Brigitte

The Family Cold

2012-01-25T22:39:00.004-05:00

We're all under the weather sharing a family cold. Wish I could stay in bed all day, watch TV, and sip Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup from a mug. It's a childhood favorite that still hits the spot on snuffly days. Sadly, it's not an option in the middle of the work week. Hopefully this weekend we can just chill out at home with a giant box of Kleenex on hand.

Image: Andy Warhol, Campbell's Soup I Chicken Noodle, 1968

Photo Booth Fun

2012-01-24T22:06:00.003-05:00

Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?

I've been down to London to visit the Queen.

Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there?

I frightened a little mouse, under her chair.

Year of the Dragon

2012-01-24T07:48:00.004-05:00

I'm not one to follow Chinese Astrology, maybe I don't get the idea of everyone born in a year sharing the same sign. It could also be that I didn't like what was in my Chinese horoscope for this year. It included overwork, possible death in the family and domestic accidents. Just grim. Give me good old groovy Age of Aquarius stuff.

On the bright, side dragons are very popular around our house, at least they have starring roles in our "plays". They tend to like to steal the baby bunny and take her home for dinner, as in the baby bunny is for dinner. But the mean dragon always thinks better of it and flies baby bunny home to her mommy. The dragon says sorry and it all ends well. Hopefully the year of the dragon thinks twice and is kind to us.

Bonjour Work Week

2012-01-23T22:05:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to be cheery this week but wish the snowy weekend had been longer. I really enjoyed how the snow shook up our weekend routine and made for a lazy weekend.

I like this simple poster. It would make a great reminder to greet each day. And if you're going to wake up and declare "hello day" why not say it in French.

Print available here.

A Winter Visitor

2012-01-22T09:58:00.005-05:00

This guy stopped by yesterday to steal seed from the bird feeder and grab a handout of horse apples. He is a regular and a member of our core backyard herd. His antlers make me laugh with their single points.

The chipmunk is tucked underground but the squirrels are still bouncing around and being extra squirrely in the snow. Our cat is loving that they and the birds come so close to the screen door to get sunflower seeds from the feeder. It's such a simple thing, but I love this little nature show that is playing out in our backyard.

Sledding and Snow Angels

2012-01-21T14:54:00.002-05:00

No Two Alike

2012-01-21T09:36:00.005-05:00

These amazing photos were taken by The Snowflake Man, Wilson Bentley. He is credited with taking the world's first photomicrograph of a snow crystal on January 15th, 1885. He captured over 5,000 images of snow flakes during his life time, revealing to all of us that indeed no two are alike.

Read more about Snowflake Bentley here or here.

It's here, the snow is here!

2012-01-21T08:42:00.002-05:00

Finally! You can still see some grass peeking through but a least there's snow and it looks and fels like winter..

Where is Winter?

2012-01-18T07:46:00.002-05:00

I'm sure a lot of people are happy with the unusually mild weather here in the north east but I could personally use a snow day.

I'm really hoping to get a snowman, some sledding and a few snow angels in this year! Here's hoping winter kicks in for a few weeks. I'm ready to go out and do a snow dance.

Escaping a Few Pages at a Time

2012-01-10T07:59:00.006-05:00

Over the holiday I finally started a real book. Actually re-started. I had already read the opening chapters of Kafka on the Shore a while back and was really intrigued, but the hard cover book is too much to lug around.

It's such a nice luxury to lie in bed and read from a nice fat book instead of off a screen. Now that I'm back to work there's less time to slip away into Haruki Murakami's strange tale but I'm trying to get in a couple of pages when I can and clear my mind in this fictional escape.

What are you reading now? Do you have a favorite author or book that transports you from the everyday?

A Fresh New Year

2012-01-03T07:52:00.003-05:00

2012 is all shiny and new and full of promise. I'm taking it easy on the resolutions so I don't get frustrated, but I've started a To Do List of things I want to accomplish. I'm including tasks that range from super easy to really difficult, and trying to include stuff that requires no money at all and things that will take some financial handiwork. I'm going to start on the easy and medium stuff so I can gain momentum, cross things off my list and feel like I'm accomplishing things. And not just serious stuff, but fun and inspiring activities. I'm wondering what everyone else is doing for the new year? Are you making resolutions? What's on your list for 2012?

Poster available at Keep Calm Gallery.

Here's to a Spectacular New Year

2012-01-01T23:51:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a wonderful year ahead.

Dolomites photo by KevinKunstadt.

Life in Miniature

2012-01-01T21:51:00.006-05:00

One of our last adventures of 2011 involved entering a miniature world. My little one donned her Thomas and Friends conductor hat and we headed to Northlandz. This roadside attraction in Flemington, NJ houses the world's largest model railroad. It's a funny contrast, "the world's largest" and the miniature scale of this constructed world.

We've gone by it many times and never stopped. I decided to go when my daughter mentioned ice skating again. I couldn't think of anything else and the thought of getting on the ice again made it seem worth a try.

I'm glad we did. It was amazing to look at and lots of fun to experience with a four year old. The play on scale was a neat experience, it is both tiny and huge at the same time. The seemingly endless tracks and diminutive scenes were imaginative and remarkable in their detail. The displays are worn in a few places which went unnoticed by the little one and added to the feeling of an old style roadside attraction for me. It certainly felt like good old fashioned fun.

Small scale worlds were a bit of a theme this holiday. I also ended up watching Small Mercies, a Midsomer Murders mystery in which deadly intrigue and a model village mix. Tiny worlds are definitely fun with or without a murder plot.

Ice Skating is for Kids

2011-12-30T11:40:00.006-05:00

The first thought I had when I pulled myself and my four year old onto the ice at our local rink was "I'm too old for this.", then "What was I thinking", then "One of us is going to get hurt!"

Well we survived and made it around the rink two and a half times before the free skate was over. Doesn't sound like much, but it's quite an accomplishment when your clinging to the boards and pulling a little one up off the ice every few seconds.

Miracle one was that I didn't pull her arm out of its socket, miracle two, I didn't break a hip and miracle three, she wants to do it again. I have to say I was really proud of her tenacity. Before we went in she said "to skate you push, push, glide" when we left her new skating motto was" when you fall down, you just get back up".

Thankful for Friday

2011-11-18T07:38:00.005-05:00

The sun is out, it's crisp, the remaining leaves on the trees are a vivid yellow. Hurrah a fall weekend lies ahead. Looking forward to preparing for the holidays.

And I have to get two bags of bulbs planted while I still can. Not my favorite gardening activity but I be glad I did in the Spring.

The beautiful yellow leaves in the photo are actually in Vermont. Photographer unknown.

Try This at Home: Mini PearTarts

2011-11-16T20:00:00.004-05:00

I want to try this recipe at home during my Thanksgiving break and enlist my four year old to help. I think it seems like a pretty fool proof recipe and a four year old's touch should prove interesting. Even hilarious.

See the full recipe at Oh Joy.
Photos by Michael Graydon. Styled by Nikole Herriott.

Harvest Tables

2011-11-15T07:32:00.008-05:00

Sitting down to dinner at any of these tables would be a treat. Time to start thinking what's for Thanksgiving dinner.

The majority of these tables are set up outside. Would you eat Thanksgiving dinner a fresco?These look great, but I'm sure if I tried this at home, the temperature would drop or the wind would pick up.

