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Just a few of the many more things being added to our new  UP FOR GRABS - MISCELLANY   department. Just thought you might like to be among the first to  take a "GRAB" at them...  There are only one of most of these things in this new section,  so ... time of of the essence, as they say.  :) It's been so fun doing this new section!  Something about passing on things that have brought so much fun and joy here, now heading out into new homes,  new vignettes... Love it! Happy Thursday to you!! ~Ruth~

News about what's NEW! FIRST ORDER OF "BUSINESS".... WHERE is this year going? It doesn't seem that long ago that I was telling you about the 2nd issue (Spring issue) of Jeanne d'Arc Living being orderable and now we're taking orders for issue #3 HERE! This is their Summer premier issue and its going to be chock full of all the Jeanne d'Arc Living goodness you can't get enough of. Here's a sampling of just some of the eye candy being printed up for you as we speak: SECOND ORDER OF "BUSINESS"... Remember W-A-Y back last June (ugh... I'm ashamed it's been THAT long ago) when I did a blog post  (you can read it HERE ) and asked you guys what you thought about the possibility of adding a section to the store's website where we'd sell off a little of this, and a little of that? I even asked you to give me ideas on what to name the new section.... And then, as per usual, I got side-tracked and here we are in March -- of the next...

Today I got a delightful comment from the owner of  Java & Co.  the store you may recall from my  coffee-themed post a few posts previous to this one. They are the company that offers all those delectable coffee-based  foods like syrups, meat rubs made from ground coffee beans, etc... Well the comment from them was so sweet and I thought I'd share it with you!   Here it is: Ruth, I'm frequently online and searching for new coffee information and those who share my passion of the bean. Thank you for recognizing JAVA & Co. on your blog. Your comments and those of your followers are greatly appreciated. As a thank you for you and your blog followers - we'd like to offer a special promo code for those who'd like to purchase through our main company website - www.javaandco.com.   Receive 15% off of your order,  just enter PROMO Code MKT2010  and checkout through PayPal. From one caffeine lover to another - I raise my cup to you! Jamie L. Kn...

{Image courtesy of Google} This will be a short post -- because partly because it's still "workin' time" & I probably should stay focused... (hee-hee!) and partly because I don't want to belabor this whole  "Poor me, why won't my computers open Typepad blogs?" thing. But I just wanted to remind any of my sweet friends who have a Typepad blog --- I AM NOT DISSING YOU -- I PROMISE! You might remember a post I did on this very thing last November (CLICK HERE)   and since then things really haven't improved. I'd give anything to open your blogs -- I see the post titles and just a few lines of the post itself and maybe a picture if there is one, and that's it. I typically try to find the "bigger reason" behind whatever is frustrating me  at any given time -- perhaps a life lesson I'm supposed to glean from it... What do you suppose this on-going fight between Typepad and my computers  is supposed to be teaching me?? :) Okay, ...

I've gotten so many emails asking when the new things we've gotten in  are going to be up for sale on the site.... TA - DA!! Fait accompli! Click over to the  NEW ITEMS PAGE to see! Among the things you'll find there are a supply of the current issue of Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine   in Danish text offered at less than half off the price of the English version. Take advantage of the shipping/import mishap and snap up a copy -- you may not be able to read it (or, perhaps you can!) but they say pictures are worth a thousand words anyway, right? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The other thing I wanted to tell you about is this FABULOUS new site where you can purchase HOMEMADE FRENCH MACAROON COOKIES! {Cookie/Cake photos below courtesy of Patisserie Amelie} You'll want to head over to   PATISSERIE AMÉLIE! It's so funny, because I've read blog post after blog post over the years featuring pictures of these MOST GORGEOUS cookies, the likes of...

{This is the profile picture associated with  "James'" blog called  Man of the 50's.} Ladies,  I think it's fair to say that, whether intended or not, we gals seem to have monopolized the world of blogging. Perhaps it has to do with the notion among some  (mainly our male counterparts) that we girls simply have more talking to do than men?  Or perhaps it is that many times we might be, by nature, more social creatures, thriving on relationships a bit more than they...? Whatever it is that has causes females to dominate the blog-writing out there,  you must admit, it is rare that we run across a journal-type blog that is authored by a man. Sure, there are blogs run by men... they are typically the techno-related blogs or the more political "cause-related" blogs, etc. but as far as blogs go that are about family, home, and just general "life", you just don't find many of the written by men. But the other day, I stumbled across such a blog  an...

Thought I'd share two shots I took today - both totally spur-of-the-moment shots: This one, directly out my back kitchen window as  I stood at my kitchen sink.... It took the picture because I have been struck by the  indecision of our vegetation this time of year. You'll note that we (finally) have pretty red "Fall" leaves, some skeleton-type trees whose branches are completely bare, and in the foreground, the Cypress trees are now filled completely back in with their new Spring leaves... The green expanse you see in the middle is our pond... UGH... We are having a terrible time with duckweed and we  simply have to wait for the weather to warm up a bit to treat it. Until then, our pond resembles a putting green.   :) The second picture was taken directly out my front door as I was on my way into our home office/den to sit down at the computer. I captured our sweet dog Nick and his best-bud cat, Bugsy. They joined forces immediately upon meeting -- Bugsy as a weeks-o...

{I have this picture mounted in the kitchen area of the shop office...} Did you know that March  is officially National Caffeine Awareness Month? Are you thinking I must surely be the spokesperson for it as Deb Kennedy of Hummadeedledee suggested I could be...? (I'm available, call me!)   :) In view of this, here are a few tidbits (coffee-related, of course) that I thought you might enjoy courtesy of My Recipes.com . The Perks: Health Benefits of Coffee Get the latest information about the ways that drinking coffee can improve your health. Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Virginia Cravens Houston By: Laurie Herr When it comes to life's necessities, many of us would say a good cup of coffee ranks pretty darned high – right up there with shelter, friends, and comfortable shoes. But there's more to love about your morning java than its alluring aroma or friendly kick. Once maligned (too much caffeine! the devil's brew!), coffee is now being praised as a kind of health food,...