beckarecka

New Blog

2009-01-01T22:39:00.003-05:00

With a new year, I've decided it's time to start a new blog. This one has been largely neglected as we brought Lya into our lives anyway. While there may not be any readers left, it felt like I needed an official end here. The new blog will take the place of both this and the adoption blog. Hopefully I'll find ways (and time) to share pieces of life as I learn to balance my role as mom with the other parts of me already in place.

Thanks for reading the last 2.5 years!

rjplife.wordpress.com

While I Procrastinate...

2008-09-05T07:10:00.003-05:00

I know that we learned a week ago today that we would be traveling to Vietnam in about two weeks. And given how unprepared we were/are for this amazing journey around the world and into parenthood, one might think that we're in some kind of bubble working on trip details and parenting details. And if you talk to me....it probably is what I am talking about. However, what is really happening is that unless something is immediately important (like sending in our travel visa application OR buying our plane tickets OR booking our hotel room) I am finding myself a bit stuck...unsure what to do. This is most likely in part b/c (a) I am still shocked at some point every five minutes or so that this is finally happening, (b) the brain isn't quite working right, (c) I am a bit overwhelmed by EVERYTHING right now.

So, every day I make a long list of what I want to accomplish. And for the most part, what needs to get done, gets done. There are several things that could have been done weeks/months ago. But, most likely out of self-protection, they didn't. Did I finish getting travel vaccines? No. Did we buy a travel guide for Vietnam? No. Did we print out the important docs we already have and knew we'd be taking? No. Did we look hard for the nursery furniture we knew we would need? No. All of those things are coming together now, but we just didn't do them sooner than they needed to be done. So, truly I am preparing because its time.

But, in the non-"right now" spaces, I have found myself dazed in front of the TV more than once this week. (Usually TV time is also studio time, or computer time, or some other kind of shared time.) And the other thing I have found myself doing many many times in the last week is reading personal responses to the political conventions and the individual speeches. This is the one thing my brain doesn't seem to be tired of right now. And suddenly, I find all of the adoption blogs incredibly interesting as these different responses and perspectives emerge. Not because I am scouring them for travel details as one might assume.

Its crazy. There is so much to do and yet my head is wanting to be in veg-mode. That being said...I do have a list of 15 paperwork details that do need to be addressed today. But, after waking and reading some blogs this morning I once again felt energized by the possibilities of change and seeing how passionately everyone is engaged.

what's going on

2008-09-03T08:17:00.002-05:00

I don't know of anyone who reads this blog who doesn't also know about our adoption blog...but in case you haven't figured it out, we're going to Vietnam. In less than two weeks. We got our approval to travel last Friday and every day since than has been a whirlwind of frantic planning, purchasing and paperchasing. Packing will be starting soon.

For several months now, the plan has been to have only one blog after we travel and bring our baby home. At that point I'll be finishing up each blog--representing a part of life--and starting a new blog that combines all parts into one. A symbol of my own reality in many ways.

I don't know when I'll post my last post here...but it won't be too much longer. And in the meantime, anything that is happening in my life is happening over on the other blog. So, stay tuned for the move. And if your so inclined, follow along on our journey to Vietnam and back!

Today at Random

2008-08-21T11:16:00.003-05:00

Last night we picked A LOT of corn at a local farmer's field. We husked it and then I started cutting some of it and remembered why my Mom used to sit out in the grass to do this. This morning I jumped back in and while it probably would work better in the grass (although doing it with a close friend would make that even more fun) I have found that a sharp knife and apron also make a big difference. I have almost 2 dozen pints of frozen corn and a whole lot more to go.

Jess just stopped by and we started talking about Netflix movies. I said that I just ordered a chic flick that Nick won't watch, so maybe we can watch it this weekend. She said, "Oh, I just watched Because I Said So." Hmm...I went to check and yup! that just shipped. (Unfortunately she added that it was annoying.) This happens over and over. We keep renting the same movies again and again right around the same time. If only we had similar viewing schedules (aka less busy lives) maybe we could just be sharing one...which was suggested by Todd at the beginning. But, we have definitely waited a week more than once before finding time to watch a movie....so sharing takes away some of the convenience of having Netflix.

Analyzing your budget can be fun when you're in the mood. When you're not it sucks. Today I'm finding it interesting though which is surely going to make Nick enjoy his weekend even more.

My weekend plan is to freeze and can A LOT. Pickles, squash, Indonesian satay sauce (Thanks, Laura!), pizza sauce, pizza dough, perogies, pesto, corn & maybe some more peaches. Maybe now that I've told the internet, I'll feel obligated to see it all happen.

A few links that I found interesting today:

This is a blog that I read pretty regularly. I really appreciated her post today. She's seems like such a great mom and I think this is wonderful example of how to creatively engage your child and pull them away from the computer/tv/etc and engage the imagination. I found it inspiring even though I am not a parent yet.

This made me chuckle. Love the greenwashing. :)

Alright...that's all I've got for now.

New Etsy Site (aka Shameless Self-Promoting)

2008-08-12T20:02:00.007-05:00

I have recently started a new etsy shop...and will be closing out the first. I hadn't put a lot of thought into the address or connection to blog or anything else when I set up the first one nearly 10 months ago. I decided that it was time to clean it up a bit and in doing so I wanted to have a new address. So, here it is: RJPcreated.etsy.com

Currently there are several items in the new shop. There are some new styles of earrings as well as the addition of some baby items. I am considering doing some give aways to those who are interested in mentioning the etsy shop in a post on your own blog. If I decide to do something like this, I'll mention the details here in the coming weeks if you're interested.

All of the money earned through the etsy shop will go towards the travel costs for our trip to adopt Lya in Vietnam this fall.

Please take a moment to stop by the new shop!

