Exploring the Wonders of Life

Some Photographic Drama

2012-01-28T16:52:00.000-05:00

Stop and take a picture

Lately, I have been using my iPhone camera more and more. You know I love it anyway, but with my other actual camera acting unreliably, I have counted more and more on my phone's camera. It's not even the newest iPhone, and I love it... especially in conjunction with the app called "Hipstamatic" which allows you to choose various Lo-Mo film types and lenses. It's a lot of fun without the costly film and development! So here are some pictures I took when K and I went on an afternoon road trip in his new car...

This is my favorite photo.

Hundreds of geese flying in formation

I also took some photos without the use of the app, just using my phone... that was mostly when we spotted the hundreds of geese flying above. There were so many that it was mind-boggling....

If you click on this photo, you'll see it larger and can pick out the geese.

More geese flying...

And the last photo was of the sun going down behind some dramatic clouds. It's nice to get outside sometimes, even when the temperature is so cold. The winds were crazy that day, too, so that every time I got out of the car to take a picture, I'd practically freeze my fingers to my phone. But it was worth it. Of course, you can see that most of the photos were taken while K was driving... I just couldn't help it, though. My mind wants to capture the scenes of interest and beauty, even while my eyes are taking them in.

I hope you enjoyed checking out the photos from that day. It really was a breath of fresh air to get out and see the countryside. We've been lucky this winter... so far, only the one weekend of snow (besides the freak storm in October) which is all melted now, mostly. It's been in the 40's, "warm" enough to get outside. The idea that temps in the 40's means I can go outside are crazy for this transplanted Californian! I do appreciate the contrast. I don't think it's nuts now to see a guy in shorts and t-shirt when the sun is out and it's 45. It makes a kind of sense... but you won't catch ME in shorts until at least May. Maybe. We'll see. You will definitely find me outside, though.... clicking away and enjoying the bits of winter sun.

xox

Winter Time

2012-01-25T08:45:00.001-05:00

A few days ago, we woke up to a winter wonderland...

It has since mostly melted away. I admit that I'm kind of glad for this. My tires weren't made for winter weather, and it wasn't warm enough to walk to work for a couple days. On top of that, I've been sick, so it's better that we're back up to the 40's. Strange to think that in California, a day that topped at 45 would have kept me indoors! Now it feels warm!

Both of my cats are doing very well now, though I'm watching them closely. I appreciate everyone's good wishes!

K's dad is mostly in his own world now, it seems like. Last Sunday, though, he and K shared a really special moment that lifted our spirits and filled us with love... They had sustained eye-contact for several minutes, and K felt him on the other end of the gaze. K called it a Soul Gaze, which is something he and I have done several times and which bonds us together more tightly. If you knew how rare a thing it is to connect with someone whose brain is now riddled with cancer, you'd understand how very big this moment was for all of us... We've all missed his dad, though he is right in front of us. His mom especially has missed the love of her life. We all silently ask ourselves how much awareness his dad has, and hope for a sign every day, that he's still THERE. On Sunday, we got that sign. It was really a blessed gift, and we were all so thankful!

Right now we'll take anything, of course. But a real soul gaze... Who could hope for something that tangible and rich in love and awareness? It was pretty awesome.

I hope you're having a blessed week, month, year. ❤

XoX

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Brief "Hello"

2012-01-10T14:31:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends! I'm still alive, haha. It's been a tough couple of weeks with a few different trials and tribulations for me to overcome. K's dad hasn't been doing too well. Having never really been this close to cancer before, it has been a humbling experience. K's mom has been so strong, and the family friends have been so supportive, that there's a brightness around the darkness. It's the silver lining on the cloud, I suppose... seeing all this love first hand. It has been hard watching someone who was once so vital and cheerful and strong be hit by cancer. It's sometimes hard to know where to allow your thoughts to go. I feel at times overwhelmed, and my sympathy and empathy go into full swing for K and his family... and other times I want to think of other things and to forget that all this is going on.

And then, as if the Universe were testing me, both of my cats had to go to the vet, for different things that were equally perplexing, and Jimmy Boo nearly died. That was when I knew that I had to step things up and start feeling more positive, as there is always something more to lose. Keeping your eye on the ball is important. The Ball, being your loved ones, whether human or animal. Everyone is now okay, if a little lighter and without all their gorgeous fur, ha ha! Both Beckham and Jimmy have patches of shaved areas due to getting blood drawn, and poor Jimmy has had his forearms shaved for IV drips, which make him look like he's wearing gloves!

So, life has been challenging me. I don't know how well I did, but I'm here, and I'm okay. There's more to come, of course, and I will try to stay strong and to be there for those I care about. It's all I can do. I hope that you and yours are doing well and are healthy and happy. Remember the gratitude... it's so important to cherish all those small wonders of life. You really never know when you will no longer have them.

xox love and blessings

There's Still Green Out There...

2011-12-11T17:36:00.000-05:00

It's definitely getting colder, though no more snow has fallen. The apartment seems always to be a little chilly, and the windows frosted. However, when I'm out and about, I still see bits of greenery, whether in some moss, or an evergreen tree. It's not yet a white and wintry wonderland out here.

Today I made a pot of vegan split-pea soup. It's one of my favorite soups that I make, with the fresh marjoram that I pick from what's left of our herb garden giving it just the perfect flavor. I can't wait to have some tonight!

I'm halfway through my Christmas shopping, too! I made a promise to myself to buy all American gifts this year, to help out our economy in my own small way. I have to cut spending a bit, though, since I'm only working part time now, and I have groceries to buy, and bills to pay. BUT Christmas is about giving and sharing, and it's my favorite part of the holiday.... I love surprising people with goodies, and it's the one time a year (other than birthdays) when you can give and no one feels weird about it! Some gifts will be hand-crafted by me, and other gifts will be hand-crafted by other local artisans... or made in an American factory. It can't hurt, right?

I have faith that our economy will improve and things will boom for us again. We're a nation of optimists and dreamers.... we see opportunities in everything. That's one of our strengths! I've got no doubt that we'll get back on our feet, maybe as early as next year, with everyone here pulling their weight as best they can. If EACH of us just TRIES to do our part, that's a huge amount of energy going towards something positive and good, right? I know we can do it. Yes, we can.

xox

Getting Ready for Christmas

2011-12-06T12:41:00.000-05:00

Right after Thanksgiving, K and I started getting ready for Christmas. The city of Bethlehem kind of cherishes this holiday over all others, since it's known as "The Christmas City"! At every corner of historic Bethlehem, there is a lighted Christmas tree suspended above, secured to the light posts & telephone posts.

The downtown area has Christmas music playing over loudspeakers, telling Christmas stories and adding to the festive feeling all around. So it's no wonder that we were anxious to get set up at home!

Our tree has a decidedly "nature-inspired" theme to it. There are many bird ornaments that I bought last year at Chriskindlmarkt in Bethlehem. I also have tiny shiny pinecone, acorn and walnut ornaments that I bought years ago from Martha Stewart's website. Of course, this attracts our little creatures...

Jimmy Boo is especially attracted to the tree, because he has discovered that if he crouches below it, Beckham can't get to him without causing a huge uproar from K & I. The entire tree jingles and shakes when those two get to clowning around! (Stinkers...) I had also featured my needle-felted Beckham ornament tucked inside the tree, but J Boo kept fishing it out and playing with it! Please note on top of the tree, though... the owl that sits on top. K made that for me! It's a needle-felted baby owl. So cute!

I hope that you are feeling festive and joyful, whatever your traditions are. Life is too short to be a Scrooge! (Or a Grinch, for that matter!)

Blessings to you... xox

Winter is Coming

2011-12-05T14:22:00.000-05:00

It seems that however we'd like to ignore it, winter is definitely coming. The evidence is out there... the leaves are gone from the trees, the temperatures are dropping, and the squirrels are fattening up!

All I can think of when I get dressed for work (and the walk there) is, "Will this be warm enough?" Cute is no longer part of the equation! I've also noticed that I eat a lot more, and tend to make more soups and baked goods. Remember last year? I baked up a storm! Yesterday I baked some banana nut muffins, some of which got chocolate chips in them. They turned out pretty good, too!

Along the Monocacy River

K and I are still getting out for walks, though we bundle up a bit more now. The trees have a much more austere look to them. They are down to their bare bones... their foliage having long since fallen away. I think they're beautiful.

The skies look colder now, too. Even when there are clouds, they are icy looking. It's enough to make me shiver looking at them!

This is the time when we burrow into ourselves. We need to dig deeper to find the whimsy and joy that summer or spring bring out of us naturally. It's a time when animals hibernate or at least, hunker down for most of the day. People don't have that luxury most of the time. What do you do to push away the Winter Blues?

I am determined to push my levels of creativity over this winter... I think that will help a lot. And to brave the cold to go outside more... though that's easy to say now when it's still just in the 30's and 40's.

People have their home fires burning... the air has that woody scent. It's this time of year that makes me wish I had a fireplace! That definitely makes you feel cozier, doesn't it?

So I'm mentally preparing for the long winter ahead of us. It's going to be cold. It may be difficult, but it's the perfect time to dig deep and find the strength inside of each one of us to discover how to smile and laugh when the world outside is slumbering in it's death-like season. We must remember that there is always a rebirth, and that change is inevitable in all things in Life. And like winter, the dark times we might find ourselves in shall pass.

Blessings to you all. xox

A Crow Convention Comes to Town

2011-12-04T13:14:00.000-05:00

Throughout this fall, K and I have noticed on our walks that there are times, right before dusk, when hundreds of crows suddenly congregate in our area. The first time it happened, we thought maybe that something had died at the park and they were coming to investigate. But there were soooo many, and they just covered all the trees in the area, and it didn't seem that likely that it was due to a carcass somewhere.

It was very interesting to watch them, though. I know I'm among a small group of people who find crows to be very fascinating and extremely smart. They have exhibited an intelligence in front of me that was undeniable. I just think they're brilliant creatures, really.

Have you seen this in your own neighborhood recently? Maybe it's just here in this area... I don't know. But it's happened several times already this autumn, and I'm curious as to what causes the crows to suddenly congregate like this.

If you've witnessed this recently, I'd love to know about it! Please share your experiences with me... I'd especially like to know if this has happened in another state or country.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend! xox

Thanksgiving and Beyond...

2011-12-03T16:17:00.000-05:00

Lots of leaves... tempted to jump in!

Hello Friends! Well, it's been an interesting week or so. Things both good and bad have been happening. I don't want to go into the bad, so I'll share the good things instead.

Thanksgiving was nice! I appreciate you asking about it, Shannon. I shared a meal with Keith's lovely family, and after most people napped, Keith, Kyle and I went for a post meal walk. It's one of my favorite things to do... and it was a beautiful day out for walking, too. It was brisk, but sunny, and there were some nice clouds in the sky to make the photos interesting!

I also entered a photo of mine into a contest where the goal was to take a picture from a low angle of perspective. I got into the top 8 out of over 130 photos! Here it is...

Got into the top 8 of the #JSLayLowChallenge on Instagram

Oh, but I jumped ahead. Here are some photos from Thanksgiving...

I also took a lot of photos before all the leaves dropped... I know I shared a few with you in the last post, but as there are basically no leaves left outside, other than in piles on the ground, these will most likely be the last ones...

I've also been keeping tabs on a little squirrel that I named Bun Bun. He somehow lost most of his tail, and so he looks a bit like a bunny now! Luckily, he's been gaining weight from all the maple seeds and acorns that he's been gobbling up. He's a real cutie!

He's just the cutest! I love him. He feels quite comfortable hanging out in our back porch area. I love finding him nibbling seeds on the back steps. Unlike the other squirrels, he doesn't have a long, bushy tail to keep the rain off of him, so he stays under the porch, or close to the tree when it's raining.

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving, and are getting into the Christmas spirit. Even if you don't celebrate the holiday, it's definitely a time of year when our hearts seem to expand just a little more, and hopefully, we all share love just a little more readily... the world needs more love, doesn't it?

An Ornament Making Party

2011-11-28T10:23:00.001-05:00

A week ago, my friends threw a party where we all spent our time making ornaments, eating & drinking. It was a lot of fun!

Above is Kyle's needle-felted orange tabby cat! Awesome, right? There was lots of inspiration around...

So many supplies, examples & fully loaded Christmas trees around!

I spent most of the night working on my own needle-felted cat... Look familiar?
I got a war wound, earning me a Curious George bandaid!

Jimmy Boo keeps taking Felt Beckham from the tree & playing with it. After we got home, we were inspired enough to start another ornament. This one out of beads, in a style my best friend taught me...

It's taking a while, but I'm nearly finished!

I'll share some Thanksgiving photos soon. I hope you're all well and enjoying the start of the holiday season!

Xox

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New York in Autumn

2011-11-18T08:23:00.000-05:00

I forgot to share with you all my visit to NYC with K to see my sister and some friends... it was a beautiful day there, too! My sister is visiting for a month (November) to get some work done, and also to see her friends, and me. :-) She brought along our friend, Lucy, and her new baby, M! She's soooo cute!!

