Out of Focus



Carolyne Roehm

I have been behind in my posting and ever since the beginning of the week, I--and nearly everyone else in the city---have found it difficult to focus on much of anything.  I usually don't do posts about the tragic events that go on in our world. My blog is about light-hearted pleasures--decorating, design, beauty so it's best to keep ugliness at bay.  The Internet, "social media", and live television present plenty of opportunities for people to find the information they need.  I usually don't feel the need to add my voice to the noise.   

But it's been a terrible week here and I count my blessings that my family, friends, and colleagues are all safe.  So while it's been a scary and unprecedented time--we're currently in "lock down" and not leaving the house--I understand that there are others who are going through unimaginable suffering from this event.

Hopefully peace and some kind of normalcy, whatever that may look like in this new world, will return to Boston soon. My thoughts are with all of those directly impacted by this week's tragic events.

Are We There Yet?



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By "there",  I mean summer.  Spring is only now beginning and I'm already thinking about summer.  So when we are finally there, meaning summer is here, I plan to make lots of this lemon-thyme soda, which is a refreshing twist on classic lemonade.

Lemon-Thyme Soda

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 cups of water, 1 oz. fresh thyme, juice of 6 lemons, soda water.

Bring the sugar and water to a boil, add the thyme and let steep until cool. Pass mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Combine 1 1/2 ounces of the thyme syrup with 1/2 ounce of fresh lemon juice in a tall ice-filled glass rimmed with sugar. Fill with soda water and garnish with fresh lemon and thyme springs.

Recipe and photo courtesy of  Culture Club Monaco

Window Shopping



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As I dream of having my own shop and my own business, I've been admiring those who do.   Photos here of designers Heiberg Cummings store in Brooklyn, New York.



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  The following photo is from Bloom in Sag Harbor, New York.  I would love to visit this shop some day (perhaps I would run into Ina Garten--she's a fan of the shop) .  



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Straw hats and Espadrilles.  I can almost feel summer (well, maybe not yet).

 



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I love the textures and the neutral colors.



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I wonder what these canister originally held.

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And here's the exterior of Bloom.  It looks like a delightful place, doesn't it?

Here's to a happy weekend (a bit early) and to the first day of spring, even though it is still snowing in Boston.

Thoughts of Spring



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 Here's to the first day of the Daylight Saving Time.  Spring is just around the corner.  

Downton Abbey and Career Change

Warning:  If you have not seen the Season 3 finale of Downton Abbey yet, please skip the first two paragraphs (although I've not gotten too specific about the outcome).

That was quite the season finale of Downton Abbey last week, wasn't it? Another character is off the show after a tragic demise, preceded yet again by moments of joy.  It's just a television show, but I was starting to feel manipulated. How much can one family (or viewer) take?

But an article in The New York Times explained it all.  The characters were written off the show because the actors found new roles and wanted to move on.  It had all come down to a career change.  I'll admit that I felt better after reading this.

I often dream of my own career change. One that takes me out of a large corporation and into my own business--my own home store where I can buy, sell, arrange, and rearrange to my heart's content.  I'd stock the store with lavender scented candles, hand blown glass hurricane lamps, white china, flowers, natural linens, furniture and more.  The floor would be carpeted with sisal, the walls painted crisp white.  Carefully chosen antique framed prints would hang on the walls and a selection of children's hand-knit sweaters would be neatly folded on white tables. Maybe I'd include a few leather goods too.



Unfortunately, there is no budget for a store and I'm not able to leave my job anytime soon (and believe me, I am grateful to have a good job with steady income). Sometimes an online store as a side business seems like a possibility and I plan to take a class on the subject this spring.  Just for fun.

It may never happen, but it feels good to think about the possibility, to write about it, to put the idea on paper.  This is why I'm admire Ina Garten and other entrepreneurs who followed their hearts.  They were not content with the status quo, to settle for work that was not fulfilling.  They found a way to pursue their passion and be successful.  It's hard to imagine how satisfying that must be. 

Have you made a major career change?  Tossed it all to start over and do what you love? Perhaps you turned your hobby into a career or built it into a business. If so, I would appreciate reading about your experiences and your decisions in the comments section.  Thank you in advance......

An Unusual Pairing



Photo from Pinterest, credited to momolivingonline.com, however, no website found.

Delicate pink peonies in a rustic black bowl are an unusual, but beautiful pairing.

The week is nearly over (mine has been more challenging than I would have liked), the temperatures are mild, tomorrow is a special day, and it's a long weekend ahead.  What could be better?

Happy Weekend