The Metaphorical Magpie

It's time to think outside the box

I feel a quiet coming on. When I was feeling an internal turmoil last December, some of us joined together for Silent Blogging. Part of me still wants to be here but I need to keep my eye on the ball in the next week or two. Please enjoy a smattering of my wordless entries while I collect my thoughts. Or join me in the silence if you'd like. I'll still be looking in on all you lovelies. Just can resist you.

Seven Things-September

I am always in awe at the various monthly/seasonal challenges executed over in Oz by The Shopping Sherpa. Earlier this month, I was intrigued by the launch of her second year of participation in the Seven Things Challenge, which was inspired by her friend, Taph. The challenge involves tracking what comes in, goes out and gets revitalized around your home.

Here are the rules:

"In the spirit of the Seven Things Project, items will be thoughtfully dealt with. Just throwing stuff out isn't part of the deal. Mindful consumption and thoughtful disposal are tenets of this particular faith.

We will report each Sunday (most likely with photos and rationales) in three categories : In, Out and Shake-it-All-About. The aim is that "Out" minus "In" will be greater than or equal to 7.

In
The stuff we bring in to our homes. This includes:

• Stash items of ANY kind
• Other forms of entertainment such as books, magazines, cds etc.
• Items received by subscription, for example, magazines are to be counted.
• Clothes and accessories are to be counted.
• Homewares are to be counted.
• Gifts received are to be counted.

Exempt are consumables such as food and other groceries and items borrowed from the library (but not items borrowed from the library and copied for keeping because that is (a) illegal and (b) not in the spirit of the challenge).

Out
Items deliberately weeded from the house. Consumables do not count. Completely worn out and non-fixable/transformable clothing, household items etc do.

Shake-it-All-About
This category is about transformation. Having taken on this challenge before, I thought it important to acknowledge the creative transformation of items already in the home. This might be as simple as the use of stash buttons on an old blouse to revamp it instead of buying a new blouse or other transformation of clothes. It might be the creation of something new for ourselves or others from stash. Some items from this category will become "outs" which is perfectly fine."


I thought I might give it a whirl for the month of September to see how it goes. Honestly, I was not sure if I could come up with 7 things for the whole month.  I am not a very big consumer but when I start adding magazines to the mix, the numbers begin to rise rapidly. Luckily, consumables don't count! My numbers are a bit rough since I didn't keep absolute tabs along the way but this is what I remember.

I've taken the liberty and tabulated for a one month period instead of weekly.

In:
2 new t-shirts (Marshalls)  $15
15  magazine subscriptions from Everyday Food, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, Martha Stewart Living, Elle Decor, Western Interiors, Weight Watchers, Nylon, Philadelphia Style, New York (4), Entertainment Weekly (4)
6 books from Coastal Habitat for Humanity Store $3
4 mirrored glass tiles from local glass shop to be used in finishing up the lollygagging bedroom furniture project $40
2 houseplants, a fern and a little maple tree type plant $35
2 plastic trays to put under plants $1
2 new doors for the house. Back door and storm door $$$ 
Total: 33

Out:
1 television set (donated to the Coastal Habitat for Humanity Store)
1 VCR (same as above)
20 video tapes (same as above)
32 piece  set of dishes I thrifted last year before scrapping idea to serve wedding dinner on mismatched thrifted china (same as above)
2 boxes of misc bric a brac (same as above)
1 1950's side table that the Habitat store refused but someone liked it enough to take from our curb
1 chair with rip in upholstery. Structurally sound, I just didn't know how to go about recovering it. Again, someone liked it enough to take from our curb
24 magazines recycled
Total: 78

Shake-it-All-About:
2 planters were brought in from garden and used with new houseplants
2 lamps were switched around. Buddha came out of guest room to living room, lamp with capiz shell shade replaced it
6 thrifted glasses came out of closet and turned into votive holders on the mantel
3 thrifted covered glass jars turned into candy jars on kitchen bureau
1 table runner moved from table top in living room to kitchen bureau
1 blue leaf shaped dish out of china closet now displayed in living room
1 Ampersand, my ipod was stolen at the auto repair shop and then returned by the culprit to avoid criminal charges. It was kissed 200 times and lovingly reloaded with fresh tunes. Curiously, having an inscription on the back of the ipod obviously addressed to someone with an important date did not deter the dolt who stole it from trying to present it to his "butterfly."
Total: 16

Ghostly adventures

There are so many things I am a sucker for. One is ghost stories. Over the summer, we had a bonfire at Cyndemouse's house. As we gathered around the flames, T-La begged for ghost stories and I was happy to oblige, telling her of ghost sightings or encounters I've had over the years. Once it turns chilly and you gather around a fire, you can't help but want to tell ghost stories. I read tons of ghost stories in my early days. My oldest nephew is in a stage right now where he is obsessed with spooky stories. I admit to fanning the flame  lately by slipping him vintage books that I come across that look especially spooky.