Texas Hummingbird Sage

2008-08-12T19:54:00.002-05:00

This is a plant that I started from seed this year. I had never heard of it before but somehow came into ownership of a small seed packet. I thought it looked interesting and given the number of hummingbirds that we entertain, I figured it was worth a shot. I now have it in three different locations on the property...all in different stages of growth since I dragged out the start of the growing season, but we don't need to go into that. It is beautiful and I love the small bits of bright red as well as the entire structure of the bloom.

Interesting Weed

2008-08-11T14:47:00.002-05:00

*

2008-08-05T07:00:00.002-05:00

Blueberry Pickin'

2008-08-04T17:13:00.002-05:00

Mona and her Mouse

2008-08-01T08:51:00.007-05:00

My morning started earlier than what is normal for me. Nick's started a bit later than normal for him. It was a nice blend that allowed us to slowly wake up together. Mona however, had been up and active for a while. We had listened to her enjoying something for at least an hour by that point. For as princess-y as our sweet Mona is...she is a clomper when it comes to walking around or up and down stairs or when she finds a game she really enjoys. I had no idea what was keeping her moving this morning...but something had captured her interest.

Eventually I got around to looking over the edge of the bed and saw the ankle brace that Nick wears to play basketball and for other similar activities. Knowing it hadn't be used recently enough to be in the middle of the floor, I realized it was the perfect toy for Mona. I figured she must be in heaven...it has strings, it smells like dirty boy--her favorite smell, and slides easily across the floor.

As Nick brushed his teeth, I sat at the foot of the bed watching her play with this new love. I noticed a small leather string hanging out from the inside and thought about how old that thing was. And then suddenly it was hanging from her mouth. Not a leather string...a small little tail. She didn't care about some stinky brace, she had been playing cat and mouse for an hour or so. And the little mouse was still very much alive. A bit like some of the birds Mona has brought in. She is gentle and likes to have soft little friends.

This went on for another hour. At some point I figured that I might as well grab the camera. (Disappointed for the first time ever that we do not have a video camera.) At some point I finished getting ready for the day, came down and tried to download the pictures...but ended up back up stairs taking more. In the end, they were taking a break. The mouse needed some space so he just sat very still in the middle of the room, finally realizing that he'd only get a reprieve from the game if he didn't move. They sat for maybe five minutes before Mona took the opportunity to see what was going on outside on the balcony. Little Mouse stayed put. He was SO tired. So, I decided it was time to reward him for his entertainment and using a washcloth I picked him up and took him outside. I don't think he'll be looking to coming back in any time soon. Mona was pretty disappointed when she came back from the balcony and couldn't find him. Oh well.

Normally the idea of a mouse makes my skin crawl. But this was different....this was just a cat and her mouse. :)

2008-07-28T11:58:00.002-05:00

"Would you stop having children to save the environment?"

2008-07-25T20:30:00.002-05:00

I came across a link to the BBC's "World Have Your Say" today. This specific episode is called, "Overpopulation." I find the whole conversation very interesting. Having only one sibling, I have often romanticized what it would have been like to have had another sibling as well. When Nick and I were dating and first married, we felt sure that we would not have more than two children b/c of population growth. In fact, it was part of what brought us into the conversation of adoption.

Now we know that we will not personally be adding to the population with biological children, but we should still consider the impact our family will have on the environment. Given that the carbon footprint of an American child is so much greater than that of a child from a developing country...I feel a need to take pause and consider it all again. After all, we do live in the US and so will our children. Who knows...there may be some other factors that hold us to two children....afterall, adoption isn't inexpensive.

The BBC program made me think. I encourage you to take the time to listen to it as well. One of my favorite things was at the very beginning when the professor listed all of his re:s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, etc., he included the word Refuse. It made me stop and think, "Yes!" Now I just need to figure out what that means for us.

Sweet Boy

2008-07-23T08:22:00.001-05:00

Blackberry Jam

2008-07-21T17:54:00.004-05:00

Today, for the first time, I made Jam. Jess was ever-so-kind to teach me how and let me use her kitchen. At the end we had 50 jars of blackberry jam. I think last year we used maybe 5-6 total...and I don't remember having any. But, I know Nick will love it and a good friend reminded me this evening of the yumminess of baked brie....so I think I'll definitely be eating my share soon enough. Hopefully by the end of the summer I'll be able to add grape and peach to the jam/jelly stock. Summer canning has begun!

2008-07-16T15:27:00.002-05:00

Today has been one of those days...

I woke up feeling motivated an had a plan for accomplishing many of the things I've been dragging out. It hasn't turned out that way though... after several hours of battling computer crap, I am exhausted. I need a glass of wine and a nap.

Hopefully tomorrow will be better and some of the motivation I seem to have lost will return.

Baby and Berries

2008-07-15T14:55:00.008-05:00

This morning I went out to my friend Corrie's house for a while. Her baby, Ray, is 10 weeks old and so we took a bunch of pictures between naps. They also have several blueberry bushes and are generous enough to share in the abundance. This has been a fantastic berry season. When I got home I found a bunch of huge strawberries in our beds and a few ripened blackberries on the back hill. Its time to start freezing and baking!

Some of my favorite pics from this morning:

Music Fest Weekend

2008-07-14T18:35:00.003-05:00

This past weekend we attended the annual Music Fest. Nick actually played, so I suppose he did more than attend. We had a fun time enjoying the sun (heat), music, festival food, and friends. This was the third time we've gone to the festival. The first time was so much fun that we decided it would be best to just move here.

I didn't take nearly enough pictures. But here are a couple from the day.

The Lost Faculties (Tom, Ed & Nick)

Angela, Corrie, and their boys.

*

2008-07-10T07:49:00.003-05:00

There are several blogs that I follow...some adoption, some craft/art, some friends, etc. I came across this post this morning and it struck a chord.

Over the last couple of years I have made several decisions to live into what my heart was telling me and work hard at controlling my own (and the power of other's) counter thoughts. I love the paper cutting she has done and the imagery it contains. I also love and believe the message she has....when you follow your heart and believe in yourself, you can make anything work. For myself I have found that having a partner willing to trust and believe in me as well is a good safety net for the days my own belief falters. Anyway, I thought I would share this with you.

