Hi there! Happy Wednesday.
As a testament to the wonderful reviews on the web of Dear Carolina, I had lots of comments this past week. I promise we were fair and impartial with the drawing. {Not to sound overly cheap, but I just couldn’t bring myself to pay Rafflecopter $13 for one drawing; if I hosted giveaways with regularity I’m sure I’d feel differently} The winner is:
Sheila, of My Kentucky Living Congratulations! Send me your mailing address (you can find my email at the top of the header on my blog page ‘CONTACT US’) and I’ll send you the book.
Now on to a bit of personal business. I’m taking a little break. There’s been a health setback for Mr. B. Nothing we can’t handle, it will just involve surgery and some recovery time and I want to be sure I’m focused on getting him back in the saddle, so to speak.
Earl of Eglinton and Winton
I’m going to my happy place with positive thoughts, battling stress and worry. I hope you won’t forget me, and that you’ll revisit in a month or so once we’re back to the new normal.
Meanwhile, I read a useful article on “40 Little Things in Daily Life that Bring Us True Happiness”.
See you in a bit. Keep my place in line, okay? 🙂
♥Karen
Garden, Home & Party 
Anita Rivera said:
God bless you dearest Karen, and may your husband be well, may your happy place always be your heart, wherever you go. LOVE THESE PHOTOS! Hugs to you, Anita
Karen B. said:
Thanks so much for your kind and thoughtful words, Anita. We really feel good about our doctor and fortunately, Mr. B. is optimistic that while there may be a period of adjustment, he’ll be good as new a few months from now. xo
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 2:08 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Rebecca said:
Always look forward to your posts whenever they arrive..focus on what is important…we all can wait. Going through similar stuff…why is it so hard to get older?? Health to you and yours, r
Karen B. said:
Rebecca, The weird thing about age is that we feel young but our bodies have other ideas at times! 🙂 Thank you for *keeping my place in line*, it truly warms my heart. xo
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 3:27 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Ann Marie Gent said:
Stay strong, keep the faith, sending prayers your way.
Karen B. said:
Your prayers and good thoughts are so appreciated, Ann Marie. xo
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 3:54 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Jayne on Weed Street said:
Karen, Stay positive and continue shedding your positive spirit on those around you and bask in the reflection back to you. Of course your place is saved – right at the front of the line!
Karen B. said:
Jayne, I’ll be enjoying my list of ‘must read’ posts daily. Thank you, your supportive words give me additional strength. [?] xo, Karen
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 5:21 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Charity Hughes said:
Sending prayers and positive thoughts your way. Someone so wonderful deserves nothing less!
Karen B. said:
I’m so touched by the kindness of so many. Thank you, Charity! xo
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 5:34 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Jeannine said:
Keeping a good thought for your husband (and you, too). All shall be well. Thanks for all your sharing – I so enjoy your posts.
Karen B. said:
Jeannine, Thank you, I believe that too…all will be well and we’ll be stronger on the other side of this. I’ll be back soon. xo
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 5:55 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Chronica Domus said:
We’ll be here when you return. Now, go attend to Mr. B. It sounds like you are emotionally armed to deal with anything, in the best possible way.
Wishing you all much luck for a speedy recovery.
Karen B. said:
CD, Thank you for your kindness and friendship (virtual is just as important as someone living near by!) Fortunately, Mr. B. and I are feeling very good about the doctor and are confident that he’ll be back to good health in a short while. xo, Karen
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 7:29 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Michele said:
I so enjoy opening your emails. I wish Mr. B a speedy recovery and some time for recovery for you as well. The role of the caregiver can be exhausting. Best wishes to you both.
Karen B. said:
Thanks, Michele. Mr. B. is a pretty good patient, hopefully he’ll be a low maintenance patient. 🙂 Either way, I’ll do my best as his Florence Nightengale. Thank you for your kind thougs and always encouraging comments.
xo,
Karen
Leslie @Pretty Petals said:
Oh Karen .. hang in there and I’m sending light energy your way. YEP, excellent thought to leave your readers with. It’s all about how we choose to see ourselves and our lives. Take a deep breath ..often. xxL
Karen B. said:
Thanks, Leslie. I really do feel a positive energy going forward. I appreciate the extra good vibes from sweet readers like you! xo, Karen
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 8:22 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Vicki said:
Of course we’ll hold your place in line. I’ll be thinking of you and Mr. B. often, and sending you all good thoughts and prayers that this goes as smoothly as possible. The little things list was very sweet and sounds so much like you.