Some people believe in ghosts and others don't. I am in the camp that they do exist. I've just had too many occurrences in my life to not believe. There is a ghost in my mother's house that she knew about for years but never mentioned to me until I told her of an odd sight I had one night of a man carrying boxes back and forth in the hallway during a period I was watching the house while she was away. Perhaps in her absence, he decided to show himself to me for a change.

When I lived in Ocean Grove, there was a naughty young man's presence in the house. He liked to move or hide  things and stand over me as I slept. I would clap my hands and scold him til he went away. But he came back again and again. He must have been sweet on me.

When I was a small girl, I had  a beloved neighbor, Bobby. He was like the most awesome big brother a girl could have. He was cute and cool and fussed over me. In the winter he helped me build snow igloos. Or we'd sit and draw together.  I just adored him. I secretly wished, in my childish way, that each year I could get older and he could get younger until we were the same age and could get married. The last time I saw him, he came over and told me he was sorry he hadn't been seeing me so much and promised to take me out soon. He was growing into a man and had  been hanging out with some new friends. One young man, I  had an unexplained dislike for. Bobby and I never got to spend another day together. At the tender age of 21, he was murdered over a drug deal gone bad. By that very friend who I disliked.  After Bobby died, my mother and I went across the street to visit with his mother. I wandered into his room as the adults chatted in the dining room. The room suddenly went very cold and I felt a weight on my shoulder. He was there with me. I am convinced of that. Now I live within walking distance of his grave. I went to visit him there the year I turned 21.

I often wonder, if I am someone who has a particular gift for seeing and knowing things from the other side. And I wonder if I can open myself to it more. Or if that would be wise.

Do you have any ghost stories to share around the virtual fire?

Windfall weekend

I should be in Rhode Island right now. We'd planned for this weekend to be the one we see to the scattering of Aunt Doe's ashes off Block Island. Doing this is very dependent on weather conditions because they must be scattered by  small plane three miles offshore. I checked in with the cremation society  on Wednesday and we decided four days in a row with projected precipitation of 70% did not seem like good odds for flying. Soooo.... the hotel and dog kennel arrangements had to be cancelled.

Things are so tense at the office now, I decided to stick with the time off. On these stolen weekday mornings, I didn't set the alarm, slept until I felt ready to get up and then read in a quiet house watching the maple next door dance a jig under the influence of the incoming storm.

My first instinct, is to "work" on something during this four day  break. But I know I desperately need a break. Feeling the chill of autumn setting in, I suddenly feel the urge to cozy up. Of course, my first thoughts aways turn to food, so I've got plans for dinners and more. Last night I made the easiest and yummiest garlicky herb roasted chicken. I added wedges of acorn squash to the roasting pan. Their sweetness offset the savory meat. It's been a good long while since I've had a simple baked potato. How much better can it get than a hot potato topped with butter, sea salt, pepper, sour cream and scallions plucked for th garden moments before?

Over the weekend there will be pork medallions with cooked apples. Banana bread. Maybe I'll try the roasted tomato bread from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook. We still have some tomatoes to play with here before frost sets in.

We're getting some things accomplished like making appointments with house painters for estimates, ordering bulbs to plant along our new walkway in the front garden and selecting a very pricey but necessary compost tumbler.

Other than that, I like the idea of having free time to read a magazine, thumb through cookbooks, watch some tv or maybe a matinee today. Of course, the first presidential debate will be the big show tonight.

This indecision's bugging me...