A week of good news...

2008-07-03T20:40:00.002-05:00

Today Nick received a letter in the mail. It included the following statement:

"Congratulation the Appalachian State University Graduate School has received a positive recommendation from the faculty and hereby offers you unconditional admission to the program."

We were thrilled. After all, it was part of the reason we moved here. (Although not the only.)

Secondly...we got some other good news, as well. Hopefully sometime this fall we'll be traveling to meet our daughter in Vietnam.

What a wonderful way to start a three day weekend!

July 2nd

2008-07-02T08:59:00.002-05:00

It was in the low 40s today when I woke up. I'm enjoying the cool morning in wool socks, jeans and a fleece. Not to mention a warm cup of coffee.

Random Thoughts

2008-07-01T15:43:00.002-05:00

My god, its July.

People here definitely don't adhere to the Pittsburgh Left.

It's July 1st, and only about 72 degrees. Lovely.

This is my 300th post.

I need to start taking interesting pictures again.

We've started into our downstairs house projects.

Twice now I've found our neighbor's dog wondering around inside my house.

I'm ready to actually eat more than just lettuce and berries from the garden.

I started a stained glass project yesterday. First one in over a year and a half.

I enjoy mowing the grass.

________________________

I haven't had much to write about lately. Lost in my head. Lost in a few books. I have been creating and finishing up some projects and someday I'll post some of them. No big plans for the weekend yet. So, tell me, silent reader, what are you doing for the holiday weekend? Please entertain me with a comment about your weekend plans or the weekend plans you wish you had.

Reading

2008-06-24T16:53:00.003-05:00

Lately I've been reading a lot. I feel like a carefree kid, spending her endless summer days getting lost in book after book after book. Some of them text, a few of them audio. (Audio books are handy when mowing or taking long walks or driving to and from town.) I have been loving it. I hate ending books, I usually want the story to continue. And so instead of being disappointed, I grab another and let the enthrallment begin again.

I should say that I wouldn't go as far as actually recommending any of these books to anyone. In fact, for the most part, I don't remember most of the titles or authors. But I would completely recommend picking up a book that is just for fun. A chocolate book, as my one friend would call it. You don't have to learn anything, you don't have to impress anyone with the prestige of the author...you just have to get lost in the story and enjoy the indulgent space of forgetting everything else.

It is a perfect way for me to enjoy this summer. And its an incredible way to pass the time waiting to bring our baby home. I may even remember this summer-of-waiting as one of my best adult summers ever. If only, the pull to clean, cook and care about all of that were as strong as my pull to read these days...

"It'll Never Work!"

2008-06-22T11:43:00.004-05:00

I discovered this online article today that shared quotes from nay-sayers about different inventions. I found it not only humorous, but also slightly inspiring. We should never get caught up in someone else's perception of impossibility. (Click on the title to read the entire article.)

Here are a few of my favorites:

"Television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night."

- Darryl F. Zanuck, Head of 20th Century-Fox, 1946.

"There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home."

-Ken Olson, President of Digital Corporation, 1977.

(**I would like to point out that this was said one year before I was born. Not so long ago. )

Approximately 80% of our air pollution stems from hydrocarbons released by vegetation. So let's not go overboard in setting and enforcing tough emissions standards for man-made sources.

- Ronald Reagan, 1980

Etsy

2008-06-21T17:32:00.003-05:00

I have seriously been neglecting the etsy site in just about every way I can. However, I don't want to do that forever, so I have just marked down the earrings and books that are currently listed. Everything is $10.00.

In the coming weeks, I hope to add some new items and rework the site a bit. I'm not sure what all it will include but some possibilities are small hand bags, bibs and blankets for babies, maybe even some stained glass. My head has started thinking about it again...but my hands have yet to produce. Check back soon!

Hair Allium

2008-06-18T08:50:00.003-05:00

Jacob

2008-06-17T13:08:00.000-05:00

Favorite (Funny) Weekend Shots

2008-06-15T17:45:00.002-05:00

My daily playdate

2008-06-12T08:58:00.003-05:00

Reverberations

2008-06-11T12:19:00.002-05:00

The last six months have been fairly still, if you consider the previous twelve. But each of the major events that we experienced last year had its own set of reverberations. At this point we're mostly faced with those that relate to my health or hysterectomy. And while each reverberation is slightly weaker than the last...they continue. To a lesser degree, the same can be said for each of the things we've experienced.

The one that is really annoying me today is the ipod. When I turned 27 Nick bought me an ipod. Because that specific one was so finicky, we learned to keep everything on the computer so that it was just a matter of hooking up and syncing it again when it would freeze and delete the music. Eventually it was replaced. (Thank god for Applecare!)

After the puff-back, we had to replace our computer. Meaning we lost all of the music that was stored on it. For the most part, we also have the albums on CD, but there were a few that had been compilations from others or purchased on iTunes. And those are gone, except on the ipod. And if you have an ipod (and aren't technically saavy or sneaky-and if you are, maybe you want to tell me about it...) you know that you can't really pull stuff off of your ipod and put it on the computer.

Recently, I've started listening to books on the ipod. I'm usually reading one and listening to another. I've found it is a great distraction while mowing or taking country walks on my own. But, wow, they take up some serious space on the ipod. Today, I am trying to delete those I have finished to make room for something new and because it won't let me sync manually (WHY can't I sync it manually?) I risk losing all of the stuff that is only on the ipod at this point if I sync with my itunes. So...do I have to accept that I'll either never add another song, book or podcast or lose it all? Is there something I am missing?

This is just one example of how a difficult life experience can just continue to pick and prod over time. This is true on so many levels... not all quite so tangible. Loss never disappears completely. It becomes fainter and fainter over time, but every now and then, it jumps up and says "Remember? Yea, this is one more way that sucks."