Karen B. said:
Vicki, Thanks so much, positive thoughts and prayers will keep us in a good light. I hope it will go as we expect and we’ll both be back in the saddle in no time. [?] xo
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 9:43 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Gretchen said:
Karen, I had to stop reading the many touching comments from your loyal readers because tears were falling on my iPad. With all this positive energy being directed your way everything has to turn out great!
Your quote from Lupytha Hermin reminds me of something we’ve talked about many times – attitude is everything. It’s not what happens to us in life, it’s how we choose to react to it. You have always managed to maintain a positive attitude and continue to be one of the most optimistic people I know. I admire that more than you know. We’ll all help you and Lyn get through this.
Karen B. said:
Gretchen, You are so sweet and more a sister than a friend, but you know that. I know we’ll be fine and Lyn is actually ready for this to be behind him and he feels good going in, so we’re bound to be good as new (kind of) sooner than later. It is due to the wonderful friends (virtual and otherwise) that one survives the curve balls in life, right? xo, Karen
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 1:13 PM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Linda Coble said:
Karen,
I had to stop reading the loving and supportive comments from your readers just as Gretchen did because I was crying also. I agree that attitude is everything and you’ve always had a very positive attitude. It will serve you well in this challenging time.
I always look forward to your posts and e-mails and I’d be more likely to stop breathing than to forget about you. You and Lyn will be in my thoughts daily until the surgery and recovery are behind you. Then it’ll be time for a long delayed celebration! Hang in there, dear friend. All your friends are with you.
Karen B. said:
Linda, I know with you and Gretchen, the sisters I never had, we’ll be fine. We are feeling very good about the doctor and DaVinci (the robot)! xo, Karen
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 1:41 PM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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D'Arcy H said:
Karen, I’ll be thinking of you and Mr. B. I hope all goes well and according to plan. I’ll be waiting for your next post when everything’s OK. As Bette Davis said, “Old age isn’t for sissies!” Don’t forget to take care of yourself, too!
Karen B. said:
D’Arcy, So true…it’s a marathon and we all pace ourselves for the finish line! 🙂 We are going to be happy to put this health rollercoaster behind us. I will be reading all of my friend’s posts during this, always inspirational and entertaining. Thank you. xo
On Wed, May 20, 2015 at 5:45 PM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Donnamae said:
Of course I’ll wait! Hope everything goes well with Mr. B.! See you later! 😉
Karen B. said:
Thanks, Donnamae. See you in about a month. 🙂
On Thu, May 21, 2015 at 6:53 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Victoria • Restoring our Victorian said:
UGH!!! The anxiety that surrounds bad news about the health of our loved ones is the WORST. Sending you hugs and best wishes for his speedy recovery and smooth sailing!!!!
Keeping you both in my thoughts, we will be here when you get back!!
xoxo
Karen B. said:
Thanks, Victoria. We all know how quickly the time will fly and Mr. B. will be healthy and I’ll be thinking, what am I going to post about!? [?] xo, Karen
On Thu, May 21, 2015 at 7:57 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Trish said:
Hello Karen! Thanks for dropping by. Like you, have been gardening through the drought. Very few peonies this year. Picking and choosing what to water! Hope all goes well..so sorry that you have had this on your shoulders. Best wishes, Trish
Karen B. said:
Trish, Thank you for your kind words regarding Mr. B.’s health concern. We’re very optimistic all will be well.
The drought has been hard on so many of our plants. Here in Southern California we’ve enjoyed a few drops of rain each week for the last 3 weeks. I hope it continues. Any bit helps. I have planted some Iceland poppies and petunias and they are very happy. Maybe they like to be thirsty! The petunias, in particular have thrived—not usually a favorite flower, but if you select the right pale shades of lavender and some white, they’re quite pretty.
Great luck on your new “job” as salesperson! 😉 xo, Karen
On Thu, May 21, 2015 at 1:42 PM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Karena said:
Dear Karen, wishing your husband many thoughts and prayers to get well soon! Sending your wonderful quotes to my 15 year old granddaughter!
Try to have a relaxing weekend!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Karen B. said:
Karena, Thank you for your kindness. I hope your granddaughter appreciates that quote as much as I did upon discovering it. It’s my point of reference when I feel overwhelmed and it never fails to bolster my resolve. Enjoy the long weekend. xo, Karen
On Fri, May 22, 2015 at 6:47 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Linda Wilson said:
I will miss your blog each week but you and Mr. B will be in our thoughts daily. I believe in the power of positive thoughts. Things will go smoothly and he will be back to being Mr. B. real soon. We love you guys….Linda W
Karen B. said:
Linda, Your positive thoughts mean more than you know. Thank you for your friendship and care, its very much appreciated. xo, Karen
On Fri, May 22, 2015 at 10:39 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Carla Wilson said:
Of course you are positive! I have known you forever dear friend and your grace and strength enables you to face anything that life can toss your way. Our prayers..good thoughts and help with anything you need will be there for you and your Mr. B. All our love for you both!
