grateful

hi there~

i'm so so grateful for all of you. thank you so much for your kind comments yesterday. i am planning on reading them again today. full of such wonderful thoughts and advice. you are the best!

i went on a nice picture walk yesterday (my first in some time) and will be posting thoughts and images from that tomorrow.

things that made me happy yesterday*************************************************

listening to an interview on guardian uk with zadie smith about her book on beauty

seeing a woodpecker while eating breakfast

realizing i love the word noble but i don't often use it in conversation

first cut books

seeing this new york mag look book feature

the cover of the new selvedge-i LOVE it!

biking to baba ghanouj bistro for falafel and tabouli

coming out from the restaurant to find the heat and humidity had lifted

bringing matt a piece of baklava and having tea with him

having to ride home in the pouring rain on our bikes with thunder booming and lightning!

reading
***************************************************************************************

it is so cloudy here this morning with the storm off the coast. i love it! it will be a great day for making bread i think. i have all of the ingredients so i will just take my time with it this morning. it will be just what i need.

i'm also interested in making some jerk tofu for dinner and need to find a good recipe. tom's friend amy is at the outer banks and i think she is heading our way tonight for the long labor day weekend.

don't forget to check in on the compound word project. just click here.

thank you again friends. your words mean so much to me!

hugs,
shari

between a rock and a hard place

it's 12:15 AM. t and i just returned home from seeing a show at the pour house in raleigh. we are about to eat mac and cheese; we are starving. i can't tell you the last time i was up this late eating mac and cheese. it feels, well, rather nice. familiar in a college sort of way. like i'm safe.

on the drive home tonight the sky was filled with heat lightning--a little show just for us. it was quite good. i rated it an eight. now, it's thundering and i'm eager for rain. it suits my mood.

today, i have been trying to think of a path to take, a direction to choose yet i find myself feeling stuck. i will tell you a little secret about me. i have a grass is always greener mentality that i am trying to shake. i think i know what i want until i have it and then what do you know? the grass looks greener where i was originally standing. so when i have decisions to make, when i have choices laid out in front of me, i worry. i hem. i haw. i ask everyone's opinions. i do everything but make a decision.

this is not what i was thinking when i took the above photo but as i was looking through images tonight, i remembered this phrase my mom used to say to me. sounds like you are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

and guess what friends? i am.

but it's nothing a hot bowl of macaroni & cheese and a good night's sleep can't fix.

until tomorrow,
s

150: the jdt

hello friends!

it's the last junk drawer tuesday in august! roll on september. enjoy this abbreviated version.

in compound words:

if you want to check in on the compound word project, click here. thanks so much for all of the positive feedback. i'm quite pleased with the project and am glad you are too!

in self portrait:



every now and then, i notice themes in the photos i take. currently, it's pictures of doors, often when they are in wonderful light. i didn't realize it until i was browsing through my iPhoto archives and then it dawned on me. i sure am taking lots of photos of doors!! i see a direct link between this need to photograph doors and my search for a new career path. i am looking for doors to open...doors in the light...to show me a clear path.

in synchronicity:



remember how i went to the library last week? well, one of the books i brought home is titled stronger than dirt and is about how a couple starts a flower farm. not a day passed before i happened upon the ad for a greenhouse assistant at a flower farm. when things like this happen, i do not shrug them off. i pay attention. right now, though, anything outside of education is outside of my self-imposed comfort zone but i'm trying to move forward.

in hobbies:


i am determined to take up bread baking. i really am enjoying reading about the process in the laurel's kitchen bread book: a guide to whole-grain breadmaking. i'm eager to try the "loaf for learning" and i love the woodblock prints featured throughout the book. do any of you have favorite breadmaking books or favorite recipes?

okay, i have some errands to run. you know groceries to buy, bills to pay...fun stuff like that.
see you tomorrow~
shari

149: weekend happenings

hello!

did you all have a nice weekend? hope so!


