"I Cannot Endure To Waste Anything So Precious

as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house."

Nathaniel Hawthorne

1804-1864

I couldn't agree more, but for those moody,  stormy (or should that be Stormy?) Fall days few things can be so nice as curling up with a good mystery - ghost story peppered with a little American history. 

I was utterly delighted shortly after digging into The House of the Seven Gables to discover how appropriately suited the Gothic tale was to the manic moods of my favorite time of year.  I won't bore you with a totally useless book review.  I always thought, if I'm not supposed to judge a book by its cover, then why would I base my decision to read it on someone else's opinion? 

Besides, how many books have you had fully ruined by reading an overly extensive review? I'm talking to you, Amazon.com reviewers -- it's a merchandise review for an online shopping mecca, not your thesis! My disdain for online shopping, and smug book reviewers aside, I really enjoyed this book, but I'm into stories based on actual places that the author had a real history with ... and I dig a guy who can rival me for run-on sentances. By this standard alone, I knew from the first page this would be a match made in Heaven!

I highly recommend this book if you're in the mood for a nice little mystery, and if the oversaturation of woods such as "plebian," and "beseech" will help you purge the airhead vernacular of today's "literature" *cough*LizGilbert*cough* from your brain before it turns to goo!

Next on deck:  Jane Austen's Persuasion, which is said to be Pride and Prejudice's more mature sister ... a book that completely bored me to tears in High School, and coincidentally made me unjustly hate Collin Firth for the better part of his carreer.  It wasn't until adulthood that I figured out Jane Austen was actually funny, ironic, and sarcastic without being overly cynical.  Another triumph of the institution of American education which firmly adhered to the philosophy of force feeding us the teacher's opinion, and cramming us full of facts solely to be regurgitated back as test answers.  I'm excited nonetheless to sink my teeth into this new selection!

Happy reading!

xoxo

A Toast!

You're invited to help me celebrate the beginning of the Holiday Season with The Longshoreman's Daughter's new holiday inspired knitted accessories for Fall/Winter 2011-2012!

Bing Crosby crooning on the hi-fi, tinkling glasses, crackling fires, northern lights, falling snow, baked goodies, candied treats, and mistletoe...

These are just a few of the ingredients that go into creating the most magical season of the year, and have inspired me to bring you a little collection that I think speaks to Yuletide whimsy, and enchantment.  So deck those halls, roast your chestnuts, and spread some joy to the world, and mebbe wrap up in something snuggly!

xx

Colors of the Wind

Have you noticed somewhere along the way it has become Fall?

It hadn't really occurred to me yet, that is, until I looked outside this week and it was raining golden leaves.  As they swirled, and danced about with their invisible partner I stood silently to watch the display.  It was several moments later when I noticed I'd been holding my breath, almost as if an exhale would've put a stop to the entire production.  I was thankful for the pause.  The calm before the storm, if you will.  I needed it.  I needed to see something beautiful - something occurring without having anything to do with me whatsoever.  The leaves don't need my permission to play with the wind, and the wind certainly isn't asking anyone anything either!  I felt small ... and it was nice.  The time of year has come back around, yet again, and things are changing once more.  Don't forget to let yourself enjoy it.  It's wonderful, I promise!

Last

Friend, whose smile has come to be
Very precious unto me,
Though I know I drank not first
Of your love's bright fountain-burst,
Yet I grieve not for the past,
So you only love me last!

Other souls may find their joy
In the blind love of a boy:
Give me that which years have tried,
Disciplined and purified, -
Such as, braving sun and blast,
You will bring to me at last!

There are brows more fair than mine,
Eyes of more bewitching shine,
Other hearts more fit, in truth,
For the passion of your youth;
But, their transient empire past,
You will surely love me last!

Wing away your summer-time,
Find a love in every clime,
Roam in liberty and light, -
I shall never stay your flight;
For I know, when all is past
You will come to me at last!

Change and flutter as you will,
I shall smile securely still;
Patiently I trust and wait
Though you tarry long and late;
Prize your spring till it be past,
Only, only love me last!

Elizabeth Akers Allen 1832-1911

Summer Reading

They say to never judge a book by its cover, but when I saw these on the clearance rack how could i resist?  I think somewhere between how do I love thee, and apple picking, these guys have got the season covered.  I love a good Summer read these days, but when I was a kid you couldn't find a more befitting form of torture!  I couldn't reconcile sitting around reading about something when I'd rather be out actually doing something, but now I can't think of a nicer way to relax than soaking in some sunshine, and reading a few lovely lines.

I'm pretty particular about the kinds of things I like to read, I've never been able to pick up just any ol' book and get into it.  That's not to say that everything I read is some award winning, soon to be classic either.  I like rich, full stories written in such a way that involves most, if not all of the senses.  Which is why I was a little skeptical trying out Read it Forward.  Every so often they add a new book to their line-up where you can score a free book to read and pass on typically before it hits bookstores.  What's not to like ... you know, unless of course you don't like the book.  I was lucky with my first attempt.  I signed up for a copy of The Philosophical Breakfast Club, was actually chosen, finished it this week, and loved it!  I was worried it would be smug, sterile, and just factually driven in almost list format, but I couldn't have been more wrong.  It was a full story of four friends, their lives, and how they changed the face of science forever - to this day we still follow the methods they founded.  Anyway, I can't wait to pass it on a story I thoroughly enjoyed!