All day today, I had "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by The Clash rushing through my head.  This memo arrived in my email on Tuesday afternoon.  The option to sign up for the buyout offer is still open to us until Oct. 1. I took the whole weekend to really, really mull over the decision. I don't want to be impetuous. This is not an easy decision for any of us at the paper and we all have our own personal situations that color our thoughts on the whole "Should I stay or Should I Go?" question. Or "Do I Take the Money and Run?" is another variation of the question. Based on the content of the memo, it is quite clear that despite what we personally decide to do, our fates are being decided by others. And they appear to be playing hard ball. Rather clumsily but it does hurt when the ball comes directly in contact with you or people you hold near and dear.

Darling, you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll be here 'til the end of time
So you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

It's always tease, tease, tease
You're happy when I'm on my knees
One day is fine and next it's black
So if you want me off your back
Well, come on and let me know
Should I stay or should I go?

Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go, there will be trouble
And if I stay, it will be double
So come on and let me know

This indecision's bugging me
(Esta indecisión me molesta)
If you don't want me, set me free
(Si no me quieres, librame)
Exactly whom I'm supposed to be
(Diga me que tengo ser)
Don't you know which clothes even fit me?
(¿Sabes que ropas me queda?)
Come on and let me know
(Me tienes que decir)
Should I cool it or should I blow?
(¿Me debo ir o quedarme?)

(¿Yo me frío o lo soplo?)

Should I stay or should I go now?
(¿Yo me frío o lo soplo?)
Should I stay or should I go now?
(¿Yo me frío o lo soplo?)
If I go there will be trouble
(Si me voy va per peligro)
And if I stay, it will be double
(Si me quedo es doble)
So ya gotta let me know
(Si me tienes que decir)
Should I cool it or should I blow?
(¿Me debro ir o quedarme?)

Should I stay or should I go now?
(¿Yo me frio o lo soplo?)
If I go there will be trouble
(Si me voy va per peligro)
And if I stay, it will be double
(Si me quedo es doble)
So ya gotta let me know
(Me tienes que decir)
Should I stay or should I go?

I've made my decision.

Now the ball, that hard ball, is in their court.

Froth Moonshine

No, no, my dears, that is not the name of my latest cocktail creation. Froth Moonshine, apparently, is the moniker I might bear if I had the vast misfortune of Sarah Palin as a mother. Shudder.


Play this little game to find out what your Palin name would be.

Here's another little Sarah Palin game I just invented while writing up this post. Come up with an original sentence using all of Sarah Palin's children's names. Make the names bold. Leave it or a link to your post that included the sentence here in the comments.

My Palin meme:

Her Track record as the pied Piper of Alaska  finds me propped beneath the old Willow tree sketching Trig equations on a Bristol board  in an attempt to unlock the Bush doctrine.

Meet Megan

One thing I really like about shooting videos for the paper is the abiiity it affords me to tell people's stories. THey type of people who might not be considered "newsworthy" but are fascinating and inspiring none the less. This story is about a program called Helping Hands run by the Midland School. It pairs developmentally disabled students with job training opportunities by teaching them housekeeping skills which they use at the homes of senior citizens who need some help around the house. The young lady, Megan, who I spent the morning with was such a sweetie. She has this laugh that is so totally infectious. And an outlook on life that rocks.

Meet Megan.

Housekeeping at the Midland school

Woman of Letters: Irène Némirovsky and Suite Française

I thought I should share a comment I received on my Summer Reading post.

Hannah from the Museum of Jewish Heritage writes:

I recently read your post about Irène Némirovsky and wanted to let you know about an exciting new exhibition about her life, work, and legacy that will open on September 24, 2008 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage —A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City. Woman of Letters: Irène Némirovsky and Suite Française, which will run through the middle of March, will include powerful rare artifacts — the actual handwritten manuscript for Suite Française, the valise in which it was found, and many personal papers and family photos. The majority of these documents and artifacts have never been outside of France. For fans of her work, this exhibition is an opportunity to really “get to know” Irene. And for those who can’t visit, there will be a special website that will live on the Museum’s site www.mjhnyc.org.

The Museum will host several public programs over the course of the exhibition’s run that will put Némirovsky’s work and life into historical and literary context. Book clubs and groups are invited to the Museum for tours and discussions in the exhibition’s adjacent Salon (by appointment). It is the Museum’s hope that the exhibit will engage visitors and promote dialogue about this extraordinary writer and the complex time in which she lived and died. To book a group tour, please contact Tracy Bradshaw at 646.437.4304 or tbradshaw@mjhnyc.org.  Please visit our website at www.mjhnyc.org for up-to-date information about upcoming public programs or to join our e-bulletin list.