Monday Inspiration: Geniuses All

2011-11-14T20:00:00.002-05:00

A generous sentiment from a real genius. Here's to climbing less and swimming more.

Poster available at society6.

Meow On

2011-11-11T07:23:00.008-05:00

These rock and roll kitties took me right back to the joys of vinyl, liner notes and album cover art. Oh and they reminded me of some great music I haven't listened to in a while. What a brilliant twist on the familiar.

You can see more of Alfra Martini's revamped album covers at The Kitten Covers.

Leaf Jumper

2011-11-07T22:36:00.003-05:00

Fall Back

2011-11-07T08:04:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was a nice long day that allowed us to get a lot accomplished. Dinners for the week. Some over due gifts wrapped. We made a play-doh rainbow together. Two bushes were planted before it gets too cold. A massive pile of branches and sticks made their way to the curb. Garden gnomes were tucked away for the winter. And best of all leaf jumping. We raked just enough leaves to jump in and then enjoyed the fun.

I kept thinking some people are running a marathon today (people I know!) and felt like I should be accomplishing more. Then again, even with an extra hour, there is just so much time in a day.

Home Time

2011-11-04T07:40:00.002-04:00

Looking forward to some real down time at home this weekend. Hopefully the weather holds (as in no snow storms) so we can spend some time in the yard.
There are still two bushes to plant and a big bag of bulbs that need to find a spot. The boxwood needs trimming and there are pots to be stored. Hopefully this will be the last of the yard work for a while.

Oh and leaves to rake. We haven't had the chance to jump in leaf piles yet this year.

This is Going to Hurt Me More Than You

2011-11-03T10:13:00.004-04:00

My little one is in the dental chair today getting her baby teeth filled or as they say at her kid friendly dentist "getting rid of the cavity creeps". Yesterday was one of the those parental lows. I felt awful when the cavity count came in, a parental failure.

She has a beautiful smile and brushes her teeth regularly which was not enough to overcome the fact she still drinks milk at bedtime. The cavity creeps took advantage this nighttime snack - big time.

Now I'm in a waiting room while my little one faces the world of dentistry. I'll face the bill later. Luckily, we have dental insurance and the balance, I'll view as my penance for those night time warm bottles and any skipped brushings.

Now, I'm just sitting here worrying if she's okay. Parents have to wait outside because they cause more anxiety than comfort. Yesterday she had so much fun during her check up and was thrilled to go back this morning. I'm hoping she doesn't walk out and look at me with a "what did you do to me" face.

Her tooth brush is in my hand bag and from now on I'll be sticking it in her mouth every chance I get.

Monday Inspiration: Break the Rules

2011-11-01T08:31:00.005-04:00

I know it's Tuesday, but I found this today and I'm using # 24 on the list as my excuse to post it. Hmm, breaking the rules is fun.

A Wintery Halloween

2011-11-01T08:09:00.003-04:00

The drastic weather from this past weekend had me scrambling to find a warmer Halloween costume for my daughter. Her butterfly costume was set aside and instead she made the rounds as a "baby witch" in a very over sized hat. I in a coordinating costume, went as the "mommy witch".

The funny thing was she didn't want to be in matching costumes. I had my witch gear left over from last year, so I thought she'd be pleased (and warmer) with her own witch costume. Well she was, but she stated very strongly that everyone should have their own costume and I should go as a duck.

Well I love her madly but that's where I draw the line. Even if I could have found a duck outfit, there was no way, I was going around the neighborhood as a giant water fowl. Hmm, was that witchy of me? Or her? I mean a duck, really? I wish I knew where she gets her ideas. They are so wonderfully kooky.

Image: ANDY WARHOL Witch, from Myths

To Fright or Not to Fright

2011-10-27T21:17:00.010-04:00

Do you like scary movies? Personally I'm not a horror movie kind of girl. I can probably count the number of scary movies I have willingly sat through on one hand.

I remember watching Bela Lugosi walk slowly towards his prey in Dracula (1931). I was at a friend's house and while our parents chatted away in another room, the Transylvanian import was wrecking havoc in England. This was a movie that would not likely have aired in our den at home. I remember that the female victims were light deer in headlights, mesmerized by his terrifying gaze. I, too was frozen in fear and thankful when my mom walked in and said it's time to go home.

Unfortunately, my new fear of vampires didn't stay behind, but came home in the car with us and settled in for good. Now, I worried that sounds at my window might be a vampire bat trying to get in and opened closets with the notion a terrifying figure in a black cape might emerge. I had no interest in joining or even rubbing elbows with the undead.

So now all these years later I still avoid scary at all costs. My list of "Scary Movies I Have Endured" is like a badge of honor, a list built on personal acts of courage and great determination on my part. So here it is the list of scary movies I've watched (at least the one's I have not completely blocked from my memory.) Laugh away you terror fanatics. You are braver souls than I.

Rosemary's Baby
The Birds
Godzilla
Coma
The Omen
Psycho
Jaws
The Shining
Poltergeist
Alien
The Others
Sleepy Hollow

What Lies Beneath

The Sixth Sense

I know, I know, where are the really scary slasher films? Hmm, not on my list.

Classic Jack-o' Lantern

2011-10-27T20:55:00.003-04:00

Of all the Jack-o' lanterns on google search this is my favorite. There are fancier ones, but I like how straight forward this one is. I'm looking forward to carving our own "classic" this weekend.

Is it Monday Already?

2011-10-24T08:28:00.003-04:00

The weekend flew by too fast as usual. We managed to squeeze in the dance class, soccer class, grocery shopping, laundry, etc. Other than that we mostly just chilled out at home which was fine with me.

Summer clothing needed paring down & packing up. And more bags were filled for the goodwill. I'm continuing my attempts at lightening our load and clearing space.

This week the focus will be on getting spooky and into the Halloween spirit.

Boo!

Hurray for Friday

2011-10-21T07:53:00.005-04:00

It's been one of those weeks and I couldn't be happier that it's Friday. I'm trying not to over plan the weekend but there's a ton of stuff I'd like to get done.

I've got huge to do list of chores, but I'm also trying to come up with a fun fall outing for us. What are your favorite Fall activities?

Still Life by Henri Matisse.

Lady Bug on the Loose

2011-10-21T07:47:00.006-04:00

Lady bug, lady bug
fly away home

Wednesday night we found a lady bug in the bedroom and my daughter became very concerned about it's welfare and instantly attached to it. The little thing had no spots which made it a bit of an oddity and perhaps more deserving of sympathy.

I scooped it up on a card and it ended up flipped over on it's back. Once we got it righted, it was very still. My daughter was very worried that it wasn't moving any more.
I told her it was scared and she looked very sad and asked "Is it scared of me?" I reassured her it was just scared. I blew on it gently and it started to move. She was delighted.

I asked her if we should put it outside. Her lower lip went out and tears were immanent. "No, I'm going to miss that ladybug." It was pouring outside, so putting it out the window did seem cruel. After a discussion of where it should live and more concern about Lola the cat getting it, we settled on leaving it near her dollhouse in the other room. Of course it made off and now there is a ladybug on the loose, but tears were spared.

Quilting blocks designed by Phyllis Dobbs. Pattern available at the TLC.