A few more pics from last week...

2008-06-09T08:55:00.006-05:00

Last week (or a bit more now) we spent a little bit of time in Philly. Here is my cutie nephew. I love those big eyes.

Our friend, Matt, was also in Philly last week. It was great to catch up a bit, even though we didn't overlap very long. He was a college roommate of Nick's and likes to take credit for introducing us...although, I'm not sure it was his intention that it would lead to marriage.

May 26th was my parent's 35th wedding anniversary. This picture is slightly reminiscent of their engagement picture.

In addition to the Chesapeake Bay and Philadelphia, we spent about four days in north-central PA at Nick's family cabin. It was a work week that us kids gifted his parents for Christmas. This picture was taken moments before we jumped in the car and sped towards Philly (for the second time).

Overall, we had a great time visiting with family for our vacation. We definitely did a lot of driving though. It's hard to do it any other way when you live so far away. If you're going to drive nearly 9 hours to visit with family, you might as well drive another hour or so and see the others as well. It always makes for a full week, but would be much harder to be so close and not visit family and close friends.

Since we've been back we've revamped our summer house-project plans and have been working in the yard. It has been HOT, but I'm thrilled that summer is finally here.

Bags bags bags

2008-06-07T06:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I headed into my studio thinking that I'd start a new quilt. When I opened a drawer looking for something I needed, I found two sets of round handles and suddenly started a new project. I have been wanting to make small handbags of some sort for about three years. For whatever reason, I just never did. I suppose that mostly it was because I never found the "right" pattern. But, I also kept getting distracted by other projects.

I finally made my first Thursday, my second Friday, and even sold one of them already. All within 48 hours! I plan to keep playing with different styles and will likely put a few on Etsy in the coming weeks. In fact, I plan to put some work into the etsy site soon. All sales go towards the travel costs for our adoption. Thanks to everyone who has supported us so far!

Too many snakes

2008-06-06T08:39:00.003-05:00

I have seen more snakes in the last two weeks that I have seen in the last three years combined. Thank god. When we were at Red Point last week, we saw four snakes on the beach, near the swamp. At Nick's cabin, I found one sunning in the yard. This week, while mowing the grass, I came across at 5' black snake! I am so glad that (a) I was on a riding lawn mower and (b) it was black and headed away from me. Now I can't walk through the yard without constantly checking the ground to make sure I am not surprised.

So, back to the snakes we saw at Red Point. We think most of them were just water snakes. But, if you by chance know your snakes, please identify the one below. It was on the beach eating a small fish.

Great, now that I've revisited these pictures, I'll likely wake up and have to turn the light on again multiple times tonight to make sure they're not in my bed. You think I'm joking but I've done this probably 3 or 4 separate nights in the last two weeks. :(

Thursday TTV

2008-06-05T19:05:00.003-05:00

Latest Quilts

2008-06-04T07:45:00.004-05:00

Several weeks ago, I posted a picture of this quilt top. Well, I finished it a few days later and just kept forgetting to take any pictures of the completed quilt. Overall, I've been very happy with it. One thing I love about quilting is that the details that you're not-quite-happy-with along the way just disappear when you're finished. I'm sure there are details that would not be as easy to ignore, but for the most part, when there is something I'm not sure about...by the end and while I'm using it...it's hard to find without some serious study.

This second quilt was made as a 35th anniversary present for my parents. I was still sewing the binding on it when I saw them last and even got it completed....but then forgot to actually leave it with them. The up-side of that is that I hadn't remembered to take any pictures up until that point either and so I now I have had time to snap a few photos.

June Blooms

2008-06-03T14:13:00.004-05:00

I had a lovely birthday. It was warm and sunny and just a gorgeous day. I was able to relax in bed with coffee in the morning, take a walk with friends, catch a quick nap, drink some tasty wine, eat some take out and watch the season finale of Lost. To top of a wonderful day...I slept better than I have in a long long time. When I finally woke up this morning it was only 9am and the sleepiness I've been carrying for weeks felt lifted. Today has pretty good as well. I have more gardening to do yet this afternoon, but I thought I'd share a few of the blooms that were waiting when we arrived home this weekend. Ah, I love summer.

Home again

2008-06-02T10:02:00.004-05:00

We arrived home last night after being with family for the last ten days. We had a wonderful time on the Chesapeake Bay and in Philly with my family and a great time in the mountains with Nick. We're returning to beautiful weather and HUGE plant growth. Many plants gained actually feet in height while we were gone and everything looks lush and is blooming. It is exciting to see. Today is my 30th birthday. Crazy. I've been looking forward to my thirties...I figure it probably can't be as difficult as my 20s were. This morning I awoke to several fresh flower arrangements and coffee. It was a perfect start to a gorgeous day and I hope to enjoy the full of it!

I took plenty pictures during our time away and I will work at getting some of them posted in the next few days.

Lazy weekend

2008-05-17T18:04:00.002-05:00

Today was the first bright sunny day all week. What did we do? Well, we started it by lounging for a while over breakfast. Then I took a bit of a walk. Then we came home, ate some lunch, and took a nap on the couch. It has been hard to get going today. Nick finally found some house-project energy around four o'clock. So, I took his lead, and headed into my studio. (You thought I was going to say into house projects...Ha!) But, wow, this day has been super low-key. And the next five days? They're calling for rain again. Hopefully this week I can kick it into high-gear and get some great things done before we take off on a week of vacation.

What I'm Working On...

2008-05-09T16:49:00.004-05:00

I have finally started spending some time working in my studio again. Last weekend I began by cutting the squares, and today I finished the top of a new quilt. I'm planning on using my "walking foot" to machine quilt it, but must first get some batting and a backing material. Maybe I'll have it completed by the time Nick gets home next week.

Bad Habits

2008-05-08T17:14:00.003-05:00

As I wrote this post in my head, it was to be on the adoption blog. However, Nick has the laptop, where I have my user name and password stored. He's in New Orleans. For a week. (At a green building conference.) Whoops. So, I'm writing it here instead.

