Romance of the Ordinary

“Only by paying careful attention to the simple details of daily tasks and to our immediate surroundings can we live vitally and beautifully all the days of our lives.” –  Alexandra Stoddard

While most of us do not live in the South of France, and have in our view magnificent vistas, or live in gorgeous aged stone homes. We can, however, add a bit of romance to ordinary days in our castles. And, who doesn’t like a bit of romance? Romance and beauty can be added to our lives in many ways, but especially through our everyday rituals. It is this bit of romance we add to our lives, which over time, develops into the art of living well. When we make the simple things we do everyday more meaningful and attractive, this enhances all other areas of our lives, which in turn enhances the lives of those we love.

Much of life is spent living in the details.  Therefore, when we pay attention to our daily routines and rituals, we can turn them into something pleasant and lovely. We all have these rituals and details we need to address everyday.  Many of us spend time daily, tidying areas of our homes. I enjoy a giving myself a reward at the end of my work, and for me – that reward is always flowers. Slipping away to the garden to clip something lovely brings me great joy, and enhances the quality of my day. If you do not have a garden, or if it is not bloom season,  most all grocery stores have bouquets available for purchase. Treat yourself to something you deem lovely. You will be happy you did.  Flowers nourish our spirits and our homes.  They add romance in a way nothing else can. Truly, a few blooms have magical powers. 

  Sunny Girl Peony, from our garden – Spring, 2017

In thinking of the little, but significant, details in our daily lives:  I think of one which technology has made easy to overlook – handwritten notes. We all have people we need and want to thank, or let know we are thinking of them. This detail can be easily addressed by sending a quick email or a Facebook message, but neither replaces a handwritten note. Aren’t you almost giddy when you see a handwritten envelope in your mail among all the junk ?  Sure you are, and so is everyone.  So, purchase some pretty note cards or create your own, and write to thank someone or let them know you are thinking of them. You will add romance to your day, by knowing your thoughtful note will enhance the quality of their day. It is rather like the old saying, “the scent of the rose remains on the hands of the giver.” 

                                                         “Letters Mingle Souls” – John Donne

Next, one easy and definite way to add a little romance to the day,  is through the preparation of a lovely meal. You do not have to be a fabulous cook to create something beautiful, as well as marvelous tasting. Such as roasted chicken with baby potatoes, and a salad of mixed garden greens. Set a pretty table, uncork the wine, and light the candles. Instant romance!

And, while the chicken is roasting, what could be more lovely than a luxurious bath or a long steamy shower? Sprinkled with some marvelous smelling lotions and potions, of course.  

Oh, but I am not finished. Do you remember, back in May I wrote a post about beautiful linen, specifically French linen? visit here  A bed dressed with beautiful French linen, is a marvelous bit of romance we can choose to enjoy everyday. And, Saphyr Pure Linen is gorgeous French linen.  visit here

All this being said, I had promised another ‘Giveaway’ of this beautiful linen at some point during the fall.  Well, fall is here, and actually it is slipping away rather quickly. So let’s get the ‘Giveaway’ started.   To enter simply list 3 reasons you would like to win a Standard/Queen set of Saphyr Linen Fresh White Pillowslips. You can do this under the comment section at the bottom of this post or under the contact section  and it will come directly to my email.  All entries must be received by the end of the day on Tuesday, November 7, 2017. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, November 8, 2017.

 

I hope you have received a bit of romantic inspiration today.  It is, after all, the little things which make such a difference in our lives. And, by being mindful, we can add such romance to our ordinary days.  Therefore,  “living vitally and beautifully all the days of our lives.”

Wishing you and yours a beautiful week !

 

Au Revoir,

Sandra

 

 

Photos: Pinterest, Saphyr Pure Linen, M.S. Lambiotte

Notes:  This post was not sponsored by Saphyr Pure Linen.  Although, I greatly appreciate their assistance with use of photos and information regarding Saphyr.  All photos used in this post are with permission of Saphyr Pure Linen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 thoughts on “Romance of the Ordinary

  1. Love the quote…how so very true! … The French know how to savor every detail in their home and in life…gorgeous linen…I recently bought a new bed and have been searching for the perfect linens..these would grace the bed so beautifully….I have some French linens and it is so beautiful that it is hard to settle for anything less….Having beautiful linens in your home just makes your heart sing…and who wouldn’t want their heart to sing every day! Thanks for the opportunity to win such things of beauty!

    1. Shirley: You are correct, the French truly know to pay attention to the details, and the linen from France is special. Thanks for visiting – good luck in the Giveaway!

  2. Oh, Sandra, what a beautiful post! Yes, I get a true thrill when I receive a hand-written note, especially when the writing is executed with style such as calligraphy. So special. These linens are sumptuous! 3 reasons: 1) I don’t own any 2) anyone who loves their sleep (who doesn’t?) doesn’t know the joy of good fabric until they’ve slept on linen and 3) I would use them in my guest room – how lucky would my guests be? Thank you for the opportunity!

    1. Rita: Thank you for your kind comments and I love your reasons for wanting to win the Giveaway. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 8 – keep your fingers crossed!

  3. Sandra, I love seeing your beautiful blog in my inbox! It doesn’t take much effort to bring romance into our everyday! Your suggestions are perfect…from flowers to the hand-written note! And French linens are the epitome of beauty and romance! What a fabulous give-away! Gorgeous linens make the end of the day so special to sink into the luxurious feel! I love how they look on the bed, how they feel, and how they make everyday more special!

    1. Pam: Thank you for your sweet comments and you, my friend, are such inspiration to me. Maybe you will be the lucky winner of the pillowslips. Have a great week!

  4. Sandra, You already know you and I share our devotion and appreciation for Alexandra Stoddard and her outlook on life, but I appreciated seeing her quote and your thoughts on how to make life more beautiful in the daily details.

    I would love to win your lovely pillowslips because:
    1) although I love my soft cotton pillowslips, I don’t own any linen ones;
    2) they would create a gracious detail for sleeping;
    3) I hear from you and others they are worth experiencing.

    1. Thanks Brenda for your kind words. Alexandra Stoddard certainly does remind us of the little things that are so important.

      You have certainly listed some great reasons you would like to win these lovely pillowslips. Cross your fingers.

  5. I love this post. I have never had French linen bedding! I would love to win these. 1. I have heard so much about how comfortable they are. 2. They are beautiful! 3. Anything French is fabulous!

  6. Hi Sandra, Well, I simply couldn’t let your generous offer of possibly winning a pair of Saphyr pure linen pillow cases, slip past me. Thank you for your beautiful blogs, inspirational words, recipe shares and all the lovely daily photos. It is such a simple joy to look forward to. As for why I would like to bestowed the honour of winning elegant and natural French linens, where should I start – there are so many. Let me try my best to narrow it down.

    1. After your lovely introduction to Saphyr, I went on-line to their website to learn more about their products. It is a beautiful site; however, I was disappointed to discover that they don’t ship to Canada. I spoke to a lovely lady who said one day this might be possible. I offered to be a tester and provide future testimonials on their wares for a potential Canadian market ?.

    2. I imagine sleeping and dreaming on luxurious linens would be more like sunlight and clouds rather than just regular pillowcases and sheets. ? + ⛅️

    3. In these sometimes difficult times, my eyes have been opened to the world of kindness, love and grace. I realize how precious life is everyday and I’m passionate about creating the best time ever for myself, my family and friends. Sandra, You are motivating me in so many ways, that you don’t even realize. I share your love for so many things, including elegant French linens. You’re a gift to so many of us. ? ?

    4. Bonus reason: I often suffer with insomnia – French linens could possibly cure me ??

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