You Are a Very Clever Mommy

2011-10-21T07:20:00.006-04:00

The other night I caught my four year old using flattery to get me to put together her Lego Thomas set. I kept insisting it was bedtime, while she kept encouraging me to bend to her will by handing out compliments.

"Don't worry mommy, you're a very clever mommy, you can put it together" or "Good job, you're a very clever mommy." Clever is obviously a new favorite in her arsenal of vocabulary words. Of course it was hard not to take the bait or the compliments, so Thomas and his carousel were built before bedtime. You are a very clever little daughter.

Escapism #2: Le Happy

2011-10-19T10:23:00.008-04:00

I'd like to be hanging out in "Le Happy", whatever it is. I'm sure there must be cocktails involved.

Photo from the series Vanishing America by Michael Eastman.

Strange Fall Sightings

2011-10-18T08:07:00.008-04:00

This morning while waiting for my train the sky was all shades of red toward the east and it made me think of a saying my father taught me - "Red sky at night sailor's delight, red sky in morning sailor take warning."

I was pondering what bad weather might be lurking ahead, when I suddenly turned around to spy a giant rainbow in the sky behind me. I was pleasantly startled. It was not raining and seemed to have no real reason to be there. I imagine the morning air was full of moisture, but preferred to see it in a less scientific light and decided it was hanging there as a good omen.

Yesterday, I was walking around downtown and came upon a tree that was half in bloom with what looked like white apple or cherry blossoms. It stopped me in my tracks and I took a photo just to convince myself I wasn't making it up. There was a honey bee happily gathering nectar, who I imagine, did not care that it's October and was just delighted to enjoy his flowery treat.
Now, I wondering if strange sightings come in threes. I'm excited to see what else October has to offer.

Cider and Roast Corn

2011-10-18T07:51:00.005-04:00

This past weekend we braved the crowds and went apple picking again. So different from our previous outing when barely anyone was there and the trees were overflowing with apples.
We had to look hard for apples we could reach and a quiet stretch of orchard where we could enjoy the perfect fall day.

We managed to pick a nice mix of apples and fill our basket, before climbing into a packed hayride. We finished off with cider and roast corn. Cider and doughnuts might be more traditional, but the corn was amazing. Piping hot and buttery with a nice seasoned salt, the corn was a perfect contrast to the sweet cold cider and crisp fall day. Oh and we took home a bottle of cider and a bag of doughnuts for later.

Fall

2011-10-18T07:40:00.004-04:00

My daughter was explaining "Fall" to me this weekend. "The leaves fall and so it's Fall and we have to hurry up so we don't miss it."
She's very excited to rake and make leaf piles. And indeed the leaves have started to fall suddenly.

The long grass under the cedar trees has turned golden brown and the deer have moved in from the back woods. Now they are spending their days resting together in the grass. They chose their spots, sometimes shifting configurations a few times, before settling in. It's almost like a scene from a safari, all these elegant heads and long ears sticking up in the grass.

The male deer are suddenly very visible with their antlers fully grown. Jousting playfully or just making a grand entrance. Surprisingly they often show up in pairs or small groups as well.
The twins that were born this summer visited this weekend, their spots are completely gone and the edges of their ears have turned black. Their coats have lost the burnt reddish brown of summer and are now like mocha - a sure sign of fall.

Hopefully this great weather will hold so that they deer can enjoy sunny naps and we can enjoy deer watching and jumping in lots of leaf piles.

Monday Inspiration: Be Courageous

2011-10-17T10:07:00.004-04:00

I just feel like I'm going to need it this week!

Cabin Fever

2011-10-13T10:06:00.006-04:00

There's not a lot, not to like on David Coote's Design site. His cabin's design's are beautiful and light filled while still appropriately rustic. I particularly like his addition of a green house section to one of his designs. I wouldn't mind escaping to one of these spaces for some streamlined living, even if it were just in my back yard.

Via A Well Traveled Woman

Never Small Again

2011-10-13T08:02:00.004-04:00

Last night my little one was talking about how her cat Lola was small like her. Lola (or Whoa Wa) is by no means a small cat. There are times when I am feeding her, that my daughter cautions me not to give her too much food or she'll become too big for the house and have to live outside. Looking at Lola, you could almost picture this scenario coming to life.

I was amused by Lola suddenly being referred to as small and remembered where some photos of Lola as a kitten were stashed. I pulled them out to show my little one. Lola was once truly small. She came into my life at the McCarren pool in Williamsburg. Approximately four weeks old, I needed to feed her with a special tiny bottle for weeks. She was just bigger than my Nokia cell phone.

At first, when my daughter saw the photos, she insisted it was not Lola. When I finally convinced her it was, she burst into tears. "Lola will never be small again." I could not get her to stop crying. She was so genuinely upset by the loss of smallness. Upset that she did not get to have or know the little kitten in the photos. She just cried and cried, saying over and over " but Lola will never be small again." I tried to comfort her by telling her Lola wanted to grow up and get big. It took at least a half an hour to restore her mood.

The photos are tucked away again, but I was saddened too. If my little one only knew the pangs I feel each day as I witness the loss of small. You my sweet little one are growing everyday and will never be quite so small again.

Testing 123

2011-10-11T07:33:00.003-04:00

I'm blogging on my iPad for the first time today on the train. I'm very pleased indeed to be able to use my train time productively. I usually hand write posts on the train and need to type them later, if I get the chance.

No More Kisses!

2011-10-05T17:07:00.005-04:00

We have entered a stage of not wanting kisses. This coincided with turning four. At least that was the initial excuse. "No more kisses now that I'm four years old!" Now I also get - no kisses when Thomas is on, no kisses when it's dark outside, when we are drawing , in the car, and the list goes on.

There's some hope, as I'm sometimes told "No more kisses till I'm five years old." So until next year, I guess I'll be sneaking kisses while she sleeps. I'm hoping this phase passes more quickly than that. Oh and if you're wondering, Hershey's chocolate kisses have not been banned, which makes me think bribes may be in order. A kiss for a kiss!

Monday Inspiration: The Power of Small Things

2011-10-03T09:27:00.004-04:00

I'm going to try and use the power of small things this week and see if it works. It seems to reason, that small positive steps will add up, in the same way small troublesome things seem to snowball.

So it's Monday morning and I'm going to try and take a positive attitude in to the week and rather than become overwhelmed with all there is to do, just work on taking small steps, getting little things out of the way. Let's see if I can get a snowball of good rolling.

Here's an inspirational post from Professor G for anyone else interested in exploring the power of small things.

Image: Small Things Work # 755, Martin Creed.

Fall Mood Board: #1

2011-09-26T09:26:00.012-04:00

I still lamenting how short the summer seemed and having trouble adjusting to the idea of fall maybe because I'm dreading the winter that follows. I actually love the snow but not commuting in the bitter cold. But I'm rushing ahead a season!

Back to fall. In an effort to get inspired by and into the season I've been browsing and came up with some images to set the mood. And hopefully inspire some fall activities.

Judging from my first set of images, it seems as if eating will be one of my preferred fall activities. The recipe for the Chocolate Pear Tart can be found at Confessions of a Tart.