So, this bad habit is something that anyone who calls us probably already knows and most likely finds fairly annoying. I never remember to check our voice mail. Part of it is that I don't like talking on the phone, so I rarely pick up the phone to here the beeping dial tone. The other part of it is that if I actually hear the beeping dial tone, it is because I have a call I need to make. By the time I'm done, I forget again. I'm sorry if that has included you once or twice or more.

But, what has brought this to my attention is that we have been waiting nearly 5 months for an adoption referral from Vietnam. We were told that most referrals are given between 3-6 months (often around 5). And yet, I never think to check my messages after I have been out. This has to change. So far, I've been in close enough email contact to know what it is going on. But, as we get closer, I can't risk not learning about our baby because I forget to check messages. So, starting today, I am going to try to break this bad habit.

Unfortunately, I can't promise that it will make me like talking on the phone. But, maybe I will hear your message sooner than a week after you leave it.

Indigo Bunting

2008-05-05T15:17:00.002-05:00

One day last spring I looked out the window and saw a brilliant blue bird in our driveway. I really wanted to know what it was and when some friends asked me if I had seen an indigo bunting (or cobalt bunting--which I can't find in print and must be a regional name), I knew that I had. I didn't see another one all summer.

This year, I bought bird seed that was supposedly something that the buntings like, and still had not seen any....until today. I happened to look out the window into the yard and saw a small, bright blue indigo bunting under a tree. I watched it until it left...satisfied that they're still around and that I may get to see one again. However, I still haven't seen it near the bird seed I put out specifically for them!

The picture is not mine. I found it through google images and now am not sure which site I pulled it from.

Go North Carolina!

2008-05-03T08:13:00.002-05:00

N.C. Gov. Mike Easley has awarded more than $5 million to state agencies, universities and community colleges through the state’s Energy Efficiency Fund. Read how one NC University is using their grant money here.

More TTV Pictures

2008-05-02T12:39:00.004-05:00

So, the key seems to be a contraption that will block the glare from the viewfinder. I don't have the key yet. I tried to make something out of a pair of socks but it didn't quite work. The flickr group had some pictures of some different contraptions. I'll come up with something.

Through the Viewfinder

2008-04-30T09:50:00.004-05:00

Last week I came across this flickr group through another blog. I love the idea and happen to have a twin lens camera. So, yesterday I tried it out for the first time. It is a bit awkward at first, but I think it has a ton of potential. And some of the pictures others have taken are amazing. Like this one. And this one. And this one.

So, here are two of my first "through the viewfinder" images. The first is of our garden starts in the living room. The second is of Nick's instruments in the office. I'll post more as I play.

Rag Rug

2008-04-29T11:15:00.003-05:00

In February I took a class titled "The Rug that at My Stash" at a local fabric shop. Over the last few weeks, I've hardly been in my studio at all between gardening projects and my nerves. However the one thing I have been working on is my rug. In the class we were instructed to use strips that were 1.5" wide. At home, I also did one that used any strips smaller than that as well. Its a mindless activity that (a) uses up scraps that take up space in the studio, (b) gives me something to do with my hands, (c) creates something useful.

I'm just about out of material again which indicates that I should be doing something else in the studio such as quilting...and maybe I will. I have been feeling the itch to cut glass for a stained glass window or create a small quilt. Maybe I'll get to both sooner than later.

Sunday Night

2008-04-27T21:10:00.003-05:00

My parents arrived on Thursday for a long weekend. It was lovely, restful, beautiful, etc. I'm sure I talked too much...but hey...I'm often by myself and I've got a lot going on in my head. I feel like I haven't been very good about being in touch with friends by email or telephone lately...so if that includes you, I am sorry. We have had several different visitors over the last month, and have enjoyed each and every visit. It is now time to find some routine again, if only a bit.

Another picture from our Charleston trip:

Ferns

2008-04-23T16:03:00.002-05:00

2008-04-22T09:27:00.003-05:00

2008-04-18T08:34:00.002-05:00

One year (yesterday)

2008-04-17T08:46:00.003-05:00

Nick's car accident happened one year ago, yesterday. One. Year. I can't believe it was only a year ago and I can't believe its already been a year. I am so thankful that he's made a full recovery....with only a bit of nerve-tingling that will likely not go away, but doesn't seem to be present all of the time. To celebrate his returned strength and mobility, he played his first softball game of the season last night.

Unfortunately, he did stop by the ER last night though. When I talked to him on the phone after the game I made some comment about how winning a softball game was much better than sitting in an ER. His response was that he was actually leaving the ER at the moment. Our friend, Tom, had a run in with the third baseman and needed to make a trip to the ER. I don't know how serious the injuries are so I won't make mention in case I am wrong. I just hope he's feeling better soon.

And, I'm so thankful that Nick is back to himself. Here is another picture from our time in Charleston, at Magnolia Plantation.

Greenhouse Door

2008-04-16T08:16:00.002-05:00

2008-04-15T13:01:00.002-05:00

Colors

2008-04-14T13:36:00.004-05:00

We had a wonderful weekend in Charleston, celebrating our 5th anniversary. I took several hundred pictures...of the beautiful historic downtown...of the Magnolia Gardens....of beautiful, colorful, sun-filled things. The weather was perfect. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire trip. I plan to sort the pictures and do some editing...but I promise you, you'll be sick of this trip before too long. :)

Rambling

2008-04-10T08:13:00.005-05:00

I haven't been spending much time in my studio lately. I have several projects in process, but its hard to head to the basement when it is nearly 70 degrees outside. Instead I've been planting, transplanting, moving, and planning the plants and flower beds around here. It is keeping me busy. We have flats of flower starts in the living room. Flats of vegetables in the studio. There are house plants and perennials everywhere, just waiting to move outside for the summer. I have also been researching and reading about different plants and their needs. Oh, and let's not forget about filling the bird feeders. I bought two new bird feeders about a week and a half ago and have needed to refill one of them three times! We have golden finches, house finches, carolina chickadees, tufted titmice (do you pluralize titmouse in the same way you do mouse??), a few cardinals, a morning dove or two and a few other birds I haven't identified yet. I am loving spring.

