Hot Links

Sharing a list of wonderful inspiring brain detritus

Image by fabbio via Flickr

Links, links, everywhere!

today. All kinds of stuff that's been tumbling about in my head ever since I saw it, making me smile and think by turns.

• Love John Muir. Love this photo of him. Love the quote below him. (note to self: read a book about his life at some point)
• Speaking of photos of famous men, how's about this provocative shot of Sitting Bull, in full body form, eh?
• I love the idea of wooden toothbrushes. They make me smile.
• These peas sound stunning...gold pods with purple blossoms! Next year, peeps...it's on my seed list. Didn't even get peas in the ground this year.
• Am contemplating my need level for a diy set of glowing garden orbs. It somehow seems like a good idea. DIY geniuses are such raw inspiration.
• Kiwi makes me happy! These little kiwi boats make me hurt, because they make me so happy. I think I need to have a summer party just so we can eat some.
• Milk + Ink makes for breathtaking, soft beauty. Who knew!?!
• Am planning to make time in my schedule to go and see this church, post-haste! I couldn't believe such an undiscovered ecclesiastical art gem was right here in my area.

Happy link hopping! Sometimes it's good to skip the descriptives and just share the raw material that's dumping into our brains. Got any links for me?

Oh Christmas Tree!

The smell of gingerbread wafting up from the oven downstairs is buoying me on into sharing our little Christmas tree story. There is little more in life to make you feel completely festive than warm gingerbread. I really didn't like it as a kid, but I sure do love it now.

Anyhow, on to the tree tale:

First we went a-looking. We like to go to a family owned stand of evergreens where we are handed a band saw and sent off with our custom fashioned tree cart to search among the spruces until we find just the perfect tree. We have been here three years running for our tree. It hits just the perfect notes for me, family owned, modest in size and selection and cut-your-own in the grass rootsiest manner possible.

The family members at least three generations of owners are all out chatting together, tying up bows and wreaths cozily in a little lean-to that houses a super charming miniature wood stove for warming the hands of the babies and the propped up boots of the grandpas. The stove crackles and some member or other leaps up to hand out a saw or net bag the tree of choice.

They all wear black and red plaid flannel and every year I wonder if it is their family tartan and don't have the bravery to ask any of them out loud. I have to admit that its a very cheery uniform, apple red and black checks were peeking out from Carharts, layered under jackets and even snugly buttoned around the baby in attendence.

So, we picked the perfect tree. (Sorry, I got all carried away about the flannel there.) We have a blue spruce this year instead of the white spruce we've had for the past two years. And Ru pulled the tree cart up to the lean-to again, a feat I was mightily impressed by in a three year old, but still found quite astounding for a little four year old tyke.

We tied the tree on top of the car,  (Such a cold job this year with a biting wind whipping us and flipping the twine all over the place) and then we sailed off home.

We waited one night because there were way too many things on our To Do List still when we pulled in the driveway with the tree...and then we opened the Rubbermaid tubs where I store all the holiday paraphernalia. The boys were big enough to be quite aware and helpful in the decoration process. Ru helped A twirl lights around the tree, we added our garland of tinsel (just one, gold) and then looped on the Mardi Gras beads that we use for extra  kid-friendly glitz.

Meanwhile, Dee discovered the strands of extra lights and disappeared to the hall outlet to experiment with plugging in and unplugging. He was completely fascinated with the whole business. Hang, the rest of the decorations...this electricity stuff was waaaaay cooler. I don't believe we really saw him again all night.

Then, we pulled the ornaments out and I separated them into Daddy ornaments (the breakables) and kid ornaments (the plastic, wooden and paper variety) and we hung the tree with all manner of lovely orbs and gizmos.

At this point A had to whisk the boys upstairs for bed and he volunteered to even take Nib so that I found myself alone in the living room with the soft glow of Christmas lights, a few precious ornaments from my grandparents collection and a small bagful of icicles. I love icicles. The plastic silvery strands that you hang from the tips of the outermost branches. I always wished we could have them as a child and am no end of thrilled every Christmas at the sparkling creature my tree becomes when all those glittering bits all over it. I think sparkle is key to holiday decor.

It was lovely to have a few private moments to hang the special ornaments and the sprinkle glitter everywhere. When A came back down with a lip-smacking Nib on his arm in a half an hour I was all aglow with my moment of Silent Night and felt like the halls had been decked in the very best way.

Merry Christmas all!

Life is Back to Jolly!