highlights of mine:

volunteering at the durham literacy center to help supervise tutor trainees
biking to cinelli's for a sicilian pizza
seeing the most beautiful melon colored sunset ribbon across the sky


playing petanque and throwing the softball with t
blueberry tea in the evening with jazz on the radio
a guitar lesson from t




oh, you're wondering where the compound word project photos are? well, then....click here.

have a super monday!
xo
shari

five senses and a compound word update

hi everyone!
first, thank you all SO much for all of your wonderful comments and support yesterday. i am thrilled to read that you think working in a bookstore is a great new path for me to explore!

compound word update:
beginning monday, august 28th, i will post 3 diptychs a day for the entire week. the photos will be labeled by participants' names. the rest is up to you! PLEASE do NOT guess the compound word that each photo represents in the comments section!! instead, keep a list and on friday september 1st, the first person to EMAIL me with the correct list of 15 compound words wins a little gift. if you have any questions, just let me know.

now, it's five senses friday, isn't it?


see:

mimosa seed pods hanging from trees over the creek at the park
cecile belmont clothing/textiles
thursday morning sunrise in its pink/orange glory
rachel hazell's paper icebergs and books
this amazing photo


feel:

my computer mouse, dragging and clicking away to create diptychs
the straps on my mary janes tightly hugging my feet
the breezes from our box fan blowing each night
warm, soapy dishwater
mosquitos biting my skin happily during last night's picnic



taste:

homemade hummus with ciabatta bread
juicy ripe pears from a neighbor's orchard
tart red grape juice
blue corn chips
an afternoon affogato all creamy and bittersweet


hear:

antarctica takes it!
squirrels chattering away back and forth as they leap from branch to branch
npr food podcasts
my grandmother and mother's voices on the telephone
tom's new homebrew, a scottish ale, whistling and bubbling during the fermentation process


smell:

pine branches dotting the ground near our picnic area
fresh cilantro while making homemade salsa
the library
mexican coffee brewing in our home
the bakery department in whole foods

147: friends, community, ideas, jobs

hi friends!
can i just tell you all how MUCH inspiration i am receiving from my wonderful blogging community? thank you all so much. below is a little list of things that have been on my mind after reading blogs this week.

constantly thinking about:

blocks of color

simple living

viewfinder photos

polaroids

poetry

meal presentation

amelie

"reading" by listening

bike rides

yellow landscapes

sewing/knitting my own clothes (oh one day i'll learn)

if you have written about any of the above recently, this post is for YOU to sincerely thank you for making me think and for inspiring my socks off! xo!

so i didn't intend to be absent from the blogosphere yesterday but morning turned to afternoon to evening just like that. i kind of like it when my day flows on out the door quickly but quietly. do you?

on the job front....remember how i quit my teaching job? well, i have decided that i'm going to apply at all of the independent bookstores in the area. you see, i love books more than you can imagine. i stockpile them. i always have a huge to read list. i think it's because i save them so i'll always have something good to read. reading is such an important part of my life and always has been. my earliest and fondest memories are being curled up in bed listening to my mom read tom sawyer. books are also a huge source of inspiration for me and there are always more being published every day. i cannot tell you how happy that makes me!

so yesterday t and i went on a recon mission. i wanted to check out 2 bookstores in the chapel hill/pittsboro area before applying so i asked t if he would accompany me with the promise of stopping for a treat after our visits. i am only choosing to apply at independent bookstores, which limits my opportunities greatly but it is important to me to support the small local stores. the first store is 20 miles away but a 45 minute drive. this drive would be no fun but when i set foot in the bookstore i knew that it would be worth it. a lovely store in a lovely setting. in a few days, i will be dropping off resumes at 3 bookstores, which happen to be in three different cities.

treats were delivered as promised. i took t to caffe driade in chapel hill for an afternoon affogato. oh the deliciousness! we took our white bowls to the back deck and enjoyed some time soaking in the green surrounding us. t looked at me and said, "where's your camera? you need to take a photo of this." he was right but my camera was sitting on my bedside table.

until tomorrow and five senses...

happy thursday!
shari

the jdt

hello friends! let's just open the drawer right up shall we?

