Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th Friends,

I live a wonderful, prosperous life here in America. Unfortunately, there were times my mind was closed but fortunately, enlightened, as well. I have felt the pain of loss, and the exuberance of winning. I have had relationships go bad, and have started up wonderful new ones. I am an American, and thankful every day that I was born into the abundance that is America.

How fortunate am I to have the medium available to me to be able to express this to you, as well as, receive messages from friends and loved ones, in the peace and tranquility that America is today. We are truly blessed.

Happy Birthday America. I for one, am proud to say I Am An American.

Enjoy this Independence Day in the warmth of home, the love of family and the company of good friends...

Have a good one from your friends at Interior Desgin!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

1st Day of Summer!

Courtesy of The Old Farmer's Almanac

Hi Friends,

We love Summer and wanted to share some information and great ways to celebrate the season with you. First, lets get information on the summer solstice facts—plus, fun ways to enjoy summer!

The timing of the solstice depends on when the Sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator.

The word solstice is from the Latin solstitium, from sol (sun) and stitium (to stop), reflecting the fact that the Sun appears to stop at this time (and again at the winter solstice).

In temperate regions, we notice the Sun is higher in the sky throughout the day, and its rays strike Earth at a more direct angle, causing the efficient warming we call summer.

This summer solstice is the day with the most hours of sunlight during the whole year; check your local Sun rise and set times—and how the day length changes!

Now, 10 Ways to Celebrate Summer...

How will you celebrate the solstice and all that extra daylight? Here are 10 ideas plus, some "summer essentials" from the Almanac.com General Store!

1. Light a bonfire: The solstice day was traditionally celebrated by dancing around the bonfires. Check out our dramatic fire bowls and fire pits.

2. Go fishin': We love to get out on the water. Consult our free Best Days for Fishing chart—plus, tackle-box and bait tips.

3. Plant a seed or a tree: Traditionally, to the farmer, the solstice is the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvesting, and an occasion for celebration. Browse our neat seeds kits and containers.

4. Cook outside: There's nothing as tasty as grilled food. Have a big cook-out on the solstice. Get a taste of our mouthwatering Grilling and BBQ sauces.

5. Camp: Plan a camp-out to enjoy the great outdoors whether it's a tent in the backyard or a cabin in the woods! Check out the camping store page for some fun ideas. Don't forget the best natural insect repellent on Earth to enjoy the outdoors in peace.

6. Listen to songbirds: We love our feathered friends. Attact birds to your garden with our beautiful bird feeders.

7. Get pampered. Midsummer Day, near the solstice, was said to make old people look younger. It was also thought that walking barefoot in the dew would keep one's skin from getting chapped. Summer certainly does cure the winter dries. You can also check out popular gardener's lotions and fisherman's soaps to soften calloused working hands. There's even an "annulment of time" rejuvenating cream!

8. Let the light in! With all this extra daylight, hang one of our gorgeous suncatchers or decorative accents for your window or porch. Here is the Almanac suncatcher, shot in our town of Dublin, NH, against the backdrop of Dublin Lake.

9. Read a book. Temperatures rise and lazy days ensue. Relax on the beach or the porch and read up on gardening tips, natural health, and more. See our great books and guides.

10. Watch the night sky! In ancient Egypt, the new year was celebrated when the star Sirius rose around the time of sunrise. This roughly coincided with the summer solstice and the annual flooding of the Nile River. Click for our free monthly Sky Map and explore the night sky from your own backyard!

Enjoy these lovely hot Summer days...

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Happy Father's Day!

Courtesy of SendOutCards

Happy Father's Day Friends,

Today is the perfect opportunity to show our loved ones how much they mean to us, not only on Father's Day but every day of every year.











Enjoy this day with the people most important in your life, family and good friends...

Check back for more creative ideas and enjoy all the timeless treasures of Father's Day; the warmth of home, the love of family and the company of good friends.

