Author: jennifer

90 Years

Musings on Life and Beauty



What does it mean to leave a legacy?

How do you go about building one?

Sometimes I think about questions like this, hoping that somehow my day to day living might add up to a legacy of worth that my children and grandchildren will appreciate years from now.

Ninety years ago my Grandpa Gill was born.  He remembers things that I never saw.

He remembers moving from Texas to California as a boy when the road was so narrow that cars had to pull off to the side so oncoming traffic could pass.

He remembers trying out for the football team without any cleats to wear.

He remembers his father abandoning his family.  He remembers poverty.  He remembers war.

He remembers my Mom as a little girl.

I am grateful beyond words for the gift of his life, for the privilege of having him still with us, for the blessing of having my children know him.  He lives in a beach house in Newport Beach California, just a few yards from the sand.  Each summer he opens his home to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren so they can come and visit.  It means the world to me that my children get to have the same summer vacation that I enjoyed as a little girl, in the same house, visiting the same beach, playing the same games, eating off the same dishes.  It is awesome.

I’ve been thinking about the legacy my Grandpa has built for us.

He’s given us the gift of the ocean.

He’s given me the gift of sunsets.  He pauses each day to walk out on the sand and watch the sun set.  I love that.  I’m learning to do it, too.  I can’t remember the last time I didn’t catch a glimpse of the sunset.

He’s given us a legacy of hard work.  He had nothing, but has worked hard all his life.  He has been a good steward, taking good care of everything he owns, making it last and keeping it functional.  He’s learned to live within his means.  He is, in a word, a classic example of many of the qualities his generation developed.  Born in 1920, he lived through the Great Depression as a boy.  Ninety years later, he still maintains his property meticulously.

He’s given us a legacy of service.  His service in the Navy during World War II was marked by bravery and a willingness to do his duty.  I love listening to his stories.  It’s fun to have a war hero for a Grandpa.

He is generous.  I love that about him.

He and I share a love of history.  We’ve read many of the same books and had some great discussions.  He calls me his Abigail Adams.

Two years ago I came home from Church when we were visiting him.  He had recently had surgery and wasn’t able to attend with us.  I went upstairs and shared with him some of the stories that were told.  I’ll always remember the tears trickling down his face as he listened.  They spoke volumes to me about his heart.

I could go on and on.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa. I wish I was with you in California today to celebrate.  You’re the best.

Love, Jennifer His favorite game is Aggravation and we love to play it with him when we’re in town.

2 comments

DIY Cedar Wreath

Christmas, Decorating

Sometime last year I saw a picture of a huge but very simple wreath hanging in a kitchen window for Christmas.  I loved it and for the past year contemplated how I could do something similar this year.  I didn’t want to just buy a wreath because 1.  they’re so expensive, 2.  I’ve never seen one as big as I wanted and 3. they look so… predictable.  There’s a pinecone wired in the same place on all of them.  (Not that I mind this, but it doesn’t induce me to spend money on them.)

And then the idea hit me.  I went to Costco for 25 feet of fresh cedar garland ($14.99) and then to WalMart for two 32 inch hula hoops ($5 each) A little bit of wire and here it is…




You’d never know there’s a yellow hula hoop beneath this beautiful wreath!


To make it, I simply laid the hula hoop on my table and put the garland on top of it.  I wired the garland to the hula hoop every 8 inches or so.  When it had come full circle I wired the ends together carefully and cut the garland.

I had enough garland to make two of them.  One is hanging in my kitchen window.


In the kitchen I tied a simple red bow around the wreath, then hung a mirrored bird hook from the wall and hung the hula hoop on the hook.


The second wreath is a bit fuller because I had garland enough to go around the hula hoop almost two times.  I added ribbons and a big bell to it, then hung it out on the front porch.  I love walking through my dining room and seeing it outside the window.


These wreaths are nearly 36 inches across, much bigger than any fresh wreath I’ve seen for sale.  I also like that they’re made of cedar instead of pine.  It’s a nice change in texture, color, and I love the floppy way it hangs.  It looks natural to me.


Two huge wreaths for $35.00.  The ribbons, bell, bird hook and wire were all things I had in my Christmas storage.  I love the way they look, and if the hula hoops hold up I’m using them again next year.


Hooray for an idea that worked!

Hopeful Homemaker shared here

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O Christmas Tree…

Christmas, Decorating



Last year I had this idea.  I wanted to decorate my Christmas tree with old clock faces.  I’m not sure why but I really like them.  I like their various shapes and sizes, their weathered backgrounds.  Plus, they’re circles.  How can you not like circles?

The problem was that I didn’t have any.  So here and there throughout the year I’ve picked up a few, and they’re now hanging on my tree.


I like the overall look quite a bit.  I’ll be watching for more in coming months so I’ll have a larger collection next December.  A simple piece of twine through the center hole in each of them was all I used for hanging.


My collection of bird ornaments were used to fill in the gaps, along with our monogram ornaments.  I keep these in my studio year round so we can use them for other things.


My husband has jokingly dubbed it the “time flies” tree.


I just smile.  I like the clocks anyway.

What do you think?
Hopeful Homemaker shared here and here

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