A Brief Hiatus

It's been awhile since I've posted, the reason being the death of my uncle, my mom's only sibling. My mom has always been such a strong person, but this time my sisters and I detected sadness not seen since my dad passed away 3 years ago. Therefore, we're all rallying around her with extra visits, calls, and outings. This leaves me little time for anything "extra" like blogging.

We're hoping things get a little better soon. When they do, I'll be back!

Bas Bleu

I received a new Bas Bleu catalog in the mail today. Even though I haven't ordered anything lately (my husband is in real estate, so you can imagine!), I do love their unique products and selection of books. Like a kid with a toy catalog, I did some serious circling of items I'd love to have - for some reason, I find this satisfying enough!

Here are some of the things I circled:
Birds-in-Shoes Postcards - How could I resist these "quirky" cards with woodpeckers in clogs and robins in Mary Janes? I'd love to get 2 sets - one to use for correspondance and another to frame as a wall display.

Book - The Rural Life by Verlyn Klinkenborg
From the book: "In every ditch, every hollow, a cold, sepia brew of last year's leaves was steeping in a basin of discolored ice. I found myself staring into the tangled woods, wondering why humans had never learned to hibernate and whether it was too late to think again."
I hope my library has this!

Book Darts Tin - Tiny shiny clips to use in books or magazines to "hold your thought".

Women Writers Umbrella - featuring authors such as Jane Austen and Emily Dickison. I'd love to retire the ugly umbrella I got free at the bank!

Book - Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman
I am a Mrs. Mike, after all. I think the library will have this one.

Twilight Turtle - A nightlight that projects the starry sky onto the ceiling. This is supposed be for a child's bedroom, but I'd love to drift off to some constellations on my ceiling, especially after a glass of wine.

For the time being I guess I'll just thank God for the library, use post-it notes instead of book darts, and look out the window if I want to see the stars. But there's just no substitute for the birds-with-shoes postcards! :(

reading, watching, listening

Here's the latest installment in my "Reading, Watching, Listening" post category. I hope occasionally one of you stumbles on something interesting here - so many of my favorites have come from your recommendations!

Reading:

A Year in the Maine Woods by Bernd Heinrich - I just started this, so I don't have much to say except I like the cover! After this one I plan to read Wife in the North by Judith O'reilly, which I read about on the blog Lesley's Book Nook.

Watching:

Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe

I've really been enjoying this show, especially because my kids and husband like it too and we can watch it all together. Other reasons for my enjoyment include Mike Rowe's sense of humor, voice, and muscles. ;)

Listening:

Music-wise, January and February are always odd months for me. The holiday music stops and I never know quite what to play. Many of my favorites, like Jack Johnson and Chris Isaak, seem a bit too summery this time of year. I've found this soundtrack to Imax's The Living Sea featuring Sting is perfect background music for cleaning, relaxing, or whatever I'm doing in the winter months. My kids also enjoy having it on when they are playing or doing crafts. The songs are so peaceful, and they remind us that winter's bleakness is only temporary.

2009

I'm posting this quickly, as my husband is in the shower and I don't need him looking over my shoulder at my resolutions! Maybe my haste will make what's important rise to the top?

My Brief Resolutions for 2009

- Try to walk a half hour each day (this is non-negotiable!)

- Say "no" if I really don't want to do something/go somewhere

- Make a little more time for myself instead of just complaining about it inside (If I can "make" my husband get the kids out of here for an hour so I can clean, then I should be able to do the same to give myself an hour in my little cabin, ALONE, without guilt

Nothing too exciting or life-changing, yet so important to me, Hopefully listing them here so I can revisit them often will help me stick to it all.

Now, it's time to chip away at another slab of the confetti cake I made yesterday!

Peace to You at Christmas

Merry Christmas to my blogging friends!

"Fire-side enjoyments, home-born happiness,

And all the comforts that the lowly roof

Of undisturb'd retirement, and the hours

Of long uninterrupted ev'ning, know."

-William Cowper

It's a Marshmallow World

My little guy in his snow fort with a load of snowballs at the ready, waiting for his mom and sister to turn their backs for just a second!

Like much of the country, we were clobbered by a wicked snow storm today. The snow fell fast and furious, the wind whipped all around, and we were snowed in completely. I loved every minute of it! The kids and I baked cookies and had them for lunch with green (food coloring) Christmas milk. Tonight we'll have cocoa and popcorn - the kids will watch The Grinch and my husband and I will watch The Bishop's Wife (heard it's good for Christmas).

The day reminded me of 2 of my wintry quotes from my collection:

Surely everyone is aware of the divine pleasures which attend a wintry fireside, candles at four o'clock, warm hearthrugs, tea, a fair tea-maker, shutters closed, curtains flowing in ample draperies to the floor, whilst the wind and rain are raging audibly out.

- Thomas De Quincey

The smell of buttered toast simply talked to Toad, and with no uncertain voice, talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cozy parlor firesides on winter evenings, when one's ramble was over and slippered feet were propped on the fender, of the purring of contented cats, the twitter of sleepy canaries.

- Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

I wish you all a cozy evening!

All That I Want

Wow, it's been so long since I last posted I almost forgot my password! We had a variety of illnesses rip through the house and put me behind in about every area of my life, blog included.


I don't know how to post an actual video clip from youtube, but here is a link to hear my latest favorite Christmas song - All That I Want by the Weepies. Any song that mentions a harbor, pine trees, and the moon all together is wonderful in my book!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0EJbr0rFV4

Out in the harbor
The ships come in, it's Christmastime
The kids all holler
carols 'cross the water
Stars that shine

All that I want,
all that I want
Above the rooftops
The full moon dips its golden spoon
I wait on clip-clops,
deer might fly
Why not? I met you

All that I want,
all that I want

And when the night is falling
Down the sky at midnight
Another year is stalling
Far away a good bye, good night

All that I want,
all that I want all

So small a turning
The world grows older every day
An ache, a yearning
Soften when I hear you say

All that I want,
all that I want
And when the cold wind's blowing
Snow drifts through the pine trees
In houses lights are glowing
Likewise in your eyes that find me here
With all that I want,all that i want

Out in the harbor
The ships come in, it's Christmastime