Sharing Some Secrets
(and you can share them too!)
Van Gogh’s “Cafe Terrace at Night” —some say it’s a secret rendering of Jesus’ Last Supper (what clues do you see?) Check out this cool article about secrets hidden in great artworks!
Pssst! Hey there, friends!
Do you wanna know a secret?
I struggle with keeping secrets—the good kind, anyway. When I hear someone’s happy news, I want the world to know, right away, preferably from me. I have to remind myself that it’s their news to tell, not mine, so instead I walk around with a big smile on my face and hope people will GUESS what’s going on. Does a friend or family member have a new job? New house? New significant other? Could be!
Here are some secrets I feel totally fine about sharing with you…
VIDEO: SECRET CODES
During the spring and summer of 2020, when we were all locked down, I was asked to be part of a very cool project called Faith Finders Fun. Seven of us took one day per week each, to come up with a topic and activity for families to watch and do together, and then make a video. I was assigned “Random Saturdays.”Here’s my video about secret codes and the origin of the Christian fish symbol!
TABLE-SETTING SECRET: Here’s a well-kept secret from the Habsburgs (who ruled the Austro-Hungarian empire back in the day.) Steve and I loved our time in Vienna, which was the empire’s seat of power, and we were so impressed by the royal dining room in the Sisi Palace. A fascinating feature of the Habsburg table—the Imperial folded napkins. This intricate fold is an Austrian state secret (really). I’ve watched YouTube videos of folks attempting the famous fold, and concluded that, sadly, it will never be a feature of the Seyfried table. Here’s what the finished product looks like, if you want to give it a whirl:
STORY: OUR MOST MEMORABLE RESTAURANT
Here’s a story I wrote years ago for The Chestnut Hill Local, about our discovery of a “secret” restaurant in the Poconos, whose amazing chefs had no interest in fame or fortune. After my article came out, I was contacted by the Liebs’ children, who informed me that their parents, sadly, had passed away. I will never forget Alan and Ronnie’s kindness to us when we were young, broke and hungry, just as I will forever remember their culinary artistry…
WEATHER SECRETS:
The Farmer’s Almanac has been predicting the weather with an impressive 80% success rate (let Accu-Weather top THAT) since its founding in 1792!! How do they manage that? It’s a secret!
BLOG PREVIEW: Tomorrow over at Working Title, I’ll be writing about nesting (all kinds). This post is inspired by the nest some intrepid birds are trying to build in my office windowsill…annoying? charming? still trying to decide…
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“The deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation. You are not discovering yourself, but creating yourself anew. Seek therefore, not to find out Who You Are, but seek to determine Who You Want to Be.”
―Neale Donald Walsch
It’s no secret—I love creating this newsletter for you. Enjoy your week!