Hello dear friends,
Thank you for all of your wonderful birthday messages. I truly appreciate them. I am coming to you with The Chic Assignment Check-In for July.
Chic Assignment no. 1 André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra. André Rieu has done a wonderful service to the world of classical music. I am linking another stellar performance of The Beautiful Blue Danube. Mr. Rieu's Johann Strauss orchestra provide such joyful performances to watch. In today's video I also go over the life of Johann Stauss II, who was known as the "King of Waltz". I would love to know... did this month's music selection also bring you joy?
Chic Assignment no. 2 We explored the world of Emily Dickinson this month and if you haven't already seen my unexpected Emily Dickinson makeup and hair tutorial, you can check it out here.
If you would like to know more about Emily Dickinson's life, here is a short documentary that I found interesting on YouTube.
I read Emily's poem, A Bird came down the Walk in today's video.
A Bird came own the Walk (328)
by Emily Dickinson
A Bird came down the Walk—
He did not know I saw—
He bit an Angleworm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw,
And then he drank a Dew
From a convenient Grass—
And then hopped sidewise to the Wall
To let a Beetle pass—
He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all around—
They looked like frightened Beads, I thought—
He stirred his Velvet Head
Like one in danger, Cautious,
I offered him a Crumb
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home—
Than Oars divide the Ocean,
Too silver for a seam—
Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon
Leap, plashless as they swim.
Emily often wrote about nature and, even though she was a homebody and actually spent the majority of her latter years never leaving her family home, she loved the garden and observing nature as is evident in this poem, with its keen observations. I hope you enjoy our discussion of Emily's work in today's video.
Chic Assignment no. 3 Be mindful of (mindless) snacking. This month, I noticed the times when I did mindless snacking. I tend to mindlessly snack when I am stressed, tired (at the end of the day), or when I fail to plan properly for meals. Chapter one of Lessons from Madame Chic discusses this in more detail. I would love to hear your experience with mindless snacking.
Chic Assignment no. 4 Give a compliment. Did you give a compliment this month? How did the recipient respond? How do you respond when you receive a compliment? I received a compliment from reader, Lisa R. below:
Dear Jennifer,
I saw your challenge for July. Or, maybe it was June, and I am late to the party! :) Well, either way, here is my compliment: You have done a wonderful job setting up your YouTube channel. It is a benefit to women and I have learned a lot from it. By way of explanation, I am a Mom of 7 who has *no time!* for anything. Yet, I find myself watching your videos and feeling very encouraged to make the time, for my sake and for my family's. It is worth it. Thank you. What a lovely gift you are giving to others.
Many thanks,
Lisa Ramirez
Thank you, Lisa! I am grateful for your compliment!
I am grateful for all of the compliments and kind messages I have received on the blog and (I know I say this all the time), but THANK YOU to everyone who has written to me on my author website. I am so sorry that I am not able to respond to the majority of the emails I receive. I'm just in that busy season of life with my children and have to minimize computer time. Thank you so much for understanding.
News
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📍Thank you to my dear friend, Nikki Moreno, for designing the end cards for my YouTube video. Nikki has a wonderful YouTube channel and Etsy shop. Be sure to check her out.
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At Home with Madame Chic in Portuguese...
Comment of the Week
Sherry H. writes, "Excellent presentation! When my grands were younger I used to spread a picnic tablecloth and set out food similar to that being consumed in whatever story we were reading. My grandchildren adored the preparation and eagerly anticipated reading time. To this day they recall those story times with fondness."
Hi Sherry, I loved reading the memory with your grandchildren. That type of quality time is what memories are made of. Thank you for leaving your comment!
I hope you enjoyed this check-in. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. I will see you soon!
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4 comments:
In addition to giving a compliment, it's also fun to do something unexpected for someone. Last week while volunteering at church, one of the women, a mother of three young children, was so desperate for a certain coffee drink but had no time to get one on her way to work. Before I left, I told her I was going to the nearby coffee shop and would get one for her and drop it back by. After giving it to her, she was so incredibly grateful and told me that I made her entire day. Sometimes simple gestures mean more to someone than you can imagine. ☕️
Hi Jennifer,
First, I like having the "check-in" just a little later like this, gives us more time to do it if we haven't done it by the 15th.
1. I also enjoy Andre Rieu's performances, and just today my 5yo Granddaughter sat in my lap and we watched that performance, and then another one of his with a little girl (Amira) singing. My GD started talking about how she would like to go to one of those performances, "Will you take me?" So we'll look for orchestra performances in the near future!
2. From "Emily Dickinson Poems for Youth", I was tickled by "Dear March, come in!" especially the line: "Who knocks? That April! Lock the door!" So funny and clever! Have ordered a used copy from eBay, since this was from the library.
3. Snacking. The worst is when I eat in the car coming home from the grocery store... pick up a little secret "treat". That is when the crumbs drop onto my lap... I am going to try to stop that!! Not chic at all!
4.I'm sorry to say that I only gave 1 out-of-the-ordinary compliment. It was to a young lady in a dress. A modest dress. She said thank you and hurried on by. I looked and looked for someone else to compliment but it's amazing how sloppy people dress, or else they go all-out to look sexy. No compliments for that. I did see one lady with beautiful white hair all twirled up in the back and set with a beautiful sparkly barrette, but she was too far away to say anything to her. I do compliment my grand-daughter constantly when she comes for tutoring. She just beams and giggles and bounces in her seat when I give her a "star" for perfect letters. She gets lots! :)
I've pre-ordered your book weeks ago, can't wait to read it!
I also love Nikki's creative videos. So glad you two are friends.
God bless you Jennifer, you are inspiring to me.
Dear Jennifer,
I love your books, you are such a lovely and inspiring person, you project an aura of peace and kindness, and I really appreciate this in people. Thank you.
I'm reading "At home with Madame Chic" now (the third book of yours and the third that I read) and I'm having a great time with it. I discuss them all with my husband and he "knows" you too a little bit. We have fun each time together talking about your perspective because we "get" it quite well. Plus I find your books funny and laid back and they are delightful to read.
I'm from Europe (and my husband too) but live in the US now and I'm also a housewife, no children. We do have a very spoiled and needy cat. :) I'm very much into arts and foreign languages and French is one of them. So this is another reason to love your books. My maternal grandmother, the one that raised me, was very much like your Madame Chic. Grandma had the greatest influence into my life so I really understand your books and all the points that you make in them. You are so right, we need loveliness, manners and content into our daily lives.
We love classical music too, love Andre Rieu. He's very appreciated in Europe. Since I'm a introvert and quite a shy person, I loved to read about Emily Dickinson's life and poetry. Thank you again.
Regarding compliments, you are right. It's lovely when one can offer a little beautiful fragrance around so to speak. And when we receive. It's nice and pleasant.
I also love your videos, you have a very keen sense of style/fashion and what works for you.
God bless you and your family. Have a lovely day! (we are neighbors, I'm in Orange County, Ca.)
Mia
Frenchcaligirl- I would have been so happy to receive that surprise coffee drink. What a gift!
Deborah- I'm glad you like the later check-in. Here I was stressing out that I was late! :) I loved your updates and it sounds like your granddaughter has a lovely time with you!
Mia- Thank you for your delightful check-in! I really enjoyed reading your updates and to hear from a fellow Californian with a European perspective :)
I look forward to doing the August check-in with you, ladies!
Jennifer xx
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