Taken by my sister, S. Me next to K, in sunglasses.

M, up close. Isn't she adorable?

The leaves in the park were glorious, and we were all snapping away!

K and I had gotten there earlier than they did, so we trekked through Central Park and had lunch at Caffe Grazie, a two-story restaurant along the east edge of upper Central Park. It was cozy, and the service was nice, and at the end of our meal, my sister and Lucy showed up!

A Kir Royale at Caffe Grazie

Hilariously, we were all supposed to meet up at the Neue Gallery, but when K & I found out that it was $20 to get in, we figured we'd eat lunch then meet up with the ladies after... only to discover that they didn't plan to go in, either, they just wanted to go to Cafe Sabarsky, inside! Soooo... we left Caffe Grazie and stood in line to get into Cafe Sabarsky! It took a while... that place is hoppin'!

Kaiser Melange, at Sabarsky... mmm....

The draw there is the authentic German food, and the (for us, at least) the Kaiser Melange, a cup of Viennese coffee with hand-whipped cream on top! It was soooo good. Perfect for such a chilly day. K tried the spiced, mulled wine and liked it a lot. I tasted it, too, and it was yummy! A few people got lunch (those who didn't eat with us previously) and K & I got desserts. Sooo good! I highly recommend a visit to this place the next time you're on the Upper East Side.

Afterwards, we crossed Central Park (again! boy, were my feet hurting...) and saw boat races, people walking their dogs, and enjoying the fall sunshine. It was nice.

Tiny sailboats on the pond

K admiring the foliage above

Marisol, Sharlene, Lucy and Keith under a tunnel

Bridges

Afterwards, we made our way towards a meeting place/dinner location that wasn't too far away, though it was far ENOUGH for my aching dogs. We wound up at another Italian restaurant for wine and appetizers, which turned into dinner.

Delicious wine from the wine bar

I can't recall the name of the wine bar, but it was cozy, and we had fun! After we finished our food and wine, we all left, K & I for the Port Authority bus terminal, and everyone else for Brooklyn. I had a lot of fun, and enjoyed meeting Marlowe for the first time that day. She's a real sweetheart... she fell asleep while K was holding her, giving Lucy a break, which was the cutest thing ever! :-) I think he was a little smitten with her. Well, who wouldn't be?

Keeping in Touch

2011-11-17T08:18:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends. I don't want to always start out my increasingly sporadic posts with apologies... but I do feel a bit out of touch these days. It seems that my life is about work, and though I enjoy it, I'm not finding much time for myself lately. When I'm not working, I'm doing chores, or lately, trying to heal from a cold.

I take a lot of photos on my walks to and from work, however, so that's something. It will have to be enough for now, as I don't have the energy for much more.

The holidays are approaching, and Bethlehem is readying itself: Christmas trees are being attached to all the light posts along the streets, lights are being put up (if not yet turned on) in the downtown area, there have been one or two wreaths that have shed their fall leaves for holly berries... the evidence is out there! Christmas is coming! (I'm totally not prepared for it, although I've picked up a few presents during the year for one or two individuals... yay, me!)

This squirrel narrowly escaped a hawk!

The hawk that's standing on the corner of this house, see?

Squirrel's eye view

The squirrels are running around, eating everything they can find and getting plumper by the day. There are still amazingly colored trees everywhere, which is lovely. It helps to stave off the winter blues that are lurking around the corner. I've been making lots of soups at home: vegan split pea (which is so delicious that I've made it twice!), vegan mushroom barley, and a chicken noodle soup because though we don't eat chicken often, we had some left over from a dish I made for a party, so I used it up in the soup. I love home made soups in the cold weather months... it's just so warming! Especially with some fresh buttered French bread on the side! Talk about comfort foods! (Wish I had French butter to go with it, as their butter tastes SOOOOO much better than anything I've found here.)

Every day I walk under this brilliant maple tree.

I miss my blogger friends these days. It was at this time last year that I was really posting a lot of creative posts, since I was home all the time, trying to find things to do and share. I hope you understand that I want to blog more.... I've just been at a loss to gather up the energy! However, there are events coming up which I'm planning on blogging about, as they should be fun and creative, too! Until then, I hope you'll keep in touch!

If you have an iPhone, you can check out my Instagram pictures.... My nickname there is the same as my Twitter name: Sunkitten. Hope to see you there, if not here, in the future!

xox

I'm Loving Autumn

2011-11-09T19:57:00.001-05:00

I know I haven't posted in a while. I've been working my butt off... Picking up hours at work and running around taking pictures. Here are a few for you...

I hope you like them... I used my iPhone for all of them, as my camera isn't working.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

An Interesting Weekend...

2011-11-01T11:18:00.005-04:00

Hello Friends. This was an unusual weekend that just passed. It started with an unseasonal winter storm watch, which turned into a warning. A big snow system was supposed to move into the area starting Saturday morning. No one really seemed to accept it as a possibility, though, which I think is funny. I was certain it was coming in, because so far, the weather predictions in this area have mostly been reliable.

It started out on Friday, with sun, fall foliage everywhere, and plans for a Halloween party after a day at a bonsai class in New Jersey. Fun, with no drama built into the plans. The predictions for snow came, and we figured that it would maybe drop an inch or two on us, which would melt away fairly quickly. So we headed out on Saturday morning, early, as our class started at 9 am and was almost an hour away. (We thought.)

At left is what it looked like when we left in the morning... what was falling looks like rain, but it was actually a giant slushy, sprinkled on us by the powers that be. It sort of looked like snow, but after landing, it was like rain... it's called rain/snow. Ha ha.

As we got up to the All Shapes Nursery for our bonsai class, it was actually snowing, and had accumulated about an inch of snow or maybe a little more, and was looking like it was going to be an interesting return trip back to PA.

At one point, I came out of the greenhouse to go to the main house to use the restroom, and below is what I found outside!

Fall trees with snow...

It was a winter wonderland, somehow! In October! Now, in class, we'd been hearing that tick tick tick of snowfall on the plastic sheeting above us. However, as the plastic wasn't transparent, we couldn't tell if it was actually snow or rain falling. I found out it was snow when we came out for our break. THEN, as we were back in class, we'd hear swoooshhhh.... as sheets of built up snow slid off of the roof, sections at a time. Tick tick tick swooooshhh.... tick tick tick tick tick swoooooshhhh.... my mind kept noticing that it wasn't stopping. Although the class was interesting and fun, part of me was worried. We'd brought my Mini out to Jersey, and there was a snow storm going on outside. Were we going to be able to get OUT of here? That was the question of the day.

The snow-covered trees beside the road

A leaf trapped in snow on the roof above

The leaves on the ground outside , after some snowfall

Outside of the greenhouse we were in

So while all this snow was building up, we were actually cozy inside the greenhouse, learning how to control little plants and make them look like old miniature trees... it was really fun!

K was especially adept at it. He saw what he wanted, and he made it happen. His tree looks amazing! I was in awe, actually. Mine started out with good intentions, but didn't turn out quite so nice.

How my tree started out

It could be that I was distracted by the snow. Or I'm just not cut out for the Japanese art of bonsai. I don't know. I'm a fair gardener, but apparently that's where the talent ends!

Anyway, there were all kinds of lovely bonsai trees in there with us for inspiration...

Look at that trunk!

Love all the greenery at the base

Very exotic! The yellow flowers belong to it

Like a rainforest floor... so cool

A ficus made special

After the class was over, we used the restroom, and came out to leave. Everyone had gone except for a guy in his BMW, which K had to help push to get through the thick snow in the parking lot. Well, guess what? He also had to push the Mini. Once out of the parking lot, and then twice more after we got onto the long, unpaved road leading out of the nursery... it was a long road... and K didn't get to ride down it. After the last push, he told me to go down to the road, and not to stop, so he had to run about fifty yards in the snow behind me!

The road from the nursery

Roads weren't quite plowed

Our backyard when we returned

Neighbor's power was out, luckily ours wasn't

I won't describe the harrowing trip back to Bethlehem. Let's just say it wasn't the most relaxing trip. Then when we got back, we thought we'd be out of power, but we got so lucky! Most of the area had no power... the downtown area was mostly out of power, but the block my work sits on was fine! And our apartment had power, also... though most people we know didn't have any power. It was COLD, too. Especially that night. People stayed with others who had power, or stayed in the booked up hotels and motels. It's been crazy. The next day, I had to go in to work, and here are a few things that I saw along the way....

It was a mixture of autumn and winter, dramatically juxtaposed. I had a lot of fun photographing the variety of foliage and snow. (Though my fingers and hands got really cold in the process!) It's been so cold that the snow hasn't actually all melted yet. There were downed tree branches on every street, and the power still hasn't been restored to everyone's homes. It's pretty crazy. The weight of the snow on the still-cloaked trees caused lots of branches to break off from the weight, and there was a lot of property damage as a result. No one has cable, and a lot of people don't have phone service, either. It's so wild that one day of rampant nature can do so much to disrupt our lives.... and yet... it's so beautiful, don't you think?

xox

Sensational Fall Colors~

2011-10-27T11:00:00.000-04:00

These days are full of color. The trees are resplendent in their glorious fall foliage! I walk around with my camera out half the time and my phone out the other half! (My mouth open the entire time, probably catching a few flies... yuck!)

Due to the season, K & I have pulled out an autumn-themed Charles Wysocki puzzle. He has puzzles for every time of year! They're fun to do because of all their little scenes within the puzzle.

Of course, the cats get up on the table where the puzzle is... and when Beckham gets up there, he struts about, shaking a foot with a puzzle-piece stuck to it, tossing the puzzle piece across the room. One foot shakes, one puzzle piece flies, another foot shakes, another puzzle piece flies in a different direction; walk, flick, fly, walk, flick, fly... Argh! I chase him off, of course, but five minutes later, and he's back up there!

Downtown, people have decorated their flower boxes for the season, too. As I've shown before, there will be pumpkins in there, and squashes, and above, cabbages, dried corn and mums. So pretty!

Our front porch has my lone little piggie for now. But we're not downtown, and so we don't get many passersby to enjoy a festive display. I've thought of doing one for ourselves, except we don't even enter the apartment through the front too often. We typically just go in and out of the backdoor. Our red mums back there are in full bloom! And somehow, the golden cherry tomatoes have kept producing! Probably not for long, though... we heard that it might actually SNOW this weekend! What? In October?? Crazy!! It's rainy today, but it's definitely nippy out. I actually wouldn't be surprised if it snowed today.

I hope you're keeping warm, my dears. I have a purring cat tucked into my hoodie, ha ha, as I write this. I'm so lucky to have a cuddle cat to snuggle with on these chilly days. Soon I'll be at work, though, in the warm and cozy cave I work in. Haunting Gregorian chants will be playing in the background, the chocolate truffle candle will be infusing the air with it's warm, sweet scent, and everyone who comes in will eventually float out with smiles on their faces. It's a nice world I live in.... and I wish all that and more on you, dear friends.

xox

The Fabulous Start of Halloween...

2011-10-24T11:33:00.000-04:00

So I promised that I'd share one of my costumes... I did the Mad Plaid-er! Check it out...

The whole she-bang

K actually picked out the lashes for me

Keith was the Wolf that ate Grandma. We're doing the Red Riding Hood theme next weekend for our costumes. But I wanted to do my Mad Plaid-er or Plaid Hatter, ha ha, except I didn't end up wearing my plaid cap, since it wasn't much like the Mad Hatter's hat. Neither was the one I ended up wearing, but hey, I spent a total of $4 on my costume! (Pink eyelashes.) I didn't buy any special makeup... though I wish I had more than white face powder for my face.

I helped with the makeup on him, too

Our host and hostess had an extremely cool Halloween House! Check out just one room...

It was so well done! The bunting over the table had little skulls on each triangle! So cute!
I wish I'd taken more photos, actually. There were a lot of fun little details everywhere. Hilary put a lot of work into the decorations and food for the party!

Hilary as a doll

K's parents came, too, and dressed up... they're so much fun!

K's family

K's brother, Kyle, is an electrician by trade... so here he is if he didn't know what he was doing, ha ha! Perfect for Halloween! Their mom is an owl... so cute! Their dad is pretty self-explanatory! We all had a lot of fun!

Then, the next day, K and I were having our annual Pumpkin Carving Party... lots of food from Kyle & HIlary's party came over to ours... so much! We had fun carving... mine didn't turn out as cool, but hey, we all have our off-days!

My cranky little piggy

Lion, Cat & Maniacal pumpkin

Cat and Death

Check out the bird Kyle made on Hil's pumpkin!

They all turned out really cool, I think! My piggy looks better in the daytime, haha. Then you can see his little curly tail in back! We all had a good time, and ate a lot, drank some wine (I ended up wearing quite a bit of wine, and K wore lots of pumpkin. One of those kinds of evenings...) We made yummy baked pumpkin seeds with the seeds we got from the gutting of the pumpkins, and they were delicious! Everyone got to take some home with them, like last year. I made pumpkin chocolate chip and pecan cookies, which were a hit! And this is the first time I ever made Buffalo Chicken Dip, which turned out really good!