Apple Picking Part 2: Simplest Apple Tart

2011-09-21T10:27:00.007-04:00

After recovering from our outing in the orchards, the very full basket of apples that resulted was begging to be made into something. I searched for an apple pie recipe, I had success with a few years ago to no avail and decided if I didn't act soon our harvest would end up as as deer food. (More about that later.)

I opted for this "Simplest Apple Tart" posted on Smitten Kitchen with beautifully photographed instructions. I didn't follow Deb's advice on the sugar and went with the full five table spoons of Alice Water's original recipe calls for. Two would not have satisfied my sweet tooth or our mix of apples which included Granny Smith. The final tart was not overly sweet even with 5 generous tablespoons. We had the tart with ice cream and there was a nice contrast between the still semi-tart apples and the truly sweet ice cream. It was a perfect reward for our apple picking effort.

To make things even simpler I cheated and used pre-made pie crust. I cheated again and made the fold over edge by tearing a second pie crust and adding it on. No rolling pins were involved in the making of our tart and it turned out just fine. I'll take on pâte brisée another day when the tractor is working.

Early Apple Picking

2011-09-13T09:14:00.008-04:00

We went apple picking early this year. In fact on the first day our local farm was open to the public for picking. We were looking forward to a hayride but we were so early, they were still fixing the tractor or running to get fuel for the tractor depending on who you spoke to.

So we had to walk out through the orchards ourselves and carry the basket as it filled up. My little one wanted to carry it in the beginning. She told me she was fours years old now and had enough "enjurey" to carry it herself. A few feet later she decided she wasn't strong enough yet and I took over. Without the extra weight she ran ahead of me, when I finally caught up out of breath and took the lead again, I was scolded for going too fast. We ended up going further out than I expected and got quite a work out in. The problem with a good apple picking session is, at least without door to door tractor service, by the time your done there's no "enjurey" left to make the pie.

Now We Are Four

2011-09-09T13:41:00.008-04:00

Yesterday my little one turned four! Seems unbelievable to me that she is already four and wearing 5T clothing and size 11 shoes. She's grown so much this year. The baby is disappearing and the little girl/teenager is emerging.

Yesterday for her birthday, I signed her up for Soccer, so I guess I'm officially a soccer mom now. Yikes! Not looking forward to getting up early on Sunday mornings, better figure out the auto timer on the coffee pot, so I have hot coffee for cold mornings standing on the sidelines cheering.

A Moody Rainy End to Summer

2011-09-08T08:59:00.005-04:00

The Labor Day Weekend and beyond has been a wet mess. Certainly not the weather I was hoping for the unofficial end of summer and my vacation. We've had exactly one sunny day which I slept through out of sheer exhaustion having come off a rough week of work prior to the holiday. The rest have been cloudy with some form of rain, from shower to down pour.

I'm finding it hard to be sunny at the same time I'm looking at the garden I was hoping to mulch drowning in water and places I toyed with visiting being actually under water. We're trying to make the best of it.

Here are some photos of the last days at the pool. Sad it will be another year before I catch her going down the froggy slide.

Speaking of Safaris

2011-08-24T14:51:00.005-04:00

How cool would it be to have your own safari tent set up in your backyard? All that's missing is the bug zapper and a few giraffe.

El Capitan Canyon safari tent pictured above. Get rates and an overview of the El Capitan Cayon camping experience at Sunset.

Sunflower Safari

2011-08-22T09:31:00.008-04:00

We went on a Sunflower Safari this weekend. We didn't have to search very hard to find them. There were 40 acres of bright yellow flowers to look at during our walk through the Duke Farms.

The sunflowers are being grown in partnership with the NJ Audubon Society and will be harvested and sold as bird seed. We are definitely going to support the program and buy some at our local Agway after the harvest.

Our safari adventure was the perfect activity for an overcast day. The bright yellow faces of the sunflowers made it feel like a sunny day.

Recession Fun # 14: Baking a Classic

2011-08-20T10:40:00.005-04:00

We bought new baking sheets last weekend to replace ones well past their prime. there was a picture of chocolate chip cookies on the wrapping and my daughter said "cookies with brown spots - my favorite!"

I felt bad because she's mentioned this before but I always seem to buy Graham Crackers instead. Maybe because store bought chocolate chips seem so unhealthy and well like real junk food.

So this weekend one of our projects is going to be baking a batch of real Toll House Cookies. Yummy!

Endless Summer

2011-08-19T11:50:00.005-04:00

There's a feeling in the air that summer is winding down and yet, I also feel as if it's barely begun. Maybe it's that the garden has never really taken off after the deer attacks or there has been one too many rainy weekends. It could be there were too many chore filled days without a sense of just hanging out. Maybe I expected to get more done.

It didn't help not to have a real vacation. Next year no matter what I'm planning a week off in the heart of the summer. Today, I'm envying people like surfers who live in places and have a mind set that is summer centric. I could use a dose of endless summer.

The beautiful surfing images are tintypes by Joni Sternbach for her SurfLand series.

Let's Join The Circus

2011-08-19T10:15:00.005-04:00

My daughter was tight rope walking the other night along the metal support of her canopy bed. She would hold on to the dresser and steady her self before edging towards me and using my shoulder for support before shimming to the bed post at the end of the bed. She would grab it with great relief , a satisfied sigh and a look of pride each time she made it across. She was really enjoying her death defying feats.

I'm very tempted to indulge her inner circus performer with one of these Cirkustalt tents from Ikea. How much fun to have a circus tent of one's own? Ever want to join the circus?

Cirkustalt tent available at Ikea.

Sells Floto Circus Poster various available on eBay.

Stormy Weather

2011-08-15T16:07:00.015-04:00

The grey skies and soggy nature of the last few days have made me think of the sea.

Phildar sailor sweater pattern.

Thomas Sandall Light House Lamps available at Zero.

Image from Brown Dress with White Dots.

Meteor Print 19th century engraving of the Perseids via Even Cleveland.

Heart and Anchor Mourning Brooch via Momublog.

Moby Dick Collectors Edition by Herman Melville available at Amazon.

All the Rain in London

2011-08-15T15:58:00.005-04:00

It feels as if all the rain in London poured down on us this weekend and the weather report for the week ahead is none too promising. Time to think up some more indoor activities. This past weekend we made Thai Chicken Curry, Blueberry Pirate Muffins (they had pirate cupcake liners), and traded off between watching House Hunter's International and Shaun the Sheep. What's your favorite rainy day activity?

Poster by James Gulliver Hancock.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

2011-08-15T09:25:00.007-04:00

It's raining, it's pouring.

The old man is snoring,

He went to bed and bumped his head,

And he couldn't get up in the morning.

I've known the first two lines of this nursery rhyme since I was little and taught them to my daughter recently. This weekend we were repeating it in the car as the rain came down, and she asked me what the rest of the song was. I had no idea, so I looked it up today and was a little surprised. It's a little on the grim side. I guess a lot of nursery rhymes are though.

All Creatures Large and Small

2011-08-15T09:24:00.005-04:00

Some pictures from the 4H fair. Little rabbits, a calf, the little one, a fancy rooster, black sheep, white sheep!

Affordable Luxuries #12: Glass Juice Squeezers

2011-08-13T09:34:00.006-04:00

We have an old classic glass juice squeezer that has been in the kitchen cabinet forever. Definitely nothing fancy or overly designed, but it does the job.

