Sunday, September 6, 2009

Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday September 6, 2009

Welcome to my spiritual & inspirational Sunday post. Having collected quotes and scripture for over 25 years, my hope is that by sharing these quotes it will cause you to pause and reflect. Perhaps you will share a quote with someone who is in need of reading that very quote or inspirational message. I am on the Cumberland Plateau in middle Tennessee. I volunteered to dog sit my friend’s three dogs. I spent many many hours yesterday scanning magazine and book pictures to use in my posts. I think each picture takes approximately two minutes to scan, crop, and transfer to a file on my computer which eventually will be uploaded to my post. It is a bit tedious but I will be grateful to have these when I write my next post.

As I create this post, it is 6:00 am- a cool overcast morning with a sprinkle of rain falling. As I drink some green tea, my view off the back porch is a glorious one for a Sunday morning. My friend’s home sits on ridge where their grass lawn ends about 10 yards from the house and the woods begin. I can see a farm off in the distance below. Along the horizon I see rolling hills blanketed with the morning mist. The wonderful sound of birds chirping is the only noise I hear. Last night it was the sound of crickets! 

Below is a photo of my friend’s home which was designed by Bobby McAlpine. At some point I will feature their home on my blog.

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I plan to use their long winding rock driveway to do my interval runs this morning paying close attention to where I step as copperheads live in the area. Fortunately, I have avoided any encounters with sssnnnnaakkkees-it is hard for me to even pronounce that word without emotional repercussions! Later today I will head to the vegetable garden and pick tomatoes so I can make homemade pasta sauce. Trust me, I will be on heighten alert!

Today’s spiritual & inspirational post comes from an email forward I received from my friend Nigel. It is the empowering quote of the week from Dr. Ola Madsen. I believe that the most important conversation we have is between our two ears. Are your conversations with yourself optimistic or pessimistic?

Optimism

"The optimist proclaims we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true." - James Cabell, American novelist and journalist (1879-1958)

What is optimism?
It is a belief that things in our past were good for us and taught us lessons even if they were hard. It is also the belief that things will be better in the future.

Contrasts between optimism and pessimism:
Optimism breathes life into you each day.

Pessimism drains you.
Optimism helps you to take needed risks.

Pessimism plays it safe and never accomplishes much.
Optimism empowers those around you.

Pessimism drags them down.
Optimism inspires people to greater heights.

Pessimism deflates people to new lows.
The only way that optimism and pessimism are the same is that they are both self-fulfilled.
We choose to look at the world the way we want.

Have you ever met a successful pessimist?
Become an optimist and see your world change before your eyes.  Blessings!  …susan

 

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Kitchen: Vertical Storage Option Series Part Three- Storing Dish Towels

Welcome to Part Three of my Vertical Storage Option Series. To see Part One, click here and for Part Two here.  In this post, I want to share some photos I have collected showing dish towel storage options for you to consider when designing your dream kitchen. IMG_0001 

^In the photo above, attached to the inside of the pull out cabinet front, is a metal dish for holding a sponge or other type of soap pad.  Next to it are some metal rods for hanging dish towels. There appears to be a shelf at the bottom which would be a great  place for dish detergent and dishwasher detergent.  It looks like a fixed panel above which leads me to believe this very functional pull out cabinet front is located directly under the kitchen sink.

Source: Beautiful Kitchens Summer 2009

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^The pull out cabinet front shown above has the capacity to store numerous folded dish towels. It also includes several wooden bars which give you the option to fold dish towels over these bars.

Source: Great Kitchen Ideas

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^Similar to the previous cabinet front pull out, this one has three shelves to place folded dish towels.

Source: Kitchen Ideas That Work by Beth Veillette

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^My first inclination after looking at this photo is to say the opening to this cabinet front pull out should be facing the other direction; towards the kitchen sink. Upon further review,  I realize there is a sink to the right of the drawer.  Still, I am thinking one would need a towel at the kitchen sink more than one at the second sink. Perhaps a master craftsman could figure out a design which would eliminate the side wall which would make this pull out functional from both directions.

Source: The Smart Approach to Kitchen Design

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^ Above is a convenient option for a towel bar, however, make sure your towel bar does not protrude too far out from the cabinet. If it protrudes too far out you might find it is uncomfortable in your belly or hip region. 

Source unknown: if you know the source of this photo, please contact me and I will note it.

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^For some reason, I am having trouble wrapping my mind around the above photo. There appears to be high end beautiful cabinetry, yet this opening and plastic coated rods look cheap.  I am not seeing any kind of door to cover the opening when the rods are pushed back into the cabinet.  What do you think?

Source: Kitchen Ideas That Work by Beth Veillette

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^An interesting built in towel hook. As I study this photo, it appears to me that these hooks are on the low side. What do you think?

Source: Taunton’s Home Storage Idea Book by Joanne Kellar Bouknight

 

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^The dish towels hanging on the island in the photo above are both functional and decorative.

Source unknown: If you know the source of this photo, please contact me and I will note it.

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^This island design gives you a decorative area to hang your dish towel.

Source: Tauton’s Home Storage Idea Book by Joanne Kellar Bouknight

Please check back for more posts in my Kitchen: Vertical Storage Option Series. Blessings.  …susan