Friday, August 13, 2010
Day 16: A picture of your latest yarn project
Alas, I can not reveal my current yarn doings because it is TOP SECRET! The only hint I can give the audience is that it is made by crocheting using an "i" hook.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Recovery Reads
I'm having a little procedure done tomorrow that is going to put me out of work for a week or so. I'm in the process of preparing the couch area for recovery with medications, remotes, heating pads, and of course, books. I think I definitely over-prepared the last category, but at least I will have a variety to read!
1. The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan-- This is a popular kids series and I'm interested in it because it incorporates the internet as well.
2. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery-- I somehow escaped childhood without reading this, so it's about time, I suppose!
3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton-- I was recommended this book by multiple people, so I'm looking forward to this read!
4. Salt by Maurice Gee-- This is a teen novel by a New Zealander. I saw it reviewed on a webinar, and it sounded interesting.
5. The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens-- My current classic read in preparation for Dan Simmons' Drood
6. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers-- Non-literary Christian fiction is not my bag, but my fellow librarians and I are doing a genre study book club to better serve our patrons. This month's genre is "inspirational." Thus far, I am shocked by the content, but it's shocking enough to keep me far more interested than last month's "thriller" study.
7. Chicks Dig Time Lords-- This is a fun book of essays on my favorite science fiction series. A co-worker (and fellow fan) lent it to me for recovery.
8. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot-- A co-worker of mine loves these nonfiction books about a small village vet in England. I am enjoying watching the series via streaming, so I'm looking forward to this book/
9. The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir-- Great nonfiction about an interesting period in British history
10. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel-- Also about the Tudors (specifically Thomas Cromwell), this book won the 2009 Booker prize.
I'm curious to see how much I get through... should be interesting!
Friday, August 06, 2010
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Day 14: A Picture of Your Favorite Flowers
I actually have four...
Hybrid Tea Roses
Poppies
Peonies
Dahlias
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Day 13: A Picture of Your Friends
My friends are scattered all over the country, from grad school to drum corps, to Georgia and Colorado, so there is no way I could get them all in one picture. However, I do feel that these lovely ladies would have made excellent friends, so why not post a picture of them?
Friday, July 30, 2010
Day 12: A Picture of Your Favorite Food to Make
Pie! Pictured is homemade pumpkin chiffon pie (we picked the white pumpkin that day and I went to town) with cinnamon whipped cream.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Day 10: A Picture of What You Like to Do
There are a lot of things I enjoy doing, so it was difficult to pick just one picture. Ever since our trip to New Zealand, J and I discovered that we love visiting gardens. By far our favorite thus far was the Hamilton Gardens on the north island. They were very expansive and included an amazing rose garden (I love hybrid tea roses). The most impressive parts of this garden though were the international mini gardens. The one pictured above was an Indian garden, but they also had Italian Renaissance, traditional English, contemporary American, Japanese, and Chinese gardens. Beautiful!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Day 09: A Picture of Your Lunch
Chicken salad made from leftover rotisserie chicken and homemade yogurt
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Day 06: A Picture That Inspires You
So, I realize that this will be posted the same exact day as the "A Picture of Your Morning" post, but I don't post these every day like I should, and I need to catch up with my friends who are also doing this and are way ahead of me, even though I started before them.
I had a semi-difficult time with this one. Most of the things I need inspiration for are beyond my control. Inspiration won't help me achieve these goals. I do, however, inspire to keep a better household, which I often find difficult because the things I have no control over get in the way. My mom always managed to keep a nice household, whether she was at home with us or working a full time job. I haven't managed to find that balance yet, despite trying numerous organization and charting methods. If I keep up at this rate, I will never be able to handle children.
One person/industry who has inspired me for years is Martha. People can say what they want about her and her personal life, but she has been instrumental in making homemaking a successful industry. I realize that there are others, including people and icons that lived long before her, but Martha has inspired me the most. Her staff comes up with the best recipes. I am an avid baker, and in the past 6 or 7 years, I have only had ONE recipe fail me (lemon meringue pie), and it was probably my own fault for not working with the curd enough (and if you're wondering, I have successfully made lemon curd). Everything else has turned out wonderfully and the recipes themselves were far easier than I thought they would be. For years before I discovered this, this book was my main baking companion, and I still rely on many of the recipes today.
J and I found many fall and Christmas decorating ideas from her website (see picture). I can remember growing up how my mom didn't buy into the industry, mainly because my aunts went nuts over her, but sure enough, my mom would receive issues of Living monthly. To this day, it is the only magazine I receive at my house and I was just remarking last night how much I could do at my own home with her staff's ideas.
My mom and her sisters (you should see their homes) are my real homemaking inspirations, and this anecdote explains it all. A few years back, two of my aunts visited NYC just to go to a Martha workshop. When they finally had the chance to meet her, all one of my aunts could exclaim was "I love you!" She is a sound-minded lawyer and was almost rendered speechless by Martha. If that isn't inspiration, I don't know what is.
While my home isn't perfect, and is instead usually pretty messy, especially during the work week, a girl can dream. Martha's industry has been my inspiration in pursuit of the "good things" in my life and home.
Day 05: A Picture of Your Morning
Poppies in the garden!
J and I love the delicate look of poppies. The featherweight petals with the symmetrical centers (preferably dark). Our neighbors have these beautiful giant poppies in their backyard and we followed suit this year. However, we planted these more delicate varieties (California I think) by seed earlier in the year and weren't thinking that they would end up blooming. Since it is so windy here, the petals fall off very fast, but there are usually new blooms every morning to enjoy.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Day 04: A Picture of Where You Went Today
First, this post warrants more than one image. Second, these pictures were taken yesterday, not today. We were traveling and my connection cable was missing at the time.