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Happy Memorial Day!

Hi Friends,

We Will Remember Them - The ones that we've lost still go with us in spirit. In the faces of Family, their presence still lingers. In the dreams they once nurtured they still shape our future. In the hearts that embrace them, they live on forever. At daybreak and nightfall, as long as there's memory we will remember them.

Thinking of you this Memorial Day and sharing The Ultimate Sacrifice poem by Joanna Fuchs.

The Ultimate Sacrifice:

We set aside Memorial Day
Each and every year
To honor those who gave their lives
Defending what we hold dear.

In all the dark and deadly wars,
Their graves prove and remind us,
Our brave Americans gave their all
To put danger far behind us.

They made the ultimate sacrifice
Fighting for the American way;
We admire them and respect them
On every Memorial Day.

By Joanna Fuchs

Happy Memorial Day from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Happy Mother’s Day!

Hi Friends,

Dedicated to all our wonderful Mothers from your friends at Interior Design - May you enjoy as you are celebrated this Mother's Day with warmest thoughts and special wishes.

A Mother's Eyes

A mother's eyes so often shine with laughter, joy, or tears....and with the pride of seeing children blossom through the years. A mother's lips give kisses, cautions, praise, and good advice. She shares her faith and values through hard work and sacrifice. A mother's hands are busy trying to meet her children's needs, but quick to give applause whenever one of them succeeds. Throughout her children's lives, a mother plays a vital part. She is their shining star, their inspiration, and their heart.

Happy Mother's Day!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Courtesy of History.com

Hi Friends,

Cinco de Mayo gives us the perfect opportunity to share some information on the history of Cinco de Mayo, which we've shared with you below. Enjoy the read...

History of Cinco de Mayo: Battle of Puebla
In 1861 the liberal Mexican Benito Juárez (1806-1872) became president of a country in financial ruin, and he was forced to default on his debts to European governments. In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew, but France, ruled by Napoleon III (1808-1873), decided to use the opportunity to carve a dependent empire out of Mexican territory. Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large French force and driving President Juárez and his government into retreat.

Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez (1814-1892) set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a rag-tag force of 2,000 loyal men—many of them either indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry—and sent them to Puebla. Led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza (1829-1862), the vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez drew his army, well provisioned and supported by heavy artillery, before the city of Puebla and led an assault from the north. The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash.

Although not a major strategic win in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza's success at Puebla represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement. Six years later—thanks in part to military support and political pressure from the United States, which was finally in a position to aid its besieged neighbor after the end of the Civil War—France withdrew. The same year, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who had been installed as emperor of Mexico by Napoleon in 1864, was captured and executed by Juárez's forces. Puebla de Los Angeles was renamed for General Zaragoza, who died of typhoid fever months after his historic triumph there.

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico
Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely triumph occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration. Traditions include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla and other festive events. For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks and stores remain open.

Cinco de Mayo in the United States
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations. Chicano activists raised awareness of the holiday in the 1960s, in part because they identified with the victory of indigenous Mexicans over European invaders during the Battle of Puebla. Today, revelers mark the occasion with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. Some of the largest festivals are held in Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.

Confusion with Mexican Independence Day
Many people outside Mexico mistakenly believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla. That event is commemorated on September 16, the anniversary of the revolutionary priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s famous “Grito de Dolores” (“Cry of Dolores”), a call to arms that amounted to a declaration of war against the Spanish colonial government in 1810.

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Happy Earth Day!

Courtesy of National Geographic

Hi Friends,

In 1970 smog choked major U.S. cities and toxic waste flooded rivers. That same year nearly 20 million Americans participated in events on April 22, spearheaded by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, to draw attention to the environmental issues plaguing the planet and human health. Named Earth Day, April 22 has remained a time to celebrate restoration and stand up for the planet. Today we wanted to share with our friends...

It's Earth Day and we thank each and every person for doing your part.

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne