BY SUE CARRAHER FOR L MAGAZINE / COURTESY PHOTOS BY AIMEE POOR
It’s time to celebrate!
That’s the message from James Farmer, a Southern author, interior designer and gardener, who was the guest speaker at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals’ Third Annual Dish & Bloom Luncheon on April 26 at the Country Club in Lincoln.
Farmer, known for his ability to create beautifully familiar and welcoming homes, shared the importance of not waiting for big occasions to celebrate. He recalled a family party to celebrate when he made his high school tennis team. He recently commemorated the flowering of foxgloves in his garden with a special gathering. Farmer noted that after two years of the pandemic, the celebrations have taken on new meaning and greater significance.
That notion gave Farmer the idea for his new book, “Celebrating Home,” which is slated for release in August. For Farmer, a house appeals to all the senses: the pleasantries of colors and materials, the feel of the doorknob warmed by the sun, the smell of fresh laundry, the sound of the door closing and the taste of supper. on the table.
People also read…
Dish & Bloom guests had the opportunity to purchase Farmer’s current book, “Arriving Home”, during lunch, where they also got to meet him at a book signing. The Loft by Lee Douglas Interiors offered a pop-up store with an abundance of fresh decor and gift ideas.
As part of the lunch program, former Madonna patient Amanda Snook shared her story of rebuilding her life after a spinal cord injury in 2017. While a car accident robbed her of her ability to walk, Snook refused to let her injury define her. The busy wife, mother of three sons and office assistant from Fairbury, Nebraska, was crowned Mrs. Wheelchair Nebraska in 2020. She regularly mentors patients who are finding their ‘new normal’ following spinal cord injury .
The Madonna Foundation sent special thanks to event sponsors Dish & Bloom Marilyn and Paul Dongilli, the Loft by Lee Douglas Interiors and Nebraska Nursery and Color Gardens. Members of the Dish & Bloom committee included Marilyn Dongilli, Mary Ann Hedderman, Britta Muhleisen, Michael Murphy, Lauren Pugliese, Alison Ritter and Julie Smith.