J and I stopped in Abilene, Kansas for the night on our way back to Colorado. Abilene is home to President Eisenhower, who just happens to be my second favorite president. We arrived way too late to see the library and museum, but we ended up being the only ones in the area, so we took advantage of this pretty spot in an otherwise fairly unimpressive town.
Eisenhower's home
J trying to be like Eisenhower
Victory Garden! I'm obsessed with victory gardens...
We're now back in Colorado and will resume the daily grind tomorrow. While I don't love the Georgia weather and economy, I certainly miss family and friends. Saturday, July 03, 2010
Day 3: A Picture of What You Did Today
After an 8 hour day today and 15 hours in the car yesterday, we are now in Georgia for the week. This picture was taken in Topeka.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Some Revisions
To make this a bit more applicable to me, and since I don't care about cell phones or mp3 players, I'm going to change the schedule a bit. See below for the new and in my opinion, more exciting schedule.
Day 01 -- A picture of yourself
Day 02 – A picture of what you wore today
Day 03 – A picture of what you did today
Day 04 – A picture of where you went today
Day 05 – A picture of your morning
Day 06 – A picture that inspires you
Day 07 – A picture that makes you cry
Day 08 – A picture of yourself
Day 09 – A picture of what you had for lunch
Day 10 – A picture of what you like to do
Day 11 – A picture of your dogs
Day 12 – A picture of your favorite food
to make
Day 13 – A picture of your friends
Day 14 – A picture of your favorite flowers
Day 15 – A picture of yourself
Day 16 – A picture of your latest yarn project
Day 17 – A picture of your latest baking project
Day 18 – A picture of your room
Day 19 – A picture of your dinner
Day 20 – A picture of where you honeymooned
Day 21 – A picture that makes you think of your loved one
Day 22 – A picture of yourself
Day 23 – A picture that describes your life
Day 24 – A picture of what you did today
Day 25 – A picture that you edited
Day 26 – A picture that makes you angry
Day 27 – A picture of you more than 10 years ago
Day 28 – A picture of what your husband wore today
Day 29 – A picture of yourself
Day 30 – A picture of you and your best friend
Friday, June 25, 2010
Day 1: A Picture of Yourself
This was 2 summers ago at Ren Fest in Atlanta. I had way longer hair and was about 10lbs. lighter.
I'm Thinking of Doing This
In an effort to save my blog from my own personal woes, I'm going to give this schedule, that I found on a crafting blog of all things, a try. Feel free to follow the schedule on your own blog as well.
Day 01 -- A picture of yourself
Day 02 – A picture of what you wore today
Day 03 – A picture of what you did today
Day 04 – A picture of where you went today
Day 05 – A picture of your morning
Day 06 – A picture that inspires you
Day 07 – A picture that makes you cry
Day 08 – A picture of yourself
Day 09 – A picture of what you had for lunch
Day 10 – A picture of what you like to do
Day 11 – A picture of your favorite drink
Day 12 – A picture of your favorite food
Day 13 – A picture of your friends
Day 14 – A picture of your favorite teacher(s)
Day 15 – A picture of yourself
Day 16 – A picture of your dream cell phone
Day 17 – A picture of your mp3 player
Day 18 – A picture of your room
Day 19 – A picture of your favorite musical instrument(s)
Day 20 – A picture of where you want to honeymoon
Day 21 – A picture that makes you think of your loved one
Day 22 – A picture of yourself
Day 23 – A picture that describes your life
Day 24 – A picture of what you did today
Day 25 – A picture that you edited
Day 26 – A picture that makes you angry
Day 27 – A picture of you more than 10 years ago
Day 28 – A picture of what you wore today
Day 29 – A picture of yourself
Day 30 – A picture of you and your best friend
Thursday, June 10, 2010
June Garden
It has been pretty amazing to watch the garden progress from May to June. It is finally warm in my area. In fact, I've been wondering where spring went, because the mild temperatures seemed to skip over us. In fact, lately, my hair has been super frizzy from HUMIDITY, which is a rarity in these parts. It seems to be a good preparation for the family trip to Georgia coming up in a few weeks.
Anyways, the garden. I didn't get many pictures this time around. Many things have bloomed, but even more are just on the cusp of blooming. For example, we have raspberries forming on the raspberry bush, honeysuckles on the verge of blooming, stargazer lilies, peonies, day lilies, gladioli, spicy basil, etc. We have also planted a new rose bush (lavender--my favorite!) so we're giving the other two a chance to recover from the shock of being moved to accommodate the new one. J predicts the garden to be in full bloom by August, but I suspect we will be in working order by next month.
As of late last month, we were past the last frost and could plant annuals. In addition to countless petunias, freesia, and pansies (which can be perennials here apparently) we managed to fill this pot with three types of lantana, chocolate cosmos (they really smell like chocolate!), and various other plants. They've been battered by wind quite a bit so far, but things are finally dying down and hopefully they'll have a chance to grow.
The delphinium are going nuts this year. They've come back a richer color than they were growing last year, so it has been a pleasant surprise.
I honestly didn't think we'd be successful growing food from seed. I wanted to try one kind of crop this year as an experiment, and it worked a little too well. We've been eating arugula, baby lettuce, and red bib lettuce for a while now and currently have more than we can handle. I will definitely be experimenting more next year, although we just don't have the room to experiment too much. This picture is after I cut a ton the night before.
Finally, strawberries! Meadow ate our *only* strawberry last year. This year, we've done research on how to handle the runners, and luckily we didn't have to buy new plants. The plants are well protected from the doxies this year as well.
I'll be back with a July update. I can't wait to see how the garden progresses this month!
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