Auriel Tejas, Massage Therapist

Life gets a whole lot simpler when a dog becomes your favorite companion. They never play games, hold grudges, or make life more complicated than it needs to be. Their loyalty is refreshingly honest every single day. That's why so many of us would rather spend time with a dog.

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Before cell phones, tracking down a kid was basically a neighborhood relay system.

Mom called one house.
“Nope, he left here a while ago.”

She called the next.
“I think they rode their bikes over to Mike’s.”

By the third call, somebody’s mother knew exactly where you were, who you were with, what you’d been doing, and probably whether you needed to get home for dinner.

Nobody shared locations. Nobody sent a text.

There was just an unofficial network of kitchen phones, neighborhood moms, and kids who somehow managed to disappear for six hours without actually being lost.

And when that phone finally rang at the house where you were?

“Your mom says get home.”

That was the entire message.

And you started pedaling.

For days, Buddy the dog's family couldn't figure out what was happening to the carrots in their garden.

The carrot tops kept disappearing, leaving everyone wondering which hungry critter was sneaking in for a snack.

Then they caught the culprit... and it wasn't a rabbit. It was Buddy.

The lovable dog from Port Alberni, British Columbia had apparently developed a taste for fresh carrots—and by fresh, he meant digging them up himself.

When Buddy's human spotted him lying in the garden with something in his mouth, she grabbed her phone and headed outside. What she found was a scene that made them laugh.

Buddy had dug several holes in the garden, pulled carrots straight out of the ground, and was happily munching on another one as if he'd harvested it himself.

"We had been wondering what had been chewing off the carrot tops," Buddy's owner wrote.

Mystery solved.

Safe to say Buddy prefers his vegetables farm-to-table... or perhaps, garden-to-dog. 🥕🐶

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The fascinating Barabar Hill Caves, India's oldest surviving rock-cut caves dating back to the Maurya Empire (322-185 BCE). With their Ashokan inscriptions, these caves are located in Bihar's Jehanabad district, specifically in the Makhdumpur region, just 24 km (15 mi) north of Gaya. The Barabar group consists of four caves, while the Nagarjuni group boasts three caves, often referred to as the Nagarjuni Caves, situated 1.6 km (0.99 mi) away on the Nagarjuni Hill. These rock-cut chambers feature dedicatory inscriptions in the name of "King Piyadasi" for the Barabar group and "Devanampiya Dasaratha" for the Nagarjuni group. Scholars believe these inscriptions date back to the 3rd century BCE during the Maurya period, corresponding to the reign of Ashoka (273-232 BCE) and his grandson, Dasharatha Maurya.

The caves were once utilized by ascetics from the Ajivika sect, founded by Makkhali Gosala, a contemporary of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, as well as Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara of Jainism. Notably, the Ajivikas shared several similarities with both Buddhism and Jainism. Additionally, the site is adorned with rock-cut sculptures and inscriptions from later periods, representing both Buddhist and Hindu influences.

History Three Thousand

Yellow Bittern.

📸: KT Wong

I made these potatoes over the holidays when my boys were home…twice! They were so good we did a repeat just a few days later. You’ll love them, too!

Crispy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes

Ingredients:
1.5 lb Mini-gold potatoes
2 Tb olive oil
1 Tb dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Wash potatoes and cut them in half. Then score them with a diamond pattern on the flat side so when you place them on the baking pan and push down, they will flatten slightly.
Put the potatoes in a bowl and toss them with the olive oil, garlic salt, pepper and parsley. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, add the Parmesan and Romano cheeses and melted butter. Mix together to form a paste. Transfer the cheese mixture to your baking dish and spread into an even layer. Press the potato halves into the cheese, flat side down.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, you’ll see a little browning of the cheese around the edge of the pan.
Remove from the oven and let the potatoes rest for 10 minutes so the cheese hardens.
Serve and enjoy!

https://qvc.co/valerieparrhillfb

‘The Bears’

Here’s one of my personal favourite recent creations. Always fun to work through new bear pieces.

Robbie

I recently received a comment on a post that stated everything in my home was too old. While the nature of the comment may have been meant to be hurtful, I actually took it as a compliment. You see, I have a deep love for everything old.

There is something truly special about the charm and character that old homes and vintage decor bring to a space. A snapshot of time, the stories embedded in each piece, and the rich history that surrounds them - all of it speaks to my soul.

I am a sentimental decorator. My home goals are to curate a collected home that tells a unique story, one that is not like anyone else’s. My home is an extension of who I am, as it should be for everyone. I delight in decorating with family heirlooms because it reflects my family’s history - something that is extremely important to me.

This is a space where I honor the beauty of the past and draw inspiration from the stories behind each item. You have come to the right place if you:

• share the appreciation for the beauty of old things

• find joy in scouring thrift stores and repurposing forgotten treasures

• yearn for heartfelt conversations with kindred spirits

To those who may struggle to grasp my adoration for all things old, I invite you to take a step back and appreciate the beauty that lies in the past. To my fellow old souls, thank you for joining me on this journey. You uplift me everyday with kindness, support and inspiration - I truly hope I do the same for you!

This view is of the built-in located in my dining room. The doors have leaded glass and small, dark green, stained glass squares at the top. This exquisite chair is part of a set that dates back to the late 1800s. The set includes this rocker, a chair and settee. Each has ornate detail on the spiral of the arms and claw feet. The picture hanging on the wall of the dapper gentleman is an estate sale find.

Back story-
My husband and I have this inside joke that he is NOT part of the design team-lol.
He never wants to create… he’s always “just tell me how long you want the board cut”.

He really will do just about anything I ask, as long as I can give him exact measurements and step by step instructions.
This is a struggle with us because my brain doesn’t work that way. I don’t work from a pattern, and couldn’t read a blue print if my life depended on it.
I hold things side by side, eyeball it… lay things out in the floor… all while he shakes his head.

The thing is - I don’t know how long I want a board cut…until I can kinda visualize it… so mostly it’s easier to just cut the board myself, which suits him just fine🙂

But ….TODAY
I walked into the workshop and “Mr. Exact Measurement” himself had made this amazing cross,all on his own!🥰

Instead of asking me, he picked the wood himself AND decide what to make!

This 2.5” thick board was previously hand chiseled (long ago)and was a spacer between logs and held chinking. (btw it’s from the 150+ year old home stead log house we demoed this summer.)

Can I just say, like it or not, he’s being promoted to the Design Team as I type 😉

Welcome to the dark side ,Luke Schultz🤣🤣🤣🤣