She's Got Colors to Spare

Get that Wheeling Feeling

2009-08-31T13:57:08Z

We are leaving for Harper's Ferry and Wheeling, WV on Friday! I'm pretty excited because I don't know what to expect.

I just keep hoping I'll stumble across some more money somehow. I have my resume posted on Monster and this morning got an offer for an HR assistant job in a large corporation that starts at $18 an hour. That sounds so much better than the $8.50 an hour I'm making now, part-time, mind you... but I just don't think I could take going back to the office 8am - 5pm, five days a week.

Send me a sign, please!

Bagels with peanut butter and honey are the best.

August

2009-08-04T13:43:00Z

August is an exciting month. The heat and mugginess of Maryland peak and the birds and bugs in the trees sing all day.

Also, August 1st marked the four year line of my pseudo vegetarianism. I say "pseudo" because many don't consider a person who still enjoys cheese, milk in baked goods and seafood very occasionally a "vege"tarian.
But I do! So yay for me. I've actually been doing a pretty poor job with my diet lately, opting for junk food over the plentiful summer bounty of fruits and veggies. I'm starting to do better now that Kyle is expanding his food horizons. Saturday night for dinner I made soft, squishy cornbread, homemade mac and cheese, baked some Quorn naked cutlets (fake chicken product made with mytoprotein, which is just AWESOME) and served them with toasted waffles and a sliced Maryland tomato. Fake chicken and waffles is my favorite!

August also marks Romance and Izzy's birthdays!! Happy birthday cat and dog! We love you!
We may have to have a small celebration for the wonderful animals, they deserve it. Romance keeps us up at night crying out, "Raoul, Raoul!" We are convinced he is searching for his Latin lover. Izzy jumps the fence to run out in the street and throws her food up when she eats too quickly. Oh, to love an animal.

Things have been going well with my new job. The hours and money are no where near what I was making at Venable, but I suppose I like it that way. Everything is provided for and it's all working out.

Every single person with any hint of premonition has been telling me lately that I need to keep busy, I need to have projects to take care of or I will end up "creating something to take care of". And I do not want that. Ever.

August is fun! Today is my day off! I'm going to hike in the woods and then enjoy dinner and a movie with my date-night lover baby!

libragurl88 @ 2009-06-25T19:35:00

2009-06-25T23:37:16Z

I honestly just don't know anymore

sorry, it's been a while

2009-06-02T13:12:22Z

Sitting at the desk enjoying my coffee. I did my energizing exercising and empowering meditations this morning but I'm afraid I'm a bit sad now. Izzy was outside this morning and I'm pretty sure she damaged a little bird. A little bird's wing, to be exact.
Izzydog was being too quiet as I was having my morning glass of water so I went out to check on her and watched a little bird fly out of a bush that she was watching. She caught it in her jaws for a second but then it flew / crashed / hopped to the other side of the chain-link fence where it has moved since. It may just be in shock and I really, really hope she didn't break it's wing or something like that.
Stupid dog.

My cat, Romance likes to wake me up fifty thousand times during the night. I love him anyway.

I went to Ocean City with my mom and her fiance on Sunday. I met them up at the condo because Mike was sick and my mom wanted someone to hang out with. It was pretty fun, I love laying in the sun on the beach and eating lots of really good food.
I stayed until yesterday afternoon and walking into the door to a very happy and loving dog and a very happy and loving Kyle. Also a sink full of dishes, a hot cup of coffee and fresh cut roses from the backyard. I missed home.
Had some crazy, crazy dreams when I was in OC.

Last night too, actually. Crazy dreams. I dreamed that a murderer crept into my house at night and disfigured my face by poking little holes all into it so it ended up looking like I had really bad acne... AND, no one in the dream really seemed too freaked out about it, myself included...

My dad is recovering slowly but surely. His next round on therapy is this afternoon. I'm going to take him, drop him off and then I'm off to my first day of school. I'm pretty excited. I have a new notebook and a brand new blue ink pen. I really hope I like this course because if it's not for me then I'm not really sure what I'm going to do.

Charles Village Festival is this weekend. Should be pretty fun, a two-day festival so here is to hoping that I'll make lots of money.

