Tonight's Inspiration: Loops and Circles

Tonight I fell in love with this wonderful looped song by Emily Hope Price



and this photo seen here.

Don't you just love being drawn in by unexpected finds? What have you been inspired by lately?

Unexpected Benefits

Last night, I took the time to give myself a pedicure, a practically unheard of occurrence in my life. Ahhhh....the indulgent attention. I buffed. I massaged. I cuticle creamed. I trimmed and filed. I lacquered, and then re-lacquered my stubborn big toes. I watched a favorite movie while they dried. Perfection.

Flash forward to my walk home tonight through my 'hood where everyone was out enjoying the lovely night....kids in the streets with baseballs and bats, men playing at domino tables, ladies gossiping on front steps and in lawn chairs, teens chatting and texting, and endless groups of young men just hanging out. Hanging out and passing out compliments (or come-ons) of "God bless you, mami" or "beautiful" or "angelita" to every woman who walks by.

Tonight's compliment? "Beautiful toes."

Why thank you. Thank you for noticing.

Friendship making it happen!

Photo at M.'s company's NYC debut concert, 2007.

Dinner last night included: three friends, one birthday, two farewells, three unknown futures (aka adventures), one heartache, a good measure of laughter, a few secrets, lots of listening, a variety of perspectives, not enough spring rolls.

Three and a half years ago, the three of us came together as Mormon modern dancers in the Big Apple. Together, we formed an Artists' Circle to make things happen. Now both of these friends are leaving within only a few weeks of one another, perhaps to return next summer, perhaps not. So I look back at what this time has brought....

We made things happen! The short version? We self-produced three shows in three years (with all that entails...publicity, fundraising, rehearsing, etc. etc.), choreographed various independent projects and created teaching opportunities locally, out-of-state and internationally. But between those professional endeavors, we shared things much more valuable...brunch in the park, early morning studio time, hospital visits, dessert, a sounding board for professional problems, baby-sitting, inspiration, a listening ear for personal struggles, picnics, subway rides, ideas and a bit of our hearts.

On the street corner by my apartment, well after midnight, wrapping up our conversation as we have after so many other late night subway rides, M. expressed it best. We are blessed to have found each other and will forever be different people for having known one another. As they are leaving, I think about the gifts they have given me that could have only come from them and I agree. I am a different person from having known them. Our Artists' Circle friendship made something happen, something within.

Blessings to you both! Hope we're dancing and talking and eating together soon!

Spring Break 2009

A sum up of my whirlwind week? Backpacking into a cabin in CT, (related packing/unpacking), going to youth conference in upstate NY, (related laundry/packing/unpacking), cleaning the house some (emphasis on some, I'm afraid), reading your delightful blogs as a post-YC wind down (instead of scrubbing away mildewy shower curtain), attending to post-YC sleep deprivation, hosting cousin and his lovely wife for a few days (where they had to shower behind said shower curtain....YIKES!), lunching with a dear friend from home, then rehearsing, working and celebrating with my honey. Whew! It was great, but I don't mind getting back to a routine!

I wish I had a picture to share of the beautiful sunrise on the shores of Seneca Lake. I also loved seeing the sky from this grove of trees. How lovely it is to have hills and trees and lakes and long horizons around you!


And for you quilters, here's a picture of a quilt from a historic cabin we visited. Never got the chance to ask if it was period or replica, but I like it none-the-less. (Makes me think of Laughing Duck's flying geese quilt.)

Hope you have the Spring or the Break you need.

Falling Leaves

This is my current sewing-on-the subway project.


Yes. It's "out of season", but it's my most transportable project and I am glad to be making a little progress on it.

In honor of Molly's question of Inspiration - Imitation - Innovation, here's a little background. The quilt that inspired this was all maple leaf blocks, with very large and orderly rows of leaves filling the center of a scrappy quilt. When I started sewing mine years ago, I wanted it to be just like that! But when I got it back out this year, I decided I want something more free-form, with a variety of wind-blown leaves tossed over the background fabric.

So...I'm adding applique and embroidery and words. What words, especially action words, do you think of when you think of falling leaves? I have twirl and float and fall...What else? Maybe crunch or dance? Can you even think of autumn things when you are dreaming of spring???

Subway Song

Sparsely filled subway seats on a Tuesday morning.
An impromtu chorus forms and creates a simple song.
Riders barely notice the swells and solos, rippling sweetly down.