Next weekend there are more festivities... can't wait! I hope you're enjoying the season, even if you're not into Halloween. Every chance to make something fun happen should be taken! :-)

xox

An Autumn Color Palette Blog Walk! Inspired by Joy...

2011-10-21T07:37:00.006-04:00

Guess what time it is, People? It's time for another Color Palette Blog Walk! It's hosted by the inspirational Brandi at Brandigirl Blog. Woot woot! This time the inspiration is "What Brings You Joy?"

The first two color palettes were ones that I created from photos I took on my recent trip to California. (So obvious, I shouldn't have to tell you.) These are definitely coastal Northern California colors. Subdued, warm, earthy. The place where my joy is close to the surface.

This last one is a reminder to get ready for winter! (If you're a squirrel.) Autumn has become my favorite season the east coast. It definitely gives me joy to walk outside and feel the crisp air and see the amazing autumnal colors burst forth from the trees. Collecting acorns has become a new pastime inspired by my love of nature walks and this lovely season. I like how the texture for the color swatches turned out! They remind me of the striping on the acorns.

Check out what the other bloggers have created, too... they are a whole lot of creative talent all on one blog tour! I hope you liked my color palettes, and I hope you take a look at what's happening on the rest of the walk... take a hop, skip and a jump over to...

Francesca at Francesca Watson Designs -- http://www.francescawatson.com
Lori at Pretty Things -- http://www.PrettyThingsBlog.com
Marsha at Marsha Neal Studio Blog -- http://www.marshanealstudio.blogspot.com
Cindy at Sweet Bead Studio -- http://www.sweetbeadstudio.com
Kerry at Kab's Concepts -- http://www.kabsconcepts.blogspot.com
Cynthia at Ornamental Style -- http://www.ornamentalstyle.com/blog
Linda at Linda's Bead Blog & Meanderings -- http://lindalandig.wordpress.com
Emily at Good Things* -- http://jorpins.blogspot.com
Erin at Treasures Found -- http://treasures-found.blogspot.com
Brandi at Brandi Girl Blog -- http://www.brandigirlblog.com
Jenni at Jenni's Beads -- http://jennibead.blogspot.com

Yesterday's Rain Walk

2011-10-20T10:09:00.000-04:00

As I was walking downtown, I noticed that my feet cross many different types of walks. It kind of intrigued me. So I took photos of the various types of sidewalks as I went... here's what I got:

I also noticed that many people have started decorating for the season at hand...

Fall has only just begun... but here and there are brightly colored trees, ahead of the game...

I love when I walk into the grocery store now, it smells like cinnamon and spiced apples! It's such a heady fragrance.... it makes grocery shopping a delight, except for the crowds. It seems that now that I'm working, I tend to get to the store when everyone else is! Here, it's the time for pumpkin treats, apple cider, cinnamon scented pine cones and hot chocolate. What a delectable time of year! Also, I'm preparing for our now annual Pumpkin Carving Party, and plan to make some yummy treats for it... more on that afterwards!

I hope you're all staying cozy and enjoying what nature has to offer, whether you're on the east coast, west coast, the tropics or down under!!

xox

My Favorite Season

2011-10-18T11:48:00.000-04:00

Ever since moving to the east coast, I have come to adore Autumn. It's brilliant here! It sparks my imagination and love of nature like no other season... and reminds me that although life comes and goes to all, it's cyclical. Things don't disappear into nothingness. Life recycles.

These are some of my favorite pictures that I've taken with my iPhone recently. Most of them are fall photos, though some of them are of the plants in and around my apartment. I'm looking forward to getting a new phone, though I've loved my little iPhone 3GS. The newest one, the 4S, is supposed to have an even better camera on it! Woo hoo!

I hope that wherever you are, you're enjoying the outdoors... it's a beautiful world out there.

xox

Ever Since I Returned from Vacation...

2011-10-14T08:44:00.000-04:00

I have NOT been too creative. I've made a few little terrariums, and I've baked and cooked, but not much else. I desperately WANT to do more creative things, but find myself very distracted.... work has a way of doing that to me. Even a fun, relatively easy job can take away creative impulses when you come home tired. {sigh}

Blooming mums out back

Photography has been my only real creative outlet. Without it, I'd be artistically lost. I've always enjoyed photography.... since I was old enough to handle a camera without dropping it. (Okay, I've only recently gotten to that point, ha ha!) Back when photos were taken with film, be it 35 mm, 110 or 220... hey, remember those disk cameras? I had one of those, too. My old cameras would get light leaks in them, and the film would turn out crazy colors from the early exposure it got before it was developed.... much like a lot of the filters out today for digital photography. Kind of funny! "We" went digital to get away from the varying effects of film and to know that we got the best photo that we could, increasing pixels per square inch for better and better resolution, and then we create filters to give us that old camera effect.... funny.

Dishes

I always enjoyed the process of seeing through the lens. It's become second nature to me. When I frame a shot, I am doing one of two things: either 1) going for a journalistic, real life approach to capture what's happening in a moment, or 2) going for an artistic view of what I see so that it touches that artistic part of me. I'm not always successful, of course. I'm always in the process of learning to edit my photography. Composition is becoming more and more important. I still think, "Oh, that's pretty, I want to capture that," without really thinking beyond my initial response to color, form or subject. It takes self-control to stop and really look at what I'm seeing to see if I can get a good angle on the subject before snapping away. With digital photography, it doesn't really matter how many shots you take, does it? With film you had to be more careful because it was more costly. Even when I was developing and printing my own photos, I had to pay for the film and paper, and it wasn't cheap. (Boy was it smelly, though! Whew! I was in the chemistry up to my wrists sometimes, and didn't wear gloves. Tsk tsk!)

I'm hoping to find my way back into my sketch books and back into the inks and paints. It's been a while... It was before I left for California, actually, when I last painted anything. I know I'm only off course a little. I'm looking forward to some time off soon.... the boss is trying to hire some more help, so I can get weekends off, possibly. That would be excellent! At least I'll have time to blog now and again, which also makes me happy!

Planning for Halloween...

2011-10-12T11:31:00.000-04:00

So this year, for Halloween, we've been invited to a few parties. We haven't yet decided if we're going to all, some, or one. (Or none!) But I preemptively started working on a costume, just in case. I do NOT like coming up with last-minute costumes. They are rarely that cool, you know?

Image source

I went into our local vintage clothing/second-hand thrift store, The Attic, and started perusing.... they have a couple sections at this time of year that they use for costumes, or clothing that could be easily used as part of a costume. I found something pretty cool... a little red cape with a hood. Yes. Red Riding Hood is born. K will make an excellent Wolf, whether dressed in Grandma's nightgown, or as a sexy, wolfish man, who could change into a wolf at any time... like in one of my all-time favorite werewolf movies, The Company of Wolves, which is an adult Red Riding Hood story. I love it because the wolf is not the bad guy. The wolf is NOT the bad guy. It's the wolf inside the man that's prone to being dangerous. If you know me at all, you'll know that I love wolves, and I have met many wolves in person. They are amazing and awesome creatures. I wish that everyone could meet a wolf and understand what I know: they are merely God's creatures, who are not evil. They have life-time loves, they care for their pups, they live in packs because they are happiest with their families. They are far better creatures than some human beings are. Just because they are also near the top of the food chain is why they've been persecuted by Man for so long. It isn't fair of us to claim the top alone. We weren't even here first.

ANYWAY! I digress! (Let's just say I love wolves and leave it at that, okay?) I am very excited to put together my costume, based on a revised fairy tale made more to my liking. I just hope I can convince K to go along with me on this! He really wants to be a Bad Wolf. I admit that seeing him in a granny nightgown & sleeping bonnet would be funny & bizarre. We'll see how the hunt for costume accessories goes... that could be the deciding factor.

After doing some quick researching, I learned (actually, I re-learned, since I remember hearing this when I was younger) that Halloween was originally Samhain, a Celtic day signifying the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, where the lines between the living and dead were thought to be blurred. It originated over 2000 years ago! Because they believed that the spirits were closer at this time of year, they had bonfires, and dressed in animal skins, tried to tell each other's fortunes. After the Romans had conquered most of the Celts, their celebration of Samhain was incorporated into the Roman celebration of Pomona (apple) which was a harvest celebration. Thus, harvests and bobbing for apples was brought into the ancient Halloween tradition.

Ever wonder where "trick-or-treating" came from? In Colonial America, mischief-making was a chief part of Halloween. And in the late 1800's, due to the large influx of Irish and English immigrants escaping the potato famine, asking for food or money at Halloween started. It wasn't until around the 1920's, that giving treats was a way to prevent the mischief of pranksters... if you gave a treat, you wouldn't have any tricks played on you. This became a part of the American Halloween tradition.

Are you dressing up for Halloween? If you are, what do you want to dress up as? What's your favorite aspect of this crazy holiday? I love how it's full of creative opportunities.

Carving pumpkins + making & eating yummy goodies + creating costumes + getting a new persona for a night = FUN!

From last year's pumpkin carving party

An Early Fall Walk

2011-10-11T12:54:00.000-04:00

I had some time today to take a little walk... I haven't visited my cemetery in a while, and thought I'd pay a visit to see if there was anything exciting going on. (Ha ha) Well, as it turns out, there was!

As I walked into the cemetery, I saw a great bird swooping below the branches of the old trees... it was a hawk! She was on the prowl for prey...

I tried to get a photo of her flying, but none of them turned out. So I finally caught up with her while she was perched in a tree. See above.

Most of the trees are still green, but a few oaks are starting to turn.

I collected a few acorns to use as decorations in the house. I love the acorns from the pin oaks. They are small and have little stripes!

I noticed this little bunch of fur while I was acorn-collecting. I think it's from a squirrel's tail. Could be that there was a scuffle, or maybe the hawk got a little too close to one of the little nut collectors?

I saw some cool flowers along the way, too...

Also, there are a few trees that have truly started turning... one stood out from a distance, as it's amid its greener brethren!

Almost looked like it was on fire, right? And I almost missed this monarch while looking up at this golden tree...

It was a very lovely walk that I'll be taking again later today, after a couple hours at work. K is excited to go for a walk together... the weather has been warm, yet not humid, and is perfect for leisurely strolls. I am loving this autumn!

A Party in Castro Valley's Coolest Home

2011-10-10T07:59:00.000-04:00

My dear friend, Lenore, threw a little party for me so that I could get together with some friends on my whirlwind trip to California. Understanding the lack of time I could spend with individuals on this short trip, she opened her home to me. She fed and watered all my peeps and we had a wonderful time hanging out and catching up! It was a nice, low pressure way to see everyone.

What I wanted to actually blog about is her amazing home! I love it so much, and wanted to share a few photos of it with you.

Okay, beautiful, right? I mean, I've known her for about 15 years, and her home is ever-changing, but always full of grace and beauty. It's very well thought-out, if you know what I mean? It helps that she has access to amazing antiques and art, being a part-time antiques dealer, as is her hubby, Charles. He also is a creative genius. Check out his newest creations... Steampunk lamps! They are so cool...

This one is my favorite! Sorry the pic isn't great.

He sells them in their antiques shop in Petaluma, CA. If you're interested in purchasing one, I can get you the info to contact them. They don't have a website, but if you're ever in that area, let me know. Also, in the "West Wing," Lenore has collected artist's painting palettes from Paris. They're so rich and full of creative life... you can see them a bit in the photo of the dummy head.

Expandable breasts!

Charles keeps lots of Steampunk inspiration around him... that dress-maker's dummy is the best! The waist, bosom, and other areas expand and contract to size! Like something Tim Burton might have used on a creature of his... it's still in working order, too, after Charles fixed her up.

Above are two pictures I took of Lenore's Curiosity Cabinet... a Victorian invention to exhibit interesting things as they explored the New World of Nature with a scientific eye. Her cabinet is full of lovely bits of nature that even I have never seen before! True curiosities! My own cabinet of curiosities also stores my art supplies, etc, so it's not as lovely as hers. Though one day... one day!

I also wanted to share Lenore's granddaughter, Bella's, bedroom. It's lovely. I wish my photos did it justice. We were happy to meet her last weekend.... she's a sweet and creative girl. Just beautiful! Although only eight years old, she has the aura of an old soul. She is a precious girl.

And last, but not least, I got to see my best friend, E, and her son (my Godson) Max. He's now 13 years old, and as tall as me... documented by this photograph. It was a special treat to spend time with them! (I've missed my time with my BFF!!)

E and K taking pics of Max and I

Max used to fit in the crook of my arm like an over-sized (though not by much!) burrito. It makes me sad and also amazed at how fast children grow. His voice has changed, too.... deeper now, more manly. So strange!

I had such an amazing time at Lenore's. She's one of my dearest friends... true sisters of the soul. She and I have so much in common and can spend hours chatting about all kinds of things. She is a constant inspiration to me, too. I've missed her! I hope you've enjoyed this little glimpse into her home. She's an inspiration!

