Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Walk for Water
Monday, March 17, 2025
Ireland Castles and Cathedrals Tour
I’ve collected several cathedral bird cages. They are said to be mirrored after the “Sacre-Coeur " which means "Sacred Heart" in English, referring to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Paris, France. Like the cathedrals my birdcages look a lot alike but have their own distinct features.
European regions developed cathedral variations of the Gothic style with many following the basilica plan, an elongated design with multiple naves-the area for the congregation. The circular form of its dome is often associated with eternity and perfection, as circles have no beginning or end. It’s hemispherical, evokes the idea of the sky, the heavens, and the divine realm. The dome's upward orientation, reaching towards the apex, symbolizes the aspiration for spiritual growth and connection with the divine. It's how I feel about mine.
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Black Church History
Virginia law required the
Black church to retain white leadership which ended post-civil war. Black
churches often accepted financial help
from northern white organizations and became dominant forces for civil rights
activism, literacy education, and job training because these were the paths to
true freedom for meaningful
change and reform.
The historical church my family (many still do) and I attended in Alexandria, Virginia is Woodlawn Methodist Episcopal Church founded in 1866. The Woodlawn area, formerly part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, was home to African Americans who had been free landowners before the Civil War, people recently emancipated from slavery, and northern Quakers who had arrived in the 1840s. Woodlawn Methodist church was built on land purchased from Quakers, housed a Freedmen’s Bureau school that became a public school by 1871. The congregation established a cemetery and in 1888 built a new sanctuary. When Fort Belvoir expanded during World War II, the church moved to the historically black community of Gum Springs. The cemetery remains at Fort Belvoir with many of my family members buried there including my grandparents and great-grandparents.
Monday, February 3, 2025
DEI Design Essentials Inspiration
Monday, January 27, 2025
Snow Days
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Store It
Christmas decorations can be very expensive. Taking proper care of them since they are reused each year, is important. The secret to my abundance of ornament and decorations is after the holiday liquidation sales.
Purchase clear containers for ease of identifying my ornaments and decorations. If your containers are not see through or you keep them in boxes for storage, label them. Store them well and they can last a long time.