First, on my right, apart, she sings a bouyant note or two.
A descant to an inner song, smiling when I look up.
Ripples of colorful stitches slide from her needles, flowing gently down.

Further down the car, his back to me, he plays the harmonica.
A short, sweet song, reminding me of Granddad.
Soft-sounds float by as the train glides on its track, coasting smoothly down.

Sitting alone, a reread book in my lap, words fill my eyes.

A song of a stone clasped tight, heartache slipping under the surface.
Salty streams of text and tears slowly flood their banks, slipping swiftly down.

The man, the knitter, the dying woman and I, ride along.
A harmony of notes and stitches and once forgotten words.
We are all traveling quietly down, this quartet.
Traveling down, down, down.

How ya like them apples...

Getting up early to bake apple pie for our celebration (and All-American bake off!) at the law firm....


Enjoying the beauty of black and white lines created by snow on trees and the fire escape and everything else...

Running into one of the partners making a mad dash to Trinity Church as the internet feed on the big screen at the office was failing. Joining him...

Photo by Occipita, used under CreativeCommons License

Pressing forward with the rest of the crowd in the packed entrance to Trinity Church, as it was full to capacity inside. Straining to see the swearing in, catching only glimpses of Biden but ample views of the elaborate ceiling above us...

Getting the call that it was on back in the office. Racing to SEE THIS HAPPEN!....

Photo by Scorpions and Centaurs, used under CreativeCommons License

Being inspired to remember that generations before us suffered and succeeded and that the responsibility of this nation's success falls on all of us, not just our leaders....

Hearing the rare full peal of the Trinity Church bells....

Contentedly eating pie and loving that my pie was the first to disappear in our bake off, even though I was explicitly told it couldn't compete with the divine cheesecake....

Who can compete with cheesecake?

(Pie points if you can tell what design the steam holes on the top of the pie make!)

Knowing I witnesses a remarkable, historical day in our country....

Inspiring!

Tagged...about a decade ago!

I felt like I got initiated to the blogging "cool crowd" when I was tagged by two different people within days of each other, oh...about 2 months ago. I know not everyone feels this way about tagging, and maybe after doing it once or twice you're done forever, but it made me happy.

In spite of said happiness, it did take me months to respond. If you want to read my response, carry on. If not, check back tomorrow for a recipe or craft or some other musings. Without further ado.....

Great 8 Tag......

8 Relatively Recent Reads (no T.V., so no fave shows)

1. The Book Thief
2. Esther's Inheritance
3. The Secret Life of Bees
4. Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
5. The Road
6. The Richest Man of Babylon (and The Small Investor)
7. The Brothers K
8. First Things First

8 Things I Did Yesterday

1. Performed!!! :)
2. Slept in.
3. Folded laundry and did dishes.
4. Complained about having to do mundane things like laundry and dishes on a Saturday.
5. Visited a friend whose daughter is in the hospital.
6. Ate the soup I made Friday.
7. Prayed....more than once. (See No. 1)
8. Ate a MASSIVE bowl of dulce de leche ice cream before I went to bed.

8 Things to Look Forward To

1. Going home for Women's Conference in May!!! It is a serious female reconnecting time in my family.
2. Next steps toward becoming a mother.
3. Lunch with Jessi, a friend who returned to the city after being away for many years!
4. Finishing my quilt guild project, my Birds in Flight quilt and my nine-patch quilt.
5. Making breakfast with hubby tomorrow morning...eggs, hashbrowns, bacon...the works!
6. Chocolate chip cookies later tonight.
7. Performing again this spring in a project I am very excited about.
8. Tuesday's inauguration!!!

8 Favorite NYC Restaurants or Food Places

1. LaVain Bakery. Oh my goodness! Can you say chocolate chip COOKIE???
2. Boca Chica. Pan-Latino. Yummy black bean dip & plantain chips, pureed sweet potatoes, chicken, beans and rice.
3. Hummus Place. Well, hummus of course! But it's the pita's that sold me.
4. Grimaldi's Pizza. Still has the best pizza in the city in my book.
5. Pure Dark. Dark, and only dark chocolate. And they give samples of anything you'd like to try!
6. Flor de Mayo. Sort-of greasy spoon Peruvian/Chinese place. Go figure. Best rotisserie chicken ever!
7. Cupcake places (Batch -- salted caramel cupcake, Buttercup Bakery (east side) -- Red Velvet, Magnolia -- chocolate and vanilla)
8. Pomodoro's. Italian on the UWS.

