Up Wake

I stepped into a Barnes and Noble a couple of weeks back. This is a big deal when you live in the boonies--doesn't happen often. Of course, I love our little used bookstore on Main Street like it was my own--but I get dazzled by the bright lights of Barnes, the stacks and stacks of spanking new books, and...oh my, an escalator! That's not one, but two floors of books! Hazahh! I went into a bit of a frenzy, and decided that I absolutley had to have some new books if I was to continue breathing. Yes, I have a Kindle--but I could never give up regular books. Just not happenin', mmkay?

All that being said, I am quite pleased, so far, with one of the books I got. It is So Much For That, by Lionel Shriver. I am not completely done with it--I'm actually about 1/3 of the way through, so this is not an actual review of the book, just my ponderings. The thing I love about the book is the characters. When you flip to the first page, it's like they are all there, hands outstretched, saying "Come on in. Walk around in my life for a bit. It's great to have you here." In return for me taking them up on the offer, they give me 100% honesty, warts and all. It also helps that one of the main characters is a metalsmith, and seriously flawed--I love that. I also get a chuckle because one the ideas that a particular character continuously complains about is capitalism--I find this funny because it was my reaction to the big, glitzy corporate store that got me to buy the book...it doesn't take much to make me laugh, I guess.

The book is big, and tasty, and delicious and I love sinking my teeth into it every night. Books bring me so much joy. I know I am not the first person to think or say these things, but why should that stop me? The things that wake us up and spark our minds should be shared, so there you go. Have a happy day!

Pie?

The guy that owns the greenhouse is quite possibly the happiest person in the world, plus he's a giant. He's like an excited Big Bird with a long pony tail. He's awesome. He's one of those people that you instantly like because he emanates pure joy. As we wandered looking at trees way, he came up to us. Here is how the conversation went:

BB: Aren't those birches awesome?! (I never combine my exclamations with my question marks, but that is the only way I could capture his enthusiasm, and I still didn't do it justice.)

Me: Yeah, we have an empty lot next to our house and we wo-

BB: ORCHARD!! (he throws up some jazz hands)

Me: Maybe, bu-

BB: Oh yeah, an orchard. Pears, apples, cherries...(whistles through his teeth with a dreamy look in his eye as he rocks back on his heels).

My Husband (Ryan): Watches quietly with his hands in his pockets, a happy little smile on his face.

Me: Or these birches...

BB: Mmmm hmmm, mmmm hmmmm. Imagine the pies.

Me: Pies...I like pies.

BB: Well, look around. These birches are native, so they'd do real well for ya'.

Me: Pies...

We kept looking, and eventually we started talking to BB again because the trees we already have tend to get a little sickly. 

BB: Oh, sounds like you have Scale. You might need some Lime Magnesium (I can't remember exactly what chemical he said, so I'm making it up).

Husband: Still quiet, nods his head.

BB: Looks at Ryan. Yeah, you know about the Lime Machomeesa.

Ryan: Nods again.

When you've been with the same person for a significant amount of time, you develop an unspoken language. It goes way beyond body language, and is derived instead from an intimate knowledge of the other person. So intimate, that all you need is a little bit of context to understand exactly what is happening in their mind. Here is what was happening between us at this moment.

Me: I glance at Ryan, and my look says, You don't know anything about Lime Mancala.

Ryan: Does not return my glance, but in so doing he says, I know that you know that I don't know the first thing about Lime Mandolin, but I don't want to interrupt. Just go with it.

So, we finish up our conversation, look at a few more trees, and leave. We totally forgot to get the Lime Of Monte Cristo. As we are driving away, Ryan says:

Ryan: Am?
Me: Yeah?
Ryan: I don't know anything about Lime Mandungus.
Me: I know, Sweety.
Ryan: Lunch?
Me: Yes. How about some pie?

The Day I Got Nothing Done

I had a hard time pulling it together today. I did not have to work, but my husband did, so I had the house to myself. Perfect time to get started on jewelry for this summer's show, no? I got up brightish and early-ish (a.k.a my dogs jumped on my head until I stumbled out of bed), brewed my coffee, ate my cereal, and...watched an episode of Smash on my DVR. Okay, once that was done I thought about putting on my shoes and getting my run out of the way. I thought about it, but what I actually did was, wait for it, watch another episode of Smash. I'm behind, okay? It's been a busy couple of weeks.

So, once I got caught up on Smash (Uma Thurman, you vixen, you), I looked at the clock and thought I had enough time to run before my hair appointment. I promise you I was headed for my shoes when the phone rang. It was my dear friend whom I have not spoken to since...Wednesday. So, I settled in for a nice long chat. She's doing well, by the way. Thank you for asking.