This Saturday is our 5th anniversary. We're planning to enjoy a lovely weekend in Charleston, SC and are really hoping that the scattered showers that they're calling for on Saturday will actually be nothing. I am really looking forward to walking around the Historic downtown and taking a lot of pictures. We were there over our 1st anniversary and I loved how we just strolled around the area for hours taking in all of the beauty. The wrought iron gates and the azalea bushes really stand out in my mind. It will be nice to get away, celebrate and enjoy some time together.

I will leave you with a few more pictures of some of my flower bed excitement.

Columbine

2008-04-09T14:23:00.002-05:00

Sunday Afternoon Walk

2008-04-07T21:01:00.003-05:00

The Lilac Bush

2008-04-03T13:06:00.003-05:00

2008-04-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

Frog Eggs and Tadpoles

2008-04-01T08:23:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago I posted about the frog eggs that I had found in the ditch above our house. Well, they've hatched. Its phenomenal how many tadpoles are flitting around in there. Thousands and thousands.

Yesterday I walked past the same ditch and as I have been doing recently, I stopped and watched the tadpoles. And then something else caught my eye. At first I wasn't sure if it was a telephone cord, or an animal intestines or what. However, the closer I looked, the more I became convinced that they were frog eggs again. So, different from the first batch of frog eggs we found.

Saturday's Fog

2008-03-31T12:24:00.001-05:00

Saturday Afternoon

2008-03-30T16:43:00.003-05:00

Saturday afternoon consisted of playing Rook, drinking wine/beer/tea and listening to music. Erin's husband, Keith, had driven down on Friday for the weekend and we enjoyed passing our time together in a familiar fashion. The weather wasn't suggesting a hike, and so we didn't push it. It was wonderful to have them here for several days. If only we could do this more often...

Out With Friends

2008-03-29T08:18:00.002-05:00

Because it is time...

2008-03-27T17:13:00.003-05:00

The grass needed to be mowed, and so when Nick came home from work...that's what he did. It has been so exciting to see how green the yards and fields have become in the last week.

My friend, Erin, flew in on Tuesday and so I've been doing many other things other than blogging. Yes, I did see that Laurie had her baby this week. And yes, I did see the several families with our agency received their I-600s. Both very exciting happenings. But, other than that, I've been doing other things like talking, shopping, reading and drinking margaritas in the sun. It has been lovely. However, it also means for the first time this year I forgot to post my Wednesday picture. So, I just posted one late. No one else cares anyway.

Wednesday's Photo Belated

2008-03-27T17:08:00.002-05:00

March Dinner

2008-03-24T20:15:00.003-05:00

It has been nearly a week since we had our March dinner at Nicole's. It was incredibly tasty and I am looking forward to getting the recipe. Nicole also put together binders for each of us to collect the recipes from our different dinners. I'm already looking forward to April!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T15:09:00.001-05:00

March 23

2008-03-22T18:41:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow marks one full year as owners of home in the mountains. This last year has been quite full. Many challenges have befallen us after we signed that paperwork...and very little of it related to this house.

However, over the last year we have managed to do a few projects around here. Our second floor is nearly completely redone. Every door, drawer and hinge works just a bit better, thanks to Nick. And as of today we have a new-to-us refrigerator, thanks to Todd and Jess and their willingness to trade. (No, not refrigerators.) One appliance down...two to go...and oh, how I wish they would.

Tonight we are celebrating. A nice dinner, a fancy dessert with some lovely jazz and then an old romantic movie to end the evening. Sounds pretty perfect to me.

2008-03-21T11:45:00.000-05:00

2008-03-20T09:44:00.001-05:00

"If we had no winter, than spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

-Anne Bradstreet

Forsythia

2008-03-19T12:02:00.004-05:00

Everyday offers a few more hints at spring's arrival.

Oh, my wonderfully talented husband...

2008-03-18T13:35:00.005-05:00

We have moved back into our master bed/bath after six months of work. Nick did most of the work, with some help from Todd. Any stained wood you see...well, that was me! I figured I'd share some before and after pictures.

The first set is of our bedroom. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures when we walked through the house the first time and in fact, the first picture of our master bedroom was taken after the project had started (obviously).

Before:

After:

(Mona can usually be found lounging on this corner of the bed. It is right next to the balcony door.)

The second set is of our bathroom. We still have a bit of trimming out to do...but
its pretty much done. We moved the bathroom wall 13" to make the bathroom a bit wider.

Before:

After:

Playing

2008-03-17T10:00:00.001-05:00

Plants

2008-03-16T13:26:00.002-05:00

Right now, our house is overrun with plants. We have several hundred garden starts going in the basement. My infirmary is full of those that are just starting or need a bit more coaxing. And this weekend I picked up a van full of someone else's plant collection.

When I was at the rug class a few weeks ago, I met a woman who was planning to leave at the end of March for a 7-month RV trip around the country with her husband. At the time she was saying that she didn't know what to do with her plants because no one likes plants anymore. Everyone travels too much. Of course my ears perked up. While I was hanging out with a group of retirees and I am not currently working...we aren't exactly living the retiree lifestyle. We can't afford to travel much and we love plants. So, I gave her my name and number and figured that if she called, I'd take her up on the offer.

Well, this past Friday my in-laws and I drove out to her house and picked up 20+ plants that I am now working to incorporate into our indoor landscape. Several will be passed on. Several are perennials and will move outside permanently this spring. Several can be separated again. And several are going to just need to find a spot somewhere in my house because I am excited about the new variety.

I think it is safe to say that if you're visiting me in the next month or so, you may be leaving with a plant.