8 Things on My Wishlist

1. More casual pants. Jeans are great, but.....
2. Deep colored, solid fabric for a heart quilt.
3. A NEW SEWING MACHINE!!!
4. A copy of the cook book "The Bread Bible: 300 Favorite Recipes"
5. A bit more enthusiasm and discipline for my day-to-day work.
6. Beautifully knit sweaters out of luxurious yarn.
7. More time everyday for the things I love.
8. MY SISTER TO LIVE CLOSE BY!!!!

Don't know who's already been tagged about a billion times, hates tagging, has already done this etc., but I can't help but invite these fun folks to join. Know I was thinking of you, consider you part of the cool crowd and haven't seen a "tag" or "list" etc. on your blog recently. If you don't wanna play this game, I raise a cookie in your honor anyway.

1. J.J.
2. Turkeycookies
3. Southern Fried Homies
4. Knot Sew Crafty
5. Commonplace
6. Bumblebeans
7. mayiwrite
8. chikaustin

December 31st

Dusting of Snow.....


Breakfast with a Friend.....(with silly tongue out grin)....


Movies and Quilting......


and a kiss at midnight....

Perfection!

Schlepped a 20 lb. turkey on the subway...

Yes it is true. I also had stocking stuffer citruses, bagels for breakfast, things for two savory gift baskets and other grocery miscellany in tow. It was an adventure...a heavy adventure! (Did I mention it was raining...and my turkey and groceries were in paper bags?)

Luckily, all made it home safe and sound! The trains weren't crowded and after all my city walking, I feel justified in the joyful feasting to come. Here at home, I'm settling in to wrap and bake and prepare for holiday entertaining, which is new for me. I'm looking forward to it! Hope you and yours have a lovely holiday weekend!

Merry Christmas all!!!

Magic everywhere....

The thought "life is magic!" flashed in my mind this fall when a moment of unexpected beauty that caught me off guard.

Beauty isn't usually the most immediate thing outside my apartment windows. Between my 2nd floor apartment and the fabulous park across the street, the view from five of my six windows is the rooftop of the shops below. Guests often ask if we go out onto this balcony-looking space. I have to admit, it's a great gathering place....for pigeons, windblown trash, grimey puddles, random items that escape from the apartments above (such as the current display of men's brown tighty-whities...or would that be tighty-brownies?) and other such miscellaneous stuff. Usually, it just gets caught there, creating a monotonous gray landscape.

One morning, I opened the bathroom window a crack while I hopped in the shower. Mid-shower, I caught a glimpse of the rooftop. It had been transformed! In the place of the dingy, puddle covered roof was a shimmering lake of golds and oranges. All the trees across the street were gazing lovingly into this rain-made mirror, admiring their new autumn attire . It took my breath away.

I have appreciated things like the Noticing Project as I read other's blogs, but in that moment I saw it in my life. Perhaps, life is magic, if we but open our eyes to see it.

Here is a bit of man-made magic downtown I've been enjoying lately, where paths of light are created every night in an otherwise ordinary plaza.


I love walking through here after dark. The trees wrapped in lights, the diagonals, the shafts of light on the ground...I truly love it. Thank goodness that even municipal folk create beauty sometimes!

Where have you noticed beauty lately? What magic has stopped you, even for just a moment? Oh, I'd love to see your pictures, your words or your image or links. Will you share one?

Fully Appreciated Value

We have a Christmas tree! She is a sweet little thing and I just love her!!!

Most years, we already have our tree by mid-December, but this year's been busy, with hubby madly writing grad school papers and me rehearsing more than in previous months. Having a night where we were both home together before 10 p.m. and could go Christmas tree shopping just hasn't happened.

Last night, late, on the way home from a wonderful harp concert by a dear friend (with dear friend's parents in tow), we saw a local tree vendor. I detoured hubby and I across the street to gaze at the trees. Immediately, I saw her...shorter than me, but sweetly fragrant and only $25! I was in love! It was late, we had guests, both of us had things in tow, etc. etc. etc.....so we walked away....with me feeling a little sad to leave her.