The house is still evolving. The backyard garden is starting to look even more beautiful. I planted three different kinds of tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, red peppers, green peppers, hot peppers, watermelon radishes, sweet basil, english thyme, german thyme, lemon thyme, lavender, pineapple sage, oregano, peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm and so many flowers. LOVE it.

My life is coffee, the dog, Kyle, grilling awesome food, friends, laughing, growing plants, melting glass and taking naps. Life is so sweet right now, I am so grateful for everything and so in love with it all.

eat pray love

2009-05-05T16:05:30Z

I'm reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. Inspirational, wonderful, calming. I love it so far. Read it.

Muddy-paw dog jumped up on my white sheets this morning so I have to change them. Now. Ew. This will be the thousandth time I've changed the sheets this week since Swine Flu Kyle has been sleeping on them.
Actually, it's not really swine flu, just really, really bad flu. At least MD said it's not swine flu. We spent about three and a half hours at Patient First Friday and he's just starting to feel better. It's been a REALLY long week or so. I thought I was getting it there for a little while, but I think I'm okay.

Yesterday we made seven tons of french fries. They tasted just like Thrashers and it made me long for the hot summer sun. It's been raining and raining and raining and I'm so tired of it.

I've been listening to a lot of Sleater-Kinney lately, I always forget how this is still my favorite band (next to Cat Power) and then I give the girls a listen again and always LOVE it.
Ugh. I have to start writing more, I feel slow.

School starts June 1st.

Saturday is my first big craft show. Everyone should come out and support my livelihood.

Ah!

2009-04-27T13:49:14Z

I brewed my coffee with cinnamon and cardamom this morning. It is delicious even though I am out of soy milk to cream the brew up.

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours laying on the sand at Miami Beach. It was so wonderful. I got a little bit of a tan and I got to listen to a huge woman say out loud (I guess she didn't know I could hear her) that, "That girl is so white she's clear!" And, "I bet she glows in the dark"
Hrm.

Anyhow, I'm going to go lay on the sand again after my doctors appointment. It is just so relaxing to listen to the waves and the kids playing and people talking all around me as I read my book.

Today is my first day of not being at Venable!! Tomorrow I start melting glass!

Honeysuckle Plants

2009-04-23T14:54:30Z

she wally wally, she bang bang

So yesterday I was frustrated and PMSing a little and just angry about the state of the house. Then Kyle cleaned up a little and when I got home it looked so much better and I had a lovely letter and a honeysuckle plant waiting for me. My baby doesn't just bring me flowers, he brings me trees. I love him.

I think I am going to the thrift store tonight to find costume making materials. Kyle and Izzy and I are going to the Faerie Festival next weekend and I'm making us all outfits. Izzy is going to be a cute little faerie dog, I'm going to be an elven princess and Kyle... I'm not sure what he wants to be. Maybe something along the lines of a greenman. Not sure yet. I can't wait!! Does anyone want to come with us? It's on a large farm in PA and there are lots of beautiful crafts and costumes and belly dancers and great music and food! Can't wait!

Tomorrow is my last day at Venable! I thought I'd never be able to say that! I'm so excited to be off into this new life of craft shows and art fairs! I'm also a little sad because I'm going to miss Tara and Josephine and my other co-workers. We've actually become very close over these past two and a half years and I'm going to miss having them in my constant network of "people I tell stuff to".
Everyone is being so nice (with the exception of my boss) about my leaving. Everyone is wishing me good luck and department planned a vegetarian potluck lunch on Tuesday and all the food was so delicious!
Tonight after work we are all going to a happy hour and then tomorrow that's it!!

Izzy had her training class last night and she is SO smart. She is getting very, very good for such a short amount of time that has past. We have to still work on coming when called (she gets distracted easily) and loose leash walking (again, she gets distracted easily). So yeah. Everything is going pretty good so far. This weekend should be beautiful and I can't wait to let the warm sun bake into my pale, winter skin.

