Tulip Festival on Thursday

Seattle on Wednesday

Today was my first full day in Seattle. Mel is an excellent tour guide. She drove me all over the city, starting with...

the Fremont Troll under a bridge in the area (yes that's an actual VW Bug in his hand).














After that we went to Archie McPhee, a novelty store with all sorts of fun stuff...




























Then on to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. Every year salmon swim upstream and actually jump into the white drums with the water flowing out of them. Pretty cool.














Mel took sailing lessons last summer at The Center for Wooden Boats, so she brought me there to see all the boats and the area where people work on repairing and building them.

















After that, we toured a fascinating sculpture park with lots of fun and intriguing art.




































In the afternoon we took a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island and enjoyed the beautiful Seattle skyline.





























We went to La Casa Del Mojito for dinner where our super nice waiter, Luam, asked to have his picture taken w/ me when he found out I was visiting from across the country.

Lenten Results

Well, I wasn't nearly as successful as I deluded myself into thinking I'd be, but I did accomplish several things that I'm really excited about (one of them wasn't even on the list!).
I started knitting again and I finally figured out a pattern I've been pondering for years. I'm hoping to have it done in time to wear for spring/early summer (if spring would EVER come!). Here's some photos to show you my progress.

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!