My dear friend Nancy  celebrated  her 75th Birthday in late November and we threw her a surprise  party at one of my favorite restaurants  in Baltimore, the Bygone, located  in Harbor East. Nancy  and I  decided on the date and time together which fortunately gave me plenty of   time to collaborate with her daughters who created and sent out gorgeous  invitation by snail mail.

Since the Bygone has a 1920s theme, coming in period garb was suggested but not mandatory. I encouraged Nancy to wear the Roaring 20s outfit she had worn for Halloween. The creativity and variety of costumes were impressive and the restaurant, with it's Art Deco theme and spectacular views was a worthy backdrop!

Yet as the time of the  party drew near, Nancy began to ask about changing the day and/or the time of the celebration.  She thought only the two of us were going and seemed confused that I was so adamant about keeping it at the designated time. 

Everything worked out well and she was  undoubtedly surprised.  Later she said it was the best birthday of her life so the efforts were certainly worth it!

If you live in Baltimore, or plan to visit, the Bygone's spectacular views,  scrumptious cuisine and superlative customer service  and attention to detail will provide the perfect setting for your most memorable moments!

Yesterday I presented an overview of my course scheduled for spring at Renaissance Institute!  It was wonderful to see so many friends and hear about the other presentations being offered! The amount of creativity and talent in this world never ceases to amaze me! 

I'm presenting Seeds, Roots and Routes - 
Our lives are rich with miraculous seeds - a thought, a smile, a class . . .  Roots gather nutrients to help seeds grow. We will explore stories, legends and symbolism, protection and  conservation, paintings, songs, short videos to illustrate parallels to our life experiences and journey. Bring a journal to reflect on your life’s seeds, roots and routes - past, present and future.

When I journal, I add seeds at the bottom of the page. A seed may represent a new friend, a class, an idea, etc. When I review my pages at the end of the year it's interesting to see which have flourished, which have remained dormant and may sprout at a later time, and which are best to let fade away. 

Decades ago I attended a Brownie registration event in a church basement. I wanted to enroll my oldest daughter, Mycala, in a Girl Scout Brownie troop but they didn't have a leader. I was somehow recruited and loved working with the girls. That led to numerous volunteer positions and I was later hired as a training specialist, then adult education director. The seeds sprouted into numerous friendships that are alive and thriving today! 

My training in Girl Scouts was superlative.Francis Hesselbein, our CEO, raised the bar on every aspect of leadership. "Peter F. Drucker, the founding father of management, proclaimed Frances Hesselbein “the best CEO in America.” “She could manage any company in America, even General Motors, and do a great job,” Drucker said."                                            ~ Management Matters Network

When she was called to lead the Girl Scouts, Hesselbein sent all the troop leaders to a leadership training program at Harvard. She believed that it made the leaders feel better about themselves, commenting, “We thought they deserved to go to Harvard that they were the best.” 

That seed provided me with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to deliver fun and effective training with SMART goals and objectives,  always using the experiential learning cycle as the base. 

One unexpected experience in a church basement changed every aspect of my  life, leading me to complete my masters in training and become a certified instructor of trainers. It provided me with the opportunity to work with women and girls who were striving to live up to their best potential. 

Watching the girls in my Girl Scout Brownie troop, and others in our community, grow into community leaders has been a joy! Continuing friendships and experiences with women of sterling character has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. 

The seeds of opportunity are everywhere. Have you had an experience that changed every aspect of your life? Please share in the comments below! 

 The lights in the harbor in Baltimore are always spectacular, but the city really lights up when Light City Baltimore comes to town! It's an event I don't miss - one of my favorite city  spectaculars! This is the third year and every year the displays vary. 

You are probably all familiar with  today's Hidden Treasure, but what  you might  not know  are  some of it's  hidden virtues! I've always thought of it as a place to go  to exercise, but it is so much more! Last evening my friend Hal Gamber invited me to an event at Cafe Troia in Towson, MD, to learn more about the Y (YMCA). 

Yes, there are buildings located throughout the area. The Orokawa Y in Towson is located at 600 W. Chesapeake Avenue. But their services spread far beyond the four walls of the building. They are committed to contributing to a "stronger, healthier, more connected community for all".

Here are a few thing you might not know about the Y. 

• 380,000 meals served in Y Head Start and Community Schools  so children can focus on learning and not be hungry.
• 6,400 volunteers give of the their time in community  service.
• 26,800 children and adults given Y Open Doors financial aid or grant support.
• 3,000 backpacks donated so students and go to school feeling confident. 
• Over 300,000 people participate in Y programs and membership enabling a sense of belonging,  purpose and well-being. 
• 2,600 young children  in Y Preschool and Head Start get a solid foundation for school and life. 
• 175 high school students experience civic leadership in Y Youth and Government. 
• 4, 150 youth keep  active and full of happy discovery throughout the summer at Y Camp.
• 105  youth who experience homelessness nurtured and taught life skills. 
• 11,800 seniors engaged  in healthy Y activities that combat disease and loneliness.
• 475 youth supported by caring members who help them feel loved and worthwhile. 
• 9,600 young children taught to swim  and enjoy the water safely.

