Morris Plains, NJ

Active Rain, a Very Special Place

Besides building our companies, getting to the top of page 1 on Google, garnering boatloads of SEO from blogging, I have found Active Rain has some intangible gifts one wouldn’t expect when you first join. People outside of AR might think it sounds crazy that we have this whole big network of friends who care, really care and are cheering us on during the good times and more importantly, there for us when the chips are down.

I have many friends here in the Rain who have been through some really tough times this last year, myself included. Deaths, divorces, illnesses, money struggles, floods, job lose and yet, almost daily we continue to blog. Some of us talk about it in our posts, others say nothing publicly, but we will call, text and email each other almost daily and share our personal stories.

The really special thing about Active Rain is we can talk about our hardships without affecting the people directly in our lives. It’s a safe haven, a constant source of support, an escape were we use our creative juices writing posts, commenting on our friend’s blogs while learning, laughing and sharing.

Active Rain isn’t something you can explain, you have to experience it. That said, you have to work at it like anything else, and then you’ll experience the real magic of blogging in the Rain.

One of the things I love most about living in Morris County, NJ is the 4 seasons. Nature is always adapting to the new climate and the sun’s position of the earth. Yes, I love those perfect sunny, 70 degrees days with the bluest of skies and not a cloud in sight, but I think I’d get bored of the same weather, colors, temperatures and landscape day after day.

Here’s a look back at the last four seasons as we move closer to another winter. For me cooler temperatures signal the beginning of the ski season, snowmobile riding and snow tubing with my family. I think if we all found things we could appreciate about each season, we wouldn’t complain so much, because there is beauty in every season.

Bleeding hearts, Robin's nests and Columbine are the first flowers that signal spring has arrived in Morris County...

Dahlias, fresh picked peaches, and Lolly-pop flowers signal summer has arrived..

Fall brings brilliant autumn colors and migrating butterflies....

Come December a winter wonderland arrives with its own special beauty...

Were you ever so caught up in the rat-race of life you missed the beauty of a season, or only saw the downside - snow, rain, extreme heat? I used to - fall would come and go and before I knew it the trees were barren and I'd missed the beautiful fall foliage. Now I pay attention....and aways have my camera with me for those stunning moments of nature's finest!

Do Stagers Take Their Work Home? This Morris County Stager Does!

One of the benefits of being a home stager/redesigner is having a large inventory of accessories: art, decorative pillows, throws, mirrors, candle sticks, floral arrangements and lighting at our disposal. One of the best storage places for some of these items is our own home.

My family never knows what our home will look like on any given day because I “Redesign” it every couple of months using my staging inventory. While I love Staging and Redesigning contemporary homes, my own personal style is more traditional. My home was built in 1915 and I have kept it true to that era with an updated feel.

My suggestion to anyone selling or designing their own home is to paint and buy furniture in neutral tones. That way you can change the color and feel using accessories, and you’re not locked into any one particular look or color scheme. Most of us get bored and don’t have the funds to redo a room every 5 years. If you stick to neutral tones, you can transform a room at a very small cost.

Now If I was selling my home, I would store 30% of my furniture to open up the space and highlight its architectural features. I would also take away about 30% of the accessories giving it a more streamlined, neutral look. But for living, I like to have photos, art and accessories which reflect who we are as a family.

So in case you’re curious to see what a home stager/redesigner’s home looks like, this is my home “staged” for fall.

And, when ever I just finish vacuuming, this is what my pup, Lucy does....every time!

Looking Back at Summer Photos

Today is the first official day of fall and while I look forward to the changing leaves, Oktoberfests, pumpkin picking, corn mazes and hayrides, (I’m truly a kid at heart), I thought I take a look back at some of my favorite summer photos. Hope you enjoy and feel free to add your own favorites in your comments!

Photo Inspiration from an Active Rain Member

I spent this past Sunday afternoon at a BNI (Business Networking International) picnic. It was held on a beautiful lake and as soon as I saw it, I thought of my very good friend, Gayle Rich-Boxman. She takes the most beautiful photos of her home town, Fishhawk Lake in Oregon.

She recently posted: Fishhawk Lake a Little Bit of History taking a spectacular photo of the lake with the most incredible reflection off the water. Gayle was the inspiration behind these photos...