We're not in NYC anymore Toto!!

I love going home to Maine because there are actually still deals at flea markets!!! Also, very cool things...

Like these paper & glitter houses... I totally want to make some next year!

This set of military flags... (not really a steal though, it was more than $100)
I love how this dealer set up a whole table of green...
Um, the photo is tipped, but cute kitties with rhinestone eyes are always welcome in my book!

My new pal

There was quite a surprise waiting for me when I went home to Maine last week...My mom got a new kitten and didn't tell me anything about it! I walked in the house and he scooted on by like it was yesterdays news. Needless to say, I loved him immediately!

This was my temporary office on the one day I worked and sir kitten gazed at me through the screen...

Mom and I spent the week brainstorming names. My uncle was a big fan of the name trouble or Arizona. We considered a dogs name like Fido or Spot since, well check it out... he loves to play fetch!


My mom makes him these little tinfoil balls that he chases around constantly. He puts them in shoes, his water dish and every now and then right in your lap. Now, it's completely cat-style fetch, meaning he's in no way obligated to bring the ball back to you and you certainly can't expect it to be done quickly every time. He does love to play with the ball first, but then usually trots back and drops it beside you. This dropping, along with his little expectant wait for the your throw, just melts my heart. It make me feel proud. I can't wait to see him again!

Oh, the other names discussed:

Taz (I said no!)
Scribble
Arcade (this was a late contender that didn't get a fair chance)

but I think we settled on Rascal, right Mom? Or have you thought of more?

Friday Night Lights

While I kind of wish I had known what a great show this was from the start...however, there's something really awesome/addicting about catching up online. It happened to me with LOST too. On these cold winter nights I just love cuddling into my bed and watching show after show, knitting into the wee hours. I really just do, ok.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it before, but I really enjoy the football. I like movies & shows about football even more because you get to see them practicing, planning and executing their plays, which is exciting even if it's not real.

This show really reminds me of high school and my own inner be cheerleader don't be a cheerleader debate. I loved being spunky, energetic, jumping around, dancing and cheering on my team. Seriously.... the huge smile was real for me, but what I couldn't take was girl drama and the stiffness. It seemed so unnatural to me to stand at attention on the side lines when we could be cheering and dancing around to pump up the crowd. I remember sitting in the crowd once, with the band or friends when I realized that no one was even paying attention to the cheerleaders. It made me sad for them and wish it could be different. I think someday, should I ever live in a small town again with a football team, I might try to coach a pep squad or something. A group that integrates the band, dancing, props, cheering- the works - to make the crowd get excited. I think I would enjoy that very much.

You should totally watch this show people. It's really well done. It looks cool and the chemistry between characters is just fascinating. Pick up your needles and watch a few, then let me know what you think!

New Coat!!!

It's like a brand new coat folks! Laney J, in my small home town in Maine, managed to revamp my coat into this!

Look out because I'll probably be doing these kick moves a lot to show off the new lining if ever we walk together.

I've wanted to re-line this coat ever since I got it at a thrift store about three years ago for $15. Right away the pockets started disintegrating. I noticed that fact during my first nanny job when I went searching for the missing pacifier trapped in the hem of my coat. Ever since the inside has been ripping and ripping, buttons falling off and nary a functioning pocket could be found. Most of November & December was spent with a jacket wide open (like I couldn't sew on a couple buttons right???)
But now look!

I'm sorry Garth, but the genius behind my coat lives in Maine... so unless you want to take a trip (which would be rad!!!) you might be outta luck! But we should research and find a good one in the city! It would be a great thing for all of us! Any suggestions out there??



Snowmeries

Still Life with Dunkies

Well the snow gods have been dropping it like crazy up here folks. Mom and I shoveled at least 12" of accumulation the other day and now there's another 8" or so out there! Um, there's kind of no place to put it either. The streets are getting smaller, the piles higher and it makes turning out into the street a little tricky.

I am really wishing I could jet pack my 4 year old buddies Luke and Eleanor up here to do some serious sledding! I doubt they'd even be able to walk around in the back yard, the snow would be up to their waist!! That's one thing I'd I like to show the city kids...Snow days of building forts and sledding all day long. I think I'd come inside three or four times for a change of mittens, hat & socks. I loved building a fort into this snow pile! Look how high it is now and with all that tree for coverage. Man, I could really hide out and throw some zingers at the boys! I'd usually build it from the back and the entrance could be from under the tree. I'd dig all the way to the dirt and once I even had three rooms!

My buddies Anne and Chad came up to visit from Brooklyn for New Years and we went snow tubing here:

Things that go bump in the night!!

It's been snowing in Maine, which is downright lovely. Scuffing around in the fluffy stuff has made my vacation swell.

Last season I made a screensaver out of all these microscopic snowflake images and had forgotten all about it until now. I know everybody knows this, but I think it's totally amazing how no two snowflakes are ever the same. (I suppose it's possible that it could happen, but then, how would we know??) I also love knowing that each snowflake forms around a tiny dust particle...from who knows where or when. Do you think it's possible that when it snows minuscule bits of the Middle Ages, outer space, WWI, dinosaurs or even our grannies house are falling all around us?? Wouldn't it be cool to find out??


