiving as we did last year~Bbbbrrrrrr!

For now we are just enjoying the sunny skies and have been working on rearranging some of our closets. We have repurposed a couple of them as the way we use our home changes from time to time. We took ALL of our board games (we have about 30 of them) out of my dining room closet and have them now tucked away in the upper pantry cupboard in the little area between our kitchen and dining room. This was a breakfast nook area at one time and my washer and dryer now sit where a tressle table and benches once stood. It is much better than having them downstairs in the basement and we would not be apt to use a breakfast nook, anyway. I have been going through some of our belongings and am getting ready to donate some of the items in good and usable condition to the youth of our church for an upcoming rummage sale they are having. I love when they have these sales as they also have hot dogs for sale~and are they GOOD hot dogs~YUM!!! Anyway, that is what I have been doing today. I just had to take a little rest as I had been rushing around and got a little dizzy~whew!

I will have to take a few pictures to share of the newly organized game pantry and my decorating in our dining room. Wishing you all a great week-end and I will be posting another installment of my History of Interior Design/Decoration on Monday.

For Now, Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY: October 25, 2011


Outside my window...
The sun is shining and the skies are clear blue! Simply a beautiful autumn afternoon!!! The temperature is in the 70s and the trees have some color still on them. There is a Maple tree on the next street that looks like a picture out of a travel guide with bright red and some yellow and a few green leaves left. Just GORGEOUS!
I am thinking...
that it is good to feel like writing again. I went through quite a dry spell this time, I was getting a bit concerned about whether or not I would ever start wanting to write again. So glad that God answered my prayer and gave me the desire to share my thoughts again.

I am thankful...
for this wonderful, beautiful time of the year and for all of the many blessings my Lord has given to me in my life. I am especially thankful for my family, our home, my sweet friends, and the dear brothers and sisters we have at our church.
I went to my weekly women's Bible study this morning and had the sweetest time in fellowship with those dear sisters in the Lord. I started attending last fall and couldn't wait to get back to the group after our summer break. I love to learn more about God's word and to stay after for lunch and just to have time to talk to the ladies about what they have been doing since our last visit. We all take turns at fixing items for the lunch and we have some pretty good cooks, too! Today we had soup and sandwiches. Next week we are having spaghetti and salads. The book that we are using for our study is called, "Becoming a Vessel God Can Use" and is written by Donna Partow. It is a wonderful study about the men and women of the Bible that could be considered "unlikely vessels" and how the Lord used them for His glory and purpose. I am really enjoying this study.

From the learning rooms...
Caleb and I are working on drawings of DNA, plant cells and animal cells. We are still working on our study of the 1950s and for math he is working on problems involving percentages.

In the kitchen...
There is a BIG beef roast with vegetables slowly roasting in the crock pot~MMmmmm! Just the right dinner for a cool fall evening. It is supposed to cool into the upper 40s by tonight.
I am wearing...
a pretty blue floral pullover shirt and my favorite pair of slacks. I am still dressed from Bible study this morning.

I am creating...
this blog post and happy memories for my family at home. I am thinking about going out on the front porch to rock a bit with Caleb in a bit. He is busy drawing some of his action characters right now. I love our life here at the cottage! I am thinking about making some embroidered felt ornaments for our Christmas tree and to give as gifts to friends.

I am going...
to my momma's tomorrow to take her for her weekly shopping trip. She was in the most wonderful mood today; laughing and talking about sweet memories of when she was a child. She was also happy that her next door neighbor had come over yesterday to help her with some fall chores around her house. She has wonderful neighbors and friends!
I am wondering...
what I might get into this coming week-end. I have several things that I need to be working on, but not sure where to start. Time will tell...
I am reading...
Becoming a Vessel God Can Use by Donna Partow and My Heart's in the Lowlands by Liz Curtis Higgs
I am hoping...
that my family will stay healthy this coming winter and no one will have to deal with any major illnesses. I would also love to see my children start thinking about returning to attending church services. Praying deeply over each of them~they are all so dear to me.
I am looking forward to...
a peaceful evening with my hubby and my son. Evenings are always the sweetest time of the day to me.
I am hearing...
my son's video game music, the sound of water running and my old computer humming along.
One of my favorite things...
The smell of smoke from a neighbor's fireplace on cool fall evenings~ahhh!

 Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Outside our town library only 2 weeks ago!

I hope that you will have a blessed week ahead. I would also like to thank Peggy for hosting this Daybook. It is always a blessing to me and a fun way to catch up with friends about what is going on in your day. If you would like to add a Daybook post to your blog, go to The Simple Woman's Daybook.