Karen B. said:
Carla, Thank you for the love and friendship you and Tom have always given. xo, Karen
Sent from my iPad
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cindy hattersley said:
Sending positive energy for both you and Mr. B. You are such a wonderful person Karen. You will be in my thoughts
Karen B. said:
Thank you, Cindy! We sincerely appreciate the good wishes we’ve received. xo, Karen
On Sun, May 24, 2015 at 7:01 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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leslie harris said:
Karen you are always missed when you aren’t posting. But I totally understand that that there is an ebb and flow to our blogging depending on what’s happening in real life. How is your husband doing? I hope the surgery went smoothly, I’m sending you all positive prayers for a speedy recovery. Thank you for your thoughtful comment on my blog too. I always love hearing your perspective.
Taylor Greenwalt said:
I’m so sorry to hear about Mr B’s health problems, it must be going around! Will be here in a month…don’t you worry!..Congrats to Sheila!
Loi Thai Tone on Tone said:
Hello Karen,
I am sorry I missed this post, and hope Mr. B is better. (We’ve been in Maine where our internet is not the most reliable). Keeping you both in my thoughts. Take care!
xo
Karen B. said:
Thanks so much, Loi. Getting older isn’t for sissies! [?] He’s going to be fine, but he will be in the hospital for 5 days. Uck. Have a wonderful summer, can you believe it’s getting close. Where has the year gone? xo, Karen
On Tue, Jun 2, 2015 at 10:19 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Anita Rivera said:
Good morning Karen! How I loved this post when I first saw it and how I love it again. That puppy! That quote at the end; yes, we decide and make the choices but the results can be GOOD! AND…thank you so much for coming to my blog post. I am revived, happy to be connected in this way again, and OH! I am loving Instagram and seeing your gorgeous shares there!
Enjoy your weekend! Anita
Leslie @Pretty Petals said:
Karen, I hope your husband is on the mend so you two can enjoy the summer together. Keep us posted! Thank you for stopping by to say hi:) xxL
Leslie @Pretty Petals said:
Good Morning Karen! Hope all is well in your neck of the woods:) Thanks for popping over. Enjoy your day! xxleslie
The Lady's Life said:
Much love and good wishes for you and Mr. Karen. 🙂 xo, N.
leslieharrisakagwenmoss said:
Hi Karen, I been thinking of you and wondering how your hubby is doing. Hope you’re enjoying this break and that every day gets a little better for your husband. I miss seeing your post go thru my feed. 🙂
Karen B. said:
Hi Leslie, Thank you so much for asking about hubs…we feel very lucky, thanks to a very good doctor and a robot, he’s been feeling very good. He’s back to his routine and we’re thrilled. He will have one round of chemo, but it is supposedly needed and the doctor said its tolerated better than most treatments. All good.
xo, Karen
Sent from my iPad
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Leslie @Pretty Petals said:
Happy Friday Karen! I hope you have a nice relaxing and things are improving in your neck of the woods. We are in the midst of a PNW heat wave .. not used to the heat so it’s no fun. Thanks for always visiting 🙂 xxL
Loi Thai Tone on Tone said:
Hi Karen! Miss you!! Hope your husband is doing better. Want to wish you all a happy 4th ahead. xoxo, L
Dawn said:
Oh, my! Somehow I missed this post, Karen. I have just been scrolling back to check on you. I’m so relieved to read that Mr. B. is recovering and that you are staying strong through all of the challenges. You two are such a great team!! Keeping you both close at heart… always. Sending extra hugs! ♡ Love, Dawn
Karen B. said:
Thanks, Dawn. You know the cliche—what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! We’re both pretty optimistic…Mr. B says I won’t allow him to be anything but positive. Probably true. 🙂 xo, Karen
On Wed, Jul 8, 2015 at 6:15 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Dawn said:
Stay strong!! Positive thoughts are great medicine. Sending you both an XXL dose of positive thoughts, wrapped with lots of hugs! ♡
Linda said:
Where can I purchase the ‘Her’ poster
Karen B. said:
You can visit Kristy’s site to see if there is a poster. I don’t know if there is one. This is her book cover.
Karen
http://www.kristywoodsonharvey.com/