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I spent the last day of my Nebraska trip visiting dear friends that live on a farm near Seward. I have visited them many times, but each time I visit I am impressed with the stunning beauty of their home and surrounding landscape.

Allen and Lynn are both artists. Allen farms and Lynn teaches at Concordia University in Seward.

Allen designed and built this house during the winters from 1996 to 2000. His background in sculpture and farming influenced the design of the house and are inherent in the form and materials. Poured concrete shapes create the main structure of the house inside and out. The cement surfaces are raw and unfinished, reminiscent of natural stone – honest and powerful! Corrugated metal commonly used in farm and storage outbuildings connect and enclose the sculptural cement forms. The façade is interrupted with windows of traditional glass and others of recycled glass bricks. The tension in the overall design is at once dynamic and classic.

There is nothing shy or reticent about this structure, it stands as a monument of commanding presence in the wide open country and sky of the Great Plains.

Most of the inside walls are concrete, the floors are recycled slate from old school black boards that Allen cut into large tiles. The entrances are detailed with polished black river rock set into cement. The furniture and art are contemporary and the overall effect of the interior is subdued and elegant. Allen and Lynn worked together to design the interiors and the yard and garden.

One of the joys for me as an artist and designer is to enjoy the unique vision and work of other artists. What a pleasure it is to visit Allen and Lynn’s and see the beauty in the work of their hands.

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While I recently visited my hometown of Falls City, Nebraska, Kathy Martin, Jannie McNeely and I made the short trip to an account of mine on the way to the little town of Rulo.

Here out in the middle of the country is a historic red brick, one-room schoolhouse, beautifully preserved inside and out and filled to the brim with beautiful products and gifts. Betty Majerus is the designer and owner of this rare jewel of commercial enterprise. I am sure that she draws customers from the four-state area and more.

Betty also sells fresh flowers and has a seasonal plant nursery outside. WOW! What a unique and beautiful shop!

I love this elegant gift shop and I am very proud that Betty sells my line in her store.

Also on a side note, my mother taught in a one-room country schoolhouse eleven miles northwest of Falls City while I was growing up. I went to mom’s Christmas plays, school picnics and to several regular days of school. Those were precious days for me and I still cherish these memories. My visit to The Nursery School was rich indeed for me

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My daughter Caitlin had her birthday this month and I had fun preparing a small dinner party to celebrate. I was so happy that she and her friends wanted to come to my house for dinner!

The weather was still beautiful so we served cold cilantro-lime shrimp, cheese and fruit on the kitchen deck. We moved inside to the kitchen table for dinner. It is always festive and informal to eat in the kitchen where most of my parties end up anyway.

I brought in my darling little lemon thyme trees to decorate the dining table and put a large arrangement of white Japanese anemones on a side table. The beautiful fall arrangement of scented geraniums, rose hips and deep violet Dahlias was a hostess gift and graced the corner cabinet close by.

My menu was a lightly smoked salmon grilled with lemon parsley butter, mashed potatoes, green beans, caprese salad and “eggs in a cloud of herbs”. This egg recipe is in an earlier blog if you want to try them. They are one of Caitlin’s favorite. I make these eggs for holidays and many times when I entertain.

Good food, flowers, and most of all, family and sweet friends make a lovely evening to enjoy and remember. Caitlin and her friends left full and happy.

Meet me in Oregon City on Saturday, November 3, 2012 so that I can sign your Margaret Furlong angels and ornaments from 1:00 – 2:30 PM.

Mary, the owner of My Mother Knows, started selling our line this year and we want to join her at her darling store to start off the joyous Christmas season. It will be festive and fun!

I will also sign and give away 2” Joy Angels to the first ten customers who make a purchase from our angel and ornament selection. I am grateful to be sharing my joy with you at My Mother Knows. See you there in a couple weeks.

November 3, 2012    1:00 – 2:30PM
My Mother Knows
1105 Linn Ave.
Oregon City, OR 97045
Phone: 503-518-1952

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After our event at the library I was invited to Carol James’ annual fall party.

The photographs start in the front yard, through the great room/dining room and out to the back deck and yard. Carol attended to every exquisite detail herself. This lady is a gifted designer and her party was as good as it gets – elegant – inside and out!!

Carol’s food was perfectly delicious, beautiful, and extravagant.  What a perfectly lovely backdrop to visit with old friends and meet new ones. It was the best party and I had so much fun.

Wow, I wasn’t expecting to experience world class design and entertaining during my visit to my little home town in Nebraska. Thank you, Carol!!!