Future Craft Show Dates:

Hamilton Art Crawl
Bizarre Bazaar
May 9th 10am - 4pm
Faith Community Church
5315 Harford Road

(Tentative) Reisterstown Bloomin' Arts Fest
May 16th 10am - 5pm
May 17th 11am - 5pm
Franklin Middle School, Reisterstown MD

Sowebohemian Arts Festival
May 24th 11:30am - 7pm
Historic Hollins Market
26 S. Arlington Ave., Baltimore MD

(Tenative) Charles Village Festival
June 6th 10am - 8pm
June 7 10am - 6pm
Wyman Park Dell, Baltimore MD

Unity Music Festival
June 13th 10am - ?
Farm of Peace
Warfordsburg, PA

A Dream

2009-04-14T13:08:20Z

I had a dream last night that I was gliding with sail (hang-gliding?). I was gliding slowly, slowly downward over a bright blue sparkling bay. The sun was shining but not too bright and I was gliding towards a group of really colorful sailboats. I was taking pictures as I was gliding down. I landed gently on a wooden pier and a really cute boy-man unhooked my sail and we talked for a while. I asked him how much I owed him for the glide and he told me to just give him what I thought it was worth. I pulled out a twenty from my wallet and handed it to him. He raised an eyebrow. I asked him if that was enough. He gave it back to me and said, "Tell you what, you've got enough money, why don't you just walk into town and get me two bagels, a chocolate bar and some coffee and we'll call it even?" I agreed and walked into town. The dream came back when I was walking back, the boy-man was sleeping and I left the bag with the goodies near him and looked at the bay, which was a little darker now but still beautiful.

My analysis:

Quitting my job and taking control back over my life is making me feel free (gliding free through the air). I feel bright (like the soft sun) and emotionally calm now (like the water, water is a symbol of emotion). Gliding towards colorful sailboats means that I'm moving towards something happy and interesting in my life. The man telling me I have enough money means I shouldn't worry about my money situation, that I'll have enough and I'll be okay. The following is what the three objects I had to get mean:

Bagel- Something is missing in your life (still need to work on my physical health and self-esteem, hence the two bagels)
Coffee- Friendliness and neighborly ways (how I've been feeling lately since I've been happier)
Chocolate- You deserve self-indulgence (indulging myself and knowing that I'm worth doing this for. I'm worth quitting my job and finding happiness)

Overall a good dream. A dream with a positive, refreshing and calming message. I feel comforted now and ready, so so ready to move forward.
Soon I'm going to post a list of all the craft shows I have coming up!!

I Quit!

2009-04-13T14:56:52Z

Well I finally did it. I quit Venable. My last day is April 24th. I'm estatic but nervous. But it'll all work itself out! But shhh. Don't tell my mom or dad... haha.

I've been writing a lot of little songs lately

2009-04-03T15:06:37Z

and by now it's just like we never met
you didn't stain my heart
i haven't let you yet
and by now it's just like we never spoke
all those long conversations
just clouds and just smoke
i let all pass away
on a warm sunny day
i'm laying on the grass staring up at the sky
i was addled and lost
but now i am found
my quandary resolved
i have my feet on the ground
and through the bright light
i see what i saw
there's no need to fight
because i have it all
i'm happier now than i've ever been
and when everything is broken
i can fix it again

Good Morning, April!!

