Category Archives: A Quarantined Life

The Art of Friendship…& A Recipe For The Best Lemon Bars Ever!

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Marcia Ren

The greatest gift of life is friendship…and I have received it. Hello, sweet friends… At a recent garden tour I hosted… and shortly before my guests arrived… I placed a basket of personalized cookies that were an unique art form of me and my home. That is until my neighbor came early and was shocked that I was about to serve them. She exclaimed “those should be out in a shadow box!!!!’ I was in a dilemma…what was I to serve? I had prepared lemon bars as a backup and she said to me “you put those away…and I will … Read the full blog post →

Posted in A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Cooking, Garden/Tea Time | 4 Comments

Rose Castle Cottage…2020…& A Garden Tour

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Marcia Ren

The kiss of the sun for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth, one is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth-Dorothy Frances Gurney Hello, sweet friend… For several reasons I thought today would be a perfect day to share our garden. As you know shortly after moving into our home last September we were asked to participate in the 2020 garden tour. I felt honored & excited since the date of the tour coincidently marked 5 years since moving from California to the Oregon coast… With the concerns over the pandemic this year’s tour … Read the full blog post →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Garden/Tea Time, Together Apart, What’s Cooking? | 7 Comments

A Summer Haul & Cake Too!!!

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Marcia Ren

Bad vibes do not go with my outfit… Hello, sweet friend… Whether or not this month will include zoom calls…virtual workouts…or playing ping pong in our basement… I am looking forward to warmer weather…sunshine…opening up the windows…sitting on the deck and wearing comfortable summer-worthy outfits. Let me share with you a few items I recently purchased paired with those I’ve had to guarantee a comfortable quarantined summer. 👩‍🍳 What’s Cooking? Angel Food Cake with Berries I had so much fun making this dessert. I decided to make the angel food cake from scratch since there weren’t any cakes available in … Read the full blog post →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Cooking, My Style | 4 Comments

The First Week of Summer…Artful Living…& Strawberry Pie

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Marcia Ren

Summertime is always the best of what might be. Hello, sweet friends… Happy Summer! My calendar is littered with cancelled events & vacation plans…and has been filled with… nothing. But wait. There is still fun to be had… the adventure of discovering ways to enjoy this summer… coming up with ideas for how to entertain… social distancing gatherings with family and friends… while still staying safe. Now more than ever I am so grateful to live in an area surrounded by rivers…forests…and of course the ocean. This past week Joe & I visited Golden and Silver Falls State Park a … Read the full blog post →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, What’s Cooking? | 6 Comments

What I’ve Been Thinking…& Lemon Scones

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Marcia Ren

The more he gives to others, the more he possesses of his own. -Lao-Tzu Hello, sweet friend… As a child I never understood what my parents meant when they said “it’s better to give than to receive.” I now know that when I give to others I do this out of abundance. I have already received and therefore I’m able to give. I can’t give away something I don’t already have…and so I’ve learned to give when the spirit moves me knowing that it will be replenished. That being said…I’ve come to also accept that I can’t change the world… … Read the full blog post →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Cooking, My Style | 6 Comments

Summering At Home: What I Wear…& Lemon Sugar Cookies

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Marcia Ren

Keep choosing happiness daily and happiness will keep choosing you back. -Fawn Weaver Hello, sweet friends… I thought I’d share a few ‘go-to’ summer casual outfits I recently put together as I edited items from closets this past week. For now these simple casual pieces will work well for me as I look ahead and plan summer activities. 👩‍🍳 What’s Cooking? Lemon Sugar Cookies These lemon sugar cookies are so soft with a scrumptious perfect taste of lemon in each bite. I think once you taste these cookies, you are going to be baking them throughout the summer…I know I … Read the full blog post →

Posted in A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Cooking, My Style | 1 Comment

A Quarantine Life…Seizing The Spirit of Summer

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Marcia Ren

With Memorial Day behind us the unofficial beginning of Summer is upon us… Read the full blog post →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Cooking, My Style | 2 Comments

A Quarantined Life…Creativity…Let’s Make Pizza

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Marcia Ren

Many of us think in terms of creativity as making something. However did you know that the root word for creative is ‘to grow’ Read the full blog post →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Cooking, My Style | 3 Comments

A Quarantined Life…What I’ve Learned About Myself…(so far)

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Marcia Ren

Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all. Hello, sweet friend… There has never been a better time to get to know yourself —intentionally or not… This week I decided to take Joe’s suggestion and write about masks. I’m now realizing that perhaps he was referring to the cute ones I made… that being said… I’ve been able to see and experience another part of myself day-to-day…week-to-week in this whole evolution of quarantine time. It’s a strange revelation, during a time of social distancing, just how important a healthy relationship with yourself can be. As life pauses … Read the full blog post →

Posted in A Quarantined Life, Coastal Living, Cooking, Our Cottage, Together Apart | 9 Comments

A Quarantined Life…Memory of My Mother

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Marcia Ren

I have a wonderful memory that goes back to when I was in the third grade. Read the full blog post →

Posted in 2020, A Quarantined Life, My Style | 8 Comments