By the time I hung up the phone I had reached the red zone--the place where you absolutely must get in the shower within the next 45 seconds or you will be terribly late for whatever appointment awaits you. The red zone happens at different times for all women, for me it is exactly 53 minutes before whatever I have scheduled. For example, if my hair appointment was at 1:00 p.m., I absolutely must be in the shower and fairly wet by, at the latest, 12:07. 12:08 is pushing it, at 12:09 I may as well just put on some deodorant and clean socks and call it good.

After making all my appointments (I was only a teensy bit late), I just did not have the energy for that run. I did, however, make some beads. But, I was feeling just a little off-my timing just wasn't there. Here is one of the scariest things about working with glass. If you heat it too fast, it shatters and sends tiny, hot little shards right toward your face. I have never actually been hit in the face, but it is still quite terrifying. What's worse, when this happens, I jerk my head back really hard which really hurts because whenever I am working glass in the flame, I tilt my head to look at it. So, basically, I look at my glass the same way my dog looks at me when I say any of these words:

Ball.

Walk.

Or, Bone.

So, you see, jerking your head back when your neck is all twisted really hurts. But, I did end up with these little pretties.

I think they're worth a little whiplash.

Yup.

Well, here's to a more productive Saturday! 

Over The Moon

I am trying to get my head back into my real life right now. I was away for almost a week at a conference put on by the Council for Exceptional Children, and came back buzzing with new ideas and exciting directions. I was still processing this the morning after my return as I pushed against the cold wind and headed to our mailbox. Inside I found an envelope from the Spearfish Arts Center. My breath caught, and I whispered to Ryan, "I got an envelope from Spearfish."

"Whatever it says," he began, "just be okay with it."

Spearfish is the sight of the annual Festival In the Park. It is one of the largest art festivals in the upper Midwest--yes, I'm quoting their website. Anywhoo, it is a juried show, meaning you have be selected by, you guessed it, a jury. I applied to it last month and have been working very hard ever since then to put it out of my mind--quite unsuccessfully.

With my heart hitching, I tore into the letter and...I got in! This will be my very first juried show, and I am over the moon. Way over! I am scared, and anxious, and trying to figure out how I can possibly make enough before then, but I will do it. My wonderful family has already to volunteered to help in various ways--they're the best--so I certainly don't think I'll be short handed. Hmm, I may have to teach Ryan to use jeweler's pliers...we'll see how that goes.

Now, I have to go breathe because I am at a constant risk of hyperventilating when I think about the show. The good hyperventilating, that is.

Hello, Stranger

Spring Break is over, *deep sigh*. We get so busy during the school year, that sometimes it feels like Ryan and I just kind of get used to not interacting a whole lot.

So much so that the first morning of break, when I glanced over the rim of my steaming coffee cup and saw my disheveled guy across from me, I gave a shocked little, "Oh, well hello! How are you?" 

He looked at me with the same mild surprise, and answered, "Not bad. Your hair got long."

Okay, so it's not actually that bad, but it sure was nice to spend some quality time together doing things that are not at all exciting unless you are living inside our lives.

The first thing we did was shop for trees at the greenhouse--an interesting time, I'll tell more about that later. We also got new furniture because the furniture we've been using was purchased when I was 13 years old...by my parents. Oh yes, it was time.

We also did some hiking with the dogs, and on the way I had to take a few pictures.

I love it when I look out the car window and see something unexpected, like this old truck sitting in front of an equally old-looking store front.

The dogs, however, were not as amused, and really just wanted to get to the mountains already.

And, of course, I got to make some jewelry.



These guys were so fun to make! I will be listing most of them on Etsy very shortly. 

Now, back to work. *sigh*

Breathe In - Breathe Out

In the place where I grew up it always seemed that the storms came from the West. Two giant hills hulked on the horizon in front of our house, and this is where the storm clouds would boil up, all dark and bruised. I loved watching their gray forms bloom up and out, slowly covering the whole of the sky until we were completely beneath them, smelling their rain, our hair whipping in the wind. As the barometric pressure changed, the horses would come thundering up the pasture. Not because they were scared, I don't think, but because they were excited to welcome the rain. Something about the dark storm light made them seem to glow.

These earrings make me think of improbable sources of light.

Prehnite always glows, with or without light. I love the  magic of it. I also love the soft shine of the silver discs--still having so much fun with the PMC! These guys will be on Etsy tonight.

I hope you are having a happy Monday--one full of light!