2009-04-02T19:16:56Z

So. I've decided that I'm going back to school. I'm going to get my massage therapy certification and I can't wait to start again! I'm pretty sure that I'm going to CCBC Essex as opposed to a massage school (since the one I looked at was over $11,000 for the whole course!!). I'll be able to travel where ever I want and still have work, I'll be able to make my own schedule and work in a variety of different settings. So yeah. That rules.
I talked to my boss and they are going to be flexible around my school schedules but I'll lose some hours.
But that is okay!
It should only take two to two and a half years. Yay! I have direction again! I can work as a masseuse part-time and make fused glass jewelry AND still have time to work out in the garden when I want to!
I've decided that one day I want to get a couple of hens and keep them as pets and egg-layers. Kyle wants pygmy goats (which I'm sure Izzy will love) and I definitely want a cute little baby doll lamb. Dundalk farm!
Kyle and I are going to plant a dwarf weeping willow in the front yard. Last week my dad helped me rip out that huge, ugly, half-dead bush in the front. This weekend I'm having a guy deliver top soil to fill in the front and side yards. I'm going to put in a bunch of pots with flowers in the front and on the side of the porch under the tree will be all spearmint and peppermint since it doesn't get too much light there.
Soon we get to plant all the veggies and Kyle is still on his mission to find bamboo for the side yard by the neighbor's house. I am so excited that it's getting warmer!!
Kyle's surprise birthday party was Friday and it was SO much fun! I'm so glad that everyone came and ate and drank and participated in the games. I still have this giant picture of Kyle with messages from guests all over it hanging in the hallway! Haha.
For his actually birthday on Tuesday I took off work and we went to the Baltimore Zoo. It was perfect weather, 65 and sunny. There weren't too many people there and we got to chill with a cool screeching owl that got hit by a car while his keeper told us about him. His name is Beaker and I wanted to crush him with love :)
Oh! The giraffes were my favorite and the elephants. We didn't get to see the baby elephant but that's okay because we actually got to see the lions close up!! Fun times in Baltimore.
Saturday is my very first craft show at an elementary school in Dundalk. I'm setting my table up all pretty and really, really hoping that I sell almost everything because I've sank a lot of money into these projects with making almost nothing in return so far. But now spring is here and the craft shows are starting again, so HELL yes. Hell yes.
I'm so excited about going back to school and having to go to work less and planting wonderful plants and getting to be outside more and sleeping with the bedroom windows open! AND. We are getting a new hot water heater tomorrow with means that I'LL FINALLY BE ABLE TO TAKE A HOT BATH. Yes!! I get to use all my wonderful and neglected Lush stuff!!
I want to get into yoga again and be healthy and flexible.
Life is pretty good overall, I don't know why I get down so often. It's starting to pass now that it's warmer out. Sometimes I just get overwhelmed by all there is to do around the house and having to be at work all day, every day. Time for afternoon coffee and to get back to work!!

birds by default

2009-03-27T01:19:09Z

I am sitting up at my computer desk and Izzy is stretched out across my lap and another chair. She thinks she is a lap dog but she is not. But I'll allow it because she's so darn cute.

I did lots of prep for the surprise tomorrow. I am so excited!!

An odd fancy struck me around 11:30 this morning. I needed to make blueberry muffins with veggie bacon in the center. I just finished eating six of them and they were absolutely amazing. The best muffins ever. EVER.

I bleached a rose bush root in the basement for a whole day, let it sit in clean water for a day and let it dry for two. Now I have a gnarly, almost creepy root that looks like a hand. And it is bone white. And it is creepy and I'm not sure if I want to keep it in my house that I think of as a living creature.

Today was a very gnome-y day.

I wish I had a million dollars so I could buy anything I wanted on Etsy. I love me some Etsy.

I am a bird but I want to be the sky.

in yr eyes

2009-03-25T20:43:59Z

Someone once told me that I would never be happy because of my "self-loathing and attention-seeking emo romanticizing". This person said I am a bad person. Flat out. "No one will ever love someone so malicious".
Am I still living that lie?
Am I still surviving?

Is the emotional to be denied? Only the logical can proceed. The intuition be damned. Or ignored. But I can't.
Why do I think of my house as a living creature.

Last night I dreamed that I was in a field and two huge chow-chow dogs were running towards me. I get down on the grass and they jump all over me and I pet them and it is wonderful.

A couple of nights ago I dreamed that I was in a gray cobblestone town (Steph H, think of the mountain town from "The Book of Flying"). I was sitting at a wrought iron table at an outdoor cafe sipping coffee and looking at the mountains in the background. Sitting across from me was a human-sized version of Romance, sitting on his wrought iron chair with his legs daintily crossed. He too was holding a delicate coffee cup and we were chatting. He said, "I heard Donna and Mark got back together". I said, "No," like I didn't believe it, and then, "I don't believe that for a second! Where did you hear that from?" And Romance said, "Girl, I didn't hear it from someone, I heard it through my bedroom wall!" I woke up and had a "..." moment. Wtf. My cat is a dainty, dainty man who likes to gossip over coffee.

My perfect nightclub posse would be Tommy Lee Jones, Peter Gabriel, Alec Baldwin, Sir Anthony Hopkins and, of course, Gary Sinise. I want them to follow me in a "V" formation from the limo to the club and then get my drinks for me and compliment my hair. Is that too much to ask? Really.

I am very excited for Friday.

I feel like I'm losing who I am. Like my personality is slipping away. I can't wait to see the bright, warm sunshine of summer. I can't wait to taste the Maryland heat on my tongue. I just get so tired doing this every single day.

