Living Beautifully

I thought you would appreciate these good words!!

Mrs. Dunwoody's Guide to Living Beautifully

Realize that each new day is a gift from God. Treat it as such.

Focus on life's blessings, as this is continuously uplifting, and affects who you are as a person.

Develop a keen appreciation for the little luxuries in your daily life-the smell of coffee in the morning,the songbirds outside your window, a loved one's crooked smile. Seek out these "blessings" and take time each day to notice and savor them. Pay attention to your life.

Create a home you love to live in.

Spend some time outdoors. Nature heals and replenishes the soul.

Do something kind for someone at least every week; aim for every day. Do a good deed annonymously. You will find, in time, that the more you give, the more is given back to you.

Everything in life is a choice. Realize that as you live your life, each moment you are either adding to or taking away from the quality of your life. You are either creating and enjoying, or dying and destroying. There is no "standing still", for that is time wasted and therefore takes away from your life.  The choice for your life is up to you!

Strive to become the best version of yourself.

To awaken mentally and become passionate about something, find the thing that moves your heart and stirs your soul. Persevere, for passion is necessary for a beautiful life.

Create something, whether it is a family, a meal, a painting, or a daydream.

Never stop learning, through books, people, travel, and experiences.

Listen to and enjoy another's company often.

Focus on your love of beauty.

Treat yourself well. Use the fine china for your cup of tea.

Cultivate gratitude in all things and circumstances.  Search for the good in all.

Speak only kind words.

Laugh every day.

Give continual thanks and praise to your Creator, and ask Him to guide your heart and soul.

Have a beautiful day, friend!

Diana



Island Shopping Tour

When we vacation on Hattaras Island on the outer banks of North Carolina, our favorite thing to do, of course, is spend time on the beach. We like to walk, hunt for shells, fly kites, play in the water, build sand castles, read and just soak in the sun and good salt air.

 But after lunch when the children are napping, the shoppers among us head out for shopping!!!! Over the years we have discovered several spots that we enjoy and look forward to going back to each time . One of the first places we go each year is The Sea Chest. This shop specializes not only in all the usual tourist trinkets, but also silver jewelry, wind chimes and antiques. What really makes this shop special is the owner!! This woman is a native of the island and is continually telling stories of the way it used to be and is an expert on all of the island lore. Want to know how to pronounce Chicamacomico?Ask her...she knows!! Our little ones always find an affordable treasure here. 

Another favorite shop was discovered on our way down  Highway 12 to take the ferry to Okracoke Island. Highway 12 runs down the island, so everything is on this main road. The Elegant Attic is our very favorite place to visit. Located in beautiful Buxton, this shop is known primarily for its stained glass. The owner travels to Europe to purchase old stained glass windows and antiques to sell in her shop. The shop adjoins her home and she is always happy to allow visitors to walk through her home to see how she uses the stained glass there. There are breathtaking views of the sound as well as a shop full of treasures to enjoy.  Elisabeth, Hannah and Leah have all purchased windows from the Elegant Attic. We love to go there and and soak up the peaceful beauty.

Another favorite is the Pea Island Art Gallery. This shop features all local art. We particularly love the pottery in beautiful blues and greens of the sea.

Probably our most frequented spot is the Pamlico Station because of its diverse shops. There is a good coffee shop upstairs where you can sit indoors or out and watch the sun twinkle on the sound as you sip your latte. Also there is a t-shirt shop where the kids design their own shirts. The Moon Over Hattaras has beautiful beach treasures and then there is one "souvenir shop" with all of the little junk tourists seem unable to resist. This shop also sells hermit crabs in brightly painted shells. Two of our granddaughters brought home pairs of these funny critters this year.

A new shopping spot opened which features Kitty Hawk Kites, a wonderful coffee shop and nice restaurant. They hold wind-surfing competitions the week we are there...it is fun to watch the surfers come past our house on the sound.

We always budget a bit of money for island treasures and have lots of fun hunting for them! These little treasures in our homes help keep the memories of our family vacation fresh!

I hope you have enjoyed the Hattaras Island shopping tour!!
Diana

Rainy Days and Mondays

I love both rainy days and Mondays!  Mondays  bring a clean page to begin writing your week upon. It is a good day to get organized for the week ahead. This morning as I sat at the coffee shop studying the book of Isaiah and listening to the pouring rain and crashing thunder, I was happily spinning projects for a rainy day in the back of my mind.  Paint the hallway perhaps? Finish the good book I had started?? When I was a girl at home, we played outdoors most days in the summer, so a rainy day brought the possibility of indoor fun.  For me that was usually baking cookies and reading a book. My younger brother and I liked to play 500 Rummy while we munched warm cookies! I don't think it gets much better than that!! Oh, the carefree days of one's youth!

When I finally got home after driving through higher water than I have ever driven through, about 4 inches of rain had fallen!  I spent the day pushing water down the sump pump in the basement, skimming and back washing a very full pool and finally taking a nice nap!  Oh well, I still love rainy days, which is good because it looks like more of the same tomorrow! Maybe tomorrow I will read my book or paint the hallway...

We had a wonderful vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Beautiful weather and long relaxing days together.  I love to walk on the beach early in the morning and late in the evening. There is nothing quite like it.  My new picture is of me and all ten children.  Aren't they a good-looking group? The beautiful Pamlico   Sound is in the background.   I will share more vacation pictures next time, as Luke took many beautiful pictures.

Thanks for reading!!

Diana

Summer loves

It is hard to believe that it is already June and time for our family vacation!  I know that everyone says that time flies, but it is so true in our busy lives. It seems like this time of year is especially busy with home work, so it is nice to get away for a bit. Here are a few things that I love about summertime:

I love seeing all the new growth in the gardens!  This year we have a flourishing vegetable garden, thanks to my husband and the abundant rainfall.  We are already enjoying lettuce fresh from the garden and look forward to peas, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and more. The herb garden is also doing great and the perennials in the flower beds are filling in so well that I did not buy a single annual this year.

I love opening the swimming pool and not having trouble with it!!! This was our second smooth opening in  a row and I am so thankful, since we decided to save the money the last couple of years and close it ourselves. Pools are a lot of work, but it is fun to watch the children and now grandchildren become confident swimmers and have a lot of fun as well!

I love waking up in the morning to bird song. It is fun to watch the hummingbirds and other visitors to our feeders.

I love having more time in the morning, without the school rush , to study the Bible.  I am working on the last 26 or so chapters of Isaiah this summer and it is a soul-thrilling study! What a God we have!!!

I love going on vacation with my children and their families. It is fun to watch all the little ones play together on the beach and at the house.  It is fun to read a book on the deck overlooking the sound.  It is fun to get up early and walk on the beach looking for shells and enjoying the early quiet with the sea roaring in the background. I love the change of pace and chance to slow down for one week!

I will fill you in on our vacation happenings when we get home! Have a great week thinking of and enjoying all the things that you love about summer!!

Diana