SF Botanical Gardens, Redux

2011-10-07T12:20:00.001-04:00

Okay, without much narration, I'm just going to share some photos with you... I had wanted to get my nicer photos from my camera uploaded while in San Jose, but it didn't work out that way. No biggie! Here they are... starting with some strange, unusual or pokey plants.

Next are spirals and petals that radiate harmoniously...

Next are trumpets, fuchsias and other favorites...

Lastly are the stragglers... including a friend that we made at the park. He/she was a cutie!

K loved this rosemary... bonsai-like!

prehistorically pokey

Oh yeah, and here's a cool pic of me that K took... it's in the area that felt like jungle, but I can't recall what it was called.

Santa Cruz, CA - Day 2

2011-10-06T07:21:00.000-04:00

My favorite no-name beach

Okay, technically, the photo at left is not in Santa Cruz. It's actually a bit north, closer to Halfmoon Bay. I suppose the reason I've always counted this as part of Santa Cruz is because I access it by driving up Highway 1 from Santa Cruz. I have rarely driven past this idyllic spot to Halfmoon Bay. When I spend time here, it's with the intent of returning to Santa Cruz, and probably having dinner at Ristorante Avanti, my favorite little restaurant in Santa Cruz. This was the plan for the day with K, when we came her last Wednesday.

Photo by K (see below where I captured him taking this)

I first discovered this beach after spending many days at Pebble Beach, which is connected to it. (Not the Pebble Beach in Carmel, associated with the golf course, but a state park called Pebble Beach due to the pebbles that make up the shore.) My grandparents first took me here when I was about six or seven. My family has been returning here for years, and on one of my trips, I chose to walk across the expanse of rocks to the north of the beach, and found a little special spot that rarely sees more than one or two people/couples at a time. It's very remote and beautiful for that.

Me on Pebble Beach

K on Pebble Beach

When we arrived this time, first to Pebble Beach, there were a busload of school kids here. We took a few photos and then got back into the car to drive north a little ways, as I knew of another place to access the beach. It takes you to a sandy beach, also with no name, that's part of the California State Park system. It's also lovely, with its amazing rock formations, and I love the beach home that sits perched on one end.

Me walking back to the sandy beach

You can just make out the beach house in the photo above. Those rock formations are what you have to traverse to get to and from my secret beach. The ancient lava floes created anamorphic shapes, so you can sometimes make out a whale, dolphin, seal or even a puppy's face and an elephant head in the rocks.

I love the smooth, colorful pebbles that make up the shore at my secret beach... they're lovely, and you can't help but lay close to them so that you can see the individual colors and shapes of the stones. We collected some seashells for K's school kids, to connect them to this amazing beach. We took videos of the creatures we saw in the tide pools... hermit crabs, anemones and a starfish!

An open anemone

We were pretty lucky, actually. I didn't have my tide log, and had forgotten to check my tide log app before we arrived. It was high tide, but it was going out. So we only had to wait a bit for the waves to recede, and then we were able to view the sea life up close! We were very careful not to tread on the live snails living on the rocks. It wasn't easy!

Some seashells for the kids, some rocks & driftwood for us

We had a truly lovely time here... having the beach to ourselves was wonderful, and the sun was out and it wasn't too windy. As I wasn't feeling that great, having come down with a cold, it was nice to just relax on the straw mat when I felt tired. Something about the ocean air is very healing, though, and I found that I was able to stay longer than I had expected. Also, we planned a dinner at Ristorante, and I wasn't going to skip out on that!

The drive back into town is just lovely, too. The fog was starting to roll in just a bit... wisps, really, nothing too heavy... making the golden grasses off the sides of the highway just glow. Then we arrived in town, and got seated at little table for two, tucked away in a corner.

Mmm... yummy food!

K eating some calamari

We had their calamari fritti (so crispy and delicious!) served with a light mignonette, and we both got the grilled sea bass served on Israeli cous cous with locally grown tomatoes and cucumbers in a light citrus sauce. It was absolutely fantastic! The veggies were so fresh and sweet (a commitment that the restaurant has made is to use only locally grown veggies and humanely raised livestock and produce.)

Our sea bass on cous cous

It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day! We drove home to San Jose with our tummies full, smiles on our faces, love in our hearts and a little sunshine left on our cheeks. I can't ask for more.

Santa Cruz, CA - Day 1

2011-10-05T12:18:00.000-04:00

K under the eucalyptus

Our first day in Santa Cruz, I took K to Natural Bridges State Park. It's a beach that used to have some natural rock formations that were shaped like a bridge. However, a few years ago, the center collapsed, and the bridge was gone. I used to come here with my artist's sketch board, paper, charcoals, pencils, etc, and made drawings of the rock formations in the water. That was when there was still one bridge left. Erosion doesn't discriminate, and it's effects are visible everywhere along the coast. Quite dramatically, at times.

This park is interesting for more reasons than the bridges, though, so it still sees many visitors! There are trails you can walk under pines, cypresses and overgrown eucalyptus trees. These eucalyptus trees are the favorite resting place for monarch butterflies, too, actually, and every year, around the beginning of October, thousands of monarchs come to rest here!
We got here just a bit early for the huge numbers of them, but we saw a few... maybe around 50 or so, as they feasted on pollen, fluttered around, and hung out in the warm, California sun.

A few monarchs on the wild roses

There's actually a wonderful wooden pathway that was built so that the land wasn't affected by all the visitors to this place. I've been coming here since I was a teenager, having discovered this place when I was around 14, on a school outing. Many schools bring their kids here for a field trip, as there's also a visitor's learning center near the monarch resting area.

Description of the migration of the monarchs

Pathway towards the monarch viewing area

Since we weren't able to show you that many monarchs on this trip, I'm including this photo of another time when I came here by myself. It's a good reason to visit this park in mid-October... it's just amazing!

Fluttering monarchs

Look closely... there are many!

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Santa Cruz... more to come tomorrow!

San Jose, Redux

2011-10-03T12:19:00.000-04:00

I'm baaaack!! I've missed being a part of the blogging community... not enjoying my mom's ancient computer that takes FOR-EVERRR to load a page, I didn't get online. As you may or may not have noticed, my last posts were all from my iPhone. Therefore, I couldn't share with you the pictures I took with my camera. Or, maybe I could have, but I'm not savvy enough to know HOW!

So a few things to share with you...

Starting with the cool views from the plane, which always entrance me. I love the shining river in the third photo.... it's like a silver thread woven into the fabric of the earth below.

Strangely, it rained on our first full day in San Jose, which is odd. It RARELY (I'd say never, but it just happened) rains in the summer in California! I mean, I'd only lived there since I was six, but I feel like it was rare enough for me to feel a bit surprised when it happened.

On our walk to the park that I grew up visiting, we also saw some really old, large trees, which K thought were pretty awesome, and I had to agree.

Mom & K under a large pepper tree... the trunk was about 7 ft in diameter!

There were lots of birds, geese, ducks, and a few that I wasn't sure WHAT they were, but have seem them my whole life.

And back at my mom's house, her garden has grown MORE amazing than ever...

She has all sorts of vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers... it was so prolific that I had to tell K about "back in the day" when San Jose was an agricultural center for the States, and all around us there used to be farms and orchards. (I'd heard these stories from teachers growing up, and indeed, the orchards that had surrounded my schools are long gone now.)

My mom knows how to bring the outdoors in... sitting on this window bench that my step-dad made, you can watch hummingbirds up close! All kinds of little critters visit... mostly birds, but a few squirrels, too (which drive Jo Jo crazy, he being the family dog.)

And a few of the ways she brings nature around is to have feeders and bird baths. Also, she's planted a lot of flowers outside the windows which the hummers love to feed on. It's exactly the kind of garden I had back when I lived in Fremont. Full of life!

She also added elements of bonsai, through the use of a grapevine, which has been there for years. She gets delicious grapes on them, too! We took a lot home with us!

There are other interesting elements in her yard, in the form of little scenes... she has statues that used to be inside (bought when we lived in Japan) which she got tired of having in the house. They became outdoor ornamentation, and seem quite happy there!

We really enjoyed spending time outside, as you might recall from my other post. Mom would serve us tea that she'd made from her own herbs, and which were delicious! It was quite relaxing and enjoyable... I'll miss it!

Santa Cruz, California

2011-09-30T11:28:00.002-04:00

We drove to Santa Cruz on Tuesday, and it was gorgeous! The weather was hot & sunny. I wasn't feeling great, having come down with a cold, but I was determined to show K around my favorite town.

We only had a little time before my hair appointment with one of my good friends who is also my hairdresser... So we grabbed a yummy lunch at Cafe Brasil, and stopped by the beach...

This beach is one that I used to take my dog, Jake, running on. It's big, wide & gorgeous and I love watching all the dogs play together!

Afterward a nice walk together on this beach, we went to get my hair done & then join my friends for sushi at Miyuki's.... Mmmm... Fresh and delicious!

More later... I haven't been able to get the photos off my camera, only my phone, so you'll have to wait for the best pictures after I return!

xox

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

SF Botanical Gardens

2011-09-27T10:56:00.001-04:00

We headed off to San Francisco on Monday, to go to Golden Gate Park. It was a gorgeous, sunny day in The City!

We at first tried to go to the Conservatory of Flowers, but it's closed on Mondays. Bummer! A lot of people were there, anyway, picnicking out on the lawn or sunbathing.

We drove to the Botanical Gardens instead & shared an amazing day there!

We went on all the trails, through the Australian area, the succulent gardens, the fragrance garden, the redwood grove and more... The hummingbirds I've missed in PA were buzzing us every few steps!

And after we'd walked until the park closed, we went to Halfmoon Bay for dinner. It was a lovely day!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

San Jose, California

2011-09-26T10:20:00.001-04:00

Here I am, friends! We landed in San Jose on Saturday night and have been spending time with my mom & stepdad, and Jo Jo, their dog. It's beautiful here, as you all suspected!

My stepdad has made many more improvements on their house and my mom has added many plants to their garden... It's lush and magical...

She served us her homemade tea made from fresh bamboo. It was tasty! We also did a lot of walking to nearby parks. These are places I grew up playing in, so it was really fun reliving some memories while sharing them with K.

Above he is climbing a large bonsai tree, with Jo Jo watching!

In the afternoon I took K to meet my best friend for the first time. It was lovely seeing her beautiful face again & catching up! I've missed her so much!

My mom also made us a yummy dinner. I stuffed myself! K was suitably impressed! We are now planning on going to my favorite beach today... I hope you all are having a wonderful and inspired day!!

XoX

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm Off to California!

2011-09-24T01:05:00.000-04:00

Well, friends, it's that time. I'm heading out tomorrow morning, and since I'm too excited to sleep, I'm writing a little note to you all....

I'm heading back to the place I called home for most of my life, and I have to say that it's like Christmas has come early to me!

Part of me is kvelling.... the other part is a little bit nervous. I'll tell you why. What if I am disenchanted with what I used to think was the best of the best? What if I no longer feel in love with my home state? I've really enjoyed living here in Bethlehem, PA. It took me a little while to find my place, but now that I have, I really like it here. Will I find it as beautiful in northern California as I remember it to be? Will I be freaked out by the traffic? It's been a long time since I've been there... will it have changed so much that I don't recognize it anymore? Will I get lost?

I guess it will be an adventure, either way! One thing is for sure, though... I'll be seeing my friends and family again, and that's always a beautiful thing. I'll be near the ocean again, and that's another friend that I've missed. I'll have my eyes wide open, now. I'll be absorbing as much as I can, storing it up for the years to come. I won't take anything for granted on this trip. That's something that I can be sure of.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! I'll be seeing you soon!

xox

7 Things

2011-09-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

Well, now! I've never received any type of blog award, so this is a first for me... The deal is this: I received a tag (as in, "tag! you're it!") from Katia of Chestnut Mocha blog, a very fun (and inspiring) blog that she does with Ben, her other half... Thank you, Katia! So now it's my turn to first tell seven things about myself that no one knows, and then to tag other bloggers in return! I'm quite flattered when anyone wants to know anything about me, ha ha, since I'm usually the curious one.

The most recent pic of me, with J Boo entwined.

What to start with? Hmmm... ha ha

1. I love to read so much that I typically read several books at once, usually from different genres, for whatever my mood is at that time. Then I read them while eating, doing laundry, instead of doing laundry, and before bed.

2. I love animals so much that I can not go to an animal shelter, or watch a commercial about animal shelters or charities, without crying, which my closest friends/family already know, but many others probably do not know. All of my donations go to animal charities, for the most part.

3. I believe in the power of the individual to effect change. I've seen enough instances of this that I truly feel that each of us has the ability and the power to create the goodness we want for ourselves and others in this life.

4. I secretly wish that I were a quantum physicist. I think they're so cool! I'm just not that great at math, and I never even took a physics class.

5. I love ghost stories, and used to try to capture ghost images with my camera at cemeteries. Then I figured out that that's probably the last place that a ghost would hang out. I'm a sucker for Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International.

