Orchids at Longwood Gardens

Zach and I went to Longwood Gardens today to see the International Orchid Show, part of the Orchid Extravaganza, which ends March 31. Here's a sampling of the some of the amazing blooms we saw.

Day 1

And so begins my Lenten journey devoid of TV....

For the next forty days I have decided to abstain from watching TV in the hopes that I will become more productive and actually do the things that I've been talking about doing for the past eight to ten years (in some cases), but haven't actually started. To assist me on my journey, I've decided to compile a list of all the projects I'd like to complete during this time in the hopes that it will serve as a sort of accountability keeper. Here goes...

1. Make fleece jacket (#507 for anyone who's interested) for Zach with fabric I bought a LONG time ago (possibly before we were married).
2. Make fleece vest (also #507) for me (more fabric from same time)
3. Make long-sleeved shirt with fabric I bought over three years ago. (I know, I know...enough with the fabric)
4. Make pot holders
5. Make one linocut
6. Frame three pictures
7. Make 11 mugs (2 sets of 4, plus 3 others)

I think that's more than enough. Probably overly optimistic, but at least I have something to shoot for. And since no one usually reads this blog anyway, I can probably get away with only finishing one or two goals. Kidding!

Now where did I put that fabric?

Up in the air, Junior Birdman!

During our weekly "Girl's Night" gathering last night, I was prompted to start singing the "Junior Birdman Song" I learned at camp, at least what I remembered of it.

Every spring my church would start promoting the fun to be had at Horton Center, a camp fully owned and operated by the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ. I can still remember my first summer there. Seven giggly nine and ten year old girls girls sharing a little cabin in the woods, laughing incessantly. Dean, one of the counselors at Horton Center, was assigned to our cabin. He made sure we knew where everything was at camp and just looked out for us. But mostly, he made us laugh. One of the ways he accomplished this was by singing the "Junior Birdman Song" while doing all the accompanying hand motions. We were rivetted and couldn't get enough of his performances.
"Sing it again, Dean!" we would shout.
I never thought too much about the lyrics, but as I was singing it for the girls last night, we concluded it must have been some sort of promotion for Marvel comics.
"So, don't be a glutten, get your Captain Marvel button and zoom!"
This prompted me to do some research.

It turns out the Junior Birdmen of America was a group of boys interested in building model planes back in the 30s. There are several versions of the song floating around in ciberspace, some with lyrics mocking novice aviators, but I can't seem to find the one mentioning Captain Marvel. I did find the Birdmen of American site sharing what I believe is probably the original version of the song. I also found several links to stores selling the pins issued by the aformentioned aviation club as well as a Captain Marvel button. Interestingly, one of the stores is located in Zach's hometown. I also found an article written by a women from the generation who grew up with radio as the technology of the day. She remembers the radio anouncer urging kids to send in their box tops etc. to get their pin. At any rate, this is how I remember the song:

Up in the air, Junior Birdman!
Up in the air, Birdman fly
Up in the air, Junior Birdman!
Get your wings up to the sky, to the sky

When you hear the grand anouncement
That you've earned your wings of tin
Then you'll know Junior Birdman
You gotta send them box tops in, send em in!

5 box tops
4 bottle bottoms
3 labels
2 wrappers
and 1 thin dime

So don't be a glutten
Get your Captain Marvel button...and zoom!

Lynne Drexler, painter

During our Christmas visit to NH, Zach and I spent a day in Portland, ME with Jean and Josh. While we were there, we stopped by the Portland Museum of Art. I was very intrigued by the special exhibit of Lynne Drexler works they had on view.
These paintings are some of my favorites.

But most importantly, I'm thankful for...

...all the fabulous people (and pets) that make my life good - including all the ones not shown here.

I'm thankful for...

Christmas in NYC • home-grown tomatoes • bananas • retro (and free!) filing cabinets • snow • Dale Chihuly glass • tea • avocados • clouds • Santa Barbara • daffodils • green plants in november • Zach's spice cookies • Boston • Vernors



What are you thankful for?

It's Snowing?

This is what Zach and I woke up to this morning. We're still in southern PA, right? It's like we're back home in New England. It's only November!

The Last Fruits of Fall

I finished the winter prep in the garden today. I actually cleaned all my shovels the way you're supposed to by sanding off the dirt and rust and applying a light coat of oil to the metal. Amazingly, some of the plants are STILL green even though we've had a few light frosts. I even found a few green tomatoes still hanging on.

Mom and Dad Visit

My mom and dad came to visit us two weekends ago. On Sunday afternoon we went to Hibernia County Park and walked along some of the trails. One brought us out by Chambers Lake, which as you can see by the bottom photo, is quite beautiful. It was a perfect fall day - lots of sun and warm colors.

Wreathy Goodness

I recently got in touch with my Martha Stewart side and made this wreath from pines cones I collected right outside our back door. I'm hoping it will last for many years.

If it's true that this is the best time of your life, if you have already lived or are now living at this age the best years, or if the next few turn out to be the best, then you have my condolences. Because you'll want to remain here, stuck in these so-called best years, never maturing, wanting only to look, to feel and be the adolescent that whole industries are devoted to forcing you to remain.

