Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Hospitality - What Does It Mean To You?

Hospitality: what does it mean to you?

I have heard that hospitality is opening our homes and meeting the needs of those who come in. Sometimes we want to provide extra-special attention in the form of food or beverage, chocolate mints on the pillows, hot cider simmering, fragrant candles burning, or a bowl of fruit on a bedside table.

But the most important ingredient in hospitality is the welcoming heart. It's that spirit that pulls guests from the front door to the dinner table, even if the only items on the menu are soup and bread. It's the genuine smile accompanying the words, "Make yourself at home!"

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Time Management - Reading List

My great-grandmother used to say, "Life is what happens when you make other plans."

Last week was one of those weeks for me. 

After the election, all I could think about was cleaning the house. I put the TV away (no more pundits postulating about candidates) and avoided the computer. I dusted things that hadn't seen any Pledge for a long time. I vacuumed everything in sight. (The cats should be glad they were put outside before the vacuuming fiesta began.) I uncluttered the corners and the closet. (I found some things.)

But I didn't blog about Hospitality, as I had originally planned to do.

Perhaps I need to read about Time Management?

If you want to join me, here are some suggested titles. I haven't read them yet, but I am certainly going to look them up!

Monday, November 5, 2012

This Week - Hospitality

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines Hospitality as "generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guests."

As we enter the holiday season, many of us are preparing to be hospitable. The rest of us will be the gracious recipients. How many of you are hosting the Thanksgiving meal? How many are already planning the Christmas get-togethers?

As we think about Hospitality, I'd like to collect and share some ideas for all of us to use in our homes. I will post some suggestions for family time and field trips that can help introduce the theme to kids. And we will share some recipes and books at the end of the week that might give us a creative boost as we plan.

So, check back in tomorrow. In the meantime, think about some ideas you might be able to share with us. We would love to see your comments.

Thanks for reading the blog!

Nancy