Rose Cottage

 One of the simplest things you can do to welcome good fortune is spending a few minutes on your entrance and front door periodically!  My Purple Door Stand on your front walk, and look at your wall, porch and entrance Is the path clear and safe? (Opportunities flow) Is your address visible? (Can fortune find you?)  Greenery - are trees, shrubs and potted plants overgrown or in poor shape?  (Overgrown: too 'full' to receive more - dead branches or plants feel un-cared for) Is there clutter or trash? Is the porchlight in good working order? Doorbell? Does your door need a wash, or fresh coat of paint? If there's a mat, is it in good shape? Note anything that needs repaired, trimmed cleared or replaced.  When you're out and about, notice entrances and doors that appeal! Check out doors on Pinterest ( this board of Gwynne's has some lovely ones) When weather permits, go out for a 15-20 minute tidy! As I was preparing to sell my Galloway House, I did this frequentl...

 Gong Hay Fat Choi! Good wishes on the year of the Rabbit! We had a lovely celebration with over a thousand people at a local market and event center.  In addition to performances - a Lion Dance, Tai Chi demonstration, and  dragon puppet; there were stories and crafts for children, and history of Asian presence in our area.  In the late 1800s, the towns around us had a Chinese laundry, and the local paper reported several gatherings for the Lunar New year. Celebrating with family and friends was the heart of the festivities - and we certainly did. Lion dance at Mac Market One of my favorite personal activities is rolling Oranges! The words for 'tangerine' and that for 'wealth' sound similar, and the color reminds us of that of coins. My friend and Feng Shui practioner Gwynne loves celebrating Lunar New Years, and offers several practices: -   'Roll 88 cases, or 88, or 8 single oranges one by one through your front door (& every exterior door that enters...

 Feng Shui has long been an interest of mine.  Literally meaning 'wind and water,' we are invited to tune into our natural environment and notice our place in it.  As practioner Amanda Gibby Peters reminds us, our homes are always talking to us - are we listening? Here's her podcast on loving up your front door .  Beautiful brooms As the Lunar New Year approaches, there are still several things we can do in preparation to welcome the year of the Rabbit.  Shui holds that our front door offers opportunity for Chi (engy) to enter, and luck find us.  Take some time to clear & bless the entrance or 'Mouth of Chi' by clearing clutter by your front door, sweeping the steps & porch, making sure the door can open, street numbers are visible, & washing the door - or painting it!  Add a bit of salt and lemon or orange essential oil to the water - or peel from fresh citrus to the water, and wash away troubles experienced in the old year.  Shake o...