The New Normal - And It's Not Good

The past few days here in Virginia have been beautiful.  Lush green everywhere now that we finally had rain.  Cooler temperatures.  Crisp mornings.  But it's been difficult to get really excited about fall.  I guess I had hoped that by now our lives would somehow be returning to normal again after almost two full years of a pandemic.  But that's not what is happening.  The reality is that until the world gets vaccinated, we are not going to be "normal" again.  There are more variants coming so if the Delta does not scare you, then something else will.  Maybe you feel safe tailgating, taking trips to the islands, dining indoors, but I do not.  Too many healthy people I know are still getting sick, even vaccinated.  We don't understand the long-term implications of Covid - kidney disease, heart disease, long-term fatigue - all side affects from this virus even in people who don't get very sick. And where I live sadly less than 50 percent of the population is still in denial about the vaccine.  It is very sad to me that people are so ill-informed, not able to do the right thing for the world at large. But this is our country now.  And it is quite depressing.

Climate change is here.  Get your head out of the sand if you think otherwise. You will know it is here when you get your new homeowners' insurance bill.  We are all going to pay for this one way or another.  If you are young I would be very worried about what your life is going to be like 20, 30 or 40 years from now.  Even the scientists who have studied this area are amazed at how much more quickly the climate is changing than even they expected.  These extreme storms - the new normal.  Enjoy the time now where you don't need to worry about getting 10 inches of rain in a day.  Any house will flood with that amount of water.  Drought, lack of water, fires, extreme heat and cold, massive rainfall. It's here.  It's our new way of life.  We will all have to learn to cope.

So my way of thinking about what I do, when I do it, how I do it - well, it's changing.  I buy too much stuff that I really don't need.  There are very few things that I need in terms of clothing.  Maybe a pair of warm winter boots or slippers for my aching feet.  But that's about it.  And when I do splurge on something I have to get rid of something.  Our consumerism is killing us, literally.  Think about what you buy, where you buy it.  Do I need it?  I see some lovely fall tweed jackets out there like this one from Talbots, but where in the world will I wear this now?  We don't entertain.  I don't travel for work.  My trip to Europe later this year is cancelled.  Staying at home wear is in.  Everything else is out. Again.

And everything is getting so expensive.  I can't believe how much groceries cost.  The cost of owning a horse is just through the roof now.  So I am grateful that I have been a horse owner for a long time.  The ones I have are definitely the last ones I will own.  I never thought I would say that.  The cost of grain and hay alone is through the roof.  Vets cannot keep their staff and are limiting their hours, their farm calls and are pricing accordingly.  Horse shows are not going down in cost.  I am trying to relish what I have now but I know in my heart, this too is coming to an end eventually. 

So what's there to look forward to?  The US Open is in full swing and there have been huge upsets.  It is poised for a breakout player to win, on the men's and women's side.  I have been watching every night.  Shelby Rogers upset Ash Barty last night, the top player in the world. What a win for her.  Go girl!  I wish in my heart I could be there in person this year but maybe in another year, or two?  Or maybe I'll never feel safe in a place like that again.

We took a drive on Friday to Bath County, Virginia, one of my favorite places. It was a perfect day.  We went to a darling antique store full of great vintage china (and only looked) and we went to the Cascades' Golf Course and dined at Rubinos, a great spot overlooking this infamous golf venue made famous by Sam Snead. The view does not get much more fabulous than this.  The food is not great but we don't go for the food and you can dine on a large porch socially distancing (the deck is being repaired).  We then stopped by The Homestead, another favorite spot.

Trying to find the silver lining right now. But is it hard.  Accepting how our old way of life may not return, well, it's sobering to think about.  But denial won't cut it.  We need to adjust, to come up with new ways of doing things, how we should relish some of the things we have not that may not be possible in another 5-10 years.  Be thankful for what have now.  Before it is gone.  It will be gone.

Vintage Etsy Needlepoint Finds

 Loving some of these vintage Etsy finds today......

This needlepoint luggage strap canvas will be perfect for a beach house.  And the price!

Another canvas waiting to be stitched.