A Brief History of Interior Design and Decoration (Part One) Ancient Egypt

HAPPY MONDAY, sweet friends!!!! I am a little later at getting to my computer than I had anticipated. I was hoping to have this post up before noon, but the morning got away from me and it was time to get our breakfast and start the homescool day before I knew it. I hope that you will enjoy this little series on Design History from my blog. As I mentioned in my last post, this was a little book that I put together for a History of Interior Design class at the University of Charleston around 2003 and it was one of my favorite college courses and class projects while I was there. My View Book contained many images, but I will not be posting those here as I am concerned about violating any copyright laws. I will post appropriate links of interest that you may want to visit if you would like to see examples of the type of styles of which my posts might reference. The first installment is on Ancient Egypt and covers a period from 4500 BC to around 30 AD. It is a little long for a blog post and I had thought about breaking it up into 2-3 posts, but decided that I would go ahead and post it all as I want to complete this series within three months or so with once a week posts. Without further delay, here is my first installment:

Ancient Egypt 4500 BC-30 AD



Ancient Egypt is often referred to as the “Cradle of Civilization”. The architects and artisans responsible for the buildings and furnishings used by the inhabitants of this land took inspiration from nature and religion in their designs. The Nile River Valley was rich and supplied an abundant array of date palms, pomegranates and papyrus along with the beauty of water lotus blossoms. The seasons of flooding and draught that brought life to all of these natural treasures had an influence on every area of Egyptian life and on the materials that were available for the creation of monuments, homes and furnishings in this area of the world.


The three seasons of flooding, seeding and harvest created a sense of continual existence throughout Egyptian culture. The very sun was considered as a god and was represented with an image given the name of Ra in Egyptian  religion. As astronomers of the time began to notice that the sun and moon followed the same repetition as the seasons of the river they began to equate these cycles with the idea that all life is ever lasting. To the Egyptians the afterlife was their fourth and final season. The gods that were worshipped by this ancient people are represented by natural beings and phenomenon. Large, splendid temples were built to these gods were filled with pictorial messages about these beliefs. Rulers of the Egyptian world were considered to be gods and, therefore, even in death were given great monuments for their passage to the after world. The great pyramids are perhaps the most identifiable example of Egyptian architecture are said to have been designed in a triangular configuration to point the sarcophagus to the final destination and to draw energy from the sun for their journey. Inside the tomb there were chambers for the deceased and their many earthly possessions, passages along the inside that lead to the chamber and away from it and areas with corbelled, or stacked, walls.

In addition to the pyramids the great temples nearby exhibited the use of hieroglyphic symbols on almost every surface of the structure. The symbols each held great meaning and were used to convey important messages to all that observed them. The range of symbols is endless as well as the combinations they were used in which often altered their basic meaning. Such symbols include the serpent seen as a badge of royalty, the lotus flower that represented purity, the scarab signifying eternal life, and the sun disk and vulture with outstretched wings that were seen as signs of protection. The structure of the great temples was generally symmetrical and based on an axial plan around a central line. At the entrance of the temple there were usually statues, several sphinxes, or a pair of obelisks followed by a courtyard area. The hypostyle hall beyond the courtyard was supported by many columns and each progressive chamber was held to be more private and sanctified. Just above this area was a clerestory with openings to allow light to pass through. Light also entered from the roof through a series of light holes cut into the roof. The walls of these ancient temples were constructed primarily with stones cut in precise squared ashlars. The sphinx, a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human, became a form of monument in its own right as well as the tall tapered obelisk carved of rose granite. The obelisk form is still used in modern times and was the model for the Washington monument in Washington, DC.


Homes of the Egyptian people varied from very simple one room units with a door at one end and a window opening at the other to affluent homes with several rooms on various levels. These houses were built with rubble stone or mud brick and the only thing that changed with affluence was that the bricks for the homes built for the wealthy were fired. A common feature in almost all Egyptian houses was an open area on the roof of the building to permit the dwellers to sleep outside during hot nights. Houses were furnished with a selection of either built in or free standing pieces. Built in pieces were an important component of mud brick houses and took many forms. These included a type of dining table and seating bench called the dais and mastaba along with storage areas that were carved into masonry walls. Movable furnishings were generally owned by more well-to-do members of society because of the cost of materials used to construct these pieces.

