Everyday Living

What’s Brewing?

April 16, 2015~ Food & Entertaining

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of God”
‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭31

Coffee…one of my favorite and simplest pleasures in life! I cannot imagine starting my day without several cups. Unfortunately, Butch does not share my affinity for coffee…he has only tasted it once and says it was one time too many! My love for coffee has evolved over the years. As a young twenty-four year old working in a real estate office, I began to drink coffee-but not the same as I do now. Let me explain! I was the first person to arrive at work every morning and it became my responsibility to make coffee. After being shown how, I was the official “office barista”! At first, I didn’t drink it-but I was the only one who did not. So, to be social, I would endure a cup every morning. Granted, it was a cup of sugar and cream with a smidgen of java. My “coffee” was almost white! After a few months, I added less sugar and cream until finally I decided if I was going to drink it, I did not want calories added. Now, in my cup you will only find black coffee…absolutely no flavored creamers and no sugar for me!

Coffee has a culture of its own! The formation of culture around coffee and coffee houses dates back to 14th century Turkey. The 17th century saw the opening of the first European coffeehouse in Venice. My first taste of caffee or espresso was in Venice. As typical Americans, we had no clue how to order coffee in Italy. Breakfast on our first morning was eventful, to say the least. We were brought a caffee, which is served in a demitasse cup and is strong in taste with a rich bronze froth known as a crema on top. I initially liked it, but our traveling companions thought it was horrible! They even ordered hot water to weaken it. In typical American fashion, we tried to inform our Italian waiters how they should make coffee! That trip to Venice began my love for espresso! Italy is known as the best place to have and enjoy coffee! Paris is known for its cafe culture! To sit outside unhurriedly at a lovely Parisian cafe nibbling a buttery croissant, sipping an espresso, and people watching is a fascinating experience- wish I were there right now! During the 1920’s, famous artists and literary giants like Picasso and Hemingway, introduced cafes as stomping grounds for intellectuals. As fortunate as I have been to drink coffee on five continents, my favorite place is my kitchen! I have even brewed and tasted the most expensive coffee in the world–$160 per pound. My nephew Joel brought back the famous Kopi Luwak from a trip to Indonesia. He and I tasted it, just to say we had, and I drew the line there. The coffee gets its taste from the coffee berries that the luwak eats and passes through its digestive system! All I can say is yuck!! I think you all would agree.

Please sit down and put your feet up, grab a strong cup (hopefully) of coffee, and enjoy these photos that tell the story of how my love for coffee has met me in many forms and in many places around the world!

I have so enjoyed my pixie espresso machine by Nespresso. It is so simple to operate and it makes excellent espressos, lattes, and cappuccinos!
Katy and I enjoyed scones and salted caramel lattes at an eclectic coffee shop in Rome (Georgia, that is). You can read all about our day trip here: When In Rome. What is breakfast without a cup of fresh brewed coffee? I loved everything at Triple Creek Ranch in Montana, including their coffee! Read more about our trip here: Triple Creek Ranch, A Montana Hideaway Cute cafe in Grayton Beach with vintage tables and great steaming hot coffee in a large and colorful mug! I had the best time all by myself in The Paris Market in Savannah. What a treat to take an afternoon break and sit at a French marble topped cafe table and drink a fabulous latte! Bliss! Read more about our Savannah trip here: Strollin’ Through Savannah. Last summer while in Austin, Texas, the thermometer went above the hundred degree mark! I normally don’t drink iced coffees, but I made an exception with this double chocolate chip creme frappuccino! What a guilty pleasure to indulge in the sweet coffee drink while sitting in a beautiful historic hotel lobby with gorgeous flowers on the table and a new book to read! Read about our trip to Austin here: Austin Thrills & Texas Hills Recently while Butch was on business, I took the opportunity, once again, to relax in a modern hotel lobby with a cup of coffee and my IPad! Well, not exactly relaxing, but blogging! A simple afternoon at home with my pick-me-up…espresso and a square of dark chocolate! Enjoying Italian roast coffee and one of my favorite writers! I have always heard about Turkish coffee. While in Ephesus, Turkey I had the privilege to experience it…and it is an experience! Notice the glass of water. Turkish coffee is served with water in order to clean the mouth before drinking it! It resembles a cup of thick dark chocolate. The texture was velvety smooth and I actually liked it! Coffee and dessert go together like-peanut butter & jelly…Batman & Robin…needle & thread…Coffee and dessert at home-French roast coffee with fresh peaches and blackberries over pound cake! Perfection! Pumpkin spice lattes with French macarons on my patio! Beautiful Eiffel Tower imprinted French butter cookies are a perfect accompaniment to a favorite Sumatran coffee! More French macarons (can you tell that they are one of my favorites?) with a flavored coffee called snickerdandy!! Coffee beans waiting to be ground at my favorite local coffee house! The Coffee Well, in our historic downtown, makes fabulous coffees, sandwiches, desserts, and provides a wonderful Christian atmosphere! Thank you Tammy! My coffee station! Love my hand made Moccamaster coffee maker that brews a great cup of coffee! I love a French press for an excellent cup of coffee. Many good restaurants offer a French press pot of coffee with dessert. Always a winner!

