It's another beautiful summer day. I love the sounds of the mower and hearing the kids laugh and play through the open windows. It's a lazy kind of Saturday (not too lazy - I believe it will take us a lifetime to learn how to disengage completely!). Pete and our dog Beemer have gone for a ride to run some errands. So, I am just doing a little organizing. I am in what you call a "floating" or "wandering" mode, where there is no structure, you just simply move from room to room doing "a little of this and a little of that" when the mood strikes you. So, I am in the family room where the TV is and I dust the bookshelf and go through some old magazines and catalogs. Do we ever retire from de-cluttering? I decide to pour another cup of coffee and take a break. Since Pete isn't home, rather than news and sports channels blaring in the background, I have been switching between two of my favorite networks, HGTV and the Food Network. Two of my favorites on the Food Network, Giada and Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) have offered up a couple of delicious recipes. I make note of the Turkey Meatloaf and Ina's Cinnamon Buns and tuck them away as something I want to try. One is healthy, the other, not so much! But that's the balance we strive for, for Pete's sake! So, I switch to HGTV and they are running an ad for the upcoming fourth season of "HGTV Design Star," which premieres Sunday, July 19th. "Design Star" pares down thousands of hopeful contestants from around the country to ten finalists and one semi-finalist who is voted on to join the other ten finalists. The contestants compete in a design challenge each week for the ultimate prize - their own design show on HGTV. During the ad I noticed a contestant from Portland, Oregon. His name is Dan Vickery (click on photo at top left) and he grew up on a farm in Eastern Oregon. He seems like a really nice, down-to-earth, confident, but humble kind of guy. So, out of the shoot, I'm rooting for Dan. It will be fun to see his design ideas! Dan is 6'3" with a wingspan of 6'8", so with a "classic 8' ceiling in most homes," to quote Dan, he can do a handstand and plant his feet on the ceiling!
