Valerie is a 42-year-old, single, Reformed Christian lady who lives in Baltimore. She doesn't remember a time
before she knew and loved Jesus, but she does remember accepting John Calvin into her heart in March of 2000.
Valerie is a member of Christ Reformed Evangelical Church in Annapolis.
Though her career aspiration is to be a housewife, Valerie has not yet found anyone suitable who wishes to hire
her for employment in that field (or, more properly, anyone suitable has not found her), so in the meantime she
earns her daily bread working in communications -- editing, writing, print design and website management.
Favorite Spots in My House
My piano -- I can't play, but can't bear the thought of getting rid of it. Where else would I put my greeting cards? My mother has a similarly neglected instrument at her house -- a pump organ rather like this one -- which also serves as a glorified greeting card display, so I guess it runs in the family. The "bouquet" is made up of peacock feathers, pussy willows, and a small bird's nest filled with feathers I've collected over the years, including a couple from the Saenzes' chickens.
A corner of my dining room -- In one of my all-time favorite Barlow Farms posts, or maybe it was in a comment, 'cuz I can't find it, Jon recounted catching one of his sons watching some silly program on which was sung, "Every day is Earth Day." Jon got the boy's attention and said, "That's not true, son. Every day is Christmas." This little corner shows my concurrence with its year-round display of a pile of Christmas-themed nesting boxes (which contain Christmas ornaments) and a nativity set like this one. The drawings are some of mine from college.
My kitchen window -- Most of the bottles are what I like to call "poor man's colored glass"...filled with water and food coloring. Most of the tabs on the curtains are still just pinned on a year or two after they were made. I'm just not terribly fond of sewing machines.... Though you can't see them, on the bottom sill there are also a couple of wishbones and some small stones, including little chunks of quartz, feldspar and mica I picked up several years ago on Gates Mountain not far from my mom's home in New Hampshire. These three minerals are the components of granite, which one usually sees much finer-grained, but my bits are about 1/2-3/4" each.
On July 20, 2007 12:55 PMBarbarawrote... I love the wall with the drawings! And I love colored glass, but I never would have thought to use colored water... what I great idea.
On July 20, 2007 6:19 PMCarol in Oregonwrote... Very nice. I bet those colored bottles draw the kids when they come over to your house. They are so appealing.
Carol, kids are usually in my house only when I'm having dinner guests, and any child who dared venture into my tiny kitchen while preparation was going on would be risking life and limb. So I don't know if any little people have ever noticed the bottles. Besides, the light only shines in that side of the house in the morning, and they're just not as pretty later in the day.
