Will Return..., or, Spring Break

The idea is that I'll be back in April, but until then, I'm taking a break to be a bit more reflective.  Thanks for visiting.

Top Shelf [Laundry]

I've been making our laundry soap for about three years now.  I'm sure there are a lot of different recipes out there, but I make Jenah's HomeMade Laundry Soap.  It's easy and extremely inexpensive.  Additionally, it doesn't bother my sensitive skin, it's gentle enough for delicate garments, and... if you happen to forget the a load of clothes in the washer overnight, they don't smell mildewy by morning.

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Day o' Green

This year's St. Patrick's Day festivities were pretty minimal.  J. was very disappointed that we didn't have corned beef and cabbage.  There's a brisket brining, but it takes days, and I was not even thinking of corning my own beef until it was too late. C'est la vie.

Do you do anything special for St. Patrick's Day?

Albali, or, The Swallower

I hope your day and your week are more brilliant than usual.  To help get you started...

Recipe ideas for our pizza & movie nights.

A simple homemade all-purpose cleaner.

The Nicholas Cope images in an interesting article.

An Amtrak residency for writers.

Maybe this will be the year that I try out Bensimon sneakers.

The newest edition of Taproot is out.

 Pi Day pie.

A college pal's brother's film, Buzzard, gets a SXSW Variety review.

This Measuring Gaggle goes on sale.

P.S. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Flower Power

It wasn't long ago that I was looking forward to the day that the magnolias would bloom.  A lot can change in two weeks' time.  Incredibly, their showy display is even more awe inspiring than I had anticipated.

Albaldah, or, The Town

I skipped the usual Star Bright post last Monday, which means that we're more than one week into March and I haven't even shared my favorite desktop with you.  It's beautifully bird-y and vibrant as usual.  Here are the other tops from the week (or two).

I'm in the mood for new yoga wear (these galactic capris and this all-in-one tank).

A song that quietly resonates.

I've got chicken accommodations on the brain big-time.

Four scarves tied sixteen ways.

Indication

Nearly everywhere I turn, there are more signs that Spring is here (a full two weeks earlier than last year and earlier than the year before that too).

Sign of the Times

Last night, I had a dream that the chickens had finished their Winter hiatus and were back in egg production.  The eggs in my dream were a mix of normal size and really, really small.  Not all of the eggs were in the nest box.  It was a bit like an Easter egg hunt to find them.  Also, oddly enough, some of them were growing on trees.

This morning, I checked and saw that it was true.  The chickens have started laying again for the 2014 season.  There were seven eggs waiting for me so they must have started a few days ago.  I had just been too preoccupied to check.  

What are your sure signs that Spring is here or on its way?

Fish's Bone Blocks

Recently, J. and I took advantage of a wonderfully sunny and warm Saturday to work in the yard.  We managed to relocate six japanese maples.  They now live where the blackberries were just a few short weeks ago.  The trees are spaced far enough from the sidewalk to leave room for a truck to back up to the front door.  The idea is that we'll lay bricks in a three-foot area on either side of the walk for the rare occasion that we do need to drive there.

I tested a small area by laying out the bricks that we have to get a sense of what it would look like.

I think that it will be quite beautiful when it's complete, but for now, we are firmly in the research and development phase.

"Notable Occurrence"

As I was closing up the curtains before going to bed last night, I was struck by the foggy glow cast by the street lights.  Somehow it looked different than usual.  It was captivating.  I went to another window to examine a different vantage point and noticed that the fog hung low below a clear and starry sky.  I hurried downstairs to tell Robert and J. about the beauty of the fog and stars.  They were equally impressed.

Even though it was nearly midnight, which is a full two hours past my usual bedtime, I agreed with them that the circumstances warranted a walk and a bit of photo play.  How could I pass up the opportunity to traipse around with two of my favorite photographers?

Entertain

Over the last few days, J. and I have had the pleasure of hosting my good friend Robert Nachman who's visiting from Los Angeles.  Although our lives have changed pretty dramatically in the four years since we last saw each other, our friendship has remained nearly unchanged.  It's been a joy to hang out, exchange ideas, reminisce, share stories, and make new memories.  I can't speak for J. or Robert, but personally, I feel totally refreshed.

P.S. You may remember Robert's mention last year in a Favorite Things post.