"control yourself, take only what you need from it"

2009-03-25T20:04:44Z

I read an article that said memories aren't as true as we once thought they were. Every time we revisit a memory it becomes more false and more like a movie we saw once. We forget certain details and remember others and invent others still.
I'm scared.
I don't want my memories to be false. When I catch myself caught up in a memory and watching it become more like a daydream I want to cry. Because I know I'm changing my past and I'll never remember it the way that it really was.
Which I guess is why it is a good thing we are all keeping these journals.

Clear it out!!

2009-03-22T20:53:35Z

Spring is a time for new beginnings. Cleaning out the old.
Kyle and I have been working on cleaning out the basement for a couple of weeks now. There is a very small closet and it was PACKED with stuff. Lots and lots of old pictures of my family and lots of pictures from my grandmother's childhood. Very cool stuff.
Next is the attic.

I have to post pictures because this house is becoming so beautiful. We cleaned up the entire back and side yards. The front garden is going to be all dwarf sunflowers and peppermint in a few weeks. On the side yard we're going to grow tomatoes, cukes, bell peppers, boston lettuce, pumpkins, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries. Then the deck is going to be all potted flowers and I'll move all my culinary herbs out there too. I am so excited. We're going to get some humming bird feeders and repaint the front porch swing bright blue. The living room is now all white and sage green and smells like incense. We have so many paintings hanging now all non-matching and lovely. Musical instruments on the walls in the dining room and hutch doors painted bright colors.

I just baked chocolate chip cookies and Izzy is snuggled up sleeping at my feet.
Later on we're going to take a trip to the county to meet Kyle after work for a walk in the park.
Lovely!

Friday we all went to the Black Hole for a rave and it was crazysauce times.

On another note, though, they've been doing layoffs at work. I'm 99% sure that I'm safe since I've never been in trouble, I don't really make enough to help out the bottom line and I already do the work of two people. I hate my job but in this changing economy (haha, I sound like my dad) I'm happy to have the job I have. I guess.
I still want to move to Arizona in the Autumn but it's looking more and more like a distant dream everyday. Now we have the dog to think about and that makes finding an affordable apartment even more of a challenge. I don't know where we'd work out there and we aren't going to be able to save enough to make it at the rate we are going. And Kyle and my dad tried to talk me out of this idea with a very good point: Why move across the country to something completely unknown when here you have a house and a well-paying job and a garden and all your friends? Well. For the adventure of it, of course. But they are right. For now. But not forever.
Anyway, it's a beautiful, warm, sunny day here and I'm going to go spend it outside with Izzygirl.

Alice Says Hi

2009-03-05T15:21:21Z

Yesterday Kyle and I went to pick up our new baby from the Maryland SPCA! She is a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL Aussie Cattledog with bright blue eyes named Izzy! She's about a year and a half old and SO hyper but very, very good. She listens so well and we are both just completely in love with her. Romance, my kitty, is not so much in love with her. But they'll learn to get along soon enough. We had so much fun yesterday taking Izzy for walks and seeing how much she knows and how fast she learns. I never thought I'd be a dog person but I LOVE it! It's supposed to be warm tomorrow and this weekend and I can't wait to take her out in the woods.
Not too much else new going on. I love my Kyle, we are having so much fun having the house all to ourselves (my roommate moved out). I love sharing my life with him, everything feels so beautiful. Now our little family is complete with our Izzy girl and we're both very happy! Wow.
Time to get back to files!
Also!! My house is full of new plants and rocks and it is amazing!

Alice is my Dearheart Treefriend

2009-02-17T19:31:28Z

Valentine's Day was pretty rad. Pretty. Darn. Rad.
We spent the day in Delaware yesterday to visit Insight. Insight is just about the coolest rock shop ever. EVER. We got some great stones and crystals for the house, the aerogarden and Alice's soil. Alice is what I decided to name my Valentine's Day Norfolk pine tree. Cutie!
My house is slowly becoming filled with color and stones and crystals and plants. So much better than stark white walls and Romance's cat hair tumbleweeds everywhere.
My roommate is moving out at the end of the month. Music room! I think I'm going to move my kiln upstairs to get it out of the way.
I'm slowly getting rid of all the basement clutter.
Grotto's pizza is the best.
Last night I had some crazy, random dreams and they all pissed me off. They were like, annoyance dreams created to annoy me. So I woke up, calmed down, remembered that they were dreams and that I'm not really angry in waking life, did some breathing exercises, dreaded going to work, got dressed, took forever to pick out a necklace, made a cup of tea, winked at the aerogarden, kissed my sleeping baby goodbye and was OFF to work. Where I am currently typing this entry right now.
Life is so very sweet right now.
My job is annoying, but my life is so very sweet right now.
Yesterday was a very bird day.
I can't wait to melt some glass again... it's been too long!