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With so many programs and services being cut through recently,  it is a comfort to know  that there is an agency providing quality support and community connection! For more information, visit the Y in Towson. 

The Bygone, located at 400 International Drive,  invites you to "step back into  the roaring glamour of days passed." It has a 20s flair, and  is billed as Harbor East's most elevated and exciting dining experience. You enter the Four Seasons Hotel lobby and take the Bygone elevator to the 29th floor for a spectacular view, creative and delectable dishes and  phenomenal service!
Two weeks ago, Carrie and Izzy came from New Jersey and took me to the Bygone for brunch. On Sunday, John joined me for a return visit. It's fantastic! 
I wore my vintage dress with the Baltimore Oriole print (see below) and we spent hours enjoying the view while we dined on the finest and freshest seafood, fruits and vegetables, and delectable pastries. It's an experience you'll  always treasure! 

The heavy drapes in the sewing room have been replaced with sheers for the summer - a perfect back drop for playing with the gorgeous silk batik scarves from my neighbors, Hatai and Sue! 

Most of the scarves are geometric patterns but there are a few one-of-a-kind batiks featuring animals and landscapes. They are all such special treasures and I will be very thoughtful in how I use them in future projects. 

From May 18, 2014

On the morning of the race, I felt well prepared. I had purchased my hat for the Preakness weeks before the race at the Downton Abbey exhibit at Winterthur in Delaware. I waited until the day of the race to purchase the flowers to decorate it, hoping for them to be as fresh as possible. The Black-Eyed Susan is the state flower of Maryland, as well as the official flower of the Preakness, so I was certain that local florists and farmer's markets would be abundant with fresh blossoms to adorn my hat for the day's race,. There wasn't a Black-Eyed Susan to be found. Well, at least not of the floral variety.

There weren't even any silks available. I purchased a garland of daisies and hurried home to paint the centers with acrylics, thankful that it was a quick drying paint. Next year I'll be prepared, and may even try to force some blossoms for the event. 

Even California Chrome, the winning horse, was deprived of the thrill of wearing an authentic garland of the official flower.  Instead his 10 foot long, 4,200 bloom blanket was made of golden yellow chrysanthemums with black in the center. 

Numerous people, including a local florist, told me as recently as the day of this year's race, May 17, 2014, "the flowers used for the race and the blanket that covers the winning horse are daisies with the centers painted with black lacquer or shoe polish."  However, more reliable sources state they haven't used that technique for over fifteen years. 

Susan Reimer, a reporter for the Baltimore Sun, noted that the archives of the Sun first mentioned the Black Eyed Susan taking the place of the rose blanket for the Maryland Preakness race in the late 1930s. "In 1939 the Sun described what it said was a blanket of black-eyed Susans gracing the neck of Preakness winner Challedon. Racing writer Jesse Linthicum said the change gave the race 'a real Maryland flavor'." 

As far as the origin of the daisies with the centers painted black, Reimer reveals the beginning and the end of the mystery. The Black-Eyed Susan, a wild flower too delicate to hold up to the technique of being woven into a blanket and remaining fresh and hardy for a couple of days, doesn't even bloom until late June. "It was Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Price Day, writing in The Sun in 1946, who revealed that florist and devoted horse lover George Cook had been painting the center of yellow daisies with shoe black for years. He'd made every blanket from 1928 to 1953, and he died just days before the 1954 race." 

The choice of the Black-Eyed Susan is in honor of it's position as the official flower. The state legislature of Maryland officially endorsed the Black Eyed Susan as the Maryland state flower in 1918. There are thirteen petals, as there were thirteen original colonies which included Maryland, and the black and yellow beautifully represent the colors in the Maryland flag. Admittedly, other than its untimely debut and fragile nature, it is a worthy choice for the official Preakness flower!

In February a dear friend's mother died. I created a comfort journal to help her process her loss and give her comfort while remembering her loved one. Since then I have made several more but this is my favorite - probably because her mother's favorite flower was the rose.  The comfort journal provides quotes, writing prompts, and a list of ideas for self care. I asked her a few questions about her mother so I could customize it - her favorite color, flower, song, etc. If you have a loved one who has lost someone dear to them and likes to journal, you might want to make a comfort journal for them. 

A friend asked where I find my information on herbal legends and lore. I'be been collecting for decades, following my grandmother's example. Her journals are filled with articles, recipes, and notes. She was born in 1900 and there are pages dated from 1918 forward. Many of her notes are stained from use and the journals are falling apart, but they are priceless treasures to me!

She also gathered cards, booklets, etc, including give aways from stores. One of my favorites is a 50th anniversary edition from the Valley Rural Electric Co-op, Inc., celebrating President Franklin's Rural Electrification Order 7050. 

I started collecting longer ago than I care to admit, and have 3 ring binders and journals filled with hundreds of articles, notes, and sketches. And now the internet is brimming with information, though a lot of what I've collected isn't on line - yet! I'm continuing to sketch almost every day and so on it goes!