Dusk

2008-03-15T09:23:00.000-05:00

From Da Burgh

2008-03-14T08:50:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Kaethe, I took this little quiz. Turns out....I'm still a Pittsburgher! If you live in Pittsburgh or have ever lived there... you need to take this quiz AND leave a comment about your score.

You are 92% Pittsburgh.

Great job! There's nooooo doubt about it. You're from Da Burgh. You deserve a reward, so go have an Ahrn City or two. And GO STILLERS!

How Pittsburgh Are You
See All Our Quizzes

New Addiction

2008-03-13T09:16:00.004-05:00

I found this site through another blog. For every word that you get right, FreeRice will donate 20 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program. It's fun. I also found reading their Q&A was helpful and interesting.

2008-03-12T09:04:00.000-05:00

Its 35 degrees

2008-03-11T21:16:00.003-05:00

and I am sitting outside. Tonight when we returned after being away for dinner, we realized that we had left the garage door open and basement light on. If you have been to our house, you realize that is the first thing you see when you pull into our driveway. I guess we had left in a hurry. It was great, a spotlight on all of the tools and the open door into our house.

Well, while we were gone a bird came to visit. And then somehow made it upstairs into the house. Our living room has a vaulted ceiling with plenty of beams for perching. This has been going on for about 30 minutes and I'm not sure what we're going to do. Nick is throwing things at it and I am trying to stay out of the line of fire--whether flying objects or bird poop.

Has this ever happened to you? What would you do? And why won't this damn bird fly towards one of the open doors?

Update (20 minutes later): He's out of the house now. We finally managed to chase him into an upstairs bedroom that did not have a vaulted ceiling. Nick stunned him with a swat and was able to let him out the window. I was watching through a door knob hole. It was humorous, but I'm happy its over. Now I can go to bed.

The Apron

2008-03-11T08:55:00.002-05:00

Last month I posted about an apron class that I was taking at a local fabric shop. It has taken me a while to get pictures up--between finishing the apron and you know, taking the picture, the days just seemed to pass. Alas, here is a picture of the apron I made--I love it. It gives me some ideas on how I might fashion a dress....from my head instead of a pattern b/c it would be too easy to actually have instructions and a picture of something I would like to make.

And it's reversible.

Another Find

2008-03-10T09:30:00.004-05:00

Originally a full service for eight, this set now includes 3 dinner plates, 8 dessert plates, 4 bowls and 4 tea cups. The whole set was only $3.00. I have a thing for dishes apparently. However, as Nick pointed out...that does not seem to include doing the dishes.

Bowl

2008-03-09T12:23:00.003-05:00

On Friday, Jess and I (with Ben) went to a local antique mall that is closing today. I found many great things. This is one of them. I don't know if the picture demonstrates the allure of the powder blue exterior. Nick didn't even see it when looking at it in person. However, it is what I love about it most. Well, that and the silver rim. And the shape. And the fact that it has this antiquated stamp on the bottom of a ballerina. I'll share a few more pictures of my purchases later this week.

Saturday in Knoxville

2008-03-08T09:36:00.002-05:00

Last night Nick and I drove to Knoxville, TN. He has a work conference today and so I just tagged along. We're staying in a nice hotel and I wish so much he didn't have a conference and that we were staying one more night. But, I'm also enjoying the space and brought a lot of things to do. Not to mention the computer which can steal hours away from me. :)
Of course I brought my camera. I had expected a warm, sunny day and had hoped to wander around town and take lots of fabulous pictures. The contents of my suitcase would confirm that assumption, as well. However, it was based in nothing. I hadn't checked the weather, heard anything or even known what weather is often like here in Knoxville. And, this morning it is gray, cloudy and snowing. Very much snowing.

As for the camera, there are still interesting picture possibilities. The snow is creating interesting patterns on the bank outside. The plush red chair in our room is wonderful and I'd love to take it home with me. Even a picture of the desk, computer, coffee, and mirror could be interesting. But Nick somehow convinced me that pictures from his conference could be beneficial and so he should take the camera. So, there you go. Instead you just get my random ramble of thoughts.

The coffee is good and complimentary. The magazines are plentiful. I even brought scissors and glue sticks and may find something fun to do with the combination of all three. And, I have access to (expensive) still-in-theater movie options on TV. Somehow I doubt I'm going to be bored. They'll be kicking me out before that happens.

As for those of you who have dropped me emails asking to see the apron I made a few weeks ago....I finished all of the hand sewing on it--so it is ready to be debuted. I promise its coming soon.

Blayne's Package

2008-03-07T10:39:00.001-05:00

(1) Small Journal (2) Pair of Earrings (3) Tea Towel Apron
(4) Rice Warmer (5) set of 5 quilted coasters

Up Next

2008-03-06T12:24:00.000-05:00

I have cut all of the pieces of a new quilt that I have started. Next comes the sewing the pieces into squares and then from squares to a quilt top. Its big and there are many pieces, so it may be a while before I have a quilt top to show.

However, I did manage a mini one with the same fabrics. After I was finished cutting all of my pieces I had some great strips left, so I created this doll-sized quilt top. I'll finish it sometime before too long.

As a kid I had a beautiful wooden doll bed with a quilt that my mom (or grandmother...I need to check on that) had made. Now it will have two quilts! Whether it ends up being for a daughter or granddaughter (thinking way into the future) I think it will make a special present someday. Or who knows...maybe I'll have a boy who loves dolls...that could work, too.

Pre-Peepers

2008-03-05T10:26:00.001-05:00

What I'm Working On...

2008-03-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

Last fall I started cutting these squares, and finally finished sewing them all together....just in time to possibly cut them all a apart again. I need some other opinions. I have a total of 80 squares. Forty look like this:

And forty look like this:

I know that I want to put them all together into one quilt...I like the idea of having something bright and busy. So, if I put the squares I currently have together, they will look like this:

If I decide instead to cut the squares in four and put them back together again, then I'd have forty that look something like this:

and this:

And all together they would like this:

So, what do you think? Should I take the squares one step further or leave them alone? Or, do you have some other ideas of how they should be put together. I'd love some feedback!

