« September 2011 | Main | November 2011 »
I believe the most dramatic post I've made to date is when I shared my obsession - that lead to full-blown mania - over finding a 2011 calendar at the end of last year. Well, I'm happy to report I've learned from my mistakes and ordered my new 2012 Frankie Calendar just moments ago. Not only am I overcome with feelings of elation because I know I'll be avoiding a repeat of last year's fiasco, I have the added benefit of dismantling my 2011 calendar and framing the images (many by my favorite artists) to display around the house for virtually $4 per print. What more could a girl ask for year after year from a calendar?
{this year’s calendar features works from artists: Elisabeth Dunker, Ashley G and Drew, Pin Pals, Donna Wilson, Catherine Campbell, Amanda Blake, Anke Weckmann, Nancy Mungcal, Ana Albero, Marjorie Liucci, The Black Apple and Sarah McNeil}
Today me and the kids are headed to Texas to visit grandmother. She has always been a strong source of love, support, and acceptance and I want to be sure to get my arms around her at least one more time before I no longer have the chance. I look forward to seeing you back here next week...
It's week four of Unraveling 2 and we were asked to focus on Today by taking pictures once every hour for a whole day. I feel like I could have done a much better job, but in the spirit of self- acceptance I'm going to let this be enough...
{"I decided to shoot my images in black and white for this assignment so my day would have a feeling of continuity. I was a bit lost on what to take pictures of - my days are so overwhelmingly ordinary AND I kept forgetting to take pictures throughout the day - but I wanted to really focus on some of the things I dislike about my day-to-day life (ie: making the bed, grocery shopping, preparing dinner, driving an old car) so that I could learn to practice gratitude. I keep thinking about what Susannah said about there never being another day like today. These are the moments that make up my life. 1) waking up 2) shower 3) messy bed 4) coffee 5) breakfast 6) dishes 7) standing in line 8) grocery shopping 9) check-out 10) my beat-up car 11) turning onto my street 12) my street 13) working at my desk 14) picking my daughter up from school 15) the feet that are always underfoot 16) swim lessons 17) more swim lessons 18) making dinner 19) reading Harry Potter before putting the kids to bed 20) watching a movie before putting myself to bed.... and the many many moments in between."}
It's week three of Unraveling and this week we were asked to share the things that are most sacred to us in life. For me, the most sacred things in life are connected with certain people, places, and moments. Here are just a few...
{"I've only stayed at this Trappist Abbey once (despite my many intentions to go back) but when I visited a few years ago it was exactly what I needed. There was a beautiful walking path that lead into the hills where a small shrine was tucked away at the top. Lots of little notes and treasures where pushed in between the bricks and I was comforted by the vulnerability all those small prayers and trinkets represented. There were several beautiful ponds surrounded by shade trees with various spots for sitting to read or nap or think. I stayed for two nights, but could have easily stayed for a week. I desperately crave solitude on a regular basis and it's places like this that allow me to tap into my deeper self - which for me, is hugely sacred."}
{"Ah, the beach. I can't begin to tell you how the salty sea air and crashing waves feeds my soul. The ocean has a way of carrying all my thoughts and worries away, leaving me with a deep sense of peace, goodwill, and rest. I can't think of a better place to meditate on life or just take a long nap.
"And my family....
My kids have opened up the deepest most squishy, love-filled and terrified places in me. They are my heart walking around outside my body, and it's because of them that I first started to think deeply about my life and becoming who I am. If I can live out of a deep sense of self, I can only hope they will learn to do the same. With my husband the sacredness isn't quite as obvious. Things haven't been great lately, but I think it's the remembered beauty and the hope for more beauty between us that keeps moving me toward love and faith and vulnerability."}
{"This is my friend Erin. We have been meeting for coffee nearly every Tuesday for the past five years and I can't begin to explain how sacred my time with her is. She is my soul-mate, kindred spirit, sister-from-another-mister and SO much more. We haven't been able to meet as regularly lately as both of us have had a lot of changes happening in our lives, and I was so relieved when I saw her this week that I had to hold back tears. Sacred doesn't even begin to express the time I spend with her."}
After eyeing this Pantone-inspired pie pan at Anthropology for the past few months, I finally lucked out and found it on sale last weekend. I couldn't wait to get home and bake my favorite apple pie, then slice into it and see all the pretty colors appear in the void that was once apple pie. Granted this pie is delicious even without my new pie pan, but I'm certain the pan played an intricate role in our devouring the entire thing in only 8 hours!
Ingredients:
Bring cider to a boil until reduced to 1/2 cup (approx. 20 min). Let cool completely. Combine cider, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and spices. Stir apples into cider mixture.
Preheat oven to 4500. Spoon mixture into prepared crust. Place top crust over the mixture, fold edges under and flute. Cut 6 one-inch slits into the top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with 1 Tbl sugar. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake at 4500 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 3500 and bake for an additional 45 minutes. Remove from oven an place on wire rack to cool before slicing. (Serves 10).
Enjoy!
This is the second week of my Unraveling course and our assignment is to share how we like to "adorn" ourselves through the way we dress and decorate our bodies. We have been encouraged to share videos of ourselves this time around, and despite how insanely nerve wracking it is for me to share myself in this way, I'm going to take a risk and share my video with you here as well. The videos are only supposed to be 90 seconds, but mine was about seven minutes! I hope you can forgive me if I seem nervous and rambly - I was!
Thanks for listening! Here's a bit more of what I shared about my personal adornment...
"I decided to go through my closet and show you my favorite things to wear. (After doing this it occurred to me that maybe I should just get rid of everything that didn't make it into my photo shoot.)
As you can see I love striped tops, and I wear jeans everyday (preferably skinny or ripped-to-shreds) with a long cardigan for extra comfort and warmth. I also love vintage Mexican-style tops and dresses which I like to don during the Summer months with comfy sandals.
I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but I LOVE rings! And the one thing I'd like to add to my adornment is a "personal scent"...I'm thinking maybe Fig?"
Question: What's the point of having a large bosom, not to mention decades and decades of life experience under your belt if you don't have someone to comfort with said bosom and life experience? I'd say practically no point at all. Well, that's the conclusion me and my book club came to anyway. After I expressed an innate desire to snuggle with an August Boatwright-type character who has a large bosom and many years of wisdom to comfort me with - and after much concurrence from the group - The Boob was born. One of our girls crocheted this lovely bosom for us to pass around from month to month; and because it is my book pick this month I have the privilege of snuggling with this bosom. All. Month. Long.
And in case you're wondering what my book pick is, it's Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer - one of the best books I've read in awhile!