Very pleased to meet you. Welcome to my blog. My name is Melissa, “Missy” to my family and oldest friends, and I am the writer of A Handful of Spinach.
I live in North Carolina with my wonderful husband of 31 years, Ron.
This is our oldest daughter, Andie and her family. Andie is a graduate from UNC-Wilmington and recently took a sabbatical from teaching middle school Science. Jonathan is finishing up his post doctorate degree at Vanderbilt University. They are moving soon to Illinois as Jonathan just accepted a professorship at Illinois State University. Andie and Jonathan have 3 children. Mason, Daphne, and Daisy.
This is our youngest daughter, Lydia and her family.
Lydia, Cam, and Harley are living with us right now and it is such a joy to have a little one in the house again. Harley is a very happy 10 month old and she is walking already!!! She took her first steps as a 9 month old. I couldn’t believe it!
We share our lives with two very spoiled dogs. Fred is our Basset hound. He ain’t nothing’ but a hound dog and “cries all the time!” He is very slobbery and sheds like nobody’s business. Lily is somewhat of a snob. She is our Cockapoo and because she is so sweet and cuddly, she has gotten to be the most spoiled of all. They are getting quite old now. Fred is 12 and Lily is 11. Fred doesn’t like to walk much anymore. It’s all I can do to get him to walk a quarter of a mile or so.
Here on A Handful of Spinach, you will find many vegan dishes and cooking ideas along with my journeys as a marathoner and fitness lover and recent breast cancer survivor. (I’m calling myself a survivor even though I haven’t even gone in for my mastectomy yet.) I’ll also share some of our hiking adventures, minimalism efforts, and happy grand-parenting escapades. All this as I humbly serve Jesus!
Welcome to my world! Hope you like it here….
Hi Melissa, love the story/pics of Chalet Suzanne. It was a walk down memory lane for me as my grandparents started working at the Chalet in 1950 (shortly before I was born in ’51). They continued working for Mrs. Hinshaw until the mid 60s so I spent many hours on site playing with the Hinshaw children, eating many wonderful meals and seeing visitors from all over the world come in. Fortunately as an adult I was able to visit several times over the years and was so sad when I heard the Chalet’s era was coming to end. Thanks for reminding me of good times!!!
Awww, so glad you found that post. I was also so sad about the Chalet closing. I’m very glad to have these memories. It was a magical place!