When Your Last Name is Kelley

April 3, 2024

When your last name is Kelley, observing St. Patrick’s Day isn’t merely an option; it is a time-honored tradition. After all, isn’t there a wee bit of Irish in all of us on this fun-filled day? It seems everyone seeks ways to connect with and honor their ancestral heritage, and for those of us with Irish roots, this annual occasion provides that opportunity. For as far back as I can remember, my family has marked St. Patrick’s Day in a big way. It all began with my mother, who unfailingly prepared corned beef and cabbage, made a green punch concoction, and bedecked our home with a plethora of shamrocks, leprechauns, and green steamers. I have faithfully upheld this tradition with my own family, and now, it’s my eldest son who carries on the tradition. He, however, ops for Dublin Coddle as the main dish (a traditional Irish stew with potatoes, sausages, and Guinness beer), and my contribution to the meal invariably includes Irish soda bread with currants and an Irish dessert. Learn More

We Were Upcycling, Thrifting & Repurposing Before it Became Cool

April 3, 2024

Upcycling, thrifting and repurposing vintage clothes, furniture, and décor is all the rage these days. You can’t open a magazine or peruse social media without stumbling upon someone upcycling something! It is common to see article titles such as, Thrift Your Way to a Cozy Home, or Upcycled Thrift Store Décor or some similar variation. I am not complaining, mind you; I think it is wonderful to keep as much as possible out of our landfills. Still, I must stifle a chuckle when I see this trend portrayed as a new, novel idea. Heaven knows, I have been practicing it my entire life. My mother never worked outside of the home, and my father always made enough for us to live comfortably, but there was never a surplus. My mother became very good at making something out of nothing, stretching a dollar to unbelievable lengths. She was a master thrifter. I can recall Christmas mornings when my brother and I unwrapped our presents and found gently used toys that she had scored at rummage sales (the forerunner to today’s yard sales). It wasn’t cool or trendy to purchase used things back then; it was more of a necessity. Learn More

Put a Little Love in Your Heart

February 15, 2024

Since Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, I thought it would be fun to delve into the origins of the holiday. Where did it come from? Why do we celebrate it? I fully expected to uncover stories featuring chubby, naked little cherubs flying about, launching arrows and sprinkling love dust on unsuspecting humans and Greek gods or something. I was in for a rude awakening when I discovered its actual roots. According to the much-respected History Channel, Valentine's Day began as a pagan, Roman fertility festival. Who knew? On this day, priests would sacrifice a goat for fertility and proceed to take strips of its hide, dip them in blood, and gently slap women with them. Yes, you read that correctly—they slapped women with them, gently, mind you, but slap they did. Supposedly, it was to ensure their fertility for the coming year. Wait, it gets better. Then, after being blood-slapped, the young women would place their names in a very large urn. All the bachelors would then randomly choose a name, and they would be paired with that person for the year. It's like the precursor to dating apps, I guess, but much more tenuous and with a lot less control. Learn More