6. I sing out loud when I'm alone, either driving or at home, even though I know I sound bad. I used to wish I were Madonna. Mostly because I was young when she was first hitting it big, and I was jealous that she could sing and dance, and that she was such a rebel.

7. I believe in Sasquatch, the Yeti, and the Abominable Snowman. They found DNA proof of a creature that is not quite human, yet not quite a simian, on Destination Truth. (I'm a sucker for that show, too.) The proof is there, so I believe. Life is more interesting with the possibility that they exist, don't you think?

So now that you know that I'm a geeky, tree-hugging weirdo, will you still be reading my blog? Ha ha! If not, I totally understand. (No, I don't!) But I hope you'll stick around... if for no other reason than to see what other crazy things I might say!!

Now, I'd like to pass the torch on to seven of my fellow bloggers, whom I just love to read... I hope they'll share seven of their secrets, too! Some of my blogger buddies have already revealed their Seven Secrets, and so I didn't ask them to reveal any more... we all need to keep SOME of our secrets, right?

Here are my Tags:

I saw that Sonja from Big {Blue (print)} Ball is already on Chestnut Mocha's list, and she's on mine, too!

Fenny from F for Fabulous, whom I think is really sweet and has a lovely blog.

-E- from Mount Aenos, whose blog helps to make me sound smarter.

Brandi from Brandi Girl Blog, who inspires me with her color confidence and technical know-how.

Rebekkah of Life is Happy Most of the Time, who's a friend of mine that I think is so sweet and creative, and I wish she were HERE.

Cynthia of Beach Coast Style, whose posts always refresh my soul, which needs that beachy breeze every now and then.

Shannon of **Happiness Is...** because I think she's one of the coolest chicks on the Internet!

To all those I tagged, please don't feel badly if you don't have time to post a response. I am all about doing what feels good and right to you. So no worries, friends. This is just my shout-out to you since I think you're all fabulous! And if I didn't tag you, it's not because I don't want to know more about you... it's just that I have a blog list a mile long, and I had to stop somewhere!

Thanks again, Katia!

Monocacy Creek Walk

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

These are the weirdly soft burrs that got all over my clothes.

As I mentioned yesterday, I went on a nice little nature walk with K. The weather was cool, yet clear. We wanted to check out the trail along the Monocacy where it is near the freeway entrance. The reason is that we've suspected this little old lady of being a renegade gardener... we've seen her along this bit of land, harvesting things, and probably planting things. The area was rife with flowers this summer, and not flowers that you normally see along the side of the freeway. I had also thought I'd seen a squash growing on the chain link fence there, and wanted to get a closer look. So we did.

I know it doesn't look too exciting here, but that's because most of the flowers were on their way out by this time. I wish we'd stopped sooner, because it was evident that the old woman we've seen out here WAS gardening!

There was the squash growing along the fence... rows of chives and scallions, a grove of jalapeno plants that were still growing some peppers, and an unknown plant or two that do not grow in the wild, and seemed to have some strange fruit or seed pods.

Just beyond her garden zone, I found a cool nest in a tree. It opened on the front, rather than up top. Almost like a weaver's nest, but different. The river is still pretty swollen, and there were fallen trees and broken branches all over, indicating the recent flooding that happened post-Irene. Lots of autumn clematis was blooming, and the sweet scent was a welcome respite from the boggy smells of standing water. The burrs in the photo above (next to the clematis) snuck a ride on my sleeve, my pants, and my shoes, without me knowing. They're really neat looking, though, so I had to get in there and get a picture!

The trail leads to Burnside Plantation, where the police horses are kept and fed. You can't get close to them, as there's a low-voltage fence around them. But it was still cool to see those majestic American Quarter Horses, of which my childhood fantasies were chock-full. I always wanted to have my own horse to care for and ride... they're beautiful creatures, aren't they?

We also saw a momma deer and her fawn, off in the distance. They kept away from us, and I couldn't get a good photo. They were beautiful creatures, to be sure.

Tomorrow I'll share the amazing little garden that's on the other side... my camera phone was losing its battery charge, so I had to use K's phone to take photos. (I forgot my camera!) So once I get the photos from his camera, I can share them with you....

Reclaimed Table Project Update

2011-09-21T08:49:00.000-04:00

So I had the day off Monday, so after running my errands, I worked on my upcycled table. Remember how we'd turned an old solid wood door into a table for our porch? Well, it's been sitting on my porch, and I've been wanting to do some more work on it. I sanded and sanded (by hand) and then I got out the tin of Butcher's Wax to give it a good seal.
"Wax on. Wax off. Very good, Daniel-san,"
"Thanks, Mr. Miyagi. I couldn't have done it without you."
I only got the top done, along with the front edges of the base...

I know it doesn't look that much better, but believe me, it is! The color deepened to a warm brown, which I am really liking. The feel is so smooth now, and it's got protection against the weather. Lucky thing, too... I woke up this morning to the sound of rain. It was so sunny and beautiful yesterday! I wish I had finished the entire table while it was still nice out, but my arms and back are saying, "Glad you stopped when you did!" Yeah, I'm a bundle of sore muscles... but as I also have today off, I can relax. Today my plan is to start packing for my trip... I leave on Saturday! Eeek! And to also get another blog post ready for y'all. I went on a very interesting nature walk yesterday, too, after K got home, and want to share those pictures with you, as well.

Little Job, Big Job

2011-09-20T08:19:00.000-04:00

Holding down a job and trying to maintain blogging has been more difficult than I'd imagined. Last week, I worked a tad over the hours of a regular, full-time job: 42 hours. And I obviously didn't get to blog too much, which is maybe a good thing. I came home tired every day.

I've forgotten what it takes to stay creative while also working. My mindset is so different between the two activities. At work, I keep my mind tightly reined in, remembering client's names, making sure to have everything done that needs to be at every moment, keeping the place clean and tidy, multi-tasking a lot.... When I blog, I tend to relax my mind, just letting it open up and find the connections between things, and look for the beauty or clarity within the thoughts. I'm looser of mind and body.

I've been finding my place at the new job. It wasn't easy at first, but has gotten much easier, which is not to say that it's gotten less busy. But I now know what I need to do to keep things moving like a well-oiled machine. I also understand how to work the software and view the schedule like a player in a chess game. I see the art in the science of it, and that's when I'm happiest.

Right now, however, since I'm relatively new to the work schedule, I haven't really found the balance between work and play. I give my all at work, so when I get home, I'm pretty much exhausted. I want to do fun things with friends, but don't have the energy left. How do you keep the energy and desire to have a social life while also working a regular job? How do you do it with a more taxing career? Is it a mental state? Diet? These are not rhetorical questions, I really hope you'll share your tips with me.

A heart for you from Santa Cruz, CA

On another note, I can't believe that in a week, I'll be in California! Sweet, six-pound baby Jesus! I'm very, very excited about this and getting MORE excited!! I know I'll miss my cats, and possibly my apartment, but it won't take the shine off this trip! I should be able to blog, too, since my mom has a computer that usually works and is connected to the Interweb. Either way, I will have some material for my blogs for a while! :-)

Also, when I return, Bethlehem will be in the full Fall Swing! Oh, Autumn... you have quickly become my favorite time of year! NEVER thought I'd say or think that, but it's true. I love the cooler, sunny weather, and the jewel-tones of the leaves all around... it's just stunning!

I hope you all have a wonderful and inspired day! xox

On Gardening

2011-09-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

I recently visited a whole lot of gardening blogs, and was reminded of my love of gardening. When I lived in California, it was one of my favorite pastimes. I'd get home from work and go straight into my garden in the back (if it was still light out) and I'd pull weeds, make discoveries, trim and deadhead. It was my calm space. I always had so much to look forward to every season back in my secret garden.

I want to share some photos with you of my garden, though it's no longer mine.

I brought lots of potted plants with me from the rental house I lived in before, so the back deck immediately had some color and life.

This hundred-year-old wisteria was one of the reasons I wanted to buy this house. It's just one of the reasons that I was drawn to this house. I loved the large backyard, all the light the house got inside, and the fact that I was about five miles from work! (Though it could take me up to 20 minutes to get there... drawbacks of living in a Bay Area city!)

Yes, I was able to keep a plumeria plant, too. I had to winter it inside, but that wasn't a big deal. I loved that plant! I tried to take some with me, but it didn't survive the super-heated summer driving. I had to get it from California to Pennsylvania in my Mini. It wasn't happy, and did NOT survive.

Fence art hiding behind the foliage

I had a lot of help with my garden... when I first moved in, my good friend, Lenore, took me plant shopping at a huge Japanese plant nursery nearby. She purchased many of my trees & shrubs that I have in the garden! So generous, and she helped me figure out the placement for everything, too.

Quince blossoms

Every season in my backyard had something blooming... that was part of her suggestion, too. We went to the nurseries at the different times of year to see what was blooming and thriving. That helped to get me a year-round garden I could always enjoy.

Flowering maple, I think

The yard came with a plum tree, an avocado tree, an orange tree and the wisteria. Everything else was planted afterwards. There were some volunteers, as well, including several fig trees, a wild rose, and the neighbor's trumpet vine.

I had my friend, Jed, build the pergola... love it!

I planted a wisteria at one corner of the pergola, a Carolina Jessamine at another corner, and the bittersweet vine kind of overtook it from a pot I had it planted in. That was a crazy vine that I should've kept in check!

Love the dark flowers on this shrub. Forget the name... silver (something)

I loved to wander around in my own garden... it was a real sensory experience. Both visually and olfactorily! You'd smell the wisteria at the back door, walk towards the back and smell the sweet tea rose, then the orange blossoms on the orange tree, then the honeysuckle along the garage, and then back to the wisteria, where there were also some freesias in pots along the deck. I planted to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and people! I even had dragonflies back there, probably due to the lady bugs... Poor ladies!

A copper wind chime I made

I enjoyed adorning my garden with lights and wind chimes. You can tell it's summer from this photo above... not as much in bloom. The shoe-button spirea at the bottom middle/right has lost it's little white flowers.

Another volunteer: chamomile

I encourage rampant misbehavior of my plants. I loved when the plants would grow out of bounds and encroach on other areas... the way they shared space was often inspiring to me. I loved when the spring would bring surprise bulbs, too, that I had forgotten that I'd planted. Someday I'll have another garden, I know. It will take time, as they must to be truly inspiring. I have patience. I can wait. Meanwhile, I will continue with my little terrariums and potted gardens. And I'm happy to enjoy the gardens that all of you share with me in the Blogosphere. Thank you!

Reuse Your Man's Shirt with Fabulous Designs!

2011-09-16T08:02:00.000-04:00

Check this out!

I just wish I were this skinny so that I could do these awesome looking re-vamps of K's shirts. Maybe a trip to the second-hand store is in order... I can find a 3X striped men's shirt and do this, I think...

Blooms In My Garden

2011-09-15T10:14:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share what's currently blooming around my apartment. If you enjoy gardening blogs, like I do, check out May Dreams Garden! I'm linking to her Garden Blogger's Bloom Day post.

Some of these are in pots, and others are planted in the backyard. Although I'm looking forward to fall, I'll be sad to lose these blooms. Good thing the mums are getting ready for fall! My garden won't be completely barren looking...

Brown-eye Susans on the front porch.

Don't know what these purple flowers are...

Butterfly bush I propagated from a wild-growing bush.

Next to bloom... Mums!

A Peek Into My Work Day

2011-09-15T08:32:00.000-04:00

A day in my work week goes kind of like this...

I get up in the morning, meditate for 20 minutes, make my coffee and then sit at my computer reading some blogs and sipping my morning cuppa. By the time I've gone through all my favorite blogs, it's time to grab Jimmy Boo and hang out on the back porch with him. It's become our routine, and we both enjoy it. My coffee comes with me if I haven't finished it yet. Beckham is typically sleeping or laying in a window watching the world go by. Since he doesn't allow me to hold him in my lap outside, he doesn't come out.

I might have some breakfast, then shower. It depends on whether or not I'm going in early or later. If later, I push breakfast into brunch, and then figure out what to bring for my dinner. Then I get ready for work and start off on my walk. You've heard about my walk, and know that I stop at least three times to take a photo of something along the way.

There are still lots of flowers blooming since we're pretty much still in the summer season. It's starting to turn, though... the air is cooling down, and some of the leaves are falling in shades of red, yellow and mixtures of red & green. But when you look up, you still see mainly green foliage up in the boughs of the trees.

This walk has turned into a kind of mantra for me. I review all the things that I'm grateful for while I walk. It's a ritual that I don't want to give up, as it gives me some early morning clarity about my life and my choices. I try to be very present while I'm walking, and not get too lost in taking photos or following the tracks that my mind might try to take off on. It's very easy to get lost in mind-noise.