in books:


these are the next three in line...
mcsweeney's no. 20, the history of love, the highest tide

what's on your to read list?

in magazines:
i am anxiously awaiting the new giant robot with the rachell sumpter cover. does anyone have it yet?

also, have any of you read resonance mag?


in {geographically} inspired music:

beirut is now in heavy rotation at our house. it will be my summer into fall album. they are playing in september at duke coffeehouse and i will be in attendance despite the fact that i'll be the oldest person there..except for t. yes, i do believe i'm smitten.


in piles:
books are now neatly arranged but not by color. i became overwhelmed as i have tons of books--many with spines that are not solely one color. paper piles remain...alas.

in favorite purchases:

these striped socks scream fall and are impatiently waiting in my top drawer for cooler weather.



mav's newest card set-fern. so gorgeous. elegant, delicate, beautiful, inspired.

in delicious:
black bean tacos in a hard shell with homemade salsa, sour cream, and fresh cilantro
freshly baked brownies...last night's treat

in surprise mail:

a lovely card from the supersweet and talented marieke. i LOVE it! have you seen all of marieke's hand carved stamps? visit treats and treasures for more delights!

in self-portrait:



some afternoon flickring with my favorite furry friend.

it's tuesday. do something fun today ok?!
xo
s

wilmington--a list

my sister and i had a fun trip to wilmington! thought i'd create a list as there is just too much to write about. to see more photos, please visit my flickr site.

arriving under cloudy skies...eating pizza for lunch....running back to our hotel in the rain...driving to harbor island and wrightsville beach where our grandparents used to live....exploring and shopping....trying on clothes together...dinner at flaming amy's burrito barn (jerk tofu burrito with pineapple jalapeno salsa)...buying and reading the september issues of vogue and instyle....finding a bookcrossing book in our hotel room....wandering around airlie gardens...seeing swans, a chapel built of bottles, butterflies, turtles, geese, and a 450 year old oak....cobblestone streets...navigating one way streets...shopping in the historic district...seeing orla kiely coats and dresses in the edge of urge...buying a stewart and brown tank on sale...eating quesadillas in the underground bar....hearing wilmington ghost stories and scaring ourselves...visiting a lousy flea market and leaving quickly...traveling by car via ferry to southport...climbing up to the passenger area on the ferry....sitting and watching the pelicans and sea gulls...browsing antique shops...eating quiche, salad, and chocolate chip cookies for lunch...visiting a local art gallery...drinking yummy fair trade and organic coffee (free with a coupon) from folks cafe...traveling on a budget...eating delicious thai food on our last night...visiting with one of my sister's oldest friends...listening to eighties music in the hotel lounge...having egg and cheese sandwiches and hashbrowns for our farewell breakfast.

melissa, we'll have to plan another trip soon!

when i came home yesterday in the early afternoon, it was really wonderful to see t. we caught up over coffee and later walked to ninth street where we stopped in at bull city records and ben and jerry's. i had mango lime sorbet and t had bananas over rum. such a great treat for a day full of heat and humidity. hey...i thought i felt fall in the air. where did it go?

ok friends, i'll be back tomorrow with a jdt post.
xo
s

animals, thread and targets...oh my!

hello friends!

first, an update about the compound word project. thank you to those of you who have already emailed your photos. i believe i am missing about five photos so please email those as soon as possible. i am very excited about this project and hope you are too. on monday august 28th, i will begin posting diptychs. should i create a flickr group as well? right now my idea is to post 3 pairs each day for a week. the diptychs will not be titled...that part is up to you.

here's the fun part. stay tuned for the entire week and write down the compound words each photo represents. on friday, the first person to EMAIL me with a correct list of all 15 pairs will win a little prize.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


yesterday, i took a mini-trip to the oak city, otherwise known as raleigh, nc to visit an art gallery. normally, most of the art shows that i really really want to see are in san francisco, new york, or portland but i ran across a bit of luck. you see, my lovely and talented blog friend, lisa solomon, has pieces hanging in the bickett gallery. i've been so excited about seeing lisa's art in person but with the recent move i had to wait far too long to make the quick trip to raleigh and google directions didn't help. i got lost and had to take I-40 in rush hour traffic, thereby delaying me another hour but did that deter me one bit. no way.