Wednesday night we made fresh OJ because the little one spotted it on the counter. It was after work, late and I was exhausted but couldn't bear to say no. She was saying she wanted orange juice, but I suspected she more interested in the process than the outcome. She just wanted to squeeze the oranges and I was going to end up having to drinking the juice.

But she surprised me again. She declared "I like orange juice." Real orange juice is not something she drinks, the closest thing being Juicy Juice orange or orange soda. I blame the orange soda habit on her uncle. She developed a taste for it when he visited us from Virginia and did the shopping. Anyway, she ended up downing two glasses of fresh squeezed juice. I was delighted.

Our juice squeezing activity reminded how much she is growing up. She wanted to do it all by herself. I ended up having to help of course. It was too difficult for little hands. But break a mother's heart, her little hands are not so little anymore. As I watched her, I saw the growing coordination and determination in her now little girl hands.

I was also reminded how tasty real orange juice is. A classic juice squeezer is an affordable luxury, so is forgetting you are tired, giving in and making your little one happy.

Jade glass juice squeezer available at Cypress Home Decor which has a pretty cool selection of Depression style glassware.

Recession Fun #13: Country Fairs

2011-08-11T10:23:00.008-04:00

We are looking forward to going to our local 4-H fair. The tents have been set up and we're off to the fair tomorrow. We're going to enjoy wandering through the tents of bunnies and goats. We'll probably wait on a ridiculously long line for face painting and finish up in the food tent for some fair food.

Orange Crush

2011-08-09T13:14:00.003-04:00

Sunday night I actually took time to make a decent meal as we unpacked the groceries.It was a recipe that I had bookmarked in a copy of Bon Appetit that focused on Italian Food. There was a really nice article on pastas with several recipes I'm planning on working my way through.

I chose to start with Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Orange. The combination of orange and prosciutto seemed risky but it all worked out deliciously. It was like a delicious Carbonara with a citrus twist. I love when I find a recipe I want to cook again.

I'm copying the recipe here in case I lose it.

Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Orange

Ingredients
•Kosher salt
•12 oz. egg tagliatelle or fettuccine (preferably fresh)
•2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
•2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into 1" pieces
•Zest and juice of 1 orange
•1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
•Freshly ground black pepper
•1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

Preparation
•Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute before al dente, about 2 minutes for fresh pasta, longer for dried. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
•Meanwhile, melt butter in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto; sauté until browned, about 3 minutes.
•Add reserved pasta water, orange juice, half of zest, and cream; bring to a boil. Add pasta; cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and divide among warm bowls. Sprinkle remaining orange zest over pasta.

Commuter Fun

2011-08-09T10:54:00.005-04:00

There's not a lot that is fun about my commute. I take two trains and a subway each way. The best I can say is that I can use the time to read , or crochet or write. The stations I transfer at are not particularly pleasant space. Crowded, dirty, with cheesy businesses and stresses out fellow commuters.

So what's not to love about this "transfer accelerator" at a subway station in the city of Utrecht? How much fun would it be, to avoid running down the stairs at a life risking pace, and slide like a kid to your subway? Not only is the slide an effective accelerator, it's a clever reminder that life should be fun. A perhaps deliberately subversive reminder to commuters in the midst of the adult rat race to remember the child within.

Hats off to HIK Ontwerpers the firm who designed the slide.

I Love You a Bushel and a Peck

2011-08-08T10:58:00.004-04:00

Our little song. We like sing the first few lines to each other as we walk or play or swim. Maybe with practice we'll learn the whole song.

A BUSHEL AND A PECK
From the Musical "Guys And Dolls"
(Frank Loesser)

I love you a bushel and peck
A bushel and peck and a hug around the neck
A hug around the neck and a barrel and a heap
A barrel and a heap and I'm talking in my sleep
About you, about you

Cause I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet your pretty neck, I do
Doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle, oodle, oodle oo
I love you a bushel and peck
A bushel and peck though you make my heart a wreck
Make my heart a wreck and you make my life a mess
Make my life a mess, yes
A mess of happiness
About you, about you

Cause I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet your pretty neck, I do
Doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle, oodle, oodle oo
I love you a bushel and peck
A bushel and peck and it beats me all to heck
Beats me all to heck and I'll never tend the farm
Never tend the farm when I wanna keep my arm
About you, about you

Cause I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet your pretty neck, I do
Doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle, oodle, oodle oo

Affordable Luxuries # 11: Le Pen by Marvy Uchida

2011-08-05T12:08:00.008-04:00

I've been writing my lists and notes with an amethyst Le Pen by Marvy Uchida that I bought the other day. I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Le Pen is such a funny name, very 70's a la Haagen Daz. Probaly an advertising stroke of genius in its time. Now a days it's hard to even find them in a store. But if you spot one, snap it up and really enjoy some good old fashioned handwritng.

Here's another online source. I want to buy the 18 pk.

Bat House Extraordinaire

2011-08-05T11:35:00.008-04:00

I'm really taken by the humor and pure fun of Flederhaus, a public work by Heri & Salli for the city of Vienna. A perfectly playful space for the city that brought the world Die Fledermaus.

The current economy seems so dire and restrictive with no room for play or humor. This piece of public art is a perfect reminder that life should be fun and funny, that there's a need for repose and that art makes life better.

Rock and Roll Wedding

2011-08-03T09:23:00.007-04:00

If Kate Middleton's wedding was the height of elegance, stately and fittingly royal, then Kate Moss's nuptials were the height of rock and roll chic. Parts glamorous, edgy and a little rough around the edges.

I'm not a huge fan of wedding photos but when I saw a pic of Kate Moss and her leading man to be Jamie Hinch in the rehearsal dinner attire, I was drawn to how cool they looked. Also how in love they appeared. I loved her hippie style dress and rocking blue boots. Hinch's form fitting suit and equally rocker boots weren't bad either.

The photo definitely piqued my curiosity about what her wedding dress would look like. Gorgeously vintage was the answer. I would describe the look as part twenties film star part glittery mermaid. My favorite bit was the veil, old fashioned and romantic.

It certainly all cost a fortune, but the whole look of the wedding party benefits from the feeling that they just threw on some fancy dress up clothes they found in a trunk. Kate's undone hairdo added to the who cares we know we are beautiful vibe. Hurrah too, for the appropriately sweet bridal party dresses and the beautiful backdrop of Cotswolds.

Summer Greens

2011-08-03T09:21:00.006-04:00

It's easy to take green for granted during the summer, but I'm trying to soak it in. I think back to how stark and long the winter was this year and I want summer to go on and on. Green is good.

Glorious

2011-08-03T09:18:00.005-04:00

Here are a few photos from our balloon watching. It really is glorious watching them rise up into the evening sky. I'd like to muster the courage to go up in one, but I think a person who finds ferris wheels terrifyingly high, is not the ideal candidate. Luckily one gets the sense of soaring even as a spectator on the ground.

Ballooning

2011-07-29T12:24:00.004-04:00

Today we are off to the annual Balloon Festival and we're very excited. It's surprisingly fun to watch the balloons take to the air and then follow them by car. If things go right you can catch up and watch them descend in fields.

The Elephants in Flight Print by Terry Fan is available here.