As I near work, I allow my mind to switch over to work mode. And when I walk down into the lobby, I feel calmness and know that I am helping in this place, and that they want me there. I've connected with a lot of the employees and clients, and it's a place of positive energy. The scents and the lighting create a relaxing atmosphere that calms. The cleanliness is helpful in keeping that calm around me. My day has started. I answer phones, schedule clients, do laundry, clean, enter data on new clients into the system, and chat with coworkers while they wait on their clients. I also enjoy chatting with the clients. They all start out like normal people, then they get their massages and they practically float back into the lobby with messy hair, lines in their faces, and dreamy expressions. It's awesome!

I love the morning shift, as I get to leave at 3 pm, and walk home while the sun is still out. People here still greet each other in passing, for the most part. I like to notice the little bits of whimsy that people have added to their environment. You only have to pay a little attention to see things like this...

The imprint of a leaf in the concrete. There were several, but I share with you the best one that I saw. I wonder at who might have done this... a child? An adult? A man? A woman? When did they connect with their inner child and decide to dress up a boring slab of concrete with their tiny transgression? I love that they DID. The area where this leaf imprint lies is not near a private home. It's on the corner of public building, and there were several leaf prints, though this one was the best. They had to push pretty hard, you can tell. The displacement of the concrete shows that it had already started to harden, and thus was forced out in thicker waves when the print was made. Determined and naughty!

On my way home yesterday, when I took these photos, I decided to stop at a little antique store that's connected to an antique book store. I wanted to buy an ink well for painting with inks. There was a real ink well, but it was made for quills. I needed something I could use with my calligraphy pens, as that's the way I make my ink drawings. I found something that would work... a tiny little bottle.

I took it home for $3 and found that it worked perfectly! Much better than the $39 antique ink well would have worked. It suits me better, also. After I got home, did some dishes, and changed clothes, I started working on a new piece. As I had drawn Beckham the other night, I decided to draw Jimmy Boo. The photo I chose to work with has Jimmy drowsing on my table, with the sun hitting him and one eye half closed and the other fully closed. It was probably not the best photo to use. He turned out looking rather demonic, yet sleepy. He's the least demonic of my two cats, so this isn't an accurate representation of him. I'll share it, anyway.... I worked some watercolors over the ink drawing... It's okay. It's not the best. But I need the practice, and this was my first watercolor of a cat. The next one will be an improvement! So that was my typical day.

Jimmy Boo looking a bit weird.

Not bad as far as days go, right? Not bad at all.

Anticipation....

2011-09-13T12:29:00.000-04:00

...is making me wait. It's keeping me waiting! Just kidding. But seriously, I am very excited to be going back to California soon! Woo hoo! I'll be seeing my friends and family again, most of whom I haven't seen in almost two years! I left the Bay Area in January, 2010, and moved to L.A. where I stayed for six months before moving here to PA. Wow. What a trip.

Coastline along Northern California's Highway 1

Some of the things I'm planning for when I return to California (aside from reconnecting with my peeps) include:

Going to the beach with K, and showing him my favorite spots.
Eating dinner at my favorite restaurants in Santa Cruz. Mmm... can't wait!
Eating my mom's food, as she's an amazing cook! K's going to love her food!
Showing K places like San Francisco, Los Gatos and Capitola...
Hanging out with my bestie and her son, my Godson, who's now 13!!
Getting my hair done by my good friend, Joannie, then going out to eat sushi afterwards!
Smelling the salty ocean air.
Sharing a couple lattes and some Ginger-crack cookies with K at Surf City Coffee.
Playing with JoJo, the family dog...

Yes, JoJo is a boy dog.

Something to look forward to!

Shabu shabu at mom's

Something you'd see while driving

Santa Cruz blooms

Fremont's wetlands

I realize that most of my favorite activities involve food. Is that so strange? The Bay Area is well known as the place to go for delicious food. You really can't beat the variety and quality of most of the restaurants in the vicinity. I'm mostly excited to be able to share those places with K.

A few other things that I know he'll enjoy... The Conservatory of Flowers in SF's Golden Gate Park, the Arboretum, SF's awesome Japantown Center... I'm not sure if we'll have time to check out Yosemite, but that was on my long list. It's such a drive to get there that it might have to wait until another visit.

My Godson, M, and me on the Merced River, Yosemite, CA

Yosemite rainbow

I'm starting to think we'll have to visit Yosemite.

I think the vastness of California's northern parts will be new to him. Everything interesting takes anywhere from 20-60 minutes to get to. Here in PA, everything is pretty close together. Something that's 20-30 minutes away is thought to be "far." But I think he'll get used to it pretty quickly. In California, it's not always about the destination. It's more about the journey. It's so beautiful there... I don't think he'll mind the driving at all.

Driving in No. Cal

Newest Ink Drawing

2011-09-12T10:06:00.000-04:00

Ink drawing by me.

I made a portrait of Beckham today. At first, I sat there with a blank sheet of watercolor paper in front of me and a pot of India ink. Then, as I pondered the paper with a feeling of uninspired ennui, Beckham jumped up onto my desk and put his foot right in the pot of ink, upsetting the brief moment of quiet I was immersed in. Boredom was gone in a flash. I grabbed the pot of ink and set it back, grabbed his foot in my hand, and his whole body under my arm and ran into the bathroom. He was so nonplussed that he didn't even object. There was no time! I ran the water in the tub and shoved his forepaw into the stream of water and got as much of the ink off while it was still wet. My hand still has traces of ink and my desk will need to be refinished, but otherwise, no harm done.

The upshot was that I looked down at the paper, which now had blotches of black ink all over it and I knew what my subject was going to be! Beckham has a very naughty habit of wanting to lay anywhere that I choose to work, draw, write.... anything requiring attention. I love him so much, though. It's hard for me to get angry. In the end, I rarely cry over spilled ink. Besides, he keeps my creativity piqued. He's my big, black and white muse. I don't know what I'd do without him!

Lesson Learned

2011-09-11T11:21:00.000-04:00

Dead tired. Ha.

Yesterday (Saturday) I worked open to close. It started out great! I got in a little early to get settled and read any notes left for me for the day, do some of the laundry, and do the morning set up. As the day went on, it got busier and busier. The massage appointments, which had started out as 1-1/2 hour or 1 hour appointments slipped into a series of 1/2 hour appointments. We had a group of nine people come in at once, and nearly all of them were new. I was swamped with phone calls, and busy at the front desk checking people in and out. I was able to get to the back to do some laundry here and there, but then it fell to the wayside. I then remembered that I had to do all my confirmation phone calls for the next day, and it was already early evening and I had about 50 calls to make. Then it happened... one of the therapists asked me, "Are there any clean sheets?" I felt that moment of panic... when did I last throw in a load of laundry? Luckily, our one male therapist had flipped a load of laundry for me, so there was a batch drying, and nearly done. However, it pushed our schedule back a few more minutes, as they all had to wait for these to get done. I realized that I still have something to learn about this new industry I'm in. I felt like a bonehead letting the laundry fall behind. The problem had been that when I was confirming the next day's appointments, I had a couple cancellations, which I needed to fill for the following day. They were very specifically couple's massage appointments. If I didn't fill them, it would be MY fault that there was a therapist with nothing to do, as I couldn't easily find a couple on the waiting list, only individuals, but the slot was for two people in one room. This had kept me on the phones when I should've been looking to the laundry. {Big sigh...} There were some mumblings about missing the last receptionist, who had been there for six years and whose shoes I was trying to fill, though one of the female therapists gave me a pep talk...
"You're doing great! You have a lot to handle up at the front today, and you can only do so much. Just ask us for help when you need it." I had forgotten to ask for help. I can be very independent, and I take everything on myself. Do you do this, too?
Are you the kind of person who doesn't want to ask for help? I'll admit that I'd rather balance on the brink of a slippery precipice reaching for a rope than ask for someone to hand it to me. I like to believe that I can handle anything, and that it would be a sign of weakness to ask anyone for a hand. It's NOT a sign of weakness, though. It's merely asking for some help. And the strongest, smartest person will realize that they might not be able to do it on their own, and that one helping hand will make their lives much easier, and possibly save their ass. And most people are HAPPY to help. It's moments like this that remind me that I don't know it all yet. I am still learning, and that's okay.

I appreciate you listening to me ramble. I was feeling badly about letting the crew down yesterday, and I was in a self-blame spiral. A lot of times, when I'm writing these rambling blogs, I'm trying to figure things out, and it really helps. I realize that I just need to ask for help sometimes. That will help me to do my job better, and I believe it'll help me to bond more with my new crew.

Taken on my way home last night. Nearly full moon.

Compai Giveaway! Check It Out!

2011-09-09T08:32:00.000-04:00

I don't always participate in giveaways... only rarely. But this one is very exciting, as it's from a blog I really like, and also it's for a set of three wonderful books... If you're interested, check out Compai for details on how to enter! You can win these amazing books about upcycling clothing, by the masters of the craft!

Image source

On this blog, you'll frequently see their trips to the Rose Bowl Flea Market, and the amazing things they find there. They also report on awesome events and festivals that they attend... like recently going to Burning Man. I've been wanting to for YEARS. I mean YEARS. And it gets bigger every year!! Damn it. I really, really need to go. Not a lot of people on the eastern seaboard have even heard of this artsy celebration, but on the west coast, everyone knows about it. Most people have gone at least once. (Those who are artistically inclined, or who love to camp in the dessert, dress like nomads, fairies or Mad Max characters for a week, and meet lots of fun people.) If you've never googled it, you should. It's awesome! It's not for prisses, though. There's no way to really stay clean while you're there. Everyone has to bring in all their own water, and the desert dust clings to everything. I saw the effect it has on vehicles, as my sister took my mom's minivan to the festival one year, and it's STILL filled with dust in various nooks and crannies.

Anyway, I digress! Compai is a wonderful blog, and I think you should check it out! If nothing else, you'll get some inspiration on reusing and repurposing (upcycling) old and worn out clothing items, to get some further use out of your things instead of chucking them into the waste bin. Hooray!

A Rainy Day Walkabout

2011-09-06T08:09:00.002-04:00

Irene does some damage on Market Street

Good morning, Friends! It's raining, it's pouring and the old man is definitely snoring. After Irene, I didn't think we'd see much rain again for a while, but it started yesterday, and hasn't really stopped.

I went for a rain walk yesterday, and I picked some moss for some terrarium building. I spotted a few interesting things along the way, too! Unfortunately, the photos didn't turn out that nice because I was so worried about getting my phone wet while I was trying to focus. I'll show you what I found, anyway.

First, these flowers at right smelled soooo good! I was walking down Penn Street when I got a whiff of a sweet, mellow perfume. I looked around and saw this flowering vine on several different fences. As I walked closer, I realized that it was also the source of the scent! I love these flowers anyway because of their resemblance to a starry sky at night, and they always seem to grow with such wild abandon. I hadn't actually caught the full strength of their power until recently! Their heady fragrance is enough to lift me off to another planet!

Gingko saplings

When I got to the edge of the woods by the cemetery, I started looking around for some nice moss. I saw some gingko saplings that I took note of for a future excursion with K. He's been doing some serious bonsai research! He's amassed some of the more common accoutrements, and is ready to start controlling those little trees... so we've been keeping watch for some starters. A little maple tree planted by a squirrel would work fine, but people tend to pull them out as soon as they find them. Squirrels don't always choose the best locations for their plantings.

A baby bunny!

I also saw something that I at first took for a squirrel hunkered down in the grass. It turned out to be a baby bunny! It was pretty well hidden for a while, then as I stood there, it resumed eating and I could tell exactly what it was. I had to do serious digital zoom to get a close enough image... so it's a bit pixellated. Sorry! It was so cute!! I just adore rabbits, most especially after finishing Watership Down!

I did see lots of squirrels cavorting amongst the trees and hedges. They seemed to be very busy, but at what, I can't imagine.

The birds were singing overhead, and robins were bob-bob-bobbing along beside me, looking for some fat worms brought out by the rain. I never feel lonely when I'm out walking! There's just too much going on around me!

Ferns? Could be nice in a terrarium...

I saw a few plants that I considered for my future terrarium... things that looked like tiny ferns, but which could end up being some type of weed. It could have been a kind of yarrow... I'm not that familiar with all the wild plants of Pennsylvania yet. I took photos and noted their locations if I decide to return for them. They were growing all over the place and wouldn't be missed.

I lifted up some segments of moss, and placed them in my plastic bag that I'd brought along inside my canvas bag. I also picked up some litter as I walked. I figured that I was taking something, so I should also give something, even if the giving was a taking of garbage. K and I both try to help out by picking up litter on our walks. (If we don't like to look at it, then why not pick it up and throw it into a recycle bin or garbage can? Makes sense, right?)

You all know I love seeing wild mushrooms when I'm out walking... and I wasn't disappointed! Of course, I was looking for morels! but alas, I found a few interesting little shrooms in a patch by a tree. K's parents have a little trailer for their truck out in their backyard, and underneath are growing these same little mushrooms. It looks crazy there because they only grow in the shade of that trailer, and no where else... like a white shadow! I should've taken a picture, but forgot.

Sorry so blurry...