Although the banks of the Nile provided wonderful crops as previously mentioned, as well as flax and cotton for fabrics, there was not an abundance of trees for construction of buildings or furniture. The wood that was used in furnishings for homes and temples came from their native acacia, sycamore and willow trees and imported ebony and cedar wood. The Egyptian craftsmen brought the art of wood joinery into existence with a series of methods for strengthening the wood at connecting joints to reduce the effect of warping over time. The attention to detail that resulted in quality pieces that would last sprung from the idea that the owner would need these furnishings in the after life. The joints included methods that are still used today such as dovetail, mortise and tenon, miter joint and double shoulder mitering. The joints were nailed or pegged for added strength  and topped with metal clamps.

The ceremonial chairs owned by royalty were often covered in gold leaf with inlays of ebony, ivory precious stones and pieces of a colorful glass like pottery that became known as Egyptian faience in patterns of hieroglyph symbols. Other less ornate furnishings used by the wealthy were decked with legs that were carved from wood to resemble the hind legs of animals, stools with stationary crossed legs carved in the shape of duck bills that appeared fold, and chests for storage. Another noteworthy piece of furniture was the sloping bed that had a footboard and a headrest of glass or metal. The headrest was shaped so that the head could rest when the user was sleeping on their side to protect hair styles and allowed for better circulation of air in hot desert climates.


The people of ancient Egypt used their resources to add comfort and beauty to their culture and daily lives. The forms of their architecture and developments in art and wood crafting created a standard for many generations to aspire toward and learn from. Civilization appears to have, indeed, sprung forth from the River Nile and the accomplishments of the Egyptian culture will be seen repeatedly throughout future civilizations.

For more information and photo examples of the styles and structures mentioned in my little article above, you can visit the All About Egypt travel site as they have some wonderful information and images there. I hope you are having a blessed day! Hope to post a Daybook entry tomorrow!

God Bless and Stay Cozy,
Charlotte
 

Grand Being a Grammy!

Good morning, sweet blog friends!!! I am going to take a minute to write a little post before starting my day. We have very special company with us this week-end~our sweet little granddaughter, Kayleigh!!! We had grandson Hunter with us last week and this week it is Kayleigh's turn! I love having the "grands" around, they just add so much more fun to our weekends! Caleb and Kayleigh are having a quick bowl of  cereal and watching cartoons right now, so I am taking a minute to blog a bit. We will be waking up "Paw-paw" (heehee) in a few minutes and then we will fix our "real" breakfast.

It has been a really good week here at the old cottage! Caleb and I had a wonderful time studying more about the 1950s and DNA and so much more. Friday Caleb had his test on the first section of 1950s history and got 14/15!!! He has really enjoyed learning about this decade and especially the music and television shows of the era. He really got into the Korean War, too. We watched a LOT of videos about the 50s, it has been a fun study and we are ready to move on to the next section which will cover the years after the Korean War.

I wanted to mention, too that I have a neat little history lesson coming up for those who follow this blog. I am going to post a series of articles all about the history of interior decoration and design for you. It is a little something that I did a few years ago for a college class. The History of Design class was one of my very favorites when I attended the University of Charleston. I had always wondered where some of the furniture and art designs we still reference today had their origins. This class helped me reach an understanding of design and the cultures from which they came. I hope you will enjoy the series. I will be posting the first installment on Monday.

Finally, I stopped by my old blog on the Homestead Blogger the other evening only to discover that, sadly, they will be taking that site down. I have not blogged over there for a while, but did not want to lose my content (or my sweet friends there), nonetheless. I sent a note to my friends to find me here and on Facebook. Then I hurriedly copied all of my past blog posts over into a Word Doc. There was a lot of family history in those posts. Wonderful record of good days spent with family, times of sickness, little poems that I had shared...all too precious to even think about losing forever. I think that is one of my favorite things about blogging; the fact that the events of our lives are recorded and celebrated and shared with friends. I may repost some of those here at a later time.

For now I am wishing you all a splendid, happy and wonderful week-end. Hope that your days are filled with the blessing of family and friends, love and laughter and lots of good things to celebrate! Sending you ((HUGS)) from our cottage to yours!

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

Fall Fun Days

Good morning dear ones!!! I just have to take a few minutes to post a bit about this past week. You know that this is my ALL-TIME FAVORITE time of year! I love the changing leaves, the cooler temps, that earthy autumn smell in the air and the thought that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. There are just so many things to love about autumn! This past Sunday the three of us had attended morning church service and had a good dinner together. It was such a pretty fall day, the kind that is just perfect for a walk in the woods, so Caleb and I headed to good old Wine Cellar Park. We collected some leaves and walked the nature trail and had a good time talking and just enjoying the beauty around us. 