Recession Fun # 12 : S'mores

2011-07-28T09:57:00.008-04:00

The other night before bed my daughter said she wanted a snack, specifically a s'more. That made me laugh. At 3 1/2 she's never had a s'more and she probably would have been horrified if I actually had the ingredients or the means to make her one at that late hour. I can imagine the grimace that would have come over her face.

Despite having been both a Brownie and a Girl Scout, the first time I ate a s'more was as an adult. Two girlfriends and I spent a weekend in the Adirondacks and ended up melting marshmallows in the stone fire place of the cabin we were staying in. We assembled our s'mores on a blanket on the living room floor. It was camping fun without the inconvenience of real camping. Needless to say there was no wilderness badge on my Girl Scout stash.

I remember thinking I'll just eat my toasted marshmallow plain, no need to mix flavors, but my friends convinced me and I was surprised how good s'mores really are.

So this week's Recession Fun idea is s'mores. Bag of marshmallows, box of Graham Crackers and some Hershey's chocolate bars. No need to get all gourmet with fancy substitutes, the original is affordable and delicious. Oh and a backyard grill. No need to hike out into the woods either. Said like a true Girl Scout!

Bourgeois Webs

2011-07-27T09:48:00.007-04:00

I know spiders are beneficial and that having one in your home is supposed to be good luck, but I'm never really happy to run into one. Daddy Longlegs are about as spidery as I can tolerate. Anything more serious is subject to relocation outdoors or the broom if I'm panicked.

Clearly Louise Bourgeois did not share my distaste for arachnids. Spiders are a reoccurring theme in her work and her fascination for them transformed a house hold pest in to high art. Her spider web influenced fabric works are amazing enough to almost make me a fan of our eight legged friends. I'll admit spider webs are beautiful even if I still struggle to appreciate their architects. I have no difficulty appreciating Bourgeois beautiful series of webs pictured above.

More of Bourgeois' works can be seen at Cheim & Read

Taking a Break with Wallace & Gromit

2011-07-26T10:33:00.005-04:00

I decided we needed to take a little break from "Thomas the Tank Engine" earlier in July. We made a trip to Costco and I ended up buying a cheap DVD of "The Tourist" for me and "Wallace and Gromit the Complete Collection" for the little one.

I would have liked to have chilled out in the summer heat to a so so grown-up movie, but I never win in the war of who's show are we going to watch. Relaxing while Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie race around Venice was going to have to wait.

I did get a huge kick out of watching the little one laugh at Wallace and Gromit's antics as they took on a wayward penquin jewel thief. "The Wrong Trousers" got two thumbs up from my miniature critic, which I'm sure is more than "The Tourist" scored. We ended up watching Wallace & Gromit twice before lights out. Turns out there was a little blue train that is part of the final chase scene. My little one squealed "They're riding Thomas! It's Thomas." That amused me, we didn't completely escape Thomas.

Frogs in the Sandbox

2011-07-26T09:43:00.005-04:00

Sometimes putting off chores has its benefits. That is if you find frogs in the sand box a plus.

The weekend before last, my daughter and I were working in the garden when she asked me "Mommy what's that sound?" I was surprised by the source and the loudness, but I was pretty sure I knew what it was.

I told her to follow me and we headed over to her turtle shaped sandbox where the ribbiting noises were emanating from. The top has been only partially on and the box has been swamped with water for a few weeks now. I keep meaning to drain it, clean the sand and set it up as a proper sandbox again for her. Too late.

We pulled off the lid and there were frogs. One really big one and two little ones. My daughter's sandbox was now a frog pond and she was delighted. My guilt at not cleaning it out was replaced with child like joy at the sight of our frogs.

We visited them several times during the day and I loved seeing the fascination in my daughter's face. I'm sure there is a relocation project in our future, but for now we are thoroughly enjoying our miniature frog pond.

I Heart Summer: Queen Anne's Lace and Chicory

2011-07-11T10:23:00.006-04:00

We have a small bouquet with Queen Anne's Lace on the bedroom dresser right now that looks so summery. I picked a few stalks from a neglected stretch of land between our developement and the new one next to ours.

We used to have tons Queen Anne's Lace in our "way back" yard but the cedars have become a forest and there isn't enough light anymore. This summer I'm seeing so much of it on the roadsides and along the railway tracks on my commute. It's mixed with chicory and the mix of white, blue and grass green is looks so beautiful. It's uplifting even on a Monday commuter train.

I wish I could find some chicory (which I usual think of as cornflower)to pick. I just found out that chicory is the correct name and that this is the plant the coffee substitute is made of. Turns out Queen Anne's Lace is sometimes called Wild Carrot and it's roots can be eaten like carrots. Maybe I'll study wildflowers this summer in addition to picking them.

There's a nice article on the blog My Muse and Me where I found the Queen Anne's Lace photo.

Apron Strings

2011-07-08T12:53:00.004-04:00

I have a big clean up planned for this weekend which includes a dumpster. Watch out over-filled garage, you're days are numbered. I'll probably just throw on old yoga pants and a tee-shirt for the "big throw out" session.

When I spotted these aprons from smallbatchproduction on (frolic!) today, I thought how civilized it is to don an apron while doing chores. I wonder why apron wearing seems to be a lost practice now a days except maybe in the restaurant profession.

I know I have one somewhere. Maybe I'll find it in my overhaul of the garage and wear it for my other weekend project: pie baking.

Escapism

2011-07-07T14:34:00.006-04:00

Some days I wish I had my own secret garden, magic wardrobe, or rabbit hole to escape into. This poster from Atlantic Treefox seems a perfect entry way for some serious day dreaming.

The escapist in me would like to hang one of this image above my desk or bed as a reminder to take time to let my imagination run and indulge in a little childlike sense of wonder each day.

Just Peachy

2011-07-07T09:29:00.014-04:00

This past Tuesday we snuck in some peach picking among our shopping chores. I was hoping for a hay ride, but since the long holiday weekend was already over for most people, the farm was deserted and we had to walk out to the field by ourselves.

We took a leisurely pace to accommodate small legs. We made our way on a tractor path past a little farm house . I picked some wildflowers and the little one chided me that we weren't supposed to be picking flowers but peaches.

Under the low leafy branches it was cooler and the sun peeking through made the peaches glow a wonderful warm color. It's still early in the peach season so we weren't bothered bees and yellow jackets as we picked. We gathered up just enough fruit to make a few pies and headed back with our basket like two country girls.

The peaches are now in a large bowl on the kitchen counter and should be ripe enough this weekend for part II of our peachy adventure. Hopefully peach pie photos to follow.

The Twins

2011-07-05T10:14:00.004-04:00

This weekend we finally got to see the baby deer up close. For a while this spring and early summer it looked as if their were no fawns around. Then we spotted these two being escorted through the back woods at a distance. They were with a group of females so it seemed like it could have been a deer "play date" of sorts.

Turns out they are twins and belong to the most daring of the females in our local herd. Momma deer is always the bravest in the winter when we throw out apples or horse corn during the toughest months. Now when she goes through our yard, she always looks through the back sliding door into our kitchen looking for a treat.

We sacrificed our peaches to her and she brought the little ones over for a few minutes before heading back into the woods for bedtime. No peach pie or cobbler but it was worth it.