the bickett is a nice gallery in a cute neighborhood flanked by a small cheery yoga studio and a dog groomer. it was so fun to see lisa's name upon entering. white letters on a black wall. continuing in from the front door, i noticed that her work was immediately on my left. three large target pieces (2 with animals and one with thread) and two smaller pieces with thread. they were beautiful! i couldn't stop looking at them. to my right, there were two white fabric pieces with embroidered robots. wow! just amazing.








i can't believe how lucky i am....seeing lisa's art in person was a treat!! i hope to add a target piece to my small art collection soon. :)

on that happy note, i'll close. my sister and i are meeting in wilmington today for a little bit of r and r. i'll be back on monday. have a fabulous weekend!

xo
shari

piles of piles

when life gets messy, make art. seems like lisa and i had the same idea---to photograph the piles in our homes. so many of us have been talking about paring down and organizing lately. feels a bit like spring cleaning but we're headed for fall (at least in the states) so i wonder what's going on?

things you should know about my piles and me:

they are worse because i just moved
they get bigger and messier before order ensues
i spread out when i am organizing
i can find things in my piles if necessary but often get frustrated
the study is the last room in our new home that needs serious organization intervention
i become super distracted when sorting through piles
i often stop mid-sort to do something creative and fun (like make an inspiration wire a la mav)
they stick around much longer than i would like
my piles mainly consist of paper, art supplies, and the like



this photo was taken mid-sort two days ago and not much has changed. many do not understand my theory of letting the circumference of the pile grow, but it is the only way i'll make it through to the end.


when we first moved into our house, we had a houseguest from san francisco arrive on the day we had to be out of our old rental. in order to be able to open up the pull out couch for her, we had to unpack a few boxes quickly. yes, it would have made more sense to actually stand these books up correctly but no it wasn't done. so why are they still like this? well, now these books are patiently waiting for me to sort them by color, inspired by abigail, of course.

we have good piles too just so you know. like piles of organic blueberries, five pounds to be exact. we've been dilligently working on that pile for awhile as i've made a blueberry buckwheat cake and a blueberry cobbler all since friday. we also have a nice little compost pile (a pile that needs little tending to) and of course there is the always growing pile of books to be read on my nightstand---the best kind of pile, in my humble opinion.

the other piles, well, they need someone to take charge, and i'm going on vacation with my sister tomorrow! i'm not worried though. these piles will eventually disappear. i am fine with that. doors can be closed. no one has to lay eyes on my messiness, except you dear reader, and for that i apologize. i'll just blame it on lisa!

have a great wednesday. best go! as you can see, i've got work to do!
shari

junk drawer tuesday

in podcasting:





i was hoping to have a junk drawer podcast available today but perhaps next week. although my original idea was to have a radioesque podcast where i played my favorite music, i have since learned that due to copyright laws, this is not an option. hmm. on the other hand, i am considering doing a podcast where i talk about random musings with the addition of original music by tom, his friends, and me. i do have 4 fabulous songs by the slacks recorded along with a brief interview....but maybe podcasting is just not in the cards for me. i haven't decided!

in black and white photos:



an image taken this weekend. forever inspired by the sky/branch combo.

in vintage magazines and manuals:



our landlords had a garage filled with junk left behind by the former owner who died. because t actually uses the garage, they offered to clear that space out for him. now we have an enormous pile of junk stacked on our back patio STILL waiting to be hauled off. since t found the old music notebooks in the garage, i was curious as to what coolness i might find in the piles. i found 2 great magazines (better homes and garden and the american home) both circa 1962 along with several recipe books.

the kelvinator book of recipes-- no date but with a price of 25 cents. some of the recipes include sweet milk waffles, emergency cake batter, and southern dinner.

facts about your new mixer--a ge instruction manual full of recipes for things like spicy quick cake and penuche.

