bird in the beehive

Kickstand

2012-01-30T09:30:00.000-05:00

LatteArt from Kreativt on Vimeo. Lamplighter is offering free coffee all day at their new location in Scott's Addition, 1717 Summit Ave!

years

2012-01-29T16:47:00.002-05:00

Last week, we watched a dear friend drift out of this life & join the eternal one. Dare I say matriarch? She was a true oak of righteousness, giving more than I have yet understood. In Betty's honor, enjoy Bartholomäus Traubeck's piece "Years," an audio recording of tree rings being translated (by computer) into music, akin to a record player needle reading the grooves on an LP. It's quite

gifties

2012-01-20T08:59:00.002-05:00

Above, a really good decoy birthday gift. Sneaky sweetie bartered for an iPad, after much protest over the item. It really does make everything faster & result in less screen time, more book reading & cooking, etc. Thanks, love, for knowing me so well. I adore our life together.

sweet

2012-01-17T17:37:00.003-05:00

Honey Harvest from Kinfolk Really enjoyed this today, among other quiet activities with the boys in the unseasonal warmth.

as i grow into a grandmother

2012-01-13T13:46:00.001-05:00

Another handmade gift, which I failed to photograph before digging in, was sent home in the arms of my brother as he returned from the rural farm of our NH grandparents over Thanksgiving. Grammie filled a peck-sized basket with her relish, jam, soup, sauce & salsa! After a prudent pruning, their fruit trees exploded this year & we are devouring yet savoring the harvest she sent. With any luck,

handmade quota

2012-01-12T12:11:00.000-05:00

Received: play cape from Aunt Bonnie, play kitchen from Mama, cookbook shelf from sweetie Given: cookie dough logs w/ baking instructions, healing salve, apple butter & cute apple magnets, marshmallows for pepperminty hot cocoa, ornaments

merry, but difficult

2012-01-02T17:52:00.000-05:00

Monday was Os' first night away from mama. Apparently all he wanted for Christmas were his (first) two front teeth, resulting in severe sleep deprivation while we stayed with family. Waking every 45 min all night long, nine nights in a row? That's an interrogation torture tactic. So gracious Nana took Os for a sleepover; one night to help mama recover. Now begins the work of retraining

merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas

2011-12-23T08:56:00.000-05:00

images via Poppytalk Things I hope to someday do during the Advent season: go rural caroling via horse-drawn sleigh make gingerbread houses out of Lebkuchen roast & eat chesnuts be overseas on Christmas

ginger

2011-12-21T15:50:00.000-05:00

Fighting the urge for this hair again (as when E was 3 mo), with henna in the fridge waiting to be melted down. Also looking forward to a day when it would be fun, rather than ridiculous, to have festive nails. image via thecherryblossomgirl

and now, we carol!

2011-12-21T15:45:00.000-05:00

This year we learned Carol of the Bells & will keep up tradition with Gaudete, God Rest Ye Three Kings, etc. Tonight in the Fan. They do it for the grade & the candy.

ornaments, gingerbread + egg nog

2011-12-20T13:46:00.000-05:00

Gingerbread based on Heidi's but with a touch of cocoa & white pepper shaken in as well. Ornaments quite varied & lovely; mine were the bronzed pine cones on branches. Great turnout, ladies! Next year we may do it co-ed, per a recent request.

2 years young

2011-12-19T08:11:00.000-05:00

image of last year's b-day On Friday, E turned two. The day before I was listening to "O Come Emmanuel" & feeling nostalgic about that first Christmas together, when his little voice sang out from the pots&pans cabinet, "Rejoooooo, rejooooooo..." in unison with Future of Forestry. Unaccompanied & unprompted by mama, not for our entertainment, but for his own joy. My heart was in lockdown,

shalt not covet

2011-12-13T15:51:00.000-05:00

Bad habit: loving expensive things. If we could possess only one piece of non-handed-down upholstery, I would pick the Kensington sofa in charcoal linen. And if I could avoid sewing a replacement duvet cover for our bed, the choice would be Georgina, also in grey.

good advice remembered

2011-12-12T08:02:00.000-05:00

"You can do it all, just not all at once," my professor was quoting her grad school mentor. About six months in our marriage & a semester away from graduation, the plethora of paths before us was paralyzing. That feeling returned recently, as freelance work is a viable option again & options for preschool enter playgroup conversations. Upon skimming this post, this advice came back into focus,

manual coffee mill?

2011-12-07T21:11:00.001-05:00

Several days ago, our electric coffee grinder unexpectedly gave out. Mornings are chilly in our kitchen, & mama misses her java. I'm considering getting a manual mill since we only do french press; I'd rather buy one we never have to replace. Aesthetically, we love the Camano. But the reviews for the Hario mini on Amazon are good, & its half the price. Thoughts?

strong logo, strong convictions

2011-12-02T07:24:00.000-05:00

Richmond is hosting round two. Tickets here.

dream on

2011-12-01T11:05:00.001-05:00

Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith - Dream on by rockabyebabymusic Sometimes ridiculous silliness is right up my alley. Enjoy the irony.

a righteous branch

2011-11-28T13:29:00.001-05:00

images via emmas designblogg, Ditte Isager, designlovefest, poppytalk ad·vent (ˈadˌvent): noun the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. the first season of the church year, leading up to Christmas & including the four preceding Sundays.

advent

2011-11-25T07:47:00.000-05:00

images via Anthology's Winter Gift Guide, maya*made, & Etsy

Christ for Us

2011-11-23T10:00:00.001-05:00

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://cardiphonia.bandcamp.com/track/christ-for-us"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Christ for Us by Shelby Murphy and Redemption Hill Church&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p> Wrote/adapted a song about communion with RH

Thankful thoughts

2011-11-22T10:40:00.001-05:00

second image via Flickr Amazed that in the past two days, baby Os has figured out how to transition from sitting unsupported to crawling & back to sitting. Thankful for many pairs of Baby Legs to accommodate his efforts. Thankful that Papa & G-ma Clinch will get to meet him soon! Also thankful for turkey basted in stout & homemade egg nog; recipe soon to follow.

tied up with string

2011-11-19T15:13:00.001-05:00

Aside from the ever-growing wishlist of books on Amazon, now there's a Joyeux Noël treasury, just for mama. Enjoy.

gifties for sugar + spice niece

2011-11-10T13:57:00.002-05:00

image & instructions for roll-up changing mat We are thrifting, sewing, wrapping & anticipating a new Clinch to arrive just in time to be embraced by the whole clan at Christmas! Thinking of crib bedding, changing pad cover, fitted pack n'play sheet, made out of a vintage sheet like this one, maybe accented by a simple striped ticking of complimentary colors... & the naptime project list

new site, new stash

2011-11-07T06:09:00.000-05:00

Franklin Goose launched a new site, some photos contributed by yours truly. Just wanted to share some of my favs from that shoot.

water calligraphy

2011-11-03T12:11:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I like random. Usually I like water. Depending on the circumstances, I like typography. This is all three & delightful.