We are so very familiar with this little patch of woods. The little creek that runs through it was full from recent rains and it babbled gently as we walked along. Caleb stopped to see if the vine that he and his friends loved to swing on was still there. He was saddened to discover that it had been broken since our last visit. The little bridges are always a fun stopping place and I snapped a picture of Caleb standing on one of them.

I think this will be his official "school picture". We had a very pleasant afternoon and then watched movies at home until time for the evening church service.
Tuesday our son, Greg and his family stopped by for a visit and brought pizzas for our supper. The kids all had fun playing video games, eating pizza and laughing and talking as the grown ups visited around the dining room table chatting the evening away. Every now and then one or two of the kids would come in and sit down with us and join in the conversation. It was so very pleasant. I LOVE when our kids come home, even for a few hours.
On Wednesday as part of his school day, Caleb made candy apples. Robin had picked up a little kit at the store and we took time to have some fun making them together. It was a messy job, but SO much fun and a yummy treat, too.

Thursday evening my sweet hubby treated us to supper out at a local restaurant and then we went to a Jr. High football game at our granddaughter's school in Poca, WV. She is in the band and plays the clarinet.

The band did a wonderful job of entertaining us.They played the National Anthem at the start of the game and then three songs at half time. It was the first time in ages since I had been to a school football game and I really had fun with my family, though I will have to remember to take some kind of cushion the next time we go to one~lol. Those bleachers were rough on an old girl! :-)
Today I am headed out to my poetry club. The topic for our poetry today is early childhood and I have a couple of favorites to share. I hope that each of you has a sweet week-end and hope to post a little more later in the week.

God bless and stay cozy,
Charlotte

Home Again, Home Again

I am home after having my heart cath this past Tuesday! Everything went well with the proceedure and I am very HAPPY to say that NO blockages were found~YAY!!! I do still have issues with palpitations and extra heartbeats, a condition I am just now learning about called Premature Ventricular Complexes (PVCs). I stayed in the hospital until yesterday (Friday) for some further testing; a glucose intollerance test (ick) due to elevated blood sugar levels and an MRI to try and determine if I would be a candidate for Cardiac Catheter Ablation. I got through that icky glucose test and was so VERY glad to see lunch arrive at last~lol! Thursday the MRI lab was backed up with emergency cases and so I had to wait until yesterday for that test. I had never had and MRI, but had heard they could be a very clostrophobic experience. I thought I would be OK, I tried really hard to just relax and keep my eyes closed, but in the end, I had to push the panic button~WOW it is really tight in there!!! So, I will not be getting the Ablation at this time. I am taking meds to control my blood pressure and one that helps control the heart rythm and my doctor wants me to give up caffine. That is going to be hard for this coffee hound~sigh, but it will help to lessen my PVC issues. Right now I am just so very GLAD to be HOME!!!
I do have to tell you all about the BEAUTIFUL room I had for my hospital stay! It was wonderful with colors that were inspired by the sky and clouds, a wonderful BIG bath, deluxe shower and each room on the new cardiac care unit has its own computer for the medical staff so they no longer have to haul one around on carts. There was a fold out sofa bed for family to stay with patients and a wonderful flat screen television and I spent much of my days watching HGTV and the Hallmark channel. It made the stay so much more pleasant! I am posting some photos for you to see:

Hope to get back to my writing as I am feeling so much more relieved that a major surgery is not in my near future. God bless you all and hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

My Life's Work

Titus 2:5 KJV  "To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." (Underlined emphasis added by me)