Try to Shake it Off

2009-02-13T14:51:28Z

My wonderful Kyle got me a Norfolk pine tree for Valentine's Day. It's so cute sitting all tall in my living room. I named her Alice and I love her.
My mom came over this morning and picked up Romance first like she always does and petted the little fluffy man until he wanted down. Then he threw a fit because she went to pet Rincewind and Romance is a jealous man. THEN he threw even more of a fit because she petted Alice. My jealous, little man was jealous of a TREE. Aw.
I'm having tea and ginger snaps and raspberries and blueberries and a banana for breakfast. This is my fourth day without coffee. I feel very sleepy. I don't really have a reason for cutting out the coffee, just felt like I was drinking it too much.
Steph P's visit was really, really fun. We cooked a lot of awesome food (she made the BEST tofu scramble I've ever had in my LIFE), we did a lot of shopping at The Health Concern, went thrifting and visited Kyle's store and the Book Thing and made a ton of National Geographic collages. Some of them are now hanging on my collage wall.
I miss her and I want to go visit in Philly. I'm really happy that she's in such a great place in her life right now.
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Kyle works all day but after he gets off we're going to attempt (if the weather is not too bad) to have a midnight picnic on the pier by the shore house. I'm making hot buttered rum, peanut butter and jelly empanadas and chocolate covered strawberries. <3
LOVE it.

BIRDS

2009-02-06T16:05:48Z

It's eleven am on a Friday.
I've been dreaming for the past forty-eight hours.

I want to be a beatnik bongo baby and play my little djembe all over town. I want to drink thick hot cocoa on a cold morning at a quiet outdoor cafe in the mountains and smoke black clove cigarettes. I want to run so swift and so silent though a canyon and across a beach. I want to bathe in the hot, dry desert sun. I want to drive for five days and see towns I've never seen. I want to sit on a log in the middle of the woods and play music with my baby-baby. I want to be able to pay attention to every individual leaf and drop of rain. I want to tie ribbons and feathers into my hair. I want a hug from a twelve foot tall Cherokee ghost. I want to sit on the shore house pier and sip buttered rum in the middle of the night and watch the fish and mermaids in the bay.

This weekend should be a blast. Lots and lots of good food and good company (my two favorite things in the world!)

Yay! Again!

2009-02-05T03:24:05Z

I am so happy that I could burst. With happiness. And when I burst... guess what comes out? Happiness!

My pendant website is up and running and I've sold a few pieces already... haven't made even enough to cover what I've spent yet... but I will. It's early on in the game. I can't wait until spring when all the craft shows start up again!

I'm actually firing the kiln right now!! And tomorrow I will fire again! And Friday night Stephanie P. is coming to visit from Philly and lots of stories will be told, strong coffee consumed and vegan feasts prepared. Good times!!

Kyle is my favorite ever.

Yay

2009-01-31T21:43:45Z

Coming to you live from my new iMac. It's beautiful and I love it.

GlassHappiness.Etsy.Com Coming Soon.

Birds out in the Snow

2009-01-28T22:32:27Z

Me and Romance watched the birds in the backyard attack some bread this morning for about forty five minutes. We meowed at each other. Bonding!
I stayed home yesterday to melt glass and it was wonderful! And today was liberal leave at work so I stayed home to melt even more glass. I am absolutely loving it. Can't wait until my first craft show to sell my wares!
Also today I made a bunch of shrinky dink pendants. They are all different bird silhouettes in black with a very light background. I'm glazing them now so they get all shiny and pretty.
Going to made some more to melt later after this post. I am obsessed. And learning. I learned that you can't put too much wire on a glass piece because DUH metal expands when heated.
I'm going to need to order more bails already.
OKAY. Enough glass talk.