This sounds like a fantastic exhibit. I've never visited this museum although they often have some really interesting exhibits. I think this one is worth the trip. Once you read her book and learn more about her, I think you'll be fascinated, too.

On the opening day, September 24, Denise Epstein will discuss her mother's life and work with Némirovsky's translator and literature professor Sandra Smith. Tickets are $15.

Location:
    Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
    Edmond J. Safra Plaza       

36 Battery Place
        New York, NY 10280      

      

Hours:
Sunday-Tuesday, Thursday 10 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.;
Wednesday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (During Daylight Savings Time)
Friday and the eve of Jewish Holidays
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time)
Closed Saturdays, Jewish Holidays, and Thanksgiving Day.       

Admission:
$10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 students, children 12 and under are admitted free.

Free admission every Wednesday from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Note: This applies to general Museum admission only. There may be a separate admission price for public programs.

Early bird

It took me almost the whole summer to get accustomed to getting up early. On the days I carpool, I've fretted and grumbled about being out of the house even earlier than when I leave on my own. Last week I noticed I was starting to wake up before the alarm clock. I was out of bed before 8 am even when I didn't need to. I was out of the house without rushing or feeling groggy.

This morning, I drive myself and have a wee bit of extra time for myself. I've missed my morning online time for myself. Today I was up early enough to squeeze in some me time.  I've already:

Let the dogs out
Brewed coffee
Washed the dishes in the sink
Used my neti pot
Washed my face
Ate a piece of delicious peach blueberry pie made by Sweets with a cup of coffee for breakfast
Checked my work email
Checked the newspaper blog
Checked all three of my Yahoo accounts
Checked my comments here
Emailed one hearfelt note
Read several lovely bloggy posts
And listened to a blue jay carry on outside

Now, I have precisely nine minutes to get out of the house.

Happy Monday!

Getting organized

As you may have gleaned reading bits here, I work for a major American newspaper. Because of my profession, I try to stay out of politics as much as possible. During the time when I was actively editing political coverage, i felt it was really important for me to try to remain impartial as possible to provide fair and accurate reporting to our readers. I pride myself on that.

This summer, I was reassigned to a position where I coordinate coverage and schedule photographer's time. I'm not currently choosing photos that run in the paper. My focus has now turned to developing the best possible situations for us to make excellent photos.

As this election cycle ramps up, Sweets has grown more and more involved. We now have a lawn sign for our candidate of choice. He wears a pin. I have a bumper sticker on my car. All this seems innocuous but I've questioned whether it is too much for a journalist to do.

Then I listened to Sarah Palin's speech last week belittling community activism. That speech totally pissed me off. Who is she to belittle people doing things to make their community- their country- better in any way large or small?

I realized in that moment, I am not doing enough.

We signed up to help register voters.  Today we spent five hours out in the sun, working alongside others in our community motivated to do something. We worked the crowd at our town's annual festival.

I'd say about 50 people took the time to fill out the voter registration form or take one home for someone else that needed one. It felt good to be out there talking to people, answering their questions. I didn't do much talking politics with people. I was there to convince them to vote- not who to vote for. I was astonished to see some people's face sour when I asked them if they were registered and they spat back they don't vote. I really don't get that. I was also surprised by the sense of pride many of the older women I spoke to had about their long history of voting. Many of them remember the days of civil strife in the not so distant past. They don't take the right to vote as lightly as those people who scoffed at the notion when we spoke. I met two little girls who tried to pretend they were old enough and were savvy about the issues. The older girl confided in me that they were for Obama but the grownups in their family were for McCain. I think that girl will grown up to be a fine debater one day. One man who I sized up to be a McCain man, shocked me when he said he was voting for Obama because he wanted his "money to mean something."

Today, I wanted my time to mean something. I could have stayed home watching movies and cooking as usual. But I got out there to do something meaningful. If I convinced just one person to get informed and to vote for the very first time in their lives, then that time will be some of the most meaningful I've ever spent.