Bug Blanket

2008-03-03T11:30:00.000-05:00

This a small flannel blanket that I'll either use on the floor, tucked in a car seat or in stroller.

And, completely unrelated:
Happy Birthday, Andy! My brother is turning twenty-eight today.

Finished Imperfection

2008-03-02T13:38:00.004-05:00

HDR

2008-03-01T08:53:00.002-05:00

I didn't take the picture. But I think the detail is amazing. This is a high-dynamic-range photograph. Click here for the wikipedia definition. And to see some more HDR photographs, look here.

Heat Source

2008-02-28T17:30:00.000-05:00

We finally got some real snow yesterday. It snowed on and off all day yesterday as well as this morning. It is just beautiful.

On days like this you tend to appreciate your heat source. For us, that is a Carolina Water Stove. I had hoped to link it for others to read about...but I can't find anything other than real estate listings or other randomness. So, I'll just have to do my best. It is a wood burning boiler that is housed in our garage/barn and circulates water into our indoor baseboard radiators. If we're lazy, low on wood, or out of town, it switches to oil. However, we try hard to use wood when we can and last time we checked we had only used about 3" of the oil in our tank...and I'll admit it, sometimes the house is just cold. You can set what temp the oil kicks in, and we have it set low. The other thing that we have that helps some is six solar panels...so on a sunny day, that does quite a bit of us as well. The whole set up was a huge selling point when we bought this house last year.

2008-02-27T19:05:00.002-05:00

Catching up

2008-02-26T16:33:00.003-05:00

I feel like I've been doing a lot and blogging very little. Within this last week I have taken two separate classes at a local quilting shop and haven't posted any thoughts or pictures of the experience.

On Friday I took the Emmeline Apron class. I love my apron. Love it. However, right now it still looks like a strapless dress (from the front) because I haven't finished sewing on the halter straps. I will soon though, and when I do, I'll post a picture.

On Monday I took The-Rug-That-Ate-My-Stash class. Three other women took the class, as well. They are all retired and were fun to get to know. Two of them are members of the local quilters guild and encouraged me to come check it out next week. The other woman is headed on a seven month RV trip within the next month and may be calling me to take her houseplants. They were all saying that no one really likes house plants anymore because they're traveling too much. I do love house plants. It was strange to hang out in a quilt shop with older women who swear comfortably....nothing obscene, just funny. The rug itself is coming together nicely. I took a bunch of random fabrics that I don't really care for and I didn't expect to care much for the rug either. However, it doesn't look too bad. I used all of the fabric I took with me and need to cut about four times that in order to finish it up.

What else. Oh yes! I got a new sewing machine. Its a Jacome and I love it. I used it on Friday during the class, which gave me a good introduction to it and helped in making the decision. I have only had it one day...but I'm lovin' it!

I am just about finished with Blayne's package. I hope to put it in the mail tomorrow and as soon as I hear from her that she has received it, I will post some pictures of what I sent. Other than that I'm working on something for an upcoming baby shower and working on a new quilt as well as a small doll quilt. Maybe I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

February Girls Dinner

2008-02-21T09:18:00.000-05:00

This month, I hosted our girls dinner. I decided to make Vietnamese food. I had made springrolls many times before, but I had not made Pho before. It worked out okay I think. Everyone said it was good...but they're such lovely people, I'm not sure they would have told me had they not liked it. In addition to having great company, I now I have a clean house and tasty leftovers!

Thanks y'all--I'm already looking forward to next month's gathering!

Signs of Spring

2008-02-20T21:43:00.003-05:00

Note: I am so disappointed right now. I came across a great great great quote the other day about winter and summer and it had nothing to do with actual seasons, but personal seasons, and it was perfect. I cannot find it anywhere! Argh.

Eagle Eyes

2008-02-16T09:26:00.002-05:00

This game is slightly reminiscent of the days when I received Highlights magazine as a kid. The Audubon Society put together this fun (and timed!) photo hunt. See how many differences you can identify in a given amount of time (10, 20, 30 seconds). I tried 20 seconds and got 17 out of 25 matches. How many can you get?

Classes

2008-02-14T11:17:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I visited a local quilt shop to see if they had any classes coming up. The one that they have isn't the best fit for me and is full. So, I decided to sign up for two one-day classes instead. The first is based on this pattern:

I am quite excited because (a) I'm into aprons right now, (b) I had been eyeing this one up online already and (c) I got to buy some new fabric! , which I never do because I always just use what I've got. The class is next Friday and I'm excited to learn some good techniques as well. The best part is that instead of taking my own machine to the class, they're going to let me test run one of the machines that they have in the shop. Probably not next week, but maybe I'm on my way to picking and purchasing a new machine!

The second is a class titled "The Rug that ate my Stash". And oh, do I have a stash! We're going to crochet strips of fabric into a rug. I probably could figure it out on my own, but I decided that since my crocheting is a bit rusty and I have a zillion strips of fabric that I should use, it would be worth taking.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Snow Fog

2008-02-13T14:35:00.003-05:00

Canaan Valley Trip

2008-02-12T17:08:00.000-05:00

We spent the weekend in Canaan Valley, WV with friends for a ski trip. There wasn't a lot of skiing, but we still had a lot of fun.

Happy Friday

2008-02-08T15:03:00.000-05:00

Mona on Thursday

2008-02-07T16:40:00.001-05:00

When I came up from my studio this afternoon, this is how I found dear Mona. Asleep, in a full stretch, on her favorite chair. She was sleeping so peacefully that she didn't even hear me until I was in close and taking pictures. (She's in general fairly jumpy and its hard to enter a room without her noticing.)

And then so rolled over and posed.

2008-02-06T19:20:00.000-05:00