Putting on a Brave Face

2011-07-05T09:52:00.003-04:00

We went to an amusement park this Saturday and took on some spine chilling rides like the miniature train, the carousel, the airplanes and a spinning T-Rex Dragon. We waited on line briefly for the Jump Around Frog, but after getting a closer look, the little one thought better of it.

Instead, we headed over to the airplane ride where mommy could sit right next to her. We took our plane up off the ground for a minute or two before deciding we preferred flying our mission close to the earth. I think it's safe to say that I don't have a dare-devil on my hands, which I'm not bothered by in the least. I'm not a roller coaster girl myself.

Photos:
Her "Say Cheese" Face on the Carousel
Get Me Off This Thing Look
Much Happier Safely Seated Inside The Dragon

Little Things

2011-07-03T11:50:00.003-04:00

Sometimes when looking at art, the whole picture isn't so great, but if you look at the details you'll find something you like. Same with day to day life, sometimes it's the little things in our day that please us rather than the overall reality.

Our garden is in a bit of a state still this year, I'm having trouble getting it to all come together. I look at it, cringe and chide myself for not trying harder. Hopefully, I'll rally and find the energy to make something of it. In the meantime there is beauty in the the details.

These monarch caterpillars show up every year on our rue plant and munch away until the birds apparently munch on them. I was going to put netting over the plant this year and try and save them but was a day too late. Happily one made a cocoon and survived. Now I'm hoping we can see him emerge and take flight.

Deer Attack

2011-06-15T14:15:00.007-04:00

Despite fencing we had a serious deer attack yesterday in our garden which I'm already struggling with this year. I had just planted our tomato plants and thought the fencing I had jerry rigged would be enough to hold them back. Not so.

This weekend I need to find time to continue blockading our produce and try and catch the garden back up. Lucky for the deer they are so beautiful and relatives of Bambi. Otherwise...

A Very Berry Weekend

2011-06-15T13:32:00.005-04:00

Our plans didn't go exactly as planned for the weekend, but it all turned out well or I could say berry well. The threat of rain was persistent but berries became the theme of the weekend. Saturday we stopped by a local church for their Strawberry Festival and ate home made strawberry shortcake and had a strawberry painted on the little one's face.

We spent a lazy Sunday in our garden. Sadly our own strawberry plants got chomped by critters and are now in sad shape but hopefully on the mend.

Monday, I was off from work and had planned for us to visit a small amusement park. It ended up being closed, so we had to scramble to find a new activity worthy of my Summer Flex Day. We ended up on a farm picking strawberries. It was an unexpected turn that proved really nice.

We had a great time filling our two tiny baskets and the hayride back from the fields was long and pretty. We finished our day with a visit to Stewart's for hot dogs and then our favorite ice cream stand. Good thing we have some healthy fruit to add to our diet this week.

The little one was completely tuckered out and was happy to go to bed early. She did manage to sneak in some Thomas Carnival Capers on the computer before falling asleep. No wonder she was talking in her sleep about finding Percy in the morning. Looking forward to finding a new adventure this weekend.

Recession Fun # 14: Growing Basil

2011-06-07T10:43:00.011-04:00

When it comes to gardening, it doesn't get easier or cheaper than growing Basil. A dollar to a dollar fifty for seeds, a nice long container or miscellaneous pots, potting soil and water. You literally just need to sprinkle the seeds, add a thin layer of soil and water. Voila! You're done.

No worrying if you've planted the seeds too deep or that a squirrel is going to dig them up for a snack like sunflower seeds. Our basil pot is full of tiny plants and thriving. I'm already looking forward to pesto.

Photo from Cooking Light and check out the tasty article "Use Your Basil Bounty". I want to try the Purple Basil Lemonade.

Recession Fun: Continues

2011-06-07T09:27:00.006-04:00

Some may say the recession is over. Magazines have certainly started featuring expensive items again. One could probably track the state of the economy, or at least our perception of the economy, based on the prices of handbags featured in women's magazines.

I, for one, am not in the market for a $1000 handbag these days and yet the prices of bags and shoes are creeping up on the glossy pages. I am determined to keep a recession state of mind when it comes to my wallet, so Recession Fun continues. Here's to good times on the cheap!

Affordable Luxuries #10: A Great Beach Towel

2011-06-03T13:10:00.006-04:00

I have the pool on my mind these days and can't wait to stake out my space poolside. I love the sight of beach towels lined up next to each other on the sand or under an umbrella at the pool. I can't wait to set up my own little encampment in the sun.

The awesome pair of beach towels pictured are from Paul Smith. Actually not the most affordable beach towels in the world but I couldn't resist these photos.

Summer Daydreaming

2011-06-02T10:06:00.006-04:00

I'd love to spend an afternoon lazing around in one of these summer houses playing house or reading with my little one. Maybe a picnic lunch in tow and some cold ice tea. It's wonderful how structures like these can create a get away in your own back yard.

I'm working on a plan to create our own little backyard retreat and looking forward to the day I can post pictures here.

These amazing summer houses are by HSP Garden Buildings in Dublin Ireland if any one has the means to import one.

Slowing Down: Form Follows Breakfast

2011-05-31T14:25:00.005-04:00

Probably the last thing I need is a toast holder but I find the idea of one very appealing and civil. How nice to sit down to breakfast and have one's toast standing at attention. When I have toast, it goes directly from toaster to plate, is buttered and eaten. Too often standing right at the counter.

Maybe that's why a toast holder seems like such a lovely item, it's about taking the time to sit down and really enjoy a meal. These tow wire pieces from plus minus zero are such a lovely example of form following function and great reasons to fore go counter top eating and take a seat at the table.

Savoring a Long Weekend

2011-05-29T07:56:00.007-04:00

I've really been looking forward to this long weekend. We are not hanging out in any exotic locales just taking on the wilds of our backyard and venturing out to the local garden shops.

The weekend has filled up quickly as a big prep session for the summer ahead. Lots of yard work, planting and Spring cleaning. It is officially still Spring and while I rather be kicking back, I know all the digging and mulching and fencing will be well worth when summer is in full swing and our garden is blooming.

We did take a break for "a big adventure" and "some exploring like Dora". That's how my daughter described our walk along the Columbia Trail yesterday. We walked about 1/2 mile in to look at the Gnome homes that has popped up along the path.

It was a lovely walk with coming down on the path but cool from the woods around us. It was quiet and peaceful with the occasional greeting from bike riders and fellow hikers.

100 Sunflowers

2011-05-16T09:38:00.004-04:00

My daughter told me she wants 100 sunflowers in our garden this year so we have been sowing away. We are off to a late start. All the rain has made working in the garden difficult but we are determined to get our garden up to speed.

We have been planting in green house trays a little at a time. We have planted Mammoth Organic, Sunny, Florenza and Lemon Queen varieties so far. We still have Teddy Bear, Citrus, and American Giants to go.

We are already well past 100 seeds. I'm hedging our bets, between the chipmunks and cutworms, I want to make sure my daughter has a hundred sunflowers this year.

Maybe by mid summer we will have an arrangement as beautiful as Van Gogh's painting above.

Calgon Take Me Aweay

2011-05-10T09:19:00.008-04:00

Does anyone else remember the amazing Calgon commercial where a woman gets into a limousine, closes the privacy window and takes a bath before meeting her date? I'm in a "Calgon Take Me Away" place this week.