And I saw this one, bright, lone tangerine dream. I tried to get a good picture of it, but with the rain coming down, and me not wanting to ruin my phone, I didn't succeed. Still, you can see how it contrasts brilliantly with the green moss! So pretty! Less blurry in person. Ha ha.

And the last thing I wanted to share with you all today is this little gem that I took on my way to work a couple days ago. The sun had been out since Irene hit, making the world a bright place for all... and drawing out Mother Nature's smaller creatures... including two monarch butterflies that I haven't seen here until that day.

It was feeding on the nectar from this wild butterfly bush (doing its job!) and let me get quite close to it. Its partner was up too high for me to try to photograph. But this one was right at my level... and it was stunning. I felt so lucky to get close to these colorful butterflies! I hope you enjoyed the little nature walk with me. I'm off to get ready for work, and take a walk in the rain! I'll have my yellow boots on, of course!

xoxox

Reclaimed Wood Table: Project!

2011-09-05T17:15:00.000-04:00

Look at what was left against an apartment building wall with "Free" on it? It's a solid wood door with some mullioned glass at the top. When K and I saw this last week, we stopped in our tracks and started knocking on it. "Is it solid?" I wondered? (K knocked a few times.)
"I don't think it's solid, it sounds hollow," said K.
"That's because it's leaning against a wall, silly!" said I.
"So is it solid?" asked K.
"Yes, I believe it is!" said I, after inspecting the edges.
A couple days later, it was leaning against the side of OUR apartment. "It's definitely solid," K texted me, after carrying the found door to our place. "The thing weighs a ton!"
When I got home from work, we pondered the door. I had an idea when I first saw it and I shared it with K. "I think it would make a really cool table..." said I.
"That's exactly what I was thinking!" said K. Well, great minds think alike, do they not?
So on Saturday, while I was busy at work, K and his dad got the door over to his parent's house. Before I got to his parents' house, the top portion of the door was cut off. It was to be the table top. The rest of the door was to make up the side leg supports. When I arrived, K looked a little sweaty (it was hot & humid) and concerned and asked me to come over to where the work on the door was being done. Dad was inside at the moment. "My dad wants to go to the store and buy legs to put under the top. I told him I wanted to use the rest of the door to create the supports, but he doesn't have his table saw out, and we can't make them without it." I sympathized with him. It's hard when you don't have your own tools, and you're at another's mercy. I went inside to grab a bite to eat, as I hadn't had lunch yet and was starving. While K's mom made me a tuna salad sandwich, and I wolfed it down in a very unladylike fashion, K's parents' friend, Pete, a carpenter, just happened to swing by. The next thing I know, Pete's running back to his house for tools, and a table saw, and the plan is back in action! The next time I came out was to consult on using the section of the door with the handle cutouts for the center support, which I agreed would be a good use for that piece of wood. The last time I came out, it was done!

It turned into a wonderful table from an old, discarded door. Pretty cool, right? Pete, Al and K all did a fabulous job making our vision a reality. We love our new porch table!

The next step is for me to sand it down, and then finish it. I had tested out a cream colored milk paint, on the last piece of wood left from the door. They used all pieces from the door for this project, which I just love. So with the one remaining panel, I've been testing finishes. Here's the cream milk paint, with Butcher's wax over it.

Cream milk paint wash with wax over it.

I like how the grain pops with the contrast. However, when I just sanded the wood and then added the wax, it turned out very warm in color. We both feel like that's the right way to go with this table. So I sanded the top today, and will work on the rest of it this week. After I get it waxed, I'll show you the final results!

I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend for those in the US. For everyone else, I hope you had a wonderful regular weekend!

What a Week! And Thoughts on "Big Brother"

2011-09-02T09:45:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm in full swing, work-wise. I had one day off this week, and I'm working today, and this whole weekend. Until we find another body to help out, I'll be doing a lot of hours. The great thing is that I like everyone I work with, my boss is awesome, and there's always that lovely walk to work. I really am a lucky gal!

It's true that I'm still adjusting to working at all, since for the last year and a half, I was a "woman of leisure," only doing what I felt like doing, waking up when I wanted to and all that jazz. My life was (and still is) doubleplusgood! I was creating, baking, cooking, shopping, blogging, reading, reading, reading.... I'm currently reading 1984, by George Orwell. I always wanted to read it because I really liked the Eurhythmics song by the same name. A coworker of mine back in my construction days had a habit of referring to it, and told me I should read it. He felt like our corporate office was very similar to Big Brother. He was an endearing nutter. I miss him! Anyway, I always wanted to read it, so when I saw it for fifty cents at the Library Book Sale a while back, I bought it. It's interesting, but I don't really agree with Mr. Orwell's pessimistic view of where the future of our world was headed. Even now, I sense that there's a greater inclination towards finding enlightenment and self-empowerment, rather than the sheep-like desire to relinquish control to the "greater mind" of any government. Yes, televisions are in every home, but not all people are totally sublimated in that media. It's not as all-encompassing as Mr. Orwell predicted. Is it? Not for me, anyway, nor for many people that I know. I'll admit that my circle is small.... and maybe there are some similarities in Orwell's future that can be seen today. I just think it's very pessimistic to believe that people will blindly accept that our country is at war with another nation simply because our government tells us that we are. Uhhh.... or that we'd blindly hate another nationality simply because we perceived that they were our country's current nemesis... Um. Wait. Give me a minute, here. Okay, so maybe that could happen. Maybe it DID happen. There were always those whose voices were clear and true, who brought us back to ourselves and out of our blind and united hatred, right? I kind of remember a few people who spoke with reason, compassion and sense. I remember having a feeling of "snapping out it" in those post-9-11 days. (When many were treated poorly, or out-right persecuted for their appearance, even if they weren't right-wing Muslim supporters of Osama bin Laden.)

And listen, history itself, it seems to become clearer after events, right? We may be misled for a while by the greater media in regards to current events, but when the dust has settled, and distance has cooled all tempers, it seems to me that the Truth Will Out. Eventually. So, unlike Orwell's grim future of Oceania, where the past is constantly rewritten to reflect the current policies and political alignments, in our present day, there are still those with a conscience who will speak the truth and set things right. Well. That's what I believe, anyway. Who knows, really? I choose to believe that We are more good than evil. I choose to act with a conscience and do what I feel is right. If everyone does their small part, then We, as a species, truly have a chance to see a future bright and wonderful, and I still think that good begets good. I believe that in the future, all things will finally be revealed to be connected, and that each person's contributions are very important and worthwhile. That's how I choose to live my life. So while I finish Orwell's frightening story of a future full of drones, sheep, and elitists, I am comforted by knowing that it's all a fantasy written to forewarn us of the dangers of not thinking for ourselves; a warning of what could happen if we allow any government to meddle too much in our lives. Governments were created for order... to hold back chaos. They were never created to be our parents, or Big Brother. They're meant to be the voice of the people, not the other way around.

(And this is why I don't typically read books like this! OMG, I'm stepping off my soap box now!)

Have a fabulous day, friends! I'm off to make myself some breakfast, do something completely crazy and life-affirming, and prove that I am NOT a sheep!

xoxoxox

Work Day Musings and Photos

2011-08-31T06:12:00.013-04:00

I forgot to share with you the pie I made for K's birthday! It turned out great, except that I screwed up the crust. It wasn't nearly as good as last year's crust. You can't really see it in the photo, but trust me, it wasn't as good as last year's. I think he still likes it, though. Half of it is gone!

Kit kat statue

Mr. Kit Kat, himself

On my walks to work, I see lots of cool things, and I wanted to share them with you. Here are some photos I collaged for you. The gardens still have lots of bright flowers in explosions of yellow, pink, white...

I love the mossy green bricks in some of the shadier gardens! Also, some of the autumn plants are blossoming... like those orange lanterns, above. I also like to peek into the hidden gardens of some of the homes...

I love the cascades of pink flowers on the second story balcony of the home above. And check out these bright pink morning glories on the balcony of one of my favorite converted homes in my neighborhood... Lots of people live in this mansion, and there are little gardens outside, as well as on the decks above the first story.

It's a joy walking to work in the lovely weather we've been having! It's warm, but not too humid. The evenings cool down now, like what I'm used to on the west coast. Also, the air smells very nice pretty much all the time! In spring, when people were composting and fertilizing their gardens was probably the smelliest I've ever smelled the area. But luckily that didn't last too long!

A couple rabbits in a garden along my walk.

I got an hour and a half massage today. It was wonderfully relaxing! I'm sure to get more, as I've been encourage to try out all the masseuses, and all the various modalities of massage. There are many! I'm going to wait until winter to try the hot stone massage. Work is tough sometimes, but hey, I'm up to the challenge!

I hope you're all enjoying the last bits of summer while we have it... soon it's autumn, which is my next favorite time of year (ties with spring, actually.) No need to worry about winter... it'll be here soon enough.

xox

Waiting Out {Hurricane} Irene...

2011-08-29T08:41:00.001-04:00

Before Hurricane Irene's storms arrived

So, I had to work during the wild & wooly weather. It didn't actually get intense until the wee hours, so we were open, and people were relaxing and getting their massages on Saturday. After I got home, K and I ran out to Lowe's to get a few supplies, then got creative in the living room. Here's what we did!

Making a terrarium

We spread out some old paper onto the coffee table, brought out some glassware that K had picked up at second-hand stores during the day, and laid out all our terrarium supplies. Then we built a couple little succulent terrariums for ourselves... and it was so much fun!

A few small sized succulent varieties to start...

Lowe's and Home Depot are the closest garden supply centers available to us. Luckily they had just gotten some new succulents in! Last time we went, the choices were scant, and the ones they did have seemed a bit sad. This time they were fresh and diverse!

A candle holder was used for this one.

A simple old Mason jar was used for this one.

The two little terrariums above were the ones I put together. I like to vary the materials used to hold the plants in place. Sand and pebbles, and in the bottom one, I also used some beach glass I had.

A cactus garden by K.

K wanted to make a little cactus garden. I think it turned out really cool! He added a bit of driftwood to his, and varied the size of stones, too. We had a lot of fun, and this only got our excitement up for this new pastime of ours! I'll be sharing our future terrarium projects with you!

p.s.
I'm going to be a guinea pig for a massage training, resulting in my receiving a 3 hour massage on Wednesday! Woo hoo! Awesome job perk!

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-26T09:58:00.001-04:00

Guess what, you guys? The edge of Hurricane Irene's storm is supposed to graze us here in Southeastern Pennsylvania this weekend.... it's supposed to hit hardest along the coast, and as far as 40 miles inland, from North Carolina all the way up to New England. I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a little bit nervous about this.

The last time that the edge of a tropical storm grazed us, which was earlier this summer, the wind almost took me into the neighbor's yard, and the screen door got ripped back, almost off the hinges. The pneumatic arm pulled out of the door frame, and the door was shoved out to the other side of the metal awning that covers the back porch. It was crazy! And those were "only" wind gusts of around 60 mph. This one is supposed to have 100+ mph winds. Scary, right?

Now, we just had an earthquake in the area a few days ago... I didn't feel it, but other people here DID feel it. I can totally handle an earthquake. Especially one that's only 5.8. However.... hurricanes are another story! I'm not familiar with them, and so I'm getting a little anxious. It's all I can do to NOT turn on the weather channel and feed into the panic that this force of Mother Nature is currently generating.

I'm going to acknowledge my fear, and then get on with the plans I made for today. It's all I can do. As a matter of fact, the weather at the moment is lovely. There's a bit of fog outside, and there's no wind.... the sun is peeking out of the spaces in the clouds. It's really quite calm. I'm planning to bake a pie today, and then I will go to the post office. It's all good. When things around me get ramped up to fever pitch, I ask myself, "How do I feel RIGHT NOW? What is going on in my experience RIGHT NOW?" The answer at the moment is that RIGHT NOW, everything is peachy keen, Jelly Bean! So I have no reason to panic. In fact, K just went to the grocery store last night, and we're stocked up with groceries. We have flashlights with good batteries, we have candles and matches. We're prepared in case of emergency, so panic is ridiculous. If I weren't prepared, then now would be the time to GET prepared, not to panic. The trick is to focus in on THIS moment, and not to let other people's drama freak you out.

With that being said, I'm going to leave you, dear friends, and bake a delicious Lemon Meringue Pie for K's birthday! I'm going to enjoy my cup of coffee, and make myself a nice breakfast. I hope that you're staying calm in the midst of the chaos, too. Remember not to waste the present moment. It's named "the present" because it truly is a Gift.

xoxox

Happy Birthday to My Sweetie! (And Virgos Everywhere!)

2011-08-26T07:33:00.001-04:00

Keith's birthday is today, and I made a special "banner" for him. When he woke up this morning, it was sitting out for him on his desk...

I painted some watercolor paper, made a heart template, traced the hearts out... one for each letter. I partially cut them out with an X-acto knife, not all the way through, but enough so I could see where the outline of the heart was on the other side, too. Then I used ink and a calligraphy pen to write out the letters on both sides of the hearts. After it was all dry, I cut them out and punched small holes in the top of each one.