Great needlepoint book to add to your library

It's a good idea to have a few of these books when you want to add a unique monogram to your needlepoint. This is a good one:

This book may end up in my needlepoint book library:

Another one for the library:

Yet another one....

A great set for an incredible price.  

Lastly, another good book for your needlepoint library:

Vintage is certainly best!

Fall is in the Air

We made it through Ira with tornado warnings in the middle of the night (Truman and I bonded in the downstairs hall closet for about a half hour) and lots of rain, to now deep green lush grass (founder grass is what I call this) and much cooler temperatures in time for a long five-day weekend for me.  Life has been way too full for me these past few months and a break is in store at least for a few days.

I am ready for fall and this is coming from someone who loves warm weather and the summer season.  It's been far too hot and dry this year and this is the new normal I'm afraid.  When I saw this coat from J Crew it made me yearn for the fall weather. Love this!

I've been adding to my glass collection and one of my favorite patterns is Black Forest.  Love this plate which is perfect for serving sandwiches on the deck at the cabin.

For me fall means the US Open and I yearn for the day when I can return safely to New York and watch the quarter finals in Arthur Ashe Stadium with my great friend Jessica. We loved to shop in Chelsea and visit Tory Burch and DVF (now sadly gone).  Many of my favorite wardrobe pieces were purchased on those trips. My visa prefers that I stay home.  Besides watching tennis at night for the next ten days I bought this newly released book.  Cannot wait to read it.

Perfect Moment sweaters are very expensive and I was surprised to see this one now at TJ Maxx.  Makes we want to head to the ski lodge at Lake Louise. 

Also surprised to see this Barbour vest at TJ Maxx. Perfect for fall.

Great deal on sheets, also at TJ Maxx. See them here.

Stay safe and please get vaccinated and wear a mask when you are indoors.  This virus is going to be with us a for a very long time. We'd all like to return to a somewhat normal life by some point in the next year or two. Please!!!!!!!

Finds for Another Pandemic Fall

I have not bought anything for fall yet.  My December trip is looking much less likely now but I did plan for a trip to Middleburg, VA and a trip to Kentucky (to horse show) in September.  So I won't be needing any new clothes that I can wear "out" unfortunately (still have not worn some things I bought in 2020) as I think this virus is going to get a lot worse and we won't be out and about like we thought we would.  Please get vaccinated.  The ICU near me is at its highest capacity ever.  But here are some fun finds that I would wear this year, given we are going to be home, again.....

This top is not really a fall top but this is the type of stuff I live in here at the farm. I ride, do barn chores, work.  This is a great buy too.  Try this brand out if you have not already.  

Love this Kate Spade quilted coat, at a great price.

 

I bought my first pair of On shoes last year and they are divine.  These are designed by Roger Federer and they make them for women and men. While I have not tried this shoe, treat yourself to a pair of On shoes. There is a lot to love here.

 

Love these felt Genuin Clogs, a Spanish brand that is environmentally friendly.  In my cart, anything lined with fur is a winner for colder weather.

Also think these will be great for fall with everything you own. Love the heel height too. Maybe picking these up too.....

Had my eye on this cardigan when it first came out and now it is greatly reduced.  See it here.

If I was going to make one splurge purchase this fall, this would be it.

Stay safe.  Stay home.  Protect the ones you love.  Be sensible and do the right thing for all Americans.

Vintage Etsy Finds

Here are some fun vintage finds this rainy Monday morning.  Enjoy!

This Paden City Black Forest vase is a rare find.  Love this pattern.

This vintage needlepoint rug is a real deal.  Love this!

Love this vintage needlepoint canvas. It reminds me of  Jean Smith design but at half the price.

Love this vintage Lotus etch dish.  I have this same etching on two Old Morgantown Glass glasses.

 Love these Imperial Hunt Scene tumblers and to find four alike is rare.

Love this vintage scarf:

Love this framed medallion:

Another great vintage scarf:

Love this vintage plant hanger:

Another one of these:

Love this plant stand:

Sunday Musings

Life has been too darn busy lately to blog so I apologize.  We finally got a little bit of rain, not enough, but we will take anything we get and it's going to be out of the 90's today.  What a relief.  My pastures are starting to like paddocks again.