know your kelvinator refrigerator-with such helpful advice as:

food placement--did you know that the first shelf should store "tall bottles, milk, cream and odorous foods" while the remaining space should store "gelatin salads, leftovers, unused food, bacon in covered dish, ground coffee in covered container, citrus fruits, and apples"?

we are delighted to now own the recipe book of the enterprise no clamp chopper, featuring recipes like swiss spinach and winter conserve.

we also have "your kelvinator electric range" manual beautifully clad in red and white polkadots. on the back endpaper, there is a handwritten recipe for parker house rolls. my mom has always talked about the importance of serving parker house rolls when serving dinner rolls so i'm thrilled to have the previous houseowner's recipe.

and the luckiest find of them all...a simple black and white pamphlet entitled "salads" dated may 1938 from the nc state college of agriculture and engineering "distributed in furtherance of the acts of congress of may 8 and june 30, 1914". it completely spells out the reasons why one should eat salad, when one should eat salad, and how one should eat salad. many recipes are included for dishes such as mrs. mckimmon's favorite supper salad and golden glow salad.

of course, this major influx of recipes has me eager to try some of the old household standbys so look for cooking posts to happen on a regular basis as t and i sort through these fascinating pieces of culinary history.

tomorrow is piles day here and also over at lisa's musings. be warned...it's going to be messy!

have a great tuesday!
xo
s

into the woods

with temperatures hovering around eighty on saturday, i decided it was high time for a walk in the woods. to be honest, with the heat the way it has been, we have not ventured out on too many hikes this summer. on my trip to richmond, i passed over falls lake and decided it might be nice to hit the hiking trails near this area. usually, i am the queen of research, leaving no stone unturned. however, when describing this place to t, i noticed that he seemed to be familiar with the directions from all of the driving he does delivering csa boxes. therefore, i put away my computer and put on my hiking boots.



needless to say, we appeared to be on a wild goose chase for most of the afternoon, blindly driving around the park in hopes of finding some printed brochures to spell it all out for us. in fact, the first section of the park we turned into did not have any hiking trails...this we realized only after paying our five dollar entrance fee to beaver dam. after winding down roads with names like six forks, possum tracks, and raven ridge, we finally arrived at an area with trails. after a quick glimpse at the dam, we pressed on and did an hour's jaunt through the woods. nothing too exciting but lovely to be out of doors in the low humidity (for once this summer) enjoying a bit of fresh air. nibbling on pumpkin flax seed granola bars, we took in the sights and sounds of the forests. black insects with blue wings (gwen, i need some help!), the sound of scurrying mice, loads of swallowtail butterflies, shiny mica around every bend, and tall pines blowing in the wind.










happy monday everyone!
xo,
shari

five senses friday (the return of)

hi everyone!
you know it's time to return to five senses friday when you are overflowing with ideas for each sense. it's back to regular postings for awhile. enjoy!

sight:


my new ashley g print "i like your scarf"
2 great articles that my mom mailed from better homes and gardens
(a harvest of inspiration & dishing up a beautiful life)
cursive initials on a wooden board in my attic. who is WR?
a beautiful spraypainted rose mural outside of a local gardening store
miles sleeping on folded up guest sheets in the study

notes: the better homes and gardens articles feature andrea reusing from lantern restaurant in chapel hill and r. wood studio in athens, ga. two places i need to visit!

taste:


chunky, peppery salsa made by our friend chris with heirloom tomatoes, fresh from the garden peppers, etc.
massaman curry with tofu, cashews, and avocado
tangy jalapeno sundried tomato chevre spread from elodie farms
cold minty iced tea
arugula salad with yellow raisins and pears

notes: a bit of salsa making occurred in the booth late tuesday night and then a bit of late night indulging. chris, who is a hot pepper afficianado, brought peppers from his garden to which he added rose heirlooms from t's farm to create a salsa with a huge kick. chunky, peppery, and delicious. the salsa photo was inspired by the brilliant laura letinsky who i've mentioned here before. i think i like her so much because i often find myself taking photos like the one above. you know, photos of the aftermath. :) this book looks amazing.