So the very cool, very bath centric site "to the bath" has proven a great diversion. Above are a few of my favorite images. I would be happy to take a soak in any of these locales.

Spring Cheer

2011-05-09T10:54:00.007-04:00

It's Monday and I didn't get to spend time in the garden this weekend as planned. I did manage to make it to Home Depot and purchase a bunch of gardening supplies. I'm looking forward to the chance to really dig in and "rebuild our garden". That's how my little one referred to it when she asked " Are we going to rebuild our garden?" Yes indeed.

We will post plenty of pictures this summer and record our progress. In the mean time, here are some photos above and a link to a nice DIY way to share Spring cheer with friends from Dos Family.

Return of the Chipmunk

2011-05-06T20:23:00.007-04:00

Last Sunday saw the first sighting of our local chipmunk or "chickamunk" as my daughter calls him. When I say local, I mean very local. He lives in a hole left by a missing brick in our back stoop. We put out some seeds in a tiny shell plate we have provided for him and look forward t more sightings.

The deer were busy grazing on the dandelions in the lawn and some are visibly pregnant. Hopefully we will be spotting fawns in the yard soon. Dandelions it turns out are a favorite Spring snack for pigs too. We fed handfuls of them to Joanie and Winston the resident pigs at our favorite farm before heading home with fresh asparagus to cook and baby spinach to plant.

We picked up two bunches of lilacs at the super market since our little lilac bushes are just sticks with leaves. Luckily they survived the cold winter and we have high hopes for them in years to come.

All in all a lovely Spring weekend. Hope this one is equally full of good things.

The Royal Kiss

2011-04-29T15:08:00.008-04:00

It's a little hard to believe these two kisses are separated by thirty years. Time flies but the British are consistent.

All the best to the newest royal couple.

Nevermind the Bullocks it's Another Royal Wedding

2011-04-28T09:22:00.007-04:00

It's a little hard not to think of England this past week as the gossip shows plaster the royal couple-to-be across the airways. I'm actually disappointed that the wedding is on a work day here in the states. I think I would have enjoyed watching the wedding or what will be shown of it. It's always amusing to hear commentators cover these types of events. Gather some royals and celebrities, throw in a few facts, fill lots of air time with pure speculation and your have hours of entertainment. I hope some network is brilliant enough to rebroadcast the whole thing at a time when one can glue oneself to the tellie for a few hours.

The Sex Pistols' God Save the Queen poster is available at AllPosters.com

Easter Goodies

2011-04-23T08:22:00.004-04:00

I've already tucked away a bunch of goodies to stuff in my little ones Easter basket but here are a few things I wished I had found and may even snatch up for next year.

Jellycat Slackajack Bunny via Smallable
Egmont Rabbit Lamp via Smallable
Areaware Pico Fawn Pillow via Areaware

Our Daffodils

2011-04-20T11:20:00.005-04:00

Thank goodness deer don't have an appetite for daffodils. Our bulbs are up and I'm already planning to plant more in the fall. Gobs more. I'm even thinking of going outside our garden beds into the lawn near our trees. I love spotting daffodils growing in odd places like the side of a road, by old train tracks or at the edge of a wood.

We picked a few of our own for our kitchen table and I have to say I'm really amazed at how gorgeous the colors are and how a few flowers in a vase can be so beautiful.

Going on an Egg Hunt

2011-04-20T09:23:00.008-04:00

We managed to squeeze two Easter egg hunts into a weekend that was 50% rain and I mean rain. The sun came out, we grabbed an Easter basket, braved the mud and were off to the hunt. My little one needed some egging on (sorry couldn't help myself) in terms of going for the eggs. She was too busy taking it all in to be super competitive.

We did manage to walk away with a nice jar of jelly beans thanks to some auspicious guess work. We said 333 jell beans and were off by just 5 - we left with 328 in hand. We got a big kick out of hearing our name and running over to the judging table to pick up our prize. At the second egg hunt, which was at a wild life sanctuary (pictured), someone recognized us as the winners of the jelly bean contest. A little bit of local celebrity.

Signs of Spring

2011-04-17T10:28:00.005-04:00

This sign cracked me up. The house is in Williamsburg and is oddly set back from the street. It may have been a back house that lost it's main front building. It has a very impressive magnolia tree, as the sign indicates, that blooms each spring. I have never seen a sign posted in past years and wonder if a slue of questions from botanically challenged hipsters necessitated it's posting.

Springing

2011-04-14T10:00:00.007-04:00

I'm ready to start Springing. Not springing like a cat after a play toy but springing like getting in to a Spring state of mind. Spring, when everything is new again and growth and re-growth is all around, seems like the perfect time to get on board the growth spurt bandwagon and plant some seeds of one's own.

I want to do some sowing and see what grows literally and metaphorically. I know what I want to grow in my backyard garden but I'm mulling over where I want to focus on some growth in my life. I'll post more about the Spring Growth project as it takes shape.

Image: French Seed Packets via Paula's Kit Club.

Fairy Houses

2011-04-14T09:34:00.005-04:00

Last weekend a stop at the playground escalated into a bigger adventure than expected. My little one made friends with a sweet girl named Summer and her younger brother and we ended up being enlisted to build a fairy house. Fairies are suddenly on our radar since the purchase and frequent viewing of "Tinkerbelle"

The house turned out to be a free-form open structure, more of an out door patio which was composed of lots of sticks, rocks, and dried leaves. For decoration, the children's' grandmother and I helped to collect dried flowers and weeds for a bouquet. My little one one was delighted and tireless as she ran around after the much bigger kids hauling the building materials.

It's amazing how fun looking for a special rock or piece of grass can be. And as an adult, to recapture a sense of wonder and pure imagination which allow handfuls of grass to become fairy food.

This weekend we will be searching out Easter Eggs but will keep an eye out for fairies too.

Images of The Cottingley Fairies, 1917 by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths

Ever Get That Sinking Feeling?

2011-04-06T22:27:00.003-04:00

I'm a little skeptical about the historical accuracy of this print but it is a good reminder to find something positive in any situation and/or to add music when you find yourself in a jam.

Austin Kleon poster "Overheard on the Titanic" available at 20 x 200.

Taking Comfort in Midsomer

2011-04-05T22:19:00.005-04:00

I've spent the last two days hanging out in the countryside of Midsomer,England. Actually, I've been really sick for two days and barely climbed out of bed. While awake I've been zoning out to murder mysteries and enjoying beautiful views of the English countryside courtesy of Midsomer Murders.

The county of Midsomer may be imaginary but the English locations are very real and very lovely. The grisly murders and high death counts are a small price to pay to enjoy a beautiful armchair (or rather sick bed) vacation.

You can take your own tour of Midsomer locations here and find out their true spot on the map of Britain as well.

Inspiration Needed

2011-04-05T11:36:00.005-04:00

Every need a little push in the creativity department? Some inspiration to make you feel something is possible? That's how I've been feeling. So I was happy to get a peek at Rachel Duarte's journal pages via the English Muse.

Now I'm excited to find my sketch book and doodle, write and collage away and see where I end up.

You can view more of Rachel's inspiring journal here.