Summer Reading Groupies Roundup

Toward the  beginning of the summer, I joined Rebekah' s summer reading group. Here are the covers I was able to crack over the last few months. My library is now allowing books to be checked out for a whole month. I took advantage of that in June and July. Then I went to a library sale and a few thrift shops and came home with a whole shopping bag of interesting reading material. I'm hoping to pass the new acquisitions along after I've finished them.

Some unplanned themes appeared in my selections. There were two books set in New York City spaced about a hundred years apart. Two were also set in Paris. Although, the city wasn't a major character in any of the books.

Queer Street by John Wiley. This book is out of print so no link. I picked this up at a rummage sale at a Jewish temple. Among the piles of vintage books, the pale blue cover and title popped out at me. I read it over Memorial Day weekend. A quick paced story of a well-to-do family at the turn of the century in Manhattan. Three sisters navigate society, marriage and morals. There were plot twists I didn't see coming, a unique perspective of a age in New York never to be again. I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. I think this would be a good movie if adapted. - I am going to pass this on to a certain someone who loves all things NYC.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. A library pick. As much of a foodie and gardener as I am, I found Kingsolver's prose to be a bit too preachy and not passionate enough for my tastes. But her daughter's sidebars on recipes were a delightful highlight for me. I did glean some tips on growing and harvesting and made special note of some vegetable varieties Kingsolver had success in growing.

The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen. A library sale purchase. I am typically  a very fast reader but this book requires that you read it slowly. The language commands your attention. This story uses the plot device of a young girl stopping between trains at a friend of the family's in Paris to tell the story of love, loss, and betrayal surrounding the adults that live in the house and another child visiting there for the day. This book is available to anyone who would like to read it next. Let me know of your interest.
 

The Art of Influence: Persuading Others Begins With You by Chris Widener. Picked up on the free rack at work. This is a very thin volume that packs a big amount of common sense advice on how to conduct yourself in business and life. I will gladly pass this on to someone else.

Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl. Library pick. I gobbled this up in one sitting. I just sat up and read it all in one swoop and then sheepishly went to bed. I adore Ruth Reichl and it was a treat to read the story of her life in her own words.

Dumbfounded. Big Money. Big Hair. Big Problems. Or Why Having It All Isn't for Sissies by Matt Rothschild. Picked up on the free rack at work. Funny as hell! This memoir of a boy raised by his Jewish grandparents in the world of high society on the Upper East Side . The grandmother is such a pip. As she succumbs to old age and Matt comes to terms with his unsatisfactory relationship with his mother and his own sexuality, this memoir alternately is touching and howling funny. Free to a taker.

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. Library selection. This was the best thing I read all summer. This is sort of a Diary of Anne Frank for grown ups. Nemirovsky wrote this book of interconnected stories as World War II was beginning. Set in Paris and the French countryside, she follows a group of people from vastly different walks of life and examines how they handle having to flee their homes or have them occupied by German officers. Sadly, she herself died in a concentration camp. The characters are so perfectly drawn. Her observations sharp and profound. If this book crosses your path, please make time for it.
 

The Stillmeadow Road by Gladys Taber. I checked this and out a companion book of photos from the library. i discovered Taber's works over the winter when I picked up two of her books at the Salvation Army. Essentially, she was the Martha Stewart before Martha Stewart. Divorced she and a long time friend (possibly more) Jill moved from the city to Connecticut where they raised dogs, gardened and savored a simpler life together. In this book, she moves through the seasons covering what happens at their place Stillmeadow throughout the year.

Boston Tea Party? Or blog party?

I'm thinking of registering for BlogHer Boston, one of the stops on The Reach Out Tour. I considered two cities that were within driving distance, Boston and Washington D.C. Boston wins because there is a food blogging panel. I like that it is only one day and a mere 100 bucks.

Anyone else interested going to be there?

Friday Dance Party: Fight the Man edition

This week I had to fight the man, got robbed, tried to maintain my integrity while others are letting theirs fall and oh, yeah, I still don't know if I'll have a job come Oct 1.

So I think this classic by Miss Gloria Gaynor is in order. It's gotten me through other rough patches in the past. I'm turning to my fellow Jersey girl for some support today. I hear she'll be putting out a 30 year anniversary edition soon. Can't wait.

What do you listen to when you feel like you have to summon the will to survive?

Cloud over my head

Newest thingamajig to lose yourself in online for a while- The Wordle. A fun little java applet that allows you to make a customized word cloud from a url or a text block of your choice. You can customize the color palette, layout, font and language. Pretty addictive.

