Classic—a book which people praise and don’t read. ~ Mark Twain Readers may have noticed that we’re more than somewhat fond of of the old-fashioned at the Fairfield House. It’s not so much that we’re trying to move backwards as we find it a useful way to look to the future. You can’t after all, [...]

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~ Howard Thurman It’s a new year and with that comes a renewed sense of commitment to ourselves. We all want to be and do better than the [...]

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson The summer sizzle melted my mojo. Autumn left me feeling as colorless and crumpled as the dry, dead leaves crunching beneath my feet and as delicate and ready to disintegrate if stepped [...]

“I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you, and that you will work them, water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom.” ~ Unknown Do you know that the embryo flower of these paperwhite bulbs has been already formed and [...]

“My advice to the women of America is to raise more hell and fewer dahlias.” ~ William Allen White The last of the dahlias have bloomed. I wanted to create something special. Something that would not involve a thirty minute ride to the closest store for supplies. Sitting in the sunshine amidst autumn splendor, I wove the [...]

“Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.” ~ Ben Franklin Men, it’s clear the country is going to hell in a hand basket. I admit I don’t really know what that is, but you have to agree it sounds like an undignified way to arrive.  All the other damned souls are going to [...]

Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me. ~ Steve Jobs The creative genius that saved Apple Computer has passed away. Steve Jobs is dead at the age of 56. By all accounts an intensely driven perfectionist and [...]

“Every man’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers.” ~ Hans Christian Andersen I wanted to make something extra special for the Princesses in my life—Amanda, Emily, Arianna and Alexandra. I had: 1 pumpkin 4 white guards aka mini-pumpkins 2 dowel rods, cut to the diameter of the pumpkin Heavy gauge florist wire [...]

“A September to remember. An October full of splendor. A November to treasure.” ~ La Prevenchere We haven’t finished decorating our front porch for fall yet but I wanted to share the door leading to the summer kitchen which is in a separate building from the rest of the house and connected by a breezeway. [...]

“Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black” ~ Henry Ford A 1997 Toyota Camry died suddenly on Wednesday morning, September 28th during a commute to work. She was 14 and had traveled over 135,000 miles  (112 in car years).  A gallant attempt to transport [...]