touch:



crayons bumping over stamped metal letters while doing a crayon rubbing of a water meter cover
fingers cradling tortilla chips while scooping up fresh salsa
smooth dominoes
the feel of a tote over my shoulder
the cold metal of the old revolving door at the downtown post office

notes: it's been a week of dominoes at our house, and i've started my new project as you can see from the photo above.

smell:


spearmint, rosemary, and scented geranium at local garden centers
oatmeal cookies baking in the oven
freshly mowed lawns
t's new summer spice natural deodorant which has a thick, musky smell
mexican food at the cosmic cantina

hear:


the slacks live in the dining room
studio 360 (via brandi)
miles snoring (little wheezing sounds) while napping
a sprinkler gently dropping rain on overheated plants at niche gardens
background noise at elmo's diner where we feasted on veggie burgers last night

notes: i'm really loving browsing the archives of studio 360. if you have never listened, check it out. the slacks (as in pants...not slacker) will be featured on the junk drawer podcast if we can work on a bit of editing this weekend.

i'd love for you to participate in the comments section. take your pick!
happy weekend to you all!
xo
s

a quick trip and inspiration

where to begin... i decided on a whim to take a 3 hour road trip to richmond, va yesterday to see friends from denver who were visiting family there. 6 hours of driving + two tolls + one stop for diesel fuel= my day yesterday. the part in between was nice though. we walked around carytown, had lunch at a french bistro, stopped in many boutiques, had a late afternoon snack of pastries (i had chocolate mousse), and exchanged cd, movie, and book suggestions. i hadn't seen them in a year so to me it was well worth the drive.

i am notoriously nervous before and during travel and true to form, this is how i felt before i even got in the car and during most of the drive to richmond. i get nervous having to navigate a city i've never driven in. however, i made it through just fine and on the way home, it was like the perfect little drive. the beetle and me chugging along, me playing dj and changing the tunes frequently, and towards the very end....as the sun was going down...i openend the windows and the moon roof and for those last thirty minutes it was just like heaven. i should take road trips by myself more often.




while in richmond, i picked up the cutest tote by kate sutton. it is entitled the "i heart" tote and it has tons of tiny little drawings of things that kate loves. so cute. i've finally made the switch from clutch to tote and it happened on a serendipitous day in august.

finally, i leave you with some images from maira kalman, one of my favorite artists/illustrators. the first two are from the piece in gourmet's august supplement. i just love her handwriting.




i've been a big fan for many many years starting with maira's picture books which are zany and fun. i have a small collection of them. here are two endpages from max deluxe. if you dig these, you'll love what maira has done with the elements of style.




i have a new project on the burner so i'm off to get started.
happy thursday!
xo
s

ps: thank you for all of the encouragement about the podcast... i'll save that story for another day. :)

junk drawer tuesday

hello!

welcome to another junk drawer tuesday in all its random glory.

in titles:
t keeps teasing me about the title of this blog. in our new home, the doorknobs are all brass. he thinks i should change it to the brass doorknob. lucky for me though, i have the glass doorknob that mati sent me so i'm keeping the name! sorry t!

in finnish textiles:
i don't remember where i found this link for ivana helsinki. love the camping and bird prints.

in the "you can dress her up but you can't take her out" self portrait:

crooked collar and all. typical.

in supercool photographers:
i am so enchanted by this collection of photos by peter haakon thompson, particularly this one and this one. can photographs be mantras? well, these are mine.

in flora:
we have a sweet little heart tree in our backyard!


in fauna:
a beautiful moth found outside my back door. thanks to gwen bugheart i now know it's a giant silkworm moth officially known as a polyphemus moth. he likes to eat willow trees i hear. thanks for id-ing the little fellow gwen!