                          Amorous couple frogs, who are singing                       

like crazy in our local waterways as of today!

My new earrings for golden sunshine days, glowing bee hives with 

one tiny bee on top

      
This morning when we came back to our house to check things out, the living room light was brightly blazing. What a fabulously welcome sight! I don't think I've ever gone through a power out that was that long before. I realize that lots of people in the world go through life without these modern conveniences but, it sure feels relieving to have it all worked out for us again. Home feels extra cozy, the sunshine feels extra warm and even my own piles of laundry, dishes and rotten food in the refrigerator feel kind of happy in some strange way. I am a person who loves her own little space.

Sap buckets are out at the local farms!

Happy boy!

So, we were back in our own home together for a traditional Irish dinner: corned beef, cabbage and potatoes. I meant to make Irish soda bread but, it didn't happen...but, really, it doesn't matter...we had our own meal, at our own table and the stove works and the washer runs and the computer is humming away in a friendly way. So, we all forgot to wear green and there wasn't a shamrock in sight but, A read us all the Wikipedia entry on St. Patrick and we told Ru very seriously that he was a genuine Irish boy and we celebrated with clear and thankful hearts in the warm glow of the lamp over the dining room table.

Wonderful boxes, stashed in a local greenhouse. 

 

Not to go on in an overly excessive way but, the weather could also not be more excellent: sunshine, blazing blue skies and 64, 65, 67 degrees depending on who's thermometer you're using or what patch of sunshine you're standing in. So lovely. We're thinking about a picnic dinner tomorrow night...spring is really here. Time to take the paper snowflakes off our windows and watch for our crocus to bloom (they're budding out now!).

So tally-ho everyone! I'm off and humming in my regular groove and I'll see you all in the morning!

Closed Off To The World

Saturday night we went to dinner at my aunt's house, driving across the state in pelting rain and lashing wind...watching the trees bending and the sea frothing as we drove along. We cozied down in the den together when we arrived and had a snug evening chatting, eating and watching the small ones push plastic dinosaurs and hot wheels along the rug under our feet.

And then, after all that nestled down warmth in various forms we arrived back at our own little condo unit to find the whole complex dark and our next-door neighbor packing his wife, baby and dogs up to take them off to someplace with electricity. We've been without power now for well over 24 hours and it looks like it will be a couple more days. The most generous estimates are saying Wednesday evening we might have our lights back on but, we are expecting a more gradual return than that.

It was quite impressive on Sunday morning when we got up and tried to drive to church to actually survey the damage from the storm. Trees are down everywhere...powerlines strung like spaghetti, tree to fallen tree and splintered limbs and bark littering most roads in the area. We saw many trees that were far to large to wrap arms around that had fallen across roads into yards and even one that had gone through the roof of a local town. We never did make it to church...every road we tried was closed off by downed trees and broken utility poles and sloppy loops of electric wires flung this way and that. And then this morning when I tried to take A to work, we gave up when we ran into multi-tiered stripes of yellow caution tape, and whorls of orange traffic cones cluttering all the roads in to the main drive. I parked the car and waited with hazard lights blinking as close as we could manage to drive in and A hiked the rest of the way in, just for extra merit badge points and then hiked back out in the spitting rain. One more day together after all.

I have never seen a storm like this in my life, honestly. The mayor of a local town sent every resident an automated telephone call the let them know that help was coming to aid in power return, road clearing and the like as quickly as possible but that the residents should know the work would be significant...this has been, he said, the worst storm in 50 years, no small potatoes to remedy. A nearby family lost their home when the fire department couldn't reach their address because of too many of the roads were impassible. Rivers are all flooded beyond their banks, fences have blown away like so many kites and lawn furniture is drifted in piles where the wind left it. Its not the right time of year for this to technically be called a hurricane but, it sure seems to fit the text-book definition.

So, we have no light or power or heat...this afternoon we're here, at the library to charge up our phones, communicate with the outside world a bit and make sure that we're snowed under by email however long this power out keeps up. Handily, the outages aren't everywhere and the library is still lighted and warm. Its awfully nice to have laundromats, hard working power company employees and friends who are willing to lend a little fridge space for our orphaned food (shout out to Nutmeg!).  This afternoon we picked up another bundle of wood for the fireplace kielbasa and a wedge of Gruyere to have for dinner, toasted over the coals and then eaten on A's good homemade bread. Should be a cozy end to the day.

Just a little trip back in time for a few days, a slower pace of life. I don't much mind. As long there's a laundromat around the corner.