Good morning, dear ones!!! First off, I need to say, "ooops", I got as far as the Bible verse above yesterday morning before my sweet hubby called "breakfast is ready" and I didn't realize that it published it when I hit save. We had a wonderful little breakfast together of bicuits, gravy and ham and then my sweet BEST friend of 40 years called to invite me out to lunch at the Olive Garden!!!! Thank you, Teresa, I really enjoyed the good food and our wonderful visit! The day stretched on and I never quite got back to my blog post~(blush)...
Anyway, I am trying hard to get back to posting and to some writing and wanted to take a minute before getting ready for church to say, "hello" and finish what I started. I had a very productive day around here on Friday, cleaning, teaching Caleb about the Korean War and Harry S. Truman, reading some favorite fall poetry; just being home and enjoying the fruit of my labor as a homemaker, wife and mom. Those are my favorite titles in life! My most cherished and beloved "job" descriptions. I love days when my home is sparkling from being freshly cleaned, something warm is baking in the oven, my favorite music is playing softly in the background and sweet scented candles are adding to the overall ambience. This home that our family has created with the work of our hands and filled with sweet memories for all of our children to call up to rememberence and share with their children, I consider my most profound life's work. I often think about the impact that the sights, sounds, aromas and stories from my parent's and grand parent's homes have had (and still have) on my life. Sometimes, in the rush of living in today's world, society tends to diminish the importance of  being "keepers at home" and some forget how much influence home life has on forming the character and priorities of our children and the future of our nation. I am so very glad that my mom and my sweet grandmothers were wonderful "keepers at home" and so grateful for all they taught me. I am especially glad that they taught me about our Lord and His love for us and that they were good examples of His love in our lives. This is the legacy that lasts from generation to generation. Whether you are a momma that stays home all day, or one that works at a carreer outside your home, take time to create a haven within the walls of your home. Make your home a place of peace and beauty, a destination where your family is drawn in with an overwhelming desire to gather and make sweet memories. Other things we do in this world may be forgotten by many people, but the memories of a pleasant home continue as our children share the experience of the memories, sights, sounds, recipes, stories and more with their children and their children and so on, and so on. God bless you all, hope you have a wonderful week! Remember me as I have my heart cath on Tuesday. I will let you know how it went one day next week.

Until later, Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

Loss For Words

Do you ever just go through a spell where, no matter how hard you try, the words just don't seem to come together? Well, I guess we all do from time to time, I mean, otherwise we wouldn't have the term "writer's block", would we? Well, I have definitely been going through one of those spells lately. I just can't seem to come up with anything I really want to post, and when I do have an inspiration, I just can't seem to get the right words to express my thoughts. Be patient, you know me well enough by now and rest assured I will get my words back sometime soon. Hoping that you are all enjoying the fall season.

Until later, Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

The Simple Woman's Daybook 8~16~2011

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...

Sunny skies with a few clouds, our neighbor's van and some pretty flowers growing in our neighbor's back yard :-)

I am thinking...

about how much I enjoy being at home.

I am thankful...

that our God is faithful, that He loves us even when we are un-lovable!!!

From the learning rooms...

Getting things ready to start back to our learning. I have the books we will be using in the milk crate. I have chosen this to be the container for our curriculum this year and am hoping to be more organized with lessons and books this year. Caleb is looking forward to learning about Genetics for his Science unit and we will also be learning about the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s for History.

In the kitchen...

I just finished washing the dishes and some very pretty and delicate tea cups that my momma gave me from her collection. I will have to set them up for a photo and share them with you sometime this week. For our supper we will be having shrimp and fries~yum!!!

I am wearing...

my trusty blue denim "pedal pushers" and favorite blue tee shirt.

I am creating...

A family favorites cookbook!!!! I have been having real fun with this one and am trying to include recipes from many family members including both grandmommas, myself, my hubby and aunts and cousins, too. These will be for our kids and I want them to have some real "heirloom" family recipes.

I am going...

to Momma's on Thursday and to church tomorrow night, but that is about it for this week. Unless something else presents the opportunity to get out and go!

I am wondering...

what my friends are all doing today and have been by some of my favorite blogs to read a bit.

I am reading...

Miracles Can Be Yours Today by Pat Robertson; my little Caleb picked this book out for me this past Saturday at one of the church rummage sales. It is really good, so far. Also reading some of my favorite poetry books and decorating magazines and the Bible (Colosians)

I am hoping...

to become more trusting of the Lord's leading in my life. I believe God has plans for me and that I should trust those plans, I just need to be a bit more willing to "Let Go and Let God", I am awfully guilty of trying to "take back the reigns" sometimes. Pray for me about this.

I am looking forward to...

meeting with our Pastor tomorrow night to discuss Caleb's baptism on Sunday evening. Also looking forward to getting started back to learning, homeschool field trips and time with homeschool friends.

I am hearing...

the air conditioner running and music from the kitchen.

Around the house...

I am thinking of changing out summer decorations to things for autumn. This is my favorite season and I love to get out the pumpkins and fall colors.

I am pondering...

having an Autumn Give Away on this blog. It will probably start the first week of September so be watching. I have already started putting the prize package together, you are going to LOVE it!!!

Some of my favorite things...

Crisp fall evenings, hot apple cider, warm bread from the oven...

A few plans for the rest of the week...

I want to get some more pictures taken to share on my blog, hoping to get some things donated to our favorite local charity, cleaning out the dining room closet.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

The cover for our

family cookbook

Hope you are all having a peaceful and beautiful afternoon. If you want to read more sweet daybook entries visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook. Thanks as always to Peggy for hosting the Daybook!