Love this adorable house with land for sale in my area.  It's not really a farm, you'd need to build a barn, but how charming is this house?  And the setting?  See the listing here.

The Meredith Collection is one of my favorite needlepoint designers and Lycette is having a trunk show.  20 percent off.  I love this one, would make a fabulous pillow. 

There was a Tucci booth at a recent horse show and I treated myself to a new pair of paddock boots (courtesy of a recently awarded work bonus). My feet are so difficult to fit and I love that these pull on. I added a pair of Thinline insoles to pad them a little bit.  This is my third pair of these lovely Italian boots.  They hold up well and are so elegant.  I won't wear these to the barn.  LOL.  When my tall boots wear out, I am going to buy Tucci's.

Madison and I ventured into the equitation ring yesterday, only to get into the ring before we showed.  Let me add that when you show around here in equitation you get to ride against all of the young riders from Hollins, Sweetbriar, and every other school in Virginia that offers a riding program.  Out of 18 we were 4th.  I was shocked!  We won a class in late April on the flat out of 10 at a rated show but this much more competitive. Is equitation in our future at this late stage in life. Perhaps so!  So maybe we need hind boots to match our front ones. This is my favorite brand for the hunters. My goal for Alfie this year was to do equitation. Maybe we can add it our "to do" or "to conquer" list even at my age. I am certain I was the oldest ribbon winner in the class yesterday.

My glass collection has grown this year a little bit and this is a pattern that I really love. It's not common and there are two patterns that are very similar. This is Deerwood by Tiffin. Lovely isn't is?

This is Black Forest by Paden City. I probably prefer Deerwood but to be honest no one other than a real collector would know the difference.  These are cake plates. I have a few of these.  I use them to serve small sandwiches, they are perfect for a buffet, and you can use them for crackers or any kind of food really.  We used to be elegant in our every day life. Today it's paper plates and plastic.  I prefer to go back to a more elegant way of living.  In this regard, I never ever serve dinner without cloth napkins.  We have place mats, china, and a real napkin with every dinner. 

 Enjoy the rest of your weekend!  Stay safe and please get vaccinated so we can return to a normal life. Please?

 

Saturday Musings - It's All About Horses

I started the day, after barn chores, watching the US Showjumping Team take the silver medal in a thrilling jump-off for gold against Sweden (they have not won team gold since 1924).  It was incredible, all teams went clear in the jump-off round and less than two seconds separated the gold and silver medal (when the faults are tied, time is the deciding factor). Wow.wow.wow.  McLain Ward, Laura Kraut and Jessica Springsteen were on it in Tokyo.  Congratulations!  Job well done!

Belgium took the bronze. Congratulations!!!!

If that's not enough horses for you today, then plan to watch the Whitney from Saratoga late this afternoon.  Swiss Skydiver will again face the boys in another real test.  Remember her?  She won the Preakness in 2020.  She's back in action against KnicksGo who is blazing fast and will be the horse to beat.  But how many upsets over the years have taken place at the Spa?  Too many to list here.  It should be on NBC Sports or Fox Sports. Post time is 5:48 pm EDT.  Here is a great story about the hurdles Swiss Skydiver has faced this year.  She's had a lot of ups and downs.  Pulling for the little chestnut mare.

On another horse note, I am happy to report that Apollo's training is progressing nicely this hot dry summer in Virginia.  He wore tack this week for the first time.  Going for a visit tomorrow to see my gray colt (he is gelded but I still refer to him as my colt).  Cannot wait to see him.  Can't tell if he is traumatized or not in this photo.  Maybe he's just totally chilled.  

And the needlepoint finishing fairy arrived this week with a box full of goodies.  I have so many boxes out at various places right now - all that stitching in 2020 is still waiting to be finished. But love my new needlepoint.....

Remember the Thelwell books that we used to read?  Have you forgotten? The pillows above are so "Thelwell" and it reminded me.....Etsy is full of this stuff. If you need a refresher, read this great article.