I think snowflakes will always be an inspiration to me mostly because the form is so pleasing. The complexity of nature baffles me... that it would be "natural" for water vapor to condense outwardly in these branching, lace like shapes.

We look at the finished snowflake and see it's difficulty. Wouldn't it be much easier to just toss down big blobs instead? But the thing is, as I read about how the branches form, the result I see as difficult is actually the easier path for a snow crystal. A small bump on the surface of a growing crystal means the water molecules have a shorter distance to travel. As the bump sticks out more and more it grows faster and faster and then other bumps form on that branch and start to grow faster and man, how it gets to look so pretty is beyond me!
I'm humbled to think that such complexity erupts out of all things, ease. I think about how this relates to our humanity and desire to create. I often get stuck be hind giant walls that make me think I need to know exactly how to do something before I do it, or that I have to plain something out perfectly in order to truly be good at what I do.... not wanting any bumps in the road. But looking at this example from nature, which in my opinion creates some of the most beautiful objects ever, it turns out that the bumps in the road that are the more important part.

So how does one find his or her own ease? How do you leave space in your process to allow these bumps to influence your work?
Do take a moment to admire the snowflake that just landed on your sleeve, but then take a step back and imagine the millions of dust particles just waiting in the wings. We all have ideas, like dust particles, just waiting to be formed.

Oh, and speaking of bumps in the night, here's an image from a snowy night time walk the other evening...
Doesn't the tree look like cauliflower or coral??

Looking like a Mainer

So I took my swanky New York gal herringbone coat to the cleaners today. The local seamstress is going to re-line it for me with a slippery lime fabric I picked out and it's going to be lovely. In the meantime though I'm left scrounging for warm outer garments! I found this little quilted flannel jobby in the basement. I think the paint smear really adds to it's appeal. It's not all that warm, but will do for quick in and outs from the cah.

On Christmas day Mom and I took a trip to L.L. Bean to do some exchanges and late night shopping. For those of you who don't know, L.L. Bean is open 24/7 no matter what so my mom and I often take advantage of that. It's always the last stop on our list since it's open so late, but in this case we were looking for a little Christmas adventure and it was the only place open. I picked up a ham italian (pronouced eye-talion) at the gas station (glamorous I know but this gal needs constant sustenance people!) and we hit the road. The employees were super helpful and full of cheer. I had taken in my old pair of boots to see if they could fix the zipper that is always falling down. But instead of repairing them they just let me return them. It's the Bean way. You can exchange stuff, even really used stuff if it does not live up to the standard. So I was able to get these RAD, knee high boots from my buddy Gregory in the fishing and hunting section. He taught me how to lace my boots so I can pull them really tight, like he learned in the military. I couldn't quite place his accent but we think he might be German. I totally gave him a high ten when I walked away pleased as punch in my new babies!

I was cooking in the kitchen the other day when I noticed this band of visitors. We live right in town but we always have creatures coming to visit. I like how the turkeys keep right in line as they travel. They really reminded me of dinosaurs loping about out there. Every now and then, one leg would sink into the snow and the guy would just pick himself up without missing a step. It was quite comical.

A few more reasons I'm loving Maine...

Mom and I play Yahtzee at every meal. I got a Yahtzee on my last roll, woo hoo!

You can right turn on red, but I guess that's true pretty much anywhere but NYC, so maybe it doesn't count.

These two hamming it up in the driveway for me. Christmas time is always fun for these type of moments. I love them.
My Uncle Tim came up to shovel off our roof and I got to see his new truck which I hadn't seen yet.

People always ask him how he got such a low license plate number like 841. Well, he got it from my grandpa when he passed who got it from Jerry when he passed who was able to get it from this other guy who passed who must have got it back when there weren't too many cars on the road in Maine. If you write to the state with a good case, they'll let you keep the number, so I'm hoping that we can keep it in our family for some time.

Did youknow that keeping your shovel outside makes it so the snow slips right off when you shovel. If you keep it inside, it's warm when you go out and the snow melts a little and gets stuck. Heavy shovels are no fun.

Watching these guys win win win! Go Patriots!!

Virtual Shopping...

I took a trip yesterday to my favorite flea market to take a gander at the goods. Here are the things that caught my eye...

little chicken
huh??
apparently birds are my friends

hound doggie
I've seen this a couple of times going home... I think a whole pink desk theme would be rad.

I thought this would be cute in the bathroom holding toothbrushes
I love you lobster salt & pepper shaker!

These salt an pepper shakers LOVE each other!




Wouldn't these lamps be great with new modern shades?



Why I love Maine so far

The snow

These guys on the window... my mom just got them


The new bed is small, but real (not filled with air) and has Garnet Hill bandanna sheets


This gum is great, right? I found it at the restaurant where I had my New England Boiled Supper. I haven't had it in a long time.


My mom is super cute and has a basket for everything...


and the vegetable drawer is full of Capri Suns


which makes it almost bearable to have these guys in my room.
(No pun intended)


Also, there are tissues in every room!