enjoying the passage of time

February 22

7105 Tanya

Our old college friend Tim comes in for a visit before he moves to China.

February 23

McCormack's Whiskey Bar

Potluck wasn't quite ready to end.

February 24

7105 Tanya

I can't go through a day without dessert. Ice cream...with peanut butter...and nutella.

February 25

Maidens

It turned into the bluest blue and windiest wind day.

February 26

3332 W. Grace

Literally the first thing I saw when I woke up: Z sitting like a statue directly in the middle of my dresser, unmoving in her gaze.

February 27

Benedictine Parking Lot, Museum District

I'm wearing all green today. And so is this bus*.

Some days I take more than one photo. Those other ones are here.

*My nickname in college was Bus.

Feeling Groovy

February 14

3332 West Grace

Looking good so far. On my way to an alright turquoise velvet cake.

February 15

Maidens, VA

I met the alpacas that live across the street from the goats!

February 16

7105 Tanya

So I got a couple flowers for Valentine's Day. I love sunflowers the best.

February 17

Maidens, VA

A full moon to feed the goats* by.

February 18

3332 West Grace

I tore the seran wrap off my window so I could open it for the warm day. Z jumped right up.

February 19

Maidens, VA

There are cats to be fed also.

February 20

7105 Tanya

Painting trim in the attic for the attic.

February 21

3332 West Grace

I got desperate, thought about my favorite thing in my apartment, and turned to my shower curtain to bail me out.

*I feel the need to explain this before you all wonder why I'm spending so much time with an assortment of farm animals. We are currently goat/house sitting out in the country. Looking at the goats never gets old and it's hard not to talk back when they stick their tongues out to maaaa at me. So I usually do it back. The alpacas are about the funniest animals I have seen. They all have different bouffanty STLB hairstyles. I want one. An alpaca, not a bouffanty STLB hairstyle.

another week goes by

February 6

my neighborhood, Richmond

I confess I saw this when I was on the phone so I did not examine it close enough to figure out what it is.

February 7

The Scuba Center

My new office gets gift baskets too.

February 8

3332 West Grace

Clearly those are chocolate chips and clearly I love the color green.

February 9

River Road

Sometimes you have to take a detour and then wonder why you don't find the sunrise more often.

February 10

3332 West Grace

Lad, Andy, Zissou

February 11

8931 Patterson Ave.

It's 5:40 pm and the sun is still shining. The days are getting longer.

February 12

7105 Tanya Ave.

Afternoon snack break with dinner in the background.

February 13

3332 West Grace

February's Pie: Chocolate tofu with graham cracker crust topped with strawberries.

Things I learned this week:

I don't think the groundhog was lying when he said spring would be coming soon.

and

If I don't get fat from all this baking/eating treats, it will be a miracle!

2008 revisited

I have decided to change directions on my internet posting space. This is brought on by a few things, but mainly catching up with the past.

I currently work at a dive shop where some days are slow to say the least. I occasionally use the time (okay more often than not) to work on various projects. I got sick of my normal knitting, crane making, and reading so I dug into the archives of "to-do lists" and came upon something I started in 2008. On January 1, I began my New Years Resolution to take at least one photograph every day. The other morning, I pulled those photographs out, already mounted on card stock and picked up where I left off, writing captions for my 2008 daily activities.

2008

Nearly there

This was a year before I had taken any photography classes or had anything other than a little point-and-shoot digital contraption. So most of these photographs aren't really anything worth looking at. Except that I can remember specific things about the days that I never would have been able to remember without a visual clue.

It forced me to look more. And when I didn't look hard enough during the day and night was upon me, I panicked and looked harder around my room, my house, at myself, out my front door. It became an impetus to see how I spent every day. It didn't make me a more exciting person necessarily. If anything, I saw how lame I could be when there were eight days in a row where a picture was taken of food or my cat or my closet.

But I'm glad I stuck it out (save the three days in November where I apparently had some sort of lapse).

So I'm going at it again even though it's not January 1. But I figure there is no better time to reflect and see more than when I'm beginning a life in a new place, with big changes, and cool experiences.

And for me, the picture of the blackberries in the colander will have a full story behind it.