in fall fashion inspiration:
i found this photo in an antique store several years ago. i knew i had to have it immediately. i can't describe exactly why it is meaningful to me but it is nevertheless. inspired by this photo, i am planning to go thrifting for a large gray v neck sweater and then embellish it with a burgundy s. initial sweaters...making a comeback. :)


that's it for today. our friend chris is here staying for a few days. last night we had our first cookout at our new place. delicious food followed by a moonlit stroll through the neighborhood listening to the crickets' songs. today we will try our hand at a podcast. wish us luck.
xo
s

ah weekends!

over already? we were SO productive this weekend. our place is almost completely unpacked, organized, and decorated. i still have tons of sorting and organizing to do in my study but otherwise we're set. we decided to fill the walls around the booth with tiny art including my small tiny showcase collection and my prints from wendy! it's definitely a bit quirky but i think it works well.



while unpacking and hanging my clothes, i came across my apple smock. i thought briana and lisa c. might enjoy a photo of it so voila. a parent whose daughter i taught several years ago said she had something for me and brought this in. i think it was handmade by her mother...although she could have just picked up it at a thrift shop. can't remember the details. i haven't worn it for awhile but i have it out now in my study to wear when i play around with paint or collage materials. i have fallen in love with it again.




on friday, we brought home some purple basil so a bit of pesto making was in order yesterday.



for dinner last night we enjoyed homemade pesto pasta, supersweet one hundreds (cherry tomatoes), and fresh carrot salad. stephanie of little birds mentioned this salad on her blog and it has become a staple in our house. t often brings back a bunch of carrots from the farm, and this is our absolute favorite way to prepare them! to drink....mint iced tea that we steeped in the sun this afternoon. see above.

what is a sunday afternoon without some porch sitting? we spent the late afternoon relaxing on the porch and playing four games of dominoes. it must have been my day because i won them all!


as the sun was about to set, we decided to take a quick bike ride through our neighborhood. we luckily had a slight breeze so the heat wasn't too bad. i loved seeing how the light begins to fade at that time of the day. how for a moment...things seem to glow. it was around dinner time so with every turn, we encountered new smells being carried by warm winds. i've decided it's my favorite time of the day to ride my bike.

how was your weekend? would love to hear about it!
xoxo
s

in my mailbox

hi everyone,

hope your weekend is moving along nicely! just wanted to make a brief post to show the mail that i've received over the past couple of weeks.




first, from port2port: beautiful new card society cards. love the colors and the punch of the press. mav, they are just gorgeous and i am listening to camera obscura non-stop! :) you can find more of mav's charming cards here.



from abby: lovely cards and hairpins...thank you abby! such a treat to receive this package from you! i love everything you do! for your own abbytrysagain creations, click here.




from lisa s: i am now the proud proud owner of a lisa solomon figurine complete with hand drawn dressform. truly wonderful. lisa also sent a cute flower card and copies of some of my fave photos. thanks sweet lisa! lisa has an awesome shop called underdog ink. please do check it out.





from hayley: hayley very kindly sent me some cds (and a fortune) along with the cutest little box. here is the outside and the inside. hayley, i love it so! thank you so very much!

i am so very grateful to know you all! such inspirations...each and every one of you! thanks for making my days happier!

support handmade! til tommorow!

xo
shari

a day in the van

yesterday i spent the day with t delivering csa boxes. the first three hours i enjoyed wearing long sleeves, a sweater, and jeans. it was quite comfortable and even a bit chilly. we woke up at 5 am and were back at home by 5 pm. here are some photos from our day:













mail tomorrow!
hope your weekend is off to a great start!
xo
s

feeling domestic

our new rental house does not have some of today's conveniences. there is no dishwasher or microwave. things happen slowly in our kitchen which i see as a good thing. we must plan a bit in advance if we want to reheat something on the stovetop or in our oven. we have to wash dishes after every meal because our kitchen is so small and we need the counter space in order to prepare our food. dirty dishes and even the dishrack take up way too much space. i am starting to find my groove a bit in the kitchen despite all of its quirkiness. i love how our frigidaire flair oven opens out and up. the glass is hot (very) to the touch so i can only use the handle and must be extra careful not to let my fingers slip. i am getting used to having a handi bin and now know that i must ensure that the freezer is shut tight after i open it to get out a cold beverage. things are beginning to flow in that space.

