on dropping the to-do list

sometimes to-do lists are very important to structure the day and see at a glance what must be done. and sometimes, to-do lists are just words on paper, easily dropped for a spur of the moment walk at the end of the day.

it's really just a sort of leftover wasteland from an earlier gravel pit kind of operation. but it's been untouched for years and yesterday, it was the perfect wild & barren place to explore. scrubby brush and tumbling hills with marshy lows and a collection of bird life reveling in a haven of discarded land. the space between was filled with silence. (one man's trash is another's treasure.)

the dogs ran free and climbed small sandy mountains, and then patiently waited while their feet were brushed clean again afterwards. naturally, i forgot my own pant cuffs and dumped out a small load of sand in my closet later that evening. almost perfect. sigh.

xo. r

hide & seek

where did the leaves go?

oh.

weekend wander

crisp fall mornings call for a walk through the woods to the cider mill on the other side.

armed with lattes and a dog or two, we walk the long path through the woods.

i can never get enough of the way the trees arc over and make green tunnels

(then red tunnels, gold tunnels, bare twig tunnels.)

there is cider and the sweetest mini doughnuts. there are always extra for the dogs.

and we stop at the petting zoo. goats, sheep, a two week old lamb and of course, the llama.

guinness and a goat poke noses. ah, curious beasts.

the walk back is slower. patrick's carrying cider. the sun is warming the day.

and there's a whole sunday still ahead to whitter away.

at the end of the day, there will be an apple morgan.

recipe: slosh apple cider and capt. morgan's into a glass, swirl & enjoy.

xo. r

tomayto, tomahto

i am always torn between two favorite foods.
summer tomatoes. or fall apples.

this sweet little tomato box is definitely pulling favor.
that and there's a large pile of ripey ripe tomatoes on the counter.
sliced. with salt. there's no need to complicate things.

but then again, come fall...
the apples will be piled high in bushel baskets
and we'll walk through the woods to the cider mill
and i'll forget all about summer tomatoes.

xo. r

ps. vintage modern buntings are back in stock,
just in case you missed them the first time around!

weekday walk

a visit to the vet brought us right by our favorite park. we consoled ourselves afterwards with a walk. guinness recovering from people prodding her eyes, me nursing a wounded wallet. we took the tunnels. the leaves arch over and lead you somewhere new. the bridge was out. we crossed in the river. nothing but leaves overhead and the steady crunch of gravel underfoot. what a strange place to find yourself in the middle of a weekday. it should happen more often. really, it should.

xo. r

bloooooom

forget organizing your bookshelves by color.
the cool kids organize their gardens by color.
this year, all my gardens are brown.
and crunchy.


xo. r

easter

an easter sunday walk through the woods.
i so often forget to notice the world around me, lost in my own thoughts.
it can be beautiful sometimes. (in the words of world party.)

xo. r

( broken butterflies )

rather in awe of this delicate and intricate work

by anne ten donkelaar.

broken butterflies

repaired with embroidery thread, 

golden root, even gold leaf and paper.

i can't even begin to imagine working with something so fragile.

the results are mesmerizing.

xo. r

( math. magic. mother nature. )

math. magic. mother nature.

for melissa, who's made me appreciate the science behind snow.

see more vintage photomicrographs

from wilson "snowflake" bentley here.

xo. r

( fall in the forest )

i can't tell you how much i like the work

of jonathan levitt. { grassdoe }

something about his photos,

i am aware of both camera & photographer...

but it feels so personal,

like i am laying flat on the forest floor

{ the moss is quite cool, nearly damp }

i can reach out my hand

and cup the fragile edges of the trumpet.

it feels real.

xo. r

( natural history )

brittle bones, lost teeth, shed skins,

stag horns, woven nests, delicate shells,

science labs, diagrams

coral branches and tender curls of moss.

natural history has always fascinated me.

( these great finds are in the shop. so hard to share sometimes! )

xo. r

( into the woods )

sparrownestscript

vacation always feels wonderful.

but the best part is always coming home again.

all settled in after a week on the trail.

lake superior in the summer is every bit as beautiful as the ocean.

the wind blew. the feet walked. there was silence for miles around.

so nice.

patrick convinced me to try out his latest camping obsession.

sleeping in a hammock instead of a tent.

it's a wee bit complicated to explain, but i was warm, dry, and so comfortable.

it sure beats the rocky ground.

of course after all that wilderness & silence

we both immediately flocked to the internet upon return.

sigh.

lots to do this week, the list has already grown out of control!

xo. r

( color )

.

a beautiful example of plant dyeing... 

done with things like fennel, sage, oakmoss, eucalyptus & blackberry.

gorgeous isn't it? { here }

which reminded me of this example of solar dyeing

by k of fog and swell

see her flickr stream { here } for a few more images of solar dyeing.

i felt a buzz of excitement when i saw them!

it just amazes me to know there are people

who see their environment in such a different, intimate way.

here's to a new week!

xo. r

( egg )

.

engravings from 1818 by jf naumann, via bibliodyssey

just before the bird, came the egg.

have you ever found a nest, with the eggs tucked gently inside?

they're incredible little weavers

and i love finding evidence of the their gatherings,

a bit of string, a strip of paper,

woven right into their new home.

( it's a bit like people bringing home souvenirs of their travels. )

i've been working on two little birds for custom orders.

a little sparrow. and a little swallow.

in this case,

the bird comes before the egg.

xo. r

( anatomy )

{ robert maxwell via marieclaire }

yes, the humerus is the upper arm.

the foot, obviously attached to the lower leg.

but i find they pair well...

a laugh

and a reminder of what we are inside

and what we can do with that.

the human body is so incredible.

and umm, funny too.

( a lion among men )

black & white ghosts

of

time and caution

thrown to the wind

{ via the clutter }

( almost )

it is spring

only not yet

it is still brown and gray

with only the tiniest, bravest hints of green

{ the daffodils are peeking out }

there may still be snow

and cold and bite

but there is hope

and that's what i like about spring

these photos also feel like spring to me

the way the fall leaves are still hiding underneath

but perhaps they are fall?

they feel right today...

{ photography by isobel mei. she has a way with gray. }

( just words )

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

we've been wearing

this short, harsh winter

like a bruise

it could be spring now

the sun is trying,

weakly

 

strained through clouds

light leaks thin

lacking substance

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

( thinking of )

thinking of japan

the lost

and those who've lost

we need a moment of good faith just now

here it is