Toni Morrison

defamiliarize the ordinary

Some recent inspiration in the field of graphic design. Hope all you creative-types (and non-creative) find the following quote enlightening:

"From Impressionism to Pop Art, the commonplace and even the comic strip have become ingredients for the artist’s cauldron. What Cézanne did with apples, Picasso with guitars, Léger with machines, Schwitters with rubbish, and Duchamp with urinals makes it clear that revelation does not depend upon grandiose concepts. The problem of the artist is to defamiliarize the ordinary."

Paul Rand

Favorite Things

I have a small display box hanging in my kitchen next to the back door. Every time I look at it it makes me happy because it's filled with things I like - given to me by people I love.

Thanksgiving 2007

It was a fun day. The food turned out great, and everyone really enjoyed playing w/ the gourds.

Our New Dining Room Table

It's made out of Mango wood which has a beautiful grain and is very durable. The mango tree only produces fruit for about 6 years and then the tree sits dormant. Someone had the bright idea of using the wood to make furniture. Way to think green!

Architecture

I've been on an architecture kick lately. It started with a Maya Lin documentary from Net Flicks. Then one about Frank Gehry. Then I.M. Pei. Now I'm hooked. The first two buildings are designed by I.M. Pei. The larger photo is The National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, CO. The smaller is The Louvre in Paris. The third photo is of The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain designed by Gehry.

Trying To Quit My Day Job

While I was working in the half-lit back corner of Home Depot in the wee hours of the morning, or what becomes morning, I had an epiphany...
It all started with my portfolio. I need to create more items for my portfolio, but I really hate using samples I've just invented that are obviously NOT contracted work - like the art museum poster for Degas (see my portfolio at www.fiercegirldesign.com). It looks cool and the design is tight, but it says "Hey, I've never had a REAL job as a REAL designer so I have to invent my own projects because no one will hire me. Did I mention I'm 30 and I live in my parents' basement?" That's not the kind of vibe I want to convey.

So I started thinking...
Wouldn't it be cool to have all my friends and my friends' friends write super witty and informative articles about music and film?! Witty articles I could use to fill up the pages of my fabulously creative newsletter about music and film. I think it could be a really diverse and informative piece filled with reviews, upcoming tours, commentaries etc. - anything of interest relating to the music and film industries - possibly even tv. I think there's a real need to discuss things from a Christian perspective without being obnoxious about it. I'd like to get some deep, thought-provoking stuff as well as fun, wacky stuff.

So, anybody interested? I'd love to hear HONEST feed-back.

Avocados and Angels

I spent yesterday afternoon with my dear friend Suzi and was fully planning to head home at 5pm when something strange happened...

Suzi had invited me earlier in the day to go to a concert that evening with her and her friend Nancy (that isn't the strange part - Suzi is always very hospitable). With my crazy work schedule of 4am - 1pm I usually get tired around 9pm on the weekends, so I wasn't sure I'd be able to stay awake for a concert that didn't start until 8pm. In all honesty, I'm an introvert - which is fine. But I've noticed this pesky trait of mine sneaking up on me and whispering in my ear all sorts of ridiculous excuses for why I shouldn't do things. This is when the Holy Spirit steps in and gives me a good douse of logic and a little nudge - OK a complete kick-in-the-pants. If I'm smart, I listen to the Spirit.

I ended up chatting with the girls for a while (it's always nice to meet cool new people even if I AM an introvert), and before I knew it Suzi was setting the dinner table for three. But wait a minute...I'm going HOME...remember!? At that point, Nancy started to make a salad and she mentioned that she had a secret ingredient that she wasn't sure we liked but that she loved. An avocado. The room erupted in proclamations of delight. I think I speak for all three of us when I say that the avocado is one of the most delectable fruits there is. I stayed for dinner.

It's been a long time since I had a raw, spirit-filled conversation about life with an old friend and a new one. Well yesterday was filled with them, and my spirit started to heal. We were like three kindred spirits grappling with this beautiful mess we call life. It felt so good to hear their joys and even their sorrows. It is a precious gift when someone shares those things they hold so close to themselves. It makes me sad that the statement "the Holy Spirit is working" has become a cliche because what the Spirit is doing is anything but cliche. The Spirit was moving in my life all day; slowly chipping away at my comfort zone, pulling me outside of my routine. I went to the concert.

The concert, presented by The Chestnut Hill Community Association, was unlike anything I have ever experienced. Titled "The Sacred Percussion Project", the musicians filled the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields with Turkish and Indian Sufi music, Gregorian chant and poetry as well as percussion pared with film. Performers included the band Mandala with guest percussionist Marc Wooldridge and Middle East dancer Toha. It was mesmerizing and very spiritual.

It amazes me that because I'm so tied to my routine I almost missed out on all the fun, including the lovely conversation we had with a fellow Houghton grad, Christy Shea, who was also at the concert - small world! Thank you Suzi and Nancy for being true ambassadors of Christ (angels if you will) and for inviting me to spend a truly inspiring evening with you. You have touched me more profoundly than you realize.

The Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

Peace to you, dear friends

It's Official

Just a quick note to let you all know that I finally finished my website. I've learned so much about web design over the past few months. The scary (and exciting) thing is I have SO MUCH MORE to learn. I'd love to hear your feedback about the site. Let me know if certain elements don't work right, what you like, and what you could do without. Hope all is well.

Here's the link:
www.fiercegirldesign.com
(Like you couldn't have figured that out;) ).