February 2

3332 W. Grace

Introducing Ms. Betty

February 4

7105 Tanya

Droid's glamour shots

February 5

The River

Making tables and other things

on a sunday evening

when i miss new york, i look at my photos. and that makes it worse so i'm not sure why exactly i think that's an appropriate coping mechanism. it's the closest i can get, but it will never actually get me there.

i do it anyway. i see what i used to see when i'd take a walk down any street. some of my old favorite places, even if they were behind grocery stores and even if they are places i could never find again unless it was by accident. i see all the places i went on a saturday afternoon. or a tuesday night. because it didn't matter when. it was always happening.

don't read this the wrong way though. i think i'm just homesick because i spent the weekend with one of my best friends from high school and that makes me miss things a little bit. everything that is/has been a big part of my life.

so that's all. i'm just reminiscing.

a combination of factors really

With the recently passed holiday, the minimal income, and my moderate skills, I took my crafting to the gift-giving level. Not that I haven't done that before, but I've built up enough of a portfolio, if you will, to share. *Sidenote: I like to make things and there are a zillion people out there who are better at it than me. So it's for fun.*

I also consider this one step in the direction of my goal, which might be a presumptuous goal. I have not shared this with many people because I think the idea of people I know knowing makes me feel exposed.

Anyhow, I am going to offer my makings to the public via Etsy.

Yes, a lot of people do this and what makes me think I'll get any bites. Nothing really, but I want to see. And if anyone does, that will be exciting. I have a few more things before I do the big do, but with Christmas behind us and a neglected blog, I wanted to share.

Also, I love Christmas and the feeling of giving what you think might be a near-perfect gift for someone. I tend to go in the direction of what-will-get-a-laugh-but-might-also-be-useful route.

So Exhibit A:

Zelda's Vegetables

I showed my progress on these a little while ago. Here's the finished bunch. A squash, cucumber, carrot, eggplant, corn, and peas. The peas were hardest to get started because they were so tiny!

To prove it, here is a finished pea next to a flattened penny and

a tiny, plastic (I don't want you to think it's real) baby:

Exhibit B:

Blank notecards for Aunt Kathleen. I went mostly with flowers because we have shared some good times at botanical gardens so I often think of Aunt Kathleen when I see a nice patch of those stemmed beauties.

L. Chelsea flower market, M. Cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, R. The ol' magazine cutout trick

If you want a closer look, look here.

The funny part about giving this gift is that I topped it with a poker chip that was not just a poker chip. Because another thing that brings Aunt Kathleen to mind is casinos and at a gas station outside of Las Vegas, I saw it and couldn't resist.

So the story goes, Aunt Kathleen got a huge kick out of the poker chip. Then she noticed that it was supposed to do something but couldn't figure it out. I showed her. A flame erupted from the top and she yelped with excitement. Yelped. A poker chip lighter. Perfect.

Exhibit C:

Also featured earlier, but my sister loves cats and she kind of new I was going to give this to her. A little while back she accidentally saw the picture on my computer so I showed her the real thing. And then I wrapped it and gave it to her.

The green kitty

His long, long tail and widened eyeballs are so funny. He looks like he's been sitting in his home library smoking a cigar.

I could not present this gift to her on Christmas day though, because Sister and Steven were in Richmond.

A different Christmas being the only child at home.

Which brings me to Exhibit D and this one is just for personal pleasure.

I made Mom, Dad, Sister, and Steven each a Christmas card. Every year we joke about taking a picture for next year's Christmas card. We always take the picture(s), but not once have we sent Christmas cards. Last year's pictures were super so I took it upon myself to make the cards we've been waiting for. I had also found these velcro name tags that I was determined to use.

*

*

*The outtake was the plain tree on top. The family photo was the one on the bottom with our heads poking out. When looked at in quick succession, we appear to be magicians!

This year's photo:

Oh, technology.

This year's outtake. (Sorry, Dad.)

And, not related to the making of gifts, but the near-perfect gifts...I got my mom her own hoop. She might not agree with the near-perfect nature, but I have heard from the woman herself that she practices.

In closing, a few other things I love about Christmas:

*The tradition my dad and I developed: to go shopping for my mom the day before.

(This year we were early and went two days before!)

*Wrapping presents, especially when under a sheet tent because you're never too old for that.

*Stirring the gravy pot on Christmas morning.

*Dad's famous (in my book) eggnog.

*All the food.

I don't like that food, but it gives you an idea.

*All the family.

My mom's side: I'm only related to babies! My dad's side: Group cooking extravaganza!

Christmas was fantastic.

More to prove it here.