Stretched, Stapled, and Taught

No, I'm not talking about the latest cosmetic procedure, I'm talking about what was delivered to my doorstep yesterday.  Still confused? 

Canvas People was offering a $50 promotional code a couple of weeks ago (which meant a free

8"x10" just pay shipping) so I decided to give it a whirl! The site is pretty user friendly, and straight forward. Just upload your photograph directly to their site, and you're a couple clicks away from having one of your favorite pics stretched onto a canvas. I always recommend doing your own color corrections, and any touch-ups before submitting your photo, but they do offer it as a service if you're a little on the novice side of things. I was nervous to try the service myself, because I knew how I wanted it to look, and I have trust issues!  But I think it worked out pretty well.  Admittedly the canvas did come slightly "damaged" - just a bit on one of the folded corners, and a little dent in the wood frame along the bottom, but nobody's perfect, and it's really not noticeable once it's on the wall, so I'm not turning purple with rage.  Besides, I've painted on canvas, but had never, until now, had one of my photographs on one, so I'm feeling pretty official today, which is possibly putting me in a forgiving mood. 

Overall I'm happy with it, and would totally do it again.  They run all sorts of promotions, and apparently if you're into the whole Facebook thing, you can "Like" them for even better deals, and chances to win contests.  For the price it's an awesome alternative, and more personal option than mass produced, over printed Ikea "art".  I'll stop there before this ends in a Fight Club-esque explosion!

xoxo

Think Pink!

Yesterday I was a little blue, so today I was thinking pink, and I dare say it worked ... who can be bummed surrounded by this sweet silliness (on a bright, sunny day, I might add!)?

Bringin' back the Barbie toes!

I guess file this under the "Lifestyle" portion of this blog?  This is my most genius "creation" yet!  Toe-socks with the tips cut off, thus making tiny little turtlenecks for my toes.  My feet get super cold when it comes time to paint my nails.  I can't decide if I just have utterly terrible circulation or if I'm so focused on NOT smudging them that I concentrate too much on keeping them "separate" and exposed.  Whatever the problem, I've got a cozy little solution ... you know until I drop dead from PAD at least!

So I took it easy on myself today, emotionally anyway.  Sometimes it's just good to get off your own back once in awhile.  I still struggle with this, but I will say I'm at least getting better with it. 



 I don't know where all these nearly impossible expectations came from, I just know I've had them my entire life.  They can be great for self motivation ... a little rocket fuel to get things going, but it gets exhausting, and is an essential ingredient for good old fashioned burn-out.
For me, air-tight organization is key.  It keeps my brain from

searching (and panicking over) what hasn't been done, what needs to be done, and the whole tornado

of possibilities of what could go wrong because these things weren't accomplished.  I know!  I'm exhausted just reading that sentence!  I'm calling this very short period, the calm before the storm.  I'll be planning everything out for this Fall and Winter over the next couple of days, hopefully knocking a big chunk out tonight if my plan-making stars align (calendar + notebook + really bad, guilty pleasure television).  Forecast looks good so far!  If all this planning goes, er, according to plan (?) maybe we'll get the whole storm to blow over altogether!  Wish me luck. ;-)

Back to Basics



You're not playing right until you've got sidewalk chalk on your backside!

Every so often, or more like at least a few times a month I slip into my ritual of "overhaul,
shovel out, regroup, and begin again," although I didn't have categories, or tidy little names thought up for it 'til just now, it's something I've done since I don't know when. 

I have the tendency to stress out for the sake of stressing out, it seems.  I try not to identify with it, or allow it to become my "story," but whilst my head is ever reaching toward the clouds, with my feet buried in earth, sometimes I get stretched a little too thin, and have to come back to center to get a grip again ... and sometimes I receive help from the unlikeliest places!

They say, "Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it."  Ok, ok I said that in my yearbook quote, thanks to some guy called Ferris Bueller (I know, lame right?  I used a movie quote *gag*) but I still stand by it!  If you're not enjoying it, you're missing (not only the point, but) "it" completely. 

My winning equation this time?  Quite simply: (Little boy + Sunny day) x (Sprinkler) = AWESOME!  It took me a couple of weeks still to move through the categories listed above, but I'm finally at my Begin Again point, and ready for something new to be born.  Not yet fully recharged, but ready to allow new ideas, new designs, and new creations to flow through me again.  Despite the fact that I'm a highly strung wreck through part of the month (yes, every month), I am thankful that through it all I've been given the ability to slow down, and appreciate everything around me ... even if sometimes I have to be reminded by chasing a soaked critter through a sprinkler (gratitude is a terrible thing to waste)!

When was the last time YOU felt this good?