I used baker's twine to tie them onto the branch that I put into a tall, straight glass vase filled with marbles. I also made a little owl to sit on the opposite branch.

I hope he likes the beginning of his birthday! Today I'm making him his favorite pie (lemon meringue) that we're going to have after dinner at our favorite restaurant, Apollo Grill. Last year, he only shared that pie with me. Ha ha. He's very protective of that lemon meringue pie! Probably because he only gets to have it on his birthday!!

I hope that he feels super special on his birthday... he deserves it. He makes me feel super special every day of my life. xox

I Love a Good (B)Rainstorm!

2011-08-25T09:45:00.001-04:00

I have today off, Friends! And it's raining cats & dogs outside... and the thunder is rumbling above like the gods are bowling a few strikes up there. I love this kind of day! It's not exactly a cuddle on the covers kind of day... it's still pretty warm out, but it's definitely a hunker down with a book kind of day, and that always makes me happy!

Also, tomorrow is K's birthday... so I'm working on some fun stuff! I'll share AFTER so as not to spoil the surprise for him.

By the way, I still find it surprising that it can be raining, and I can be hot, requiring the help of a fan or A/C. That's really bizarre for us west coast peeps. Subtropical weather is very interesting, and I find that I like it.

I'm glad that you all enjoyed my last post! I really, really appreciate your comments, whenever I get them. I just want to tell you that reading comments from people is like opening a present for me. I mean, that's the main reason I started blogging... to connect with people! It reminds me that I'm not shouting into the wind. I love those reminders.

So I'm going to get going on my project.... and also try to get some stuff done around the house. I'm going to try to be productive for part of the day, at least! Besides, I plan to go on a rain walk to return a DVD to the library.... Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City"... have you seen it? If you haven't, then you should! I've read the book, and seen the made for TV movie... I love it because it's so much about living in San Francisco after the 60's. It was filmed there, too, so I get all nostalgic, you know?

I hope you have a fantastic day! I know I will!

xoxox

Good Morning, Monday... Follow Your Bliss!

2011-08-22T08:50:00.000-04:00

Well, hello Friends. I've got my cup of coffee with me, and I thought I'd stop for a moment before I start getting ready for work. I'm still in training, though I've been answering the phones and doing basic things. It's not a difficult job at all. In fact, it's nothing I haven't done before. What's difficult is getting back into the swing of things.

As you may know, I've been kicking it at the apartment for the last year, and before that, I was just kicking it in L.A., with book projects to work on, life stuff to get in order, that kind of thing. I was just hanging out, which at first was an adjustment, and then became rather easy. (Though I was still dreaming a lot about my last job, whose stresses hadn't quite left my system yet.)
It's been just me and the boys, basically, for months and months. I thought I was tired of it, and that I was ready to join the work force. I hadn't realized that I would miss the leisure, or the time with my "kids"... but I do.

However, I also enjoy the energy of the people I work with, and the feeling of being a part of something else. It's a new chapter for me, and it's a little bit of a jerky start, but I am going to embrace it. It'll take me a while to figure out how to juggle my time, I'm sure. I'm still working on other projects, and have business to finish. Somehow, I'll need to start utilizing my time more wisely, as I used to know how to do. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

When I was busy with a career, I knew how to manage my time better. I could work 40-55 hours a week, and still find time in there to do other things like shop, (half-heartedly) work on projects, cook, clean, etc. I was exhausted, mind you. Most of the time I felt quite tired, but I also used to fall asleep in about 1-2 minutes. But then I'd be wide awake at 1, 2, 3 am, and not be able to fall back asleep right away. I think that was stress-related. Without a career, I seem to have gotten very little done! Did I waste my time? I guess that depends on how you define "waste". Because when I really consider it, that time was a healing time for me that I desperately needed. I think that we forget to tend to ourselves most of the time... we worry about others' needs and situations, and we put ourselves on the back-burner. I did that a lot when I lived in California.

My last year and a half was mainly about me. I know my friends wondered what the hell I was doing, not working, not planning, just "hanging out." I guess I'd wonder too, if it was the other way around. But what I realize now is that I was healing. It's a very active practice, too: healing. I feel like I was ripped and shredded inside, and I had to find ways to mend those parts of myself that I had neglected over the past 20 years or so. Like many people, I've been working since before I could even drive myself to work. I felt like I had to get on the ball, and make some money! I think my ideas of what was important were definitely skewed by society. I never stopped for more than about two months, as I recall. After a particularly terrible three years as an interior decorator, I had made myself very sick and tired, and moved in with my mom until I could figure things out. Have you ever been so exhausted by where your life took you that you couldn't even get out of bed? That was me at that time. (I was 26 or 27.) It took me about two months to get a new job, start school again and revise my career.

In my memory, I have always either worked, worked and went to school, went to school and worked, worked two or even three jobs, or was absolutely exhausted and unable to do anything.

And then I figured a few things out. You know, Life doesn't have to be a rat race. I know it seems like it does sometimes. It seems like it IS, sometimes. But if you can allow yourself to step back, and ask yourself some hard-hitting questions, you might find that you have the nerve to pull out of that race. Here are some questions:

1. What are the most important things to you?

2. What do you love the most in your life?

3. What can you live without if you had to?

4. Is your health more important than new gadgets or new clothes, etc?

5. What are you most grateful for?

If you can think outside the box, I'm sure that you'll find the path that's right for you. We're all so entrenched in thinking that we must have a career, we must buy a car, a house, whatever, and we must be "equal" to those in our peer groups, or we are failures. Look, the failure is in letting others tell you what kind of life to have and following that blindly. Make up your own mind, and allow yourself some happiness before this life is over! If Life has taught me anything, it's that most people think they have made decisions for themselves, but really, most people don't think. They just robotically weigh their choices with a "yes" or "no" answer against what OTHER people have done, and decide in an almost binary deduction from that. They don't actually stop and think about their own deep feelings. It's easy enough to say, if this then that. If that, then yes, or if that, then no. That's not making a real, true CHOICE. That's just following someone else's flowchart.

I hope I've give you some food for thought. REAL thought. Make magic happen for yourself! Be inspired by yourself! Use that juicy brain of yours for more than robotic decisions, and let yourself FLY... it's such a different path, and who knows? Maybe you'll be happier!

Last note: I'm not saying that I've made the right choice here, but that's my point. I'm making my OWN choice. I'm doing what feels good and right for ME. Everyone I know probably thinks I'm crazy for "settling" for an easy job, and not making tons of money... but I know what makes me happy more than anyone else could. I'm the writer for the story of my life. Are you?

I hope you have a blessed day. xoxox

Visit Me at F for Fabulous Today!

2011-08-19T06:40:00.009-04:00

Hi Friends! I'm doing a guest post at Fenny's lovely blog site, F for Fabulous, today. I hope you'll come over and see what I have to say about living in Bethlehem... in the hopes of enticing some visitors to come to the east coast!

Check it out for some personal, super secret info about what to see and do in Bethlehem, PA! (hee hee) Find out what hotel might be haunted... and where to see turtles in the wild! As if you didn't already know. ;-)

And then please explore Fenny's wonderful and inspiring blog posts about decorating, traveling, and living in Malaysia!

My New Job

2011-08-18T09:51:00.000-04:00

Well, Friends, yesterday was my first day. I was a little bit unprepared, after all, I've been a homebody for the last year and a half, essentially! I was asked to come in at 10 am, but wasn't really told how long they wanted me there for the first day of training. So I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast, then walked to the massage therapy center.

It's situated in the basement level of the shops along Main Street's historic downtown. When you walk down, you start to smell the soft scent of the aromatherapy candles, and it becomes quiet as you descend. It's like entering another dimension. I was joined by another newbie, Em, who had come earlier to get a massage. She'd never had one before, so the owner had given her a free massage so she'd understand what she was representing. As I had honestly told the owner that I'd been a customer before, I did NOT get a free massage. Damn! I'll have to ask about a possible discount, ha ha. (I've never had a hot stone massage, after all...)

We learned a bit about the system, how they like things run down there. Very clean, very professional. I love it already. When I was young, I worked in a tanning salon, and also a full-service beauty salon, doing the same thing that I'm now going to do again. I have no doubt that I can handle this. However, during the training, right around about 1 pm, I started having tummy grumbles. I hadn't brought any snacks, nor brought a lunch because I didn't know how long I was expected to be there. Luckily, they weren't expecting us to actually answer phones or do anything productive, though we helped with quite a few things yesterday, so we ended up leaving at 1:45 pm. I walked home, tummy inverted, headache starting, and scarfed some left overs as soon as I arrived at my apartment. The headache didn't go away until I'd gotten a good night's sleep. I'm one of those people that has to eat on a regular basis, or I get a lot of weird physical issues, like crankiness, headaches, indecisiveness, etc.

Today I'll be working 12-5, so I'll be eating a big lunch before heading over, and I'll bring a snack or two with me. I learn fast.

Book Review Alert:

By the way, I just finished reading Watership Down, by Richard Adams. It was so good! It's very transporting, the way The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame was for me when I first read that book. You start thinking like a rabbit, and using Lapine (rabbit language) in your head. I also started wishing that I could just lie in a meadow with a creek nearby, munching clover and only having to worry about how far away my burrow is from where I'm relaxing.

My next book is The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger, which has grabbed me already! I hope I'm not devastated at the end. I tend to get really sucked in to stories, and they work their magic on me. When I read Rogue Wave, by Boyd Morrison, I was practically bawling at the end. If you want a fast read, that's a good one. I read it in one weekend. It was hard to put down! The author is as good as Michael Crichton, which is saying a lot. By the way, the last book (published posthumously) for Michael Crichton was The Pirate Latitudes, which was also a very fast read. Exciting... full of real pirates and true-to-life details about how they lived and fought. If you're looking for an adventure story that's historical and also very engrossing, then pick up this book. You won't be sorry!

Clouds... the Beauty of Nature

2011-08-17T06:02:00.001-04:00

You know I'm always walking around with my face pointing to the sky.... whether to look into the tops of trees, or to check out the clouds, or even see birds wheeling overhead. (Or hey, maybe a UFO or two!) So I wanted to share my latest photos... the sky has been amazing in this turbulent summer/fall weather.

And yes, E, I used a filter! I didn't have to, though. It just added that touch of drama that I was feeling at the time that I shot these photos. (Last evening, around twilight.)

p.s.

I got the job I just applied for! Woo hoo! Yay!! It's part time work, so I should be able to keep happily blogging away... but now I'll also have some money coming in. I'm super excited! Thanks to those of you who crossed your fingers for me. ;-)

An Old Obsession Revisited... Succulents!

2011-08-16T09:45:00.001-04:00

Back when I lived in California, I discovered a love of succulent plants. They are amazing to me... the variety and colors and surprising ways that they flower. Here are a few photos of my old succulents, as well as a few photos that I took from the succulent gardens at the Huntington Botanical Gardens mixed in.

All of these were in my garden

These plants, when they bloom, have beautiful symmetry to them. Very mathematical in their radiating designs. Others are more bizarre... like "baby toes" (above center right.)

Bottom right was from Huntington

The coolest part of succulent planting is that you can propagate them so easily... The pot on the top right was created from a stem that my aunt gave me from her succulent plant. She just picked a piece off and handed it to me, and when I got home, I stuck it into the dirt. It grew more from that one piece!

Top left is from Huntington

You never know what the blooms will look like, either. When I first got the baby toes, it had no blooms... the split rock to the left of it didn't have a bloom, either. But after a season in my backyard, they finally bloomed... and the baby toes came out with a lovely, delicate flower on a long stalk. So pretty! Check out the split rock flower! A bright orange anemone!

Right center is a split rock blossom. blooms at left from Huntington

Check out all these Huntington specimens of the split rock/baby toe succulents. I nearly died of cuteness overload when I saw these in their indoor succulent greenhouse. I mean, come on! These are so cool! They look like plants that were mated with rocks, and then drawn by a cute faerie!

Huntington succulent greenhouse

Succulents require very little water and care. They are determined, hardy plants that can survive in deserts very easily. I think that's why in California, Arizona and New Mexico, they're so popular!

Taken at Huntington

They attract birds and butterflies, too... especially the hummingbirds, whose specialized bills are just the right shape for many of their flowers. I took the photo above of the hummingbird feeding from the flowers of a grove of succulent plants. There were actually two different types of hummingbirds there at the time. The photo here is of a male Allen's, I believe. It could be a Rufus, too. I'm not positive. The other hummingbird was an Anna's, which are common throughout California. The Allen's are usually only found along the coast in Northern California or in Southern California. (I have an extreme fondness for these tiny birds!)

I believe that there are varieties of succulents that will grow nearly anywhere. Some can withstand a lot of cold, some can withstand a lot of water, most can withstand drought conditions.... and in fact will bloom after a single rain, after they've been denied water for a long time. Those are special desert plants.

So the reason I'm revisiting these lovely plants is because I've started a couple new succulent pots here in PA. I'll share those with you in another post! I hope you enjoyed seeing these amazing and beautiful plants!