and so i take my time now, filling up one side of the sink with warm soapy water and stacking dishes into a neat pile, organized and at the ready. as i stand washing them, i am able to look out of our kitchen windows at the birds playing in our yard. i use this time also as a time to listen to music. the music seeps in slowly. i pay attention to the lyrics, the instruments.

slowing down is always a good thing. i walk fast, talk fast, and even seem to eat fast. i need reminders to take things slowly...including my job search...so i see this kitchen as a blessing in disguise. things just will not happen quickly in this kitchen but in the meantime, i will be given space to ponder, listen, and dream.

speaking of the kitchen, my new favorite summer breakfast is this. tell me yours!

happy friday! look for a mail call tomorrow!
xox
shari

a walk on would be fine

hi friends,
i've really been interested in playing around with images in black and white. love the contrast between shadow and light.


it is official! the center for documentary studies has confirmed my placement in the following two classes:

**seminar in documentary studies
**literacy through photography: self portrait and dreams--this class lends out polaroids!! yipee!

now i just need a fun job for a little money. i always talk to friends who tell me about the coolest jobs such as potter's assistant. you know, the jobs that are not advertised. the jobs that lucky people score out of nowhere it seems. i will probably drop off my resume at the local indie bookstore even though they say they aren't hiring and then just keep looking at the classifieds. does anyone out there have job suggestions for book loving, art loving little me?

in other news, t has been bringing home the largest and ugliest tomatoes ever from the farm. i think they are rose heirloom variety. they are huge, i tell you. in order to use them up, i whipped up two tomato pies. a southern treat. delicious and full of caloric content.

last night we waited until after nine to take our evening walk and it was still super hot. however, the night's perfect half moon glowed down upon us. at one point, i looked down and realized we were walking on tiny shards of shattered glass. how beautiful i thought. it's like we are walking on hundreds of tiny diamonds! a magical moment indeed! the irony is that such destruction (car wreck) could produce a moment of such beauty.

i know i said i wasn't going to complain about the heat. summer manifesto and everything. but listen...it's so hot during the day that i can't breathe or take photo walks or do anything productive at all. i think i will join t in the refrigerated veggie van on friday for the raleigh/cary delivery route. it's my only chance of escape.

one last thing: i want to take myself on a little field trip here.

xo
s

words can only tell

sometimes, the junk drawer leaves me with nothing else to say...

junk drawer tuesday

hi there!

another tuesday to mark off on our calendars and another junk drawer. here's what i've been thinking about recently.

course of action:
i am thinking of enrolling in a few courses in duke university's center for documentary studies certificate program. when i taught preschool, i was very interested in documenting children's learning and in keeping a blog, i document my daily life. therefore, i think it makes sense to pursue this interest a bit more. in addition, i could take photography classes, which i've been wanting to do for awhile now. how's that for an autumn game plan?

fab italian inspiration:
the recent gourmet had an article about siglinda scarpa who lives in pittsboro, nc. i really want to meet her and buy a piece of her beautiful pottery (like one of her gorgeous pitchers). she also teaches cooking classes.

movies:
ok, has anyone seen this film? i am super excited to see it. looks like romantic perfection.

birdwatching:
not sure where i found this link but i love these bird sketches!

paper:


found musical notation paper + piano practice log in the stacks of things in our new garage. our landlord was going to throw these out but i kept them for me.

beauty:
have you been to karin's style blog lately? she has created the most beautiful stoneware necklace. i do hope she puts some in her shop soon!

books:


i heart cloverfield press. i ordered 2 books from them after reading about them on hoping for happy accidents and port2port. speedy shipping and beautiful books. i highly recommend them!

looking up:





i always notice the sky. here are a couple of photos i took recently. also check out these two lovelies.

self-portrait with wallpaper:





t is at home today. so it's a morning of leisurely coffee for us followed by unpacking and arranging furniture. hopefully, if this heat wave gives us a break, i will head out on a picture walk soon.
ciao,
s