Sarah's story about her journey to CA has INSPIRED me. I am so ready to move. More ready than before. Especially since I've spent the last two days clearing out the basement. My car is full of stuff to take to Goodwill and there is still SO much more! I've put so much up on Craigslist too and haven't sold much of it. I only want to take what I can fit in my car and that doesn't mean that I'm going to stash a boat load of stuff in my mom's basement. I want to let go and start fresh. All these old connections here, all these ghosts of lovers and friends and laughter and tears past. Gonna start fresh. I know who is really there for me and they'll be there for me whether I live ten minutes away or three countries away. <3

My AeroGarden is doing so well! I'm so glad my dad got it for me for Christmas. The herbs are getting so big and they are ADORABLE. Kyle and I have put a million different rocks and crystals all around them, it's really pretty. All the house fay LOVE it. It's mesmerizing to look at.

I've been a little moody all day but overall I'm still in love with life. I'm having so much fun. Last night Kyle, Zak and Paul were over and we used Zak's "create your own fairytale" scrapbooking paper and National Geographics I dug up to make some pretty awesome collages. Fun times. I cooked a huge pot of curry and made some strong coffee and tummies were full and creative energies satisfied.

More Beauty!

2009-01-23T15:53:38Z

I have now given away every piece of jewelry I made last week!! But that's okay! I gave a couple of pieces to my aunt last night and we went out and she got SO MANY compliments! And every time she said, "Oh, well my niece, Sarah, here made it!". And she just sent me an email this morning describing how people loved the piece she wore today to the doctor's office and to work. I love her. I always need that extra boost of confidence when I do something new and she has most definitely given it to me. <3.

I am so grateful for everything in my life right now. Everything is falling into place beautifully and I just can't keep a genuine smile off of my face. I feel so lucky.

I was talking to a co-worker today who is very open-minded and "intuitive" and we were talking about traveling and I told her that I was considering moving somewhere new and right away she said, "I can see you living out in Arizona". And I just smiled and said that's exactly where I was considering going. I can't really tell people at work that I'm going yet because I want to keep it kind of quiet until I put in my notice.

I decided upon a new goal for myself last night too. I LOVE down-home Southern cooking but don't eat 90% of it because it's not vegetarian and not even CLOSE to vegan. But most of my cooking is Southern inspired, just hearty, stick-to-your-ribs, filling foods. So I think I may become the anti-Paul Dean and start a food blog about Down Home Vegan Cooking. YUM. This shall be far in the future though, mind you. I am still extremely busy with glass jewelry and life and moving preparations and my Kyle.

Fused Glass / Snow in the Forest / Arizona <3

2009-01-19T22:37:30Z

All weekend I've been making fused glass pendants in the kiln and so far out of 40 only 5 have remained intact. A little depressing but not too surprising since no one has showed me how to work this with this material.

Today Kyle and I woke up early and left to go spend the day in the woods. We got there and it started snowing so hard. We spent a few hours in the trees and walking around and walking out on to the ice. It was so beautiful and quiet sitting by the water and watching the snow fall so softly over all the trees and water.

We are going to Arizona together. I wasn't sure if he was going to want to come too... But everything everywhere... all signs point to yes.

Blue Birds and Flagstaff

2009-01-15T20:30:07Z

So when I was in the woods on Sunday (it was FREEZING) I was walking off the trail and came across 7 or 8 blue birds playing in the trees. Everyone here should know how much I LOVE blue birds. It was really incredible and I enjoyed just standing there watching them dart in and out of the trees. They must have been passing through because I've never seen them out there and I can't imagine that they are winter birds.
Magical!!

I've finally decided where I'm moving in October / November:

Flagstaff, Arizona!

There are pine forests, mountains, urban hiking trails, lots of wilderness... Oh! And the average summer temperatures are in the 80s, the average winter temps are in the 40s. Perfect! It looks absolutely beautiful.

The night before last, at three in the morning, my cat appeared outside of my second story bedroom window, crying and crying to be let in. I have NO idea how he got out and I'm assuming that he climbed the tree to get to the window. He is crazy. <3

I got to see my Aunt Renita last night. I love her. She is so inspirational.