This one was generated from my url.

Go get your wordle on!

Project Runway 2018?

A little pre Project Runway warm up for y'all this evening. I just finished a video on teens taking advanced sewing classes because they are so inspired by Project Runway. I focused on a girl named Charley who is only 11 and already rocking it out on the serger and planning on what kind of designer she'll become. Her pick for this season's winner: Joe.

The store I shot at, Fabricland in North Plainfield, NJ, has a beautiful workroom with Bernina machines. Lots of classes for adults and kids to choose from. If you're local check them out.

Labors of love

I spent the long Labor Day weekend aptly laboring away in the kitchen and garden... and loving every minute of it. I'll let the summer people have their beach fun around town one last weekend, while I got some things accomplished around here. Next weekend, I'll be having some fun around town myself. Unless I get sidetracked.

Over the weekend we:

Cooked:

Made 6 mini loaves of zucchini bread, froze 4 We used the Zucchini Cranberry Muffin recipe from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook (zucchini from our garden)

Made 2 pans of moussaka, froze 1 (eggplants and tomatoes from our garden)

Made 2 pans of eggplant parmesan, froze 2  (eggplants from our garden)

Peeled, pitted, sliced and froze close to a bushel of peaches from Terhune Orchards

Made 8 portions of  pizza dough using Jamie Oliver's recipe, froze 6. We used whole wheat bread flour and semolina. Here's video of him making pizza in his outside oven. Alas, we don't have one of those. But I'm trying to figure out how to get one! We made two pizzas. One eggplant parm version with breaded eggplant, roasted tomatoes and ricotta. Another pie was topped with onion, pepper and heirloom tomato.

Pan seared soy glazed salmon filets over thai basil (from my mom's garden) singapore noodles bathed in coconut broth.

Sweets made dal with red lentils from a recipe  from Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Cooking and turned leftover chicken into an Indian feast with a jarred simmer sauce.

A tomato salad in balsamic vinigrette

Crunchy bagels topped with salted butter, heirloom tomato slices and ricotta salata

Mini burgers stuffed with bleu cheese or cotswold cheese

Gardened:

Started our cool weather crops patch. We put in seeds for radishes, rainbow chard, collards, lettuce, carrots and scallions. Crossing my fingers for results!

Removed a gazillion virgina creeper and ivy vines from the back fence that creep over from the neighbors yard. Every year I let them grown until their purple rose of sharons stop flowering and then I yank out those vines. The vines thread through the rose of sharon and I'd hate to disturb their blooms.

Harvested the usual giant bowl of tomatoes and about 15 eggplants, some scallions and a wonderful cantaloupe

Transplanted two hydrangeas and a lavender plant from back yard to front

----------------------------------------------

Looks like some of my other favorite bloggy ladies were busy this weekend, too.

Lisa of Curious Girl teamed up with her inner alter ego, Lola, and created an Etsy Shop. It's brimming with gorgeously vibrant images that will make your day a wee bit more special after viewing them. Perhaps over the mantel? hint hint. Go give the lady some support.

Emily at The Black Apple has started a new site for her new collection, Ordinary Forest. The most recent addition, Mt. Matilda, tickled me to no end. With a little red riding hood capelet and hat that looks like a mountain cap, she's adorable. Plus she has a little birdie friend which won me over completely.

Shannon has been making new additions to her parliament of owls. They should be flying into her Etsy shop sometime soon. I imagine that owls as fancy as these wear very fancy uncomfortable shoes, limo shoes as Cyndemouse calls them. It may take them a while to land in the shop. But they won't stay long! Each owl has an amazing back story. I love Shannon's creative process.

However you spent your weekend, I hope it was a good one. Thanks to all of you who came to the Labor Day Weekend edition of Friday Dance Party.

Quote of the Day

I just was over at Starshyne Productions and Jamie  has a trailer up for the film, Who Does She Think She Is?, a movie about women artists. In an interview clip, one of the artists featured, Tiffany Schlain, a film maker,  said this is her favorite quote:

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
  ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I like that. Lots. I want to begin. I've been dreaming long enough.

According to the  film site, it is going to screen at the Angelika Film Center in October. No details on dates on the Angelika site at the moment.