old is new, new is old

It’s easy to see in fashions. We notice the “hip” maxi dresses or the glamour look of the 40’s in those slicked back hairdo’s. The “old” styles come back around and become “new” again.  We go retro in our appliances. We harken back to warmer days with Bob Timberlake designs or mix the granny stove with the new granite and cabinetry.

Today, as I popped the top on some Chobani Greek Yogurt with only natural ingredients, I stirred it and thought.  Hmmm…this looks amazingly like what my daddy used to “mix up” and dip momma’s hot biscuits in. It tastes like it too. Think about this. Our family enjoyed sour cream mixed with preserves. What does greek yogurt with fruit on the bottom look like after you stir it? The same thing. Tastes the same, too!

To be honest, I was never a yogurt fan. I could eat it, especially frozen, but it was too wet and watery for me.  Hiatt and Haupt wrote an article for US News Health: Move over, regular yogurt. Going Greek is in, and this exotic option has elbowed its way onto refrigerator shelves everywhere. Most give a big thumbs up to its taste—tangier and less sweet, as well as creamier—but is it healthier than its conventional counterpart?

Yes, our Mediterranean friend—which is strained extensively to remove much of the liquid whey, lactose, and sugar, giving it its thick consistency—does have an undeniable edge. In roughly the same amount of calories, it can pack up to double the protein, while cutting sugar content by half. Those are “two things dietitians love,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian and author of The Flexitarian Diet. “For someone who wants the creamier texture, a little bit of a protein edge, and a sugar decrease, going Greek is definitely not all hype.” And it’s really got a following: In the past five years, Greek yogurt sales nationwide have skyrocketed, likely because it satisfies consumers’ needs for health, convenience, and taste, according to Nielsen, a global marketing and advertising research company.

I rest my case. Someone clever and probably from an earlier generation, decided that the old “sour cream and preserves” was tastier than yogurt.  So, instead of just mixing their own creamier concoction, they worked some magic and voila’, we have “greek yogurt” taking the market by storm. I am not surprised it is higher in protein and lower in carbs. The regular sour cream is a staple in a low carb diet!!

I often wonder why I like the HGTV show about renovating an older home to bring it back to it’s former glory. Rehab Addict recognizes historic properties that are diamonds in the rough!

Have you ever had someone bring something “old” into the house that was “new” to you? The first reaction could be “ugh”, why do you want that? Or it could be, wonder where that has been? Or, what are we going to do with that? Or, where can we put it? Or I guess I don’t mind it? Let it stay a while. We are constantly changing our environment, yet, it remains very similar to what we are comfortable with. Even though my sister “redecorates” regularly, it is always in a style that “looks” like her.  I could pick out what she has done in a “line up” outside the door, before I get to see what’s new!  In fact, that would be fun.  Think about it. If someone had a small photo book of 5 different “living room” remakes. I guarantee you that I could choose the one she purchased before I walked into the room.

How? Because I know what she has liked for 40 years. Her tastes and mine are diabolically different, yet similar. How is that possible? We love all things nautical and coastal. We both are drawn to boat flags and sea creatures.  Her take is crisp and classic. Mine is soft and whimsical. If I saw a padded sofa with ruffled pillows in a pastel sea blue, I’d know it was not hers. If she saw a navy and white checked sofa with red pillows, she’d know it was not mine.  Get the picture? 🙂  Yep, both of us could  live on a boat. Her boat would need to be newer and more practical, but we would both love it!

Do you have any idea why I love this building? The site, the texture, the function, the porches, the ground, the feeling. isn’t that double sided fireplace amazing? What a View from this windswept yard,with an ancient cedar tree shading families from bygone years. If that tree could talk, what tales it would tell!  This little place was built in the 1930’s and stands just as strong today on a charming point of land- sandy and storm tossed. I often wonder why I love the old, like it was the new.

When I see this, I think of how easy it would be to live here. Not many others see the same things or feel the same way. Do you see it? In the old and new?