Home and changed out of work clothes, hubby finally said if we were going to go get a tree, we'd better go before it got any later. Yippeeeeeee! Looking at a few others only convinced us that this little fir one was the one for us, a little lopsided and all.

Skipping! Singing! Like a kid at Christmas? When we walked in the door, our guests asked if we were bringing a tree in. In response to my gleeful, "yes", Mac said, "From the smile in her voice I can tell that that was a good idea." And yes, yes it was!

How can a little tree make me so happy?

Teena said really enjoying something is what Mac calls getting "Fully Appreciated Value". Big economic term, simple principle...appreciate what you have. And so, in my efforts to be more economically wise, I am going to strive to get fully appreciated value out of this tree, loving it and enjoying it completely!
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(Don't mind the woman hugging the tree in the entry way, adoringly trying to guess her name and offering her hot coccoa. Possible case of Season affective disorder...sometimes the Season just gets to her. Hope it gets to you too.)

Farmer's Market Bliss...and a Recipe!

I love the farmer's market! I love buying local, organic milk...in the reused bottles, just like my mom had when the milk man actually delivered! I love the fresh veggies. I love everybody stocking up on their greens...and reds and yellows and purples and peaches! I love how beautiful and busy it all is and that it is all grown close to home.

And I love that it brings this to my table....

"Hail-kissed" very juicy peaches

and this.....

Fresh Tomato Sandwiches on homemade bread with corn on the cob

And this...one of my recent favorites ways to use fresh corn....

Corn and Black Bean Salsa/Salad

This recipe is from Heather, and I LOVE it!!! The lime, the cilantro, the peppers....YUM!!! Make it while the corn is good, just don't flaunt it on Heather's blog as there is apparently not a great bean selection in Kazakhstan!

Here's the recipe:

Corn and Black Bean Salsa/Salad

2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (3-4 ears)
2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1 large jalapeno, finely chopped
3 T vegetable oil
2 T fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
salt
few drops of Tabasco (optional).

In a large bowl, combine the corn, black beans, red onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Stir in oil and lime juice. Add cilantro, 1 tsp of salt and Tabasco and toss well.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Season with more lime juice, salt or Tabasco, if necessary, and served chilled or at room temperature.

My variations: I used one 15 oz. can black beans, one of black-eyed peas. I vary the peppers (red, yellow, green, purple). I wing the proportions a bit, depending on what I have on hand....and the fact that I think lime and cilantro should always be quadrupled! I rarely put in that much oil, and usually use olive oil. I often add tomato and cucumber. I use the green Tabasco.

Can be served it as a main dish with bread or tortillas, side dish with chips or any other way that strikes your fancy. It is just plain YUMMY!

Bon appetit!

p.s. I just noticed the use of all of the following "diced, minced, and chopped" in the recipe above....wonder if I ever chop the onion and mince the jalapeno? Tastes good anyway!

p.p.s. Any end of summer favorites and recipes you can recommend?

NYC Realities

Ree over at Pioneer Woman is always talking about keeping it real. So here's keeping it real for NYC.

We are on a mouse hunt.

The reality is if you live in a NYC apartment, at some point you are going to see a mouse or a cockroach or some other unpleasant critter in your house (like the horrendous moth infestation a friend had after never seeing a mouse or roach? What's that about? Moths?)

Anyway, it has been a long, LONG time since we had seen ANYTHING unpleasant in our home. (Huge sigh of relief!) I was beginning to take it for granted...as though my fantastic house-wifely skills (imagine Ms. June Cleaver smiling in our kitchen, apron and all!) finally fortified our house completely against any intruders of any kind.

Apparently not.

Darn it! It was a truly lovely fantasy. Oh, I want it back!

No, reality is that it hasn't been just one mouse that's entered our house! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! We have caught all of them, (most of them in direct correlation to prayers by my sister on our behalf...or the mouse's behalf....or if it were on the mouse's behalf, would it be keeping the mouse safe from said hunters such as ourselves? How does that work?)

Although we have caught all of them, not all of them are....how shall we say this delicately? Whacked dead and dumped down the incinerator. No. One of them is an escape artist! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! He apparently dragged himself, trap and all under our fridge where he pried himself free. (Why do I respect that kind of determination in a person, but hate it in a mouse?)

