By invitation only and we have a winner!!

Our Internet was out again so there was a delay in getting this up this morning! Before I start this post...want to say that Party Resources and I are so happy to announce a winner for the Peter Callahan Bite by Bite giveaway!! Congratulations to.....

Kathysue from Good Life of Design

Please contact me with your shipping info so we can get your signed books on their way to you and a lucky friend! Thank you Kate at Party Resources and Peter Callahan!!

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I am excited to be here today along with a ridiculously talented group of blogger friends as part of a new series entitled By Invitation Only. This is the brainchild of fabulous Marsha from the splendid blog, Splenderosa.  Please visit her to be directed to other blogs and see what they came up with! We will present our interpretation of a certain quote or theme once a month collectively, and today's quote, a beautiful quote by William Henry Channing is our topic and inspiration for today's post. When I read and thought about this quote, what it means to me is simplicity, seeing the beauty in the simplest of things, the small things we are so busy to overlook. Nature, our families, a bountiful harvest from the earth, our changing seasons, are all things that to me are my symphony. So below is what inspires me when I read this lovely quote.

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly, to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart, to bear all cheerfully, to all bravely await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony." 

William Henry Channing 

A sImple setting in a small courtyard in Europe

Sitting alone watching a brilliant sky

Watching my kids enjoying each others company along a quite shore

Talking a walk with family and friends along a jewel toned path of falls glory

A simple meal made with ingredients just picked from the ground

This just strikes me as magical

A lone Tuscan farm deep in the belly of a fertile valley

Lavender fields aglow in purple splendor, I can almost smell the decadent scent wafting through the air

White crystalline snow glistening on the branches and trees like little jewels

A dinner for two on a quite beach on a perfect summer evening

A quiet moment with mans best friend admiring natures magic

A quaint Tuscan town right before a rainstorm

A simple and beautiful meal in the company of friends

A fabulous vineyard with the suns magic smiling upon it....

Hope you enjoyed this and do visit the other participants, its always fun to see how everyone else interpreted this. Wishing you all a wonderful day!!