Author Archives: Susan Rink
I see a lot of crappy photos these days and I blame the iPhone
Go to any company event, from an informal happy hour to a company-wide celebration, and try to find a camera. You won’t see one; people don’t use them anymore.
Postcards from the past: Charlotte Venita Merriman
It’s sad to think that, 100 years from now, our descendants won’t experience the thrill of reading a letter or postcard from the early 21st Century.
Blood orange marmalade — it’s like spring in a jar
You can only make so many batches of blood orange sorbet, or plates of blood orange and arugula salads before you find yourself wondering how to best preserve these wonderful and short-lived fruits for year-round enjoyment. Which brings me to Blood Orange Marmalade.
Sunday morning sew: When life gives you chickens…
I was so excited when I found an elusive “script” fabric online. Imagine my surprise when I opened the package and discovered that instead of a yard of cream-colored fabric, covered with elegant French cursive writing, I had received chickens. That’s right…chickens.
Sigmund Streebech: An American success story
My great great grandfather came to America around 1870 with little more than the clothes on his back, a trade and a desire to succeed, and managed to build what was, by all accounts, a very successful business.
Sunday morning sew: Bali table runner
Sometimes you just have to give into insomnia and devote that “found time” to something productive…and creative.
Escaping the winter blues at Longwood Gardens
Although I see shoots of green leaves sprouting from the ground, a signal that daffodils and crocus are readying their annual display, I’m still surrounded by bare tree branches and dormant shrubs. Clearly, I’m overdue for a day trip to Longwood Gardens.
The ‘Scrappy Trip’ continues
For what seems like the first time since the holiday season began in November, this weekend I had NOTHING scheduled for Sunday — no concerts, no neighborhood gatherings, no NFL playoff games — so I was able to spend nearly six hours sewing. Bliss.
The Ensmingers of York, Pa.
When mom and I began researching her family tree, she believed that the Ensminger name was an uncommon one, and that most of her relatives arrived in the U.S. from Alsace via Ellis Island. We quickly learned that her branch of the family could be traced back to 16th Century Alsace, and that her first Ensminger ancestor to arrive in the U.S., Peter Ensminger, landed in Philadelphia in 1733. So, no Ellis Island. Oh, and mom’s maiden name is not as uncommon as she thought.
Everyday Discoveries 