bits and pieces again

it was a busy weekend. you know one of those were you have time but don't really have time? in it i had dinner with family, went to the land of oz and timetraveled back to the sixties . . . friday night i realized that young palates do not really get the subtle differences between ground beef and italian sausage - just that it tastes 'weird'. and that dark caramel is not really burned (they ate it though).

saturday i realized that love can be expressed in many, many ways - in this case my friend lisa had this beautiful, wonderful over the top birthday party for her granddaughter were we were all transported over the rainbow to munchkin land. and the children adored it. then we spent the afternoon recovering on the front porch. i love just sitting around with friends on the porch . . . i got caught up with them and found how much i missed a lot of people.

sunday my sister and friend, charolette, went to see beehive. a very fun show - i remember my mom listening to so many of these songs. though the crowd was mostly gray - it was so cute when the crowd was pulled into participating.

now for the winner of the giveaway at french cupboard! from my count, fifteen people registered for the giveaway by leaving comments for their favorite shot in my etsy shop. the winners are: Mishka (Oh, Mishka) and Susan (bear swamp reflections). i'm sending e-mails, but if you ladies happen to see this - will you confirm your choices and size of the print?

i spent a lot of the weekend thinking of a lot of things - things that haven't quite jelled yet, things that have solitified when i haven't wanted that and well, lots and lots of things. have you ever just held stuff close to your heart? it is not that i don't want to share them, i just can't find words to express them. some times the things are just so small and trivial, i think to myself, who gives a rat's behind about it all . . . and things some times so big and scary that i can't breathe. that i wake up in the small wee hours and i can't breathe. the overshare.

everything lately feels forced and difficult - as if i'm walking through three foot pools of jello. disconnected and just weird . . . so weird. i know the cure but then i have panic attacks about that too - will i remember how to work when i get work again? just silly, i know it's silly. my rational, logical, analytical side knows how very silly i am. as we say in my family, coo-coo-cacao puffs. i am sick of thinking about it but i can't stop thinking about it. and yes, i give myself breaks, i think positive...ack. stop. stop. stop.

questions and answers with Fifi

i got interviewed by fifi over at the french cupboard and had a lot of fun. plus, i am giving away a photograph. visit there for the frivalous goings on.



plus - what are the politics of setting up? do you do it? were you fixed up? did it work out (i married a blind date and it lasted a while so i like the fixing up thing). and "guy cute" and "girl cute" is there really a difference?

here and there

i have a few appearances slated on other blogs: melissa loves, under the sheets and french cupboard.

the first one is today, i'm the bag lady of the day at melissa loves. you know i've played that game before with my old bag...now i'm splashing around my pretty summery yellow bag there.

as it stands right now, i'm going to be on under the sheets next weekend and the guest appearance at french cupboard is tba. (it will include a giveaway!)

also, I should have mentioned already - i participated in dani's the power of two project recently. it was a great honor to be chosen to participate and i gave my two dollars (and wrote about it here) to tangobaby's project to find shelter for a mother and her children. if you have some spare change, consider that project or any of the others written about in this blog. we always think, i have nothing to give (believe me, being unemployed i'm watching every dollar) but, you will have an incrediable feeling giving to a truly wonderful cause. just think, two dollars can buy a homeless person lunch, it could contribute to a teacher's classroom, you could help save a tiger...the possibilities are endless. it's not about doing it all yourself - it's about participating in the world around us.

the password is "blueberries"

it's one of those days where i feel utterly useless and lazy. i've been running like a wild woman over the past two days so, before i dash off to the grocery i'm taking the morning to relax while watching the top chef reruns on bravo. i'm excited about the masters premiere tonight as i can't wait for all the giant egos to clash.

i'm hoping to go to the beach this weekend and i'm over the moon about it. there is something so healing about sitting on the beach at night, watching the waves and hearing the faint chatter of the world far, far, far away. the wind blows and the salty tang rests on your lips. i admit it - i'm a water baby. pool, lake, ocean - all of it. i feel refilled, refreshed and rejuvenated.

last night was the farmer's market again - beautiful produce, fresh picked that morning and brought in along with unique finds, such as tupelo honey or fresh goat cheese. the boys went crazy over the honey and we cracked it open at the farmhouse kitchen over the warm buttermilk cornbread, heaven!!! i can say that i have now tasted the culinary odditity of a deep fried steakburger and found it....odd. it wasn't bad - it was just different and nothing i would seek out again. give me back the chicken and waffles.



i read so much these days about being present in the moment and how it will bring you clarity and joy. well, it also seems like so much pop psychology - but it works at times for me. i love being present in the moment as tasting the honey on the cornbread, that pop of a fresh blueberry in your mouth, having a sweet puppy lick your hand, the exhaling of relief when you receive good news, and so many more of those moments. i stack those moments up like little bubbles of happiness to tide me over in the moments where i'm present and it hurts. and though i can't always recall the moments at those times, i pull out the basket whenever i can breathe again. those bad moments are all about the lessons aren't they? what can you learn from them? i'm constantly reminded of that these days. just when you think you're smart enough.

so on to fun things....i hope you've met my friend, mary. she has several blogs that i love but one of my favorites is 'little red house' - a decorating blog where my favorite features is her thrift store and estate sale finds. she always finds the best stuff and i'm totally jealous at her mad skills in the finds. she is celebrating her 500th blog by giving away a silver-plated tea service (click here). check it out and maybe you'll win. (of courses, if you do i'll be totally jealous and slightly pissy - but totally happy for you. totally - i swear.)

i'm teaming up with fifi to do a giveaway on a new blog that she is part of - french cupboard. part of that will be a photo giveaway from my etsy shop (where there are several new items). i will update you all when i know all the details.

for those that have remarked on my new summer banner, it was designed by my friend, lecia (simply blogged). she's totally rad and lives in alaska (i almost typed 'cool' but caught myself.)

now the details about the past two days - i was asked by my sister's company to do a photoshoot of their retail space in the cloverdale area of montgomery. there is a wine celebration going on thursday and a newsletter describing the development will include photography by me! published with a by-line. also, i signed the paperwork for the hampton inn that is opening in november 2009 in the leeds, alabama (near the barber motorsports park) - dr. mcdreamy could see my work the next time he's in town! hahahahaha