I'm just hoping the whole experience scared the living day light out of him and he's run for the hills....or at least the neighbors...never to return here. Or that we catch him again soon. You can pray on whoever's behalf either way. Please do, especially little sis.

p.s. I usually LOVE photos on a blog, but when I looked up pictures of mice....couldn't do it, not any of them. Not the cute pet pictures, not the caught in a trap/cat's mouth pictures, not the close ups of their faces, nada. Not when I want them dead and out of my house! Feel the same way about the "cute" movie Ratatouille....all those RATS in the KITCHEN!!!!! Get them OUT of there! Eeeeeeeeeew! May you never have to worry about catching a mouse in your house!

I'll pray for you.

Tourist Encounter of the Best Kind

Today I met a NY tourist I loved! (Don't worry hon, not like that.) He stopped me as I was walking to the subway and asked how to get to Little Italy. Honestly, it's been a while, and it's not like there is a "Little Italy" subway stop....so after I hemmed and hawed for a minute, I pulled out my tiny subway map set aside for emergencies like this one and began to tell him where to catch the best subway. He interrupted saying, "Not by train. Walking."

(I have just been informed by a reliable source that Little Italy is exactly 3.95 miles from where we were located.)

I showed him where we were on the map (near the lower left corner of Central Park) and where Little Italy is (oh, almost at the bottom of the island). He asked where Columbia is on the map (nearly 10 blocks north of the top of Central Park on the red line...a mere 2.76 miles away.)

None of this phased him. So, with a bit more respect, I pointed him in the right direction and off he strode, saying, "The only way to see the city is to walk."

This guy gets it! What a NY way to be! I love the determination, the self-assured "I can get there on my own two feet" approach, the desire to see the city and the willingness to pay for the pleasure, not in dollars but in blisters! I could have run up and given him a great big friendly New Yorker hug (again, not like that hon!) God bless you where ever you are....hopefully eating cannoli and lasagna, and not in one of those touristy joints. You deserve the real thing! Hats off!

ps. I am a CMA (Certified Movement Analyst) and I just loved observing his clear body attitude as he headed down Broadway...lifted shoulders, structured upper body, striding into the sunset! All part of "carrying himself" exactly where he wanted to go.

Don't tell my mom!

Tuesday night at 2:45 a.m., while my husband slept peacefully at home, I was in my PJs in the back of an NYPD cruiser! What mischief did I get myself into this time you ask?

It all started with the former bar (now "restaurant") downstairs, that has had a long run of late night, bass-thumping extravaganzas that have done nothing to endear itself to the sleep deprived tenants upstairs, myself and hubbie included. A year and a half (and one eviction lawsuit by the landlord later) the matter still isn't entirely resolved. So when I was awoken again at 2:30 a.m. by shouting, drunk men just below my bedroom window, I decided to go investigate with camera phone in hand. ("Ha-Hah!," I thought. "We will finally kick those crazy bums out with the condemning pictures I am about to take.") But surprise, surprise, the restaurant was closed and quiet! It was the typically unobtrusive bar on the corner that had a gaggle of drunk men hanging in front.

Ah, how drinking can make you smart! In response to my request to please not shout as it was 2:30 a.m., one of them said, "You know there's a bar inside, right?" REALLY? I am so sorry to interrupt you then! Please shout away! Should I have said, "You know there are other people in NY, right?" But instead, after repeating my request, I turned to go back inside when one guy decided that the best response to my little visit was to throw a city trash can through the nearest van window....and walk away!

My adventurous night now included: following the fleeing suspect on foot (can you be "fleeing" when you are just taking an inebriated stroll?), a 911 call, deciding that pursuing men who know I am alone and calling to report them to the police was perhaps NOT the best thing to be doing, giving my police report and then riding around in the cruiser IDing (or un-IDing as the case may be) possible suspects! I suspect they will never find who did it, but it made for an interesting night for me. And one more thing to add to the list of NYC firsts....

The joys of the Big Apple! May you not drink yourself stupid and may you enjoy a quiet night's sleep where ever you are!

p.s. Is it quiet where you are? I was fantasizing about living in a place where you don't get woken up by what happens on the street, maybe because nothing is happening on the street...What would that be like? I think I've forgotten!

p.p.s. In case you were wondering, the seats in the back of the cop car are surprisingly comfortable...although I was sitting in them without my hands handcuffed behind my back and there is virtually no leg room even for someone like me with very short legs. If you thought airlines had no leg room, don't get arrested in NYC!