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , It’s Overflowing , Be Different Act Normal , Silver Pennies , Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Pink When , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict , Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , The Winthrop Chronicles , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Craftberry Bush , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Cozy Little House

Bookends: Bringing Lucy Home

April 15, 2015~ Bookends, Faith

Adoption and orphan care is very near to the heart of God, as he speaks directly to it many times in his Word…

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:
to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world”
James 1:27

“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation”
Psalm 68:5

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you”
John 14:18

It would be a futile attempt to try to ignore the commands in scripture to care for orphans. It is everywhere! Butch, Seth, and I became involved with an orphanage in Togo, West Africa. As we traveled there in 2011 to help build facilities to accommodate the children who were left with no one to care for them, two little brothers stole our heart! We wanted to bring them home. That was impossible, so we support them monthly to meet their basic needs! You can read more about the orphanage in Togo here: God Is Great. Within my own family, we have two great nephews who have been adopted from Africa and what joy they have brought to our family! You can read more of their adoption story here: An Unexpected Journey.

I first “met” Jennifer and the Phillips family when Katy told me of an adoption journey that had literally taken a family half way around the world. I knew that Jennifer had written a book about their story of heartache and hope, and immediately my interest was peaked-I had to get my hands on it!

Jennifer, thank you for your willingness to share your love for the world, for orphans, and mostly for our God in your book “Bringing Lucy Home”.

I am sure that adoptive moms are warned that many roadblocks can stall the process of adoption. But I am almost confident that no one could have known to warn Jennifer and her husband Brian, sons Joshua and Andrew, and daughter Sarah Kate what their journey would entail. Jennifer’s book is a living testimony that giving God your “yes” does not always mean smooth sailing. It means heartache. It means sacrifice. It can even mean separation from family.

Jennifer’s story begins in the heart of a young college student when she was given the opportunity to see much more than just her hometown, and travel to China. That trip took deep root in her heart that would eventually bring her full circle to her love for her daughter, Lucy. Several years later after she married Brian and had three children, they answered the call to go to Australia to work with a ministry. And while they were there, God called them to something even more than they ever expected: to adopt from China. Ok, let me sort this out: an American family, in Australia, adopting from China. Should be easy, right? Not hardly.

Jennifer does an excellent job through her humor and storytelling of welcoming us into her family, the adoption process, and China with them. They landed in Guangzhou, China around Christmas time and everything seemed to go as planned…until. Brian would take Joshua, Andrew, and Sarah Kate back to Australia to settle back home and into the school year, and Jennifer would take Lucy to the United States for her passport. What happens next is unthinkable, even for the adoption agency that walked with Jennifer through this process. The plea for Lucy’s passport was a continual “no”, even going down different avenues to get that passport in hand! Can you imagine? Being half way across the world, separated from your husband and children, with your newly adopted (and most precious, I might add) daughter from China, with circumstances looking bleak as to when you would be reunited?

In the book, Jennifer opens wide her heart and lets us in on what God is showing and teaching her through all of this. She includes excerpts from her blog that make you feel like you are living out the story with her! As much as your heart aches for her, when she and Lucy finally get the long awaited passport and are able to reunite with the rest of her family after 53 days, you rejoice all the more!

There is much to be learned from the process of adoption. Seeing the commitment and heartache that accompanied the Phillips family reminds us all that following Christ may be costly, but it is always, always worth it.

I highly recommend that you order this book from Amazon here: Bringing Lucy Home. And follow along with Jennifer’s life now via her blog here: Bringing Lucy Home.

Tablescape Tuesday: Dogwood Dreams

April 14, 2015~ Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25

Years before I entered the blogging world, I was tablescaping my dining table for get-togethers in our home! Family and friends have always been so sweet with their comments about the table setting when sitting down for a meal. My late and dear friend, Bonnie Jean, was one of my best encouragers. She would often come for dinner and notice every detail and ask questions. I always enjoyed sharing with her the stories and memories of the pieces that would make an appearance on the table. When I joined Facebook, I would occasionally post tablescapes and people were so generous with their comments and likes! One of those is a sweet friend, Margaret who always commented-she even encouraged me to share my tablescapes in a book! Last August when we began blogging, I knew that I would share table settings, but I never thought it would turn into a weekly series called “Tablescape Tuesday” and that it would become such a creative outlet for me!

Since dogwoods are in full bloom now, I wanted to share a table with you that spotlights their branches! Dogwoods in the South are one of our most beautiful trees in spring! I enjoyed reminiscing as I pulled this together for you! So today, let’s go back at least three years for this energetic spring tablescape!

Dogwood is the star of this spring setting! The centerpiece is a moss-covered crystal cake stand with a bird’s
nest covered by an etched glass cloche. Along with the dogwood
blooms is a pair of crystal candle holders! The height of the vases keep the branches above site level when guests
are seated, so no view is blocked! Being able to see one another is
important, because next to the food, conversation
is the best part of get-togethers!

Placemats were found at TJ Maxx and the turquoise stemware was
a true find at Tuesday Morning. The Tracy Porter “Artesian Road”
pattern has made several appearances on the blog, as well as
the wicker chargers and tortoise flatware! Very simple setting but the dogwoods give it the “wow” factor! I absolutely love cutting something from our yard to use indoors!
This just says “welcome, spring!” On this particular Sunday, we had 14 guests! An interesting camera shot that is not usually seen on the blog! The dogwood branches were cut from this tree in our side yard! The dogwood bloom is a masterpiece of the Creator’s hand!